23/02/2017 Business Questions

issues. Thank you. Or death, business question. Thank you, --- or

death. Could the Leader of the House gives the forthcoming business. The

business the next week will be as follows, estimates date Monday

the... There will be a debate on future drug prevention followed by a

debate on health and social care. Tuesday the 28th of that be, there

will be a debate on the government's productivity plan followed by a

debate on intergenerational fairness. Further details will be

given in the official port at 7pm that day will stop Wednesday the 1st

of March, proceedings and the supply and appropriation anticipation, and

adjustments Bill. Followed by a second freezing of the bus services

Bill, Lords. Firstly the 2nd of March, a debate on the motion

concerning International Women's Day, followed by a general debate on

Welsh affairs, as determined by the... The 3rd of March, the House

will not be sitting. It commences the 6th of March and will include

Monday the 6th of March, second reading of the bagel technology and

aviation Bill. Mr Speaker, I should also like to inform the House that

the business in Westminster Hall for the second, sixth and 9th of March

will be as follows... Thursday the 2nd of March, debate on the ninth

report of the work and pensions committee on support for the breed.

Monday the 6th of March, dash for the bereaved. Debate on the eve

position motor to high heels and workplace dress codes. Thursday the

9th of March, debate on the second report of the mother of Scotland and

the implications for the devolution. Mr Speaker, in addition I should

like to inform a is that following discussion through the usual

channels, the ten minutes allocated up War Parliamentary questions to

the Leader of the House, that have recently taking place in the six

weekly voter, will now be used as additional time for questions to the

Secretary of State for culture, media and sport. And you questions'

rotor is now available from the vote office and members should be

reassured that I will continue to appear at the dispatch box at every

Thursday morning and honourable members will be able to use the

opportunity to ask any questions that they might otherwise have asked

at leaders' all is. Thank you, and can I thank the Leader of the House

but confirming that he will still be here even though he is such a

talented former Minister for Europe I think his talent should be the

ploy elsewhere. I am still going to ask the date of the recess, I know

that the Deputy Leader of the House is keen to know whether he can go on

holiday as he needs to do the pre-recess adjournment debate the

summer, he needs to order his new tie. Following on from the point of

order from the honourable member for the City of Chester, Billy get

mentioned to me the year of the act I asked politely, and it is the

elected that sensitive order into bars and to which enables processing

and closure of sensitive... Politely was very helpful I ensure that it

honourable as want a copy in making go bad. Mr Speaker, this is a photo

opportunity, the Prime Minister and government, or photos and no

substance or any thought that the British people. Not content with

being the first to visit the United date, when the prime Minster should

be networking in Europe, the Prime Minister then photo bombs the House

of Lords in a company with the Leader of the House, no wonder we

cannot get a date the recess, instead of 30 bombing the Prime

Minister to focus on what is going on in her own Cabinet. She needs to

have a discussion with the Cabinet, who are completely out of control.

She needs to think about our young people as they are our future. The

government sneaked out, just before Christmas recess which means

students will face a tuition fee rise in perpetuity. The Prime

Minister, yesterday, talk about children and their aspiration well

this generation is saddled with debt before they even start out in life.

There are two S eyes which are two was a tax and aspiration. Could the

leader with the House please said you are a debate on this with Billy

Mabry disgraceful increase in tuition fees. We want a debate,

scrutinise and debate on those SIs will stop the great debt --- the

great get-together to net Jo Cox... They have been handing out wooden

than the notices to people by e-mail and cutting the very organisation

that can help people in communities trust each other. They are there to

help about OK racism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, we have seen a rise

in hate crime, just as all of us try to do. Could we have a debate on

EDM, and on sacked staff. The government are not interested in

education, across the parties, many members are alarmed at the new

funding formula courts to ask all is. The Prime Minister has said that

we are looking at a new formula, it is a consultation, so will the

Leader of the House guarantee a statement and immediately it is

over. And could the Leader of the House they when the consultation

will come to an end. The government are not interested in businesses,

what a lesson in disorganisation and chaos on business rates every pound

generated by the local businesses in the high Street 70p goes back to the

local economy, most businesses and the high-street pay more on business

tax... He should have looked into the long-term effects on business

rates before he introduced the policy. A loophole introduced by

the... Could the Leader of the House ensure that there is a full impact

assessment on these proposals before they are enacted. Mr Speaker, which

the and chaotic government with the Secretary of State for health

stating on the BBC last week can get away with this comment that

performance in some parts of the NHS are completely unacceptable and then

do nothing about it. Yesterday the Prime Minister mentioned mid Staffs

but forgot to mention what the person who led the enquiry into the

NHS said, ... The NHS is facing an existential crisis with a disconnect

between what the government is saying and the people's experience

on the ground. Could we have a statement on the government's plan

of action on restoring the NHS and listen to clinicians and staff, so

when the City of London has warned that the loss of banking jobs to the

EU threatens financial stability, the government needs to listen and

be transparent with British people on these warnings. The member the

Cambridge, had yesterday that people working in the museum, archaeology

place in Cambridge, want their contract is over that as it was the

education mess, help the mess, businesses under threat and the

judge says the government are making slow process on allowing civil

partnerships the heterosexual couples, who is this woman serving?

