Derek McDowell (Labour)

The Minister's response discloses his perspective which, to be fair, he has never tried to keep secret. He said at the outset that the Government is entitled to order its business just like anybody else. In his Cheltenham comments of last week, he pointed out that the Opposition had lost the election and that it was up to the Government to decide what to do. I do not accept that. I accept that the Government makes the ultimate call.