Last year we had what was described as Our Annual Crisis, the crisis of devaluation.

I know that the right hon. Member for Sparkbrook, having spent his formative years in Government at a time when an Annual Crisis was a regular political and economic phenomenon, tends to view our performance through slightly distorted lenses.

Without progress on Cyprus, there is the risk of an Annual Crisis if Turkey does not make progress towards a settlement, as there is the possibility of a veto at the opening and closing of every chapter.

In small numbers, it may do, but the notion of an Annual Crisis and bed blocking as an accepted part of the system has more or less been removed.

I have criticised the Environment Agency annually because the flooding in our area has become an almost Annual Crisis - and here we are again, mopping up after the latest deluge, listening to the same lame excuses and hoping that there will finally be some sensible action.

The Secretary of State and the Under-Secretary will be familiar with the many arguments that I and colleagues made, not only over the past 10 weeks, but in the Annual Crisis talks that we have held over the past three years.

The Secretary of State and the Minister are familiar with the arguments that my hon. Friends and I have made not just in the last 10 weeks of talks, but in the now Annual Crisis talks that we have had over the last three years.