John Penrose

Conservative Party | Weston-super-Mare

Business of the House

John Penrose (Weston-super-Mare) (Con): When the Leader of the House was asked about the Lyons report, he had some entirely justifiable fun with the Liberal Democrats’ proposals. However, many pensioners in my constituency and many others on fixed incomes want to know what the Government’s reaction will be to the Lyons report. When may we have a statement or a debate on that?

Mr. Straw: My hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government issued a statement when the Lyons report was published yesterday and, in the intervening period before the matter is debated, I hope that everybody has an opportunity to read that thorough report. The hon. Gentleman is of the party of the poll tax and he should reflect on the fact that the council tax may be unpopular, but most of the alternatives to it, including the Liberals’ local income tax, would be infinitely worse. What Lyons has proposed for consideration includes, on the face of it, some sensible suggestions for improvements in the long term in the way in which the system operates.

I suspect that you are drawing business questions to a close, Mr. Deputy Speaker, so I wish to tell the House by way of a point of order, as it were, that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer very much regrets that he will not be able to make the opening of the Budget debate in a moment because he is in a meeting involving representatives from Northern Ireland political parties in the hope—as I expressed, and I know that it met with the approbation of all Members of this House—that agreement can be reached by Monday 26 May and that the new arrangements may come into force.