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Dunwoody, Mrs Gwyneth

Etherington, Bill

Flynn, Paul

Galbraith, Sam

Gapes, Mike

Godman, Dr Norman A.

Hogg, Norman (Cumbernauld)

Home Robertson, John

Hood, Jimmy

Jones, Barry (Alyn and D'side)

Livingstone, Ken

McAvoy, Thomas

Macdonald, Calum

McMaster, Gordon

McWilliam, John

Madden, Max

Mahon, Alice

Marek, Dr John

Marshall, Jim (Leicester, S)

Martin, Michael J. (Springburn)

Meale, Alan

Michie, Bill (Sheffield Heeley)

Morgan, Rhodri

Mudie, George

Mullin, Chris

O'Brien, Michael (N W'kshire)

O'Hara, Edward

Olner, William

Parry, Robert

Patchett, Terry

Powell, Ray (Ogmore)

Prentice, Ms Bridget (Lew'm E)

Skinner, Dennis

Soley, Clive

Spellar, John

Thompson, Jack (Wansbeck)

Wise, Audrey

Tellers for the Noes :

Mr. Terry Lewis and

Mr. Jim Cunningham.

Question accordingly agreed to.

Resolved,

That the draft Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order 1994, which was laid before this House on 10th February, be approved. Motion made, and Question proposed,

That the draft Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 1994, which was laid before this House on 10th February, be approved.-- [Mr. Andrew Mitchell.]

The House proceeded to a Division--

Sir Teddy Taylor (Southend, East) (seated and covered) : On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. In the event of the motion being defeated, would it be possible to allow an emergency debate to assist my pensioners in Southend ? I understand that the Opposition are now voting to stop a pension increase greatly needed by poor people.

Mr. Jacques Arnold (Gravesham) : Why are Labour blocking it ?

Sir Teddy Taylor (seated and covered) : If the increase is blocked, there will be huge hardship for pensioners in Southend and throughout the country. If the Opposition win the vote, may we have an emergency debate about what we can do to help the pensioners deprived of their pension increase ?

Mr. Arnold : Pensioners of Jarrow.

Sir Teddy Taylor (seated and covered) : This is a serious question.

Mr. Arnold : Jarrow pensioners.

Sir Teddy Taylor (seated and covered) : Pensioners are having a difficult time these days--

Mr. Arnold : Why are Labour trying to block the pension increase ?

Sir Teddy Taylor (seated and covered) : Please keep quiet. [Interruption.] This is serious ; this is not funny.

Mr. Arnold : We are being serious.

Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. Michael Morris) : Order. The hon. Member for Southend, East (Sir T. Taylor) well knows that the Chair never anticipates a situation.

Sir Teddy Taylor (seated and covered) : This is a very serious matter, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

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Column 1031

Mr. Deputy Speaker : I accept that it is an entirely serious matter, but the point is that the Chair does not anticipate a situation. Let us see whether that situation evolves.

Mr. Matthew Banks (Southport) ( seated and covered ) : On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Deputy Speaker : Is it a new point of order?

Mr. Banks ( seated and covered ) : Yes, Mr. Deputy Speaker. May I ask you for an emergency debate to discuss the motion before us, and that which the House voted on a few moments ago, concerning the fact that Labour Members, with the apparent connivance of the Opposition Chief Whip, have been voting against the uprating of social security benefits and against pension increases in general?

Mr. Deputy Speaker : I have to draw the hon. Gentleman's attention to the fact that we are voting on motion No. 3 on the Order Paper. That is all that we are doing at the moment. Anything else is pure conjecture.

Mr. Banks ( seated and covered : With respect, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am referring to--

Mr. Deputy Speaker : With or without respect, that is my ruling. The House having divided : Ayes 231, Noes 50.

Division No. 130] [9.15 pm

AYES

Ainsworth, Peter (East Surrey)

Alison, Rt Hon Michael (Selby)

Allason, Rupert (Torbay)

Arbuthnot, James

Arnold, Jacques (Gravesham)

Arnold, Sir Thomas (Hazel Grv)

Ashby, David

Atkinson, David (Bour'mouth E)

Atkinson, Peter (Hexham)

Baker, Nicholas (Dorset North)

Baldry, Tony

Banks, Matthew (Southport)

Bellingham, Henry

Bendall, Vivian

Beresford, Sir Paul

Biffen, Rt Hon John

Blackburn, Dr John G.

Bonsor, Sir Nicholas

Boswell, Tim

Bottomley, Peter (Eltham)

Bowden, Andrew

Bowis, John

Boyson, Rt Hon Sir Rhodes

Brandreth, Gyles

Brazier, Julian

Bright, Graham

Brown, M. (Brigg & Cl'thorpes)

Browning, Mrs. Angela

Bruce, Ian (S Dorset)

Burns, Simon

Burt, Alistair

Butcher, John

Butler, Peter

Butterfill, John

Campbell, Menzies (Fife NE)

Carlisle, John (Luton North)

Carlisle, Kenneth (Lincoln)

Carrington, Matthew

Carttiss, Michael

Cash, William

Clappison, James

Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey

Coe, Sebastian

Colvin, Michael

Congdon, David

Conway, Derek

Coombs, Simon (Swindon)

Cope, Rt Hon Sir John

Currie, Mrs Edwina (S D'by'ire)

Davies, Quentin (Stamford)

Day, Stephen

Deva, Nirj Joseph

Devlin, Tim

Douglas-Hamilton, Lord James

Dover, Den

Duncan, Alan

Duncan-Smith, Iain

Dunn, Bob

Durant, Sir Anthony

Elletson, Harold

Evans, Jonathan (Brecon)

Evans, Nigel (Ribble Valley)

Evans, Roger (Monmouth)

Faber, David

Fabricant, Michael

Fenner, Dame Peggy

Fishburn, Dudley

Forman, Nigel

Forsyth, Michael (Stirling)

Forsythe, Clifford (Antrim S)

Forth, Eric

Fox, Dr Liam (Woodspring)

Fox, Sir Marcus (Shipley)

Freeman, Rt Hon Roger

French, Douglas

Fry, Sir Peter

Gale, Roger

Gallie, Phil

Gardiner, Sir George

Garel-Jones, Rt Hon Tristan

Gill, Christopher

Gillan, Cheryl

Gorman, Mrs Teresa

Greenway, Harry (Ealing N)

Greenway, John (Ryedale)

Griffiths, Peter (Portsmouth, N)

Grylls, Sir Michael

Hague, William

Hamilton, Rt Hon Sir Archie

Hamilton, Neil (Tatton)

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