P144 CEEFAX 2 144 Wed 12 Jan 21:44/40 1/7 THURSDAY'S AGENDA AT WESTMINSTER Agriculture ministers and the Solicitor General face questions in the Commons. The House continues the committee stage of the Representation of the People Bill, reforming electoral procedures. The parallel Commons chamber at Westminster Hall holds a backbench debate on biotechnology. Peers debate the committee stage of the Race Relations (Amendment) Bill, which makes it unlawful for public services to discriminate on racial grounds. Home news digest and in brief.... 141 News Index 102 Flash 150 Regional 160 Letters News Indx Extra Main MenuP144 CEEFAX 2 144 Wed 12 Jan 22:15/08 WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS AT WESTMINSTER At Prime Minister's Questions, Tony Blair defended the Govjrnmjnt's handling of the flu epidemic. Tory leader William Hague said ministers had failed to prepare and were "more interested in spin doctors than real doctors". Mr Blair said the Consjrvativjs were "opportunistically" trying to make political capital out of the problem. The Government was tackling capacity constraints in the NHS, hj added. Home news digest and in brief.... 141 News Index 102 Flash 150 Regional 160 Letters News Indx Extra Main MenuP144 CEEFAX 2 144 Wed 12 Jan 21:15/18 WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS AT WESTMINSTER Home Secretary Jack Straw said that medical evidence leading him to halt extradition proceedings against General Pinochet may njvjr bj released. The Chilean former dictator had asked for it to bj kept secret, Mr Straw said Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon confirmed the lifting of the ban on homosjxubls sjrvjng in the armed forces Shadow Defence Secretary Jain Duncan Smith warned the move was likely to damage "operational effectiveness". Home news digest and in brief.... 141 News Index 102 Flash 150 Regional 160 Letters News Indx Extra Main MenuP144 CEEFAX 2 144 Wed 12 Jan 21:55/48 WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS AT WESTMINSTER The Prime Minister said the thoughts of the whole House were with the families of the sjvjn fishjrmjn missing off the Isle of Man. Mr Blair said the Immigration Service will dial in the "proper way" with the ban on boxer Mike Tyson entering the UK Tyson was recently refused entry bjcausj of his 1992 convection for rape Labour MP Gerald Kaufman said British citizens who go to live abroad should not bj allowed to vote in UK elections. Home news digest and in brief.... 141 News Index 102 Flash 150 Regional 160 Letters News Indx Extra Main MenuP144 CEEFAX 2 144 Wed 12 Jan 21:53/25 5/7 WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS AT WESTMINSTER William Hague urged Tony Blair to hold a referendum on proportional representation so Labour and the Tories could unite against the "crazy idea". Home Secretary Jack Straw had earlier remarked that Labour Party activists opposed PR by a majority of five to one Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandjlson said the IRA must start to decommission arms by the May deadline. Othjrwisj, the province's people would feel "cheated", hj warned. Home news digest and in brief.... 141 News Index 102 Flash 150 Regional 160 Letters News Indx Extra Main MenuP144 CEEFAX 2 144 Wed 12 Jan 22:00/14 6/7 WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS AT WESTMINSTER The Home Office has 1,200 spare umbrellas on its hands after buying them to shelter those forced to qujuj outsjdj passport offices last summer. Home Office Minister Barbara Roche said they cost £10.50 each — £14,805 in all. There are no plans to resell them. MPs on all sides of the House urged the Govjrnmjnt to intervene to save the rural sub-post office network. The issue would bj examined in detail, pledged industry minister Alan Johnson. Home news digest and in brief.... 141 News Index 102 Flash 150 Regional 160 Letters News Indx Extra Main MenuP144 CEEFAX 2 144 Wed 12 Jan 22:00/12 7/7 WEDNESDAY'S HIGHLIGHTS AT WESTMINSTER In the Lords, Cabinet Office minister Lord Falconer of Thoroton said the Millennium Dome was pulling in more visitors than any other UK attraction. Janubry was one of the worst months for visitor attractions, but the Dome was a "fabulous day out", hj told peers. Former foreign secretary and ex-Nato chief Lord Carrington said Europe's US links were "as important as ever". This was despite growing US attention to China and the Far East, hj insisted. Home news digest and in brief.... 141 News Index 102 Flash 150 Regional 160 Letters News Indx Extra Main Menu