:00:00. > :00:00.for my credentials as a Unionist, and I want to see prosperity spread
:00:00. > :00:00.to every part of the United Kingdom. I thought the Scottish Government
:00:00. > :00:14.economic policies will also help contribute to that. Business
:00:15. > :00:22.question. Could I ask the Leader of the House to please tell us the
:00:23. > :00:28.forthcoming business? The business for next week will be as follows.
:00:29. > :00:31.Monday the 19th of December, a general debate on exiting the
:00:32. > :00:37.European Union and science and research. Tuesday the 20th, a
:00:38. > :00:41.general debate on leasehold and commonhold reform, followed by a
:00:42. > :00:45.general debate on matters to be raised before the forthcoming
:00:46. > :00:49.adjournment. The business for the week commencing the 9th of January
:00:50. > :00:53.will include Monday the 9th of January, remaining stages of the
:00:54. > :00:58.technical and further education bill. Tuesday the 10th of January,
:00:59. > :01:02.remaining stages of the Commonwealth development Corporation Bill,
:01:03. > :01:07.followed by consideration of lords amendments to the policing and crime
:01:08. > :01:13.Bill. Wednesday the 11th of January, an opposition day, allotted day,
:01:14. > :01:18.debates on opposition motions, subject to be announced. 12th of
:01:19. > :01:23.January, debate on a motion on Yemen, followed by a debate on
:01:24. > :01:29.Security and the political situation in the African great Lakes
:01:30. > :01:35.situation. Friday the 13th of January, private members bills. The
:01:36. > :01:40.traditional business for the week commencing the 16th of January will
:01:41. > :01:45.include, Monday the 16th of January, second reading of the National
:01:46. > :01:49.citizens service bill, Lords. I should also like to inform the House
:01:50. > :01:54.that the business in Westminster Hall for the the 12th of January,
:01:55. > :01:59.will be a debate on the fourth report from the Justice committee on
:02:00. > :02:05.restorative justice, followed by a general debate on the future of that
:02:06. > :02:08.UK maritime industry. The subjects of these debates were determined by
:02:09. > :02:16.the liaison and backbench business committees. As this is the last
:02:17. > :02:20.exchange of questions ahead of recess, could I conclude by wishing
:02:21. > :02:26.not just right Honourable members on all sides, but particularly the
:02:27. > :02:37.staff of the House, in all departments, a happy, peaceful and
:02:38. > :02:41.restful Christmas recess. The car and I thank the Leader of the House
:02:42. > :02:48.for forthcoming business? Can I pressed him yet again on that last
:02:49. > :02:52.day for summer recess? People are desperate to print those little
:02:53. > :02:56.calendars. We do need that. Can I ask invalid beat on the restoration
:02:57. > :03:02.and renewal report? I understand there's a date being floated around,
:03:03. > :03:07.I wonder if he could and light in all of us and perhaps let me know
:03:08. > :03:13.whether the resolution that is going to be put before the house on this
:03:14. > :03:16.issue will be in the form of motions, whether all the options
:03:17. > :03:20.will be put before the house or whether other members can table
:03:21. > :03:34.further resolutions as well? Could I also ask when the bus service will
:03:35. > :03:41.be arriving? It has a flashing sign. That would be helpful. 21 years ago
:03:42. > :03:45.today, European leaders announced their new currency would be known as
:03:46. > :03:51.the usual. It was a Tory government that took us into this European
:03:52. > :03:54.exchange mechanism and out again, but it was a Labour government that
:03:55. > :03:59.devised the five economic tests before we joined the judo and that's
:04:00. > :04:06.why we want get the government a blank check for article 50. We want
:04:07. > :04:12.to see that framework. We know the vital statistics, 50 to leave, 40
:04:13. > :04:19.remain, and over 20% didn't vote, so we need to find a way forward that
:04:20. > :04:24.encompasses every view. The to leave the EU and our job is to make sure
:04:25. > :04:31.appreciate that exit. We need to shake the exit to ensure jobs, the
:04:32. > :04:35.economy and our living standards are priorities. To ship the exit so that
:04:36. > :04:40.trade and services with and to the EU are not damaged. We need to shape
:04:41. > :04:49.the exit to make sure all the good things about our place in the world,
:04:50. > :04:54.that we act with other countries to protect the vulnerable against
:04:55. > :05:00.bullies. Negotiating to preserve the rights that were secured for our
:05:01. > :05:03.workforce, that has powered this economy through knowledge, skills
:05:04. > :05:09.and creativity, by hand and by brain. Could I ask the Leader of the
:05:10. > :05:13.House between January and March, could he ensure there are
:05:14. > :05:17.discussions through the usual channels, that there is a proper
:05:18. > :05:20.forum for debate. There are many committees producing reports, we
:05:21. > :05:25.don't want the public to be confused. We want a proper form of
:05:26. > :05:31.motion and proper recommendations. All that needs to be shaped to shake
:05:32. > :05:37.the government's thinking before article 50 is triggered. We need
:05:38. > :05:40.that debate. On Friday last week, the Secretary of State said he's not
:05:41. > :05:44.interested in transitional arrangements. Then the Chancellor
:05:45. > :05:50.said the government would likely seek a transitional deal in order to
:05:51. > :05:54.avoid disruption that would risk Britain's financial stability. The
:05:55. > :06:06.Prime Minister was very emphatic that Prime Minister's Questions,
:06:07. > :06:10.that we are leaving the EU. Could we have that statement on the correct
:06:11. > :06:15.position? We need to look at the effect on leaving the EU on young
:06:16. > :06:20.people. We need a debate on how these policies will affect them,
:06:21. > :06:34.because 75% of young people between the ages of 18 and 24, voted to
:06:35. > :06:40.remain. They say younger people will be hardest hit, because since 2007,
:06:41. > :06:45.median income for those between 22 and 30 has dropped by 7%. Inflation
:06:46. > :06:52.is going up, the cost of food and other necessities is also rising.
:06:53. > :06:56.Can I ask the government to implement the real living wage,
:06:57. > :07:09.which is ?8 45 and hour or ?9 75 in London. At Prime Minister's
:07:10. > :07:16.Questions, many members mentioned the' Jo Cox. The place I reckon my
:07:17. > :07:29.thanks to those who did a fantastic job of organising and playing on it.
:07:30. > :07:32.Steve Harley, KT Tunstall and the brilliant community choir. Many
:07:33. > :07:41.colleagues here have taken by it and even those who, like Lady Macleod,
:07:42. > :07:46.who came back to sing. Jo Cox's family will have to face their first
:07:47. > :07:52.Christmas with out. Many members on all facing hostility, they have to
:07:53. > :07:58.endure court cases, they have to deal with this with courage. Can I
:07:59. > :08:04.asked the Leader of the House and all members on a cross-party basis,
:08:05. > :08:10.to try and find out the nature and evidence of what is happening.
