The right honourable Sir George Samuel Knatchbull Young, Baronet, CH, having been created Baron Young of Cookham, of Cookham in the County of Berkshire, was introduced and took the oath, supported by Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market and Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone, and signed an undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct.

The right honourable Sir George Samuel Knatchbull Young, Baronet, CH, having been created Baron Young of Cookham, of Cookham in the County of Berkshire, was introduced and took the oath, supported by Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market and Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone, and signed an undertaking to abide by the...

Order. As always, many right hon. and hon. Members are seeking to catch my eye, but time is especially constrained today as the autumn statement will begin at 11.15. As a consequence, there is a premium on brevity from Back and Front Benches alike, beginning with Mr Nigel Evans.

Order. As always, many right hon. and hon. Members are seeking to catch my eye, but time is especially constrained today as the autumn statement will begin at 11.15. As a consequence, there is a premium on brevity from Back and Front Benches alike, beginning with Mr Nigel Evans.

I thank the Leader of the House for announcing next week’s business.

The right hon. Member for North West Hampshire (Sir George Young) announced this week that after a good innings in Parliament he will declare on 41 not out. I am sure that everyone will join me in paying tribute...

I thank the Leader of the House for announcing next week’s business.

The right hon. Member for North West Hampshire (Sir George Young) announced this week that after a good innings in Parliament he will declare on 41 not out. I am sure that everyone will join me in paying tribute...

I am grateful to the shadow Leader of the House for her response to the future business and especially for her very kind words about the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Hampshire (Sir George Young). The House will have an opportunity,...

I am grateful to the shadow Leader of the House for her response to the future business and especially for her very kind words about the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Hampshire (Sir George Young). The House will have an opportunity,...

I am grateful to the shadow Leader of the House, particularly for her tribute to my distinguished predecessors. Robin Cook was a notable Leader of the House for the reforms that he brought in. Indeed, I am sure, as time goes by, that the contribution of the current Patronage Secretary...

I am grateful to the shadow Leader of the House, particularly for her tribute to my distinguished predecessors. Robin Cook was a notable Leader of the House for the reforms that he brought in. Indeed, I am sure, as time goes by, that the contribution of the current Patronage Secretary...

I thank the Leader of the House for announcing next week’s business.

Today would have been the 67th birthday of Robin Cook. He is remembered, among many things, for his formidable mind and for the reform and modernisation of the Commons that he delivered when he was Leader of the House.

I...

I thank the Leader of the House for announcing next week’s business.

Today would have been the 67th birthday of Robin Cook. He is remembered, among many things, for his formidable mind and for the reform and modernisation of the Commons that he delivered when he was Leader of the House.

I...

I can do no more than say that I have been working on this, along with other people. An implementation team in the Ministry of Justice was working on setting up IPSA over the summer, and meetings and discussions have also been held with the trade unions. We had a...

I can do no more than say that I have been working on this, along with other people. An implementation team in the Ministry of Justice was working on setting up IPSA over the summer, and meetings and discussions have also been held with the trade unions. We had a...

Is the hon. Lady saying that members of the Committee are shortly to be appointed—in other words, that she knows who they are—or that she does not yet know who they are and neither does anyone else?

Is the hon. Lady saying that members of the Committee are shortly to be appointed—in other words, that she knows who they are—or that she does not yet know who they are and neither does anyone else?

No. My comments will be very brief, and there will be opportunities—

No. My comments will be very brief, and there will be opportunities—

I am listening closely to the hon. Gentleman's arguments. Will he define how one becomes and remains a senior Member of the House?

I am listening closely to the hon. Gentleman's arguments. Will he define how one becomes and remains a senior Member of the House?

I am delighted that the hon. Gentleman has been able to remove that possibility, but I spoke to a senior Member of the House this morning about the matter. I will not disclose his name, because he is not in his place at the moment, although I can say that...

I am delighted that the hon. Gentleman has been able to remove that possibility, but I spoke to a senior Member of the House this morning about the matter. I will not disclose his name, because he is not in his place at the moment, although I can say that...

The Minister is nodding in agreement with that proposition, so I look forward to hearing her expand on it. How is this Committee, when appointed, going to interact with the Kelly committee's recommendations? As you know, Mr. Speaker, earlier today I raised a point of order about the extraordinary announcements...

The Minister is nodding in agreement with that proposition, so I look forward to hearing her expand on it. How is this Committee, when appointed, going to interact with the Kelly committee's recommendations? As you know, Mr. Speaker, earlier today I raised a point of order about the extraordinary announcements...

I hope that the hon. Gentleman has one scintilla of evidence for that suggestion, because I can categorically say that it is not true.

I hope that the hon. Gentleman has one scintilla of evidence for that suggestion, because I can categorically say that it is not true.

Surely my hon. Friend heard the comments of the Deputy Leader of the House. She said that our right hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry), who has now succeeded our right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Hampshire (Sir George Young) as Chairman of the Standard...

Surely my hon. Friend heard the comments of the Deputy Leader of the House. She said that our right hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry), who has now succeeded our right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Hampshire (Sir George Young) as Chairman of the Standard...

Perhaps I could start off with my right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Hampshire. He has been a loyal servant of the House for many years. The work he did from the Back Benches as Chairman of the Standards and Privileges Committee was of immense value. It was authoritative...

Perhaps I could start off with my right hon. Friend the Member for North-West Hampshire. He has been a loyal servant of the House for many years. The work he did from the Back Benches as Chairman of the Standards and Privileges Committee was of immense value. It was authoritative...