02/02/2017 Business Questions

Wednesday February red, conclusion of consideration Day three, followed

by remaining stages of the withdrawal bill. Thursday, February

nine, debate on the motion on Israeli settlements in the occupied

Palestinian territories: five debate on a national governments of the

football Association, the subjects having been determined by the

backbench business committee. Friday, February ten the house will

not be sitting. Provisional business for the week commencing 20 at the

break, will include Monday, remaining stages of the cultural

property armed conflicts bill followed by consideration of Lords

amendments to high-speed rail London West Midlands bill. I should also

like to inform the house that the business in Westminster Hall for the

sixth and 20th debris will be as follows: Thursday nine o'clock

every, debate on the sixth report from the science and technology

committee on smart monitoring of electricity and gas followed by a

debate on the effect to state pension changes on working-class

women. Monday debris 20, debates on petitions relating to a state visit

by President Donald Trump. Can I thank the Leader of the House for

the statement and I note that we still don't have a date when the

going to rise for summer recess. I would ask the Leader of the House

again if they could announce their dead. Could I add the opposition

voice to your letter and about the date for restoration and renewal.

The sooner we can have a debate the better. You will not believe this

but in 2004 Roger Federer began his 237th consecutive week run as well

number one, a record that is unbeaten and of course he has now

won the Australian open possibly because you interviewed him that Mr

Speaker, Roger Federer has had longer to get to the final of the

astray and open than Parliament has had to debate triggering article 50.

The Supreme Court dragged government back to Parliament. It is the

court's job to interpret the legislation. The first line of the

draft Bill is the Prime Minister may leave the EU, all the Burmester has

to do is give notice to trigger article 50. Mr Speaker this is a

secretive government who failed to tell Parliament about the misfiring

of a missile. That is why Her Majesty 's opposition has been

asking for appliances then of last year and for we cannot trust this

government because the Secretary of State was in the group that said

?350 million would go to the NHS, that has now proved to be incorrect.

How can we trust them now. That is why the Prime Minister has to report

back to Parliament. Tariff free access and EU citizens need to be

protected, consult with devolved government and ask the government to

publish any impact assessments. This is not the government of the NHS, as

the Prime Minister said yesterday, could we have a statement on the

Prime Minister's response to the letter by 2000 senior clinicians who

said they have reached unacceptable levels of safety concerns for their

patients and in a statement credit also say whether hospitals are

operating at safe staffing levels and could the government published a

response to the letter to the Prime Minister from the three chairs of

the select committees, communities and local government, Public

Accounts Committee and health, now we see the recklessness of

government policies. They changed NHS bursary is that has resulted in

less people wanting to become nurses. The same recklessness that

the honourable member for Surrey said when he regrets cancelling

building schools for the future. Tell that to my school, in my

constituency, where they have their allegation cancelled. Children have

to be sent home when it rains. With 46% of schools losing funding, could

we have a statement on why the ?384 million that was in the education

budget has been clawed back by the Treasury? Schools deserve the money

now, not in a budget giveaway. Mr Speaker, the Leader of the House has

failed to respond to my honourable friend question on her Parliamentary

constituencies Amendment Bill, can the Leader of the House now say what

the position is about Advil? Mr Speaker, last week the Speaker of

the House of Representatives in Burma was here as a result of your

invitation. Sadly this week the key constitutional lawyer was

assassinated in Burma. Could I ask, he happens to be a Muslim, could I

ask the Leader of the House to ask the Foreign Secretary to do all he

can to support the Burmese government in their quest for peace.