As someone who has served this House well... Someone who has served this

House well is someone who had a birthday, he is 85, I am sure we

would all wish in a very belated happy birthday and look forward to

the documentary on his life The Nature Of The Beast. Mr Speaker, can

I say that I cannot give a date for the summer recess. I would say to

the honourable lady back in my experience the Deputy Leader can

barely be torn away from his desk. He is so assiduous in his commitment

to his work in government and on behalf of his constituents. I will

try to let the honourable lady and the whole house have notice of the

summer recess dates as soon as I can, I completely agree with her on

the significance of the 2002 order and indeed the I recall that it was

brought in at a time when honourable members on all sides were as now,

finding a number of public authorities reluctant to disclose

information to them which space sought on Bihar but constituents

which had approached them. --- sought on behalf of constituents. I

was disappointed with what she said about the House of Lords, I actually

think it is important that ministers respect of the constitutional role

of the House of Lords. In my experience both in government and in

opposition, members of the other place like the fact that ministers

and indeed opposition spokesman go and listen to what they have to say

and that is exactly what the Prime Minister and I would be entirely in

the week. --- earlier in the week. We could have a long debate about

the opportunities for young people, in our society, but I simply say

that it is under this government that we see a rise in the number of

schools that are rated good or outstanding, giving our young men

and women the best start in life and we are seeing implement in the

United Kingdom at a record high in the best of them all is to enable

young people to have a decent education and then a job and the

housing white paper spells out ways in which the generating additional

supplies of housing we will help young people to get back foot on the

housing ladder so many are unable to afford at the moment. She asked

about tuition fees, the reality is that the maximum the cap will not be

increasing in real terms for anyone going to university. She and others

have asked me previously on Thursday sessions about the measures taken by

the equalities and human rights committee, they are publicly funded

body at arms length, ministerial direction and they like any other

part of the public sector have to take responsible decisions about how

to set priorities ever finite taxpayers resources that have been

allocated to them. I will write to her and put a note in the library

about the exact date when the consultation on the new funding

formula the schools is June two end. That is due to end. From memory it

is later in March but I will confirm that in writing. The other point she

asked about, and business rates, let's not forget that business rates

are founded upon the rental row you of business properties and rental

values change. I wasn't sure whether the honourable lady was saying that

the opposition would rather that the valuation was left on the basis of

rental values that are now seven years out of date. The government

has brought forward the revaluation that needed to be done, but as the

community secretary said yesterday, he is now working with the

Chancellor of data to see whether there there are further ways that we

can find to insure that some believe is given to individual businesses

that might be particularly badly affected by the impact of the

revaluations that have been carried out.