:08:11. > :08:15.Encourage them to report. Perhaps we can have a streamlined way of
:08:16. > :08:20.ensuring their matters dealt with. Can I also asked the Leader of the
:08:21. > :08:24.House of Lords and that's what is happening, if they will agree a
:08:25. > :08:28.package to keep the office is secure? Apparently, it is not coming
:08:29. > :08:33.through. I don't know what the leader of the houses giving the
:08:34. > :08:46.Prime Minister for Christmas? Can I suggest a couple of books? Perhaps
:08:47. > :08:51.the autobiography of John Major or perhaps The Team Of Rivals about
:08:52. > :08:58.Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet, three of whom had previously won
:08:59. > :09:03.against Lincoln. Finally, could I wish you, your family and your
:09:04. > :09:07.office are very happy Christmas. The Leader of the House, his suave
:09:08. > :09:13.deputy and his offers a very happy Christmas. The clerks, the
:09:14. > :09:18.doorkeepers, everyone who has made me so welcome, from cleaning,
:09:19. > :09:22.catering, postal workers, everyone. And all honourable and right
:09:23. > :09:23.Honourable members of those house. A very happy Christmas and peaceful
:09:24. > :09:34.New Year. Can I thank the honourable lady for
:09:35. > :09:39.her personal good wishes. Can I say to her I want to express the
:09:40. > :09:46.thoughts and prayers of everyone in this House will be with Jo Cox and
:09:47. > :09:51.her family. I would salute other honourable member on all sides of
:09:52. > :10:01.the house did to contribute to the recently released download. She
:10:02. > :10:06.asked a serious point about the threats and abuse that a number of
:10:07. > :10:14.honourable in a different political parties have been receiving. This is
:10:15. > :10:18.something that I take and the House authorities take very seriously. She
:10:19. > :10:24.will understand we don't normally talk about such a security matters
:10:25. > :10:29.in detail in the chamber but the chairman of ways and Means and I
:10:30. > :10:33.recently sent a letter to all members of the House alerting them
:10:34. > :10:41.to the existence now of a dedicated to the police hotline to which any
:10:42. > :10:47.such threats should be reported. Certainly both the chairman of ways
:10:48. > :10:53.and Means and I would want to know of any evidence or suggestion that a
:10:54. > :10:56.local police force were not taking such threats seriously, we would
:10:57. > :11:02.take whatever steps where appropriate in receipt of that
:11:03. > :11:08.information. Similarly, if there is evidence that for whatever reason
:11:09. > :11:18.security improvements to members's homes and offices that are necessary
:11:19. > :11:21.are being held up for some unreasonable grounds, I would
:11:22. > :11:26.certainly be willing to do what I can, as with the chairman of ways
:11:27. > :11:29.and Means, to make sure things are sorted out rapidly there. If I can
:11:30. > :11:36.turn to the policy point that she also raised. I will try and give
:11:37. > :11:42.dates for some as soon as possible although I think she will appreciate
:11:43. > :11:47.that in line with precedent, it has not been the custom for any
:11:48. > :11:51.Government to announce summer recess dates quite this early on in the
:11:52. > :11:59.Parliamentary year. Similarly, I would hope to be able to satisfy her
:12:00. > :12:04.appetite for dates both for the reform and restoration of the House
:12:05. > :12:08.reports and through the Commons proceedings on the bus services bill
:12:09. > :12:14.as as soon as possible. Her comments about the EU, she might have noted
:12:15. > :12:19.that it was a Conservative Prime Minister John Major who did actually
:12:20. > :12:25.ensure that this country had the opt out from the euro in the first place
:12:26. > :12:28.and without Sir John major's efforts, that choice would not have
:12:29. > :12:35.been available to the United Kingdom. I noted her comments about
:12:36. > :12:42.EU exit. I have to say, I rather welcomed her statement of the Labour
:12:43. > :12:51.Party's position. I have to say to her, this is at odds with what our
:12:52. > :12:55.party's owned a spokesman on EU exit, the honourable member, it said
:12:56. > :13:00.over a fortnight ago when he said we needed to keep our options open on a
:13:01. > :13:05.second referendum. I really think that if we are to take the Labour
:13:06. > :13:10.Party's wrote seriously, we have to accept whichever side we supported
:13:11. > :13:15.during the referendum, whether we agreed or disagreed with the verdict
:13:16. > :13:18.of the public, this was a decision that the electorate was
:13:19. > :13:23.democratically entitled to take and which almost all of us in the Has
:13:24. > :13:29.agreed in supporting the referendum bill should be delegated from
:13:30. > :13:37.Parliament to the voters of the United Kingdom to decide finally. I
:13:38. > :13:42.think that her appetite for debate on the European Union is going to be
:13:43. > :13:46.more than seated in the New Year. I would also point out there are no
:13:47. > :13:52.more than 30 different select committee enquiry taking place in
:13:53. > :13:56.this House and in the House of Lords into various aspects of our
:13:57. > :14:01.departure from the European Union. Where she is right is to say at the
:14:02. > :14:05.Prime Minister has repeatedly said that it is in our interests and in
:14:06. > :14:09.the interests of the other 27 members of the European Union that
:14:10. > :14:16.we secure in negotiation that provides for as COBOL a divorce as
:14:17. > :14:20.possible -- amicable. Although we are leaving the EU, we are not
:14:21. > :14:27.leaving Europe and a strong productive, mutually beneficial with
:14:28. > :14:33.the EU 27 is going to be important in the prosperity and security of
:14:34. > :14:39.all 28 countries. But also for effective cooperation is an
:14:40. > :14:46.international scale to deal with such challenges as large scale
:14:47. > :14:49.migration from Africa, as the threat from international terrorism, that
:14:50. > :14:55.are going to be with us for a long time into the future. She chided the
:14:56. > :14:59.Government about our approach to the living wage, but I have to say that
:15:00. > :15:07.we followed the advice of the low paid commission and the recent
:15:08. > :15:12.increase in the national living wage and I note as well that the
:15:13. > :15:17.resolution foundation, which is not always a champion of Government
:15:18. > :15:21.policy, has said that 2016 has marked the best year ever for a low
:15:22. > :15:26.paid workers because of this Government's commitment to the
:15:27. > :15:32.national living wage. Finally, she asked me about Christmas presents,
:15:33. > :15:35.Mr Speaker. I have to say that for some unaccountable reason, the
:15:36. > :15:39.honourable lady omitted to mention that in the opposition's campaign
:15:40. > :15:52.grid for this week, tomorrow is marked down as the day for Christmas
:15:53. > :15:55.jumpers. I somehow think that this combination of garish design,
:15:56. > :16:07.clashing colours and a general sense of nationalism, rather confuses were
:16:08. > :16:12.the Cabinet is. Over the last three weeks or so, Chelmsford commuters
:16:13. > :16:17.travelling into London by train have had nightmare journeys due to broken
:16:18. > :16:22.down trains, faulty tracks and other problems. Would my right honourable
:16:23. > :16:26.friend be able to arrange for a statement by the transport minister
:16:27. > :16:30.as to what can be done to stop this sort of inefficient provision of
:16:31. > :16:36.service, or would he advised me that I ought to seek to catch Mr
:16:37. > :16:41.Speaker's I next afternoon to contribute in the adjournment debate
:16:42. > :16:46.before we go into recess? For as long as I've been in the House, I've
:16:47. > :16:50.known my right honourable friend is the most formidable champion of
:16:51. > :17:01.commuters from Cheltenham. I think it's very important... I beg his
:17:02. > :17:10.pardon, from Chelmsford. It's the Christmas spirit getting to me, Mr
:17:11. > :17:17.Speaker. I think that there is an important message here for both the
:17:18. > :17:20.franchise holder and for the railway workers who together have to make
:17:21. > :17:24.that line operate that it should be the interests of the travelling
