EDUCATION BILL [LORDS] [MONEY]

House of Commons, 14 March 2005.

David Wilshire (Conservative, Spelthorne)

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I notice that, having disposed of the business relating to the Bill that we have been considering, we now come to 15 orders. As you will know, we have a Government who deliberately refuse to do anything sensible with Parliament: they gag us and they insist that everything is rubber-stamped. If I understand this correctly, we now have the opportunity, if we choose to use it, to vote on these 15 orders between now and 10 o'clock. Is there any way in which common sense can be applied? As we have an hour and three quarters in which Parliament could use its time to discuss these matters instead of simply tramping through the Lobby, is there any way—despite the fact that the Government treat Parliament with contempt—in which you could enable us to debate these important matters rather than simply voting on them without discussion?

Sylvia Heal (Deputy Speaker, Halesowen and Rowley Regis)

There is no way in which the Chair can enable such a debate to take place. The hon. Gentleman is correct, however, in saying that the orders may be voted on.