:00:00. > :00:00.the Committee on Standards in Public Life? Yes. Thank you. Order,
:00:00. > :00:00.business question, Mr Chris Bryant. Will the Leader of the House give us
:00:00. > :00:12.the forthcoming business? The Leader of the House. Mr Chris Grayling. Mr
:00:13. > :00:15.Speaker, can I start by in forming the House that the State Opening of
:00:16. > :00:23.the next session of Parliament will take place on Wednesday the eighth
:00:24. > :00:26.info of May. -- the 18th of May. I am also very pleased to announce the
:00:27. > :00:32.calendar for this House for the remainder of the year. The House
:00:33. > :00:35.will rise for the early May bank holiday on Thursday the 20th of
:00:36. > :00:42.April and return on Tuesday the 3rd of May. For the Whitsun recess, the
:00:43. > :00:45.House will rise at the conclusion of business on Thursday the 26th of May
:00:46. > :00:51.and will return on Monday the 6th of June. Members will wish to know that
:00:52. > :00:54.additionally, the House will rise at the conclusion of business on
:00:55. > :00:58.Wednesday the 15th of June and return on Monday the 27th of June.
:00:59. > :01:03.The House will rise for the summer recess at the conclusion of business
:01:04. > :01:13.on the 21st of July and will return on Monday the 5th of December. --
:01:14. > :01:16.Monday the 5th of September. The House will then return on Monday the
:01:17. > :01:21.10th of October. The House will rise on the 8th of November and return on
:01:22. > :01:24.the 14th of November. And finally, for the Christmas recess, the House
:01:25. > :01:28.will rise at the conclusion of business on Tuesday the 20th of
:01:29. > :01:35.December and return on Monday the 9th of January 20 17. All dates are
:01:36. > :01:39.as usual, as they have been in the last few weeks, Mr Speaker, subject
:01:40. > :01:43.to the progress of business. On that question, next week, on Monday the
:01:44. > :01:44.14th of March, we will have the remaining stages of the energy bill
:01:45. > :02:01.in the Lords. On Wednesday 16th of March the
:02:02. > :02:07.Chancellor of the Exchequer will deliver his Budget Statement is. On
:02:08. > :02:12.Thursday 17th of March, continuation of the budget debate. 18th of March,
:02:13. > :02:19.the house will not sit. For the week commencing 21st of March, a
:02:20. > :02:32.continuation and conclusion of the budget debate. On Wednesday and
:02:33. > :02:38.Thursday, the high-speed rail is built. My thanks on behalf of the
:02:39. > :02:43.house to all of those who have been involved in the extended considering
:02:44. > :02:51.phase of the committee stage of that bill. On Friday the 25th of March,
:02:52. > :02:57.the house will not be sitting. The business in Westminster Hall for the
:02:58. > :03:03.17th-21st of March will be a general debate on cabin air safety and aero
:03:04. > :03:11.toxic syndrome. A debate on contract did go see Asians with the British
:03:12. > :03:14.Medical Association. Mr Speaker, I am delighted that the leader has
:03:15. > :03:19.confirmed the recess dates which I announced three weeks ago. I'm glad
:03:20. > :03:28.he is catching up. I have to say, the decision to hold the Queen 's
:03:29. > :03:32.speech on the 18th of May is a profound mistake. Whatever the
:03:33. > :03:37.government's intentions, they will be misconstrued. We have already
:03:38. > :03:46.seen that the Brexit campaign are so desperate that they are trying to
:03:47. > :03:52.claim members of the Royal family to their cause. Lay off the Queen and
:03:53. > :03:59.think again. The delay on the decision on Heathrow is hurting
:04:00. > :04:07.business. The longest delayed child obesity campaign is hurting
:04:08. > :04:10.children. The Prime Minister even mentioned the bill on phone masts
:04:11. > :04:16.yesterday but we have been calling it for years. Why don't they publish
:04:17. > :04:20.the electronic Communications code tomorrow? Has the government learned
:04:21. > :04:29.anything from yesterday? How to count, perhaps? The way ministers
:04:30. > :04:34.handle the enterprise Bill was a classic case of how not to do it.
:04:35. > :04:40.They let it go through the Lords without mentioning Sunday trading
:04:41. > :04:47.which they inserting upstairs in committee and at one point ministers
:04:48. > :04:51.forgot to vote. They were generously allowed a second chance. They tabled
:04:52. > :04:57.a manuscript amendment to their own amendment. Some people have said
:04:58. > :05:03.they are being too clever by half. To be honest, I think they are just
:05:04. > :05:08.a little dim. There were many managements to rebels yesterday,
:05:09. > :05:13.arms were twisted, the Chief Whip explained the facts of life to
:05:14. > :05:18.recover to members. The Cabinet secretary tried to be charming. That
:05:19. > :05:24.was so terrifying that one rebel turned company a grey and may never
:05:25. > :05:30.gain the power of speech again and after all that they lost. Can you
:05:31. > :05:35.hear that sound? It is the sound of the slow ebbing out down the beach
:05:36. > :05:43.of the authority of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the
:05:44. > :05:47.X. I offered this advice for free, this house doesn't like sharp
:05:48. > :05:53.practice. Stop trying to pull a fast one and do things the proper way.
:05:54. > :05:58.Isn't it time we abandoned evil. Last night we had the hilarious
:05:59. > :06:04.sight of government ministers staring at you in blank amazement
:06:05. > :06:08.when you suspended the house. When the member for North Perthshire
:06:09. > :06:12.asked the chairman 's former ways and means who should know the answer
:06:13. > :06:18.if he could explain, he made it clear he didn't have the foggiest
:06:19. > :06:23.idea. Looking at the Minister for small business, there was a desert
:06:24. > :06:30.of vast eternity between their ears. Nobody understands it. It wastes
:06:31. > :06:37.time and hasn't made a difference to a single decision. It is time to
:06:38. > :06:44.abandon it. I note that the leader is giving a Brexit speech today. We
:06:45. > :06:49.are agog. Did he get approval from the Prime Minister or from the
:06:50. > :06:54.actual leader of the out campaign, the Justice Secretary? Can he
:06:55. > :06:59.guarantee that his special advisers were not involved in briefing papers
:07:00. > :07:03.on his speech and won't be attending the speech because the cabinet
:07:04. > :07:12.secretary has explicitly instructed that specialist advisers may not do
:07:13. > :07:15.so during office hours. He and I have one thing in common, the Labour
:07:16. > :07:22.Party auctioned the opportunity to swim with sharks with me on Tuesday
:07:23. > :07:28.night instead of attending a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, I
:07:29. > :07:37.fear he may be swimming with the fishes after the 23rd of June. The
:07:38. > :07:47.Business Select Committee has two Mike Ashley demanding that he gave
:07:48. > :07:53.evidence on his company's decidedly shady practices which he has refused
:07:54. > :08:00.to do. This is a hideous company. 80% of staff in one warehouse is an
:08:01. > :08:09.zero hours contract. Staff are subjected to a 50 minute search on
:08:10. > :08:17.paid -- 15 minute search on paid at the end of every day. Can the
:08:18. > :08:23.committee ordered Mr Ashley to appear and they can force him if
:08:24. > :08:28.necessary to be arraigned before the bar of the house. He might be the
:08:29. > :08:32.22nd richest man in Britain but he is running a modern day sweatshop
:08:33. > :08:40.and this house will get to the truth. Surely, if we are to
:08:41. > :08:48.criticise the working practices of sports direct, we should put our own
:08:49. > :08:54.house in order. The cost of agency staff in this house has quadrupled.