We could debate for a long time the NHS, I simply remind the honourable

lady that it is under this Government that the NHS is getting

record levels of funding, with an increase in the number of doctors,

nurses, and an increase in the number of our fellow citizens who

are being treated by immensely professional and hard-working NHS

staff. Far from this Government being disunited, it is this

Government that is pursuing a determined course to try to address

some of the deep-seated social and economic challenges that our nation

has faced for many years, and doing so in a way that brings benefit to

people in all parts of our United Kingdom and all parts of society. If

the honourable lady's looking for chaos, she should look behind and in

particular she has to look around the Shadow Cabinet table, because I

suspect you have to look at the nameplates to remind yourself who is

entitled to be at that meeting in that particular week. Would my right

honourable friend find time for a debate on funeral poverty? Whilst I

applaud the work of the Member for Swansea East, the Member for rugby

and the legislative proposal of the Member for Airdrie, having recently

met people from the sector, I am still convinced that there is more

that the Government could do to help people in financial difficulties at

what is often a distressing time. My honourable friend does raise an

important point. As he will know, the current arrangements mean that

the reimbursement of costs is available for people who are in

need, that can cover necessary costs involved with burial and cremation,

and up to ?700 for other expenses. And my understanding is that in the

last year for which we have figures, 2015, 2016, 29,000 such awards were

made, of more than 100,000 -- 100 thousand ?400 on average. But the

Government is exploring various options to see if we can make access

easier to the schemes we have. I'm sure any thoughts on proposals my

honourable friend has to make will be gratefully received by ministers

responsible. Can also thank the Leader of the House for announcing

the business for next week. I suppose the Leader of the House can

safely put away the abolition of the Lords Bill, and all we really needed

was a selfie of himself and the Prime Minister. After threatening to

lead this great Brexit rebellion, the Lords have only led the nation

up to the top of the Woolsack hill and down again, while leaving the

taxi running! Am I the only member who is slightly disturbed by the

allegations from the zero -- former Lord Speaker? Surely, does the

Leader of the House not agree that this warrant some sort of

investigation about what is going on down there with their expenses? Will

he assure us today that the Government has no intention of

debating early day motion 943 and government-owned? This is this

protect -- pathetic motion, but invites us to express no confidence

in you, Mr Speaker. That has secured a paltry five signatures. Will the

Leader of the House now confirmed that this is the end of this sorry

business? On Monday and Tuesday we have annual Estimates Day, when the

-- and one of the key features is that the estimates themselves to not

have to be debated. I lasted one minute and seven seconds last year

in trying to debate them. Lastly, Mr Speaker, I'm sure you will welcome

the Brit awards, David Bowie securing two awards, I think

everybody will welcome that today. I'm sure a few bleary eyed

honourable members perhaps overindulged over the ceremony. Our

music industry is one of the greatest success stories, and I'm

sure the Leader of the House in a more conciliatory tone would like to

welcome not just the enormous culturing -- cultural contribution

that our artists make, but also the economic one. On his first point

about the House of Lords, while I don't know any detail beyond the

reports of this television programme, it is clearly right that

evidence about specific allegations needs to be investigated by the

appropriate authorities in that house just as should be the case in

this one. But there has also to be due process, and one has to proceed

on the basis of evidence and not just allegation. He will notice that

I have not announced any plans to debate early day motion 943. This is

a long-running campaign that he and his colleagues have pursued. I think

the Government's point of view is that we are awaiting the report from

the select committee on procedure into estimates procedure. I will

want to reflect carefully on that when I see that report, and the

Government will obviously then respond to whatever recommendations

that select committee may wish to make. And I'm very happy to endorse

his salute to the economic impact as well as the cultural impact and the

enjoyment that so many people derive from our arts sectors and our

creative industries. It's important that we do remember that the arts

and the creative industries are major generators of wealth and of

employment in this country, as well as "Class entertainment to people. I

rather suspect that the honourable gentleman when he went last night

was hoping against hope that perhaps next year there might be the guest

slot, and then we could see him and his colleagues in all the us! My

right honourable friend will agree with me that corruption in local

government is totally unacceptable. Can we have an urgent debate about

the subject? The Serious Fraud Office is now investigating a

multi-million pounds council tax scam by Taunton Deane borough

council and its officers. They are under fire for failing to declare

conflicts of interests, and the leader's links with well-known

building firms are a bit more than dodgy. I also understand the club

has been set up to help funds. It is locally known as the monumental rip

off club. There is a nasty smell coming out of Taunton Deane, and

this has to be heard urgently. My honourable friend has made some

serious allegations. He has told the House that the Serious Fraud Office

is involved, as he knows, the Serious Fraud Office is completely

independent, rightly so, political from ministers, any evidence needs

to be placed before the appropriate authorities. I would like to

accommodate the very large number of members seeking to ask a business

question. I should point out the House that each of the two to

follow, the opposition day debate and the debate under the auspices of

the backbench business committee, are well subscribed. Therefore I

hope the House will help me, and that members will help each other,

with pithy questions and answers. Led, in this important matter, by no

less a figure in the House than Dame Rosie Winterton. I absolutely agree

with the point made by the honourable member for Perth and

North Ayrshire about early day motion 943, and welcome what the

leader said in response. But can I say that the leader did not mention

when the next debate on Brexit would be. Can I urge him when he does

bring forward that debate, that it focuses on the impact of Brexit on

the English regions? So the state is Max Secretary of State for Brexit

has the opportunity to tell us what analysis he has done on how Brexit

will affect areas like Yorkshire and the Humber, and what plans he has

too convened a meeting in York that he has spoken about, but which does

not yet seem to have materialised? I can assure the right honourable lady

that there will be a thing plenty of opportunities to debate all aspects

of our exit from the European Union, but I shall discuss with my

colleagues the particular thing that she proposes. In the absence of the

honourable member for Gateshead, who I trust we wish well and a speedy

recovery, on the half of the backbench business committee I thank

my right honourable friend for securing the debates this afternoon.

With protective time. Can I ask them for that next week, when we are

going to be debating International women's day and Welsh affairs, that

protected time is considered for those two debates, which

traditionally have been full day debate in this House? Speaker-macro,

we have a full waiting list of debates, which if we were allocated

every Thursday night until probation, we could fill

straightaway. That is before further requests come in. We have also had

to shoehorn debates into 90 minutes slots to meet the demand that is

coming forward from backbenchers. Can I just gently remind the leader

of course but on Monday the House rose very early, we could have had

backbench business debate in the time available. We had two budget

debate requests, sanctioned by the backbench business committee, which

we would like to schedule before my right honourable friend the

Chancellor presents his budget. So if time was available for those, we

would appreciate it. I hosted last night the centenary of the Rotary

foundation. This is a prime example of how polio can be eradicated and

the use of International development funds. Could we have a statement

from the Secretary of State on the money used to help eliminate polio

across the world? I can't offer an immediate debate statement, my right

honourable friend is quite right to draw attention to the importance of

that issue, and the achievement of voluntary as well as Government

action in helping to bring about a reduction in this dreadful disease.

