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Points of Order

Order. The hon. Gentleman is getting very excited. I shall take a point of order from him once more, but I appeal to Members to calm down—there was a point at which I thought that the House was going to have a collective fit. The national health service has enough responsibility as it is outside this House. ... What I would say to the hon. Gentleman—this becomes curiouser and curiouser—is that I am well aware, because I made the point myself, that the matter is subject to a vote but not to a debate. I am genuinely a little surprised and even tickled that the hon. Gentleman should suggest that I invite the Procedure Committee to consider this matter. The hon. Gentleman is a distinguished and celebrated member of the said Committee and he has never before required any encouragement from me to press for a Committee of which he is a member to consider a matter. ... There is no point in the hon. Gentleman shaking his head in evident disapproval of what is being said from the Chair. The procedure on this matter, I should emphasise to all attending to our proceedings, is a procedure of the House on which the House has agreed. It was not decreed by me. I know that the hon. Gentleman would not want to convey any contrary impression.