:08:55. > :09:00.They represent one in 12 members of staff. That means that the house is
:09:01. > :09:05.paying substantially more than the employee gets and the employee will
:09:06. > :09:09.get no share in the tips. Should we not bring the staff in-house and
:09:10. > :09:13.make sure that everyone gets a fair share of the tips when we give them.
:09:14. > :09:23.Finally, happy birthday to my father for tomorrow. Delighted to send many
:09:24. > :09:26.happy returns to the honourable gentleman's father and also to
:09:27. > :09:31.celebrate another important occasion. Tomorrow is the centenary
:09:32. > :09:40.of the birth of Harold Wilson. I think it is worth marking that. I
:09:41. > :09:45.think a lot of people made the case for having a statue of him in this
:09:46. > :09:48.place and there is a lot to be said for this. I hope they work about
:09:49. > :09:55.committee will give consideration to it. At the moment we celebrate his
:09:56. > :09:59.life because 41 years ago he was the first person to give others a
:10:00. > :10:08.referendum on the membership of the European Union. I hope to be part of
:10:09. > :10:13.a winning side as well. Mr Speaker, the other thing about Harold Wilson
:10:14. > :10:17.is that he is a former Labour Prime Minister that they are still happy
:10:18. > :10:26.to talk about. In today's world, that is a rarity. The shadow leader
:10:27. > :10:32.went on about the Queens speech. I don't understand what he is talking
:10:33. > :10:36.about. He is talking on one hand about a zombie parliament with
:10:37. > :10:40.nothing to do but now he is complaining about important measures
:10:41. > :10:45.that will help reform the country. When they talk about a zombie
:10:46. > :10:48.parliament, last Monday, we brought forward the policing and crime Bill,
:10:49. > :10:52.an important set of measures that will make a difference to policing
:10:53. > :10:57.in this country. We were here debating it. Where were the Labour
:10:58. > :11:03.Party? They Bailey turned up and business finished early. We do not
:11:04. > :11:10.have a zombie parliament but a zombie opposition. -- they barely
:11:11. > :11:15.turned up. He spoke about the authority of the prime ministers
:11:16. > :11:20.seeping away. Coming from the Labour Party today with the authority of
:11:21. > :11:25.their leader seeping away, it is frankly unbelievable. We sit here in
:11:26. > :11:30.prime ministers questions each week and look at the faces of the party
:11:31. > :11:37.opposite as their leader asks questions. The shadow leader's base
:11:38. > :11:42.is a picture because we know what he thinks about is leader. They are
:11:43. > :11:49.profoundly depressed, miserable. To the extant that the day we have the
:11:50. > :11:54.first speech in the next Labour ship leader contest. The shadow leader
:11:55. > :11:57.axed about the speech I am going to be given today. I have already given
:11:58. > :12:14.it. He clearly wasn't paying attention. Surprisingly enough, I'm
:12:15. > :12:21.not after his support. LAUGHTER The evil procedure he talked about,
:12:22. > :12:26.we stood on a manifesto of giving the British a share in the
:12:27. > :12:34.devolution settlement. If it is now the Labour Party's policy to say to
:12:35. > :12:38.English voters, we will take a way you're part of the devolution
:12:39. > :12:43.settlement, I look forward to having that debate on the doorsteps and at
:12:44. > :12:45.the ballot box. On the question of Mike Ashley and the Business Select
:12:46. > :12:51.Committee, it should always be the case that this house seeks to bring
:12:52. > :12:56.somebody before it, and they should be free to do so and it should
:12:57. > :13:02.happen unequivocally. On the subject of employees in this house, I
:13:03. > :13:05.remember that the honourable gentleman is a member of the
:13:06. > :13:10.committee that discusses how we spend money in the house. I'm sure
:13:11. > :13:17.he will bring the matter to the commission and we will discuss it.
:13:18. > :13:25.This weekend is the denoument of the Rugby six Nations between England
:13:26. > :13:30.and Wales at Twickenham. I say, may the best team win. The one thing we
:13:31. > :13:37.can be sure about is that although he will not be singing Delilah this
:13:38. > :13:41.weekend, as a Republican, I look forward to a good old blast of God
:13:42. > :13:51.Save The Queen and I am sure you will be joining the amp on Saturday.
:13:52. > :13:54.Next week I will be going to read Brock Hayes community primary School
:13:55. > :13:59.in Brereton which has been rated good following a couple of years of
:14:00. > :14:03.hard work and commitment from the headteacher Chris Gaffney and his
:14:04. > :14:06.team. Can we have a debate in government time about the progress
:14:07. > :14:14.being made in terms of improving school standards? My honourable
:14:15. > :14:23.friend makes an important point. And happy birthday for Saturday, as
:14:24. > :14:27.well. We have made enormous progress on improving educational standards.
:14:28. > :14:31.I pay tribute to the headteacher she makes reference to an all of those
:14:32. > :14:41.in her constituency who are making a difference for the young people of
:14:42. > :14:45.Cannock Chase. Let's see if we can get through this business quite
:14:46. > :14:49.quickly so the house can resume its core business of slapping off the
:14:50. > :14:58.Right honourable friend the Prime Minister. I have an elegant solution
:14:59. > :15:15.how we discover whether the Queen is for Brexit or not? Yesterday the
:15:16. > :15:21.government were defeated... He said what he said but for the benefit of
:15:22. > :15:28.the house and new members, we don't discuss the views of the monarch in
:15:29. > :15:32.this chamber. There have been debates occasionally on matters are
:15:33. > :15:36.pertaining to the Royal family but we don't discuss that matter and
:15:37. > :15:42.it's better that we leave it there. Please continue. Absolutely right.
