:00:00. > :00:00.recommend we all watch that. That's very good news, because she is an
:00:00. > :00:12.house can testify. If I can say so house can testify. If I can say so
:00:13. > :00:15.myself, a fine appointment... By me. Business question. But the leader of
:00:16. > :00:23.the house please give us a forthcoming business? The business
:00:24. > :00:28.for next week will be as follows. Monday, the remaining stages of the
:00:29. > :00:33.Digital economy Bill. Tuesday, second reading of the Commonwealth
:00:34. > :00:39.development Corporation Bill, followed by post private business,
:00:40. > :00:42.as announced by the chairman. Wednesday, opposition day, 14th
:00:43. > :00:47.allotted day. There will be a debate and motion in the name of the
:00:48. > :00:53.Scottish National party, subject to be announced. Thursday, debate and
:00:54. > :01:00.motion on transgender equality, followed by general debate on the
:01:01. > :01:03.future of the UK fishing industry. Friday, private members bills. The
:01:04. > :01:09.provisional business for the week commencing the 5th of December will
:01:10. > :01:14.include as follows, Monday 5th of December two reading of the children
:01:15. > :01:18.and social work Bill, Lords. Tuesday the 6th of December quarter
:01:19. > :01:23.remaining stages of the health service medical supplies costs bill.
:01:24. > :01:28.Wednesday 7th of November, opposition day, 15th allotted day.
:01:29. > :01:33.There will be a debate on opposition motion, subject to be announced.
:01:34. > :01:37.Thursday the 8th of December, debate and a motion on UN national day for
:01:38. > :01:44.elimination of violence against women, followed by a general debate
:01:45. > :01:48.on cancer strategy, one year on. Friday the 9th of December, the
:01:49. > :01:53.house will not be sitting. I should also like to inform the house that
:01:54. > :01:57.the business in Westminster Hall by the 8th of December will be a debate
:01:58. > :02:04.on the fourth report of the Scottish affairs committee on post study
:02:05. > :02:11.works schemes. Interview of yesterday's conclusion of the trial
:02:12. > :02:15.of the man who murdered our late colleague Jo Cox, I hope you will
:02:16. > :02:21.allow me to say that I believe the entire house would wish first to
:02:22. > :02:26.express our thanks to the police and the Crown Prosecution Service for
:02:27. > :02:34.the work that they did in bringing this man to trial and securing his
:02:35. > :02:44.conviction. Second, to send our solidarity and I would love to her
:02:45. > :02:51.family, who I think I've shown quite unbelievable grace, dignity and
:02:52. > :02:57.courage in the months just passed. And the road, I hope we can all
:02:58. > :03:10.agree that perhaps the best tribute that we hear, what ever our party
:03:11. > :03:16.politics, can pay to Jill and her memory -- Jo and her memory, is to
:03:17. > :03:23.recommit ourselves to do all that lies within our power to make sure
:03:24. > :03:29.that this country remains a place where people of different ethnic
:03:30. > :03:35.origins and different faiths can live together in mutual respect,
:03:36. > :03:43.goodwill and harmony and can celebrate together our common
:03:44. > :03:46.citizenship and our shared institutions and values and
:03:47. > :03:52.traditions. And that we will also continue unflinchingly to stand for
:03:53. > :04:00.the truth that it is through parliamentary democracy that we can
:04:01. > :04:06.seek to secure a change and find a better future for those who sent us
:04:07. > :04:17.here, rather than through violence or extremism. I thank him for what
:04:18. > :04:26.he has just said. The power and beauty of those words clearly it
:04:27. > :04:31.will resonate with all of us. Can I thank the leader of the house for
:04:32. > :04:38.those words, he shows what a great parliamentarian he is, and associate
:04:39. > :04:44.myself absolutely with everything he said about those people who have
:04:45. > :04:51.brought the murderer to justice. I need to ask the Leader of the House,
:04:52. > :04:56.because he hasn't mentioned this, about the dates for the recess after
:04:57. > :05:00.February. We need to know, because obviously, if the Prime Minister
:05:01. > :05:03.says she is going to trickle article 50 in March, we need to know if
:05:04. > :05:09.we're going to be away in recess, if we're going to have a debate, what
:05:10. > :05:11.is the mechanism? Will the Prime Minister be making an announcement
:05:12. > :05:19.on the steps of Downing Street, will she do it in a phone call? She will
:05:20. > :05:22.relinquish the EU presidency by telephone. Could we know the
:05:23. > :05:29.mechanism? The British people need to know the framework. As soon as
:05:30. > :05:34.article 50 is triggered, the European Council will draw up a
:05:35. > :05:41.negotiating mandate, the guidelines, without the UK's participation. Mr
:05:42. > :05:45.Speaker, the Ministry of Justice Izzy troubled department. Hardly 24
:05:46. > :05:48.hours had gone by and we have the first concession. It turns out that
:05:49. > :05:54.the figures in the government proposals for the last reform are
:05:55. > :05:59.out of date and will be updated to the implementation process, so the
:06:00. > :06:03.consultation referred to the 12 judicial guidelines as a basis for
:06:04. > :06:07.the figures instead of the more generous 13th edition, which
:06:08. > :06:12.significantly increases the guideline damages from the blast. So
:06:13. > :06:17.that is what happens when you have a policy and found the evidence for
:06:18. > :06:22.it, rather than evidence -based policy. It takes a riot and a
:06:23. > :06:26.breakdown before money is given to the prison service, despite numerous
:06:27. > :06:30.calls for that. The health Department is troubled. I don't know
:06:31. > :06:34.if representations were made by the Health Secretary, but he nowhere to
:06:35. > :06:37.be seen. Every former Health Secretary for the last 20 years has
:06:38. > :06:42.signed an open letter to the government to honour the pledge to
:06:43. > :06:50.the public to restore parity for mental health, so good Leader of the
:06:51. > :06:55.Has seen what the response was to that letter of duty place in the
:06:56. > :07:00.library? According to Cancer Research UK, there are long waits
:07:01. > :07:05.for results. Early diagnosis is vital for treatment. Shortages of
:07:06. > :07:12.specialists in those areas. There are many members who are undergoing
:07:13. > :07:15.treatment for cancer. We wish all of them well and their families and
:07:16. > :07:22.everyone who has touched by cancer. We wish them a speedy recovery. The
:07:23. > :07:28.Autumn Statement was a statement for the elite. The Chancellor said
:07:29. > :07:31.Oxford and Cambridge would become a transformational tech college,
:07:32. > :07:36.drawing on world-class research strengths. Elitism not based on
:07:37. > :07:42.evidence, because the university league tables of 2017 but Oxford and
:07:43. > :07:48.Cambridge third and fourth. Imperial was first, LSE second, Cardiff
:07:49. > :07:54.birth, and Edinburgh in the top ten. But we have a statement of what will
:07:55. > :07:58.be available for the other universities? They don't have a
:07:59. > :08:05.historic wealth that Oxford and Cambridge do. In a previous outing
:08:06. > :08:08.at the dispatch box, I asked for money for local government. Will the
:08:09. > :08:15.government is in desperate need, but the money has now gone to unelected
:08:16. > :08:21.bodies, rather than local authorities. The Minister for the
:08:22. > :08:27.Northern Powerhouse said, if you sign up to a directly elected mayor,
:08:28. > :08:33.you have funding in the hands of one person. Another letter from county
:08:34. > :08:39.councils, they said, funding should not be on arbitrary prioritisation
:08:40. > :08:46.of the specific government model. Money should flow according to need.