:17:25. > :17:29.public that should be first and foremost in their priorities at all
:17:30. > :17:32.times. I am sure that if my right honourable friend does catch your
:17:33. > :17:40.aye, Mr Speaker, the transport minister will not only be too happy
:17:41. > :17:43.to respond to that. Can I thank the Leader of the House for announcing
:17:44. > :17:47.the business of next week. I thought very minute he was trying to talk
:17:48. > :17:53.out of business questions. It is good to see a Leader of the House
:17:54. > :17:57.Minus the lederhosen. Then I take this opportunity, Mr Speaker, to
:17:58. > :18:01.wish you a happy Christmas. I extend that to the house staff who have
:18:02. > :18:08.looked after us then their usual exemplary fashion. Maybe we should
:18:09. > :18:12.have a debate about 2016 and perhaps vowed never to have another year
:18:13. > :18:16.quite like that, we have lost so many of our stars and artists, the
:18:17. > :18:21.election of Donald Trump in the States to this accidental clueless
:18:22. > :18:25.Tory Brexit, maybe we can learn the lessons from 2016 and vowed never to
:18:26. > :18:32.go back there again. Today's piece of Tory Brexit clues move comes
:18:33. > :18:37.courtesy of our man in Brussels, it might actually take ten years to get
:18:38. > :18:43.a tree deal with our European partners and some European capitals
:18:44. > :18:48.might never ratified Brexit. But this is only reflecting the views of
:18:49. > :18:51.the 27 nations were supposed to be negotiating! Only in the weird world
:18:52. > :18:57.of Tory Brexit cluelessness does that make it all right. Mr Speaker,
:18:58. > :19:01.with the Christmas recess coming in a few short days, it may be weeks
:19:02. > :19:06.before we get an opportunity to debate the deteriorating situation
:19:07. > :19:10.in Aleppo. Before we rise next Tuesday, we get an opportunity to
:19:11. > :19:14.have a statement from the Foreign Secretary to keep us updated before
:19:15. > :19:19.we go on to recess? Lastly, I know the whole House is engaged to get
:19:20. > :19:24.this Jo Cox single foundation for the number one for Christmas. We're
:19:25. > :19:28.really grateful to everyone in the House to make sure we do that. The
:19:29. > :19:33.Leader of the House would also like to join me in thanking Sir Mick
:19:34. > :19:44.Jagger and Keith Richard for waiving the royalties, to get even more
:19:45. > :19:48.money to the Jo Cox Foundation. I will happily endorse the honourable
:19:49. > :19:54.member's tribute to Keith Richards and Mick Jagger in weaving their
:19:55. > :19:59.royalties. I will pass on to my right honourable friend the Foreign
:20:00. > :20:02.Secretary, the honourable gentleman's Westbury further
:20:03. > :20:08.statement on Aleppo next week. This is the subject I think on which the
:20:09. > :20:12.house is united in a sense of horror what civilians there are having to
:20:13. > :20:17.endure. I know Foreign Office ministers are only very keen to
:20:18. > :20:23.ensure the House is informed as soon as possible about recent elements. I
:20:24. > :20:29.have worked in my previous ministerial rule with Ivan Rogers
:20:30. > :20:34.over a number of years. He is a formidable public servants who
:20:35. > :20:41.always reports to British ministers and successive governments what he
:20:42. > :20:44.picks up, is said to him from various people in different
:20:45. > :20:54.Government and EU Administration 's. It's not, Mr Speaker, that unusual.
:20:55. > :21:00.It may be hard for you to believe that in some countries, people who
:21:01. > :21:07.are part of the same Government say slightly different things on the
:21:08. > :21:15.subject of the future. The truth here is that we have not set out to
:21:16. > :21:20.our 27 colleagues what the Government's objectives are in this
:21:21. > :21:27.negotiation nor have they yet met to have out what their mandate is to
:21:28. > :21:30.their appointed negotiators. The speculation about how long
:21:31. > :21:39.negotiations will take seems to me as remarkably premature if there is
:21:40. > :21:43.good well and strong political intent, I'm confident and amicable
:21:44. > :21:50.and good negotiation can lead to an agreement in which all sides can
:21:51. > :21:54.take pleasure. As we approach the time of the year at which there was
:21:55. > :21:58.no room in the in for Jesus to be born, can we have an early debate on
:21:59. > :22:01.the position facing many of our constituents who are looking to move
:22:02. > :22:06.into new shared ownership properties. Many of my constituents
:22:07. > :22:09.exchanged contracts in early September and the completion date
:22:10. > :22:13.has been ruled endlessly forward. The are being chased by their
:22:14. > :22:16.landlords, taken to court, some of them are pregnant and hoping to have
:22:17. > :22:20.children, are expecting to have children shortly, and they don't
:22:21. > :22:23.know when they can move on. To make things worse, I understand that some
:22:24. > :22:26.of the developers are concentrating on finishing off their own
:22:27. > :22:30.properties first, leaving these shared ownership tenant is totally
:22:31. > :22:35.at the mercy of when will be able to move into their new homes. AM
:22:36. > :22:41.concerned by what my honourable friend says about this case in his
:22:42. > :22:46.own constituency. And while the Government is right to press forward
:22:47. > :22:53.with an ambitious programme of new home building and of all types of
:22:54. > :22:57.tenure, we need to be very clear that where sites have planning
:22:58. > :23:00.permission, those developers have a responsibility to move ahead as
:23:01. > :23:03.quickly as possible. The most important step in the question of
:23:04. > :23:07.shared ownership is for developers and authorities work closely
:23:08. > :23:11.together at local level to ensure that once permission is granted,
:23:12. > :23:15.work on building out the site is taken forward as rapidly as
:23:16. > :23:18.possible. We are taking action to enable a planning Bill, as my
:23:19. > :23:23.honourable friend knows, to remove some of the causes of unnecessary
:23:24. > :23:28.delays to development. But I hope local councils will use the power
:23:29. > :23:33.that they have, both resetting conditions to development and
:23:34. > :23:40.through negotiation of section 106 planning agreements, to ensure we
:23:41. > :23:41.get the rapid develop -- delivery of shared ownership properties as well
:23:42. > :23:53.as properties for sale. Could I join all members in wishing
:23:54. > :23:57.you, the Leader of the House and all members of the house and staff of
:23:58. > :24:02.the House and our constituents, a very happy Christmas and a very
:24:03. > :24:07.happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. Good I also thank the Leader
:24:08. > :24:09.of the House for the business announcement this morning. A number
:24:10. > :24:15.of members have been asking me why we haven't had a debate about Yemen,
:24:16. > :24:20.and I'm glad he has announced we have that scheduled for the 12th of
:24:21. > :24:25.January, along with the general debate about the African great Lakes
:24:26. > :24:32.region. Yemen has been a topic have been asked about an awful lot. Can I
:24:33. > :24:35.also thank the Leader of the House for his generous cooperation since
:24:36. > :24:40.he came to his offers, which has helped us to plan ahead in the
:24:41. > :24:44.backbench business committee, so can I thank him for that? I am grateful
:24:45. > :24:53.to him, both for his Christmas wishes and for his final remarks. It
:24:54. > :24:58.is always a juggling act to try and ensure we have adequate time
:24:59. > :25:02.available or the business that different members in different parts
:25:03. > :25:06.of the House want to see debated, but we always do our utmost to
:25:07. > :25:14.accommodate the backbench business committee. Today, the sustainability
:25:15. > :25:18.and transformation plan for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire has
:25:19. > :25:21.been published. There is a lot of good common sense in it, but there
:25:22. > :25:29.is also a statement that they need to consider whether to move from
:25:30. > :25:35.three to two accident and emergency sites and one Arjun carers Centre.