And finally it is world Cancer Day on February four, every honourable

has been touched in some way, and knows of someone who has been

affected by the disease. Well the Leader of the House join me in

thanking all those researchers looking for a cure and on Saturday

could we remember all those who have lost their lives to the disease and

wish all those well who are currently going through treatment

and celebrate with those who have beaten this disease. Can I first

immediately associate myself with the comments about National Cancer

Day. I think it is probably because there is no member in any part of

this house who has not been touched in some way by the case of a

relative of all different who has had to fight against this scourge,

sometimes successfully, sometimes sadly not so. I would like to

celebrate the advances of medical science, the skills of oncologists

and others who diagnose and treat cancer and the courage of cancer

survivors and their relatives. Who gives them such critical support,

but also let us keep in our thoughts and prayers those who have been

bereaved as a consequence of cancer and give thanks to those staff in

the NHS and in the voluntary and charitable sector who worked to

provide specialist nursing care including hospice treatment to

people who are having to face the end of their lives. So if I turn to

the other points the honourable lady asked me about, I will want to be

able to give the house some news as soon as possible on the summer

recess and the restoration on your programme but I'm not able to do so

today. My understanding about the bill brought forward by the

honourable member for North West Durham is the committee to consider

her bill has now been appointed but has not yet met. On her questions

about the European Union, I mean, I, I, I really do think that the sort

of questions she pursue this morning was something of distraction therapy

too, too, to try and divert attention from the blatant divisions

within her own party with sort of different members of the Shadow

Cabinet and front bench dropping off the perch so that with every news

bulletin that passes. And for a comma for a two clause bill the

second clause of which is simply the short title of the Bell, two full

days in second reading including going until midnight on Monday and

up to three days in committee of the whole house seems to me a perfectly

reasonable allocation of time. If I can turn to her points about school

funding, the money to which she referred was allocated by the

Treasury to the education Department, explicitly for the

purpose of supporting the full shift of all schools to academy status.

The government having reconsidered that policy altered its policy and

their four that money was not needed. Her point about Burma is

well made a I shall make sure that is passed back to the Foreign

Secretary but I can give an unqualified assurance that this

government will continue both through the Foreign Office and

Department for International Development to work support the

cause of building democracy, human rights and community reconciliation

inside that country. Finally, she rightly paid tribute to

the stupendous achievement of Roger Federer. I think it is not only

tennis aficionados like yourself who will have cheered at his success.

But I do think in professional tennis, in your mid-30s, perhaps a

message of hope to all of us that age is just a number and we can

strive for greater achievement whatever age we reach. SPEAKER: What

a splendid note on which to finish, the man is an inspiration. I don't

wish to be discourteous to the Leader of the House but I had

Federer in mind. Can we have a debate on the power of Clinical

Commissioning Group is within the NHS and the fact they are

unaccountable to the public? The Clinical Commissioning Group

covering part of my constituency plans to withdraw services from

Bridlington Hospital, remove services from Bridlington Hospital

and this is not on account of cost and they seem hell-bent on doing

this despite overwhelming public opposition. Does he accept that I

regard these plans as totally unacceptable? And if we cannot have

a debate, will he draw my concerns to the attention of the Secretary of

State for Health? Not only undertake to draw my Right Honourable friend's

concerns to the Secretary of State but also pointing towards health

questions on Tuesday the 2nd of February when he can Esther Qin

ministers directly on this. -- questioned ministers. This case is

not something on which I could comment but the principle here is

Clinical Commissioning Group is should be engaging in proper public

consultation in their local area, as they draw up the sustainability and

transformation plans for that locality, and ultimately the local

authority, through its health overview committee has the right,

they believe services are being wrongly and adversely restructured,

to refer the matter to the Secretary of State. Pete Wishart. Can I thank

the House for announcing the business for next week. I know we

like anniversaries in this place, I would support everything said about

National Cancer Day. Today is Groundhog Day, most days seem like

Groundhog Day in this place but I don't know about you, I always seem

to work up to the news that another labour frontbencher has resigned

again. Perhaps we can get Proksa Tony fell to get a place in the

Shadow Cabinet. Three cheers to the Leader of the House for finally

getting a white Paper for the Brexit Bill. It has only taken half the

time of this Bill going through this chamber before we have got it.