Can I join him in sending best wishes to the chair of the backbench

business committee, I spoke to him earlier this week, he was hoping to

be able to return to the House as soon as possible. The particular

request that my right honourable friend made of me, I will take away

in consider that was -- request for protected time on the 2nd of March.

I understand his point about the pressure on backbench business

committee time, and I have to say that my experience is that sometimes

with backbench debates as with Government debates, they do finish

unexpectedly early, and at other times they run up against the

buffers. It is difficult to put -- predict. But the question of setting

priorities is I'm afraid unavoidable. Next Tuesday the Mr

Speaker's committee meets, and I understand they will be introducing

their scheme for the future. There are many members on all sides of the

House who simply mean that -- feel that they are not meeting the

requirement for adequate support. Some members are saying they are

never going to stand again, there are families who are finding it

difficult to get along and provide support for the children, and

they're all in particular conservative colleagues from closer

seats to London, who when we have late nights find it impossible to

know whether they are good to be able to stay in a hotel. Surely it

is time for a proper full review of these operations.

The speakers committee on this will be one of the highlights of next

week as well the me and other members. I think we do need to be

fair judgment on the new scheme until we have seen the details of

that. Very strong representations have been made by colleagues right

across the House to Ipsa on different aspects of the current

scheme and also on the way in which advice is offered to members. I

think, let's see how they respond to that, what I do not think would be

sensible would be to go back to the days when members themselves tried

to set the rules on expenses for salaries, I think we are better with

a system that is done independently. Mr Speaker, can we please have a

debate on the ease of registering to use government websites? If someone

does not have a passport or driving licence all the credit record it can

be very difficult indeed if not impossible. I cannot offer an Egypt

debate, I think that we are right across government. --- and immediate

debate. To try and make it easier for people who mostly digital access

and to make green expect to engage in public and private services that

way to make it easier for them to do so, we know not everyone,

particularly the most honourable in society has the official credentials

that are often demanded of them by governments. That is why we have set

of this new scheme as a new system for letting people prove their

identity more easy online. I hope that may provide part of the answer

to the problem that's been identified. But we need to focus on

this matter. Last night the Parliamentary human rights group

held a screaming of the Ross Kemp documentary which was called Libya's

Migrant Health, I want to ask the government to make a statement on

how we are helping those people in Libya, because we saw the most

dreadful scenes of women being raped and beaten and the holding camps

where they don't have enough food and I think we have some

responsibility and I would like a statement. The honourable lady has a

long history of championing the course of refugees and others in

dire need of and the world, she knows that the Department for

International Development and the Foreign Office are seeking to

support the very fragile Libyan government in trying to establish

control over its own territory and to ensure decent standards in the

treatment of refugees and Libyan citizens are maintained. We will do

what we can and I shall make so that ministers are alerted, later today

to her concerns, but the reality in Libya is that we need order and

governance on the grounds to be able to start work to improve the

standards in the way that we would both like to see done. Our party

candidate the West Midlands mayor has pledged if elected a special

fund to bring 1600 hectares of Brown land into use, could we have a

debate on the need to focus on brown field land before we tamper with the

green belt particularly around my constituency. I would be delighted

to hear the creative thinking that he is characteristically bringing to

these questions of housing and planning in the West Midlands and

hope very much that he will have the opportunity to put those into effect

as an elected mayor. The housing white paper as my honourable friend

will know stores say in terms that local authorities should be bringing

forward Brown field land and the government is eager to explore ways

in which we could insure that some of the obstacles such as the risks

of land contamination are addressed so weak and get that done. Does the

Leader of the House or any other member of the government actually

know roughly, what a two-year process of Brexit negotiations would

actually yield? If so can they arrange a statement at other

Leicester Busquets we know that the exit negotiation has to be conducted

under the process set out under Article 50 of the treaty. --- could

they arrange a stamen to tell the rest of us? They are not prepared to

in gauge in negotiations until Article 50 has been triggered, said

the straight and is that we do not know the details, but we are

committed to seeking a deal that delivers on all of the present green

principles that were set out in a white paper on the subject. Could we

have an early debate followed by legislation to prevent the

unacceptable practice of large developed is buying three held land

on which they then sell new houses on a leasehold basis? Calo cap ---

this is then stopped by some developers. Many young people feel

it is a rip-off. It is unacceptable and we need action. I'm grateful to

my honourable friend the raising this issue today. Developers should

be building homes to people to live in and not creating income

opportunities or selling on freeholds to investors or financial

institutions. Other then are very few accept no circumstances I do not

see why new houses shouldn't be built and sold with the freehold

interest of the point of sale. The community secretary has said that he

intends to stamp out the unfair, unjust, and unacceptable abuse of

