19/11/2015 Business Questions

megawatt are generated will be very competitive with where clean carbon

costs are now. Business question. Will the Leader of the House give us

the business for next week, please? Did business for next week will be

on Monday the 23rd of November, the consideration of allocation of time

motion, followed by all stages of the Northern Ireland Welfare Reform

Bill. I also expect there to be a statement on the National Security

strategy and the strategic defence and security review. Tuesday the

24th is an opposition day in the name of the Scottish National Party

be Trident and there will be a be Trident and there will be a

debate on HMRC office closures. That business will be followed by a

motion to approve a European document relating to restrict the

measures against Iran. On Wednesday the 25th we will have the second

reading of the childcare bill Lords, but the Chancellor of the Exchequer

will deliver his joint Autumn Statement on spending review. On

Thursday the 26th we will have a general debate on the final report

of the airports commission, had debate on the subject tournament at

the back bench business committee. If the house is not sitting. The

provisional business for the week commencing the 30th, on Monday the

30th will be another day nominated by the backbench business committee.

Tuesday the 1st of December the remaining stages of the Immigration

Bill followed by a debate on a motion relating to the high-speed

rail London the West Midlands pill. Wednesday the second will be in

opposition day, subject to be announced. Thursday the 3rd of

December, the second reading of the charities protection and social

investment will Lords. Friday the fourth will be be debating Private

Members' Bill is. The business for Westminster Hall, on the 26th

general debate on the north-east devolution deal. Monday the 30th

debates on a petition on attacks sugary drinks. Last night I was in

Colchester where Nick Alexander, but that is its jewelled man who was

killed while he was at work selling rock merchandise in the Bataclan

concert Hall went to school and where he ran a popular club night. I

know all of our hearts go out to his family and friends of our hearts go

out to his family and friends as they do Beirut. Of course we

remember the valour of the emergency services and the members of the

public to have become unintended heroes. Should we not also paid

tribute to the journalists who often have had to stay at the brutal truth

of murdered -- murderous radicalism in the eyes and bring it to our

attention? As Emile Zola said it is not I who hamstrung the reason and

truth that are strong. I am sure the whole house will want to send

heartfelt sympathy to the family of the two people killed in the

explosion at the steel factory in Cardiff yesterday. Can I ask the

Leader of the House where he has still not given us any dates for

next years recesses? It would be particularly useful for all

honourable members to start making plans for next year and I can't see

any reason why we should be happy to November before the leader provides

us with that. The leader announced a single day for all remaining stages

of the Immigration Bill on the 1st of December at the government has

promised that it would publish the review by Stephen Shaw into the

welfare of detainees in immigration removal centres before the bill

completes its passage. It must surely be right that we in this

House consider the findings of Mr Shaw before signing off on the bill.

Will the leader guarantee that the report will be published in plenty

of time, before the 1st of December? Will the leader also allow

for a three-day debate on the Autumn Statement? I know I have asked this

before but I'm going to try again because Parliamentary scrutiny of

government spending in this House is particularly shoddy. It is extremely

cursory at the best of times. Billions of pounds are pushed

through on the nod. The government is by preparing the most aggressive

assault on public services in this country since the Second World War

and the leaders seems to think that the mere to our question-and-answer

session is plenty of scrutiny for some of the most far-reaching

measures are constituents will face this Parliament. The government has

already tried to be too clever by half pushing the tax credit through

in secondary legislation so we will be going over the Chancellor's plan

with a very fine tooth comb. Not least because we listen to the Prime

Minister very closely. He keeps saying that the counterterrorism

budget will be protected. We are delighted by that, but even the

Prime Minister has been lobbying the Thames Valley Police force against

local cuts to front line services and the former head of

counterterrorism at the Metropolitan Police said the planned cuts to the

wider police budget will make Britain more vulnerable to

terrorism. It is the first duty of government to protect the people so

surely that single sentence should make the government think twice. In

South Wales alone we have lost 284 full-time police officers and

further cuts will lead to another 300 being lost. I'm sure every

member in the house did repeat figures for the local police force.