:15:43. > :15:48.We will leave it to government figures to do that. Yesterday, the
:15:49. > :15:54.government were defeated and it was the SNP what won it. We can't take
:15:55. > :15:59.exclusive credit for that incredible victory. We did have some friends
:16:00. > :16:07.who also helped. THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER
:16:08. > :16:12.We really enjoyed the wailing and gnashing of conservative teeth.
:16:13. > :16:17.There was something almost delicious about the ways the Tories lashed out
:16:18. > :16:22.at the SNP after this government having imposed English votes for
:16:23. > :16:26.English laws criticised our temerity for getting up and supporting
:16:27. > :16:30.Scottish workers. Does the government believe for a minute that
:16:31. > :16:41.normal rules stand when it comes to issues like that? What about this
:16:42. > :16:47.rule? Nobody had a clue what was going on yesterday. I asked the
:16:48. > :16:55.Deputy Speaker what was going on and he didn't have a clue. You would
:16:56. > :17:00.need an advanced degree in madness to understand what is going on with
:17:01. > :17:04.the dog 's breakfast that is English votes for English laws. The time has
:17:05. > :17:09.come to abandon the plan that doesn't work. If there was some
:17:10. > :17:12.accidental consequence for the support of the European leave
:17:13. > :17:20.campaign it will be his legacy. What a legacy to leave this house?
:17:21. > :17:28.I want to support the calls yesterday for my right honourable
:17:29. > :17:31.friend the member for Moray on the treatment of asylum seekers in this
:17:32. > :17:37.country. Perhaps we could have a proper look at the use of private
:17:38. > :17:42.services when it comes to the treatment of asylum seekers in this
:17:43. > :17:46.country. Lastly, we are also grateful to the Leader of the House
:17:47. > :17:50.for announcing the recess dates and the announcement that there will be
:17:51. > :17:55.after all a Queen's Speech in advance of the referendum. But once
:17:56. > :17:57.again what we find with the recess dates, they do not cover the
:17:58. > :18:03.Scottish National Party conference. We are the third largest party. It
:18:04. > :18:06.covers the Liberal conference, Mr Speaker. So can I get a guarantee
:18:07. > :18:10.from the Leader of the House that the 14th of October will be a norm
:18:11. > :18:15.sitting day so that the second party of this House can also get to its
:18:16. > :18:19.conference. Once again, what we find with all this time off that we have
:18:20. > :18:25.in the summer, we find that it does not include the Scottish school
:18:26. > :18:28.holidays once again. My honourable friends, they want to spend time
:18:29. > :18:32.with their families, as honourable members across there will be able to
:18:33. > :18:43.do from other parts of the United Kingdom. We need to get this sorted
:18:44. > :18:47.for next year, Mr Speaker. First of all, can I thank you for what you
:18:48. > :18:51.have just said about the Queen and the Royal Family, Mr Speaker. The
:18:52. > :18:55.one thing which it is always appropriate to say in this House is
:18:56. > :18:58.how much we value our monarchy and we appreciate the magnificent job
:18:59. > :19:04.she does for our nation. With regard to the events yesterday, phrase, it
:19:05. > :19:07.was the SNP what one it. I have a high regard for my honourable
:19:08. > :19:11.friend, but yesterday was one of those occasions where it is very
:19:12. > :19:15.clear how far away from political principle the SNP can find itself.
:19:16. > :19:21.You cannot on the one hand talk about the importance, as they have
:19:22. > :19:25.always done, of standing aside from matters which are England only, and
:19:26. > :19:29.then diving in when it is opportunistic for them to do so.
:19:30. > :19:34.That is a party of opportunism, I'm a friend, not a party of principle.
:19:35. > :19:38.And I listen and again to the honourable gentleman's words about
:19:39. > :19:43.English votes for English laws. As he knows, I was in Scotland last
:19:44. > :19:46.week supporting our fine team campaigning in the Scottish
:19:47. > :19:51.elections there. One of the Scottish members said to me, that Mr Wishart,
:19:52. > :19:55.he is very hysterical, isn't he? I had to reassure him and say, he is
:19:56. > :20:00.actually a nice guy behind the scenes. But when I hear comments
:20:01. > :20:03.like his ones this morning, I can understand why some of the people in
:20:04. > :20:08.Scotland get the wrong idea about him. On the asylum seekers, it is a
:20:09. > :20:12.matter the Home Secretary takes seriously. We will always do our
:20:13. > :20:18.best to make sure that people in this country are treated humanely.