the leasehold system and our housing white paper highlights the

government's decision to consult on a range of measures to tackle all

unfair and unreasonable abuses. I raised two weeks ago and matter

where a colleague of ours had asked for an F in relation to the

renewable heat initiative and was tough as there was too much

information to give. He resubmitted it to get another excuse, once

again, we have an election in Northern Ireland which is based on

the renewable heating initiative, would the Leader of the House

confirmed that Her Majesty's government has not been in

discussion with anyone in the executive and knows nothing about

the renewable heat initiative? I certainly don't know anything about

it other than what I have read in the press. The way that the

government operates on this is that we have a set of rules that govern

how we respond to these sorts of requests. There is a definition of

how you calculate disproportionate cost that applies right across

government. Quite often in my experience refining a request more

precisely those unable that request to pass the test of not encouraging

disproportionate costs. If the honourable gentleman would like to

have a word with me outside the chamber later on today I will see

there was anything I can do further. I wonder whether you might encourage

the Leader of the House to give some government time to talk about not

just the economic value of the high street but the culture that it

brings. As we are talking about business rate widely at the moment,

it would be wrong to focus on the economic output by taxi on the

nature of the society the high street Spring otherwise towns like

those that I represent will become dormant trees for London and lose

the very essence that keeps our county in our country so great. ---

dormitories blunted what is important in a world where everyday

lives and the nature of business is being transformed rapidly by digital

technology and social change, is that we find ways that enable our

high streets to continue to thrive economically and culturally, while

adapting to the new challenges of this century. I streets that remain

fossilised tend to fail. There is good examples all around this

country where local business communities in the high Street have

successfully adapted and I hope that we can find mechanisms for

disseminating that good practice. I know that the Northern Powerhouse

Minister has a big job of work to do and I imagined that he was dismayed

this week to see the latest treachery figures showing that the

transport infrastructure investment is a per head in 2016 to 2017 in

Yorkshire and Humber what 1942 in London. I wondered if we could have

a debate on what the Northern Powerhouse means that area like Hull

which has tax payers who do not get a good deal. I would expect the

honourable lady champions the course of grandmother macro in particular

but I would like to say that this government is investing a lot of

money to improve transport across the novel of England. --- the course

of Hull in particular. That is only possible because we are pursuing

economic policies that generate the wealth that enable us to provide

that support. I could give her a list of such projects, billion to

upgrade rail infrastructure, to the work we are doing with the rail

franchises in the north to 2.9 billion of bold improvements across

the North, the position is getting better but it relies on a strong and

productive economy without spending to continue. Perhaps the Leader of

the House could give is the anticipated timetable for the

prisons and caught Bill? And in the meantime could we have a debate on

assaults on prison officers, the number of these has gone up, and the

number of extra days given as prison sentences to people who commit those

offences has gone down since 2010 from an average of 20, pretty low as

it was, down to just 16, surely we should be stopping the release of

people halfway through their prison sentences that anyone who is

convicted in prison of assaulting a prison officer. Can we have a debate

to influence the government's Bill when it comes before was? I think if

when my honourable friend gets a chance to study the prisons and

caught Bill, he will find that it contains a number of measures that

will be welcomed by prison governors and prison officers, because they

are designed to help prison staff to warn the establishments in a way

that is safe for staff and for prisoners. --- to run the

establishments. I cannot give him the timescale for the debates but

there will be questions on the 7th of March when he may have the

opportunity to pursue some of these matters. Thank you. The revelations

by the former Lord Speaker of the peer and the... Is something that

calls the House into complete distribute. Basically appear acting

as if this place a smash and grab cash machine. This Vista be shrugged

off is not good enough. --- for this to be shrugged off. What must be

done is... Has a question been put to the former Lord Speaker to reveal

the name of that period? And is not is an investigation gets taken place

as in whom that Lord blue peer was? And for this person to be called

into question. The House of lords like this House is self-governing

when it comes to the conduct of its members, my view is that where there

is evidence, at the moment we have reports of allegations without

people being named, that there has been malpractice that should be

investigated and if the evidence is proven then appropriate action

should be taken. Hat-trick of questions this morning, in my end of

term speech last year I raised that social media company should take

responsibility for hate speech and extremism on the platforms rather

than leaving it to the pleased to their dirty work. Since there has

been no real improvement on these companies can we have a debate on

how we can make them face up to their responsibilities? I cannot

offer an immediate debating government time, I think this would

be extremely appropriate all debate in backbench offices or in

Westminster Hall, my honourable friend makes a very powerful point I

think most of us are pretty sickened ride the racist, vicious,

misogynistic, anti-Semitic material that is sent to our constituents and

used to intimidate members of this House as well. It is a practice

which needs to stop and I would hope that the internet companies would

live up to their corporate responsibilities.

