HARBOURS BILL [LORDS]

House of Commons, 20 January 2006.

John McDonnell (Labour, Hayes and Harlington)

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Today, more than 200 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union are taking industrial action at the NHS Pensions Agency as a result of the threat to their jobs, to their conditions of work and to the service that they offer posed by the Government policy of privatisation. We expected a Government statement—an oral statement, a written statement or a public statement by a Minister—on the action, which is the first in the history of the staff who work at the agency. Has a Minister approached Mr. Speaker to make a statement next week? If not, is it appropriate to suggest to the Government through you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that the issue is important and that a statement should be made?

Alan Haselhurst (Deputy Speaker, Saffron Walden)

All I can say to the hon. Gentleman is that I am not aware of any such request to make a statement. If such a statement were to be made in the course of next week, it would not be surprising if the request were made at the beginning of the week. Nevertheless, the hon. Gentleman's remarks are on the record and will no doubt serve as a reminder.