Sir Peter Emery: May I extend my question? The movement towards the summer opening is a major programme during an extended period. Would it not make greater sense to experiment during some of the shorter recess periods to see how we cope with that—using existing staff or extra staff and security—before we proceed with this scheme? Although I admire the proposed scheme, I wonder whether it would be better...
Sir Peter Emery: Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I apologise for not having given you notice of my intention, but the matter arose during Question Time, and it became impossible for me to give you notice. You know, as I do, what a minefield the sub judice rule is in the House, and its implications for the way in which the occupant of the Chair has to rule. I understand that only too well....
Sir Peter Emery: After that last remark from the hon. Member for Croydon, North (Mr. Wicks), will the right hon. Gentleman understand that the Opposition are 100 per cent. behind our troops in the field and all the tasks that they have to achieve? Whatever questions may be asked of him, the support for what we have to do is complete and absolute, and he must know that. Perhaps as an illustration of keeping...
Sir Peter Emery: On a point of order, Madam Speaker.
Sir Peter Emery: The Leader of the House, with her usual perspicacity and charm, tried to pass to me the credit for the paternity of the report. I must make it clear that my only suggestion in the Committee was that we needed to find more time to debate the reports of Select Committees. We have moved a long way from that. Since I came to the House in 1959, we have never had enough time on the Floor of the...
Sir Peter Emery: I agree absolutely with my right hon. Friend. Tabling an early-day motion when Fulham win the championship, for example—or on something with an equal lack of importance—is nonsense. That is not a matter for a resolution of the House. However, some of the 1,500 early-day motions that are tabled are of importance and would be worthy of debate. If those could be debated in the Westminster...
Sir Peter Emery: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I beg to move, That the Question be now put—we do not want to listen to that.
Sir Peter Emery: Members of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs are not always popular with the right hon. Gentleman's Department, but, last week, two of them were in two ex-communist countries: Armenia and Georgia. It was interesting that the presidents of both those countries were absolutely definite that we were correct to continue with air strikes until we could bring about a solution to the problem,...
Sir Peter Emery: I have listened to the two and a half hours of debate since my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) moved the new clause. I do not normally speak to the House at this time—[Interruption.] Well, I have not for the past 20 years, but I did for the 20 years before that. I do so tonight for a number of reasons. If this new clause, which we are trying to correct, had...
Sir Peter Emery: Who, I am very glad to say, looks after me extremely well. What position will the Government be in when many women who become widows find out that they have been taken for a ride, in that their husband's contributions have not brought them the benefit that they expected? Members of Parliament will be inundated with letters of objection. If the Government are intent on pressing ahead, they...
Sir Peter Emery: I do indeed, and I apologise. It must be the hour. Nobody in the House believes that the Bill should pass unamended: new clause 1 would be of great benefit to everybody in the country and it deserves support.
Sir Peter Emery: Having heard Labour Members congratulate you, Madam Speaker, on your speech yesterday, let me acknowledge on behalf of the Opposition that yours received more applause than the other three speeches and it was much to your credit. I have a question on Kosovo for the Leader of the House. Does she realise that statements by Ministers do not in themselves provide an adequate opportunity for...
Sir Peter Emery: Does the right hon. Gentleman accept that one of the problems among the refugees is the number of broken families—and the number of children who have been separated perhaps from both parents and have no knowledge of whether their parents are alive? Does he accept that the International Social Service—with which I have some connection—which has its headquarters in Geneva and branches in...
Sir Peter Emery: I shall be brief and raise only three points, as I know that other hon. Members want to speak. The first point follows from the remarks about the south-west by my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, West (Mr. Butterfill). Although there are indeed concerns about the borders of the south-west, even as they stand, it is worth pointing out to the Minister that the south-west, with its...
Sir Peter Emery: We are doing better—no one would suggest that we are not on the up slope—but in most of the seaside resorts the number of people with good qualifications is extremely limited, so I want the Government to do more to upgrade in that area of work. My last point relates to the upgrading of the standard of food and food preparation. One of the great features of France is the Michelin guide...
Sir Peter Emery: My hon. Friend will recall that Mr. Rodgers of the Labour party, who later became Lord Rodgers of the Social Democratic party, signed 35 of my amendments to set up the English tourist board, which was not in the original Bill that became the Development of Tourism Act 1969. The idea was to try to ensure that England was helped equally with Scotland and Wales, which had never previously been...
Sir Peter Emery: It is a nonsense.
Sir Peter Emery: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Will you inform me what time limit there is on the debate? If an hon. Member rises, it seems to me that he has the right to speak. There is no time limit, and he ought to be recognised.
Sir Peter Emery: I understand only too well, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that certain procedures in the House are agreed by both sides. However, on an Opposition Day, it is for the Opposition to choose when the Division is to be called. If an hon. Member wants to speak, I believe that under Standing Orders he has the right so to do. He should be given that right, which is the right of any Back Bencher.
Sir Peter Emery: I am sorry that the debate is not called "The conduct of Ministers and their relationships with a Select Committee", because those are the most imperative matters to come out of the report. I shall make, I hope, only one remark that will be viewed as incredibly political. I honestly believe that Ministers have to ask questions and that those with responsibility for dealing with Sierra Leone...