Is the leader aware that the mechanism to achieve an elected

mayor is open to abuse? In my constituency on outsider has peddled

a petition making unfounded claims that an elected mayor would bring

lower council tax and an end to landlord licensing. Will the Leader

of the House allocate time in order that these processes and the abuses

can be investigated? I mean, certainly I am aware, Mr Speaker, of

the Tower Hamlets case which demonstrated that there is the

possibility of abuse in a mayoral election. I can't offer an immediate

debate in Government time. It is of course important that where there

are allegations of fraud or other types of malpractice, that those are

independently and rigorously investigated and people brought to

justice. May I commend the Leader of the House on the announcement that

this House will have the opportunity to vote on allowing Welsh to be

spoken in the grandest of all committees, the Welsh grand

committee? Would he also agree with me that this is another example of

the Conservative Government championing the Welsh language,

something we have done since introducing the Welsh language act

in 1993? Therefore can we have a debate in this House on this

momentous decision? My honourable friend's words, I think if I

attempted to address the House in Welsh are probably on do all the

goodwill that we may have obtained through the announcement made

yesterday. -- undo all the good will. But I am pleased by the

welcome this has had from Welsh members across the chamber. I think

it is a demonstration of the respect that this Government has for the

Welsh language, for its centrality in a sense of national identity and

cultural identity in Wales, and that will continue to be the case.

Yesterday Perth Kinross Council passed a budget which guarantees

local services will invest in jobs, education and social care.