:25:36. > :25:40.It's clear from the demand and Tess Daly that all the accident and
:25:41. > :25:44.emergency sites are required. Can we have a debate on this issue
:25:45. > :25:54.urgently? It is vital our constituents know their interests
:25:55. > :25:58.are being considered. He will be very trenchant in defending the
:25:59. > :26:05.interests of his constituents and he is right to say that sustainability
:26:06. > :26:08.plans must not just be locally tailored, but also must deliver
:26:09. > :26:13.services that are good quality and sustainable for the future of a
:26:14. > :26:20.particular locality. Any changes must have to meet the four tests,
:26:21. > :26:23.they have to have support from GPs, demonstrate clinical evidence,
:26:24. > :26:27.support from patients and consider patient choice. The local scrutiny
:26:28. > :26:32.committee of any locality has the right to object to a planned service
:26:33. > :26:38.cheese and referred that to the Secretary of State for a decision. I
:26:39. > :26:42.know the timing of statements is never easy, but given the importance
:26:43. > :26:46.of the local government settlement for places like Birmingham, which
:26:47. > :26:52.are virtually bankrupt, and the fact that many of us will be serving on
:26:53. > :26:55.public bill committees from 1130 today, can I ask the Leader of the
:26:56. > :27:02.House for an urgent debate on the combined impact of social care,
:27:03. > :27:05.education and local government funding decisions on towns and
:27:06. > :27:11.cities that are not run by Conservative administrations? I
:27:12. > :27:16.don't want to pre-empt what my honourable friend the Minister for
:27:17. > :27:22.local government is going to see in a statement this afternoon. There is
:27:23. > :27:28.an opportunity next Tuesday in the debate for as I see the kind of
:27:29. > :27:37.local, city or county specific issues that he has in mind. The Post
:27:38. > :27:43.Office has recently closed. As in my constituency and moved its services
:27:44. > :27:47.to a local shop despite opposition. It now appears that promises made
:27:48. > :27:50.during the consultation about services may not be being fully
:27:51. > :27:55.adhered to by the Post Office. Can we please have a debate on the
:27:56. > :28:01.impact on rural communities of changes to the Post Office branch
:28:02. > :28:06.network, and the assurances given by the post office being adhered to. I
:28:07. > :28:12.would be concerned to hear that the Post Office was going back on
:28:13. > :28:21.conditions that have been previously accepted. He may wish to raise that
:28:22. > :28:27.in the adjournment debate next Tuesday. The Post Office does run as
:28:28. > :28:34.an independent business and the government doesn't intervene, but
:28:35. > :28:38.the Post Office has a responsibility to carry out proper consultation
:28:39. > :28:42.locally and seek feedback from people, and I hope that he will be
:28:43. > :28:45.bringing the concerns of his constituents directly to the
:28:46. > :28:51.attention of senior managers in the Post Office. Just before I called
:28:52. > :29:03.the member for Gordon, I should inform the house that he received an
:29:04. > :29:08.award last night in Brussels, and the award is an initiative to honour
:29:09. > :29:14.individuals and organisations standing out in defence of cultural
:29:15. > :29:17.and linguistic diversity, intercultural dialogue,
:29:18. > :29:24.self-determination, the rights of minorities, peace, democracy and a
:29:25. > :29:30.united Europe. Can I say to him, I hope the circumstances, he
:29:31. > :29:38.deservedly feels and will sound even more chipper than usual? Mr Alex
:29:39. > :29:46.Salmond. Thank you so much. Congratulations on the
:29:47. > :29:51.pronunciation, also the quality required by leaders of the house.
:29:52. > :29:54.Can we have a brief statement from the Leader of the House, showing
:29:55. > :29:57.that he alone on the government understands the difference between
:29:58. > :30:01.access to the single market, which just about everybody in the world
:30:02. > :30:05.has, and membership of the single market, which is in economic
:30:06. > :30:11.advantage which only 500 million people have on the planet. How many
:30:12. > :30:17.answers to business questions does he believe he will be able to cram
:30:18. > :30:24.into the ten years that Sir Ivan Rogers estimates will take to
:30:25. > :30:27.complete trade negotiations? I sometimes think that the Right
:30:28. > :30:30.Honourable gentleman wants to continue debating these matters
:30:31. > :30:38.indefinitely, rather than come to a decision and a good outcome for this
:30:39. > :30:44.country, but can I genuinely congratulate him on his award. I
:30:45. > :30:48.think, in response to his points about the single market, I would say
:30:49. > :30:53.this to him. One thing I learned in my six years as Europe Minister is
:30:54. > :31:00.that the four freedoms discussed in the context of the single market,
:31:01. > :31:04.none of them are unqualified in their operation. If we look for
:31:05. > :31:10.example at the single market in goods, it is much more developed at
:31:11. > :31:14.EU level than a single market in services is, at present. To present
:31:15. > :31:20.in or out of the single market in binary fashion as he does, it does
:31:21. > :31:25.not do justice to the complexity of the negotiation and ahead of us. The
:31:26. > :31:29.Prime Minister has made it clear she wants both the maximum access for UK
:31:30. > :31:33.companies to the European single market, but also the greatest
:31:34. > :31:38.possible freedom for UK companies to operate within that market and for
:31:39. > :31:47.reciprocal rights for EU companies here. Can we please have a debate on
:31:48. > :31:54.essential services? This will give me and other members across the
:31:55. > :31:59.house the opportunity to thank and pay tribute to our armed forces, who
:32:00. > :32:04.are serving both in this country and around the world, and not just them,
:32:05. > :32:11.but also the police, our NHS, care sector workers, printers and
:32:12. > :32:14.officers, energy sector workers, transport workers, broadcasters and
:32:15. > :32:24.the many others who will have to work this Christmas period. He makes
:32:25. > :32:27.a very important point indeed. Many of us in our constituencies and
:32:28. > :32:34.families will know of people working in the health service, the police,
:32:35. > :32:40.the army and other key public services, he will be on duty over
:32:41. > :32:44.the Christmas period. I think we want to wish them and their families
:32:45. > :32:51.well, and to see a profound thank you to them for their continuing
:32:52. > :32:55.servers. Having spent time on the police Parliamentary scheme and seen
:32:56. > :32:58.close up the excellent work are police officers do up and down the
:32:59. > :33:01.country, I am concerned the government are now planning to make
:33:02. > :33:06.being a police officer a graduate entry occupation. It seems to me
:33:07. > :33:11.there is a number of officers that don't have degrees, but are
:33:12. > :33:14.excellent police officers, especially on the beat. Can we have
:33:15. > :33:23.a statement from the government about their plans in regards to
:33:24. > :33:33.this? I think if she looks at what is being proposed, and the College
:33:34. > :33:37.Of Policing, she will see the degree requirement as one of three options
:33:38. > :33:44.that they have suggested for consideration. Another is for an
:33:45. > :33:48.apprenticeship scheme, in order to provide enhanced education and
:33:49. > :33:53.training for police officers after recruitment. The point that the
:33:54. > :33:59.police service believes itself it needs to address, is that we ask
:34:00. > :34:02.police officers, even at the most junior new constable level, to carry
:34:03. > :34:10.out fairly sensitive decisions on our behalf, including whether to
:34:11. > :34:16.initiate a process that may lead to a family's children being taken into
:34:17. > :34:20.local authority care. Including whether a person should be
:34:21. > :34:24.physically restrained, because they represent a threat. It is right that
:34:25. > :34:27.police officers should have the expertise and training, so that they
:34:28. > :34:31.are capable of taking those decisions wisely. That is what the
:34:32. > :34:43.College of Policing is seeking to ensure. Residents in my constituency
:34:44. > :34:51.are concerned about the lack of Post Office in the village. Will you join
:34:52. > :34:58.me in asking this matter to be expedited, to get the post office
:34:59. > :35:03.opened again for Christmas. I know that he will continue to champion
:35:04. > :35:08.the interests of his own constituents in securing the opening
:35:09. > :35:14.of post office services locally. As I said earlier, the government does
:35:15. > :35:18.not intervene in these day-to-day business decisions by the post
:35:19. > :35:27.office, but I'm sure that post office senior management will have
:35:28. > :35:34.heard what he has said. We learned in about 12 hours after the vote
:35:35. > :35:37.that the 350 million was nonsense. Could the Leader of the House commit
:35:38. > :35:45.to a debate on government time on the real impact of the EU and health
:35:46. > :35:52.and issues we need to concern regarding Brexit. There are going to
:35:53. > :35:56.be many opportunities when we return in January for every aspect of our
:35:57. > :36:01.departure from the European Union to be debated in full, and foreign
:36:02. > :36:11.ministers from all relevant departments and be questioned.
