:00:00. > :00:00.Bryant. While the absentees part-tile Leader
:00:00. > :00:10.of the House gives us the btsiness for next week?
:00:11. > :00:17.It is a pleasure to respond to this urgent question from the minister
:00:18. > :00:21.responsible. Mr Speaker, Monday the 22nd of February, next week, the
:00:22. > :00:27.lead after next, after the half term recess, we will have the second
:00:28. > :00:30.reading of the Northern Ireland Stormont agreement and
:00:31. > :00:34.implementation plan Bill and I would expect the Prime Minister to make a
:00:35. > :00:37.statement following the European Council meeting. On the 23rd of
:00:38. > :00:42.February we will have consideration of the Lords amendment to the
:00:43. > :00:45.welfare reform and work well for the pie consideration of the amdndments
:00:46. > :00:48.to the education and adoption bill for the buy business to be nominated
:00:49. > :00:53.by the Backbench Business Committee. On the 24th of February it will be
:00:54. > :00:58.an Opposition Day on the subject to be announced. On Thursday the 2 th
:00:59. > :01:01.of February there will be a general debate on European affairs. On
:01:02. > :01:06.Friday the 26th of February we will consider Private Members' Bhll s.
:01:07. > :01:10.The provisional business thd week commencing the 29th of Febrtary
:01:11. > :01:14.includes on Monday the 29th of February the 1st allotted d`y for
:01:15. > :01:19.estimates, a debate on the science budget, followed by a debatd on end
:01:20. > :01:22.of life care. On the 1st of March, the second allotted day for
:01:23. > :01:26.estimates, a debate on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the 2015
:01:27. > :01:29.Spending Review, followed bx a debate on reform of the polhce
:01:30. > :01:33.funding formula. At seven o'clock in the evening the House will be asked
:01:34. > :01:36.to agree all outstanding estimates and further details will be given in
:01:37. > :01:40.the official report. I will inform the House that the business
:01:41. > :01:45.investment for the 23rd of February will be a debate on the sevdnth
:01:46. > :01:54.reporting the communities Bhll on letter in England.
:01:55. > :01:58.Let me first pay tribute to Harry Hartmann. There are a few mhners
:01:59. > :02:04.left in this House and I know that my constituents in the Rhondda will
:02:05. > :02:10.want to Marquez passing with a warm salute. Talking of miners, H would
:02:11. > :02:16.like to wish the honourable member a happy 84th birthday. He has still
:02:17. > :02:19.got the drive of a 40-year-old! Mr Speaker, I hope that the re`der s
:02:20. > :02:25.announcement but you all excited and that you wear tingling. I al
:02:26. > :02:30.genuinely excited, because hf you read between the lines, you will
:02:31. > :02:34.have spotted that Monday thd 22nd of February is going to be a vdry, very
:02:35. > :02:39.special day indeed. It is not just that the Prime Minister is laking a
:02:40. > :02:44.statement on the EU Council, far more importantly, the 22nd of
:02:45. > :02:47.February 2016 will be the d`y that the government abandons collective
:02:48. > :02:53.responsibility on the Europdan Union. Cabinet ministers will be
:02:54. > :02:56.hurtling down the corridors of power to get to television studios to be
:02:57. > :03:01.the first to go live on air to declare themselves someone who wants
:03:02. > :03:09.to leave Europe. Forget the liberation of Paris, forget free
:03:10. > :03:16.Nelson Mandela, the 22nd of February 2016 will be known as the n`tional
:03:17. > :03:23.liberation of Chris Grayling de By your Bunting no, Mr Speaker Talking
:03:24. > :03:28.of the 22nd of February, thd leader has announced finally that the
:03:29. > :03:32.mystery second reading Bill which will be a Northern Ireland Bill
:03:33. > :03:35.while the Leader of the House ensure that the committee and report stages
:03:36. > :03:40.of that bill are taking on the floor of the House so that all Northern
:03:41. > :03:45.Ireland members can take part in the debate? Can the Leader of the House
:03:46. > :03:49.is tell us when State Opening of Parliament will be this year? We
:03:50. > :03:54.have fixed term Parliaments now so will it be in the month of Lay even?
:03:55. > :03:58.If it is going to be then, there are four possible Wednesdays, the 4th of
:03:59. > :04:04.May is the day before local elections, that is out. The 25th of
:04:05. > :04:11.May is just before the bank holiday, so will it be the 11th or the 1 th?
:04:12. > :04:16.Come on. The 11th or the 18th? Or is the government intending to keep
:04:17. > :04:20.this session going indefinitely beyond the European referendum into
:04:21. > :04:26.the autumn and next year? If so there are no more private mdmbers
:04:27. > :04:29.days allocated on Fridays, so bold that they don't give us mord dates
:04:30. > :04:35.for Private Members' Bill 's? We have been saying for a whild that
:04:36. > :04:38.the Trade Union Bill is partisan, petty minded and vindictive. But now
:04:39. > :04:42.we know that the government believes that to be the case as well. The
:04:43. > :04:47.minister in charge, he has written to the Leader of the House telling
:04:48. > :04:52.him that large chunks of thd bill needs to be redrafted. Would you
:04:53. > :04:57.believe it, simply because they are not rational, his own words. He
:04:58. > :05:01.seeks clarity on concessions to ease handling in the House of Lords. One
:05:02. > :05:08.of the concessions he is thhnking about making relates to checking
:05:09. > :05:10.off, this is the system whereby most trade union members have thdir unit
:05:11. > :05:16.subscriptions deducted from their pay and sent to their union by their
:05:17. > :05:19.employer. The government wants to warn that entirely but the leaked
:05:20. > :05:22.letter makes it clear that that would be illegal to do so in
:05:23. > :05:26.Scotland and in Wales because of devolution. But how on earth can it
:05:27. > :05:32.be correct for the government to ban it at all? At the government's own
:05:33. > :05:36.website, it makes it clear that this arrangement is entirely voltntary.
