MIKE Foster recently tabled some bizarre questions in the Commons.

When will the Government introduce regulations to amend the Batteries and Accumulators (Containing Dangerous Substances) Regulations 1994? asked the Worcester Labour MP.

He continued with other queries about when permission would be given to build gas-fired power stations in North Lincolnshire, Greater Manchester and Kent.

Eagle-eyed journalists immediately wondered why the MP for Worcester was asking such unusual questions, unrelated to his constituency.

Was he working behind the scenes to be appointed a Minister at the Department of Trade and Industry?

No, he insists.

He was approached by MP Ben Chapman, a parliamentary private secretary (bag carrier) at the DTI, who was desperately trying to find MPs to table these questions relating to their constituencies.

But Mr Chapman only had 10 minutes before the questions had to be put down.

Mr Foster stepped in and tabled them.

I was just helping out a colleague," he says.