:08:47. > :08:51.This is not a statement for women, so could we have a debate on the
:08:52. > :08:59.impact of the state of the budget statement on women? Women are not
:09:00. > :09:07.satisfied by a passing reference to Camberley, we want more. 65% of
:09:08. > :09:12.those earning too little to pay income tax and women. The 3 million
:09:13. > :09:18.per women's charities is just a balance for the millions raised
:09:19. > :09:23.under the tampon tax, 12 million of which has been given away by the
:09:24. > :09:31.previous Chancellor. Despite 74 written questions on social care,
:09:32. > :09:36.there is no mention of extra money. Cuts to social care hit women
:09:37. > :09:43.particularly hard, because the majority of those needing care and
:09:44. > :09:56.providing it is women. Just about managing is a government product, it
:09:57. > :10:11.is home made jam. I would like to thank those who played in tribute to
:10:12. > :10:18.Jo Cox. Her love, values and example lives on in all of us. Governments
:10:19. > :10:21.are not just about fixing the roof. We are about transforming lives. Let
:10:22. > :10:36.us dedicate ourselves to that task in her memory. If I can try and
:10:37. > :10:42.respond fairly briefly to the large number of questions that she put to
:10:43. > :10:48.me. On recess dates, I do understand the patients on all sides to know
:10:49. > :10:52.Easter recess dates. I have not been able to announce those today, I hope
:10:53. > :10:55.there will be in a position to announce us very soon. She asked
:10:56. > :11:03.about the process for triggering article 50. That has to be a formal
:11:04. > :11:09.notification to the European Council. She asked about the
:11:10. > :11:13.rather hoped that she would have rather hoped that she would have
:11:14. > :11:18.welcomes the action the government is taking as regards whiplash,
:11:19. > :11:23.because that is something I thought had commanded quite widespread
:11:24. > :11:28.support in all parts of the house, but we are now embarking on this
:11:29. > :11:34.consultation with a view to legislation at some stage, once the
:11:35. > :11:39.consultation has concluded. I hope we will be able to build a
:11:40. > :11:47.cross-party coalition in support of such measures. She was unfairly
:11:48. > :11:51.dismissive of the ambitious vision for the transformation of our prison
:11:52. > :11:57.service that was contained within the white Paper on prisons, launched
:11:58. > :12:03.by Mike Right Honourable friend the Justice Secretary just a fortnight a
:12:04. > :12:06.go. She asked me about the Secretary of State for Health and the health
:12:07. > :12:12.Department, the Secretary of State was answering questions here earlier
:12:13. > :12:23.this week. She enquired about mental health, it is this government that
:12:24. > :12:29.has not only invested more in mental health than any of its predecessors,
:12:30. > :12:33.but, which for the first time, has written into law a requirement for
:12:34. > :12:43.physical and mental health to be given equal priority. And she asked
:12:44. > :12:48.about cancer treatment. What is happening within the health service,
:12:49. > :12:52.despite the demographic and other pressures that there aren't totally
:12:53. > :12:58.are on the National Health Service and in part due to the money this
:12:59. > :13:03.government has put in, but also the reforms is government has taken, we
:13:04. > :13:09.have seen, since 2010, an increase of some 822,000 in the number of
:13:10. > :13:14.people seen by a cancer specialist, and an increase of 49,000 in the
:13:15. > :13:21.number of people who are commencing cancer treatment. Yes, there is more
:13:22. > :13:26.work to be done, but that is not a bad track record to be getting on
:13:27. > :13:33.with. The Oxford and Cambridge Expressway, I think she fell into
:13:34. > :13:37.the trap of believing this rather stale, antiquated class war rhetoric
:13:38. > :13:46.that she gets from the leadership of her priority. The Oxford to
:13:47. > :13:52.Cambridge Expressway would benefit places like Milton Keynes and like
:13:53. > :13:57.Bedford, where, at some stage in the more distant past, the Labour Party
:13:58. > :14:01.once thought they might win constituencies or local councils. Is
:14:02. > :14:08.a sign of The Times that the party opposite appears to have given up
:14:09. > :14:14.such communities. That Expressway, that corridor offers opportunities
:14:15. > :14:18.for economic growth and to unlock significant new housing development
:14:19. > :14:20.in areas of high demand, when the party has been calling for more
:14:21. > :14:37.house-building to take place. It was leaders in the North who are
:14:38. > :14:39.good for the model of devolution that we had, precisely so there
:14:40. > :14:41.could be an allegation for central government funds for those devolved
:14:42. > :14:50.authorities to enable strategic planning and expenditure today
:14:51. > :14:54.please. She will find the housing investment infrastructure fund,
:14:55. > :14:59.targeted in particular that local authorities who are able to come
:15:00. > :15:07.forward and bid in areas that will unlock additional housing supply. On
:15:08. > :15:11.social care, yes, I happily acknowledge, as the Prime Minister
:15:12. > :15:16.did yesterday, that there are pressures on social care, we see
:15:17. > :15:21.that in our constituencies, but this government has introduced the better
:15:22. > :15:25.care fund, and the social care at preset to put some extra money in
:15:26. > :15:35.the system to help local authorities to cope with those demands. If I can
:15:36. > :15:43.turn finally to what she said about the position of women, there are
:15:44. > :15:48.more women in work now in this country than ever before. It is this
:15:49. > :15:52.government that has increased the level of support to families through
:15:53. > :15:56.childcare than any of its predecessors. Those are things that
:15:57. > :16:03.would have worked very much to the benefit of women in all walks of
:16:04. > :16:06.life. And I think if she looks at the distribution analysis published
:16:07. > :16:13.yesterday by the Treasury, she will see that the Chancellor's measures
:16:14. > :16:19.yesterday provided a modest but positive improvement in the incomes
:16:20. > :16:25.and living standards of all details in our society apart from the
:16:26. > :16:30.richest. And the richest would experience a modest loss after those
:16:31. > :16:42.measures. But I do want to completely endorse and to associate
:16:43. > :16:45.myself with her remarks on violence against women and her tributes to
:16:46. > :16:54.those honourable friends who have played a part in that work. I hope
:16:55. > :16:58.that she will also agree with me that we need to stand firm against
:16:59. > :17:05.violence against women and girls in all its forms both here and
:17:06. > :17:07.globally, and the work that was initiated by my right honourable and
:17:08. > :17:17.noble friend Lord Haig, when he was Foreign Secretary, to awaken the
:17:18. > :17:21.world's conscience to the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war
:17:22. > :17:27.and try to secure the extirpation of that vile practice continues under
:17:28. > :17:31.this government and I hope will continue under all British
:17:32. > :17:34.governments in the future. Can I also associate myself with the
:17:35. > :17:42.remarks made by the leader of a House about our colleague, Joe -- Jo
:17:43. > :17:48.Cox, she made such a big impact on country in a short time. The
:17:49. > :17:52.Paralympics started in our county, in the Leader of the House's
:17:53. > :17:56.constituency, Stoke Mandeville, and we were terribly impressed by the
:17:57. > :18:02.achievements of our Paralympics teams in the last Olympic Games. At
:18:03. > :18:06.the last budget the Chancellor announced ?1.5 million to be spent
:18:07. > :18:14.on research and issuing running blades to children. I am afraid to
:18:15. > :18:23.report eight months on, not a single child has yet received running
:18:24. > :18:26.blades. The Leader of the House probably knows that it has not got
:18:27. > :18:31.out of the starting blocks, and I wondered if there is anything he can
:18:32. > :18:34.do to move this into the fast lane because then we could a debate on
:18:35. > :18:39.how we can inspire our next generation of Paralympians, to the
:18:40. > :18:41.credit of the screen. Double I'd better declared an interest as the
:18:42. > :18:50.patron of the National Paralympic Heritage trust. It seeks to maintain
:18:51. > :18:55.the Heritage of Stoke Mandeville is the birthplace of the Paralympic
:18:56. > :18:58.movement. I was concerned by what my right honourable friend has just
:18:59. > :19:06.said and I will take this up with my colleagues at the Treasury and the
:19:07. > :19:17.Department of Culture, Media and Sport to see what can be done. Can I
