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Sir Terence Higgins (Worthing): As the House did not have an opportunity to debate whether Members' televisions in their rooms should have a direct feed from the Floor of the House, may we have a debate to consider the effect of that provision? It may be true that hon. Members are now hearing more debates than they heard before as they can watch them in their rooms while working on constituency mail and so on, but the effect on attendance on the Floor of the House and the impression created outside has been awful. If we cannot have a system whereby, if Members are watching in their rooms, a hologram of them appears in their place on the Floor of the House, perhaps we could at least have a system whereby the outside television sets show more than one picture--not just the Floor of the House, but the Standing and Select Committees that are taking place at the same time.
Mr. Newton: I cannot conceive of any hologram that would be an adequate substitute for my right hon. Friend. While I am aware of the sort of concerns that my right hon. Friend has expressed, there would be a revolution among hon. Members if we attempted to go back from the present position to where we were. I am certainly anxious to play my part in any efforts to bring home to the public outside how much work goes on in this place all the time, not necessarily on the Floor of the Chamber.
Mr. David Rendel (Newbury): I was interested to see that the Government have put off the debate on local government reorganisation for a week. I was disappointed that they still expect it to take place in the same sort of time as it was originally allocated next week. As some of the reorganisation plans are contentious and the average time allocated for each one is currently only 20 minutes, would it not be more sensible to allow for a comparatively short debate on the non-contentious plans and to allow the more contentious ones to be debated at greater length, according to their worth?
Mr. Newton: I am not aware that any of the plans are particularly contentious. I said that I would reflect on the points raised by Liberal Democrats last week, and by the hon. Gentleman with me privately. I have come to the conclusion that what I have proposed seems to be the most sensible course. The earlier, significantly greater, number of local government orders were debated together and did not take up all the time allocated to them on the Floor of the House--I think that they took up roughly the sort of time that I am proposing on this occasion.
Mr. Harry Greenway (Ealing, North): May we have a debate next week on early-day motion 940?
[That this House recognises that a report by Ealing Council into efforts to manipulate the housing list by two Labour councillors, who are prospective parliamentary
candidates, shows that their conduct in this matter was extremely suspect and inappropriate and that it further shows that both of these individuals attended court in order to seek to influence legal proceedings instituted by the council to evict unlawful tenants; recognises that their efforts to retain known Labour voters in an illegal council tenancy with the deliberate aim of increasing Labour Party support in the Perivale Ward of Ealing was unfair to the 10,000 people on the housing waiting list and political gerrymandering of the gravest kind; and calls upon the National Executive of the Labour Party to examine their suitability as prospective parliamentary candidates.]
It takes to task two Labour councillors in Ealing who have corruptly been seeking to obtain Labour council accommodation for Labour voters. That issue should be exposed on the Floor of the House for the evil and disgrace that it is, and for the unfairness that it creates for the 10,000 people on the housing list who are not Labour voters.
Mr. Newton:
I share my hon. Friend's concern at what is alleged to have happened in that case. I am sure that the people of Ealing will be no less interested than my hon. Friend in the findings of the independent inquiry, which I understand is looking into the matter.
Mr. Dennis Canavan (Falkirk, West):
May we have a statement soon clarifying the Government's intentions regarding the date of the general election in view of the report in today's edition of The Independent that Downing street is preparing contingency plans for an October election? Apparently, it all depends on whether England win Euro 96. Are Ministers so depressed about their own performance that they now depend on Gazza's performance?
Mr. Newton:
The hon. Gentleman should not believe everything that he reads in the newspapers.
Sir Teddy Taylor (Southend, East):
Following the astonishing news last week that the two countries that last year voted not to join the European Economic Community are doing wonderfully well in terms of jobs and trade when compared with those that voted to join, which appear to be in an appalling financial mess, may we have an early debate next week on the narrow issue of the huge advantages that nations can gain by not joining the EEC?
Mr. Newton:
I have no plans for such a debate, but perhaps my hon. Friend will catch your eye, Madam Speaker, in the debate that is to take place after my right hon. Friend's statement today. I remind my hon. Friend of what my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said not so many minutes ago about the excellent performance that this country is putting in on the economic front inside the European Union.
Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):
Will the Leader of the House find Government time to debate holiday flights, particularly charter flights, on aircraft that are not registered in Britain and fly out of here with British holidaymakers to a third destination? He will be aware that his noble Friend the Minister for
Mr. Newton:
I always take seriously points made by the hon. Lady, and my noble Friend's attention was drawn to the fact that she has raised these matters with me before. I shall now draw his attention to the fact that she does not regard the remarks made yesterday in another place as adequate. I am sure that he will consider what the hon. Lady has said.
Mr. Tim Smith (Beaconsfield):
Is my right hon. Friend aware that Central Railway plc has applied for an order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 but that the Secretary of State for Transport decided that because the matter is of national significance it should be debated and voted on by both Houses of Parliament, and the earliest date when this could take place is Monday 22 July? Because of the massive blight and uncertainty that the proposal is causing all along the route, will my right hon. Friend do everything to ensure that the debate and vote does indeed take place during the week beginning Monday 22 July?
Mr. Newton:
I said last week that I expect that the House will sit well into the second half of July, and I can assure my hon. Friend that I share his hope that it will be possible to deal with this matter before the summer recess.
Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover):
On the question of an election in the autumn, will the Leader of the House comment or get somebody to make a statement on the significant fact that the Government are clearing up all the business so that there will not be an overspill period in October? As we have not had an announcement about the recess either, we are bound to draw the conclusion that the Government are trying to provide a contingency arrangement for an election in October or November. My real interest is whether I have to order the envelopes.
Mr. Newton:
The only thing that I can say about the envelopes is that the hon. Gentleman will need them some time within the next year. As for the rest of his good-natured but mischievous question, I can tell him that it now looks virtually certain that there will be an overspill and that the Government are well advanced with planning a significant legislative programme for the next Session.
Mr. John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood):
In view of the decision of the Transport Council of the EU in recent days to arrogate to the EU the right to negotiate international air service agreements, which hitherto has been the prerogative entirely of sovereign states, can my right hon. Friend persuade the Secretary of State for Transport to come to the House to explain what the implications might be, particularly for my constituents, many of whom work at Heathrow, which is, of course, the premier gateway into Europe and a vital source of revenue for the economy and the local community?
Mr. Newton:
My hon. Friend is well aware of the Government's sympathy, and that of my right hon. Friend the Transport Secretary, for his position. I shall bring his request to my right hon. Friend's attention.
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