---

Business of the House

I am about to write to the hundreds of Equitable Life policyholders who have written to me about their concerns. Could the right hon. and learned Lady offer me a form of words so that I can explain to them, first, that they will have to spend another Christmas in a state of uncertainty and, secondly, why her promise that there will be a statement in the first week back in January is any better than the Prime Minister's statement of a week ago or than her statement last July that this would be dealt with in the autumn? May I also emphasise to the Leader of the House that the treatment of today's written statement on defence equipment is disgraceful? May I suggest that she takes some advice on the difference between personnel and equipment when she suggests that we will debate this next January?