When Cardiff and Swansea regularly host major sporting events, would it

not be a real dereliction of duty yet again the cup police budgets

more than the 5% police forces have already agreed? We also want to look

at the government's travel costs when we are looking at expenditure

in the light of the news that the government today is planning to go

ahead with call me Dave Airways. I mention this because when he was the

Shadow Transport Secretary of the Leader of the House told the BBC of

the idea that the special jet should be set aside for the Prime

Minister, then Tony Blair. He said that this was the wrong moment to be

splashing out taxpayer's money on funding the government to travel in

style. What on earth is changed? Is just that the honourable member has

changed his job and now he has a ministerial car he has got to it? Is

that suddenly there is much more cash to be splashed around in

government, or is it, frankly, that the Leader of the House has become

something of a Liberal Democrat because we all know what they did in

the last government, they voted things through in Parliament, back

to their constituencies and campaigned against them, and that is

what exactly the leader of the hosting is the denial. -- the Leader

of the House is doing now. The Franco British Council was formed 43

years ago but this August the Minister for Europe rotates

Secretary General telling her that its grant will be cut from ?100,000

a year by more than 80%. The council's most recent seminar was

organised by a schoolteacher and she was in the Stade de France with

pupils last Friday. They hope that the next seminar will be on tackling

Islamic radicalisation. Surely this kind of work is worth the ?100,000 a

year that they have been receiving and is not due for a and it is

certainly worth more than a special jet for the Prime Minister. On

Syria, we in the Labour Party stand ready to listen because everyone

wants an end to the Civil War, the defeat of Isil, the end of the

President Assad regime and the safe return of the refugees. The Prime

Minister said he will respond to the Foreign Affairs Committee and the

next few days, when does the leader expect this to be? Will he ensure

that the house has the time to digest that reply before any motion

is made to the house? Panic urchin to make the vision for a two-day

debate when it comes to any formal government proposal? When the house

was summoned back on the 20th of August 2,000 that team we sat -- we

have a 7 and a Havard to be a bad day. That was exceptional because

the day did not start with questions but even so there was a five-minute

limit on speeches which was reduced to three minutes after eight o'clock

in the evening. Surely when we are debating such important matters it

is vital that honourable members can make proper contributions and we

should have a two-day debate. On Friday, as you knew, the UK National

youth Parliament sat in this chamber under your chairmanship. Last

year's youth Parliament chose mental health is our campaign on the back

of which the Select Committee published its report this week

entitled Young people's mental health. It is an excellent report

which argues that mental health is as important as physical health and

says that more than half of all mental ill-health starts before the

age of 18. They also refer to this stigma of mental ill health as the

greatest battle of all. Today is International mainstay and... --

international men's day. Young gay men are six times more likely than

their straight counterparts to take their own lives. Is it not incumbent

on all of us to tackle the root causes of mental ill-health, protect

the vulnerable and to end the stigma that all too often attaches to it?