:05:37. > :05:43.It tells us that there is no legal requirement for your employdr to do
:05:44. > :05:47.this. So for petty -- petty partisan advantage, a Conservative government
:05:48. > :05:50.is intending to outlaw the Beverly rational, sensible and priv`te
:05:51. > :05:56.contract between employer and employee. How on does that fit with
:05:57. > :06:01.Adam Smith. When the ball w`s in this House, the Conservativd member
:06:02. > :06:04.for Stafford wisely tabled ` sensible amendment to allow checking
:06:05. > :06:08.off to continue. Why does the Leader of the House not stand up to date
:06:09. > :06:13.and tell us that is one of the concessions that they will lake
:06:14. > :06:17.Speaking on the Trade Union Bill, a crossbencher said that if ever there
:06:18. > :06:20.was some evidence that the hntention of the spill was perhaps not
:06:21. > :06:27.entirely honourable, it is hn the refusal to about health tonhc
:06:28. > :06:31.balloting. Mr Speaker, would it not be utterly hypocritical to campaign
:06:32. > :06:36.for the Tory candidate for the Mayor of London who was elected bx Tory
:06:37. > :06:39.members in a bar that whilst refusing to allow trade union
:06:40. > :06:46.members to re-ballot their own members? And what the government
:06:47. > :06:49.backed down on its preposterous 50% threshold proposal for strike
:06:50. > :06:54.action? How many MPs would sit in this House if we had to get 50% of
:06:55. > :06:59.the electorate? Can you be Durkan from not a single Conservathve MP
:07:00. > :07:02.achieved that? The Leader of the House only got 43% of the
:07:03. > :07:06.electorate, so by his own logic he should not be present here. But by
:07:07. > :07:11.his own attendance record comedy is not your enemy. What really
:07:12. > :07:15.fascinates me, Mr Speaker about this letter that was sent to the Leader
:07:16. > :07:19.of the House, was that this was not leaked, it was not linked to the
:07:20. > :07:23.Times or the male of the Dahly Telegraph, but to the Socialist
:07:24. > :07:32.worker. What is going on, Mr Speaker? Is there something that the
:07:33. > :07:34.reader wants to tell us? Can we have a debate on pork barrel polhtics?
:07:35. > :07:39.After all, the government w`s so terrified of losing its loc`l govern
:07:40. > :07:42.allocation Mr Dyke that it bought off its own members with a special
:07:43. > :07:47.slush fund of ?300 million of taxpayers money. How on earth did
:07:48. > :07:52.they decide how this money was going to be allocated? Did Tory mhnisters
:07:53. > :07:56.sit down with their address books and shout at the postcodes of their
:07:57. > :07:59.friends and relatives and pdople who went to the black and white ball
:08:00. > :08:06.past the Local Government Mhnister notched up ?21 million for Surrey,
:08:07. > :08:10.?19 million for hard up Hampshire, 16 million for Hampshire and 9
:08:11. > :08:15.million each for Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire? Why on earth are the
:08:16. > :08:19.poorest councils in the land with the toughest circumstances `nd with
:08:20. > :08:24.multiple levels of deprivathon getting not a single penny of extra
:08:25. > :08:29.money whilst the richest ard showered in ?5.3 million? It is
:08:30. > :08:35.thoroughly disreputable, it is Robin Hood in reverse.
:08:36. > :08:39.Mr Speaker, he is completelx incapable of keeping his relarks
:08:40. > :08:48.within five minutes. Can I begin by echoing his comments about our
:08:49. > :08:52.colleague, Harry. It is alw`ys a tragedy when any member of this
:08:53. > :08:55.House passes Abe, particularly a tragedy when someone passes after
:08:56. > :09:02.such a short period of time in this House. I would echo the sentiments
:09:03. > :09:06.of all honourable members and sent wishes to his family. I would extend
:09:07. > :09:11.to the member opposite, although I suspect he will not join my iBook
:09:12. > :09:16.the Shadow Leader would. He is a great champion of equality hssues,
:09:17. > :09:21.and celebrating the 41st anniversary of the first women party le`der in
:09:22. > :09:24.this country. A women who bdcame one of our greatest prime ministers a
:09:25. > :09:29.great leader of this countrx and I am sure that he would want to
:09:30. > :09:32.celebrate her achievements hn demonstrating that the Consdrvative
:09:33. > :09:40.Party is the one that reallx creates opportunities for all. As wd heard
:09:41. > :09:46.just a day, there is no doubt about the winner of this week's qtote of
:09:47. > :09:55.the week award, or deer, or my God, or dear, I need to go one dressed in
:09:56. > :10:03.a darkened room. But was not about the parties stunning success in
:10:04. > :10:09.launching the campaign in Nottingham, in Nottingham, hn a city
:10:10. > :10:27.which has this year no local elections.
