12/01/2017

:00:00. > :00:09.Business question, Valerie vows. Could the Leader of the House please

:00:10. > :00:16.give us the forthcoming business? The business for next week will be

:00:17. > :00:21.as follows, Monday 16th of January, second reading of the National

:00:22. > :00:26.citizens service Bill, Lordes. Cheesecake 17th of January.

:00:27. > :00:33.Opposition Day, impact of leaving the EU on the rural economy debate,

:00:34. > :00:39.followed by a debate entitled, impact of DWP policies on low-income

:00:40. > :00:45.households. Both debate arising on a motion raised by the SNP. Wednesday

:00:46. > :00:48.18th of January, a general debate on exiting the EU and security law

:00:49. > :00:56.enforcement and criminal justice. Thursday the 19th of January, debate

:00:57. > :01:01.on the motion relating to Kashmir, followed by a general debate on

:01:02. > :01:05.Holocaust Memorial Day 2017, both debate is determined by the

:01:06. > :01:09.Backbench Business Committee. Friday the 20th of January, Private

:01:10. > :01:12.Members' Bills. The provisional business for the week commencing

:01:13. > :01:19.23rd of January will include... Monday 20th of January, second

:01:20. > :01:24.reading of the local Government Finance Bill. Tuesday 24th of

:01:25. > :01:29.January, consideration of Lords amendments followed by a motion

:01:30. > :01:34.relating to the charter for Budget Responsibility. When the 25th

:01:35. > :01:39.allotted day, a debate on opposition allotted day, a debate on opposition

:01:40. > :01:45.motion, subject to be announced, Thursday the 26th of January,

:01:46. > :01:49.business to be nominated by the Backbench Business Committee.

:01:50. > :01:54.Friday, 27th of January, Private Members' Bills. I would also like to

:01:55. > :02:01.inform the House that the business in Westminster Hall for the 19th of

:02:02. > :02:04.January will be a general debate on the decommissioning of in vitro

:02:05. > :02:16.fertilisation and other NHS fertility services. Thank you. I am

:02:17. > :02:21.slightly concerned that it appears we're not going to rise after we get

:02:22. > :02:25.to the summer recess. We do not appear to have a date. Just to warn

:02:26. > :02:32.everyone to be prepared to work through the summer! Can I wish

:02:33. > :02:36.everyone here and all the staff a happy New Year, we will need all the

:02:37. > :02:40.wisdom and strength we can get for the task ahead. And Mr Speaker, can

:02:41. > :02:44.I just follow on from remarks he made earlier, something that has

:02:45. > :02:50.been raised to me by honourable members, to extend the time for FCO

:02:51. > :02:53.questions, never before has the reasonable voice of Britain going to

:02:54. > :02:58.be needed in international affairs. It could just mean extending by one

:02:59. > :03:02.hour, one day. We have excellent diplomats with institutional memory

:03:03. > :03:07.could make a big difference in the world. The of the House's attention

:03:08. > :03:11.to reports which may have got lost in the Christmas revelry. The

:03:12. > :03:15.headline one was, Procedure Committee rails against hand-outs

:03:16. > :03:22.and Private Members' Bill. That was the reports on the 18th of October

:03:23. > :03:28.but there was a further instant on the 16th of December. A Private

:03:29. > :03:36.Members' Bill was one of the speeches took one, 70 minutes. The

:03:37. > :03:43.vote was guilty of it of the Bill. 130 eyes tattoo knows. It cannot be

:03:44. > :03:49.right. One of the recommendations for the committee was for you to

:03:50. > :03:53.invoke standing order 47, to put a time limit on Private Members'

:03:54. > :03:58.Bills. Since I have been in the House, that has been used in every

:03:59. > :04:04.single debate apart from on Fridays. One of the... In a letter to the

:04:05. > :04:10.Clerk of the House, the member for Broxburn, indicated it means need a

:04:11. > :04:15.resolution of the House. The third report, and it will be clear by

:04:16. > :04:19.taking the two together, the 14th of December, the committee, the

:04:20. > :04:23.Procedure Committee, recommended the use at Westminster of the Welsh

:04:24. > :04:26.Grand Committee, it was suggested by my honourable friend: the member of

:04:27. > :04:29.clue itself, and she has indicated it is cheaper to do it here, the

:04:30. > :04:38.official report says it is no problem. The committee asked for a,

:04:39. > :04:41.backbench committee, but rather than eat into backbench trade, and those

:04:42. > :04:46.two resolutions be taken together in Government time? We do need

:04:47. > :04:50.clarification of this for our urgent, for the waiting time

:04:51. > :04:53.targets, is it for urgent matters, urgent cases or nonurgent cases?

:04:54. > :04:57.Earlier this week on a radio programme, the Secretary of State

:04:58. > :05:00.health said that Simon Stevens was running the NHS. Could we have

:05:01. > :05:04.clarification that is the Secretary of State that is running the NHS? We

:05:05. > :05:07.had the bizarre scene of the Secretary of State running down the

:05:08. > :05:11.road. I thought he was doing his 30 minutes that is required for

:05:12. > :05:14.activity by the health Department but then he jumped into his car.

:05:15. > :05:17.Having been on the select committee for five years, with numerous

:05:18. > :05:24.reports, we know of the chaos that the Health and Social Care Act,

:05:25. > :05:29.which unprecedentedly, was paused with the intervention of the Prime

:05:30. > :05:32.Minister. The Shadow Secretary of State health has written to the

:05:33. > :05:35.Secretary of State for Health with 25 questions. Who the Leader of the

:05:36. > :05:42.House provide those answers within the target time that is required? Mr

:05:43. > :05:44.Speaker, and again, back to Brexit, we had a report from the other

:05:45. > :05:49.place. Brexit financial services. They confirmed that London is

:05:50. > :05:54.currently ranked as the leading financial services centre in the

:05:55. > :05:57.world. They call for a transition period to protect jobs in this

:05:58. > :06:02.sector. The environmental Audit Committee, in their report, page

:06:03. > :06:05.three, paragraph two, in the summary, states that the Minister

:06:06. > :06:10.has indicated that the UK is likely to the single market and the customs

:06:11. > :06:15.union. I had not understood that to be settled Government policy. That

:06:16. > :06:18.is why we need these debates, proper debates. But the environmental

:06:19. > :06:23.committee calls for a new environmental protection Act, while

:06:24. > :06:25.negotiations are ongoing. And a list of zombie legislation, that the

