---

Fallon, Michael

Fenner, Dame Peggy

Fishburn, John Dudley

Forsythe, Clifford (Antrim S)

Franks, Cecil

Gale, Roger

Goodhart, Sir Philip

Gorman, Mrs Teresa

Gow, Ian

Grant, Sir Anthony (CambsSW)

Greenway, Harry (Ealing N)

Greenway, John (Ryedale)

Gregory, Conal

Grylls, Michael

Hague, William

Hannam, John

Hargreaves, Ken (Hyndburn)

Harris, David

Hayward, Robert

Hicks, Mrs Maureen (Wolv' NE)

Hind, Kenneth

Howarth, G. (Cannock & B'wd)

Hughes, Robert G. (Harrow W)

Hughes, Simon (Southwark)

Irvine, Michael

Irving, Sir Charles

Janman, Tim

Jessel, Toby

Johnson Smith, Sir Geoffrey

Jones, Ieuan (Ynys Mo n)

Jopling, Rt Hon Michael

Kennedy, Charles

Kilfedder, James

Knapman, Roger

Knight, Dame Jill (Edgbaston)

Knowles, Michael

Latham, Michael

Lawrence, Ivan

Leigh, Edward (Gainsbor'gh)

Lightbown, David

Livsey, Richard

Lloyd, Sir Ian (Havant)

McCrindle, Robert

MacKay, Andrew (E Berkshire)

Michie, Mrs Ray (Arg'l & Bute)

Mitchell, Andrew (Gedling)

Montgomery, Sir Fergus

Morris, M (N'hampton S)

Nicholson, Emma (Devon West)

Norris, Steve

Onslow, Rt Hon Cranley

Oppenheim, Phillip

Page, Richard

Porter, David (Waveney)

Riddick, Graham

Ridsdale, Sir Julian

Roe, Mrs Marion

Shaw, David (Dover)

Shaw, Sir Michael (Scarb')

Shelton, Sir William

Skinner, Dennis

Soames, Hon Nicholas

Speed, Keith

Stanley, Rt Hon Sir John

Stern, Michael

Stewart, Allan (Eastwood)

Taylor, Ian (Esher)

Taylor, Rt Hon J. D. (S'ford)

Taylor, John M (Solihull)

Taylor, Matthew (Truro)

Thorne, Neil

Tracey, Richard

Trimble, William

Viggers, Peter

Walker, Bill (T'side North)

Wallace, James

Ward, John

Watts, John

Welsh, Andrew (Angus E)

Wheeler, Sir John

Whitney, Ray

Widdecombe, Ann

Tellers for the Noes :

Mr. Julian Brazier and

Mr. David Nicholson.

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Column 294

Question accordingly negatived.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett (Pembroke) : On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. You have said on numerous occasions that the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) is a distinguished former chairman of the Labour party. There may have been some confusion during the Division because the hon. Gentleman voted against the Roof Tax Bill. As he is a member of the national executive of the Labour party, whose policy this is, perhaps he ought to come to the Dispatch Box and explain what happened.

Mr. Speaker : Since the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) has been attacked, I shall hear him.

Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) : The record ought to be put straight. The Labour party's national executive, under my chairmanship, never discussed the roof tax. During the course of the subsequent year, it never discussed the roof tax. During the last half hour, the Tories have played a clever and humorous game, but it was based on a figment of somebody's imagination. There has not been a Labour party roof tax, there will not be a roof tax and we killed it long before the Tories played their little game today.

Mr. Speaker : I do not think that the matter can be taken any further. It is not a matter for me.

Mr. Kenneth Hind (Lancashire, West) : The hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) voted, as he explained, against the Roof Tax Bill. He must understand what the Roof Tax Bill is all about and what a roof tax involves. We do not. Perhaps you would give him leave to explain during the Adjournment (Spring) debate what it is all about.

Mr. Speaker : I thought that we heard what it is all about in some detail from the hon. Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton).

Mr. Bill Walker (Tayside, North) : Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. You will be aware that decisions affecting Scotland are frequently made in Scotland by Scottish Members of Parliament meeting in Scotland. I understand that a roof tax decision affecting Scotland was decided upon in two minutes in Scotland. We are now facing the imposition of a roof tax that was decided upon in two minutes. However, we have just been told by a senior member of the Labour party's national executive that there will be no roof tax. Will the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) please do something about informing the people of Scotland?

Mr. Speaker : That is not a matter for me. Since, however, the hon. Gentleman mentioned Scotland, I should like him to know how much I enjoyed my visit to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland last weekend.

Mr. Andrew MacKay (Berkshire, East) : Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I seek your guidance. The House would like to know whether personal statements can be made today or tomorrow. The figment of imagination referred to by the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) is a figment of the imagination of Labour party Front-Bench spokesmen--the hon. Members for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) and for Dagenham (Mr. Gould). It would be helpful to them, to us and to the hon. Member for Bolsover if we could be told whether a personal statement is to be made.

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Column 295

Mr. Speaker : I cannot be held responsible for figments of the imagination until they happen and nothing has happened yet. We should get on with the spring Adjournment motion.

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Column 296

Adjournment (Spring)

Motion made, and Question proposed,

That this House, at its rising on Thursday 24th May, do adjourn until Tuesday 5th June.-- [Mr. Greg Knight.]

4.13 pm

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