:20:19. > :20:22.Clearly I owe him an apology regarding the SNP conference. I had
:20:23. > :20:26.thought that making sure he had the opportunity to be here on the first
:20:27. > :20:30.day of the SNP conference was a help to him rather than a hindrance,
:20:31. > :20:33.because I never had the sense that he was desperate to get there. I
:20:34. > :20:37.thought that as this year, we would enjoy being here on the first day of
:20:38. > :20:42.conference. Clearly we will have to look at whether we do the same thing
:20:43. > :20:50.next year. And finally, I have some bad news for him. He has
:20:51. > :20:54.competition. As he may know, there are people on this side of the House
:20:55. > :21:00.who are also now making some fine music and I have to say, I think the
:21:01. > :21:03.honourable member looks like being tough competition for him when it
:21:04. > :21:12.comes to Eurovision next year. May the best man or woman win. Mr
:21:13. > :21:14.Speaker, it will not have escaped the Leader of the House that
:21:15. > :21:18.depending on how the business pans out today, in particular the
:21:19. > :21:22.Northern Ireland business, there is a likelihood that the very important
:21:23. > :21:25.debate at the end of the day on the way in which our acts of Parliament
:21:26. > :21:39.are recorded may be squeezed out, possibly completely. Will the Leader
:21:40. > :21:42.of the House now find government time for substantive debate on the
:21:43. > :21:46.matter so that we can let the House of Lords know what we think about
:21:47. > :21:50.it? This is of course a subject which has been brought forward on a
:21:51. > :21:55.backbench day. I think it is appropriate to be a matter for the
:21:56. > :21:59.House and not something which government time is made available
:22:00. > :22:04.for. And so as the Chair of the backbench committee is here today,
:22:05. > :22:08.if he is not able to move his debate today, then the opportunity will be
:22:09. > :22:15.found to bring that matter to the House. I am sure that that will be
:22:16. > :22:18.the case. I am grateful also to the Leader of the House for the
:22:19. > :22:23.announcement of the future business. And with the date of the State
:22:24. > :22:27.Opening be announced for the 18th of May, can I remind the Leader of the
:22:28. > :22:30.House that it is a standing order the House that the backbench
:22:31. > :22:34.business committee be awarded 27 days of business time within a
:22:35. > :22:38.session. We are still some way short of that. And we are expecting a glut
:22:39. > :22:43.of backbench business in the five weeks which remain after Easter and
:22:44. > :22:48.the State Opening. I would add one personal thing - if we do get this
:22:49. > :22:52.to Mike Ashley into This Place, can we also question him about the
:22:53. > :22:56.terrible running of Newcastle United Football Club at the same time? I do
:22:57. > :23:01.not want to diminish the importance of the employment practices of
:23:02. > :23:06.Sports Direct, but I'm afraid to say that based on the management of
:23:07. > :23:11.Newcastle United, I do not expect a very big party at a brewery any time
:23:12. > :23:16.soon. It is tough being a Newcastle supporter at the moment. I wish him
:23:17. > :23:19.and his team well for the rest of the season. There is time to escape
:23:20. > :23:31.the relegation zone and I have no doubt he will be cheering from the
:23:32. > :23:34.stands. I have no doubt that he is going to be seeking more time over
:23:35. > :23:38.the next few weeks. I am not sure we are quite in agreement on the
:23:39. > :23:42.numbers. But we will have a proper discussion about that. I hope he
:23:43. > :23:46.would note that in response to his request we did make a protected time
:23:47. > :23:49.available for a debate on Tuesday. We will obviously look at doing that
:23:50. > :23:58.in the future where it is important to do so. On Saturday, I joined the
:23:59. > :24:01.Dartmoor search and rescue team and learnt that 70% of calls to the
:24:02. > :24:06.service come from within the boundaries of Plymouth, many in Home
:24:07. > :24:12.Park, due to elderly people getting lost. Can we have a debate on how we
:24:13. > :24:17.might support these excellent volunteers, who get no money from
:24:18. > :24:20.central government? Mr Speaker, my honourable friend makes an important
:24:21. > :24:24.point. One thing I have suggested before is that the back edge
:24:25. > :24:27.business committee might consider holding a four-day debate when one
:24:28. > :24:31.is available on volunteering in this country. There are a large number of
:24:32. > :24:37.members who would like to pay tribute to the work done in their
:24:38. > :24:41.constituency. I cannot resist simply drawing attention to a news story
:24:42. > :24:54.this week that a council in East Anglia has appointed the first
:24:55. > :24:58.hedgehog tsar. It is clear that his campaign is already making a
:24:59. > :25:03.difference. Last week I was approached by retailers facing an
:25:04. > :25:07.affordable business rates due to the end of the business rates retail
:25:08. > :25:10.relief. Can we have a debate to discuss whether the government plans
:25:11. > :25:17.to subsidise these retailers, many of whom would have to close as a
:25:18. > :25:20.result of the rises average Mr Speaker, of course we are all very
:25:21. > :25:24.concerned about the future of the high street. This is a matter which
:25:25. > :25:28.certainly can be brought up during the debate on the budget next week.
:25:29. > :25:32.I do not yet know whether the Chancellor has any plans in this
:25:33. > :25:35.area, but she will want to make the case for her constituency in the
:25:36. > :25:42.four days of debate which followed a budget. It is very much one of the
:25:43. > :25:45.matters on the agenda. Today we are starting a consultation on the
:25:46. > :25:55.designs following the terrible flooding we had in 2011 on the River
:25:56. > :26:00.Parrett. I am grateful for the support from across the House. This
:26:01. > :26:04.is massively important. 12% of my district council were underwater in
:26:05. > :26:08.2011. The history and the lessons we are learning in the south and the
:26:09. > :26:13.north of the UK, is there a time to have a statement in this House?
:26:14. > :26:17.First of all, pay tribute to buy honourable friend, who has been a
:26:18. > :26:22.more than effective advocate for his constituency and for the areas of
:26:23. > :26:24.Somerset affected by flooding. I know lessons have been learned and
:26:25. > :26:31.some significant steps have been taken since. There will be another
:26:32. > :26:40.occasion next Thursday to question the Environment Secretary, which I
:26:41. > :26:50.am sure he will do. When can we discuss early day motion 1182, which
:26:51. > :26:53.takes us into the forbidden area that the views of the monarchy
:26:54. > :26:57.cannot be discussed in This Place, and only in This Place - it can be
:26:58. > :27:01.discussed everywhere else. But it does raise the conduct of a
:27:02. > :27:07.well-documented conspiracy between Sir Jeremy Heywood and Sir
:27:08. > :27:10.Christopher guide at a time when the Scottish referendum appeared to be
:27:11. > :27:15.in trouble from the governance Ali point of view. And it is alleged
:27:16. > :27:19.that these two gentlemen conspired to put the Queen'sopinion into the
:27:20. > :27:23.public domain. Is it not important that we discuss those who give
:27:24. > :27:31.advice to the Royal Family, because their main function is to act in
:27:32. > :27:37.situations where a Prime Minister is acting in her or his own interests
:27:38. > :27:39.against the interests of the country, and then, the
:27:40. > :27:44.politicisation of the monarchy would mean that they could not act in
:27:45. > :27:49.those situations, and any exposure of the Royal Family 's views
:27:50. > :27:56.threatens the and continuation of the institution? There are rather
:27:57. > :28:00.large numbers of conspiracy theories in this world. If we spent all that
:28:01. > :28:03.time in this House discussing them, we would not get around to
:28:04. > :28:07.discussing the serious business of the nation. Therefore I regret I
:28:08. > :28:12.think we will not be discussing that particular issue. Can I say, right
:28:13. > :28:16.honourable friend how pleased I am that the House will be sitting on
:28:17. > :28:20.the 26th of May, because that will be the seventh anniversary of the
:28:21. > :28:23.Prime Minister's famous speech on fixing broken politics, in which he
:28:24. > :28:30.called for more backbench power, more free votes and less pudding.