Can I start by echoing the words of the shadow leader about the events

in Paris, but the tragic death of Nick Alexander. We should also

extend your good wishes for those who have been wounded and

traumatised. We wish a speedy recovery to all of them still in

hospital in Paris. As a former journalist and somebody who has

worked alongside some heroic journalists I would echo his words

about journalists as well. They go into some of the most dangerous

situations and some pay with their lives. We always owe them a debt of

gratitude for the information they provide and the light they shine on

some of the most barbaric purposes in the world. Whilst we don't

normally and should not talk about the security of this House I would

like to say the honourable and red honourable members that in the wake

of the Paris attacks are security officials and all of those involved

in running displays are well aware of the challenges we face and always

seek to take appropriate measures. I hope that honourable members and the

staff who work here are always reassured that they are doing

everything they can on their behalf. We also owe a debt of

gratitude to the armed police, to all the security staff who provide

protection for the heart of our democracy. I would also echo his

words on the condolences following the tragic explosion in Cardiff and

are good wishes and sincere sympathies to the families of those

involved. The Shadow leader has always been keen to focus on

anniversaries so will the Scottish National Party join me to celebrate

the 21st anniversary of another great conservative social reform, he

has talked about it recently, it is the 21st birthday of the National

Lottery. A project that has provided important support in the shadow

leader's constituency, in the SNP constituencies and elsewhere. It

makes a real difference to local communities and I would praise all

of those involved over those 21 years in developing the National

Lottery and supporting local projects. And those who have secured

lottery funding for important local causes. All I can say is that we

will provide Rhys West dates as soon as possible but he will understand

that it is incumbent on all Members of this house to put securing the

interests of the nation ahead of holidays. We will seek to deliver

the dates for recesses as soon as we can. On the report on immigration

removal centre is I will make sure that those are brought to the

attention of the Home Secretary ahead of the immigration bill. On

the Autumn Statement is, he asked for a three-day debate but he has an

opposition day coming up. There is no shortage of time available for

opposition parties and Members of the house to secure debates. We in

Government have given more time controlled to Members of the house

outside the Government than any previous Government and it is of

course open to debate any subject that he wishes. He really should

remember why we are taking these decisions. We are still sorting out

problems that we inherited from the years of Gordon Brown when they were

in Government. I have to say that we on this side of the house might take

it more seriously if they have any economic policy of their own.

Frankly I am completely confused. Is it the party leadership or the

Shadow Chancellor or the backbenchers? The messages are so

mixed that no one has any idea. He talked about extra security money

and I'm grateful to the Labour Party for their support for additional

funding for the security services. It is important. We will have to

wait for the details of the spending review. I would remind him that we

have had to take difficult decisions about police funding, police forces

up and down the country have responded admirably. Crime has

fallen and is falling. He talked about the announcement today about

Government transport. I have to say, if I look back at what was proposed

back in the years of a Labour Government, they were going to spend

?100 million on two new aircraft. It would have been a complete waste of

public money. We are spending a small fraction of that upgrading an

existing aircraft to save money for the taxpayer and that is the

difference between the parties, we are delivering value. Foreign Office

funding for bilateral groups. We will respond in due course. On

Syria, he said that he will respond fully to the committee and he will

do that in the next few days, it is a sign of how seriously he takes the

matter that he will respond personally. And when the response

has been considered by this house we can take matters further. He will

have to wait for the response. As my right honourable friend knows, just

to remind him, this was when the British went to find the American

colonies. I recently met with the Secretary of State for culture,

media and sport. Can we have a debate on this important subject and

how it can boost tourism to the UK and importantly Plymouth? Well, my

honourable friend continues to be an admirable champion for not only the

City of Plymouth but the heritage of the City. He is doing more than any

representative of that City in recent years to promote it as a

historic centre in this country and I commend him. We have culture

questions next week and I'm sure he will use that opportunity again. All

of my good wishes to those in Plymouth preparing for this

anniversary and I wish him well in supporting the City he represents.

Can I also thank the leader of the house for his business next week and

associate myself with the condolences to those in Paris and

events in Cardiff and also say that the staff of this house have worked

so hard to crunch in the -- to continue to ensure that we are saved

in a positive way. -- we are safe. And I noticed a few ripples when we

talked about the tried and debates which offers an opportunity to

clarify the position over the critical decision that will be

taken. We know the conservative position. They love their nukes and

are happy to despair and are happy to dispense ?167 billion an obscene

weapons of mass destruction, a Cold War weapon that can't even start to

defend us. You know the SNP position, we have historic

opposition. And we could also suggest a number of ways to spend

more useful the ?167 billion. And we would like to find out what the

Labour Party think and I'm not holding out great expectations! I

think they are both for and against, uncertain and unsure about

Trident and when it comes to the vote next week I think it might be

for, against, maybe four, maybe abstention? That roughly categorises

the Labour position on Trident. I look forward to hearing from them

next week. When are we going to get the debate? I think we are Jews. --

I think we Julie debate. I can hear the voice of Tony Blair.

