Ordered, that the Speaker have leave of absence on Thursday 7 September to attend the G7 Speakers' Conference.

Ordered, that the Speaker have leave of absence on Thursday 7 September to attend the G7 Speakers' Conference.

Motion that the Speaker have leave of absence on Monday 24 April to attend the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments (EUSC) in Prague to participate in the session dealing with Russian aggression against Ukraine. Agreed to on question.

Motion that the Speaker have leave of absence on Monday 24 April to attend the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments (EUSC) in Prague to participate in the session dealing with Russian aggression against Ukraine. Agreed to on question.

Motion that the Speaker have leave of absence on Wednesday 29 March to attend the funeral of the Right Honourable the Baroness Boothroyd, former Speaker of this House. Agreed to on question.

Motion that the Speaker have leave of absence on Wednesday 29 March to attend the funeral of the Right Honourable the Baroness Boothroyd, former Speaker of this House. Agreed to on question.

Motion that the matter of the actions and subsequent conduct of the hon Member for Ochil and South Perthshire in relation to correspondence from the Speaker on a matter of privilege be referred to the Committee of Privileges. Agreed to on division (371 to 16).

Motion that the matter of the actions and subsequent conduct of the hon Member for Ochil and South Perthshire in relation to correspondence from the Speaker on a matter of privilege be referred to the Committee of Privileges. Agreed to on division (371 to 16).

I beg to move,

That the matter of the actions and subsequent conduct of the hon Member for Ochil and South Perthshire in relation to correspondence from the Speaker on a matter of privilege be referred to the Committee of Privileges.

I have been advised by the Clerks that this is a...

I beg to move,

That the matter of the actions and subsequent conduct of the hon Member for Ochil and South Perthshire in relation to correspondence from the Speaker on a matter of privilege be referred to the Committee of Privileges.

I have been advised by the Clerks that this is a...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

He claimed that he

“didn’t ‘release’ the Speaker’s letter. I summarised it entirely fairly.”

That is untrue. He misled the country by deliberately withholding the way in which this decision had been arrived at and his part in it. He also retweeted an account that was directly critical of Mr Speaker, saying...

He claimed that he

“didn’t ‘release’ the Speaker’s letter. I summarised it entirely fairly.”

That is untrue. He misled the country by deliberately withholding the way in which this decision had been arrived at and his part in it. He also retweeted an account that was directly critical of Mr Speaker, saying...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

The hon. Member for Ochil and South Perthshire had again compounded his misdemeanour by deliberately attempting to undermine the impartiality and integrity of the Speaker’s office. It is the role of the Speaker of this House to protect Members and stand up for its Back Benchers, and it is the...

The hon. Member for Ochil and South Perthshire had again compounded his misdemeanour by deliberately attempting to undermine the impartiality and integrity of the Speaker’s office. It is the role of the Speaker of this House to protect Members and stand up for its Back Benchers, and it is the...

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

I do not believe any of this conduct to be appropriate for a Member of this House. However, that is not for me to judge, as a single, ordinary Member, which is why this is not a motion to condemn, but a motion to pass the matter to the Privileges...

I do not believe any of this conduct to be appropriate for a Member of this House. However, that is not for me to judge, as a single, ordinary Member, which is why this is not a motion to condemn, but a motion to pass the matter to the Privileges...

At the heart of this issue, I believe, is accountability. What should happen to Members who break the rules, and how open should our procedures be? What should the public be allowed to know?

Let me say at the outset that I am very sorry that the Speaker feels that my...

At the heart of this issue, I believe, is accountability. What should happen to Members who break the rules, and how open should our procedures be? What should the public be allowed to know?

Let me say at the outset that I am very sorry that the Speaker feels that my...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Let me say that there was considerable press interest in our Committee’s work, and I decided that we should send a copy of the report to the Speaker. I thought that time might be set aside for a debate about referring it to

the Committee...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Let me say that there was considerable press interest in our Committee’s work, and I decided that we should send a copy of the report to the Speaker. I thought that time might be set aside for a debate about referring it to

the Committee...

May I just say this, Madam Deputy Speaker? I spoke to the Chair and the Clerk of the Committee today. I gave them exactly the words that I intended to use, and obtained their permission to use the words that I have just repeated.

May I just say this, Madam Deputy Speaker? I spoke to the Chair and the Clerk of the Committee today. I gave them exactly the words that I intended to use, and obtained their permission to use the words that I have just repeated.

The right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden spoke last Wednesday following the Speaker’s remarks from the Chair, and he laid into me with some vigour, using what appeared to be a pre-prepared speech. He was especially exercised by what he saw as my breach of parliamentary etiquette. It is...

The right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden spoke last Wednesday following the Speaker’s remarks from the Chair, and he laid into me with some vigour, using what appeared to be a pre-prepared speech. He was especially exercised by what he saw as my breach of parliamentary etiquette. It is...

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker—

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker—

rose—

rose—

I will give way to the hon. Gentleman.

I will give way to the hon. Gentleman.