Contrarily, however, on average in England and Wales council tax levels

at that ?300 to ?400 higher than those in Scotland. Can we therefore

have a debate on why England is the highest council tax part of the

United Kingdom? I think one would have to look at the variations in

council tax levels, and in central government grants, to local

authorities in different parts of the kingdom. And the point about

devolution is it does give Scottish authorities the choice as to how to

raise money; in the case of Scotland Scottish Government has chosen to

impose additional taxes centrally on constituents right across Scotland,

to make people in Scotland the most highly taxed people anywhere in the

United Kingdom. Can we have a debate about the case of the Welsh maths

teacher who was removed from a plane on his way to the United States in

front of his pupils? Isn't there a contrast between the way that we are

rolling out the red carpet for President Trump, whatever our views

on that, whilst he is treating our school teachers like criminals? This

case was disturbing because it went contrary to the declared policy of

the UK Government as regards British citizens. My understanding is that

this was down to the way in which a decision was taken at local level in

this particular case, but I will draw the honourable gentleman's

concern to the attention of the Foreign Secretary. In April 2013 on

the outskirts of Aleppo there was a mid-abduction by honour group of

men. Amid all the confusion, despite the efforts of many, there has been

no resolution whatsoever. They have faced a deafening wall of silence. I

think all reports indicate that the two gentlemen are still alive, but

efforts to free them has met a war of silence. Can I ask this -- the

leader, would he agree to a statement from the foreign and

Commonwealth of Sir on this case. I will make sure that ministers are

aware of this. The reality is, as he knows, but we have no British

Embassy in Syria at the moment, and the situation in and around Aleppo

remains dire in humanitarian terms. We all hope and indeed pray that the

Metropolitan and his colleague are alive and will be released in due

course. Instead of dealing with this, they now are proposing to

demolish these iconic tower blocks. Such action will do nothing for the

housing crisis. This surely warrants a statement from the housing

Minister or indeed a debate on the issue? There will be questions to

the Housing Minister next Thursday on the 2nd of March, but they give

the honourable gentleman and opportunity, but I fear these are

primarily matters for the local authority rather than the

department. The Leader of the House we have seen the headlines about

armed drones operating from RAF Waddington with a playlist. What has

happened to the commitment to come to the House if lethal force if used

as Mac is used in self defence. Can we have a debate on the number of UK

citizens targeted, and whether the kill list extends beyond areas where

military actions have been authorised by this House? The

Defence Secretary has been very clear about this, of course the

House did vote in favour of permitting the Government to extend

military operations being carried out in Iraq onto Syrian territory as

well, as part of a campaign to check and then defend -- defeat and

hopefully eradicate Daesh. The Defence Secretary has been clear

that we and the Coalition against Daesh will pursue people who are a

threat to our security and to the safety of British citizens. Whether

those people may come from. We act as always in our military operations

within the law, but I'm afraid that the message to anybody tempted to go

to join Daesh must be that they do so at great risk to themselves. I

would like to draw the Leader of the House's attention to my early day

motion about capping overdraft -- capping overdraft charges for

current accounts. And I would request a statement on this, because

it is important that the Government considers a cap on total charges any

bank can place on overdrawn personal current accounts. It has been my

experience as a constituency MP that this causes undue burden on many

people who find themselves in uncertain employment. I would

encourage the honourable lady to attend Treasury questions next

Tuesday, when she can put that point directly to the Chancellor a short

time before the budget. In January, the Chartered Institute of Taxation,

the Institute of fix -- fiscal studies and the Institute for

Government published a report about making tax policy better, and it

contains recommendations about how Parliament and Government can

improve the ways they make tax policy. With the Leader of the House

committee looking at this report and getting back to me about what

actions he intends to take in order to realise these recommendations? A

prep primarily be for Treasury ministers to consider their response

to recommendations made. -- it would primarily be. But I shall ask

Treasury ministers to write in the way she suggested, to explain their

response it. -- response to it. In a macro on Saturday I will be meeting

with the managers of a wind turbines firm who are in the process of

learning on employees because a company spokesman says the UK

Government's energy policy has meant a slowdown in development. Is this

an intended or unintended consequence of the change in

Government policy, and can we have an urgent statement about the cat

acrostic consequences of this Government's energy policy on the

already fragile economy of my constituency? -- catastrophic

consequences. The facts are that the UK is the world's leading player in

the offshore wind market. We are on track now comfortably to exceed our

ambition of delivering 30% of the UK's electricity from renewables by

2020 to 2021. He should be standing up and employing what -- applauding

the Government has done. -- applauding. Small businesses are

vital to our economy, so I would congratulate the winners of my small

business constituency awards this year. The NDP couriers employ people

with disability. Can we have an important debate on supports for

entrepreneurship for disabled people, to ensure that we harness

and realise everyone's potential? First of all, I congratulate the

businesses in her constituency on this particular award. She draws

attention to an important point, which is the need to make sure that

people with disabilities have equal access to employment opportunities,

as people without disabilities do. We do now of course have more people

with disabilities in employment in the United Kingdom than ever before,

but there is a great deal still to be done, and that requires action by

Government, yes, but also by innovative, forward-looking

businesses that can see the advantages of inclusion. Can we have

a debate on UK visa policy and its negative contribution to the UK

economy? Two of my constituents originating from Mumbai were brought

over in 2014 as part of the Sirius to grant, as graduate at -- on a

graduate visa. They have set up the business, they have received

significant funding for it, but this has recently been put at risk by the

UK visas and immigration system. They have had their T1 visa rejected

on a technicality. Putting all they have worked for at risk. They have

no valid leave to remain at the present time. Can we have a debate

on this important area, because it makes no sense to bring people over

here to be part of the economy, to contribute, and then to kick them

out. If indeed the application was rejected on a technicality, I don't

know any details of the case, then I would hope it would be possible to

find a remedy for that via the system that the Home Office

operates. I mean, there has in any visa system to be a balance between

getting the brightest and the best in the world to come and take job

opportunities here and to study here as we all want to say, what are the

same time ensuring that we have proportionate and effective

immigration controls. The Leader of the House will be aware of his

Government's policy to tax victims of domestic abuse for using the

child maintenance service. Women's groups, charities and the miss of

the public have said this Government are putting single parents and

children at risk through this tax. 30% of CMS users are victims of

domestic violence, and tens of thousands of women are losing money

because they cannot gain safely with their ex-partner. Can I ask for a

debate in Government time on this injustice? Is the honourable lady