Getting it at last, let's hope it is close to the 650 pages we had in the

independence White Paper. This is a Bill the government didn't want that

they are forcing through at breakneck speed. The Government must

be prepared to listen to the hundreds of amendments tabled for

this Bill. I've noticed in the programme motion there is no

programming for the Report Stage. That must mean this government will

reject every amendment that comes forward without proper

consideration. Why are we not getting a Report Stage in this Bill

as it goes through the House? Mr Speaker, can we have a statement on

the government's intention on the second Scottish independence

referendum? There is a piece in the Herald newspaper from the Defence

Secretary today who seems to roll out entirely a second independence

Scottish referendum. We heard on radio Scotland that he seems to be

furiously backtracking on what he just said. The Scottish Tory leader

said it would be wrong to have a second referendum, and believe me, a

government with only one MP in Scotland telling the Scottish people

that they won't have a say in the future could not be a bigger gift to

us on these benches. I listened carefully to the Leader of the

House's response to several of my honourable friends who were asked

how Evel will be replied to my applied to the Great Repeal Bill and

he must rule it out now. We cannot have a Bill as important as this to

be considered by two members of Parliament in this Parliament. 1000

member and then the Scottish mothers who can only take part in some of

that. Believe me, that could not be a bigger gift to us to. -- Scottish

members. I think in response to the honourable gentleman's points about

the EU withdrawal Bill, I have to remind him that this House

overwhelmingly voted first of all for the referendum to take place and

for the decision to be referred to the British people and secondly only

a matter of weeks ago the House voted overwhelmingly again to

endorse the Prime Minister's timetable for triggering Article 50

before the end of March this year. The timetable on this Bill is to

ensure those objectives are upheld. His point about report and committee

stages, the purpose of Report Stage normally is to enable the House as a

whole to consider the Bill as it comes out of committee where it is

being considered by a small number of members upstairs. At this stage

we have a full two date and time needed on the third day as well. For

consideration of amendments by a Committee of the whole House. What

the honourable gentleman is asking for is a further extension of the

Committee of the whole House. Finally on his points about

Scotland, I think the Prime Minister cannot have been more emphatic on

numerous occasions at this dispatch box. Making it plain that we are

determined to consult the Scottish Government, the Welsh government,

the Northern Ireland Executive, about how their interests and the

people who they represent are affected by the process of

withdrawal from the European Union and the negotiations on which we

shall shortly embark. The Evel arrangements in her standing borders

can only apply if three conditions are met. First that the matter in

question is devolved to Scotland. Secondly, that that same matter

relates to England only, or to England and Wales only. And third,

that you, Mr Speaker, have certified the amendment or the Bill as falling

within the definitions prescribed under our standing orders. I cannot

possibly comment upon a build that has not yet been published, it seems

to me that those principles, given that international agreements are

under the Scotland act defined as reserved, not devolved matters,

those principles embodied in our standing orders or to give the

honourable gentleman and his colleagues considerable reassurance.

Mr Speaker, this week three out of the six district councils in Dorset

voted to keep their own sovereignty and independence. Despite this last

night the chief Executive of Dorset County Council announced that other

councils in Dorset would apply for a hostile takeover. Can we have an

early debate on how to prevent ineffective and wasteful councils

seeking to seize by compulsion the assets and powers of their

financially sound neighbours? My honourable friend is moving on from

the sovereignty of Parliament to the sovereignty of Christchurch. I can

only say to him that I think a number of us in the House are very

aware that in the localities that we represent there are sometimes, how

shall I put it? Different and competing views amongst different

local authorities about the possible shape of future local government

reform. Mr Speaker, I can see from your expression you and I are both

familiar with this dilemma of surplus, and I think that as my

honourable friend knows, his view and the views of other colleagues

representing Dorset constituency is I going to be attended to very

closely by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

and I would urge him to continue to ensure that the views of his

constituents are forthrightly represented in that quarter. Mr

Kevin Brennan. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Could we have a debate

about our so-called national airline British Airways. The manner in which

they are treating their workforce, particularly the mixed fleet cabin

crew, is a disgrace. The airline is refusing to settle with a reasonable

offer to them. Would debate enable us to expose our so-called national

airline and the way they treat their air workforce? While this is a

matter for the company and trade unions concerned, the government

would hope that all employers would take seriously their

responsibilities to ensure that they workforce is fairly rewarded. I

can't offer him a debate in government time but this might be

subject on which he could seek an adjournment debate. Mr Philip

Davies. Last week I attended in the House of Lords a meeting organised

by the crossbencher and human rights campaigner Baroness Cox with three

very brave women who gave their harrowing tales of how they'd been

treated and the impact of sharia councils on their lives. It's a

disgrace that we have this alternative form of justice in our

country. Can we have a debate so that we can make sure that everybody

in this country is treated equally under the same role. We do not have

sharia councils treating women in such an appalling manner. It's very

important that all of us in this place uphold wholeheartedly the

rights that both men and women have under the law on Dummett of the

United Kingdom, and emphasise that whatever private or community

arrangements on dispute resolution may or may not exist, it is the

legal rights of women and of men under law that trumps any formal

agreement. Mrs Madeleine Moon. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can we have a