:10:28. > :10:36.This is the madness that has no end of the Labour Party. He has
:10:37. > :10:39.credibility in the Shadow C`binet. I am pleased to confirm the Northern
:10:40. > :10:44.Ireland Bill will receive its second reading on the 22nd of Febrtary I
:10:45. > :10:48.would like to replace on record as to place on record my thanks to all
:10:49. > :10:53.those involved in the negothations to the publication of this Bill I
:10:54. > :10:56.am also grateful for the discussions that have taken place betwedn the
:10:57. > :11:01.government and opposition p`rties about this Bill. The only strprising
:11:02. > :11:06.thing is that when the Shadow leader started jumping up and down about
:11:07. > :11:09.the second reading on the 22nd last week, no one on his side had
:11:10. > :11:13.apparently bothered to tell him that all of these discussions were
:11:14. > :11:18.happening. He is not much in the loop with his party these d`ys. He
:11:19. > :11:21.asks that this session for debate after debate, but when I give him
:11:22. > :11:25.and his colleagues and opposition day and they pick their subject it
:11:26. > :11:30.is virtually never on the things he says is important. This morning I
:11:31. > :11:36.gave him a new opposition d`y, but I bet his party still do not listen to
:11:37. > :11:41.him. But it has not been a great week for him anyway. He man`ged to
:11:42. > :11:45.turn an important debate about domestic violence about one whether
:11:46. > :11:51.Welsh rugby fans should sing at Tom Johnson song at the start of
:11:52. > :11:54.matches. He even ended up in a spat with the songwriter who said he did
:11:55. > :12:02.not even know what the song was about. He may love the sound of his
:12:03. > :12:12.own voice, but now one is lhstening to him. The roads around my
:12:13. > :12:21.constituency have been gridlocked due to the closure of a small
:12:22. > :12:25.country road used as a short cut. Ember of my constituency had to wait
:12:26. > :12:31.20 minutes for an ambulance due to traffic congestion. How can we get
:12:32. > :12:46.this bypass built so my constituents and the honourable gentleman talked
:12:47. > :12:48.about, up and running? I know that the department is considering road
:12:49. > :12:59.improvement in his area, but I know that he has an adjournment debate
:13:00. > :13:03.planned for next week. Can H thank the leader for announcing the
:13:04. > :13:11.business for the week after next. On these pensions, can be passdd on
:13:12. > :13:15.condolences to the family of Harry Harpam. We may have had
:13:16. > :13:22.disagreements initially abott sharing this bench, but we could not
:13:23. > :13:27.have a finer member to shear the bench with, so happy birthd`y to
:13:28. > :13:32.him. There is not much love coming in the way of the Leader of the
:13:33. > :13:36.House because we saw that rdport this morning from the public
:13:37. > :13:47.administration committee, and what a report it was. Hopefully thhs will
:13:48. > :14:04.start to see the death knell of the absurdity of Evel. A Conservative
:14:05. > :14:09.cheer... Can we not just adlit that this dogs breakfast has no purpose.
:14:10. > :14:15.It is deeply, deeply divisive. Let us call back to equality of
:14:16. > :14:21.membership, not division by nationality or geographic location.
:14:22. > :14:37.We have tried it, it failed, let us now move on. We all remember being
:14:38. > :14:41.told there was no such thing as Barnett formula consequenti`l is,
:14:42. > :14:48.and that they would be found in the estimates process. Yet we h`ve no
:14:49. > :14:52.difference in the way we ard debating estimates. How are we
:14:53. > :14:57.supposed to discuss consequdntial is when the speakers disregard it? We
:14:58. > :15:07.cannot find it in anything to do with the estimates. Everyond is
:15:08. > :15:13.working extremely hard to gdt a deal on the fiscal framework, and
:15:14. > :15:19.hopefully the select committee report will help find a solttion to
:15:20. > :15:23.the difficult and fragile conversations. There seems to be a
:15:24. > :15:28.real distance to go in the coming together of minds for the no
:15:29. > :15:33.detriment principal. What h`ppens if there is no agreement reachdd? What
:15:34. > :15:49.would happen to the Scotland Bill if there was no fiscal framework
:15:50. > :15:53.agreement met? Can he rule out. . The Leader of the House was asked
:15:54. > :16:00.when we made expect a debatd about Trident, and we got the usu`l
:16:01. > :16:05.response that it will be solething. I would hope he would rule this out.
:16:06. > :16:10.He is not using the chaos and crisis on this issue to play games on
:16:11. > :16:13.something as important as this. He will bring a critical decishon to
:16:14. > :16:24.this House regardless of thd mess they are in. I think he was right to
:16:25. > :16:29.echo the birthday wishes. Wd look back Mr Alger Cueto last sulmer to
:16:30. > :16:32.the mornings when the Scotthsh Nationalists and the more union
:16:33. > :16:37.focused members of the Labotr Party rushed for those seats until they
:16:38. > :16:40.had reached a peace agreement on accommodation, and happiness has
:16:41. > :16:46.rained on those benches ever since. He asked about English votes. The
:16:47. > :16:50.processes are bedded down pretty well in this House, and I h`ve to
:16:51. > :16:56.say that I do not accept wh`t he says about the changes we h`ve put
:16:57. > :17:05.in place. Ever in the manifdsto set out in detail, they are the right
:17:06. > :17:07.thing to do, and at the momdnt it is still the case that his
:17:08. > :17:20.responsibilities are very dhfferent from mine. I have a responshbility
:17:21. > :17:23.for issues which are the responsibility of the Scotthsh
:17:24. > :17:28.Government in his constituency. So it is only right we give England a
:17:29. > :17:31.fierce a as well. I have always regarded him as an influenthal
:17:32. > :17:36.member of this House but I would say that the topics for the esthmates
:17:37. > :17:41.debate are picked by the li`ison committee, and he is a membdr of the
:17:42. > :17:49.leave the -- liaison committee, so is another straight position to
:17:50. > :17:57.secure the debates that he wants. What went wrong? Why did he not get
:17:58. > :18:01.the debates he wanted? He ndeds to back to his colleagues and try
:18:02. > :18:06.better next time. He asked `bout what happens if the politic`l
:18:07. > :18:10.framework does not work. I will not understand the concept of f`ilure.
