The House

Plea over bank

account scam

DENNIS SKINNER, Labour MP for Bolsover, urged the Government to "sort out" a loophole allowing crooks to move cash from someone else's bank account. He said a television inquiry had shown how easy it was to siphon money from accounts using the holder's name and account number.

Odd couple

NICHOLAS SOAMES, former Tory armed forces minister, joined Tam Dalyell, Labour MP for Linlithgow, in criticising continued air strikes against Iraq without the authority of Parliament.

Peer pressure

THE GOVERNMENT lost in the Lords as peers, during the detailed report stage of the Disability Rights Commission Bill, backed a Tory demand for the new Disability Rights Commission to have the right to advise not only the Government but also its agencies on the practical application of any law.

Gut reaction

THE COMMONS suffered an upset when Lucy, David Blunkett's guide-dog, was sick on the carpet near the government frontbench during a speech by his opposition shadow, David Willetts. Liberal Democrat education spokesman Don Foster later referred to Lucy's behaviour in his contribution to the debate, saying he often felt a "sense of nausea" when Mr Willetts spoke. Mr Blunkett said Lucy was "fine".