:28:31. > :28:42.Cowie on that occasion have a debate -- less whipping -- on the progress
:28:43. > :28:44.made on those principles?! Independent spirit on the
:28:45. > :28:50.backbenches is certainly not something which is lacking in this
:28:51. > :28:56.Parliament. This day week is St Patrick's Day. Yesterday I tabled a
:28:57. > :28:59.request that the government bring forward legislative proposals
:29:00. > :29:04.because it is not a devolved matter, to make St Patrick's Day a public
:29:05. > :29:11.holiday in Northern Ireland. Will the Leader of the House facilitate a
:29:12. > :29:15.debate about this important issue? Well, Mr Speaker, of course it is a
:29:16. > :29:18.subject she feels strongly about. I think we always have to be careful
:29:19. > :29:21.about granting too many extra bank honoured a is because of the
:29:22. > :29:25.economic impact on the areas. I am sure she will bring forward an
:29:26. > :29:28.adjournment debate and bring a minister to the House to make the
:29:29. > :29:33.point which she has raised this morning. Would my right honourable
:29:34. > :29:38.friend find time for a debate on the practice of big businesses trying to
:29:39. > :29:41.stop members of Parliament doing their democratic duty and raising
:29:42. > :29:48.constituentss' concerns in This Place? Outrageously, national
:29:49. > :29:51.express group plc has written to the Noble Lord Fellman, the chairman of
:29:52. > :29:55.the Conservative Party, complaining that I have been raising in This
:29:56. > :30:04.Place issues regarding my constituents' anxieties over CQC
:30:05. > :30:07.timetable changes. Mr Speaker, I suspect that National Express May
:30:08. > :30:11.Need A New Political Advisers. One Thing You Can Be Certain Of Is That
:30:12. > :30:14.Writing A Letter Of Complaint About My Honourable Friend Is Likely To
:30:15. > :30:26.Make Him More Zealous, Rather Than Less Zealous. And rightly so! At
:30:27. > :30:31.seven a this morning, a report was produced on the energy market
:30:32. > :30:36.investigation. I welcome this report. It focuses on prepayment
:30:37. > :30:41.users and the hashtag prepay rip-off. I have had an adjournment
:30:42. > :30:44.Abate, I have written to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State
:30:45. > :30:47.and the response has been inadequate. Will the Leader of the
:30:48. > :30:51.House make government time so that we can have a proper discussion,
:30:52. > :30:54.which is urgently needed in this House, to explore the CMA's
:30:55. > :30:58.recommendation, which the minister said that she will in ferment? Of
:30:59. > :31:03.course, the Energy Secretary will be here in ten days to do just that. If
:31:04. > :31:06.she wants to raise matters before that, I suggest she writes and I
:31:07. > :31:11.will make the Energy Secretary aware that she will be raising the issue
:31:12. > :31:16.at that point. In the first half of last year, six cyclists were fatally
:31:17. > :31:20.injured in London following collisions with HGV four. Would he
:31:21. > :31:25.find time in the Parliamentary calendar to debate the costs and
:31:26. > :31:30.benefits of restricting HGVs from city centres at rush-hour times?
:31:31. > :31:35.This is a deeply important matter. We have seen far too many tragedies
:31:36. > :31:39.in recent times, sometimes deaths are sometimes serious injuries. The
:31:40. > :31:42.issue has been widely raised as a matter of concern, including by the
:31:43. > :31:46.Times newspaper, which tragically saw one of its members of staff
:31:47. > :31:50.seriously injured in an accident with an HGV. We want to take all
:31:51. > :31:54.possible steps to improve the situation. The Mayor of London has
:31:55. > :31:55.taken a lead on this. We will continue to look at different ideas
:31:56. > :32:05.on improving the situation. This week we saw the Premier League
:32:06. > :32:15.make the good announcement that all clubs will cap the cost of away
:32:16. > :32:18.tickets at ?30. More pressing for fans, particularly Middlesbrough
:32:19. > :32:23.fans who will be watching their team at Charlton is the changing of
:32:24. > :32:31.fixtures. Their recent game was supposed to be on Saturday. Many
:32:32. > :32:35.fans made arrangements and will not be able to attend due to changing
:32:36. > :32:41.those arrangements. With television coverage having such dominance over
:32:42. > :32:51.coverage, can we have a debate about that? TV coverage has brought the
:32:52. > :32:59.ability to watch matches to a much broader audience but I absolutely
:33:00. > :33:04.understand the point he is making. I do not support last-minute changes
:33:05. > :33:22.to arrangements. Can we have a debate on oral
:33:23. > :33:28.payments agency? Does the leader share my constituency concerns that
:33:29. > :33:37.some small shrubs up our farmers -- some small Shropshire farmers have
:33:38. > :33:44.still not been paid causing great hardship. It is not acceptable for
:33:45. > :33:50.small farmers to be left in a position where their cash flows are
:33:51. > :33:57.left inappropriately stretched. A series of payments have been made
:33:58. > :34:06.covering the full range of small and medium-sized farm businesses across
:34:07. > :34:09.the industry. 83% of medium farm businesses have received payments
:34:10. > :34:12.but the Secretary of State is well aware of the need to complete this
:34:13. > :34:18.job and we do not want to see farmers under undue pressure and it
:34:19. > :34:25.is not fair for them to be left high and dry. As chairman of the
:34:26. > :34:33.all-party kidney disease group, can I say, welcome to world kidney Day.
:34:34. > :34:38.Polycystic kidney disease accounts for one in four kidney dialysis
:34:39. > :34:42.patients and transplants. I know that the leader of the house is
:34:43. > :34:49.allergic to anything to do with Brussels but the polycystic kidney
:34:50. > :34:55.disease Association do have a Brussels declaration which calls for
:34:56. > :35:01.a coordinated approach to the disease, funding of research,
:35:02. > :35:09.patient centre care parts ways as well as to those knowledge --
:35:10. > :35:15.knowledgeable about this disease. Can we have a debate about this
:35:16. > :35:20.matter? I understand the need to provide high-quality services to
:35:21. > :35:24.patients affected. To my mind, the important thing is to take the right
:35:25. > :35:30.decisions for patients in this country which is what the government
:35:31. > :35:39.is doing through Investment In Health Care. Can we have a vote on
:35:40. > :35:46.English votes for English laws. The farce that we had yesterday showed
:35:47. > :35:50.that we don't have English votes for English laws and it was made
:35:51. > :35:56.abundantly clear yesterday. Can we have a debate to get it straight and
:35:57. > :36:00.out once and for all to find out what the English public think is
:36:01. > :36:08.meant by English votes for English laws? Can we have a policy on the
:36:09. > :36:16.fact that every time the SNP vote on an issue that only effects England,
:36:17. > :36:24.we deliver it Act two Holyrood for them? My honourable friend has
:36:25. > :36:34.innovative ideas to deal with the situation. He is right to talk about
:36:35. > :36:42.principles and the SNP. We said that they would have the ability to say
:36:43. > :36:50.no to measures enforced upon them by other parts of the UK. We now know
:36:51. > :36:54.that they not only want to interfere in matters like those discussed
:36:55. > :36:58.yesterday but they also want to team up with the Labour Party and impose
:36:59. > :37:07.an England solution is that the English do not want. I have been
:37:08. > :37:13.approached by small businesses in my area regarding the Chancellor's
:37:14. > :37:18.decision to end the business rate relief scheme for small businesses
:37:19. > :37:25.from April this year. Around 1000 small shops in the borough of
:37:26. > :37:31.Rochdale will face extra bills of up to ?1500. For many small shops, that
:37:32. > :37:36.is the difference between survival and going bust. Can we have an
:37:37. > :37:43.urgent debate on government time on this important subject? The answer
:37:44. > :37:47.is yes. It will start next Wednesday and the party opposite will have the
:37:48. > :37:55.chance to speak and vote on these matters if they choose to do so.