Not caring about UN resolutions, that was his position, not caring

less about public opinions and you can see how it worked out. If we are

going down the Blairite root of going into further military action

without UN authorisation, can we have some sort of statement and

clarity when it comes to the Government? I am really pleased that

we have a debate next week on the airport commission. I on the stand

we have a debate on Thursday. I wonder if this could be a good time

to bring up the issue of Prime Minister's proposals for his

personal air travel will stop Dave Force one, brought to you in

association with Burlington Airways! -- personal air travel. It is an

enormous vanity project. -- Yes, we welcome the 21 years of the

National Lottery, it is a pity that the Government are putting the big

lottery by 40%. It is one year since Nicola Sturgeon took over the reins

of the Scottish National Party, 56 out of 59 of all of the MPs in

Scotland. We are still north of 50% for the Holyrood elections in

opinion polls and we have personal satisfaction ratings way beyond

anything that has been seen by either of the parties down here. I'm

pretty certain that the leader of the house would like to pay tribute

to the success of our First Minister and what she has achieved in the

past year. Well, I should say to start with that the honourable

gentleman had more acclaim behind him than the Leader of the

Opposition behind his. I have... I don't understand where they stand

either, it is utterly confusing. We have had the extraordinary position

yesterday on the Daily Politics show, when the Shadow Foreign

Secretary was asked, when the Honourable Member was asked if he

had confidence in his party leader he said, I have confidence in Hilary

Benn, which speaks volumes. I'm not surprised. I am confused about what

they stand for. The Shadow Defence Secretary supports it. I understand

the confusion. Maybe we will discover next week about what their

policy is. I would gently chide him about the contradictions next week.

But half of the day he will argue we should pull out of Scotland are

vital national resource costing thousands of jobs. Leaving part of

Scotland a wasteland. And the other part of the day he will complain

about making necessary reductions in HMRC and worry about that costing

jobs in Scotland. I don't know how he can swear those two. Our defence

industry pays plays an important part in the Scottish economy. --

industry plays. He asked about Syria and I would simply say that he will

have to wait for the Prime Minister to respond and he said he will

respond personally to the foreign affairs select committee. This is

the first time he has done that. The house needs to wait to see that. We

will address those issues when the house has digested the report. I can

simply say, the difference between us and not between us and Labour but

also the SNP as well, when we make a change of this type it is designed

to save money and reduce Government travel costs. That is surely the

right thing. The Scotsman reported last year that Nicola Sturgeon when

in charge of transport never travelled by rail, she always

travelled by chauffeur driven car and I travelled to work by train

this morning and it was late. It is frustrating but I get the train. I

get the train each day and may be the first secretary should have done

the same. Let me ask him a question. He talks about the first

anniversary and the achievements of the SNP over the past 12 months and

we recognise their success but he slightly underplays his own

contribution. It's a team effort and I think he should give himself a pat

on the back and not just Nicola Sturgeon. Saint Francis's special

school was broken into three times over half term. And again vandalised

last weekend, causing over ?15,000 worth of damage. Forcing it to

close. Will my right honourable friend join me in appealing to

people with more information to come forward, they will be treated

anonymously. An applauding the resilience of the headmaster Steve

Hollinghurst, and the local residents who raised over ?9,000 to

help the school opened this week. It was a shocking incident and it is

always dreadful when a community facility or a school is a target of

crime. It is inexcusable. It is also a sign of the strength of the

communities he represents, but elsewhere, that when something like

this happens people rally around to help to fix the problem. We condemn

unreservedly those who would carry out such an act but it is a tribute

to the strength of community in this country that people have responded

the way they do. Tomorrow is the second anniversary of Hull being

granted UK City of culture for 2017. The science Museum received ?20

million of taxpayer money but have told Hull that it's not possible to

move the gypsy moth aeroplane that Amy Johnson flew to Australia in

1913, the first woman to do that, to Hull for the festival. I wondered

whether we could have a debate on the obligations on national arts

organisations and museums in this country to work with Hull leading up

to the City of culture 2017. And also for Hull's history to actually

be displayed in Hull. Let me congratulate the City for its

achievements. I had some oversight on the City of culture in Liverpool

and it did a fantastic job and I saw and it did a fantastic job and I saw

what it could create in the City. I am sure that if Hull goes through

the same process of preparation and excitement, frankly, about the

capital of culture year, it will be a great boost.