debate about the vexatious use of family courts by controlling and

abusive ex partners who seek to use custody as a way of harassing,

intimidating and impoverishing, often their wives, and as a way of

ensuring they retain that control and coercive and bullying behaviour

that they exemplified throughout their relationship. Like the

Honourable Lady, I have had constituency cases where

constituents have come to me about this kind of harassment. There may

be an opportunity for her to highlight the issue in the

adjournment debate. I think ultimately we have to accept that

with individual cases we must rely on the good sense and

professionalism of the judge who is presiding over a particular case to

hear and make a judgment about the evidence put forward by the two

parties and come to a fair resolution. Rishi Sunak. If you were

to visit my constituency I would take you to one of our three

lifestyle auction markets, alongside our riding schools they are keyed to

the fabric of our role community and yet their future is threatened by

eye watering rises in business rates. Can I ask my Right Honourable

friend to make time in this House so that we can debate white rural

businesses are being so unfairly penalise to? -- why rural

businesses. My honourable friend, in his relatively short time has

emerged as a formidable champion of the Richmond constituency, for North

Yorkshire and rural businesses generally too. The position if we

look at this nationally is the business rate revaluation will

overall benefit businesses in rural areas across England. And no small

property will see more than a 5% increase from the 1st of April this

year because of a transitional relief scheme. But if my honourable

friend would care to write to me about the particular cases of the

auction markets in his constituency I will undertake to draw that to the

attention of the Communities Secretary. Mr Keith Vaz. Thank you,

Mr Speaker. Although this week we spent 17 hours discussing the

European Union we didn't spend a single minute on the crisis in Yemen

where half the population are still starving. Last Sunday President

Trump authorised the first attack on Al-Qaeda in Yemen causing the death

of one American soldier and 14 casualties. When can we have an

update on the urgent situation in Yemen? We hold the pen at the UN on

this subject. We desperately need a ceasefire. When can we know what's

happening? There will be questions to the Foreign Secretary on the 21st

of February, which will provide an opportunity to raise Yemen, though

the Right Honourable gentleman may of course wish to take other

parliamentary opportunities that may be available to him to focus on the

Yemen issue at greater length. The governments has never turned away

from the fact that a peaceful resolution in Yemen will be an easy

business, if there was an easy answer it would have been found by

now. We continue to support the work of the UN special envoy on Yemen who

is striving ceaselessly to bring about the ceasefire that both the

Right Honourable gentleman and I wish to see. And the Department for

International Development continues to do what it can to bring

humanitarian assistance to those who are in such need. This week, Mr

Speaker, a petition raised by the parents of April Jones who lived in

Machynlleth in my constituency reached 100,000. April was abducted

and murdered when just five years old. The person responsible, Mark

Bridger, is now in prison. The petition calls for tougher sentences

for those looking at child pornography on the Internet and

greater control of Internet search engines. Would the Leader of the

House urge the petitions committee to bring forward an early debate on

an April's law as soon as possible? I understand completely the way in

which this appalling and tragic case has shocked the community in

Montgomeryshire and the wish of so many people to see this debate in

Parliament. As my honourable friend will understand it is not for the

government, it is for the petitions committee to allocate time to debate

the petitions. But I'm sure the chair of the Petitions Committee

will want to consider carefully the case he has made. As the government

hurtles headlong into Brexit Britain, can we please have a debate

in government time on our future plans for international trade

policy. The Prime Minister and Secretary of State are jetsetting

around the world promising all sorts of deals to President Trump and

Erdogan but this House has still not have the opportunity to discuss the

principles which will underwrite future trade deals, the process

follow to ratify them. Is this just another example of Brexit on the

hoof without policy or scrutiny from Parliament? Well, I mean, I would

have hoped that... Even while expressing the concerns she has the

Honourable Lady might have paid some tribute to the energy and

determination of my honourable friends, the ministry will team and

the Department for international trade who are actively seeking to

ensure that we do have the best trading opportunities around the

world after our departure from the European Union. There are questions

to the Department for International trade on Thursday night next week

but of course, the Government has already had a number of debates in

government time on different aspects of our departure from the European

Union. And I shall make sure that we look seriously at her case for a

further debate to take place focusing on international trade. Sir

Desmond Swayne. How will we use the time next week if you, Mr Speaker,

don't select any of these ridiculous and impertinent amendments?

LAUGHTER Well, I think, Mr Speaker, the

procedure as regards Committee of the whole House is actually... You

are spared that duty because it falls to the Chairman of Ways and

Means and the Chairman of Ways and Means will, as always, be guided by

the rules on order and ensure that those are properly upheld. SPEAKER:

Paula Sherriff. Thank you, Mr Speaker. With the Leader of the

House join me in congratulating might phenomenally talented

constituency from Dewsbury who has rejected a multi-million pound deal

for his latest business venture and could he facilitate a debate at

looking how government could help other young aspiring entrepreneurs?

