INTERNATIONAL TRADE Committee

That Mr Chris Leslie be discharged from the International Trade Committee and Gareth Thomas be added.—(Bill Wiggin, on behalf of the Selection Committee.)

Object.

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The Selection Committee only makes recommendations to the House. Last week, we had objections to our recommendations. Normally, we would hope that the House would come to a decision. That has not happened. I am rather hoping that, sometime this week, time will be found for the House to make a decision because Members are affected by the make-up of Select Committees. Perhaps the objection we have heard this evening might also be considered, so that the Members concerned at least know what is likely to happen.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order and for giving me notice of it. I understand that some previous Select Committee membership changes that were objected to appear on tomorrow’s Order Paper and can be debated. I am sure he understands that it is a matter for the Government to decide when to provide time for the debate on the change objected to tonight, but the Ministers on the Treasury Bench will have heard his words, and I am sure they will feed that back through the appropriate channels.

Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Can you give some guidance on whether the objection raised today will be debated at the same time as last week’s objections, or will the debate have to take place on a different date?

As I understand it, it may be possible for Select Committee changes to be debated together, but it is a matter for the Government to decide whether to take that matter tomorrow or to take it separately.