She is absolutely right that I would hope and expect our great national

museums and other institutions would lead their part in supporting our

regions as well as being centres of national excellence. Tomorrow the

Lancet commission on liver disease will produce a report which will

highlight the enormous impact and financial cost of this disease in

this country. Could we have a debate or a statement, Minister in the

Department of Health over what the government is prepared to do about

this critical problem? I will pay tribute to all of those who have

been involved in producing this report. The Department of Health

intends to take this very seriously. I would simply say to him that this

may very well, given that is a widespread area of concern, be

something that he could bring to the back whence business committee or a

Westminster Hall as a way of bringing a Health Minister here to

debate these issues. I am grateful to the leader for the business

statement. We have business next Thursday from the backbench business

committee regarding the airport commission. I thank the leader for

advance notice of the business on the 30th of November where we have

today allocated to the backbench business committee. The leader can

be assured that the backbench business committee has an ample

supply of applications and business to fill that time. I would thank the

leader for reminding us about the 21st anniversary of the national

lottery. My constituency has benefited greatly three at with arts

and other supplies of funding, the Baltic Gallery, the Gateshead

millennium Bridge. ?100 million from the national lottery for those

projects which has transformed the river skip. One thing I would

disagree with the leader, though, the area around Faslane, with

Trident, would ever be described as being a wasteland. It is beautiful

countryside. There was never any doubt about the beauty of the

countryside in Scotland as a whole. It is a fantastic part of this

country and something we all wish to spend time in. If such an important

facility was lost to western Scotland the impact the local

economy, believing the side that is an important part of the local

economy would be a tragedy which is why I disagree with the Scottish

nationalists on the economic impact of this. Quite apart from the

defence impact. This is one where we will not be with the SNP. On the

national lottery, we should also pay tribute to the man whose idea it was

and he made it a reality. Can we please have a debate on the northern

powerhouse? A survey reported this week that 44% of the North of

England have never heard of it and a further 20% had heard of it but knew

nothing about it. A debate would provide an opportunity to at least

increase awareness. I think it is a good idea. Maybe something that we

could take to the backbench business committee to celebrate a great

Conservative achievement of the day. Finally we have a government that is

determined to drive up economic liberty in the north, compared to

the last Labour government under which the proportion of

manufacturing industry and our economy fell by half but the North

Felden disproportionate amount of that. In this age of austerity and

should the Leader of the House will be as astonished as I am that my

local authority which is run by the city independence and a conservative

coalition have reportedly just bent ?500,000 on getting rid of their

chief executive. Can't we have a debate in government time on golden

parachute in the public sector? Every local council is accountable

to its local electors for the decision it takes. I have no idea

about the nature of the contract on the circumstances behind that payoff

so therefore it would be wrong for me to comment on it. On Monday my

honourable friend the member for North Thanet said that he would like

the procedure committee to make recommendations to enable precise to

choose its own representatives to international organisations. Will my

right honourable friend give an assurance that the government will

not stand in the way of such a process? My honourable friend as

that bastion on Monday but did not receive a reply. I have great

respect for my honourable friend the chair of the procedure committee. I

would not dare try to tell him what to study and what to study and

whatnot to study. I have no doubt if he chooses to look at this issue he

would do so and that is certainly not for me to intervene. Mayor put

on record my condolences for the Vic aims of the explosion to the

neighbouring -- constituency to mine, at the steelworks. Can we have

a debate about continuing Chinese abuses of human rights, in

particular the case an employee is Sage Communications in Hong Kong who

has disappeared along with three other employees of that publishers

who publish books critical of the Chinese Communist elite? Should we

not be doing more than we are to raise these issues of human rights

abuses by the Chinese regime, particularly at a time when we are

looking to develop relationships with that country? One of the things

we were able to do during the recent visit was to raise concerns about

human rights and it remains the view of this government that we are more

likely to to be able to influence change through engagement with

China. The Foreign Secretary will be here next Tuesday for Foreign Office

questions and he will raise the issue again I am sure. It has always

been the case that this government will raise the concerns over human

rights with other nations where it is appropriate to do so. Some time

ago Harrow Council decided to outsource the designation of

disabled parking badges. The result of this is that increasingly a

number of age, infirm individuals who are extremely vulnerable have

had their applications for renewal of their blue badges rejected

without the course to appeal. Did we have a debate in government time on

the implementation of disabled parking so that we can actually

explore the operation right across this country because there is

nothing more and furious and then seeing somebody parking at the

disabled bay he is clearly not disabled but at the same time

disabled people not being able to park in the dash and access shops

and other facilities. The other part of what he is talking about is how

often we go in the car park see vast numbers of empty disabled spaces

that we have people who need look badges who struggle to get them. It

is really an area where local authorities should apply common

sense. There is no point having a large number of disabled spaces get

those who could use am not being able to access them. This is

something he might want to enter the house in the form of a debate.

