The Speaker answers a point of order
House of Commons
Column 776
Points of Order
Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby) (Con): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, as you will know, yesterday we discussed the Serious Crime Bill in the House, a serious piece of Home Office legislation, which involves burdens of proof and admissibility of evidence and which affects the liberties of all people in this country. Is there anything you can do to persuade the Government to inform their Back Benchers of the serious nature of legislation going through the House, because apart from a couple of interventions not one
Labour Back Bencher contributed-
Mr. Speaker: Order. The hon. Gentleman knows that that is not a point of order.
Dr. Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes, South-West) (Lab): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, in Westminster Hall, the hon. Member for North-East Milton Keynes (Mr. Lancaster) said in an Adjournment debate:
"nearly 70,000 people in Milton Keynes are still unable to register with an NHS dentist."-[ Official Report, Westminster Hall, 5 June 2007; Vol. 461, c. 62WH.]
The claim was repeated in the local press and it obviously caused enormous concern to many of my constituents, as well as to those of the hon. Gentleman. Because of the seriousness of the figure, which represents nearly a third of the population, I checked with the local Milton Keynes primary care trust. It confirmed with me that the waiting list for NHS dentistry in Milton Keynes has been totally cleared as a result of the new contracts and the extra £500,000 funding, that no one in Milton Keynes is waiting for access for longer than a week and that new practices are actively taking on new patients.
Mr. Speaker:Order.
Mr. Mark Lancaster (North-East Milton Keynes) (Con): Further to that point of order
Mr. Speaker: Order. I am going to rule that it is not a point of order, so there will not be a further point of order.
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): It is on the record.
Mr. Speaker: The hon. Gentleman is right: it is on the record, and some of the points of order that he has raised are on the record, too, and they have not been points of order. The hon. Member for Milton Keynes, South-West (Dr. Starkey) is using the system of points of order to put the record straight. In future, if she wants to put the record straight and to rebut the case that an hon. Member has put, she can apply for an Adjournment debate. Then she will have at least a quarter of an hour on the Floor of the House to put the case.
That would be the best way. I think that, in fairness, the hon. Member for North-East Milton Keynes (Mr. Lancaster) should have an opportunity to say something, but I know that it is not going to be a point of order.
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Mr. Lancaster: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I take the opportunity to apologise to the House, because having checked the figures it would appear that the 70,000 figure is not correct. According to the latest figures published, there are in fact 120,853 people, a massive 54 per cent. of residents in Milton Keynes, currently not registered with an NHS dentist. I make no apology for continuing to pursue that matter on behalf of my constituents.
Mr. Speaker: Order. This is not a debate on Milton Keynes.