:19:18. > :19:19.thank losing the business and grand associate with the remark made by
:19:20. > :19:23.the trial yesterday, which finally saw the conviction of the appalling
:19:24. > :19:28.act. As the Leader of the House, today he spoke on the half of the
:19:29. > :19:40.whole House, and hopefully his words will help us all recover and move
:19:41. > :19:43.forward. It is barely 24 hours since the Chancellor said that his Autumn
:19:44. > :19:45.Statement, and already we have the Conservative Party fighting among
:19:46. > :19:49.itself about how big the Brexit disaster is going to be. Today it is
:19:50. > :19:52.the OBR, the doom and gloom, who are the villains of the peace after they
:19:53. > :19:59.predicted this could be a ?60 billion premium which will be paid
:20:00. > :20:05.for this clueless Brexit. Can we have a debate on the economic
:20:06. > :20:08.consequences of this Brexit? Maybe the Leader of the House could help
:20:09. > :20:13.us out. Who should we best trust, the OBR and honourable member from
:20:14. > :20:23.Chingford Green? Could we have a debate about Ferrero Rocher? I
:20:24. > :20:32.cannot understand what problem this government has with an ambassador,
:20:33. > :20:34.Nigel Farage? The EU referendum was won on his terms and conditions,
:20:35. > :20:44.we're practically living in the early days of a Ukip UK. What could
:20:45. > :20:53.possibly go wrong with him going to Trump Tower? Lastly, in its latest
:20:54. > :21:00.escapade in trying to read scrutiny, we learn that exiting the European
:21:01. > :21:05.Union is not going to come -- the head of the European Union is not
:21:06. > :21:11.prepared to come in front of the Treasury committee, and in
:21:12. > :21:15.correspondence to me he said he is not prepared to come before the
:21:16. > :21:20.select committees of this House man the Brexit committee. -- other than
:21:21. > :21:22.the Brexit committee. Can the Leader of the House convince his right
:21:23. > :21:27.honourable friend that proper scrutiny must be in place and he
:21:28. > :21:36.must come in front of the select committees of this House? Mr
:21:37. > :21:42.Speaker, can I thank the honourable gentleman for his words. On the
:21:43. > :21:47.question of the OBR and the Autumn Statement, the responsibility was
:21:48. > :22:02.set up as an independent body in order to remove any suggestion that
:22:03. > :22:04.the economic forecast were being tampered with on political grounds
:22:05. > :22:07.by the government of the day. The OBR forecast yesterday -- forecasts
:22:08. > :22:12.yesterday are their own, but it is sensible for the government to work
:22:13. > :22:15.on the basis that they are accurate, and they are not out of kilter with
:22:16. > :22:19.the main stream of other independent forecasters. The Bank of England is
:22:20. > :22:27.a bit more pessimistic than the OBR in its contradictions. There are
:22:28. > :22:34.many uncertainties. Will befall the value of sterling against other
:22:35. > :22:42.currencies be maintained? And if it is, will importers be able to pass
:22:43. > :22:46.on the price impact of that in terms of the price charged to customers?
:22:47. > :22:53.But I think it is perfectly sensible for the Chancellor to have steered a
:22:54. > :22:55.course in the light of the OBR forecast, and I think my right
:22:56. > :23:00.honourable friend was completely honest with the House and country
:23:01. > :23:06.yesterday in saying completely plainly, where the uncertainty and
:23:07. > :23:14.difficulties lie, and not trying to wish away any of those problems that
:23:15. > :23:18.guide his budget judgment. On the question of accountability of
:23:19. > :23:23.ministers for the Department of exiting the European Union, we had
:23:24. > :23:31.another debate yesterday on the impact Brexit from the EU, this time
:23:32. > :23:35.on transport policy. I can give the honourable gentleman the promise
:23:36. > :23:41.that the Secretary of State and his entire team will be here on Thursday
:23:42. > :23:49.the 1st of September -- December, when he and his colleagues will have
:23:50. > :23:57.the chance to interrogate them. Regarding the ambassadors, I do not
:23:58. > :24:00.think they will be serving Ferrero Rocher at the embassy. But he will
:24:01. > :24:07.be glad to know that British ambassadors are keen to offer a
:24:08. > :24:12.selection of malt whisky is the aperitif of choice when they are
:24:13. > :24:19.entertaining officially on the half of the country. We have an excellent
:24:20. > :24:25.ambassador in the United States of America, it is certainly no vacancy
:24:26. > :24:31.there. The last time I checked, Mr Farage had a very well-paid job as a
:24:32. > :24:36.member of the European Parliament, although regrettably he also had one
:24:37. > :24:41.of the worst attendance records at the European Parliament of any other
:24:42. > :24:45.member, which suggests to me that to head up a UK embassy might not be a
:24:46. > :24:53.job for which he is particularly suited. Yesterday in the Autumn
:24:54. > :24:58.Statement we had the welcome news of additional finance of the
:24:59. > :25:04.development of housing, and ?3.15 billion and 90,000 homes in London
:25:05. > :25:08.alone, as well as a doubling of the money to combat rough sleeping in
:25:09. > :25:14.London. Plus, the abolition of letting fees for tenants. Could my
:25:15. > :25:17.right honourable friend find time for a debate on housing? I
:25:18. > :25:20.understand there will be a work paper next month, but surely we
:25:21. > :25:25.should have a debate in this House on housing so we make sure the money
:25:26. > :25:30.is well spent and that much-needed housing across the country is
:25:31. > :25:37.provided and all members have the opportunity to input, so we have
:25:38. > :25:46.ideas and use the money effectively. There will be questions next Monday,
:25:47. > :25:49.providing opportunities for housing issues to be raised. I want to pay
:25:50. > :25:51.tribute to the tireless work of my honourable friend in pressing
:25:52. > :26:00.forward his homelessness reduction Bill, and winning government support
:26:01. > :26:03.for that. I am glad he paid tribute to the measures on rough sleeping
:26:04. > :26:08.and the scrapping of let increases for rough sleeping announced
:26:09. > :26:15.yesterday. While I think it is a good idea we should have a debate on
:26:16. > :26:18.housing policy, probably that should await the publication of the White
:26:19. > :26:22.Paper, which will give members on all sides of the House the
:26:23. > :26:30.opportunity to comment upon government proposals rather than to
:26:31. > :26:36.guess what they might be. Could I also add my thanks for the obviously
:26:37. > :26:42.sincere and deeply heartfelt words that were expressed about our late
:26:43. > :26:50.colleague Jo Cox. I am very grateful to him for that. The Leader of the
:26:51. > :26:52.House announced that on the 8th of December we have two debates, one in
:26:53. > :26:56.the debate on violence against women, and the cancer strategy one
:26:57. > :27:00.year on. That demonstrates the importance of members of the House
:27:01. > :27:03.if they wish to make a bid for time sensitive debates to bring their
:27:04. > :27:10.applications to the committee in a timely fashion so we can plan ahead
:27:11. > :27:18.and get those dates into the diary. Can I also ask, the clerk to our
:27:19. > :27:25.committee does try to get the decisions and offers the committee
:27:26. > :27:28.wish to make to members as soon as possible, but we also ask that
:27:29. > :27:32.members respond to these offers as soon as possible, so we can actually
:27:33. > :27:38.get the business sorted out. A number of members are sitting on a
:27:39. > :27:42.response, and I would appreciate it if ministers could make their
:27:43. > :27:50.feelings known as soon as possible to the clerk. I am grateful for his
:27:51. > :27:54.kind words. The backbench business committee is playing an important
:27:55. > :27:58.part of enabling members in all parts of the House to raise
:27:59. > :28:02.important issues that matter to our constituents which might not
:28:03. > :28:07.otherwise be heard, and I would endorse the advice he gives to
:28:08. > :28:15.colleagues. This month we have seen another remarkable Poppy Appeal in
:28:16. > :28:21.my constituency, with enormous sums of money raised, and thousands of
:28:22. > :28:26.people turning out on Remembrance Sunday to pay tribute to the Armed
:28:27. > :28:30.Forces, and to see many young people involved was fantastic. Can we have
:28:31. > :28:33.a debate next week to pay tribute to the Royal British Legion for the
:28:34. > :28:42.work they do but also to say thank you to those in our communities who
:28:43. > :28:47.work tirelessly to make the Poppy Appeal is successful?