:37:56. > :37:58.Following yesterday's deliberations on Sunday trading, can I
:37:59. > :38:09.congratulate the government on the precedent they have set with the
:38:10. > :38:15.family test alongside legislation conceding the negative impact on the
:38:16. > :38:19.family. Can they confirm that all primary and secondary legislation
:38:20. > :38:22.will have a family test at the beginning of proceedings and what
:38:23. > :38:29.will happen when legislation does not pass the family test? Of course,
:38:30. > :38:34.the purpose of impact assessments and family tests is to enable the
:38:35. > :38:40.house to take an informed decision. These tests are less about an
:38:41. > :38:45.individual bar over which a measure need to jump and more about a
:38:46. > :38:49.package of information that can inform decisions. We intend to keep
:38:50. > :38:58.the house as fully informed as possible so they can take decisions.
:38:59. > :39:01.I raised the question of a constituent who was imprisoned in
:39:02. > :39:27.Israel. What action is the government taking
:39:28. > :39:41.regarding the worrying rise in blasphemy charges in Egypt? I
:39:42. > :39:49.commend his stand in protecting the Christian faith. I am aware of the
:39:50. > :39:56.concerns he has raised today. Following Tim Peake's call for
:39:57. > :40:03.pupils in Brecon and Radnorshire, can I ask my right honourable friend
:40:04. > :40:08.if we can have a debate on promoting the sciences as an option to pupils
:40:09. > :40:15.so that Britain can capitalise on our Peking interest it in science so
:40:16. > :40:21.we continue to lead the world in research and development for years
:40:22. > :40:24.to come? An important point. We celebrated Tim Peake going into
:40:25. > :40:31.space and we should also celebrate the contribution he has made since
:40:32. > :40:35.having regular interactions with the International Space Station, talking
:40:36. > :40:40.about the work he has done and inspiring young people. Long may
:40:41. > :40:49.that continue and long may there be role models like him contributing to
:40:50. > :40:54.our innovative future. Contact the elderly is a small national charity
:40:55. > :41:00.in Scotland which helps old people who live alone by funding monthly
:41:01. > :41:03.get-togethers. This kind of community support initiative is
:41:04. > :41:11.excellent and inspiring. Can we have a debate to discuss these selection
:41:12. > :41:17.initiatives? I very much support the idea of session debates. It is a
:41:18. > :41:22.real opportunity. We have had fixed moments in the past two debate
:41:23. > :41:26.things like veterans's issues and now there is a real opportunity to
:41:27. > :41:34.have debate across the United Kingdom. I forgot to say earlier, I
:41:35. > :41:40.hope the committee will give judo consideration -- due consideration
:41:41. > :41:49.in the form of a pre-recess adjournment debate. I welcome the
:41:50. > :41:53.Premier League announcement on capping away tickets at football
:41:54. > :42:00.next season but is the leader of the house aware that might seem others
:42:01. > :42:06.feel town will be offering a season ticket for just ?179 next season. ?7
:42:07. > :42:11.80 per game, great value in the championship. Will he allow a debate
:42:12. > :42:16.on the cost of football which is so important for fans across the
:42:17. > :42:22.country? I applaud what others feel town are doing. The point is that
:42:23. > :42:26.clubs like that play such an important community role and I know
:42:27. > :42:30.they are very involved in charitable activities across the town. I pay
:42:31. > :42:34.tribute to the club for playing that role in the community and doing what
:42:35. > :42:39.they can to give fans the opportunity to see them play and
:42:40. > :42:45.affordable basis. May they succeed on the pitch as a result. Happy
:42:46. > :42:51.birthday to my daughter next Tuesday. On the matter of Wales
:42:52. > :42:58.against England, made a better team win and may it be Wales. Couldn't we
:42:59. > :43:13.use the annunciator to have subtitles when we go
:43:14. > :43:20.into the 10th one procedure so they can explain the impossible task of
:43:21. > :43:25.describing what is going on. What I am not doing is reversing the
:43:26. > :43:29.gesture we made to the English of saying you have got a part of the
:43:30. > :43:36.devolution package as well. I don't think that a position that says that
:43:37. > :43:44.the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish can have devolution without the
:43:45. > :43:49.English having it is something we can go back on. West Berkshire
:43:50. > :43:55.Council has been forced by bizarre funding to do a very unconservative
:43:56. > :44:05.thing which is to raise taxes and cut services to those in need. We
:44:06. > :44:08.have the perverse actions of the office which can wipe millions of
:44:09. > :44:13.pounds of business rates from a small unity authority for large
:44:14. > :44:19.sites. Can we have a debate about the actions of the valuations office
:44:20. > :44:29.agency about how small councils are funded? An excellent point. I will
:44:30. > :44:33.draw attention to his concerns to the Secretary of State. It is likely
:44:34. > :44:39.that the issue of business rates will be addressed next week as well.