:06:26. > :06:30.legislation that is transposed into British law but is not updated. It

:06:31. > :06:35.is possible that the confusion lies because the departments have

:06:36. > :06:41.proliferated. It cannot be right, with figures from the House of

:06:42. > :06:43.Commons library, in December, 2016, that Dixie has only 300 staff, while

:06:44. > :06:59.the IT have 2709 staff. Tip has taken staff from FCO so we

:07:00. > :07:04.need clarity. Can I suggest we are our Majesty's opposition but we want

:07:05. > :07:09.to propose something, so the Leader of the House should look at the

:07:10. > :07:16.judgment handed down by the Supreme Court and the triggering of Article

:07:17. > :07:18.50 to review what each of the performance do, and the British

:07:19. > :07:22.public will never forgive this government when they see people

:07:23. > :07:25.dying on trolleys while Vanity departments are set up to keep

:07:26. > :07:32.Honourable members inside the tent rather than outside. Mr Speaker,

:07:33. > :07:36.whilst this task is enormous, we need to remember the reasons why we

:07:37. > :07:41.joined the EU and why there was a vote to leave. That way all the

:07:42. > :07:44.views can be respected and we can negotiate from a position that

:07:45. > :07:49.protects jobs, workers' rights, the environment and security. We need to

:07:50. > :08:04.do what's best for the UK, not based on the rhetoric of the campaign for

:08:05. > :08:07.a clueless government. Mr Speaker, I share the Honourable Lady's good

:08:08. > :08:11.wishes to you and the House of Commons staff for a happy New Year.

:08:12. > :08:16.If I can respond to some of the other points she made, I mean, in

:08:17. > :08:20.terms of her point about the jury terms of her point about the jury

:08:21. > :08:25.should Foreign Office questions, I accept that there is a great deal of

:08:26. > :08:27.demand from members across the house to put questions to my right

:08:28. > :08:41.honourable friend the Foreign Secretary and his team.

:08:42. > :08:47.Spoken at backbench committee debates here, as I think is

:08:48. > :08:53.happening again later today and will happen again in backbench business

:08:54. > :08:56.time on Kashmir next week, and in Westminster hall too. It has always

:08:57. > :09:02.been the case while I have been in the house that the allocation of

:09:03. > :09:07.time between different departments in questions has been a matter for

:09:08. > :09:11.discussion in the usual channels. If the opposition wants to put forward

:09:12. > :09:14.ideas of his liver government will look at those but in fairness if one

:09:15. > :09:17.has to say that if time were added the Foreign Office questions, time

:09:18. > :09:21.and have to be subtracted from some other part of House of Commons

:09:22. > :09:25.business, and that needs to be weighed in the balance as well.

:09:26. > :09:31.About the procedure committee, the very last thing I would accuse my

:09:32. > :09:34.honourable friend of his rent in. Whether I have agreed or disagreed

:09:35. > :09:40.with him on particular subjects, he has always expressed his views in a

:09:41. > :09:43.very civilised manner, and the government will respond to reports

:09:44. > :09:52.in the procedure committee in the way that we do to other select

:09:53. > :10:04.committee reports. Her various points about EU exit, I would say on

:10:05. > :10:08.Article 50, and the changes within Whitehall, that we must not

:10:09. > :10:15.underestimate the reality that the decision that the electorate took in

:10:16. > :10:22.the referendum represented a profound, far-reaching change in the

:10:23. > :10:27.policies pursued by successive governments in this country, and by

:10:28. > :10:28.the character of the United Kingdom's international

:10:29. > :10:35.relationships, which have been built very much for half a century around

:10:36. > :10:39.member ship of the European Union, aspiring to it and an operating

:10:40. > :10:43.within that. So it seems perfectly reasonable that in those

:10:44. > :10:46.circumstances they should be a reconfiguration of resources and

:10:47. > :10:52.apartments within Whitehall, in order to deal with the very complex

:10:53. > :10:56.task of negotiations that are now before us. It is not just the

:10:57. > :11:01.department for exiting the European Union that is involved, many

:11:02. > :11:05.different departments right across the government are also involved at

:11:06. > :11:08.Minister real and that official level, and I would repeat on the

:11:09. > :11:13.question of the single market and the customs union what the Prime

:11:14. > :11:19.Minister has said often, that one of the core objectives of our

:11:20. > :11:24.negotiation will be to seek to achieve the best possible freedom

:11:25. > :11:35.for British companies to continue to operate within and to trade with the

:11:36. > :11:37.single European market. On health, obviously her points requesting an

:11:38. > :11:41.early reply to her honourable friend will have been noted by the

:11:42. > :11:47.ministers concerned, and I will make sure that that is properly reported

:11:48. > :11:52.to my right honourable friend, the Secretary of State. But I just say

:11:53. > :11:55.this about waiting time targets that the Secretary of State was very

:11:56. > :12:00.clear about this in yesterday's debate. He was clear that we

:12:01. > :12:03.continued to be committed to the four hour target and we took pride

:12:04. > :12:09.in it, I think it is worth the house also noting that, despite the

:12:10. > :12:14.pressures being experienced this winter, NHS staff through their

:12:15. > :12:20.immense professionalism and hard work have actually been treating

:12:21. > :12:28.record numbers of patients at a and E in hospitals throughout the United

:12:29. > :12:32.Kingdom when they have presented themselves at A departments. But

:12:33. > :12:42.it is also the case that the director of acute care within NHS

:12:43. > :12:48.England has estimated that about 30% of people who come to AMD currently

:12:49. > :12:54.really ought to be seen somewhere else -- A should be seen elsewhere

:12:55. > :13:01.or would benefit from self treatment at home. That is the judgment of the

:13:02. > :13:05.professional director of acute care in NHS England. It seems sensible

:13:06. > :13:09.that we look actively, both in terms of national policy but critically

:13:10. > :13:15.too in terms of local NHS organisations at how we provide

:13:16. > :13:20.those alternative sources of advice and roots to treatment for people

:13:21. > :13:32.who seek advice or treatment but don't actually need the specific

:13:33. > :13:36.services of accident and emergency. The government must be applauded in

:13:37. > :13:39.making it a manifesto promise to leave the environment in a better

:13:40. > :13:44.state than we found it. Would the Leader of the House find time for a

:13:45. > :13:46.debate on the issue of the environment, and the potential

:13:47. > :13:51.opportunities presented to us to become world leaders on this issue,

:13:52. > :13:55.and the technologies relating to it, for example the tidal lagoon