I'm happy to join her in expressing congratulations to her constituent,

Ali. I think that the more we can do to encourage young people, not just

to understand enterprise, but for many young people to set up a new

enterprise, giving employment to others as their vocation, the

better. I will pass on the case that she is described to my Right

Honourable friend, the Business Secretary. But I know that all parts

of government will want to ensure there are many more Alis in many

more constituencies around this country. Martin Vickers. Excitement

is mounting in Cleethorpes following the announcement yesterday that

there is to be a visit next week from the Minister for the Northern

Powerhouse. Earlier this week the Humber Local Enterprise Partnerships

had a showcase event here at Westminster attended by four

government ministers when the advantages of Northern Lincolnshire

and Humberside were shown to the guests. Could the Leader of the

House arrange for a debate on the successful government policy of the

Northern Powerhouse? Mr Speaker, I can see that even now crowds are

sleeping out in the streets ahead of the ministerial visit and that

Cleethorpes is scarce able to contain its jubilation as the

bunting is strung from lamp posts. I think that my honourable friend

makes a very important point. The Government's approach to economic

and industrial strategy is that we want to ensure that in particular

that those parts of the United Kingdom that have not benefited in

the same way as the more prosperous cities and regions from the growth

that we've had in recent decades are able to do so. That certainly

includes Cleethorpes and the other towns and cities in northern

Lincolnshire. I hope, for example, that there will be some beneficial

spin offs to the wider North Lincolnshire and Humberside region

from the designation of Hull as this year's City of Culture. The work my

honourable friend does is one that ministers are keen to champion. John

Mann. The government controls the vast majority of business and time

in Parliament. Considering the crisis in the NHS and the fact every

member of Parliament wants to raise the crisis in relation to their

constituency, can I propose to the government that before Easter and

entire week be exclusively dedicated to the NHS and the crisis in it and

I would predict that even within a week we would struggle for enough

time for every member to outline their concerns. I think all Members

of the House, whichever political party they represent, followed

closely the challenges and successes of the National Health Service,

particularly in their own constituencies. And they are keen to

raise these matters with ministers. There are health questions next

week, I can't promise the honourable gentleman a full week of debate in

the way that he wishes. I would just point out to him that it is this

government that is following through on its commitment to put into the

NHS the money that NHS England itself said it needed for its trance

formation and reform plans it was the party of the honourable

gentleman at the 20 15th General Election pledge. Refined debate time

for debate on the replacement of the pound coin in March. The coin as

constituted would not be legal tender in October or that slots in

vending machines would cope with the 12 sided new coins. My honourable

friend makes a good point and on the 1st of January this year we launched

a campaign to help raise awareness and encourage the public to return

the current round of ?1 coins. The message is very clear, if you have a

pound coin sitting at home or in your wallet you need to either spend

it will return it to your bank by the 15th of October this year when

it ceases to become legal tender. We have already been running for some

months a separate campaign to support retailers and other

businesses to prepare for the new coin so that some machines, part

machines, have all been altered. Why doesn't the Leader of the House

just come clean and admit that it's all 11 at night because

the. I don't. Is opposed in principle to

this Bill. Seat parliament procedures should be prolonged

sellers to go beyond the March deadline for triggering Article 50.

The Prime Minister has set out plans afoot this House has overwhelmingly

endorsed. ? How many amendments debate isn't going to be a matter

for the government at all. That will be a matter for the Chairman of Ways

and Means, who will decide which amendments are in order and which

are not. I would be sure the Right Honourable gentleman has studied the

motion we voted through last night and he would have seen that that

allocates time for attic of into which -- categories into which those

he has described falls. There will be perfectly sound opportunities in

the three days we have available to a through ball of those amendments

in sufficient detail. -- all of those amendments. As chair of the

EPP on community engagement, further to my letter to the Prime Minister

and Foreign Secretary earlier in the week regarding the treatment of UK

citizens, border controls around the world, can we please have an urgent

statement or a debate on this matter? This is something that both

the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary are reflecting on very