:28:48. > :28:55.While I am unable to offer him a debate, I would like to pay tribute
:28:56. > :29:05.to all those who worked to make the Poppy Appeal a success each year.
:29:06. > :29:10.The appeal in Scotland is run by the Scottish Legionnaire. It is
:29:11. > :29:14.important we all remember that, while it is the veterans of the
:29:15. > :29:21.Second World War who tend to be particularly in our minds in
:29:22. > :29:27.November, in these years, the Region and the revenues from the Poppy
:29:28. > :29:31.Appeal go to support service men and women from much more recent
:29:32. > :29:35.conflicts, Alton very young people who have suffered quite shocking
:29:36. > :29:39.physical and mental injuries as a result of their servers and it is
:29:40. > :29:45.important we remember this work is still relevant and important today.
:29:46. > :29:49.Can I also thank the Reader for his eloquent remarks about Jo and her
:29:50. > :29:55.legacy. BBC research as reported that investment in infrastructure
:29:56. > :30:05.per head over the next five years will be 6457 for London, that only
:30:06. > :30:09.1684 from Yorkshire and Humber. With last week was my decision not to
:30:10. > :30:17.back the electrification of the line to Hull and no reference to the
:30:18. > :30:21.Humber, capping a debate about the Northern Powerhouse and whether the
:30:22. > :30:27.government is really serious about rebalancing is not on the north and
:30:28. > :30:31.south but East and West? I think that is honourable members from each
:30:32. > :30:38.side examined the Autumn Statement, they will find that all partners of
:30:39. > :30:43.the United Kingdom will benefit from the infrastructure spending that the
:30:44. > :30:48.Chancellor identified. I don't blame any member for making particular
:30:49. > :30:56.plays on the part of their own constituency or the greater area
:30:57. > :31:01.they represent. From memory, while it's not in Humberside, that is an
:31:02. > :31:05.important slice of funding for a significant motorway junction
:31:06. > :31:10.improvement around that Beverley area, which I think should benefit
:31:11. > :31:16.Hull and the area the honourable lady represents, and if she looks
:31:17. > :31:20.elsewhere in the statement, I think she will find Yorkshire and Humber
:31:21. > :31:29.is going to benefit in a number of ways. Shortly before the summer
:31:30. > :31:34.recess, the All-party Environmental Group of which I am chairman
:31:35. > :31:39.published its report on the quality of new-build housing. There has been
:31:40. > :31:45.a significant amount of new-build, but some of the quality has been
:31:46. > :31:52.shoddy. Can we have a debate on this or please? As far as the government
:31:53. > :31:57.is concerned, we want all new homes to be well designed and built to
:31:58. > :32:02.good quality and standards. I think home-buyers are entitled to expect
:32:03. > :32:07.nothing less. There needs to be an effective complaints procedure, for
:32:08. > :32:10.example, through the consumer accord, where if people are
:32:11. > :32:13.dissatisfied with the quality of their home, the particular report
:32:14. > :32:21.that he mentioned, does raise important issues. And my honourable
:32:22. > :32:26.friend 's in the Department for local communities and governments,
:32:27. > :32:37.are looking at this closely and will respond in due course. A small and
:32:38. > :32:47.rapidly formed private members bill on adding mother 's married names,
:32:48. > :32:50.could we please have a statement debate in government time to see
:32:51. > :32:55.where we're going on this, so we can have a bit of action before my
:32:56. > :33:04.daughter gets married in February 2018? I know how frustrating it is
:33:05. > :33:11.for honourable members who are low-down in the list on private
:33:12. > :33:14.members Bill Dave. On Friday, I will work with the relevant Minister and
:33:15. > :33:22.see whether there is anything we can do on this matter. May I associate
:33:23. > :33:26.myself with the words of the Leader about Jo Cox and paid tribute to the
:33:27. > :33:34.tremendous work she did on behalf of poor people all around the world.
:33:35. > :33:39.Lord O'Neill launched a vital report in May on antimicrobial resistance
:33:40. > :33:43.in May, in which he said the consequence of no action would be
:33:44. > :33:48.$100 billion a year and 10 million lives lost in a year. Could we have
:33:49. > :33:51.a debate in government time, since ours was a report commissioned by
:33:52. > :34:00.the previous Prime Minister, on this, in which many members will be
:34:01. > :34:06.pleased to contribute. He raises a very important point indeed. Since
:34:07. > :34:09.Lord O'Neill's global review, the government has been supporting
:34:10. > :34:14.research efforts, both in the United Kingdom and abroad, including ?51
:34:15. > :34:20.million on research here in the UK, but also 265 million through the
:34:21. > :34:24.Fleming Fund to support surveillance and lower and middle income
:34:25. > :34:33.countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. I hope you will also welcome
:34:34. > :34:36.the fact that in September, following an intense campaign led by
:34:37. > :34:43.the Health Secretary and the Chief medical officer, there was an
:34:44. > :34:50.agreement at the United Nations General Assembly to what was the
:34:51. > :34:52.landmark declaration by 193 countries, agreeing to combat
:34:53. > :34:59.antimicrobial resistance, which was identified as the biggest risk to
:35:00. > :35:03.modern medicine. Getting this agreed internationally is a vital first
:35:04. > :35:09.step towards the effect of action that we all want to see. Can I
:35:10. > :35:15.associate my party with the remarks of the Leader and the shadow Reader,
:35:16. > :35:21.the memory of Jo Cox will indeed endure for many years ahead.
:35:22. > :35:25.Following the tragic death of a 21-year-old constituent of mine at
:35:26. > :35:29.the hands of drink-driving in 2014, her family have committed themselves
:35:30. > :35:36.campaign for reform of drink-driving sentencing guidelines, and presented
:35:37. > :35:50.a 100,000 strong petition to Downing Street recently. We have a debate on
:35:51. > :35:54.the need for that reform? Yes, it is a quite unspeakably tragic
:35:55. > :36:02.experience for any parent, any farmer led to have to go through.
:36:03. > :36:06.What I might suggest to the honourable gentleman is either to
:36:07. > :36:09.seek an adjournment or a backbench committee debate on this subject.