Hopefully raising the issue today will send a message to local

authorities that we want them to be smart about this. Earlier this week

the Prime Minister announced an extra ?2 billion of extra funding

for special forces. We only have 450 in a special forces. Apparently the

money is to be used to buy equipment, protection equipment,

vehicles including helicopters, and night fighting equipment. Can we

have a debate on whether this is in fact new money or is it money

diverted from the wider defence budget, and whether or not it is now

time given the Prime Minister Knight has its own private army but the

sound of it in which Parliamentary oversight for special forces is

widened and more open? I think the then Minister's private army is a

pretty worry -- pretty disparaging way of describing some of our most

special forces. We are providing money so very brave group of people

can't defend our country against the appalling things we have seen in

France over the last few days. She will have plenty of opportunity to

question the Chancellor about his spending plans next week. We will

always do the right thing to protect our citizens. Employees at the

airline in my constituency are very worried in light of the announcement

last week about job losses. Unfortunately, the airline won't

engage with me or the employees or the unions. Can we have a debate on

the responsibilities and obligations on companies to engage with the

communities did, to engage with employees and do what they can to

make sure we can get the right support for the right people at the

right time? I always think employers make a big mistake if they act in

the way that my honourable friend the suggesting is taking place in

his constituency. The fact he has raised this issue today will be

noticed outside. It does reputational damage to the companies

concerned. I would always encourage any employer to try to do the right

ring even when they have to take difficult decisions. In the end,

they pay the price. The EH sector platform and the pensioners

Parliament in Northern Ireland have passed various resolutions over the

last few years is asking to extend the warm homes discount scheme to

Northern Ireland. So far, that has not happened. It would be an

important fuel poverty mitigating measure. Would it be possible to

have a debate in relation to this particular issue that would impact

of a large number of older people throughout Northern Ireland? The

Northern Ireland Secretary is sitting next to me in the chamber

and will have heard the honourable lady's comments and I am sure it is

something she will take away and I jest. Can we have a debate on the

National Health Service? I am proud to be supporting a government that

is investing an additional 10 billion in this Parliament, is

putting mental health on the right parity with physical health and has

introduced the Cancer Drugs Fund. A debate would help us expose the

reality of the rhetoric opposite where in Wales where they are in

control they are cutting their NHS? I think my honourable friend makes a

very important point, that the health service faces enormous

challenges with an ageing population, the development of new

treatments, it always faces a challenge to keep and that is why it

is right and proper that we have provided or a commitment to provide

the billion pound that Simon Stevens ask for. That is why we have

committed to deliver more support from mental health funding. The

contrast between the health service in England and Wales is there for

all to see and I hope in the future everyone in this country learned

that lesson. The Leader of the House may be aware that a trust that runs

425 foodbanks this country have put out its midyear statistics

yesterday, April to September. North Enfield foodbank gave 2465 three-day

emergency food supplies to people in crisis in Enfield and 990 of these

were given to children. Could we have an early debate in this House

on the government policies that are widening the gap significantly

between rich and poor and driving so many children into abject poverty?

First only pay tribute to all the volunteers who work in food banks

around the country. Food banks are not unique to the United Kingdom.

They are used more extensively in countries like Germany. They do good

work in helping people overcome crisis in their lives and I pay

tribute to all the volunteers. I have to say to her it is simply not

the case that the gap between rich and poor is widening. Unemployment

is falling sharply, the number of children growing up in workless

households is falling sharply. We don't need a debate on what is the

ugliest building in Britain because it is the bus station in the centre

of Preston, therefore it would be helpful to have a debate on why the

Labour-controlled like as the County Council has spent ?23 million

restoring this concrete monstrosity while at the same time proposing

shutting libraries and museums in my constituency. I have visited the bus

station in Preston and they know exactly what he means though I have

to say that a competition of their kind might attract some entries from

around the house on both sides. But I would say is that where a local

authority gets it wrong, as he suggested Labour in Lancashire may

have done, they will pay a price and literally. Perhaps we should hear

more about these matters are visiting bus stations! Cute I

associate myself with the comments made about the tragic accident in

Cardiff yesterday. Last week to teenagers received custodial

sentences from a Cardiff youth court following an incident with them PB

Gunne despite the spear -- sale of such weapons being illegal to those

under 18. Could we have a debate on the sale of imitation weapons

because the current law is busy not working. Imitation weapons can be

reactivated so a weapon that is being sold as unusable can become

usable. She is raising a broader issue, something that I am certain

the Home Secretary is taking very seriously. In the meantime I hope

the police will seek to take action against the person who sold it. I

noticed that in next week 's business we are having a legislation

coming forward on Northern Irish welfare reform. As leader of the

house, have you any concerns that this legislation is coming through

this house as opposed to the Northern Ireland executive assembly?