:13:56. > :14:00.technology in the press this morning, and if we do deliver more

:14:01. > :14:02.for less increasing productivity and resilience in line with our

:14:03. > :14:07.industrial strategy, then the environment must become a

:14:08. > :14:16.cornerstone of our social and economic thinking. My honourable

:14:17. > :14:20.friend is absolutely right. I can't offer an early debate in government

:14:21. > :14:23.time, but she might find this is a subject in which the backbench

:14:24. > :14:26.business committee might take an interest in which there might be a

:14:27. > :14:32.90 minute opportunity in Westminster. But I agree with her, I

:14:33. > :14:37.think the report that has come out today from our former colleague,

:14:38. > :14:41.Charles Hendry, is something the government will want to pay very

:14:42. > :14:45.close attention to, and I hope the house will welcome the fact that

:14:46. > :14:49.last year was the first year on record where more electricity in

:14:50. > :14:55.this country was generated from renewables plan from coal. That was

:14:56. > :14:58.a good step forward. Can I thank the Leader of the House for announcing

:14:59. > :15:01.the business next week and can I wish you, all members of the house,

:15:02. > :15:07.the staff and service, a happy New Year. Being the New Year, we now

:15:08. > :15:11.have a maximum of ten weeks in which this government intends to triple

:15:12. > :15:18.Article 50. And we're still don't have any sort of Scooby about what

:15:19. > :15:21.sort of Brexit plan this government has in mind for us. The only

:15:22. > :15:25.government that has attempted to come up for any solution for Brexit

:15:26. > :15:29.is the Scottish Government, trying to keep in line with the views of

:15:30. > :15:33.the people of Scotland. Can you tell us what debates we will have around

:15:34. > :15:36.the triggering of Article 50, and regardless of what happens in the

:15:37. > :15:39.Supreme Court, this house will have a vote and a say in what will be the

:15:40. > :15:45.single biggest decision this country will undertake? Mr Speaker, after

:15:46. > :15:49.yesterday's extraordinary press conference in the United States, and

:15:50. > :15:52.what may or may not have happened in that Russian hotel room, and

:15:53. > :15:58.identified to focus on that part of the debate, Mr Speaker, can we have

:15:59. > :16:01.a debate on fake news in this country? Because I actually remember

:16:02. > :16:06.the days before fake news was cool, when we were told that there was 45

:16:07. > :16:10.minutes for weapons of mass destruction to reach the United

:16:11. > :16:14.Kingdom. We were also told by some news organisations that this

:16:15. > :16:18.government is confident and it actually knows what it is going to

:16:19. > :16:23.be doing with Brexit, so can we have a debate about fake news in this

:16:24. > :16:25.country, and that can the house tell us exactly what is going on for

:16:26. > :16:30.English votes for English laws, because it seems like nobody wants

:16:31. > :16:34.it any more. We had another one of these English legislative grant it

:16:35. > :16:38.is on Monday, the bells went on, the house was adjourned, the bills went

:16:39. > :16:42.on again, the house was in session, the mace went down and out, and not

:16:43. > :16:46.one word was said. This is now beginning to embarrass this house.

:16:47. > :16:50.This is now beginning to make this house look extremely foolish. When

:16:51. > :16:58.will this bizarre and unnecessary practice and? -- end. On the

:16:59. > :17:07.honourable gentleman's final point, I would suggest that if the ball

:17:08. > :17:09.rules are operating in an uncontroversial matter, that is

:17:10. > :17:15.something the end tyre house or the welcome, if that means the SNP is

:17:16. > :17:21.accommodating itself to the need for English members to have the final

:17:22. > :17:23.say on laws relating to England, which in Scotland relate to policies

:17:24. > :17:31.devolved to Scottish parliament, that should be a good thing.

:17:32. > :17:43.He asked about Article 50. The Prime Minister has said that the

:17:44. > :17:45.government will publish a document setting out our negotiating

:17:46. > :17:49.objectives before we come to trigger Article 50 later this year, and it

:17:50. > :17:53.has been widely reported, as the honourable gentleman will know, that

:17:54. > :18:00.the Prime Minister intends also to make a speech on the subject in the

:18:01. > :18:02.next few weeks. Clearly, the character of any Parliamentary

:18:03. > :18:05.proceedings on Article 50 will defend to some extent on what the

:18:06. > :18:12.Supreme Court judgment actually involves. On the honourable

:18:13. > :18:15.gentleman's comments about the media, clearly what is said in the

:18:16. > :18:21.United States is a matter for the people of the United States, but I

:18:22. > :18:31.think that while all of us do, from time to time, have reasons to

:18:32. > :18:36.complain about the character or accuracy of various news reports or

:18:37. > :18:43.articles in the press, that is a fact of life in a free society, and

:18:44. > :18:52.I would always want to err on the side of saying that there should be

:18:53. > :18:57.many and discordant voices without the state interfering in what is

:18:58. > :19:02.said by either broadcast or written media. And I think that is the

:19:03. > :19:08.better way to proceed, and the sort of attempts we sometimes have two

:19:09. > :19:13.intimidate individual journalists, as we saw shamefully in the closing

:19:14. > :19:19.weeks of the referendum in Scotland in 2014, when individual journalists

:19:20. > :19:28.were singled out for attack, is not something which any member of the

:19:29. > :19:34.house should be taking pride in. My right honourable friend, the member

:19:35. > :19:40.for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, recently raised the prospect of the

:19:41. > :19:46.European court of justice requiring everyone who uses a vehicle to

:19:47. > :19:49.require insurance. For example, householders mowing their lawns on

:19:50. > :19:59.ride on mowers. Could the Leader of the House find house Dodt -- find

:20:00. > :20:05.time to vent this absurd requirement being brought in UK legislation? As

:20:06. > :20:10.I'm sure my honourable friend for the Isle of Wight knows, this

:20:11. > :20:12.particular issue derives from the Fanuc judgment by the course of

:20:13. > :20:33.justice of the European Union. I would encourage my honourable

:20:34. > :20:36.friend to make his representations in particular the transport

:20:37. > :20:43.ministers who will be in the front line of trying to make sure that

:20:44. > :20:48.judgment is implemented in a way that causes as few as possible

:20:49. > :20:56.difficulties for the users of those vehicles. On behalf of the backbench

:20:57. > :21:01.business committee, can I wish the Leader of the House and yourself a

:21:02. > :21:04.very happy New Year. Can I thank the Leader of the House for advertising

:21:05. > :21:08.our wares as a backbench business committee, in terms of the way he

:21:09. > :21:13.has represented the opportunity to apply for debates to all honourable

:21:14. > :21:15.and right honourable members? Can I also remember honourable and right

:21:16. > :21:19.honourable man was about the opportunities to think ahead in the

:21:20. > :21:24.calendar. Time sensitive debates are very important, as with next week we

:21:25. > :21:28.have Holocaust Memorial Day being debated in the week before the

:21:29. > :21:31.Holocaust Memorial Day itself, so can I please ask everybody to look

:21:32. > :21:35.at the calendar, think about what is coming up and if you want to have a

:21:36. > :21:37.debate on a particular time sensitive subject can you please

:21:38. > :21:43.make your application in the appropriate time.

