Lieut-Colonel David Mather: I hope that the right hon. Member for South Down (Mr. Powell) will forgive me if I do not follow his line of argument, because I am on a slightly different tack. I think that this afternoon is an opportunity to try to look at some of the origins of the problems that we face today in foreign affairs. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary said that, in common with the Russians,...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: What I have to say is not particularly new — it has all been said before — but I think that it bears being said once more, especially as I have been sitting here silent for so many years. I support the Bill because I think that there is too much violence on television. It is not the job of television to go as far as it feels an audience can take, pushing the frontiers ever onward. By the...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: (Comptroller of Her Majesty's Household) rose in his place and claimed to move, That the Question be now put.
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: Today, Sir.
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: Mr. Speaker, you charged us with an important mission: to present, on behalf of this House, Speakers' Chairs to two newly independent Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean. I pay tribute to my travelling companions, the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Leighton) and our senior Clerk, Mr. Anthony Barrett, who observed all the niceties for us and established excellent liaison with out...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: were appointed Tellers for the Ayes, but no Member being willing to act as Teller for the Noes, Mr. Speaker declared that the Ayes had it.
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion.
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: Hear, hear.
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: I shall be brief, since the hour is late and much of the ground has already been adequately covered by my hon. Friends the Members for Leominster (Mr. Temple-Morris) and for Chertsey and Walton (Mr. Pattie). My constituents in Esher are absolutely fed up with the constant disruption of rail services, the mounting cost of fares, and the withdrawal of such things as cheap rate fares for school...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: Can my hon. Friend explain how it was, in the event, that these proposals never came into effect?
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: The subject I wish to raise is in the nature of a cautionary tale—or how not to inaugurate a new air route. The route concerned is the Heathrow-Gatwick helicopter link which is, we are told, a temporary measure until such time as the M25 road link is completed. The route crosses my constituency and also the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Chertsey and Walton (Mr. Pattie). It...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. We have in common the fact that at licensing inquiries we cannot object on environmental grounds except on the discretion of the CAA which is using it on this occasion to limit representation of all these groups to one person. Indeed, we would not have had an inquiry but for an objection lodged by the London Country Bus Services Ltd. If the complaints...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: We are all aware, even at this time of the morning and even with so few hon. Members present, of the very grave matter that we are now discussing. The gravity of it has been brought out adequately by my hon. Friends the Members for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker), Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Hastings) and Bexleyheath (Mr. Townsend). It has been pointed out that the hon. Lady is in an unfortunate...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: I wish to follow the comments—
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: I respect your comments, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I have been in touch with the Home Office and told the officials there that I intended to mention the subject of Mr. and Mrs. James Todd of New Zealand. The Private Office in the Home Office raised no objection and said it would do its best to see that the Minister arrived here as soon as possible. I expect that the Minister will arrive very shortly.
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: I gave notice to the Home Office about a month ago that I intended to raise this matter on the adjournment.
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: Yes, a month ago.
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: On this occasion I telephoned the Home Office half an hour ago to inquire whether it was reasonable for the Minister to come to the House. The Home Office agreed that it was reasonable. I said that I expected to speak within half an hour or so, and it agreed that that was reasonable. The officials there know of this case because we have been in correspondence about it. I have given them...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I very much respect what you have said, but is not the reason why we are in this predicament that another hon. Member took various actions as regards legislation before us in order to delay that legislation? That is why we are in this parlous state, business having ended much sooner than we thought it would. It derives from action taken last week by...
Lieut-Colonel David Mather: Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I telephoned the office of the Minister concerned and it was perfectly accepted that I should go ahead with this debate. If it had been stated in any way that it was inconvenient and that the notice was too short, I would have respected that and would not have pursued the matter. But notice was accepted. I explained that it was short notice...