will know, this Government has demonstrated its commitment to

trying to help people who are victims of domestic violence. -- as

the honourable lady will know. It is something the Prime Minister takes a

very close and strong personal interest in, she said within the

last week, the Government is now committed to looking again at the

whole range of laws as they apply to domestic violence, to consider what

changes can be made. If she would like to just let me have some

details of the particular problem that she has spoken about today,

then I will certainly draw those to the attention of the appropriate

ministers. The Leader of the House will be aware that this week -- next

week there will be Assembly elections in Northern Ireland. This

it has been revealed that that the even more holier than no sister

party to the Liberal Democrats, the Alliance Party, have been seeking to

manipulate phone in programmes by encouraging their members to give

fake names, fake addresses, a tactic which they say helped the previous

elections. The BBC has so far given very little coverage to this. Yet

another example of the biased way in which they have conducted themselves

during this election campaign. Can we have a debate in the House on the

political bias of this publicly funded body, and the way in which it

has breached its charter? The honourable gentleman has made

his point very powerful a, the BBC in Northern Ireland as everywhere

else in the United Kingdom is under an obligation to demonstrate,

particularly during election campaigns of any kind, that it is

impartial as between rival political parties, but it must be for the BBC

not the government ministers to take responsibility for editorial

positions. I was able to take part in a delegation in Cyprus and meet

with the president and members of Parliament, about the peace process

there... I wonder if we could have a debate on this issue so that

perspectives could be... I think that I could say with my previous

ministerial experience that the government is utterly committed to

doing what ever we can to help bring about a reconciliation between the

different communities in Cyprus and to support them in reaching a

settlement that will reunite the island and which will endure for the

long-term. A reunited Cyprus could provide such opportunities to

Turkish and Greek Cypriots alike and it is good that in the dashed it is

good that we have two leaders that wants to promote peace and

reconciliation. No legislation exists that prevents insurance

companies from exterminating against people... --- discriminating against

people with diseases like Huntington's disease. Can we have

debate this? The honourable gentleman has identified what is

going to be an increasing challenge for our society, insurance companies

have a business model based on an assessment of risk and greater

genetic information will allow better risk to be coach elated much

more precisely than in the past and that starts to get into situations

where people find it difficult to get insurance. This is an issue well

worth highlighting. Can we have a debate on the definition of New

Money on Wednesday at press release was announced... It turns out that

this is in fact not new money that was already budgeted for, can he

arrange for the secretary to clarify what new and additional funding this

government is prepared to provide the people who are starving to death

in south Sudan. Nobody I think in any part of the House would wish to

underplay the gravity of the crisis in South Sudan. The declaration of

famine was shocking but not unexpected, it derives from the

prolonged, political crisis, civil war in that country. The situation

has been steadily worsening since the conflict began in 2013. What the

government has done is to provide more than ?500 million of

humanitarian health and education support over that last three years.

That has helped to prevent famine in previous years on top of the

previous money we gave to help refugees whose lead self Sudan. The

hundred million 50,017 to 18 as I understand it is on top of the 500

million that has already been spent. Clearly, different ministers always

keep and review allocations within their budget particularly in the

need for urgent humanitarian relief. Also, we need to make sure that the

money we spend is going to help those who are genuinely in need.

Hater RC have lost the court case with a well-received one of my

constituency is the tool this action cost him a with no effective

recourse to HMRC. Comey have a statement on how to rectify this

type of injustice is? --- can we have a statement. I would say, first

of all as he knows, probably, HMRC for good reasons operate

independently but ministerial direction when it comes to handling

the cases of individual taxpayers, because you do not want ministers to

start having the powers to intervene in the cases of individuals' tax

affairs. On the particular case that he has cited he said that it has

gone to the courts and his constituent was successful, I would

normally have expected the courts to consider the question about costs.

If there is the injustice that he has described if you could let me

know the details on why the courts did not apparently addressed this,

then I will refer back to the Minister with overall responsibility

for HMRC. Thank you Mr Speaker, do the government have any plans to

copy the excellent initiative of the cabinet of Gregory holding Cabinet

and public meetings in places other than the capital? If they do can I

recommend the kingdom of Fife, which would give him and his colleagues a

chance to visit, but he could also point out to his colleagues that the

Forth Bridge is open. The answer to his first question is yes, and the

Cabinet met in the North West of England quite recently. I would be

very attracted by the idea of a cabinet visit to the Kingdom of

Fife, as well, and I will make sure that number ten is aware of the

honourable gentleman's wish to welcomer 's. Splendid. Point of

order. --- wish to welcome us. On the 18th of January I asked a

question to the Minister of Justice to ask them how many and what

proportion of sentences to each category of offence was suspended

sentences. On the 16th of February the Minister for prisons said that

the information could be found on the government's website. It took

among other Ministry of Justice to find this information before they

could actually put back in answer to me, there was no indication of where

on the website it could be found and it seemed that this is not the first

time that this has happened. It is occurring regularly with the

Ministry of Justice. It seems clear to me that they are doing this

deliberately to make sure that this information never comes to light. I

will refer this to the procedure committee and I am wondering if

there was anything that you could do, Mr Speaker, to make sure that

the answers we get actually open and transparent rather than this kind of

dishonourable to? Well, I'm grateful for his point of order and my

response is as follows, consistent with what I have said previously on

this matter, first, over sponsors should be timely and the honourable

gentleman suffered an untimely response, he had to wait longer than

he should have had to do. Secondly, responses to parliamentary questions

from members should be substandard ships and the honourable gentleman

did not receive a substantive reply. --- should be substantive. I would

say to the honourable gentleman and the House that it is one thing for a

minister in answering a written question to refer to a website on

which further and more detailed information might be available that

would be of interest to the member but it is quite another matter

simply, blandly and without guidance or direction to refer to a website

to say nothing about where on it the member should look and to imagine

that that is satisfactory as a substitute for a straight answer to

a straight question. It is not. The Leader of the House takes very

seriously his responsibility, as in the Deputy Leader doors, for

ensuring that ministers provide timely responses that are

substantive and do not use that Bruce or device and they have had

the honourable gentleman's point of order and my response. Best if there

are no further points of order, and I think you go racing that, we come

to the presentation of bills, secretary Elizabeth truss.

Prisoners... Second reading, what they? Tomorrow. We now come to the

motion