:36:10. > :36:17.But I would also draw his attention to the fact that the EU petition
:36:18. > :36:23.system that we have now introduced in Westminster is also providing an
:36:24. > :36:29.additional route by which this subject can be brought up and
:36:30. > :36:34.debated in the Commons -- e-petitions. That might be something
:36:35. > :36:38.else he wants to suggest to his constituency. Last night, in my
:36:39. > :36:45.capacity as chairman of a group on retail crime, I attended an event
:36:46. > :36:50.organised by newsagents. It is evident that those who work in
:36:51. > :36:55.retail are very concerned about the level of not just left, but violence
:36:56. > :36:59.against them. Google reader found time for the debating government
:37:00. > :37:08.time to investigate this matter? I understand very much the point that
:37:09. > :37:13.he is making. No employee working for retail, large or small should be
:37:14. > :37:22.going to work fearful that he or she may be the victim violence. I think
:37:23. > :37:25.this trend is, in part, due to things like the growth of the gang
:37:26. > :37:31.culture we have seen in London and other big cities. As he knows, the
:37:32. > :37:38.government is working with chief const is to try to address this
:37:39. > :37:43.problem, defeat this threat. I can't promise a quick, easy answer, but I
:37:44. > :37:47.think it will need determined work by the Home Office, by the Ministry
:37:48. > :37:53.for justice but also critically for local police forces, their local
:37:54. > :37:56.Police and Crime Commissioners, to make sure the right response is
:37:57. > :38:03.given and this problem is properly addressed. Could he provide
:38:04. > :38:13.government time for a statement on the BT arrangements in Brexit. While
:38:14. > :38:19.we welcome the relief for the tampon tax fund, what will the Chancellor
:38:20. > :38:22.do to make sure there is a secure long-term investment for vital
:38:23. > :38:28.services and agree a date by which the tampon tax will finally come to
:38:29. > :38:34.an end? I think my answer to the last point is that will depend in
:38:35. > :38:40.part on whether there is is agreement first at EU level, while
:38:41. > :38:47.we still remain members, and changes to EU law on value added tax.
:38:48. > :38:52.Secondly, if that's not being dealt with by the time we leave the EU,
:38:53. > :38:58.how rapidly we could then make that change of our own volition. But I
:38:59. > :39:10.will ask Treasury ministers to contact her with the information she
:39:11. > :39:13.is seeking. He brings forward approval to spend millions of pounds
:39:14. > :39:23.on this palace and Buckingham Palace. We'll hear arrange for a
:39:24. > :39:30.special screening of the film I, Daniel Blake, so we can remember
:39:31. > :39:34.those who are losing benefits. I cannot think of anything more
:39:35. > :39:42.damaging to the cause of constitutional monarchy than the let
:39:43. > :39:45.them eat cake attitude which prioritises the rebuilding of
:39:46. > :39:53.palaces while people are struggling for bread. I do think he is in
:39:54. > :40:03.danger of going over the top here, not for the first time. Buckingham
:40:04. > :40:10.Palace is a public building that is used by the monarch to exercise her
:40:11. > :40:15.state functions as head of state. It is also a place in which thousands
:40:16. > :40:23.of two lists visit and enjoy each year. The reason that the royal
:40:24. > :40:32.household is facing the sort of Bill which shocks him is that these
:40:33. > :40:37.decisions have been put off and a backlog of repairs has been allowed
:40:38. > :40:42.to accumulate. So I think what was decided and announced a few days ago
:40:43. > :40:48.was perfectly justifiable. I think in respect of sanctions, I just ask
:40:49. > :40:53.him to bear in mind that I think it is fewer than 4% of recipients of
:40:54. > :40:58.jobseeker's allowance have received any sort of benefit sanction and
:40:59. > :41:04.fewer than 1% of recipients of employment support allowance, so
:41:05. > :41:08.there can sometimes be mistakes by officials, yes, but I think we need
:41:09. > :41:18.to recognise that the proportions involved are very small. And I also
:41:19. > :41:22.associate myself with the Leader of the House's moving tribute to Jo
:41:23. > :41:26.Cox. She is greatly missed. Figures released yesterday by the ONS show
:41:27. > :41:34.that in the past five years, there have been a staggering 252,000 extra
:41:35. > :41:39.winter deaths. But 25,000 people who died last winter alone. The rate of
:41:40. > :41:46.deaths in winter in our country is almost twice that seen in Norway and
:41:47. > :41:50.Germany. Given that we are experiencing a crisis that is
:41:51. > :41:53.avoidable, will the Leader give consideration to having a debate so
:41:54. > :42:00.that this matter can be most openly discussed? Any unnecessary death is
:42:01. > :42:08.clearly a tragedy and everything possible should be done to avoid
:42:09. > :42:12.that. In fairness, I need to point out that, partly due to the
:42:13. > :42:17.extensive preparation for a winter that the NHS to, the excess winter
:42:18. > :42:23.mortality last winter was Darren on the level it reached in the previous
:42:24. > :42:30.year. Earlier this month, NHS England and Public-health England's
:42:31. > :42:37.launched its Stay Well This Winter campaign, which reached a great
:42:38. > :42:41.proportion of the over 65 's. The NHS is alive to these risks and is
:42:42. > :42:48.taking action to alert elderly payable to what they can do to keep
:42:49. > :42:54.themselves warm. Could I associate myself and my colleagues with the
:42:55. > :42:59.comments of the Leader of the House about our late colleague Jo Cox and
:43:00. > :43:07.say we must all respect people at a different religious, political or
:43:08. > :43:15.difference. Yesterday we launched our first report into the visitor
:43:16. > :43:19.economy and that report was about supporting skills and
:43:20. > :43:23.apprenticeships and hospitality -- in the hospitality and Judaism
:43:24. > :43:27.industry. It resulted in many different types of evidence
:43:28. > :43:33.submitted to us, but it also said there are core issues affecting
:43:34. > :43:37.apprenticeships in the fourth largest service injury. Around the
:43:38. > :43:42.school curriculum, lack of career guidance and lack of encouragement
:43:43. > :43:45.for people to go into the chef and catering industry. Would it be
:43:46. > :43:51.possible to have a debate on this very important industry, which is
:43:52. > :43:54.important to many parts of our constituencies in terms of Judaism,
:43:55. > :43:59.and the direct relationship with the economy?
:44:00. > :44:05.I was glad to hear about the report that she has prepared, and she
:44:06. > :44:12.highlights an important issue. I think the government's commitment to
:44:13. > :44:18.3 million apprenticeships needs to include tourism is one of the
:44:19. > :44:23.sectors which are assisted, and she is right to draw attention to the
:44:24. > :44:27.need for proper preparation and the right content in terms of those
:44:28. > :44:38.apprenticeships, so that young people concerned are then seen as
:44:39. > :44:41.readily employable, and when I have spoken to directors and managers in
:44:42. > :44:47.the hospitality industry, they say that it is often difficult for them
:44:48. > :44:50.to recruit UK citizens who are properly skilled for the work they
:44:51. > :44:54.are offering, which is why they often look to people coming in from
:44:55. > :45:04.other countries. We need to address that challenge. You may recall that
:45:05. > :45:10.a few weeks ago I raised the question of tax treaties. This week
:45:11. > :45:15.another double taxation relief order covering Turkmenistan was approved.