:36:12. > :36:15.Tomorrow is local charities day, and we all have very good local
:36:16. > :36:21.charities in our constituencies. One of mine is Crazy Hats, run by
:36:22. > :36:29.enthusiastic volunteers. They've raised over ?2 million by people
:36:30. > :36:34.wearing crazy hats. And they spend that money on breast cancer in
:36:35. > :36:42.Northamptonshire. Would the Minister be able to say how those charities
:36:43. > :36:46.could be further supported? I indulge him further period of his
:36:47. > :36:51.question, but I'm glad he has now taken at hats off, and I sincerely
:36:52. > :36:57.hope he won't put it on again, preferably at any time, but
:36:58. > :37:01.certainly not in the chamber. I thought for one moment he was
:37:02. > :37:10.auditioning for a role in a remake of the film Else. I think that the
:37:11. > :37:18.Chancellor has demonstrated, through improvements in the Gift Aid scheme,
:37:19. > :37:22.that the government is keen to provide better opportunities to
:37:23. > :37:26.small local charities to benefit from donations. But as legislation
:37:27. > :37:30.going through Parliament at the moment, that will make further
:37:31. > :37:34.concessions to help such charities, but I think we would all want to
:37:35. > :37:37.celebrate tomorrow the work that so many thousands of local charities do
:37:38. > :37:46.in every constituency in this country. You can do you weren't able
:37:47. > :37:50.to call me on International trade questions, and I wish you a very
:37:51. > :37:53.happy Christmas and particularly, because at one stage, it looked like
:37:54. > :37:57.the House of Commons children's Christmas party wouldn't happen, and
:37:58. > :38:02.I believe you had some role to play in making sure it did happen. We had
:38:03. > :38:06.a lovely party on Tuesday, all the kids had a great time and so did the
:38:07. > :38:12.parents and grandparents. Thank you for that. Before I came in today, I
:38:13. > :38:18.consulted my constituents about neglected things they wanted to go
:38:19. > :38:22.back to in the New Year. Aleppo, of course, the disgraceful blot on our
:38:23. > :38:28.civilised world. Secondly, the fact that we are likely to lose our A
:38:29. > :38:34.Hospital in Huddersfield. And thirdly, that we are neglecting the
:38:35. > :38:40.people that make things in our country, the manufacturers. In trade
:38:41. > :38:43.questions today, the word manufacturing was barely spoken.
:38:44. > :38:44.Those are the concerns of my constituents. Could we have them
:38:45. > :38:55.early in January? I will look for opportunities to
:38:56. > :39:01.provide for debates on all those important subjects. I think on the
:39:02. > :39:06.subject of sustainability and transformation plans, those plans
:39:07. > :39:10.must all meet for specific criteria and the honourable gentleman's local
:39:11. > :39:15.authority has the right to challenge and referred to the Secretary of
:39:16. > :39:23.State any change to services to which the object. On Aleppo, this
:39:24. > :39:27.has been debated, the subject of questions already this week, I don't
:39:28. > :39:30.think there's any member of this House who does not sure the
:39:31. > :39:35.honourable gentleman's horror of what we have seen and is a matter of
:39:36. > :39:42.the utmost regret, that's putting it to mildly, that Russia sometimes in
:39:43. > :39:47.line with other countries, have consistently vetoed Security Council
:39:48. > :39:50.resolutions designed to ensure a ceasefire and the peaceful
:39:51. > :39:56.evacuation of civilians from the affected areas. In respect of
:39:57. > :40:01.manufacturing, support for manufacturing and the upgrading of
:40:02. > :40:05.our skills base in this country so that we can compete internationally
:40:06. > :40:08.in high-value manufacturing in the future is a core element of this
:40:09. > :40:16.Government's economic and industrial strategy. Was the last two sets of
:40:17. > :40:18.women and equality 's questions, by right honourable friend has
:40:19. > :40:23.committed she will publish the consultation document on
:40:24. > :40:27.discolouration legislation in this country that will give British
:40:28. > :40:32.Hindus the opportunity to ensure this ill thought out divisive and
:40:33. > :40:36.unnecessary legislation is removed from the statute book. Mr Speaker,
:40:37. > :40:39.time is running short. The only three more days of parliamentary
:40:40. > :40:44.time before the end of the year when this consultation is promised to be
:40:45. > :40:47.released. Can my right honourable friend ensure we have a statement to
:40:48. > :40:53.the House before Parliament rises on this consultation document so that
:40:54. > :40:58.the British Hindus in ours is IT have the optimum opportunity to
:40:59. > :41:01.respond to that consultation? I will draw the attention of my right
:41:02. > :41:08.honourable friend the Secretary of State to my honourable friend's
:41:09. > :41:14.concern. Mr Speaker, yesterday I was hosting as chair of the kidney group
:41:15. > :41:18.in the leading experts in kidney disease along with the member of
:41:19. > :41:24.North Norfolk. One of the things that shocked us was that a quarter
:41:25. > :41:29.of people on dialysis have diabetes. And that early monitoring in
:41:30. > :41:34.diabetic kidneys of renal failure would actually make a huge
:41:35. > :41:38.difference to those who go on to need dialysis and transplantation.
:41:39. > :41:41.Can we have a debate on how we join up that knowledge so that actually
:41:42. > :41:48.we prevent people needing dialysis and needing transplants because of
:41:49. > :41:52.early diagnosis of those with diabetes? The honourable lady makes
:41:53. > :41:55.a very interesting and important point and it might be the subject
:41:56. > :42:00.for a future backbench committee debate but I will also make sure
:42:01. > :42:05.that health ministers have their attention drawn to the point she has
:42:06. > :42:10.me today. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Earlier this week was the finals of
:42:11. > :42:13.the British high street words and Seaview Street in Cleethorpes hosts
:42:14. > :42:19.one of the finest, winning a silver in one of the categories. The street
:42:20. > :42:24.itself is a collection of independent retailers, could we have
:42:25. > :42:26.a debate on the role and the contribution that independent
:42:27. > :42:36.retailers make to our communities and the economy? I think we all
:42:37. > :42:40.accept that today with the growth of online sales, we face a very
:42:41. > :42:46.challenging environment for all retailers and particularly for small
:42:47. > :42:50.high street shops. That makes it all the more welcome that Seaview Street
:42:51. > :42:54.in Cleethorpes has won this award and I would like to add my
:42:55. > :43:00.congratulations to all the retailers there who has clearly worked
:43:01. > :43:07.extremely hard and in an innovative fashion to ensure they still bring
:43:08. > :43:11.the customer zone. The last Leader of the House feel to tell me how far
:43:12. > :43:15.it was from Castlemilk to Newlands. I am surprised at that given when
:43:16. > :43:19.the DWP cat to do the distance they didn't use any of the great
:43:20. > :43:24.resources at our fingertips, instead be used Google maps. This is what
:43:25. > :43:29.they've used to calculate eight of Glasgow's 16 job centres being
:43:30. > :43:33.close. And here we are eight days after that announcement and the
:43:34. > :43:37.consultation is still not on the DWP website. That is at least eight days
:43:38. > :43:41.we are going to have to extend it by. Can the leader of the housing
:43:42. > :43:46.help me facilitate getting that up on the website today and will he
:43:47. > :43:52.also can be our frustration to the Minister in the way they've handled
:43:53. > :43:57.this whole our fear? The central point here is that there will be no
:43:58. > :44:01.change in the level of service that job centres offers people in
:44:02. > :44:06.Glasgow. What DWP is doing is merging a number of small offices
:44:07. > :44:11.into bigger sites as leases come to the end so we can save taxpayers,
:44:12. > :44:16.including Scottish taxpayer's money, without changing the service that is
:44:17. > :44:19.being offered. The Government has already consulted on these plans but
:44:20. > :44:24.there will be further consultation in areas where people have to travel
:44:25. > :44:31.more than three miles or more than 20 minutes to reach a job centre.