:18:11. > :18:15.It is in his parties interest to do the right thing for Scotland, and
:18:16. > :18:19.hours. I'm sure we will do that We will bring forward the meastre for
:18:20. > :18:23.debate in due course. In thd meantime we are enjoying thd
:18:24. > :18:26.spectacle of the utter chaos on the Labour benches, and even those
:18:27. > :18:36.doggedly determined to hang on to their jobs could avoid the reality
:18:37. > :18:40.that they are in total shambles While the word focuses on the crisis
:18:41. > :18:46.in Syria, it is too easy to overlook the unfolding crisis in Afrhca. The
:18:47. > :18:52.drought in Ethiopia is putthng at risk the death of a million people
:18:53. > :18:55.who are in desperate need of food aid. The government has responded
:18:56. > :19:00.but much more needs to be done. Can the House considered this as a
:19:01. > :19:06.matter of urgency? Given th`t we are on recess next week, will hd bring
:19:07. > :19:08.this matter to the attention of his right honourable friend the
:19:09. > :19:10.Secretary of State for International Development, to see what urgent
:19:11. > :19:16.relief can be brought to thdse people? All of us would reg`rd
:19:17. > :19:23.current situation is enormotsly distressing. Discussions have
:19:24. > :19:28.already taken place within government about this, the
:19:29. > :19:36.government is already providing ?11 million more of aid and we will
:19:37. > :19:46.continue to do everything wd can to alleviate this dreadful crisis. Will
:19:47. > :19:50.the Leader of the House makd time to debate the manifesto commitlent to
:19:51. > :19:53.install smart meters in every household by 2020? This movd will
:19:54. > :20:04.help end the prepay riff off if those customers involved in the
:20:05. > :20:09.roll-out. -- rip-off. We ard trying to ensure consumers get a bdtter
:20:10. > :20:16.deal, and we will make more of it information available soon. She may
:20:17. > :20:19.also want to bring this to the floor of the House to do the backbench
:20:20. > :20:28.business committee or through an adjournment debate. We are going
:20:29. > :20:34.over the top about the European debate. The only place it whll make
:20:35. > :20:38.a decision to stop this is the House of Commons. Can we please h`ve time
:20:39. > :20:43.to debate in government timd so that all members across this House can
:20:44. > :20:46.have a say on the EU referendum before it takes its own lifd and we
:20:47. > :20:53.start to get more and more hnnuendos on the front of the press. Can the
:20:54. > :20:58.government make some dates `vailable to discuss what we really w`nt. Can
:20:59. > :21:01.I congratulate him on the role he has taken up on the Council of
:21:02. > :21:08.Europe. This is enormously important. We will be making time
:21:09. > :21:14.available for a debate. The debate that takes place in this Hotse and
:21:15. > :21:19.country needs to be measured, based on facts and information. All this
:21:20. > :21:23.about Project fear and innudndo actually we have to table
:21:24. > :21:27.information and make arguments in a measured way so the public can make
:21:28. > :21:37.an informed decision before voting in the summer or whenever it is The
:21:38. > :21:44.backbench business committed was aware that there was a posshbility
:21:45. > :21:50.of getting some time, and there are number of debates we would like to
:21:51. > :21:55.table. But it is now only d`ys away, and we have not been told there will
:21:56. > :22:02.be guaranteed time for such a debate. There is an important issue
:22:03. > :22:09.on gangs and youth violence, but we would be wearied to table that
:22:10. > :22:17.unless we get think it would get a good airing. There are other debates
:22:18. > :22:23.that time sensitive, one on Welsh affairs which we would like to have
:22:24. > :22:26.close to St David's Day, and one on International women's Day, which we
:22:27. > :22:30.would like to have close to the 18th of March as possible. Could we get
:22:31. > :22:37.some undertakings about such progress? I am aware of the requests
:22:38. > :22:43.for those debates, and that is something we are discussing and will
:22:44. > :22:49.seek to find the best way of making that happen. There should bd plenty
:22:50. > :22:54.of time on Tuesday week, and I will be confident that there will be time
:22:55. > :22:58.for the debate that they. If you look back on the last few wdeks it
:22:59. > :23:07.has tended to work, but we will keep the matter under review. Today the
:23:08. > :23:12.report on the draft investigatory Powers Bill was published. This week
:23:13. > :23:16.we had a report by the Intelligence and Security Committee on the same
:23:17. > :23:19.issue. There is a lot of public interest on this. Would the Leader
:23:20. > :23:24.of the House ensure there is sufficient time allotted to
:23:25. > :23:27.consideration of what the Prime Minister have described as the most
:23:28. > :23:37.important part of this? Canonised breast thanks to the
:23:38. > :23:43.people involved in scrutinising this bill. You are quite correct, we need
:23:44. > :23:46.time to scrutinise this and debated. It will come in front of thhs is
:23:47. > :23:51.shortly and we must make sure that people have the opportunity to do
:23:52. > :23:54.with the issues and it fullx. The Prime Minister makes a great
:23:55. > :24:00.play that this is part of hhs European negotiations, does the
:24:01. > :24:04.reader not get embarrassed `bout the fact that a debate on Europdan
:24:05. > :24:08.affairs will be after these negotiations, rather than the
:24:09. > :24:12.government having given the properties that what this p`lm of
:24:13. > :24:15.things should be negotiating on I do not think, Mr Speaker that
:24:16. > :24:20.anyone in this House has bedn short of opportunities recently to make
:24:21. > :24:24.their views known across thd size. We haven't extended statement and
:24:25. > :24:27.opportunities for questions. I do not think that as the Prime Minister
:24:28. > :24:29.has gone into these negotiations he has been under any illusions that
:24:30. > :24:34.the differences that exist hn this House.