:45:16. > :45:19.We are likely to see many more as a result of Brexit. Can I ask the
:45:20. > :45:25.Leader of the House again if he will look at how members can be given
:45:26. > :45:30.better advanced notice of when such treaties will be considered, and how
:45:31. > :45:35.he might ensure this House has more opportunity and scrutiny of the UK
:45:36. > :45:42.tax arrangements with other countries? The double tax treaties
:45:43. > :45:46.are a sort of standard international agreement negotiated by British
:45:47. > :45:54.governments of all political colours, and as the honourable
:45:55. > :45:56.member knows, they are designed to ensure our citizens and those of the
:45:57. > :46:01.other country concerned cannot be taxed twice by two separate Jude
:46:02. > :46:05.extinctions on the same income. But I will draw his points about
:46:06. > :46:11.scrutiny and parliamentary process to the attention of Treasury
:46:12. > :46:19.ministers and perhaps I can write to him with some thoughts. I hope there
:46:20. > :46:27.will be a permanent memorial to Jo Cox in this building, whether that
:46:28. > :46:33.is a shield or a bust. But last Friday, we gave a second reading in
:46:34. > :46:36.this House by more than two hundred votes to the parliamentary
:46:37. > :46:40.constituencies amendment Bill. That cannot go to committee unless the
:46:41. > :46:51.Leader of the House provides the appropriate motions. When will that
:46:52. > :46:55.happen? On that point, we need to consider and take advice from the
:46:56. > :46:59.Treasury about whether e-money resolution is needed in particular,
:47:00. > :47:07.but I would also say to the honourable gentleman that he should
:47:08. > :47:10.not forget that the legislation that established the current system for
:47:11. > :47:14.detecting electoral boundaries and the terms of reference for the
:47:15. > :47:21.boundaries commission were themselves the subject of
:47:22. > :47:26.legislation passed by a clear majority in this House. I do not
:47:27. > :47:33.think we can shy away from the principle that electorates are
:47:34. > :47:40.grossly unequal at the moment, that they are based on figures for the
:47:41. > :47:46.population that date back to 2000, and it is in the interests of basic
:47:47. > :47:50.democratic fairness that we equalise the number of electors so that every
:47:51. > :48:01.man and woman's vote has the same value. Given that the Leader of the
:48:02. > :48:04.House seems to be in a generous mood, can I ask if we can have an
:48:05. > :48:10.urgent debate on compensation for the victims of the concentric
:48:11. > :48:13.scandal? After the number of parliamentary questions, I have
:48:14. > :48:18.discovered information which confirms that in relation to
:48:19. > :48:21.mandatory eerie considerations after the fishing expedition, nine out of
:48:22. > :48:25.ten of those have been successful, which is just shocking.
:48:26. > :48:32.Notwithstanding this, the average compensation is only ?48, which does
:48:33. > :48:36.not even cover the cost of phone calls or postage of documents to
:48:37. > :48:40.prove their innocence. Can the government do the right thing and
:48:41. > :48:48.have a debate to bring this out in the open. It is the case with any
:48:49. > :48:55.citizen who has grounds for claiming that they have suffered loss as a
:48:56. > :49:00.result of maladministration by any part of government or any agency of
:49:01. > :49:04.government has the right to go through the member of Parliament to
:49:05. > :49:07.the parliamentary ombudsman and seek compensation, that is something I
:49:08. > :49:11.have done under half of my own constituents at various times during
:49:12. > :49:18.my time here. Though clearly what one cannot have is some sort of
:49:19. > :49:24.blanket scheme that operates and awards public money irrespective of
:49:25. > :49:31.the case. But I think the ombudsman may provide the route she is
:49:32. > :49:34.seeking. On the 7th of December, the then presidential hopeful Donald
:49:35. > :49:38.Trump called for a complete ban on Muslims entering the US. On the 15th
:49:39. > :49:42.of November I wrote to the Foreign Secretary to ask what
:49:43. > :49:47.representations were being made in respect of the 2.7 million British
:49:48. > :49:51.Muslims, some of whom may want to go today US. His response was shocking,
:49:52. > :49:55.basically it is a matter for the US government. I fundamentally
:49:56. > :49:59.disagree. This government has a responsibility to stand up and every
:50:00. > :50:03.citizen in this land. When can we have a debate to make sure the
:50:04. > :50:10.Foreign Secretary is held to account? It is the case that this
:50:11. > :50:16.government in terms of freedom to travel, as on everything else, will
:50:17. > :50:22.stand firm for the principle that citizens of the United Kingdom
:50:23. > :50:25.should be treated on an equal basis regardless of what religion they
:50:26. > :50:37.profess or what ethnic origin they may have come from. But it is a
:50:38. > :50:41.truth in law that the United States, like every other nation state, has
:50:42. > :50:50.the responsibility to determine for itself its rules on how people are
:50:51. > :51:01.allowed to enter their territory, and I think it is important that we
:51:02. > :51:06.now work alongside the elected president and his administration and
:51:07. > :51:12.ensure that we have the best possible bilateral relationship that
:51:13. > :51:17.works in the interest of all British citizens. Can I thank the Leader of
:51:18. > :51:21.the House for his moving words, and could we have a debate about whether
:51:22. > :51:31.Britain first should be described as a terrorist ordination and banned
:51:32. > :51:39.from elections? That terrorist organisation. -- Britain First.. The
:51:40. > :51:46.Home Office brings forward but they do so based on evidence.
:51:47. > :51:51.There have been cases in the past where organisations which have been
:51:52. > :51:55.prescribed have gone to the courts and successfully won a judicial
:51:56. > :51:59.review to say that the evidence on which that action had been taken was
:52:00. > :52:05.not sufficient, so I will make sure that her proposal is reported to my
:52:06. > :52:12.right honourable friend the Home Secretary, but there has to be clear
:52:13. > :52:23.evidence of terrorist involvement for the terrorist prescription to be
:52:24. > :52:27.applied. Tory backbenchers rightly lamb basset the debt legacy left by
:52:28. > :52:32.the Labour Party, and usually gets full agreement from ministers on the
:52:33. > :52:37.front bench, so why is it then and yesterday's Autumn Statement,
:52:38. > :52:43.paragraph 3.27 outlines a new guideline that the PFI projects have
:52:44. > :52:51.announced? Can we have this explained, or even better a debate
:52:52. > :52:56.on this? I will ask Treasury ministers to write to him on that.
:52:57. > :53:17.It has already been mentioned that the government published a Northern
:53:18. > :53:20.Powerhouse strategy report yesterday, but I cannot see in that
:53:21. > :53:22.report any mention of either Cumbria or nuclear energy. Given that West
:53:23. > :53:25.Cumbria is going to be putting the power into the Northern Powerhouse,
:53:26. > :53:27.I would like to support the honourable member for Hull north to
:53:28. > :53:30.request a debate so that the government can appreciate how much
:53:31. > :53:32.all of the North of England has to offer, and why Cumbria must not be
:53:33. > :53:36.an afterthought. I completely agree that Cumbria must not be an
:53:37. > :53:39.afterthought, and I am confident that the leaders of the Northern
:53:40. > :53:45.Powerhouse locally would make sure that the decisions that they take
:53:46. > :53:50.work to the advantage of everybody living within that area of this
:53:51. > :53:55.country. On nuclear power, I am aware of the importance of the
:53:56. > :53:58.nuclear industry to her constituents, and I hope there would
:53:59. > :54:02.be some common ground between her and this government because this
:54:03. > :54:06.government has taken a difficult and controversial decision to go ahead
:54:07. > :54:09.with a new generation of nuclear power stations, which I think is
:54:10. > :54:23.something generally supported by members on all sides. Everyday
:54:24. > :54:29.around 2200 babies are born in the UK, including my new granddaughter
:54:30. > :54:33.who was born in Glasgow yesterday. Can we please have a debate on
:54:34. > :54:37.government time about the impact of the measures announced in the Autumn
:54:38. > :54:43.Statement on new families, and how we can support all of them at this
:54:44. > :54:53.joyful but often vulnerable time? Can I first of all congratulate the
:54:54. > :55:00.honourable lady, or perhaps her daughter or daughter-in-law, and use
:55:01. > :55:06.child is a source of joy for any family. On the point she mentions, I
:55:07. > :55:11.suspect we're going to have a number of opportunities to debate the
:55:12. > :55:31.various questions that arise out of the Autumn Statement, as
:55:32. > :55:34.well as different departments affected by the announcements. I
:55:35. > :55:36.would say to her as I said earlier, if she looks at the distributional
:55:37. > :55:39.analysis of the Autumn Statement, she finds that it works modestly,
:55:40. > :55:42.yes, but to the benefit of all income groups in society, except the
:55:43. > :55:44.very richest, and I hope she would also agree that all families benefit
:55:45. > :55:54.more than anything else from having parents in work and able to work.