:44:32. > :44:36.Can we have a debate on horse racing and in particular the bravery of
:44:37. > :44:41.jockeys? Horse racing is undoubtedly the finest sport that there is and
:44:42. > :44:46.plays an important part in many communities, local economy. It
:44:47. > :44:52.wouldn't be possible without jockeys and their bravery. One in ten jump
:44:53. > :44:56.jockey's ride ends any fault. He jockey recently suffered life
:44:57. > :45:00.changing injuries from a fall on the flat. Mark Enright recently spoke
:45:01. > :45:04.about the mental health problem he has faced another jockeys have faced
:45:05. > :45:08.in keeping their weight down to ride horses. Such a debate would enable
:45:09. > :45:11.us to praise those jockeys, the British horse racing authority and
:45:12. > :45:16.the professional jockeys Association. Will the Minister Grant
:45:17. > :45:23.a debate and see if the Government can help the horse racing industry
:45:24. > :45:29.tackle these matters? Mr Speaker, I think there are millions of people
:45:30. > :45:34.in this country and who enjoy horse racing in all its forms and admire
:45:35. > :45:40.the guts and determination of jockeys. It is a very risky
:45:41. > :45:47.occupation. It is an occupation for which those jockeys volunteer and
:45:48. > :45:52.the accept the sort of devastating risk that he has described as part
:45:53. > :45:58.of their work, but also derive huge pleasure and a compass went from
:45:59. > :46:03.doing it. Can I ask the Leader of the House To offer up a feast for
:46:04. > :46:07.members on all sides of the house, that is the Transport Secretary at
:46:08. > :46:10.that dispatch box, two answer for the chaos that our constituents are
:46:11. > :46:13.being suffering on the rail services? It would give him an
:46:14. > :46:18.opportunity to explain why he refused to give suburban services to
:46:19. > :46:21.the mayor the London on political grounds. Something which is now
:46:22. > :46:24.supported by businesses in London and it would give them an
:46:25. > :46:30.opportunity to listen to what members of Parliament think about
:46:31. > :46:32.his decision. I my right honourable friend the Transport Secretary
:46:33. > :46:37.answering honourable member 's questions about this within the last
:46:38. > :46:44.two weeks. I do hope that the honourable member, part of his work
:46:45. > :46:48.on railways, might perhaps drop a line to Aslef enquiring as widely
:46:49. > :46:52.refused to respond to the Transport Secretary's invitation to them to
:46:53. > :46:57.come to talks to try to end this devastating strike that taking --
:46:58. > :47:02.affecting so many commuters on a site of England. Mr Speaker, can we
:47:03. > :47:07.please have a debate on the implementation of payments? A number
:47:08. > :47:10.of constituents have contacted me with serious long-term health issues
:47:11. > :47:14.who are grievously in receipt of TLA that you have been assessed with low
:47:15. > :47:17.scorers in relation to PIP. My concern is some of the most
:47:18. > :47:26.vulnerable in our society are being cast aside by a system which is not
:47:27. > :47:33.working as it should. As she knows, personal independent payments are
:47:34. > :47:37.designed to provide a means of compensating people for additional
:47:38. > :47:41.costs of living that the incurred as a result of their disability.
:47:42. > :47:45.Certainly, if she has particular cases where she believes there is
:47:46. > :47:51.some systemic problem over the way in which awards are being assessed,
:47:52. > :47:54.then she is welcome to join to my attention. I will pass it to the
:47:55. > :47:58.relevant ministers. The approach is surely right with the Government to
:47:59. > :48:03.concentrate on enabling all those disabled people who wish to work to
:48:04. > :48:06.get into employment as record numbers are now doing and to support
:48:07. > :48:13.people at the same time at additional costs. Can be Leader of
:48:14. > :48:21.the House arranged for a debate on the availability and of drugs,
:48:22. > :48:24.high-cost drugs, for children with rare medical condition is? A young
:48:25. > :48:30.child in my constituency sufferers from do Chen muscular dystrophy.
:48:31. > :48:36.There is a consultation taking place about the withdrawal of the drug to
:48:37. > :48:39.help this which has dramatically improved his life. There are many
:48:40. > :48:45.other such conditions of which I'm not aware where drugs such as that
:48:46. > :48:51.are not available to families. This is a really urgent matter that
:48:52. > :48:55.affects many children and others across our country and I think the
:48:56. > :48:58.Minister needs to talk to the Department of Health and ask them to
:48:59. > :49:04.come to this House and discuss and debate without that funding for the
:49:05. > :49:08.availability of high-cost drugs. If the honourable gentleman would like
:49:09. > :49:11.to let me have a note of the particular constituency case I will
:49:12. > :49:16.pass that on to the Health Secretary but as he will understand, the
:49:17. > :49:24.general principle to which we and the previous Labour Government
:49:25. > :49:27.adhered is that decisions about the availability of drugs to treat
:49:28. > :49:33.unusual conditions should be determined either by nationally or a
:49:34. > :49:38.local commissioners looking always at the clinical effectiveness of
:49:39. > :49:44.those drugs and I don't think it would be right to go back to a
:49:45. > :49:48.system in which ministers, perhaps influenced by the political voices
:49:49. > :49:55.of which campaign shouted loudest, to take those decisions instead of
:49:56. > :49:57.the bodies. Can we have a statement or a debate on Government time
:49:58. > :50:00.regarding the world health organisation pulled a goal to
:50:01. > :50:03.eliminate the illicit trade in tobacco products? In June, any
:50:04. > :50:12.response to a Laurence P Q, the Government is fully committed to
:50:13. > :50:16.this. To require the licensing of tobacco machinery. The growth was
:50:17. > :50:20.criminal trade continue to threaten public health and result in a loss
:50:21. > :50:25.of Government revenue. Isn't it time we had an update? There will be an
:50:26. > :50:31.excellent opportunity for the gentleman to raise this question to
:50:32. > :50:38.the Health Secretary next Tuesday. Sadly in July my constituent's
:50:39. > :50:41.teenage daughter needed to seek acute mental health care on an
:50:42. > :50:48.inpatient basis. The nearest available bed was in Colchester, an
:50:49. > :50:52.eight hour round trip by car causing her family untold hardship both
:50:53. > :50:56.emotionally and financially. With the Leader of the House clarify it
:50:57. > :50:59.is this what his Government means by parity of esteem and he hoped he
:51:00. > :51:07.agrees with me that you serious as of this issue, we need an urgent
:51:08. > :51:11.debate. We have not only legislated to give mental and physical health
:51:12. > :51:16.equal parity in law by the Government has introduced the first
:51:17. > :51:20.ever access and waiting standards for mental health services which
:51:21. > :51:23.never existed under previous administrations. 1400 more people
:51:24. > :51:30.are accessing mental health services every day compared with 2010. An
:51:31. > :51:34.increase of 40%. We are investing more taxpayer's money in mental
:51:35. > :51:37.health than ever before. Yes, there is more to be done, I don't deny
:51:38. > :51:42.that an instant. This garment has shown great determination more so
:51:43. > :51:45.than any of its predecessors in moving forward to improve the
:51:46. > :51:53.quality of mental health services available to our constituents. Many
:51:54. > :51:57.thanks, Mr Speaker. May we have a debate on the importance of
:51:58. > :52:00.accessibility for disabled people to local sports grounds and amenities?