:21:44. > :21:50.I am very grateful to my friend for his New Year and remarks. I think it

:21:51. > :21:54.is good news there is great awareness across the House of the

:21:55. > :21:59.role of the Backbench Business Committee. If that can lead to more

:22:00. > :22:03.timely debates, debates on subjects in which electors are interested,

:22:04. > :22:06.but which may not be the subject of legislation from the Government,

:22:07. > :22:20.that can only be a good thing. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Oh, sorry!

:22:21. > :22:30.THE SPEAKER: Yes, I said Mimms rather than Phillips. Yes, I know

:22:31. > :22:37.that the honourable gentleman has secured election to the women and

:22:38. > :22:42.equality Select Committee, although he was the only candidate, so his

:22:43. > :22:46.election was not very burdensome. Don't worry, he will not be

:22:47. > :22:51.overlooked. We will get to him. The honourable gentleman did take my

:22:52. > :22:58.place on the Select Committee so there is something going on there!

:22:59. > :23:04.Anyway, thank you Mr Speaker. Air pollution, standing traffic and up

:23:05. > :23:08.predictable journey times cause stress, impact on productivity,

:23:09. > :23:14.impacts on jobs. Good health of UK plc as well as us humans. Could the

:23:15. > :23:19.leader of the House find time for a debate on critical infrastructure

:23:20. > :23:24.which will benefit business and communities, so such as roads, the

:23:25. > :23:29.Chippenham link road which will be for business and communities can be

:23:30. > :23:35.looked at in a whole -- holistic way.

:23:36. > :23:37.I think pretty well every member of the House would agree with the

:23:38. > :23:46.pointeds that my honourable friend has made. I think that is why the

:23:47. > :23:52.Chancellor's Autumn Statement and his inclusion of ?23 billion on

:23:53. > :23:58.infrastructure, and also broad bard is so important.

:23:59. > :24:05.-- broadband is so important. Thank you very much. When we debate Early

:24:06. > :24:12.Day Motion 852, which draws attention to the huge success of

:24:13. > :24:16.presumed organ transplant consent in Wales and urge the Government to

:24:17. > :24:21.support the Private Member's Bill, which would be presented on Monday,

:24:22. > :24:26.that urges that the advantages of consent is spread to the rest of the

:24:27. > :24:34.United Kingdom. We know now this is a practical law. It is popular with

:24:35. > :24:39.the public and it saves many lives. Well, I cannot promise a debate in

:24:40. > :24:41.Government time. Clearly the Private Member's Bill, to which the

:24:42. > :24:46.honourable gentleman has referred will provide an opportunity for

:24:47. > :24:50.further debate of this subject. There may be opportunities, it seems

:24:51. > :24:56.to me, with the Backbench Business Committee or in Westminster Hall. Mr

:24:57. > :25:02.Speaker, Labour-led North-East Lincolnshire council, in considering

:25:03. > :25:06.their budgets for next year are considering the closure of

:25:07. > :25:10.Cleethorpes library. Obviously a much-loved local facility. Could the

:25:11. > :25:16.leader arrange for a debate on the value of libraries to local

:25:17. > :25:21.communities? Again, this may be something where my honourable friend

:25:22. > :25:25.might seek an adjournment debate on the particular issue regarding

:25:26. > :25:29.Cleethorpes library. I am sure he and his constituents will be urging

:25:30. > :25:37.the council to look very seriously at their priorities. Also how tone

:25:38. > :25:41.sure that library services can continue to be provided to the

:25:42. > :25:45.people of Cleethorpes. It is the provision of that library service,

:25:46. > :25:49.clearly the objective which must be sustained.

:25:50. > :25:54.Thank you, Mr Speaker. I hope the lead ore the House agrees with me

:25:55. > :25:59.that future generations will be, of the British people l be very

:26:00. > :26:04.unforgiving in this -- if this generation of politicians allowed a

:26:05. > :26:08.catastrophic failure to damage this House, in the knowledge that we did

:26:09. > :26:15.nothing about it now. I wonder if he can update the House on when he

:26:16. > :26:19.intends to hold a debate on the joint recommendations for the

:26:20. > :26:22.refurbishment of this Palace of Westminster? The honourable

:26:23. > :26:25.gentleman served on the joint committee himself that made that

:26:26. > :26:31.recommendation. I do hope that we can bring this to a debate and get a

:26:32. > :26:36.decision as soon as possible. THE SPEAKER: The voice of Shipley

:26:37. > :26:42.must be heard, I do not wish to wait any longer. I thank you for

:26:43. > :26:45.highlighting my nomination for the women and Select Committee committee

:26:46. > :26:56.was so popular that nobody wanted to oppose me. Could we have a debate by

:26:57. > :26:59.jockey club racecourses to close Kempton course racecourse. Lord

:27:00. > :27:06.knows what it is about. And if it has been proposed by the arena arena

:27:07. > :27:11.society members of the jockey club would be the first to complain,

:27:12. > :27:15.given it is a profitable racecourse. Can we have a debate to see what we

:27:16. > :27:23.can do to stop these plans, which will be a hammer blow for National

:27:24. > :27:28.Hunt racing and would cover a great swathe of green belt in that area

:27:29. > :27:34.too? As my honourable friend would see, this is a matter for the jockey

:27:35. > :27:38.club on the one hand, I with has a royal charter to act for the

:27:39. > :27:42.long-term good of British racing and the local planning authorities, in

:27:43. > :27:48.terms of the particular site. I can completely understand the point that

:27:49. > :27:56.my honourable friend makes and the importance, not only of Kempton Park

:27:57. > :28:01.to the horse race industry, but the importance of horse racing, both as

:28:02. > :28:06.a source of great pleasure to millions of British people, but

:28:07. > :28:10.really an important industry for this country. And I hope whatever

:28:11. > :28:16.decisions are ultimately taken about Kempton Park, we will consider to

:28:17. > :28:21.ensure that the horse racing industry thrives. Generates jobs and

:28:22. > :28:26.continues to bring great enjoyment and pleasure to so many people.