May I take advantage of the opportunity to pay tribute to the

Northern Ireland Secretary who has worked tirelessly in recent weeks to

try to find a solution to a very complex and difficult problem. The

bill that will come before the house on Monday is an outcome of all of

those talks, something that has the support of all of the parties in

Northern Ireland. The motion was passed through the assembly

yesterday. I hope that Members on all sides of the house will come

together to pass this legislation speedily and indeed in the other

place. One of the things we should always do is where Northern Ireland

politics reach an agreement it is beholden upon all of us to put it

into place as soon as we can. Last Thursday it was announced that 1000

miners will be made redundant by 2015. It comes on the back of other

redundancies which amounts to around 5000 public sector jobs in the last

two months alone. In order to deal with this situation properly, can we

have a statement of the Government review of CCS programmes. Teesside

is an excellent candidate and we could attract private investment to

the area. Can I say first ball that any large-scale job losses in this

country is unwelcome and any job loss. The Government will certainly

work with all of those on Teesside and others are affected by recent

developments to do everything we can to ease the immediate impact but

also secure appropriate investment to replace the jobs lost. That will

always be a priority. In terms of addressing the issue of carbon

capture, the Prime Minister said yesterday that this is something

that is under consideration by the energy Department. I will make sure

that if he did not have the opportunity to raise it with the

Secretary of State, she will no doubt bring forth information about

her plans in due course. Can we have an urgent debate or statement on the

junior doctors dispute given that we now know that 98% of junior doctors

have overwhelmingly voted in favour of offal is right. The turnout was

76%. -- of eight full strike. He has clearly you lost -- he has

clearly lost the confidence of junior doctors. The Health Secretary

will come to the house shortly to make a statement and clearly the

house has to be involved in what is happening and will provide more

information shortly. Could I ask whether consideration could be given

to a debate on abated military pensions for those who left the

Armed Forces before 1975, many have contacted me and I know that this

issue affects over 40,000 veterans across the UK. By happy coincidence

defence questions is on Monday so can I suggest the honourable

gentleman that he raises the issue directly with the Secretary of State

and I will make sure his department is aware that the subject will be

put to him. Could I associate myself with the remarks on the industrial

accident in Cardiff. On the Friday before last we talked about that at

the dispatch box. This was despite public opinion and opinion on all

sides of the house. Given that the health Minister said that the

Government shares the ambitions of my bill, will the Government find

time to debate off patents drugs. It was the Government position that

legislation on the subject was not necessary. We share some of his

aspirations and I know that health ministers will continue to look at

the issues that he raised in the debate and he will no doubt find

opportunities to pursue the debate if he feels those issues are not

being addressed. HMRC's Welsh customer service centre is currently

located in Porthmadog. This is a convenient place for Welsh speaking

staff but also for the majority of people who are likely to use

services in Welsh. The service is to be moved to Cardiff which is four

hours away on a good day in the car, but we have a debate on the proposed

changes on Welsh speaking jobs and services and jobs as a whole

throughout Wales? Of course by happy coincidence there is a debate next

Tuesday as part of the Scottish Nationalists opposition day. The

Government is well aware of the sensitivities in providing Welsh

speaking services. There is a need to ensure that HMRC operates in as

efficient way possible and she would want us to deliver value for money

for the taxpayers that she represents. Of course HMRC will

ensure that it can continue to provide an appropriate Welsh

language service but those who need it. -- for those who need it. This

house is united in reaction to the dreadful events in Paris last week

and in making clear that these have nothing to me -- have nothing to do

with the Muslim community. Muslim refugees were displayed as rats in a

cartoon in a national newspaper. Can he provide an opportunity for this

house to make clear that this kind of hatred should have no place in

our national conversation? Well, I did not see the cartoon that she

mentions. Let me be absolutely clear, the events that took place in

Paris were not representative of the Muslim community either in France or

anywhere else in the world. The vast majority of Muslim people are

decent, God-fearing, law abiding people who work hard for their

families and do the right thing in their community. None of us should

have anything to do with a narrative suggesting otherwise. There is a

tiny minority of people who come from Muslim countries who in my view

this birch the Muslim faith through an ideology that is among the most

unpleasant that we have ever experienced in the history of