:44:40. > :44:44.On the 2nd of December, the Prime Minister promised this house that he
:44:45. > :44:50.would make quarterly statements on the involvement of British military
:44:51. > :44:55.forces in Syria. That should have happened by the 2nd of March. Can we
:44:56. > :45:01.have an urgent statement of when we are going to have these vital
:45:02. > :45:04.quarterly updates? What I said last week is that we would be holding
:45:05. > :45:13.such statements and it would happen before the Easter recess. Can I add
:45:14. > :45:21.my voice to the calls for a debate on having genuine English votes for
:45:22. > :45:26.English laws, despite the recent reforms, yesterday proved that the
:45:27. > :45:30.votes of Scottish MPs are still able to stop my constituents from
:45:31. > :45:37.enjoying the same freedoms that their own constituents enjoyed. An
:45:38. > :45:44.important point. We should remember that the SNP when we were debating
:45:45. > :45:48.EVEL said that we don't need this because we don't take part. That
:45:49. > :45:58.promise was shown yesterday to be paper-thin. We celebrated
:45:59. > :46:05.International Women's Day with a superb debate in the chamber. I
:46:06. > :46:11.pointed out that only fathers names appear on birth certificates and not
:46:12. > :46:18.mothers named. I have a private members bill that will add mothers
:46:19. > :46:29.marriage names -- names to marriage certificates. Can we please have a
:46:30. > :46:33.debate in government time? Can I say to her, I'm afraid that she is
:46:34. > :46:37.running into a long queue at the end of the session for private members
:46:38. > :46:44.bills but the commitment that the government made stamps.
:46:45. > :46:50.As this is English Tourism Week, could we find time for a debate on
:46:51. > :46:55.the important contribution of tourism to the English economy? A
:46:56. > :47:01.record 35mm as it is came last year, but we need to get them out of
:47:02. > :47:05.London to visit other areas of the country, and maybe visit the fleece
:47:06. > :47:11.Inn, which was named Pub of the year recently?! Indeed, I hope that the
:47:12. > :47:15.announcement of the recess dates will give a moment for honourable
:47:16. > :47:18.members to pay ever visit to Worcestershire and take advantage of
:47:19. > :47:21.the fine hospitality you will find there. I am sure he would be
:47:22. > :47:29.delighted to have the whole house visit. The Leader of the House will
:47:30. > :47:34.know that I have been calling for support on all sides of this House
:47:35. > :47:37.to address the root causes of serious youth violence. We had a
:47:38. > :47:41.backbench debate on the issue last week. Earlier this week, the
:47:42. > :47:45.Secretary of State adjusters confirm that he will report back to the
:47:46. > :47:50.House on progress made on this issue. Can the leader of the explain
:47:51. > :47:57.how this will happen and when we can expect that report? My right
:47:58. > :48:01.honourable friend has these matters under review all the time. We have
:48:02. > :48:04.made significant changes for example to the laws on live crime. We have
:48:05. > :48:08.taken through the work which has been done with the Home Office on
:48:09. > :48:13.gangs, to try to break them up. And of course the Justice Secretary is
:48:14. > :48:21.before this House regularly and will provide regular updates. Can
:48:22. > :48:26.a debate on the importance of raising the profile of dyslexia
:48:27. > :48:33.teacher training, which many people are concerned is not getting the
:48:34. > :48:37.sort of focus which it should be? Mr Speaker, my honourable friend makes
:48:38. > :48:41.a very, very important point. It is certainly the case that many young
:48:42. > :48:46.people who struggle at school do so because they are dyslexic. I have
:48:47. > :48:50.already discussed this with the Secretary of State, who assured me
:48:51. > :48:56.that part of the training manoeuvre teaches does contain help on the
:48:57. > :49:09.understanding of dyslexia. We will do everything we can. I'm sure the
:49:10. > :49:11.House will want to join me in welcoming the two defeats last night
:49:12. > :49:15.in the Other Place on the Immigration Bill? Could he make a
:49:16. > :49:20.statement to confirm whether the government will use last night's
:49:21. > :49:24.vote as motivation to start treating asylum seekers with the respect and
:49:25. > :49:26.dignity that they deserve? That is a first, I cannot remember the
:49:27. > :49:30.Scottish National Party praising what happened in the House of Lords.
:49:31. > :49:34.But what I would say to him is that I think we have a record of treating
:49:35. > :49:38.asylum seekers which bears comparison with anywhere in the
:49:39. > :49:42.world. I will not hear anybody say otherwise. Can I congratulate my
:49:43. > :49:46.right honourable friend for his excellent contribution to Radio 4
:49:47. > :49:49.and for his excellent speech? And can we ask for a speech in
:49:50. > :50:00.government time on the merits of leaving the EU, which I suggest
:50:01. > :50:05.should have a project title Hope? He tempts me but he must bear in mind
:50:06. > :50:10.that the governments position is to recommend that Britannia Stadium the
:50:11. > :50:12.European Union. We will have debates in the country and ultimately in
:50:13. > :50:26.June, the British people will decide. Three days, the
:50:27. > :50:29.institutional investors group which represents ?13 trillion of assets
:50:30. > :50:33.under management wrote to the Chancellor to ensure mandatory
:50:34. > :50:38.corporate disclosure of climate risks. Could we have a debate in
:50:39. > :50:41.government time on the mandatory reporting of climate risks, so that
:50:42. > :50:45.there is transparency about the financial health of our corporate
:50:46. > :50:50.and that the confidence of such an enormous body of investment funds
:50:51. > :50:54.can be increased? He is another person we need to wish a happy
:50:55. > :50:59.birthday to. We are at the leading edge in this country in combating
:51:00. > :51:02.climate change. We have adopted targets which stand comparison with
:51:03. > :51:06.anywhere in the world. But I do think simply putting additional
:51:07. > :51:09.reporting requirements and the sleep on to business leads to us having
:51:10. > :51:19.fewer jobs in this country, and not more. -- requirements endlessly on
:51:20. > :51:24.to business. As tens of thousands of people arrived in Cheltenham for the
:51:25. > :51:28.superb jump racing festival, we are reminded how necessary have been the
:51:29. > :51:34.upgrades at the railway station. Can we have an announcement on the
:51:35. > :51:38.delivery of station funding pledges? Of course we have just missed
:51:39. > :51:42.transport questions, which took place this morning, but I'm sure he
:51:43. > :51:45.will be able to raise an adjournment debate if he wants. Can I wish him
:51:46. > :51:50.and his constituents well for what is one of the best racing events in
:51:51. > :51:57.the country - perhaps not quite as good as the Epsom Derby. Tomorrow I
:51:58. > :52:03.will be visiting my constituent Walter Brown from Duckinfield, who
:52:04. > :52:08.is 90 years of age but who has just been awarded an award from France
:52:09. > :52:14.for his role in the liberation of France in 1944 as a Marine
:52:15. > :52:17.commander. Can I request a debate on what a privilege it is to request
:52:18. > :52:21.somebody like Walter Brown in the House of Commons and request the
:52:22. > :52:25.whole house put on record it's thanks? I absolutely agree with him.