:28:27. > :28:29.Thank you, Mr Speaker, I will endeavour to behave on this

:28:30. > :28:35.occasion. Well over a year ago, I raised in

:28:36. > :28:40.this House there is not a single NHS dentist available in my

:28:41. > :28:43.constituency. And the incidents of child tooth decay is five times the

:28:44. > :28:48.national average. I understand my constituency is one of the worst in

:28:49. > :28:52.the country, if not the worst for dental provision. I further raised

:28:53. > :28:57.it and had a meeting on 7th November this year. I've heard nothing,

:28:58. > :29:00.despite his promises. Can the leader of the House advise why this

:29:01. > :29:05.Government don't aware to care about people's teeth in the Dewsbury

:29:06. > :29:09.constituency? Well, I think that the honourable lady has said herself

:29:10. > :29:13.that she did have a meeting a few weeks ago, before Christmas, with

:29:14. > :29:18.the minister concerned. I will ask the Department of Health to follow

:29:19. > :29:24.up in writing on the outcome of that meeting. Mr Speaker, as we all know,

:29:25. > :29:30.our country is about to go into the most important negotiations we have

:29:31. > :29:34.entered into in decades, with consequences for generations to

:29:35. > :29:39.come. Yet the three big issues which actually divide within parties, not

:29:40. > :29:44.just across the House, the single market, free movement and the

:29:45. > :29:49.customs union has still not been debated in this place. Some think

:29:50. > :29:55.that is verging on the disgraceful, Mr Speaker. Could the leader please

:29:56. > :30:01.now give an assurance to this House that we will not only debate those

:30:02. > :30:06.issues for the obvious reasons, but in order to bring together, as the

:30:07. > :30:09.Prime Minister has said properly in her New Year's message, she seeks to

:30:10. > :30:14.do, everybody in this country, however they voted in the

:30:15. > :30:19.referendum, so we get the very best deal for everybody and for as long

:30:20. > :30:23.as we possibly can. Well, there will of course be

:30:24. > :30:30.further debate both general debates on exiting the European Union and

:30:31. > :30:33.other debates on that matter, as we approach the decision on Article 50.

:30:34. > :30:37.I am very confident in the months that follow that. My honourable

:30:38. > :30:41.friend might also like to know that while it will not set aside her

:30:42. > :30:45.demand for a debate, there are questions coming up in the next

:30:46. > :30:49.fortnight, both to the Home Office, which would cover the free movement

:30:50. > :30:56.question and to the Secretary of State for exiting the European Union

:30:57. > :31:02.on 26th January. Can we have a debate as to what constitutes a

:31:03. > :31:05.crisis in Accident Emergency in the National Health Service? The

:31:06. > :31:09.Prime Minister and the Health Secretary refuse to accept there is

:31:10. > :31:13.a crisis, but the Welsh Tories say there is a crisis in Accident

:31:14. > :31:17.Emergency in Wales. The Health Secretary says the English figures

:31:18. > :31:21.are better than Wales, but failed to find out on the basis of what was

:31:22. > :31:25.released this morning, the Scottish figures are 5% better than those in

:31:26. > :31:30.England. Can we have that debate and a definition of what represents a

:31:31. > :31:38.crisis before the Government fiddles the figures in their response to

:31:39. > :31:44.patient suffering? Well, we had both a statement and then a lengthy

:31:45. > :31:47.exchange of questions and answers from the Secretary of State for

:31:48. > :31:52.Health on Monday and then a full day's debate in the Labour Party's

:31:53. > :31:57.time yesterday on this subject when all these issues were thoroughly

:31:58. > :32:05.aired. I would just say gently to The Right Honourable member that he

:32:06. > :32:09.ought not to be too complacent about the situation in Scotland, when on

:32:10. > :32:14.the latest figuresvy seen, NHS Scotland was meeting only one of

:32:15. > :32:20.eight key targets and one in 12 hospital bed days in Scotland were

:32:21. > :32:25.lost because of delayed discharges. Thank you, Mr Speaker. In wishing

:32:26. > :32:30.happy New Year to the leader of the House, my hope that 2017 for the

:32:31. > :32:35.United Kingdom is as good as 2016 was for the United Kingdom. To do

:32:36. > :32:40.with business next week, or perhaps the week after, or perhaps the week

:32:41. > :32:44.after that, when the Supreme Court makes its decision would the leader

:32:45. > :32:48.of the House guarantee that a minister will come to the House to

:32:49. > :32:52.give a statement? Would he also agree that there'll be no prior

:32:53. > :32:59.comment to the media before this House is informed of what the

:33:00. > :33:06.Government is thinking? Well, I think we shall: And we don't Mr

:33:07. > :33:10.Speaker yet know the timing of the Supreme Court decision that makes it

:33:11. > :33:13.slightly difficult for me to give the firm assurance that my

:33:14. > :33:19.honourable friend wants. I mean, let there be no doubt, the Government

:33:20. > :33:25.will want to come, and I suspect Mr Speaker, you would insist comes to

:33:26. > :33:31.Parliament to explain its response to the judgment. Mr Speaker, may I

:33:32. > :33:38.first of all wish you a happy kiss of ginger day. The member for North

:33:39. > :33:46.Antrim quite rightly asked the question... I am sure you can look

:33:47. > :33:50.it up! Mr Speaker, the member for Northampton raised a very serious

:33:51. > :33:55.question earlier about the committee report which was produced 18 weeks

:33:56. > :33:58.ago on the future of the Palace of Westminster it is becoming

:33:59. > :34:05.irresponsible that we've not yet had a debate because a fire in one of

:34:06. > :34:15.the 98 rises in this building would spread very rapidly and abscesses to

:34:16. > :34:20.if found would lead to the closure of this building. And the sewerage

:34:21. > :34:25.at the bottom of the building could close the building immediately. Will

:34:26. > :34:30.he make sure we get on with this immediately? We are running

:34:31. > :34:39.unnecessary costs and risks. Well, the honourable gentleman... The

:34:40. > :34:42.honourable gentleman summer rises the points that were made at much