:55:55. > :55:57.The record numbers of people we have in employment is what is helping to
:55:58. > :56:05.drive the reduction we have seen in the number of children who are
:56:06. > :56:11.living in workless households and the introduction of universal credit
:56:12. > :56:16.means people, including mothers of young children, who take on
:56:17. > :56:23.part-time work, will still always find that works makes them better
:56:24. > :56:30.off than staying on benefits. Can I thank all the members about the kind
:56:31. > :56:33.words about Jo Cox. Yesterday the Chancellor announced infrastructure
:56:34. > :56:40.funding for broadband in rural areas. This is a problem for my
:56:41. > :56:44.constituents and people who work in dockyards. Can the government debate
:56:45. > :56:47.on how it plans to improve speeds for all areas? The additional money
:56:48. > :57:01.that the Chancellor announced yesterday to provide for
:57:02. > :57:09.strategic infrastructure investment is additional to the current
:57:10. > :57:14.programme of connecting people to high-speed broadband. That current
:57:15. > :57:20.work will continue, and what was announced yesterday is additional to
:57:21. > :57:26.that. Can I also thank the Leader of the House for his words about our
:57:27. > :57:30.colleague Jo Cox. Can I also paid tribute to her incredible staff, who
:57:31. > :57:34.have shown such as strength of character throughout this period, I
:57:35. > :57:43.know she would be incredibly proud of what they achieved in her
:57:44. > :57:50.absence. In 2012, the government axed careers advice, and put money
:57:51. > :57:54.into a website, which collapsed in October, as it lost control of what
:57:55. > :58:00.it could do. Can we have a statement from the government on how this
:58:01. > :58:08.waste of taxpayer money was allowed to happen? Can I associate myself
:58:09. > :58:16.with her tribute to Jo Cox's staff, and I know she herself had to
:58:17. > :58:27.undertake a number of constituency duties between her murder and the
:58:28. > :58:30.recent by-election, so she will have had personal knowledge of how hard
:58:31. > :58:33.her staff have worked. On the point she raised, I am not aware of the
:58:34. > :58:39.details of the case, that it sounds to me possibly something that may be
:58:40. > :58:44.a serious use of -- misuse of public money, and you may want to have a
:58:45. > :58:48.word with the chair of the Public Accounts Committee because that
:58:49. > :58:54.probably would be the appropriate parliamentary means to investigate
:58:55. > :59:00.this further. Can I also associate myself with the tributes made to our
:59:01. > :59:04.colleague Jo Cox. Yesterday we heard a lot from the Chancellor about
:59:05. > :59:10.increasing productivity, but can we have a statement on increasing
:59:11. > :59:13.ministerial productivity? I refer to the government's review of
:59:14. > :59:17.employment tribunal fees, which have been sitting on his desk for over a
:59:18. > :59:22.year now, and he appears not to have even read it. Thousands of people
:59:23. > :59:24.are being denied access to justice, but this report has not been acted
:59:25. > :59:33.upon. When will something happen? I will have a word with the relevant
:59:34. > :59:39.minister, I cannot promise the reply will be the one he wishes for, but
:59:40. > :59:46.let's get the relevant Minister to write to him, so he can see what
:59:47. > :59:51.current thinking is. And we have a ministerial statement addressing the
:59:52. > :59:55.rear but dramatic issue experienced by my constituent, a transgendered
:59:56. > :00:01.woman, having reached the militarily gen seeking her pension, her case is
:00:02. > :00:07.with the Tribunal service, having undergone surgery when gender
:00:08. > :00:10.realignment certificates were not possible. Her passport and driving
:00:11. > :00:14.licence recognise her female service, but the government is
:00:15. > :00:20.rooting through an upsetting process to prove she is living as a woman.
:00:21. > :00:25.There will be a backbench debate on transgender equality that may give
:00:26. > :00:32.him the opportunity to raise this particular case. If he is having any
:00:33. > :00:36.problems himself in corresponding with government departments, I am
:00:37. > :00:45.always ready to help any member get a prompt reply. Yesterday I asked
:00:46. > :00:51.the Prime Minister how she could justify the scrapping of the May
:00:52. > :00:56.be's heavy duty service charge with no replacement. The Prime Minister
:00:57. > :01:01.replied that she did not recognise the situation I described. But the
:01:02. > :01:11.truth is that it is the case that at the end of 2018, this missile will
:01:12. > :01:18.be scrapped and there will be no replacement and this is against the
:01:19. > :01:28.advice of the Navy. Can we have a debate about naval defence in the
:01:29. > :01:32.Prime Minister's first opportunity. The Ministry of Defence, while it
:01:33. > :01:37.has a significant budget and quite old terms, does still have to take
:01:38. > :01:44.difficult decisions, including decisions at times to phase out and
:01:45. > :01:49.to replace particular weapon systems or weapon platforms. I will make
:01:50. > :01:55.sure that defence ministers are aware of the honourable gentleman's
:01:56. > :01:57.concerns. This subject might be an appropriate backbench debate or
:01:58. > :02:06.something and you may wish to raise on the adjournment. On November the
:02:07. > :02:10.7th, in a debate in Westminster Hall on the future of shipbuilding, the
:02:11. > :02:14.honourable member for West Worcestershire, who is defence
:02:15. > :02:18.procurement minister said, the National shipbuilding strategy will
:02:19. > :02:24.report by the Autumn Statement. The Autumn Statement was yesterday and
:02:25. > :02:26.we still haven't seen the strategy. Can the Beta is sure that the
:02:27. > :02:29.Secretary of State for Defence comes to this chamber and makes a
:02:30. > :02:35.statement on exactly what is happening to the national
:02:36. > :02:41.shipbuilding strategy? I had noticed that this matter was raised
:02:42. > :02:44.yesterday, so I did check out the current position with the Ministry
:02:45. > :02:49.of Defence this morning. My understanding is that Sir John
:02:50. > :02:54.Parker has now submitted his independent report and did so just
:02:55. > :02:59.before the Autumn Statement. That is being considered by ministers.
:03:00. > :03:07.Defence ministers do intend to publish his report soon, and they
:03:08. > :03:15.will then be providing a more considered response to the detail of
:03:16. > :03:20.his report at a later date. The chaotic sustainability and
:03:21. > :03:25.transformation plan, warp commonly known as the slash, trash and
:03:26. > :03:28.privatised programme, is being compounded by reports that our
:03:29. > :03:33.General Hospital is to be caused, marriage is unmoved. If we can't
:03:34. > :03:36.have a debate on this in government time, can we have a debate on the
:03:37. > :03:38.report of the health select committee to demonstrate how the
:03:39. > :03:44.government is bamboozling the public with false claims of money to the
:03:45. > :03:50.NHS that it isn't actually providing? I simply don't agree with
:03:51. > :04:00.his final comments. The government has provided ?10 billion to the NHS
:04:01. > :04:09.over the period of the current five-year plan, plus the preceding
:04:10. > :04:12.financial year. And in giving evidence to the health select
:04:13. > :04:17.committee, the chief executive of the National Health Service in
:04:18. > :04:29.England said that the government had provided the upfront funding that he
:04:30. > :04:35.was seeking. When it comes to the STPs. The important thing is they
:04:36. > :04:42.are determined locally. They are not being imposed from on high. He will
:04:43. > :04:46.also find that the health of oversight committee of his local
:04:47. > :04:58.authority has the right to challenge proposals presented under a STP, and
:04:59. > :05:03.if they feel sufficiently strongly, to revert that to the Secretary of
:05:04. > :05:06.State for a second look. But it is important, not just that the
:05:07. > :05:10.government, as it is doing, spends more money on the National Health
:05:11. > :05:15.Service, but the National Health Service looks at the way in which it
:05:16. > :05:18.is operating, so that it is getting the best possible value of their
:05:19. > :05:26.patients out of every penny that is being spent. An important tenet of
:05:27. > :05:30.the better together campaign was that the people of Scotland should
:05:31. > :05:34.vote no to Scottish independence in order to protect their pensions.
