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Business of the House

The Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, on 31 January at column 245 of Hansard, expressed his hope to the House that there would be a debate on pensions before the publication of the White Paper. Can the Leader of the House confirm that he has been asked to find time for such a debate, and when will it take place? When will the Government’s full response to the ombudsman’s report on pension scheme failures, which found the Government guilty of maladministration, be available? Will there be a debate in Government time on the report and response before the summer recess? Members will note that we will be having an Opposition day debate on the Government’s operation of the inter-management of the health service. A debate on the health service has been refused resolutely in recent weeks by the Leader of the House. Two weeks ago, I questioned the accuracy of a statement made about the health service by the Prime Minister. The Leader of the House said:"““There is a well-used process by which statistical mistakes are corrected. Letters would be written and placed in the Library.””—[Official Report, 20 April 2006; Vol. 445, c. 235.]" I wrote to the Prime Minister. He did not reply. The Secretary of State for Health replied instead. Will the Leader of the House make a statement next week, telling Members what they should expect when they write to the Prime Minister about statements that he has made in the House? We realise that Ministers no longer take responsibility for what happens in their Departments, but is it also the case that the Prime Minister no longer takes responsibility for what he says in the Chamber? For the record, on 19 April when talking about how many patients in the Thames Valley area were waiting more than 13 weeks for an out-patients appointment, the Prime Minister said that"““today, the figure is none.””—[Official Report, 19 April 2006; Vol. 445, c. 116.]" The Secretary of State for Health tells me that the figures were from December 2005. So when the Home Secretary said that ““very, very few”” foreign prisoners had been released after he knew about the problem, he meant 288, and when the Prime Minister on 19 April said ““today””, he meant three months ago. Perhaps the Leader of the House could arrange for statistics and English lessons for No. 10. Recently, when asked whether he was going to sack the Home Secretary if more of the foreign criminals released from jail reoffended, the Prime Minister replied:"““I don’t think I’m going to speculate. It depends on what happens, what the reasons are.””" Today we learn that a convicted criminal recommended for deportation and not deported is being sought for attempted murder and the rape of a 15-year-old girl. Does that count as sufficient reason for the Prime Minister to sack the Home Secretary? Surely enough is enough, and the Home Secretary must go. That case shows the dangers to which the public have been exposed by the incompetence of the Government. In a recent poll 89 per cent. of people questioned said that the failure to deport foreign prisoners on release ““reflects alarming incompetence””. Can we have a debate on the Government’s record on and responsibility for public safety? I also repeat my call for a debate on Government incompetence. Today may well be the last time that the right hon. Gentleman attends business questions as the Leader of the House. Probably quite a lot. Over time, the Leader of the House has been tipped for many posts. In February it was Chief Whip. Then he was 26–1 on to be Chancellor of the Exchequer. Earlier this week, sources close to Downing street said that"““Mr. Blair could even turn to Geoff Hoon . . . as an outside bet to replace Mr. Clarke.””" Today I learn that his odds are 10–1 to be Home Secretary. However, perhaps the best bet was suggested by a Back Bencher, who claimed that the Cabinet Office was proving to be the best-run Department, and it has not had a Cabinet Minister for four months. Given the Government’s appalling performance to date, maybe that is the answer.