:52:26. > :52:29.I have a gentleman in my constituency in the same position. I
:52:30. > :52:33.think it is a real tribute to the government of France but they have
:52:34. > :52:38.seen fit to honour in this way the grip of people who risked their
:52:39. > :52:42.lives to try to save France from the Nazis, and did so successfully. We
:52:43. > :52:48.should always remember them and be grateful to them and I am very glad
:52:49. > :52:51.the French have recognised that. You will be aware that on previous
:52:52. > :52:55.occasions I have raised the issue of literally hundreds of casual
:52:56. > :52:59.labourers congregating outside the queue in Queensbury, on the border
:53:00. > :53:03.between my constituency and that of the honourable member for brand
:53:04. > :53:06.north. I am pleased to say that Harlow Council and Brent Council
:53:07. > :53:11.have introduced a public space protection order under which anyone
:53:12. > :53:15.that picks up those casual labourers will be liable for a fixed rate
:53:16. > :53:19.penalty of ?100. Could we find time for a debate in this House, because
:53:20. > :53:24.this is a problem which emanates across the country? So that public
:53:25. > :53:28.space protection orders can be put in place to stop this unauthorised
:53:29. > :53:33.activity? It is a very important issue. The Business Secretary is
:53:34. > :53:40.here on Tuesday and I will ask him to be prepared to address the issue.
:53:41. > :53:44.All too often these people are operating within a gang master
:53:45. > :53:48.culture which is below the radar and is not within the legal framework of
:53:49. > :53:54.work in this country. And where those people are very likely to be
:53:55. > :53:58.exploited. Last year, Sir Nicholas McPherson said he would not hesitate
:53:59. > :54:02.to call in the police if the budget was leaked. Should any stories about
:54:03. > :54:08.this year's budget appear in the papers this weekend, will the Leader
:54:09. > :54:10.of the House join this most senior official in calling for the police
:54:11. > :54:16.to come and investigate and give time for this House to debate it?
:54:17. > :54:18.I'm not sure that if the civil service think anything untoward has
:54:19. > :54:27.been done, we will take appropriate action. Last Saturday I joined
:54:28. > :54:32.hundreds of residents at the only municipal golf course in our area to
:54:33. > :54:37.protest against plans by the council to close the facility. The Lib Dem
:54:38. > :54:41.run council claimed that getting the course would save ?50,000 a year and
:54:42. > :54:48.blamed cuts in government funding. However the same month, the council
:54:49. > :54:53.spent an estimated ?300,000 on a now unused health centre and admitted
:54:54. > :54:57.they have no plans for what they intend to do with it. Can we have a
:54:58. > :55:02.debate on the shocking mismanagement on my local council? As ever, my
:55:03. > :55:07.honourable friend is a very articulately presented if of his
:55:08. > :55:11.constituents. He is an appropriate critic of his Labour council. Around
:55:12. > :55:15.the country, where difficult decisions are having to be taken by
:55:16. > :55:19.councils, one finds Conservative ones taking a thoughtful approach
:55:20. > :55:29.whilst Labour councils take dumb decisions like the one he has just
:55:30. > :55:35.mentioned. As my honourable friends have referred to, the Chancellor
:55:36. > :55:37.Sunny decision to remove retail rate relief is causing great
:55:38. > :55:44.consternation for small businesses, having to find an extra ?1500 a
:55:45. > :55:49.year. In the area of Chester, 472 businesses will have to find an
:55:50. > :55:53.extra ?1.8 million next year. Can the leader assured us there will be
:55:54. > :55:56.sufficient time over the next few weeks to debate whether this is
:55:57. > :56:00.really the right time to start clobbering small businesses with
:56:01. > :56:04.more taxes? Mr Speaker, I can assure him that time will be available next
:56:05. > :56:08.week. We have four days available for the post-budget debate. When he
:56:09. > :56:12.talks about clobbering businesses, for 13 years in this country,
:56:13. > :56:16.businesses and suffered at the hands of a government which did not
:56:17. > :56:19.understand them, regulated in a way which caused them deeper problems
:56:20. > :56:25.and led to the halving of our manufacturing sector. Ministers have
:56:26. > :56:28.been very willing to engage on the steel issue. But in advance of the
:56:29. > :56:31.budget next week, will there be the opportunity to put the case for a
:56:32. > :56:35.business rates holiday for the injury to the Chancellor on the
:56:36. > :56:41.floor of this House? Mr Speaker, there will be that, at the Business
:56:42. > :56:45.Secretary is here on Tuesday, and he has been working with the steel
:56:46. > :56:55.industry. Can I suggest that he raises it with him then? Apologies
:56:56. > :57:03.for leaving the Chamber earlier on. It was somewhat ironic, a number of
:57:04. > :57:06.SNP members actually got a cheer from the office in the last ten
:57:07. > :57:13.days. Will the Leader of the House make a statement outlining that the
:57:14. > :57:16.title is not a complete misnomer? During the enterprise built, the
:57:17. > :57:20.second reading, the House was asked to vote on amendments which had not
:57:21. > :57:29.been seen. The government took a view on the SNP position Joseph
:57:30. > :57:31.Tuite now know was wrong. A government minister was pleading the
:57:32. > :57:36.House to vote with them because he was not going to implement what was
:57:37. > :57:41.on the bill. It was a farce from start to finish. Can we get a
:57:42. > :57:47.statement from the Leader of the House and the government? I am sorry
:57:48. > :57:50.but I think the only farce around here is the approach the SNP has
:57:51. > :57:55.taken to this. I did not vote in amity. They then decided to vote
:57:56. > :58:05.against it later, and we know it was for reasons of opportunism, not
:58:06. > :58:09.principle. -- in amity. He may know this week we had a serious outbreak
:58:10. > :58:16.of Stockholm syndrome in the east of England, as eight local leaders
:58:17. > :58:19.backed the remaining campaign in the press. Is it not important that
:58:20. > :58:24.voters know what level of funding from all forms of the European Union
:58:25. > :58:30.has induced this self-interested plea to hand more powers and money
:58:31. > :58:34.to Brussels? Mr Speaker, we have well established principles in this
:58:35. > :58:37.country of transparency in our political system. I think it is
:58:38. > :58:41.important in the coming months, whichever side of the argument we
:58:42. > :58:44.may be on, that people who have a financial link to the European Union
:58:45. > :58:50.make that clear as they make their arguments. Statement, the minister
:58:51. > :58:51.of State for