carefully following my honourable friend and the Cape EPG's

recommendations. He can be sure that the Foreign Office and our network

of posts around the world do take up individual cases when they come to

their attention but the case of a systemic procedure for recording

those cases is something we will look at in the light of what he has

said. Yesterday with the greatest reluctance many members genuflected

to the authority of public opinion as expressed in a referendum. With

the House show the same respect to the unprecedented number of people

who have signed two repetitions since last Saturday. 1.8 million

have expressed their outrage at the prospect of President Trump enjoying

a state visit here. 200,000 have supported that invitation. Can we

ensure that we show respect to this sense of horror that people have by

having not just a debate in this House but a vote of honourable

members. The unique feature of the EU referendum, of course, was that

Parliament had passed an act which expressly referred that decision to

the British people. I certainly felt that we were on Dummett honour bound

to accept the verdict there. In the case of the state visit of the

President of the United States, of course people are free to express

their opinions and it is right that the Petitions Committee has

allocated time for the petition which the honourable gentleman

described to be debated here. The Government takes the view that a

state visit is perfectly appropriate force of the relationship between

United Kingdom and the United States of America, including with its

elected Head of State is something that matters to the security of our

citizens, to the geopolitical role of the West and to our commercial

and industrial interests. For those reasons it is right that we should

welcome the elected head of the United States of America in the way

that we have done his predecessors. Rob Blackman. Yesterday I had the

privilege of listening to Susan Pollock, the noted Holocaust

survivor, when she addressed a synagogue and a large group of year

eight students across Harrow. She asked the question which was, what

do you think of when I say what does a Jew looked like? There came no

answer. Yet today we have heard the publication of the terrible report

from CST of the dramatic increase in the number of anti-Semitic

incidents. Can we have a debate in government time on that report, and

more importantly what action the government is going to take to stamp

down on anti-Semitism? I think the best thing I can say is that all of

us in government and outside were appalled by the reported increase in

hate crime. I think there has been progress in tackling it but even one

case is too many. We have published a new cross government hate crime

action plan to tackle all forms of hate crime, but all of us across the

House need to make it clear that Jewish people in Britain, like

people from all communities, must be able to live their lives free from

fear of either verbal or physical attack. In order to tackle

anti-Semitism we need to implement effectively our strong legislation

against religious discrimination and racially and religiously motivated

crime. But there is also a responsibility upon us all as

individuals and on us as members of political parties and people who

have some leadership positions in our own constituencies, to make it

clear again and again if necessary in public, that anti-Semitism has no

place whatsoever in this country. Lowe do we have a debate in relation

to G4S and the dispersal of asylum seekers. They have repeatedly used

inaccurate phrases like illegal contact details. Can we have a

debate on G4S properties and also the code of conduct on councillors

in relation to these properties? We do have a proud history in this

country of granting asylum to people who need our protection and we are

committed to providing safe and secure accommodation while

applications from individuals are being considered. We are clear that

asylum seekers should only be accommodated in properties that are

decent and safe and Home Office ministers do work closely with their

contractors to make sure their contractors meet standards and where

contractors full short we work with them to try to sort out those issues

as quickly as possible. I can pass the details on to the Home

Secretary. A ripple of early resident has asked me to the trustee

of his new charity under high amongst its agenda is to look at new

legislation in relationship to the theft of pets. We know this is

something on the increase. BBC figures show an increase in 22% in

theft of dogs and some police officers do not -- police services

do not collect that information. Could we have a debate about

legislation in relationship to pets in order that we can properly get

legislation on the statute book that will properly protect them? My

honourable friend raises a very interesting point: we should never

at this place underestimate the affection that millions of our

constituents have for pets and the important therapeutic role often

that pets play in giving companionship to people at risk

otherwise of loneliness. I will refer my honourable friend's request

to the Secretary of State for food and royal affairs but I would

suggest in the meantime he might want to pursue opportunities through

the backbench committee to highlight his concerns. I'm sure the Leader of

the House would like to congratulate with me Professor Sir Peter

Matheson, and also paid tribute to Sir Tim O'Shea who has kept the

University of Edinburgh in the top 20 in the world. That could the

Leader of the House confirm that he will use the time to look seriously

at the Labour Party's new clause six that could give Sir Peter Mattheson

a real boost in his new principal ship by saying that EU nationals

cannot only stay here but are very welcome? I am very happy both to

congratulate Professor Mattheson on his appointment and to congratulate

Tim O'Shea on what he achieved during his tenure. I have seen when

I visited the University myself what a formidable Institute of learning

it is. On his point about the bill clearly it is not for the

government, it is for the chairman of ways and means to determine which

amendments are selected for debate but the government's very clear

position is that we want at the earliest possible opportunity in the

negotiations to reach an agreement that safeguards the rights of EU

citizens here and safeguards equally the rights of United Kingdom

citizens living in EU countries. And for the future as is spelt out in

the white paper that the secretary of state will be giving a statement