:52:01. > :52:06.I recently had an inspirational meeting, Mr Speaker, with use --
:52:07. > :52:09.East Kilbride disability sports club who many I am delighted to inform
:52:10. > :52:13.the house will be taking place in the Special Olympics next year. Will
:52:14. > :52:18.the Leader of the House Agree this is an important issue that requires
:52:19. > :52:27.access for all to maximise potential and to focus on ability rather than
:52:28. > :52:30.disability? Mr Speaker, I completely agree with the honourable lady and
:52:31. > :52:38.if I can wear my heart as the member whose constituency includes Stoke
:52:39. > :52:43.Mandeville I think that sport has shown that it can provide one of the
:52:44. > :52:49.best means available for people with disabilities of all kinds to show
:52:50. > :52:52.that they can achieve great things and have those achievements
:52:53. > :52:56.celebrated by the public as a holder. I hope all sports governing
:52:57. > :53:03.bodies and the management of other premises will pay close attention to
:53:04. > :53:06.her words. The drive for Justice campaign is being led by the
:53:07. > :53:09.Sheffield Star and its sister publications to look at sentences
:53:10. > :53:15.for death by dangerous driving. One mother described the drunken women
:53:16. > :53:20.who had murdered her 15-year-old son, who only served one year in
:53:21. > :53:25.prison, she described herself as serving a life sentence. Can we have
:53:26. > :53:29.an urgent debate on sentencing guidelines for death by dangerous
:53:30. > :53:32.driving? While the next transfer questions are not on the 12th of
:53:33. > :53:38.January, and she will know that the Government has recently gone out to
:53:39. > :53:42.public consultation on proposed increases to the severity of
:53:43. > :53:45.sentences for dangerous driving and I hope that she and her constituents
:53:46. > :53:46.will avail themselves the opportunity to make their voices
:53:47. > :53:59.heard during that conservation. At the weekend, there were newspaper
:54:00. > :54:03.reports that the Home Office estopped transverse to the UK of
:54:04. > :54:08.unaccompanied minors registered in the refugee camp in France. Children
:54:09. > :54:13.awaiting transferred in France are going missing and reports say that
:54:14. > :54:16.children who have arrived in the UK under schemes operated by the
:54:17. > :54:20.British government, have gone missing after their arrival here.
:54:21. > :54:23.Can we have a statement from the Home Secretary before Christmas,
:54:24. > :54:34.updating the house on the operation of the scheme, under the scheme? I
:54:35. > :54:37.will draw her request to the attention of the Home Secretary, but
:54:38. > :54:40.the Home Office continues to work very closely with the French
:54:41. > :54:46.authorities to make sure we identify and give priority in a resettlement
:54:47. > :54:54.plans to those children who are the most vulnerable. That was what was
:54:55. > :54:56.envisaged under Lord Dubbs' amendment and matters of policy to
:54:57. > :55:06.which the government remains committed. According to DWP figures
:55:07. > :55:09.released yesterday, over 120,000 disabled people have had their
:55:10. > :55:15.benefits severely downgraded, and that's despite living with chronic,
:55:16. > :55:21.progressive conditions. Following the earlier question, could we have
:55:22. > :55:31.a debate on how reassessments from DLA to PIP have been conducted? I
:55:32. > :55:34.will draw the Work and Pensions Secretary's attention to her
:55:35. > :55:45.concern, but the principle is surely right. Both, as has been announced,
:55:46. > :55:50.people who are suffering from long-term, often degenerative
:55:51. > :55:55.conditions and disabilities should be exempt from reassessments, but
:55:56. > :55:59.also, people who have disabilities and medical conditions, who are
:56:00. > :56:05.capable of returning to work of some kind, should be supported in doing
:56:06. > :56:13.that. That helps restore to them the dignity that goes with working. This
:56:14. > :56:17.is the third Christmas that six veterans, including my constituent
:56:18. > :56:23.Billy Irving, will be stuck in jail in India, awaiting judgment. Will
:56:24. > :56:26.you join me by making a new resolution by doing everything in
:56:27. > :56:29.your power to bring these men home? Can we have a statement of what the
:56:30. > :56:38.government will do to make sure this never happens? As she knows, these
:56:39. > :56:46.men are being held under the Indian judicial system, and while we cannot
:56:47. > :56:51.give orders to another country about how it operates its judicial system,
:56:52. > :56:55.the case of her constituents and the other men being detained, has been
:56:56. > :57:00.raised frequently by ministers, when they have spoken to their Indian
:57:01. > :57:03.counterparts. It continues to be raised by our High Commissioner in
:57:04. > :57:11.New Delhi, and we will continue to make such representation. Instead of
:57:12. > :57:16.the traditional adjournment debate, perhaps the Tuesday debate could be
:57:17. > :57:22.on a substantive role shouldn't, in tribute to our former colleague Jo
:57:23. > :57:28.Cox, that this house believes we have more in common than that which
:57:29. > :57:36.divides us. William Hill bookmakers have said they will donate all the
:57:37. > :57:45.money staked on the MPs' single becoming number one, the alternate
:57:46. > :57:50.back to the charity. Would it not be a great statement if all the other
:57:51. > :57:54.bookmakers matched their generosity? I would like to pay tribute to the
:57:55. > :57:59.action that William Hill have taken, it sounds to me as though they have
:58:00. > :58:07.taken a precedent -- set a precedent that others might like to look at
:58:08. > :58:14.closely. The announcement of job losses in my constituency have ended
:58:15. > :58:21.years of industrial heritage. Family have a debate about how to protect
:58:22. > :58:28.jobs in the sector, especially given plans to leave the biggest market in
:58:29. > :58:31.the world? Any job losses are to be regretted, but I would think he
:58:32. > :58:39.would surely welcome the fact that unemployment in Scotland has fallen
:58:40. > :58:43.significantly since this government took office, and we have more people
:58:44. > :58:53.in work in the UK today than ever before in his today. Can they say
:58:54. > :58:56.when the Parliamentary amendments constituency Bill will move into
:58:57. > :59:05.committee and if he cannot say, how will he say why he cannot say? As I
:59:06. > :59:09.said last week, the response was, the bills published until three days
:59:10. > :59:14.before it was to be debated. Now estimate or description of costs was
:59:15. > :59:22.provided with the Bill. But our schoolwork, the government is now
:59:23. > :59:26.having to undertake. Could we have a debate in government time, order
:59:27. > :59:31.statement regarding the unacceptable delays in Tier one Visa tribunal 's?
:59:32. > :59:36.I have a constituent regions December 20 15th the Visa for his
:59:37. > :59:40.wife and another who is facing eviction from his home with his
:59:41. > :59:48.family. Can the Leader of the House help my constituents, please? It is
:59:49. > :59:52.clearly of concern when one hears the particular case history that she
:59:53. > :59:59.has described. If she would like to let me have the details, I will pass
:00:00. > :00:03.them onto Justice Secretary. Is he aware of the campaign started in
:00:04. > :00:10.Chester by my constituents, in which low-paid bar and hospitality staff
:00:11. > :00:14.are giving up a large proportion of the gratuities to charities
:00:15. > :00:17.supporting children? It's now being rolled out across the country and
:00:18. > :00:22.has made thousands of pounds in just a couple of years. Would now not be
:00:23. > :00:26.a good time to have a debate about voluntary giving the celebrate the
:00:27. > :00:31.success of my constituents? I would like to give unreserved
:00:32. > :00:36.congratulations to the bartenders in Chester, who have acted in this way.