mankind. It should be resisted at all costs. For nearly two years my

constituent has been detained in Chennai and he is undergoing a

second trial for pie see despite it being dropped. I spoke to the

Minister for Commonwealth affairs and the Foreign Secretary on the 2nd

of November and neither has yet responded so can we have a statement

as to whether the Government will commit to providing every assistance

to Billy and his shipmates and ensuring as BD turnaround of their

passport applications to allow them to return to their families at the

conclusion of their trip? I know she is particular concerned and she has

raised this before. I know that the Prime Minister will be here for

questions and I will let them know and hopefully she will get a

response during the question session. There is an epidemic of

addiction to prescription drugs in my constituency. It has been brought

to my attention that there is a black market on GP prescriptions. If

it is happening there, it is happening across the country in

different constituencies. Will the leader of the house make time for a

debate to discuss this deeply disturbing development? I have not

been aware of that problem but I take on board the point he is making

and it would be extremely serious, not only in terms of addiction for

people in his community but also the financing of the local health

service and we should not tolerate that. I will make sure that the

Health Secretary today is aware of his concerns and perhaps if he could

write to the Health Secretary setting out in more detail what is

happening I will ask the Health Secretary to look out for that

letter and make sure it is given immediate attention. Can we have a

debate about the rights of football supporters in the UK? Such a debate

will allow us to pay tribute to Brian Lomax, the founder of

supporters direct in the UK and who sadly passed away at the beginning

of the month. He understood that football is more than just a

business and more than entertainment, it is about emotion,

loyalty and our communities and he will be sorely missed. I think the

honourable gentleman's words speak volumes. He is absolutely right to

pay tribute. And I think also to remind us of the importance that

football plays in communities open down the country, not just in the

professional game and of course supporters trusts are focused on the

professional game but also a grass-roots sport bringing together

people from all aspects of society. I pay tribute to Mr Lomax for the

work he did and my condolences go to his family on his sad death. If any

of us object to the leader of the house's business motion we would

lose the right to table amendments. In the microwave legislative

business of next Monday which will also take place on a day where many

honourable Members will want to ask questions. This sort of microwave

bass track procedure will only be used in emergency situations or when

there is a compelling exceed and see. What is the compelling

emergency in this situation other than part of the overdose of...

Accompanying the step down by the First Minister and the climb-down by

Sinn Fein in relation to welfare reform? Since we are about to have a

statement from the Northern Ireland Secretary at will be better that I

let her answer the question. -- it will. I want to ensure that this

measure has the smoothest possible passage. When huge efforts are put

in by all parties in Northern Ireland and I pay tribute and IC

more of the Northern Ireland MPs have now joined us, and I pay

tribute to those that have been involved because it has been a real

marathon. The Secretary of State has done a fantastic job in the work she

has done and I pay tribute to everyone. Given the complexities and

challenges involved in Northern Ireland, we have to do everything to

facilitate that. I am shocked we have not heard yet that the

Secretary of State for Health is coming to the house to make a

statement. The leader of the house has indicated that he is but it

would not be good enough for him to do that tomorrow and hide his

statement on Friday when many Members will be back in their

constituencies, and that would give him the opportunity to come back to

correct the statement he made at the dispatch box that patients have to

wait 14 hours before seeing a consultant at the weekend which has

been disproved. Only the Government believes that and it would give him

the opportunity to put it right. When are we going to get the

statement? The result was only announced a few minutes before the

start of this session. There will be a Bateman shortly -- there will be a

statement. There will no doubt be an opportunity to ask questions. Given

the Government concern over the performance of unelected Lords in

the other place I was wondering if the leader of the house could make a

statement outlining what mechanisms are in place to allow an MP to

scrutinise the performance of his business like the newly appointed

Baroness of Mayfair. .. Actually sends out the wrong signal to

potential business entrepreneurs? I don't agree that Conservatives

voting for tax credit cards is the wrong thing to do. We are committed

to substantial welfare cuts. It is a commitment we are fulfilling as we

meet the financial challenge that we face and make sure that we have a

sound financial base for the future. Statement, the Secretary of State