shortly, we want to ensure that our future relationship in braces

opportunities for others to continue to benefit from the brightest and

best people coming to study at universities throughout the United

Kingdom. Following the announcement that the excellent mid Wales holiday

lets company in my constituency are deserted finalists in the Wales

business of the year competition can we have a debate about the

importance of holiday lets on our tourism industry and the regulatory

environment that surrounds them? Having Mr Speaker enjoyed many

family holidays in the past in holiday lets in Wales, can I endorse

every word that my honourable friend says and congratulate mid Wales

holiday lets in being a finalist in the Welsh business of the year

competition. The holiday letting sector makes a hugely important

contribution to the tourist business in the UK in general and it is a key

provider in particular of income in the role parts of our country. On

the comprehensive economic trade agreement between the EU and Canada

has been scheduled for Monday next week. The Leader of the House is

aware of the intense interest that exists in this house in relation to

this controversial treaty so can he explain why the house has been given

so little notice of this debate and wipe it is not taking place on the

floor of the house as the European scrutiny committee strongly

recommended. I do not think the notification that has been given is

unusual in terms of the period of notice that is given. Having had to

respond to many of those debates over the years I can say to the

honourable lady that it is a much tougher outing for a minister having

to reply to up to 60 minutes of questions in one of those European

committees than to make a ten minute response to a 90 minute debate here

in the chamber. Turn a half hours is allocated for the committee debate,

90 minutes for the floor of house. Nevertheless as I undertook in my

response to the debate earlier I will additionally undertake to

explore whether there is a future possibility for a general debate on

EU exit and international trade images that will give to her a

further opportunity to express her views. I was listening earlier this

week to lord Dawson being interviewed on television this week,

and I wonder if we can have a statement on which of the members of

the House of Lords actually living in this country at a time when

engaging a Brexit means our citizens are refused rights to work abroad.

And perhaps citizens of the EU are unable to work in the future. Can we

have a statement on that? The other house of course has its rules about

domiciliary status of its members and it is for the House of Lords to

police those. I do think that it was interesting during the referendum

campaign to note that some of those who campaigned to leave also took a

lot of advantage of the freedom of movement. I do hope that in the new

arrangements in the future that we are able to end up with a state of

affairs where tourists travelling for long or short stays in each

other's countries are still able to proceed with as little hassle as

possible. HSBC has announced they are closing their last bank in a

town in my constituency causing considerable upset and distress in

the town and surrounding villages. Could we have a statement on the

impact and would the Leader of the House the being of me that the

world's local bank is becoming a little less local. As I have said

before I think there is a responsibility on banks particularly

when a bank knows it has the last branch in a particular community to

weigh very carefully whether they should move towards closure. There

clearly are commercial pressures as more customers move towards online

banking and there is a cost here to watch the government is seeking to

do in bringing in high-speed broadband into raw communities more

quickly because for more people in rural areas able to have quick

broadband are are likely to take advantage of online banking. Most of

the rights workers enjoy such as holiday leave and maternity pay our

protections are derived from the EU. Given the Conservative Party has

starred itself as the party of the works, in the spirit that can have a

statement to this house that sets out the government's guarantees that

have still not been given for the continuation of these rights post

Brexit? I have to say to the honourable lady I have said in this

chamber several times now and I've heard that by Mr and I've heard my

right honourable friend the Secretary of State say that we will

protect workers' rights. After all, some of those workers' rights I

would say parental leave by way of example go further in this country

than those that are mandated under European law. So I really think she

should be careful before giving credence to these scare stories. I

was disappointed to learn last week that a funding bid in my

constituency was rejected when the latest round of growth deals was

announced. What was also disappointing was the lack of

transparency about why this bid was unsuccessful. Can we have the debate

goes to enable the government to explain why investment in my

community is not a priority for them? I know where all those growth

deal rounds that there had been more bids from local enterprise

partnerships and authorities than could possibly vetted given that

funds are finite however generous they may be. I suggest to honourable

gentleman that if he seeks an adjournment debate he will have the

opportunity to extract a detailed ministerial reply. Will the Leader

of the House make time available in government time to have a debate on

the impact Brexit has already had on some of my local businesses and

others, such as a business that is having to scale back on expansion

because it has been very hard hit by the drop in the pound. One which is

losing employees and another that is worried about increasing shortages

among teachers, doctors and engineers. It will also enable the

government to set out what their analysis on the impact of coming out

of the single market is going to be on British jobs. I think there will

be opportunity next week and there will certainly be plenty of

opportunities when the repeal bill is introduced after the Queen's

Speech later this year all those issues to be explored. The

governments objective following the decision of the people in the

referendum is to make sure that British businesses have the greatest

possible freedom of access to and freedom to operate within the single

market and that European businesses have the same opportunities here.