:05:35. > :05:39.Yesterday, the Chancellor suggested that the triple lock may be set to
:05:40. > :05:43.go. Can we have a debate in government time on the future of
:05:44. > :05:46.state pensions, to discuss the prospect of future cuts and this
:05:47. > :05:54.potential betrayal to the people of Scotland? The Chancellor was very
:05:55. > :06:00.clear yesterday that the triple lock is going to remain in place for the
:06:01. > :06:04.duration of this government's lifetime. At the next general
:06:05. > :06:09.election in 2020, it will be for all political parties to put forward
:06:10. > :06:12.what ever proposals they wish on pensions, as anything else. The
:06:13. > :06:18.biggest threat to the well-being of pensioners in Scotland would come
:06:19. > :06:22.from a vote for separation, which would plunge Scotland into the kind
:06:23. > :06:25.of economic instability where pensioners and others relying on
:06:26. > :06:36.fixed incomes are likely to lose out heavily. People living close to
:06:37. > :06:41.recreational airfields don't have the same protection from noise and
:06:42. > :06:45.nuisance that people living close to similar recreational activities that
:06:46. > :06:49.stay in the ground have. In a statement from the Department for
:06:50. > :06:52.Communities and Local Government on this issue, its impact on local
:06:53. > :07:00.people and what they're going to do about it? I refer him to the
:07:01. > :07:11.questions next Monday and hope he is lucky in that tracked in your eye,
:07:12. > :07:16.Mr Speaker. Dee Valley water is valued independent business in North
:07:17. > :07:21.East Wales, supply water to Wrexham in Chester. Its independence and
:07:22. > :07:26.many jobs are threatened by the takeover by Southern Trent. If local
:07:27. > :07:32.decision-making is important, what say you local people in my area have
:07:33. > :07:46.about yourselves and the water that they drink? Clearly, this is a
:07:47. > :07:50.commercial decision for the two companies concerned, and while I
:07:51. > :07:57.understand the concerns he has expressed, I don't know the details,
:07:58. > :08:02.there may be a question in mind that a larger company would be able to
:08:03. > :08:08.provide more capital investment for his area, so people might be able to
:08:09. > :08:14.benefit. I suggest to him this is probably a suitable subject for an
:08:15. > :08:17.adjournment debate. The new administration has been quick to
:08:18. > :08:25.jettison just about every aspect of the predecessor, so when will we get
:08:26. > :08:29.rid of the farcical procedures, on Monday night, nobody had a clue what
:08:30. > :08:38.was going on. There were no divisions, there were no English
:08:39. > :08:43.Casper English laws. Surely he agrees the answer is not this mess
:08:44. > :08:50.left him by his predecessor? I am absolutely confident that the teller
:08:51. > :08:56.knew what was going on at all times, and if last Monday's events raised
:08:57. > :09:00.any concern about the technical operation of the procedures, then as
:09:01. > :09:07.the honourable gentleman knows, I am currently carrying out a review of
:09:08. > :09:12.those procedures, embodied in standing orders, and he's welcome to
:09:13. > :09:18.submit evidence to me. But the basic principle remains right, that where
:09:19. > :09:21.legislation affects only England, and that matter is devolved to the
:09:22. > :09:27.Scottish Parliament in Scotland, Ben English members here should exercise
:09:28. > :09:40.a veto upon whether that legislation passes or not. I am sure you were
:09:41. > :09:44.watching avidly last Sunday as Andy Murray one the ATP world tour 's
:09:45. > :09:48.finals and retained his position as the world's number one tennis player
:09:49. > :09:52.in the singles, joining his brother, who is number one player in the
:09:53. > :09:58.doubles. These brothers are the pride of Dunblane. I wonder if we
:09:59. > :10:02.can have a debate on the legacy to tennis and the wider benefit that
:10:03. > :10:08.sporting excellence can have in terms of getting the next generation
:10:09. > :10:12.of sporting heroes? I did indeed watch both Andy and to meet several
:10:13. > :10:16.times last week, and the honourable gentleman will not be surprised to
:10:17. > :10:26.know that I bellowed on regular occasions in their support, albeit
:10:27. > :10:33.in an entirely orderly manner. I am very happy to add my congratulations
:10:34. > :10:37.to both Andy and Jamie Murray and while I can see people of Dunblane
:10:38. > :10:40.and Scotland will take a special pride in their achievement, I think
:10:41. > :10:48.that that pride is shared by everybody else in all parts of the
:10:49. > :10:50.UK. I hope that the tennis authorities will use this
:10:51. > :10:55.achievement as the springboard to intensify their efforts to improve
:10:56. > :11:01.the opportunities available through, both the grassroots tennis and
:11:02. > :11:05.through coaching schemes for the most able players, so we produce
:11:06. > :11:11.eight new generation of tennis players, both men and women, to
:11:12. > :11:18.follow in their footsteps. If the honourable gentleman won the debate
:11:19. > :11:26.on the matter, I can't take part, but if he wants an adjournment
:11:27. > :11:33.debate on the matter, I am saying he might secure it. This flawed
:11:34. > :11:39.neoclassical theoretical assumptions, combined with problems,
:11:40. > :11:47.are enshrined in the model of the UK economy used by both the Treasury
:11:48. > :11:51.and other bodies, so I would call into question how independent that
:11:52. > :11:57.makes the OBR. When can we have a debate on this? It is up to the OBR
:11:58. > :12:03.to decide how it meets its own forecasts, and the assumptions on
:12:04. > :12:09.which it makes them. They do publish with their report a statement of the
:12:10. > :12:18.various assumptions they make, but if he isn't happy with the OBR,
:12:19. > :12:20.there is a plethora of other independent forecasts, using
:12:21. > :12:35.methodologies that defer to a great or lesser extent. I think this is
:12:36. > :12:40.the question. Can I join others in ensuring our thoughts and prayers
:12:41. > :12:45.are with Jo Cox's family and her staff. As you predicted yesterday,
:12:46. > :12:50.following my point of order, I do wish to push the Leader of the How
:12:51. > :12:55.is just a little further in terms of the National shipbuilding strategy.
:12:56. > :12:58.Can he ensure and feedback to ministers that many members want to
:12:59. > :13:02.debate the strategy and the government response to it. It is an
:13:03. > :13:07.important industry and it needs topped up. Those of us who represent
:13:08. > :13:14.shipyards, we'd be obliged if the Leader would be amenable to that. I
:13:15. > :13:19.do understand the importance of the industry to his constituency, as in
:13:20. > :13:23.all parts of the UK. The position is, as described it earlier. The
:13:24. > :13:28.first thing the house will want is to see Sir John Parker's report and
:13:29. > :13:34.members to bomb views on that. But I will certainly be leader colleagues
:13:35. > :13:42.in defence the importers that he and other honourable members attached to
:13:43. > :13:47.this matter. Point of order, Mr Alex Salmond. During business questions,
:13:48. > :13:53.in answer to the right Honourable member for Rhondda, the Leader of
:13:54. > :13:56.the Coasting to suggest there was? Over with their resolution would
:13:57. > :14:03.come forward on the second reading of the boundaries Bill but this has
:14:04. > :14:08.class overwhelmingly last Friday. You will remember that there was one
:14:09. > :14:14.example in the last parliament with this happens, I wasn't viewed at the
:14:15. > :14:15.time. Due to the incoherence of the Coalition Government