:24:35. > :24:40.I know that the Leader of the House is not going to tell us tod`y the
:24:41. > :24:43.date of the forthcoming deb`te vote on Trident successor submarhnes but
:24:44. > :24:48.can he at least tell the Hotse whether or not the government has
:24:49. > :24:52.made up its mind to hold thhs debate soon or whether it is deterlined to
:24:53. > :24:57.spin things out and told thd Labour Party Conference in October?
:24:58. > :25:00.Mr Speaker, as my rate on the friend the Prime Minister made cle`r
:25:01. > :25:03.yesterday, he will bring forward this matter for debate at an
:25:04. > :25:08.appropriate moment. In the leantime, perhaps we can have a debatd about
:25:09. > :25:14.these mysterious underwater clones which all render Trident redundant
:25:15. > :25:21.will come from? An Egyptian TV presenter and
:25:22. > :25:28.researcher hosted a religiots talk show. He was sentenced to fhve years
:25:29. > :25:32.in prison and hard labour. On the 2nd of February and 2016 of this
:25:33. > :25:38.year a court upheld his symptoms. The TV show that he posted was a way
:25:39. > :25:48.to debate Islamic interpret`tions which comes under freedom of
:25:49. > :25:51.religion or belief. They have violated their obligations by
:25:52. > :25:56.upholding his sentence. With the Leader of the House tell us the
:25:57. > :26:00.steps that this covenant is taking to secure his release?
:26:01. > :26:03.The honourable gentleman makes an important point, I will makd sure
:26:04. > :26:09.that his concerns are drawn to the attention of the Foreign Secretary,
:26:10. > :26:12.who will, of course, be before the sows on Tuesday beat and yot can put
:26:13. > :26:15.that point to him. I will m`ke sure he is aware of the concerns raised
:26:16. > :26:22.today. Mr Speaker, a few things upset my
:26:23. > :26:28.constituents, but none more so than the new housing development and
:26:29. > :26:31.local infrastructure and doctors and schools, the Housing Ministdr
:26:32. > :26:35.recently in the housing bubble emphasised the importance of local
:26:36. > :26:40.councils giving due consideration to impact on infrastructure, while the
:26:41. > :26:43.Leader of the House give a written statement from the Housing Linister
:26:44. > :26:48.so that local councils can have proper guidance on how to apply that
:26:49. > :26:52.principle? Mr Speaker, this is an important
:26:53. > :26:56.point, it is essential that as development takes place and we do
:26:57. > :26:59.need more housing Minister day, but that the resources are available
:27:00. > :27:03.through development schemes as well as smart local planning to dnsure
:27:04. > :27:06.that the appropriate infrastructure is in place. She makes an ilportant
:27:07. > :27:09.point and I will make sure that ministers are aware of the concerns
:27:10. > :27:14.she has raised. In the 70s and 80s, at least eight
:27:15. > :27:24.young boys in my constituency where sexually abused in homes in the
:27:25. > :27:28.north of Wales. The report has been on the guest of government linisters
:27:29. > :27:33.for at least two months. We understand some of it may bd
:27:34. > :27:38.redacted. If this is truly `n independent report, why is the
:27:39. > :27:43.government sitting upon it? Mr Speaker, I do not know the
:27:44. > :27:47.reasons for the timing of the report, I was setting it up in the
:27:48. > :27:51.first place when I held the role of Justice Secretary. I will p`y
:27:52. > :27:55.tribute to that distinguishdd judge who will have done the job `s
:27:56. > :27:59.effectively as possible. I will make sure the concern you have r`ised is
:28:00. > :28:02.passed to my right honourable friend, the current Justice
:28:03. > :28:09.Secretary, and clearly, knew we wanted to do the right things by the
:28:10. > :28:17.victims. Mr Speaker, you will be delhghted to
:28:18. > :28:25.know that at 1015 this mornhng, my petition to save the hedgehog went
:28:26. > :28:32.live. It can be found at a specific website, I can tell you it later.
:28:33. > :28:36.Stanley Odd is my right honourable friend to archrival members of this
:28:37. > :28:42.House to gather signatures to ensure we have a father debate on saving
:28:43. > :28:46.the hedgehog. I am sure that everyone of ts in the
:28:47. > :28:51.South Today will commend my friend for his determination to pursue this
:28:52. > :28:54.course and for his determin`tion to pursue the protection of a noble
:28:55. > :28:59.species, I congratulate him on what he is doing, the hedgehog is an
:29:00. > :29:05.integral part of our countrx's wildlife. It is, despite wh`t the
:29:06. > :29:09.Shadow Leader says, a very noble species and an important part of our
:29:10. > :29:15.national heritage. I commend him for the work that he is doing. H have no
:29:16. > :29:19.doubt that the petition comlittee when he comes forward with that
:29:20. > :29:26.there will be made time avahlable for a debate on that.
:29:27. > :29:31.My constituent received a two-week fixed penalty notice. One for
:29:32. > :29:38.exiting a car parked in front of the wrong exit, another for parking in a
:29:39. > :29:44.business permit to be. As a result, he was told that he had failed the
:29:45. > :29:48.good character requirement for British citizenship. So, cotld we
:29:49. > :29:54.have a debate on proportion`te decision-making in the Home Office?
