CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER AND CORPORATE HOMICIDE BILL (CARRY-OVER)

House of Commons, 10 October 2006.

David Wilshire (Conservative, Spelthorne)

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, you and many hundreds of us attended a memorial service for our good friend Mr. Eric Forth. Is there any way in which Standing Orders allow us to have put into Hansard tomorrow that, had Mr. Forth been here tonight, he would have opposed both of those procedural motions, because they were things that he hated?

Michael Martin (Speaker, Glasgow North East)

I remember the right hon. Member, Eric Forth, with great fondness, but I do not think that Standing Orders can reflect anything other than the fact that the hon. Gentleman has now put the matter on the record—that, had Eric Forth been present, he would have opposed those motions. Of course, the one thing that he taught us all was to keep within the strict rules of the House. That was his expertise and he never gave the Speaker any problems because he always kept within those rules. We all regret the passing of Eric Forth, especially today when we attended his memorial service.