🤔 Points of Order

• Richard Holden (Conservative) raised concerns about the closure of South Green surgery in Basildon and Billericay. He highlighted conflicting information given by ministers regarding the government’s ability to intervene. He asked the Speaker to ensure that ministers correct misleading statements. The Deputy Speaker noted that while the Chair isn’t responsible for the content of ministerial answers, the issue was noted and there’s a process for corrections.

• Yasmin Qureshi (Labour) has been advocating for families affected by the drug Primodos for 12 years. She mentioned the government’s agreement to consider new evidence, but expressed frustration over delays in publishing the review’s conclusions. Qureshi asked for guidance on speeding up the process. The Deputy Speaker acknowledged her concerns but clarified it’s not a matter for the Chair, suggesting ministerial attention has been drawn to the issue.

• Ellie Chowns (Green Party) questioned a ministerial statement about the Middle East minister’s whereabouts, suggesting the minister was at a Labour party event rather than in the Middle East as claimed. She asked if the record should be corrected. The Deputy Speaker noted that while the Chair isn’t responsible for statement content, there’s a procedure for corrections if misstatements are proven.

• Jim Shannon (DUP) commemorated the 40th anniversary of an IRA mortar attack on Newry police station, which resulted in the deaths of nine RUC officers. He sought recognition of their bravery in the House. The Deputy Speaker acknowledged his statement.

• A new bill, the Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill, was introduced by Gareth Snell (Labour) and others. It aims to require the indication of the country of origin for ceramic products. The bill had its first reading and is scheduled for a second reading on 25 April.

The session primarily consists of points of order and a bill presentation, with minimal to no direct disagreement displayed among the members. The points of order raised are focused more on procedural clarity, corrections of records, and pressing for updates on specific issues rather than engaging in oppositional debate. For instance, Mr Richard Holden addresses confusion over ministerial responses about a surgery closure, Yasmin Qureshi expresses frustration over delays in a drug review process but does not oppose anyone directly, Ellie Chowns seeks clarification on a minister’s statement, and Jim Shannon memorializes a historical event without contestation. While there is a sense of urgency and demand for government attention and action, there is no clear evidence of discord or heated exchange among the participants. The Ceramics (Country of Origin Marking) Bill is introduced without any debate shown in the transcript. As such, the session is rated low on disagreement due to the absence of direct conflicts or counterarguments between members.