:29:55. > :29:58.It is difficult for me to comment on the individual case, clearlx we
:29:59. > :30:02.would want those people who are pie for citizenship to be of good
:30:03. > :30:05.character, but I accept his point, the system has gone wrong b`dly
:30:06. > :30:09.someone must do something about it. The Home Secretary will be here on
:30:10. > :30:12.Monday week for oral questions, I suggest he put that question forward
:30:13. > :30:18.then. Will the Leader of the Housd join me
:30:19. > :30:22.in congratulating the University hospitals of Leicester star NHS
:30:23. > :30:26.Trust who opened the new di`lysis unit in Kettering? It is a state of
:30:27. > :30:34.the art first class ultramodern world standard kidney dialysis unit
:30:35. > :30:38.located near the centre of the town. Can we have a statement frol the
:30:39. > :30:44.Department of Health listing all of the new infrastructure investments
:30:45. > :30:47.in our NHS which are going to make a world of difference to patidnts who
:30:48. > :30:50.need them? My honourable friend makes ` very
:30:51. > :30:52.important point. I am sure this investment was helped on its way by
:30:53. > :30:56.the effectively in which he represents the tone of Kettdring.
:30:57. > :30:59.What I would tell them is that he highlights a very real new
:31:00. > :31:03.investment that is taking place around the National Health Service,
:31:04. > :31:08.new treatments, new equipment all as a result of the extra funding we are
:31:09. > :31:11.putting into the health service Something that the opposition party
:31:12. > :31:18.did not want to do and that the Labour Party in Wales is not doing.
:31:19. > :31:22.Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have a constituent, a single mother of a
:31:23. > :31:25.daughter. She suffers from depression, she has been di`gnosed
:31:26. > :31:30.with dyslexia, she had not had any benefits since July and as len at
:31:31. > :31:34.risk of infection having bedn sanctioned no fewer than five times.
:31:35. > :31:38.She has not been informed of her rights. Can the Leader of the House
:31:39. > :31:41.ensure that she will get a full investigation by ministers
:31:42. > :31:45.personally on this issue? It is difficult for me to comment on
:31:46. > :31:48.the individual case but of the honourable lady writes to md with
:31:49. > :31:52.details of it, I will pass back to the respective ministers to look at
:31:53. > :31:56.the situation. One of the challenges we will face
:31:57. > :32:02.over the coming years as thd need to address our skills gap, not least in
:32:03. > :32:05.terms of engineering. Can wd have a debate on the provision of puality
:32:06. > :32:09.careers advice in our schools and colleges?
:32:10. > :32:11.This is something that I know is a matter of great importance to the
:32:12. > :32:15.Education Secretary and the something that she is working on at
:32:16. > :32:19.the moment. My honourable friend makes an important point, ensuring a
:32:20. > :32:23.smooth transition from school and college into work is an essdntial
:32:24. > :32:26.part of securing the economhc future of this country and one of the
:32:27. > :32:29.things we are trying to do to strengthen that is to incre`se the
:32:30. > :32:40.number of apprenticeships and to make clear to young people that the
:32:41. > :32:42.Apprenticeship Week can be ` powerful and successful route into
:32:43. > :32:44.work for them. Can we have government time for a
:32:45. > :32:50.debate on a consultation on tips and gratuities? His colleague confirmed
:32:51. > :32:57.in a written answer this morning that no government response is a
:32:58. > :33:03.minute. One hotel chain has appeared to take a 50% cut from tips and use
:33:04. > :33:07.it to top up the pay of senhor managers, something describdd as
:33:08. > :33:11.standard industry practice. Can you in confirming this is unaccdptable
:33:12. > :33:14.and artist colleagues to take action?
:33:15. > :33:18.I have taken the view that hf someone is given a tip, thex should
:33:19. > :33:22.keep it or it should be shared amongst other members of st`ff. I
:33:23. > :33:28.know this is an issue the sdcond state takes seriously and I will
:33:29. > :33:33.make sure this concern is p`stor. Marston football club in my
:33:34. > :33:36.constituency established in 190 is fighting for survival, many matches
:33:37. > :33:41.have been postponed because of a flooded pitch and also the clubhouse
:33:42. > :33:45.was raided. This comes at a time of a record TV deal in the Prel beat
:33:46. > :33:50.and we have spoken about ticket pricing in the Premier Leagte. Can
:33:51. > :33:53.we have a debate about the finances in football to make sure th`t not
:33:54. > :34:04.only fans get a fair deal btt committee football clubs do as well?
:34:05. > :34:06.-- Premier League. My honourable friend makes an important point
:34:07. > :34:09.Local football clubs are an essential part of local comlittees
:34:10. > :34:11.and that is the case in his constituency. I will make stre that
:34:12. > :34:14.is passed on to my honourable friend the Sports Minister. I would
:34:15. > :34:18.congratulate him and those `t the club for working to raise charitable
:34:19. > :34:23.funds for the air ambulance service, that suggest to me that this is a
:34:24. > :34:28.really engaged group of people and an engaged couple trying to do the
:34:29. > :34:32.right thing for the local community. Today the Minister of Justice will
:34:33. > :34:41.publish a written statement which may close over 80 courts in England
:34:42. > :34:44.and Wales, surely, Mr Speakdr, a statement of this magnitude must be
:34:45. > :34:48.made on the floor of the Hotse so that ministers can be held to
:34:49. > :34:50.account. Can we have an oral statement on this following the
:34:51. > :34:55.recess? This is something that has been
:34:56. > :34:58.under consideration for somd time, the secretary of state has been here
:34:59. > :35:04.on several occasions, this has been raised, discussed and debatdd
:35:05. > :35:07.previously. It is right that the gum brings forward its conclusions to
:35:08. > :35:11.end this uncertainty. Thank you, Mr Speaker, so it is the
:35:12. > :35:16.year of the monkey this week and I fear this brings out a mystdrious
:35:17. > :35:29.street and people. Mr Speakdr, I am not sure if you are beer, btt you
:35:30. > :35:33.are a rabbit. Some traits are being gentle, elegant, alert, quick and
:35:34. > :35:37.kind. So please be kind to ly! The Leader of the House is indedd a
:35:38. > :35:41.tiger. Often known for being overindulgent, but also known for
:35:42. > :35:46.bravery. Well, you have got to be brave to go up against the diligent,
:35:47. > :35:54.dependable, full of strength and determination, the shadow Ldader of
:35:55. > :36:02.the House, our ox. Many readers may or may not know that the Ch`ncellor
:36:03. > :36:08.is a tag. Sorry, he is a pack. But I will be that there and simply ask
:36:09. > :36:11.that the Leader of the Housd joins the two wish my Chinese Jim Eadie,
:36:12. > :36:20.who are enjoying celebrations this weekend with a happy Chinesd New
:36:21. > :36:26.Year. That night he is a kite. - he is a termite.
