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Mr. Byers: The right hon. Gentleman makes an important point which affects London, other cities and, as the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) said, rural communities. We need to ensure that the guaranteed level of service is met. Under the White Paper's provisions, the Post Office can be fined for failure to achieve that service. However, we want the service to work, rather than have to apply fines when it does not. When the Post Office considers remuneration packages, it will also consider how to retain and recruit postal workers, particularly in areas such as London where the Labour market is not as flexible as in other parts of the country.
Mr. Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne, Central): Many of us still have to be convinced that the public limited company route down which my right hon. Friend is taking the Post Office is the right route. Who will exercise the role and responsibilities of shareholders? Is this to be a people's company, and if so, how will that be done? Will he confirm that his proposals mean that every piece of capital investment of less than £75 million a year may require Treasury approval, while every capital investment of more than £75 million certainly will require Treasury approval? What has happened to the historic surpluses of the Post Office, amounting to almost £2 billion? Under his proposals, they seem to be parked at the Treasury.
Mr. Byers: I look forward to convincing my hon. Friend about the merits of today's proposals. To clarify matters: for the £75 million borrowing power, no further approval will be required; over and above that, approval will have to be obtained. As for the historic surpluses, they will be retained by the Treasury, but, as we have made clear, there will be changes to the balance sheet in two or three years time as we put the Post Office on to a more commercial footing.
Madam Speaker: Order. We must now move on to the business statement.
Business of the House
1.35 pm
Sir George Young (North-West Hampshire): Will the Leader of the House give us the business for next week?
The President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mrs. Margaret Beckett): Monday 12 July--Motion to approve the Eighth Report of the Committee on Standards and Privileges.
Estimates Day [2nd Allotted Day].
There will be a debate on the office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of schools in England, followed by a debate on transport policy. Details will be given in the Official Report.
At 10 o'clock, the House will be asked to agree all outstanding estimates.
Motion to approve Ways and Means resolution on the Food Standards Bill.
Tuesday 13 July--Proceedings on the Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) (No 2) Bill.
Proceedings on the Northern Ireland Bill.
Motion on the Northern Ireland Act 1974 (Interim Period Extension) Order 1999.
Wednesday 14 July--Until 2 o'clock, there will be debates on the motion for the Adjournment of the House.
Remaining stages of the Pollution Prevention and Control Bill[Lords].
Remaining stages of the Commonwealth Development Corporation Bill [Lords].
Remaining stages of the Trustee Delegation Bill [Lords].
The Chairman of Ways and Means is expected to name opposed private business for consideration at 7 o'clock.
Thursday 15 July--Opposition Day [18th Allotted Day]. There will be a debate on an Opposition motion. Subject to be announced.
Friday 16 July--Motion on the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Appointed Day) Order.
There will be a debate on policing of London on a motion for the Adjournment of the House.
The House may also be asked to consider any Lords messages which may be received.
The House will understand that there remains some uncertainty as to the business for the week commencing 19 July, but it will include:
Monday 19 July--Opposition Day [19th Allotted Day].
There will be a debate on an Opposition motion. Subject to be announced.
Friday 23 July--Private Members' Bills.
The House will also wish to be reminded that on Monday 19 July, there will be a debate on sectors and activities excluded from the working time directive in European Standing Committee C. Details of the relevant documents will be given in the Official Report.
[Monday 19 July 1999:
European Standing Committee C--Relevant European Union documents: (a) 13526/98; (b) Unnumbered EM submitted by DTI dated 18 May 1999. Sectors and Activities excluded from the Working Time Directive;
(c) Unnumbered EM. Submitted by DTI dated 21 June 1999. Relevant European Scrutiny Committee reports: HC 34-vi and HC 34-xxiv (1998-99)]
Sir George Young:
The House is grateful for next week's business and for the hint as to business for the following week.
In view of the interest in the White Paper on Post Office reform, on which a statement has just been made, may we have a debate, in Government time, on the important reforms contained in that White Paper?
On Monday, when we debate the report of the Standards and Privileges Committee, will the Foreign Secretary be speaking, so that he can apologise to the Select Committee for the way in which its reports were treated, and so that he can respond to the section of the report that rejected his arguments? Will there be a Government response to the recommendations on the ministerial code, in order to avoid any recurrence of the unhappy events of last February?
On Wednesday, in Prime Minister's Question Time, may we now split the time between the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister so that the House can hear both sides of the arguments on the performance of those working in the public sector, on transport policy, on co-operation with the Liberal Democrats, and on all the other issues about which the two right hon. Gentlemen disagree?
The right hon. Lady has not announced the Second Reading of the Railways Bill, which was published yesterday, and which will now, presumably, hit the legislative buffers. Has she read today's Financial Times, which refers to the
Friday's debate on the policing of London will be preceded by a motion on the Northern Ireland order. We understand the reasons for that, but may we have extra time for the debate so that it is not curtailed? Will the right hon. Lady confirm that the Home Secretary will be speaking for the Government?
The right hon. Lady has not announced a debate on public expenditure. Can she, however, confirm the undertaking that has been given that such a debate will take place before the House rises for the recess? May I also renew my plea for a debate on the report of the royal commission on long-term care?
Before the end of the Session, will we be able to debate the report of the Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege, which was published in March?
Finally, is the right hon. Lady able to give us a date for the state opening of Parliament?
Mrs. Beckett:
I make that 10 questions, but I will do my best to answer them.
I cannot undertake to find time for a debate on the Post Office in the near future, but we have announced the provision of Opposition time, which could be used to discuss a number of the issues that the right hon. Gentleman raised.
The right hon. Gentleman asked whether my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary would speak in the debate on the motion to approve the eighth report of the Select Committee on Standards and Privileges. The answer is no. The Government have already made clear, and will make clear again, their response to the proposals on the ministerial code. That does not require any formal statement.
The right hon. Gentleman asked me to arrange for a "script" to be discussed by the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister. Let me simply tell him that, when the leader and deputy leader of the Labour party say--as they do--that they agree with each other and admire each other's progress, they go on working together. When that happens in the Tory party, one of those involved is sacked.
The Bill to set up the new Strategic Rail Authority has been published, and will no doubt be presented to the House in due course. I cannot account for the story in the Financial Times, but it does not sound to me as though that story was spun by anyone: it sounds as though someone got hold of the wrong end of the stick.
I think I am right in saying that we hope and anticipate that the Northern Ireland Bill will be published on Monday. As for Friday's debate, of course I appreciate the importance of the debate on policing in London, and I undertake to reflect its importance if the Northern Ireland order takes up time. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will, in fact, be speaking in the debate.
"Railways Bill, which could become law before the Queen's Speech in November"?
Will she dismiss that absurd piece of spinning by the Deputy Prime Minister's Department? Will she comment on the Financial Times statement that:
"The Bill is important to Mr Prescott's political credibility given his earlier failure to win legislative time."?
My right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) made it clear that we want to facilitate the passage of the Northern Ireland Bill, to be taken on Tuesday. Will the right hon. Lady tell the House when it will be published?
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