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Mr. Tony Banks (Newham, North-West) : I wish at the outset to pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner). It is wondrous to watch him in action. I am surprised that he spotted this occasion and has brought the matter to the attention of the House. I commend new Members on both sides to study carefully the actions of my hon. Friend. They will learn a great deal at his knee. Like other hon. Members, I have great regard and esteem for Bernard Weatherill and everything that he did when he was in the House. I am loth to deprive him of anything that he would want having left this place, if he approves of it and sees it as a reward. Although I am reluctant to support my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover, I shall do so on the following ground alone : the unfortunate way in which the motion is termed.

We should have the right to confer a commendation or favour on one of our colleagues who has done a great service to the House. It seems most unfortunate that the only way in which we can do so is to go to the Queen and ask that a royal favour be conferred on Speaker Weatherill, who then has to go to the House of Lords, which is supposed to be this country's great bastion of privilege and class traditions. My hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover has now shown that it is time that the House started to look at how we could confer some form of favour or commendation on any one of our colleagues whom we feel is suitable for such an honour. That could be people who sit in the House or serve in the Refreshment Department or elsewhere. I suggest something like a Commons medal.

Whatever else my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover has done, he has shown us today that we must keep our eyes open, because we never know what will be slipped through on the Order Paper.

Question put :--


Column 160

The House divided : Ayes 247, Noes 15.

Division No. 16] [4.16 pm

AYES

Adley, Robert

Ainsworth, Peter (East Surrey)

Alexander, Richard

Alison, Rt Hon Michael (Selby)

Ancram, Michael

Arbuthnot, James

Armstrong, Hilary

Arnold, Jacques (Gravesham)

Arnold, Sir Thomas (Hazel Grv)

Ashton, Joe

Atkinson, Peter (Hexham)

Bates, Michael

Batiste, Spencer

Beith, A. J.

Bellingham, Henry

Bendall, Vivian

Beresford, Sir Paul

Bermingham, Gerald

Biffen, Rt Hon John

Blackburn, Dr John G.

Boateng, Paul

Booth, Hartley

Boswell, Tim

Bottomley, Peter

Bottomley, Rt Hon Virginia

Bowis, John

Boyes, Roland

Brandreth, Gyles

Brazier, Julian

Bright, Graham

Brooke, Rt Hon Peter

Brown, M. (Brigg & Cl'thorpes)

Browning, Mrs. Angela

Bruce, Ian (S Dorset)

Bruce, Malcolm (Gordon)

Butler, Peter

Cann, James

Carlisle, John (Luton North)

Carrington, Matthew

Channon, Rt Hon Paul

Chaplin, Mrs Judith

Clappison, James

Clark, Dr David (South Shields)

Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey

Coe, Sebastian

Colvin, Michael

Congdon, David

Conway, Derek

Coombs, Simon (Swindon)

Cormack, Patrick

Currie, Mrs Edwina (S D'by'ire)

Dafis, Cynog

Davies, Quentin (Stamford)

Davis, David (Boothferry)

Day, Stephen

Deva, Niranjan

Devlin, Tim

Dickens, Geoffrey

Dicks, Terry

Dixon, Don

Douglas-Hamilton, Lord James

Dover, Den

Duncan, Alan

Duncan-Smith, Iain

Dunn, Bob

Dunwoody, Mrs Gwyneth

Durant, Sir Anthony

Eggar, Tim

Elletson, Harold

Enright, Derek

Evans, Jonathan (Brecon)

Evans, Nigel (Ribble Valley)

Evennett, David

Ewing, Mrs Margaret

Faber, David

Fabricant, Michael

Fenner, Dame Peggy

Field, Frank (Birkenhead)

Forsyth, Michael (Stirling)

Foster, Derek (B'p Auckland)

Fox, Dr Liam (Woodspring)

Fox, Sir Marcus (Shipley)

French, Douglas

Gale, Roger

Gallie, Philip

Gardiner, Sir George

Garnier, Edward

Gillan, Ms Cheryl

Golding, Mrs Llin

Goodson-Wickes, Dr Charles

Gorman, Mrs Teresa

Graham, Thomas

Grant, Sir Anthony (Cambs SW)

Greenway, Harry (Ealing N)

Greenway, John (Ryedale)

Grylls, Sir Michael

Gunnell, John

Hague, William

Hampson, Dr Keith

Hannam, Sir John

Hanson, David

Hargreaves, Andrew

Harris, David

Haselhurst, Alan

Hawkins, Nicholas

Hawksley, Warren

Hayes, Jerry

Heald, Oliver

Heathcoat-Amory, David

Hendry, Charles

Hicks, Robert

Higgins, Rt Hon Terence L.

Hill, James (Southampton Test)

Horam, John

Hordern, Sir Peter

Howard, Rt Hon Michael

Howarth, Alan (Strat'rd-on-A)

Howell, Ralph (North Norfolk)

Hughes, Robert (Aberdeen N)

Hughes Robert G. (Harrow W)

Hunter, Andrew

Jack, Michael

Jenkin, Bernard

Jessel, Toby

Jones, Gwilym (Cardiff N)

Jones, Ieuan (Ynys Mo n)

Jones, Robert B. (W H'f'rdshire)

Kilfedder, James

Kinnock, Rt Hon Neil (Islwyn)

Kirkhope, Timothy

Kirkwood, Archy

Knapman, Roger

Knight, Mrs Angela (Erewash)

Knight, Greg (Derby N)

Knight, Dame Jill (Bir'm E'st'n)

Knox, David

Kynoch, George (Kincardine)

Lait, Ms Jacqui

Lang, Rt Hon Ian

Lawrence, Ivan

Legg, Barry

Lester, Jim (Broxtowe)

Lidington, David

Lightbown, David

Llwyd, Elfyn

Luff, Peter

Lynne, Ms Liz

MacGregor, Rt Hon John

MacKay, Andrew

Maclean, David

McLoughlin, Patrick

McNamara, Kevin


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