:36:27. > :36:31.Yes, I would join and wish `ll Chinese members of committeds across
:36:32. > :36:40.Britain a happy New Year. I must say that I would rather be a tiger than
:36:41. > :36:44.an aux! Yesterday I collected the stpply
:36:45. > :36:50.estimates which despite running to 700 pages describes itself `s a
:36:51. > :36:54.booklet. Can the Minister tdll me what opportunities as a member of
:36:55. > :36:58.Scotland, I will have to debate and amend the specifics of this booklet
:36:59. > :37:00.if I think it has Barnett Formula consequential strike Eagle
:37:01. > :37:04.legislation and what is the deadline for tabling those?
:37:05. > :37:08.This is a matter for the Li`ison Committee. His honourable friend
:37:09. > :37:10.sitting next to him as on that committee, I can't be wrong person
:37:11. > :37:17.to ask. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Everx day we
:37:18. > :37:23.see tragic pictures of people fleeing the horror of Aleppo. We see
:37:24. > :37:29.anxiety building as they ard refused entry into Turkey. We fear that they
:37:30. > :37:34.will make their way across the Mediterranean into Europe. Can we
:37:35. > :37:39.have one day of debate on the international crisis that is facing
:37:40. > :37:43.the world, flooding out of Serbia and how we take responsibilhty for
:37:44. > :37:48.the crisis that is largely being treated by the Assad regime and
:37:49. > :37:52.Russia? I think all of us see what hs
:37:53. > :37:56.happening in Aleppo and are distressed. We want to see peace in
:37:57. > :38:00.that country. As you will know, the secretary of state was in this House
:38:01. > :38:03.at the beginning of this wedk, addressing this issue. We whll
:38:04. > :38:08.continue to put substantial amounts of aid into Serbia and the
:38:09. > :38:10.surrounding areas. She will know that the recent Serie A conference
:38:11. > :38:15.in London raised more money in windy than any previous event of hts kind.
:38:16. > :38:19.I can assure her that in so far as possible for us to do so, this
:38:20. > :38:23.country will do all that we can to facilitate peace in Syria and the
:38:24. > :38:29.reconstruction of that country and the opportunity for people to return
:38:30. > :38:34.to their homes. -- Syria. Many of us were critical of the
:38:35. > :38:38.World Health Organisation in its slowness in dealing with thd Ebola
:38:39. > :38:42.virus disaster in west Africa. There is another crisis emerging from
:38:43. > :38:47.Brazil, the Zika virus. It hs spreading throughout South @merica
:38:48. > :38:52.and beyond. Could we have an urgent debate on this Zika virus and what
:38:53. > :38:58.the impact that is good to have on the rest of the world, and can be
:38:59. > :39:02.large the W H all and other great charities that did step into the
:39:03. > :39:06.beach to act on a ball at qtickly and act now.
:39:07. > :39:12.This is still a matter of great international concern. The tragedy
:39:13. > :39:18.coming from South America, the impact on pregnant women and babies,
:39:19. > :39:23.it is enormously distressing. The government will do all it c`n to
:39:24. > :39:27.help play a role to tackle this crisis. I have no doubt that my
:39:28. > :39:33.right honourable friends, the Foreign Secretary and the... I am
:39:34. > :39:37.sure they will do everything they can to make sure there is an
:39:38. > :39:53.appropriate response. During last week's debate on violence against
:39:54. > :40:02.women, there was a comment `bout discussing human rights -- women's
:40:03. > :40:07.writes, is there any date on this matter, and Kenny asked the
:40:08. > :40:17.Secretary of State -- can hd asked the Secretary of State by the gizmo
:40:18. > :40:26.update if not. I will make sure the Minister is aware of the concern
:40:27. > :40:31.that has been raised. The British Retail Consortium's crime rdport for
:40:32. > :40:38.2014 - 2015 found that therd were 24 issues of violence and abusd power
:40:39. > :40:47.1000 employees, that is up from the previous year. -- for the two
:40:48. > :40:55.issues. Can we have an urgent debate about this an acceptable level of
:40:56. > :41:00.violence against a retail workers? Any violence against the retail
:41:01. > :41:04.worker is unacceptable. The police have many powers to deal with them,
:41:05. > :41:08.and to charge and prosecute, and I hope the police would see this as an
:41:09. > :41:13.important area to take action. Double secretary will be here on
:41:14. > :41:19.Monday week, so she is welcome to also raise this with her. The Leader
:41:20. > :41:27.of the House will probably be aware that within very short order we have
:41:28. > :41:31.had two debates in Westminster regarding the Lubavitch downgrading
:41:32. > :41:43.of assets, and allegations of collusion between banks,
:41:44. > :41:46.receivers... In the case of my constituent,... Over ten cross-party
:41:47. > :41:53.MPs have written to the seldct committee chaired to ask if he will
:41:54. > :41:58.look at this urgently. I have also asked the Serious Fraud Offhce to
:41:59. > :42:00.have a meeting. Is it not thme for a debate on this matter and for the
:42:01. > :42:10.Serious Fraud Office to invdstigate these very serious allegations? I am
:42:11. > :42:21.not aware of these allegations, but he will have our response from the
:42:22. > :42:24.select committee. It is also a matter that the business department
:42:25. > :42:32.should be aware of, and I whll make sure they are. A warning given by a
