Urgent Debates Declined — Burglaries—Increase

I have received a letter from Stuart Nash seeking to debate under Standing Order 389 the increase in the number of recorded burglary victimisations by 14 percent in the last 12 months. The urgent debate is a way of holding the Government accountable for an action for which it is responsible and it must relate to a particular case of recent occurrence. The urgent debate procedure is not intended to address a continuing problem such as burglary statistics—[Interruption] Order!—which do not constitute a particular case of recent occurrence, and I refer members to Speakers’ ruling 210/5 and Speaker’s ruling 210/6. On this basis, the case raised does not meet the test for me to set aside the business of the House today. The application is, therefore, declined.