:34:43. > :34:46.greater length in the committee report about the very real

:34:47. > :34:50.challenges in terms of managing risks that there are with the

:34:51. > :34:54.building of the Palace of Westminster. I repeat, as I said to

:34:55. > :34:58.the honourable member for Antrim North, that I would hope we have a

:34:59. > :35:03.debate. THE SPEAKER: This kiss a ginger

:35:04. > :35:09.activity is perfectly lawful. But I have no plans to take part in it at

:35:10. > :35:15.all myself. It strikes to me a run business. I have not the slightest

:35:16. > :35:18.idea of what the honourable gentleman was saying, so the matter

:35:19. > :35:32.had to be googled for me. Yesterday there was the decision to

:35:33. > :35:37.restore preferential status to Sri Lanka, which it withdraw in 2010

:35:38. > :35:42.because of human rights abuses by the Sri Lankan Government. Despite

:35:43. > :35:46.them not complying with resolution 31 and a damning report against the

:35:47. > :35:50.committee on torture, this decision has been made. It still has to go

:35:51. > :35:54.through the European Parliament. I ask for a debate in this House to

:35:55. > :35:57.consider the bad decision which I know is a matter of concern to all

:35:58. > :36:05.members. I would encourage my honourable

:36:06. > :36:08.friend to apply to the back inch business committee for that debate,

:36:09. > :36:10.but I'm sure he will acknowledge that the British government has

:36:11. > :36:16.always been in the front rank of those which have been pressing for

:36:17. > :36:21.not only on the previous Sri Lanka government to end human rights

:36:22. > :36:24.abuses, but subsequently the reconciliation and peace building

:36:25. > :36:28.within Sri Lanka. That was symbolised by the former Prime

:36:29. > :36:34.Minister David Cameron's visit to Jaffna in the north of Sri Lanka

:36:35. > :36:40.during the Commonwealth that of government conference about a year

:36:41. > :36:42.or so ago. So the British government's support for

:36:43. > :36:49.reconciliation and respect for human rights in Sri Lanka is real and

:36:50. > :36:52.continuing. Will the Leader of the House join with me in paying tribute

:36:53. > :36:59.to all those who contribute to and work in food banks up and down the

:37:00. > :37:03.country, like in my constituency, particularly over the Christmas

:37:04. > :37:07.period, when demand was so high? And can we please have a debate in

:37:08. > :37:11.government time about the worrying increasing rise in the use of food

:37:12. > :37:20.banks, which all evidence would suggest is as a direct attitude of

:37:21. > :37:30.this government's Social Security. First of all I would agree I would

:37:31. > :37:36.pay tribute to all of those who work in the food banks. Of course it has

:37:37. > :37:40.been only since 2010 that DWP offices have actually been

:37:41. > :37:46.encouraged formally to refer people to food banks, who might be in a

:37:47. > :37:51.family crisis and in urgent need. Previously that was actually

:37:52. > :37:56.forbidden to them. The reasons why people use food banks are complex,

:37:57. > :38:01.and I think that if she looks at the figures, first of all the number of

:38:02. > :38:08.people receiving the key benefits who are subject to sanction in any

:38:09. > :38:11.one month is very small, and it is not a neat relationship between that

:38:12. > :38:17.and the use of food banks. And secondly, I wish she would

:38:18. > :38:20.acknowledge that the government's decision to establish and then to

:38:21. > :38:25.increase the national living wage has led to the biggest pay rise for

:38:26. > :38:30.the lowest paid workers in this country that we have on record. Can

:38:31. > :38:35.I gently point out to the house that a further 33 members are seeking to

:38:36. > :38:39.catch Rayo. Colleagues know that my normal practice is to facilitate

:38:40. > :38:45.everyone who wishes to take part in the business question, and I'm keen

:38:46. > :38:51.to sustain that record, but colleagues should be aware that the

:38:52. > :38:55.debate on Yemen is heavily subscribed, and some priority has

:38:56. > :38:59.also to be attached to that. So, in short, we need short questions and

:39:00. > :39:06.short answers if I'm not to leave colleagues disappointed. Thank you

:39:07. > :39:10.Mr Speaker, could we have a debate on government support for UK

:39:11. > :39:16.businesses to export? There was a welcome increase in new call -- UK

:39:17. > :39:20.export finances but we lag behind on further support to get into markets

:39:21. > :39:26.and support company is when they are already there. I think it is

:39:27. > :39:29.particularly important that we encourage more the medium-sized

:39:30. > :39:35.businesses to take part in exports, often through supply chains than

:39:36. > :39:40.direct exports. I will flag my honourable friend's focus on the

:39:41. > :39:42.subject to the Secretary of State for International trade. I suspect

:39:43. > :39:45.the backbench committee is the best way forward. Greater Manchester

:39:46. > :39:51.Police are losing control of Rochdale town centre full. There is

:39:52. > :39:57.not enough priority being given to police in begging, street drinking

:39:58. > :40:03.and surely this warrants a debate in Parliament. This is clearly a matter

:40:04. > :40:07.primarily for the area commander for the Chief Constable and for the

:40:08. > :40:13.Police and Crime Commissioner in the honourable gentleman's error, but I

:40:14. > :40:15.think you might be lucky in securing Westminster hall for an adjournment

:40:16. > :40:23.debate to put those point in more detail. In Labour's Lala land,

:40:24. > :40:30.nuclear energy has no place to play in you claim nuclear's energy mix

:40:31. > :40:36.is. -- in the UK. Can we have a debate sometime soon to establish

:40:37. > :40:43.which is the party of nuclear energy that create wealth, jobs and

:40:44. > :40:47.prosperity in the north-west of England? My honourable friend is

:40:48. > :40:51.utterly right in that nuclear energy plays a critical role in ensuring we

:40:52. > :40:54.have the right energy mix going into the future, and in the north-west we

:40:55. > :40:59.have a key area for the nuclear sector. Places like Sellafield and

:41:00. > :41:07.Springfield provide high-quality well-paid jobs in areas where they

:41:08. > :41:10.are much needed. Can we have a debate on government time on the

:41:11. > :41:20.cost of telephone calls to UK Government departments, particularly

:41:21. > :41:29.that the Visa helpline is ?1.37 per minute. Isn't it time this telephone

:41:30. > :41:33.tax was ended by this government? I will ask the relevant minister to

:41:34. > :41:36.write to the honourable gentleman. Next week I will be speaking at an

:41:37. > :41:40.event about energy switching, or should I say lack of, because the

