Amended Answers to Oral Questions — Question No. 7 to Minister, 26 July

On Tuesday, 26 July, in answer to a supplementary question to question No. 7, I gave figures relating to the number of backlog cases investigated by the fraud and investigations unit of the Immigration Service. I have since been advised that those figures were not correct. I will provide the correct figures to the member and to the Clerk’s Office as soon as they come to hand.

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I thank the Minister for his explanation; that is fine. But seriously, is this the first opportunity he has had to make that explanation? Has it really taken from question time on Tuesday through to the end of question time on Thursday to find out that he had this problem? Did he have that statement in his pocket when he came into the House at 2 o’clock? Did he have it at any stage yesterday—perhaps last night? For the Government to try to bury its mistakes at little moments when that may not be noticed is not a fair use of the Standing Orders, at all.

I thank the member for his contribution. The Minister was required to make a statement as soon as the matter came to his attention on the day. He has done that. The matter, of course, is not open to debate.