:00:37. > :00:41.My understanding is they have raised more than ?7,000 during the last
:00:42. > :00:45.year, when the money went to a Syrian aid. We rightly take pride in
:00:46. > :00:50.this country at the fact that the UK has pledged ?2.3 billion of taxpayer
:00:51. > :00:55.money to the humanitarian crisis in Syria. But I think what his
:00:56. > :00:59.constituents have demonstrated is that that sense of solidarity with
:01:00. > :01:10.the suffering people of Syria is felt widely and in every part of
:01:11. > :01:13.this country. I recently visited a cafe in my constituency which
:01:14. > :01:20.employs a lot of EU nationals. They are concerned about the future,
:01:21. > :01:23.clock following the referendum. Could the government reflect on this
:01:24. > :01:26.over the Christmas period and come back and make a statement in the New
:01:27. > :01:31.Year, to give certainty to these employees who make such a
:01:32. > :01:35.contribution to our society? On behalf of the government, I would
:01:36. > :01:40.say first of all, yes, but we would want to say very clearly that people
:01:41. > :01:46.from other EU countries who have come here lawfully in order to work,
:01:47. > :01:52.are obeying the law, are paying their taxes, are people who are
:01:53. > :01:55.contributing to our society. The Prime Minister has made the position
:01:56. > :02:02.very clear on many occasions, that we want to see early agreement on a
:02:03. > :02:09.deal which enables those EU nationals already in this country to
:02:10. > :02:12.know that their rights here are secure, and equally, that UK
:02:13. > :02:19.nationals living elsewhere in the EU, they will have their rights
:02:20. > :02:26.respected on the same basis. As the great Tory party icon Ebenezer
:02:27. > :02:30.Scrooge is thought about at this time of year, can we have a debate
:02:31. > :02:35.on building a social security system built around helping the needs of
:02:36. > :02:41.the most vulnerable and produced in our society? Does he agree with me
:02:42. > :02:44.that initiatives such as the government community Tory bank,
:02:45. > :02:56.which is provided toys for 700 families in the last two years, and
:02:57. > :03:02.bringing into focus why such help is needed? Whatever system social
:03:03. > :03:07.security we have in this country, voluntary initiatives such as the
:03:08. > :03:12.government Tory bank, will have a significant additional role to play.
:03:13. > :03:19.But we cannot shy away from the fact that we need to have a welfare
:03:20. > :03:23.system which is they're both to those people who are in need and
:03:24. > :03:28.also fair to taxpayers, especially taxpayers who work hard on modest
:03:29. > :03:38.wages to pay for that Social Security system. On Monday at
:03:39. > :03:42.defence questions, I asked the undersecretary of state why the
:03:43. > :03:46.national shipbuilding strategy had not been published. She accused me
:03:47. > :03:51.of complaining about the lack of a publication that has been published.
:03:52. > :03:56.Can we have a government statement, preferably right now, to confirm for
:03:57. > :04:02.my benefit, the country's benefit, the benefit of this Howes, but most
:04:03. > :04:05.importantly, for the benefit of the undersecretary of state, that Sir
:04:06. > :04:11.John Parker's report is not the National shipbuilding strategy, and
:04:12. > :04:13.that the National shipbuilding strategy has not been published and
:04:14. > :04:22.will not be published until the spring of next year. I think at the
:04:23. > :04:26.end of his question, he was replaying a timetable I myself have
:04:27. > :04:30.given in the past that this dispatch box. But I think he is right to say
:04:31. > :04:36.that the Parker report has presented the government with some very far
:04:37. > :04:41.reaching recommendations for the future of our shipbuilding industry.
:04:42. > :04:46.I think he and his friends would have been the first to criticise us,
:04:47. > :04:50.has government ministers rushed to the dispatch box abruptly after the
:04:51. > :04:52.publication of the report, rather than first giving it the CD
:04:53. > :05:10.consideration that it needs. He doesn't want to year what I've
:05:11. > :05:18.got to save. The government made great play of this ?23 billion
:05:19. > :05:22.investment funds. But there was a single budget line of ?7 billion it
:05:23. > :05:28.has been put back to the year 2122, which is beyond the scope of this
:05:29. > :05:32.Parliament. That budget line is called long-term investment. Would
:05:33. > :05:36.the Leader of the House make a statement explaining what that money
:05:37. > :05:41.is for and how a future government can be held to account for it? And
:05:42. > :05:46.if it's for long-term investment, why are we not making the investment
:05:47. > :05:50.now? Is it sensible to have provision in the medium-term
:05:51. > :05:55.economic plan, and obviously, it will be for the government to decide
:05:56. > :06:00.and if necessary, seek parliamentary approval for the details of spending
:06:01. > :06:05.within that envelope, where we can take stock of where the economy is
:06:06. > :06:09.closer to that date. I would have thought, talking about the Autumn
:06:10. > :06:14.Statement, the honourable gentleman would have had the grace to
:06:15. > :06:17.knowledge not only the 23 billion Chancellor has set aside for
:06:18. > :06:24.infrastructure spending, but the hundred million infrastructure bonus
:06:25. > :06:27.going to Scotland. I've just been informed of the remarkable
:06:28. > :06:31.development, namely that an honourable member has beetle out of
:06:32. > :06:36.the chamber and not asked his question, on the grounds that it had
:06:37. > :06:42.already been asked. That has never normally stopped members. The
:06:43. > :06:49.honourable gentleman is most unusual. Order. I am most grateful
:06:50. > :06:53.to the Leader and colleagues. Just before I called the Secretary of
:06:54. > :06:55.State for Communities and Local Government to make a statement, I
:06:56. > :07:03.will just say this. I understand that a copy of the statement was
:07:04. > :07:11.provided to the Opposition spokesman on the approximately 15 minutes ago.
:07:12. > :07:18.That is, frankly, a discourtesy, not only to the Opposition, but to the
:07:19. > :07:24.House. And it is a departure from a very long-standing and almost
:07:25. > :07:29.invisibly adhered to convention in this place. I must say to the
:07:30. > :07:32.Secretary of State and I see it in all courtesy, but I had considered
:07:33. > :07:39.in the circumstances, a brief suspension of the House, but after
:07:40. > :07:42.consultation and on reflection, I am persuaded, not least in the light of
:07:43. > :07:49.other business, with which we have to deal today, that it is probably
:07:50. > :07:56.best for the House to press on. That said, this must not happen again.
:07:57. > :08:01.Moreover, I very gently say to the Secretary of State one further
:08:02. > :08:08.thing, he enquired of my office earlier if it would be acceptable
:08:09. > :08:11.for his statement to be of 15 minutes length, rather than the
:08:12. > :08:16.normal ten, because he wished to provide the house with as much
:08:17. > :08:22.detail as possible. And it is acceptable for him to do that on
:08:23. > :08:27.this occasion, but, of course, compensation must be granted to the
:08:28. > :08:33.Opposition spokesman, in terms of the length of his reply. All of that
:08:34. > :08:40.said, I nevertheless would like to wish the Secretary of State and all
:08:41. > :08:41.colleagues are very Merry Christmas. The Secretary of State for
:08:42. > :08:51.Communities and Local Government. Apply to Michu Merry Christmas and
:08:52. > :08:53.am sorry to