Following the statement earlier from the Transport Secretary can we have

a debate or scrutiny on allowing passenger aircraft to fly into

Glasgow International Airport with zero security. If security is to be

taken security common knowledge that airports like Barra surely has risks

and makes a mockery of wider airport security at all airports.

I will ensure that those points are put to the Transport Secretary.

Schools in Cheshire were already receiving ?400 per pupil less in the

national average before the Government slashed another ?4.2

million off the budgets rising to 6.4 million over the next few years

so can we have a debate on funding so we can understand why this

formula provides no fairness nor funding. I think the point the

honourable gentleman overlooks, for many years now we have been in a

situation in which schools in different parts of the country have

been in receipt of hugely different levels of expenditure per pupil and

the purpose of the new national funding formula is to ensure

equality between children and the opportunities in those local

authorities. We will be maintaining things like the pupil premium which

is worth 2.5 billion this year alone to give people support from

disadvantaged backgrounds and we are only going to be up to continue

funding education if we continue to have a strong economy creating

wealth and economic growth that enables such spending to take place.

Can we have a debate how we keep members of the Tory front bench

awake when the matters of Scotland are concerned. I had a number of

e-mails and concerned constituents observing that the deputy leader

appeared to be taking a nap. Does the leader of the House agreed that

it is important that his colleagues remain awake the matter how

dismissive they meet to Lee Mack may be of the Scottish interests. My

honourable friend was concentrating hard as he always does. I can assure

in all seriousness that the Prime Minister has made clear to every

Member of the Cabinet that she regards it of vital importance in

the forthcoming negotiations that we all have in our mind the interests

of all parts of the United Kingdom as we approach the different aspects

of that policy negotiation. Given the remarks we just had from the

leader is it not disgraceful that the Secretary of State for Defence

has been reported that the UK Government will veto any legitimate

demand for an independence referendum, can we have a debate on

less sovereignty lies and... I think the -- what was said is that

respects works both ways, it's was right that the governments respect

both the devolved settlements and the interests in Scotland within the

United Kingdom in reserve matters so the Scottish Government should

respect the verdict of the Scottish people about the future of Scotland.

Will the leader of the House give government time in delays for

universal credit payments, payments are waiting at least six weeks but

many are not paid or have a month salary as cushion. People in

temporary jobs don't have savings to see them through and are having to

use food banks. Mr Speaker the virtues of universal credit is that

it is a simpler system with childcare provisions and for the

first time you get extra help when you are in work to increase earnings

and it will ensure you will be better off than on benefits. The

reason we are introducing universal credit on a gradual basis is to try

to ensure that we identify and eliminate the teething problems she

has described at a very early stage and then put them right, if there

are cases in her constituency which are not being addressed with

sufficient speed, I would ask to give me those details and I will

draw them to the Secretary of 's attention. The security industry

launched a new IT system in July last year and the implementation of

which led to some difficulty due to system defects. This led to

applications taking longer to process, some constituent cases I

have been dealing with seem to indicate that the situation is still

ongoing and a resolution to the problem has yet to be found. Maybe

have a statement from a Home Office to update the House on the progress

of this matter. I don't know the details of the problems affecting

the authority but it is clearly important that it is able to process

applications swiftly and efficiently.

I'm sure there will be a full response. The leader of the House

would be aware of the issue of compensation for victims, there will

also be a private bill coming from the other place so may I ask the

leader of the House can we have a debate on the progress of the

efforts to secure compensation for the UK victims on IRA sponsored

terrorism. As was recommended in December last year. The honourable

gentleman has been diligent in pursuing this issue and I understand

fully why this is so important to people in Northern Ireland he will

understand given the situation in Libya at the moment that this is not

a straightforward conversation to have with the Libyan authorities. It

is something that the Minister of Middle East and North Africa

continues to pursue. There will be Foreign Office questions within the

next few days and he may want to raise this with the Minister then.

The secretary of state for exiting the European Union, secretary David

Davis. With permission I wish to make a