It is a great privilege to follow the right hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr Straw), who was one of the first people to speak to me when I came to this House. He offered help if he could give it. That is the measure of the man, and it is...

It is a great privilege to follow the right hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr Straw), who was one of the first people to speak to me when I came to this House. He offered help if he could give it. That is the measure of the man, and it is...

Will this ploy of much ado about nothing delivered in a tempest form continue for the whole of the right hon. Gentleman’s soliloquy, or will he come to some points of import shortly?

Will this ploy of much ado about nothing delivered in a tempest form continue for the whole of the right hon. Gentleman’s soliloquy, or will he come to some points of import shortly?

Does the hon. Lady recognise that Northampton especially will take on much of the burden of the problem of housing in London and the south-east and that the answer to the burden will be to build on brownfield sites? Outside London, brownfield sites are a massive opportunity.

Does the hon. Lady recognise that Northampton especially will take on much of the burden of the problem of housing in London and the south-east and that the answer to the burden will be to build on brownfield sites? Outside London, brownfield sites are a massive opportunity.

As ever, I am most grateful to you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It has been an honour to serve under you. This will be my last speech in a major debate and I am delighted that you are in the Chair.

Let me continue to be nice by telling the Economic Secretary...

As ever, I am most grateful to you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It has been an honour to serve under you. This will be my last speech in a major debate and I am delighted that you are in the Chair.

Let me continue to be nice by telling the Economic Secretary...

I am delighted to give way.

I am delighted to give way.

The deficit was reduced because you spent more money—of course that would reduce the deficit.

I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention, because it leads me on to the next part of my speech. You failed to mend the roof while the sun was shining. You failed to recognise the...

The deficit was reduced because you spent more money—of course that would reduce the deficit.

I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention, because it leads me on to the next part of my speech. You failed to mend the roof while the sun was shining. You failed to recognise the...

I am sorry about the “yous”, Mr Deputy Speaker.

I am sorry about the “yous”, Mr Deputy Speaker.

I did apologise before you pointed that out, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I have only got a week to go so a more lax approach might be helpful.

I did apologise before you pointed that out, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I have only got a week to go so a more lax approach might be helpful.

I am most grateful, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will remember that.

This Government need no lessons from the Opposition, even if they had lessons to give, which I have failed to hear during this Budget debate. The Minister will not be surprised to know that I will again bang the drum...

I am most grateful, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will remember that.

This Government need no lessons from the Opposition, even if they had lessons to give, which I have failed to hear during this Budget debate. The Minister will not be surprised to know that I will again bang the drum...

Before I give way, may I say that age brings with it forgetfulness, as I hope you will understand, Mr Deputy Speaker?

Before I give way, may I say that age brings with it forgetfulness, as I hope you will understand, Mr Deputy Speaker?

I would be delighted to do so. Small businesses are the bedrock of the growth in the number of businesses overall because, first, they welcome the Government’s approach, and secondly, they have the courage to go out, put their own money on the line and add to the number of...

I would be delighted to do so. Small businesses are the bedrock of the growth in the number of businesses overall because, first, they welcome the Government’s approach, and secondly, they have the courage to go out, put their own money on the line and add to the number of...

You cut me off!

3.24 pm

You cut me off!

3.24 pm

Monday night.

Monday night.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on procuring proton beam therapy equipment for hospitals in the UK; when he plans to announce the supplier of proton beam therapy technology to the NHS; and what evaluation he has undertaken of the cost and clinical...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on procuring proton beam therapy equipment for hospitals in the UK; when he plans to announce the supplier of proton beam therapy technology to the NHS; and what evaluation he has undertaken of the cost and clinical...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what forecast his Department has made of the likely cost per patient of receiving proton beam therapy treatment at one of the two planned centres for such therapy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what forecast his Department has made of the likely cost per patient of receiving proton beam therapy treatment at one of the two planned centres for such therapy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his most recent estimate is of the likely cost of (a) construction and (b) annual operation of the proton beam therapy centre at the Christie Hospital in Manchester.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his most recent estimate is of the likely cost of (a) construction and (b) annual operation of the proton beam therapy centre at the Christie Hospital in Manchester.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his most recent estimate is of the likely cost of (a) construction and (b) annual operation of the proton beam therapy centre at University College, London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his most recent estimate is of the likely cost of (a) construction and (b) annual operation of the proton beam therapy centre at University College, London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, where on the site of (a) the Christie Hospital in Manchester and (b) University College London the new proton beam therapy centres will be located.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, where on the site of (a) the Christie Hospital in Manchester and (b) University College London the new proton beam therapy centres will be located.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effects on existing hospital services of the installation of proton beam therapy centres at (a) the Christie Hospital in Manchester and (b) University College London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effects on existing hospital services of the installation of proton beam therapy centres at (a) the Christie Hospital in Manchester and (b) University College London.

May I say that, as a cancer sufferer, I welcome my hon. Friend’s courage in bringing this debate? May I pay tribute and offer my sorrow to these parents? May I also say that our Front-Bench team need to take on board the problems? I have seen parents, week in,...

May I say that, as a cancer sufferer, I welcome my hon. Friend’s courage in bringing this debate? May I pay tribute and offer my sorrow to these parents? May I also say that our Front-Bench team need to take on board the problems? I have seen parents, week in,...