:41:41. > :41:44.majority of consumers don't switch their energy supplier and get a poor

:41:45. > :41:48.deal. Could we have a debate about what can be done to engage consumers

:41:49. > :41:53.such as those in Cannock Chase in this market? My honourable friend

:41:54. > :41:56.makes a good point, record numbers have been switching suppliers but

:41:57. > :42:03.she is right to say that most people actually stick with the one that

:42:04. > :42:08.they happen to have. It is something that our right honourable friend the

:42:09. > :42:15.Secretary of State for business is looking at very closely indeed to

:42:16. > :42:21.see what more could be done. On a daily basis, women face intimidation

:42:22. > :42:25.in the entrance to the Mattock Lane pregnancy clinic from protesters who

:42:26. > :42:30.wept when rosary beads and gruesome images of foetuses. The police say

:42:31. > :42:33.that existing public order legislation is insufficient to keep

:42:34. > :42:36.the pavement a safe space, so can we have a statement from the government

:42:37. > :42:41.on establishing buffer zone so that women can be protected in their hour

:42:42. > :42:48.of need, as the group says the supporter asks? Any situation that

:42:49. > :42:53.involves balancing the right of people to assemble and demonstrate

:42:54. > :42:56.peacefully, and the right of other people to go about their lawful

:42:57. > :43:02.business, these are matters where innovative there will have to be

:43:03. > :43:07.local police judgment of some sort. There are questions to the Home

:43:08. > :43:09.Secretary on Monday 23rd January. I think that will give her the

:43:10. > :43:17.opportunity to put the point she raises directly to ministers. I am

:43:18. > :43:21.saddened to have two inform the house that my constituent Rolf Moss

:43:22. > :43:25.with passed away last week. It was not only a distant was business when

:43:26. > :43:30.a manufacturer but also worked alongside Alan Cherry -- Alan Turing

:43:31. > :43:35.Asatir cryptographer at Bletchley Park. His death reminders we are

:43:36. > :43:39.rapidly losing the last of this heroic generation, and I am sure the

:43:40. > :43:41.whole house will want to join with me in expressing our condolences to

:43:42. > :43:47.his widow and family. Would my right honourable friend look at

:43:48. > :43:50.establishing a permanent memorial here in Parliament to commemorate

:43:51. > :43:56.the pioneering work of the men and women in Bletchley whose work

:43:57. > :44:00.undoubtedly shortened the war by at least two years? I first of all want

:44:01. > :44:06.to join my honourable friend in expressing condolences to Mr Knox

:44:07. > :44:13.with's family and friends, and to salute the work which he and so many

:44:14. > :44:20.other men and women took, Paul vital that secret work at Bletchley Park.

:44:21. > :44:29.They really are the unsung heroes of that period. The honourable lady may

:44:30. > :44:34.wish to write formally to the House of Commons commission about the

:44:35. > :44:41.question of a memorial but I am sure she will be reassured to know that

:44:42. > :44:45.the Bletchley Park trust itself has reconfigured the museum at Bletchley

:44:46. > :44:49.Park so that it becomes much more of a memorial than it has sometimes

:44:50. > :44:54.been at the pass to the heroic week of -- work of those men and women --

:44:55. > :45:00.Rolf Noskwith. I understand my private members bill is raised

:45:01. > :45:04.regularly in the house in question is, business questions, and that the

:45:05. > :45:09.Leader of the House's response is that he is waiting for me to come

:45:10. > :45:13.forward with some costs. This is a private members bill, so there is

:45:14. > :45:16.me, and then we have the Leader of the House with his array of civil

:45:17. > :45:21.servants willing and able to provide these figures for him. However, if

:45:22. > :45:24.the Leader of the House wants to let me know in detail, he can write to

:45:25. > :45:29.me what exactly he wants, then I will be happy to provide it, I'll

:45:30. > :45:35.try, on my own, for him and his civil servants, as long as he

:45:36. > :45:38.accepts this is the will of this house, and that members gave up

:45:39. > :45:43.their Friday surgeries to be here from every part of this country, and

:45:44. > :45:46.right across the house from every party, and that he will stop

:45:47. > :45:49.preventing this, or will he let me know when he will put this into

:45:50. > :45:58.committee and come forward with the money resolution? The honourable

:45:59. > :46:05.lady, sincere as always, in speaking up for her private members bill, but

:46:06. > :46:08.it is also the case that the bill was only published I think it was

:46:09. > :46:12.only two days or three days before it was introduced, and there was no

:46:13. > :46:20.memorandum of costs associated with it. Frankly, it is also the case

:46:21. > :46:26.that while the honourable lady is sincere in her championship, this

:46:27. > :46:38.bill is not exactly a disinterested initiative. But a deliberate effort

:46:39. > :46:45.to try to ensure that we have very unequal sized constituencies. The

:46:46. > :46:51.government, as I have said before, the government is continuing to

:46:52. > :47:00.consider the financial implications of the honourable lady's bill. Can

:47:01. > :47:03.we please have a debate on immigration policy? This will give

:47:04. > :47:07.the government the opportunity to explain what progress they are

:47:08. > :47:11.making on meeting the immigration target, but of course it will give

:47:12. > :47:20.Her Majesty's loyal pictures -- opposition to explain what their

:47:21. > :47:23.policy is. My honourable friend will have an opportunity to pursue Home

:47:24. > :47:29.Office ministers on Monday 23rd January. I fear that even a whole

:47:30. > :47:37.day's debate that getting a reliable policy out of the opposition might

:47:38. > :47:40.be be under us. The Leader of the House, can I first of all wish him a

:47:41. > :47:48.happy New Year, and also welcome the Henry report today in the tidal

:47:49. > :47:51.energy. But can we have a debate in government time on transmission

:47:52. > :47:58.lines, because low-carbon 21st-century comes from when -- wind

:47:59. > :48:01.commerce or the new cooler and tidal, situated in coastal areas,

:48:02. > :48:06.very sensitive areas will stop National Grid only propose one

:48:07. > :48:11.system, pylons. Their 1950s technology. We want 21st-century

:48:12. > :48:15.technology Reeva 21st century low-carbon energy. Can we have a

:48:16. > :48:20.debate on National Grid, its role in disregarding the will of many

:48:21. > :48:23.communities? The honourable gentleman makes an important point.

