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Mr. Edward Garnier (Harborough): Are those suspected of the murder of WPC Fletcher resident in a country with which we have an extradition treaty? If so, will the authorities apply for her extradition? If they are not, what does the Foreign Secretary propose to do?
Mr. Cook: It is a bit premature at the start of the police investigation to identify those who may or may not be
charged with individual responsibility for WPC Fletcher's murder. We have no extradition treaty with Libya. That has been precisely at the heart of our difficulty in the past 10 years in the case of the Lockerbie bombing, which we have now resolved through negotiation. I cannot anticipate what action will be open to us in the event that the police investigation concludes that charges can be brought.Speaker's Statement
4.6 pm
Madam Speaker: I have to acquaint the House that I have received the following letter from Mr. Peter Jennings, our Serjeant at Arms:
- "I write to confirm that I wish to retire on 31 December this year, when I shall be 65.
I have been highly privileged to serve the House for over 22 years, most recently in a senior capacity. I would like to thank all members of the House staff, particularly those in my Department who have so ably helped me to discharge my duties. I also include the Metropolitan Police Division whose staff provide security here and the Post Office staff who provide our mail services. It has been enormously rewarding to lead such a dedicated and diverse team and see how all those involved in it have developed to meet the ever increasing demands placed on them to meet the Departmental objective of providing 'the best possible service'.
May I finally record my appreciation for the many kindnesses shown to me during my time here and particularly for all the support which you personally have given me during my time as Serjeant."
Points of Order
4.6 pm
Mr. Ted Rowlands (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney): On a point of order, Madam Speaker. May I raise with you the issue that arose in Welsh questions today, especially on Question 3 from my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Ms Lawrence). The question was when the Secretary of State for Wales next intended to meet the Assembly Secretary responsible for agriculture. I did not quite catch all of my right hon. Friend's reply, but it appeared that he said that it was a matter for the Assembly. You subsequently intervened and said that we therefore could not continue to question him.
It is patently not a matter for the Assembly what action the Secretary of State for Wales in this House does or does not take. It is surely open to my right hon. Friend as Secretary of State for Wales to seek a meeting of any kind. As he is accountable to this House, we are entitled to ask him about such meetings.
The question was put to the Table Office and approved. I hope that you will give us a ruling that a question such as Question 3 will be perfectly in order in future Welsh Question Times and that future Welsh Secretaries of State can come to this House and answer questions.
Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire)
rose--
Madam Speaker:
I think that the hon. Gentleman wishes to make a similar point of order.
Sir Patrick Cormack:
We realise that, after 1 July, with devolution, we are entering uncharted waters. We are grateful to you for the guidance that you gave the House this afternoon, but, as the Welsh Assembly does not have primary legislative or tax-raising powers, Members of this House will obviously wish to ask questions and hold Ministers properly to account. I wonder whether you would be kind enough to give some thought to this matter, and to give some guidance to the Table Office so that inappropriate questions are not allowed on the Order Paper and so that all those that do appear on the Order Paper can be pursued.
Mr. Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):
Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I come to this matter as a Member of the National Assembly as well, and questions have arisen as to what competence lies where. Will you discuss the implications of this matter informally with representatives of the parties--and, perhaps, with the usual channels--so that we can have some convention, whereby we know where responsibility lies?
Mr. Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):
Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. If money is voted by Parliament, on what basis can there be any restriction on asking a Secretary of State questions on the use of those moneys?
Madam Speaker:
The hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) asked for a ruling, and I am always prepared to give a ruling. On more than one occasion today, I heard a Minister of the Crown say at the Dispatch Box that, as of 1 July, matters had been
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. Could I have a written, considered response to the question I asked of you--namely, the question of moneys voted by Parliament?
Madam Speaker:
Certainly. I shall look at the precise wording of the hon. Gentleman's question and see that he gets a written response.
Mr. Rowlands:
I am grateful for your initial response, Madam Speaker. However, my point is narrow and specific. Question 3 was about whether the Secretary of State for Wales would seek a meeting with X, Y or Z. That is a matter for the Secretary of State for Wales, who must be accountable and answerable to this House. I should have thought it possible for us to say that such a question was in order because it related directly to the activities of the Secretary of State, who is answerable to this House.
Madam Speaker:
I understand, and am sympathetic to, the hon. Gentleman's point, but I repeat what I said earlier. If a Minister of the Crown tells the House that an issue has been devolved, it is for that Minister of the Crown to know whether it is devolved or not. I cannot intervene on that. I am trying to be helpful, and I will look at the matter to see that we run smoothly in future.
Dr. Evan Harris (Oxford, West and Abingdon):
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. A few moments ago, the Prime Minister, in answer to my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith), said that the number of junior doctors working more than 56 hours had fallen to 4,800, but we had established that the figure was 8,500--
Madam Speaker:
Order. Points of order are matters with which I can deal. I am not a statistician--I do not know the figures. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to correct the Prime Minister, he must do so by means of the Order Paper and other questions, and not by means of a point of order.
Madam Speaker:
Is there a point of order for me as Speaker?
Madam Speaker:
Then I shall hear it.
Dr. Harris:
What is the procedure for asking the Prime Minister to come back and reassure the House that if he has inadvertently misled--
Madam Speaker:
Order. I thought that I had just explained that if the hon. Gentleman feels that the answer
Sir Patrick Cormack:
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am grateful for your response to the points of order on Welsh Questions. Could you please copy to those involved the letter that you send to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours), and place a copy in the Library?
4.9 pm
Mr. Peter Viggers (Gosport): I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 24, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely,
- the closure of the intensive care unit at the Royal Hospital, Haslar, in my constituency.
Secondly, Gosport will lose its main hospital with superb facilities, on which £35 million has been spent in the past 10 years. The most emotive aspect is the fact that Gosport will lose its accident and emergency cover. There is absolutely no doubt that lives will be lost in ambulances on the congested roads between Gosport and the remaining local hospitals, if the accident and emergency unit at Haslar should close.
We heard this morning that the intensive care unit at Haslar is to close shortly because of lack of staff. The announcement could have been made last Thursday when we had a meeting with all those concerned, including the head of the Defence Secondary Care Agency. The announcement might have been made on Monday, when the Minister for the Armed Forces appeared before the Select Committee on Defence with all his staff to answer concerns about defence medical services. However, the matter was left for us to discover today.
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