:42:33. > :42:38.senior Japanese industrialist that the continuing financial fi`sco of
:42:39. > :42:40.Hinkley point is damaging the reputation of Britain
:42:41. > :42:47.internationally and threatening further investment. Can we recognise
:42:48. > :42:51.the problems are terminal and changed to practical technology of
:42:52. > :42:59.tidal power, that is clean, British, free and eternal? Well, as he knows,
:43:00. > :43:05.the government's policy is not to put all eggs in one basket. We have
:43:06. > :43:13.done more than any government regarding renewable energy, but we
:43:14. > :43:19.believe we need a mix of generation in the future, and that will include
:43:20. > :43:23.nuclear. Is a point that, c`n I ask the Leader of the House of the
:43:24. > :43:27.government intends to make ` statement or hold a debate hn
:43:28. > :43:31.government time on the contradictory statements he is making in relation
:43:32. > :43:37.to the government's and the trade union Bill. I am referring to the
:43:38. > :43:40.aforementioned letter for the Minister of skills and qualhties,
:43:41. > :43:44.which is in contrast with the answer he provided to me on the 2nd of
:43:45. > :43:52.February, saying there would be no concessions on facility timd in
:43:53. > :43:56.check. Could the Leader of the House tell us what was his answer to this,
:43:57. > :44:02.or is that also the exclusive property of the Socialist worker
:44:03. > :44:06.newspaper? The issues will be discussed in the other placd and in
:44:07. > :44:17.this place, and we have to wait until then to debate them.
:44:18. > :44:25.The shadow Leader of the Hotse is right, we need a debate on good
:44:26. > :44:34.governance. Need to weighing up the decisions for that settlement. In a
:44:35. > :44:39.society that is free, able to express individual views, none of us
:44:40. > :44:46.seek to gather relatives, even if they agree with us. Can we have a
:44:47. > :44:50.debate about the operation of the child maintenance regulations? I
:44:51. > :44:55.have a constituent whose 17,year-old daughter has moved out of the family
:44:56. > :44:59.home into a third-party property against the will of the famhly, and
:45:00. > :45:10.they have no requested a cl`im of child maintenance against that
:45:11. > :45:14.family. This is an immenselx complex area but most of us who havd been in
:45:15. > :45:18.this House for a long period of time had extensively experienced
:45:19. > :45:23.frustrations with. We all sdek to bring individual cases to the
:45:24. > :45:26.relevant authorities and we will continue to do so, and I am
:45:27. > :45:30.confident the ministers will do their best to ensure the regime in
:45:31. > :45:39.place will deal with the ch`llenges they face in the tragic sittations
:45:40. > :45:44.around family breakdown. On the 21st of January I asked for the Leader of
:45:45. > :45:49.the House to get the meeting the prime Minister promised with my
:45:50. > :45:57.constituents regarding the scandal of the baby Ashes. I have hdard
:45:58. > :46:03.nothing. I also asked the Mhnister for Justice and the 26th of January,
:46:04. > :46:10.and I have not heard from hdr either. Politicians need to keep
:46:11. > :46:15.their promises, and we would like this meeting. I have checked on this
:46:16. > :46:19.and I think she has possiblx misinterpreted the response. If the
:46:20. > :46:27.ministerial meeting has not come through I will follow it today. The
:46:28. > :46:33.flooding in your was devast`ting for so many because so many could not
:46:34. > :46:38.afford insurance. The government still have not applied for the EU
:46:39. > :46:42.Solidarity fund. Can we havd an urgent statement as to why that has
:46:43. > :46:49.not taken place and what progress is being made? The government's
:46:50. > :46:54.approach is being trying to get finance on those who need it
:46:55. > :46:58.quickly, rather than complicated bidding processes. If you look at
:46:59. > :47:06.the amounts of money providdd, I think we have done the right thing.
:47:07. > :47:08.Last Saturday marked the 126th anniversary of the landmark colliery
:47:09. > :47:17.disaster in my constituency in which a number of men and boys lost their
:47:18. > :47:23.lives. Can we have a debate on the sacrifices made by miners and their
:47:24. > :47:28.families and communities ovdr generations? There is no dotbt that
:47:29. > :47:33.mining communities played a huge role in this country. They provided
:47:34. > :47:38.the energy which kept this country going for decades. I am glad that
:47:39. > :47:44.today we can provide energy sources from a variety of different areas so
:47:45. > :47:50.we do not have too subject those workers to those conditions today.
:47:51. > :48:03.Order. Statement, the Secretary of State for health, Secretary Jeremy
:48:04. > :48:06.Hunt. Nearly three years ago today the government first sat down with
:48:07. > :48:10.the British Medical Association to negotiate a contract for junior
:48:11. > :48:15.doctors. Both sides agreed that the current arrangements drawn tp in
:48:16. > :48:18.1999 were not fit for purpose. And that the system of paying for a
:48:19. > :48:27.unsociable hours was unfair. Under the existing contact, Dutch
:48:28. > :48:29.contract, doctors can receive different pay for different
:48:30. > :48:32.unsociable hours. Doctors p`ying nights can be paid the same as those
:48:33. > :48:33.who