:48:24. > :48:31.I know it matters to a lot of people living in all areas in particular,

:48:32. > :48:34.and coastal areas too. I would encourage him probably to seek a

:48:35. > :48:38.Westminster hall debate. There are also questions next week to the

:48:39. > :48:40.Secretary of State for environment, food and rural affairs, and that

:48:41. > :48:46.might give him an initial peg on which to raise these arguments. On

:48:47. > :48:51.Saturday, I took part in the corporate Park run, brilliantly

:48:52. > :48:53.organised, week in, week out, by Paul Humphreys and his brilliant

:48:54. > :48:59.team, and they are also fundraising for a new defeat later in whiskey

:49:00. > :49:04.Park. Can we have a debate to recognise the enormous community

:49:05. > :49:07.effort that Park runs make across the country and to say a huge thank

:49:08. > :49:12.you to all those who give up their free time to organise them. I can't

:49:13. > :49:18.offer a debate in government time, I think my honourable friend is

:49:19. > :49:24.absolutely right in saluting the importance of the Park run movement

:49:25. > :49:30.as an entirely voluntary body that has literally energised, in more

:49:31. > :49:34.than one sense, thousands of people around the country to get more

:49:35. > :49:38.active and more fit in the way that every doctor would recommend, but

:49:39. > :49:40.has also come as he said, in terms of Corby, helped to raise

:49:41. > :49:48.significant sums of money for charities. Teaches at Whitehaven

:49:49. > :49:52.Academy in Cumbria have been striking over the crumbling

:49:53. > :49:55.buildings and meagre resources. In 2010 the government scrapped the

:49:56. > :49:58.building schools for future programme where Whitehaven Academy

:49:59. > :50:02.was to get significant funding. Now other schools are waiting for

:50:03. > :50:04.funding as well. Can the Education Secretary: make a statement of his

:50:05. > :50:08.house about exactly how the government is going to sort out this

:50:09. > :50:14.mess so that Cumbrian children can have the education they deserve? I

:50:15. > :50:18.will ask the Education Secretary, or one of his team, the right to the

:50:19. > :50:23.honourable lady about that particular issue. I am sure that she

:50:24. > :50:28.would welcome the fact that the National funding formula for schools

:50:29. > :50:33.will ensure a pharaoh distribution of available resources than has been

:50:34. > :50:35.the case in the past. To try to accommodate everybody, might I

:50:36. > :50:43.suggest that we move to single sentence questions, and of course

:50:44. > :50:47.pithy replies? Can I use your officers to remind colleagues next

:50:48. > :50:51.week we debate the Holocaust Memorial Day, and a book of

:50:52. > :50:56.commitment is open from Monday for two weeks, things to your good

:50:57. > :51:02.offices, between the corridor between the member states and the

:51:03. > :51:07.members cloakroom. But can I also ask, Mr Speaker, that we have a

:51:08. > :51:12.statement following the Sunday conference on the Middle East in

:51:13. > :51:15.Paris, because FCO questions went on far longer because the government

:51:16. > :51:18.didn't give a statement or respond to an urgent question on the

:51:19. > :51:21.subject. There would be far better to have a statement in government

:51:22. > :51:27.time on the outcome of that conference.

:51:28. > :51:32.It is will for Foreign Office ministers to decide whether they can

:51:33. > :51:36.offer a statement. I would say too that I am sure as in previous years,

:51:37. > :51:41.many, many honourable members from all parties will want to sign the

:51:42. > :51:47.Holocaust remembrance book. Can we have a further debate on the crisis

:51:48. > :51:52.in social care? Today, Nottingham University Hospitals have over 200

:51:53. > :51:58.patients who are medically safe to be discharged who cannot be. Is it

:51:59. > :52:01.any wonder that the hospital is on black alert again and

:52:02. > :52:05.Nottinghamshire County Council are calling on the Government to take

:52:06. > :52:11.action. When will the Government wake up to this crisis? While it is

:52:12. > :52:16.undoubtedly true there are pressures on the NHS and on social care at

:52:17. > :52:21.this time, the Government has acted through the better care fund,

:52:22. > :52:26.through the social care present and recently through bringing forward

:52:27. > :52:31.?900 million of additional spending to give local authorities additional

:52:32. > :52:35.resources. It is also the case a lot of local variation. And more than

:52:36. > :52:40.half of the delayed discharges in our hospitals relate to just 24

:52:41. > :52:43.local authorities. So it is also a case of disseminating best practise

:52:44. > :52:51.and embedding that everywhere in the country. The Government confirmed

:52:52. > :52:57.this House would be presented with a plan on how it would begin to exit

:52:58. > :53:05.the European Union. Can my friend outline the processes on which the

:53:06. > :53:09.House will be engaged in that plan? I am sure there'll be opportunities

:53:10. > :53:13.for that plan to be debated here. I am sure too when that is published

:53:14. > :53:18.that the relevant Select Committees will want to take a look at it. I

:53:19. > :53:29.don't think my honourable friend will be disappointed in terms of

:53:30. > :53:35.parliamentary scrutiny. Mr Speaker, a removal of an imgation accept thor

:53:36. > :53:42.is use of police cells. It turns out there is no information on how many

:53:43. > :53:48.times police cells are used can we have a debate on what is on going A

:53:49. > :53:54.planning application for the new facility which would replace it was

:53:55. > :54:01.refused by Renfrewshire. And dun gavel is to going to remain open.

:54:02. > :54:06.Its future is depen dantd on a successful planning application for

:54:07. > :54:14.a new short-term holding facility. Can we have a statement on the

:54:15. > :54:19.credibility of the allegations made in this dossier about

:54:20. > :54:23.President-elect Trump. This is a dossier that was written in the UK

:54:24. > :54:28.and the UK Government has both place and lifted a D notice on the former

:54:29. > :54:35.MI6 officer who wrote the allegations. We had a warning before

:54:36. > :54:38.Christmas from the head of MI6 about hostile states. Can we have a

:54:39. > :54:43.statement from the Foreign Secretary on what action he's taking to

:54:44. > :54:50.prevent ourselves and our Nato allies from being subject to cyber

:54:51. > :54:55.attacks and propaganda attacks from hostile states? The Foreign

:54:56. > :55:01.Secretary and indeed the Prime Minister has repeatedly made clear

:55:02. > :55:07.their concerns about the cybercapacity and cybertactics of

:55:08. > :55:11.Russia and of other countries towards the interests of the United

:55:12. > :55:17.Kingdom. The honourable lady will understand why I can't go into

:55:18. > :55:21.details about these matters, but these are issues which are

:55:22. > :55:28.considered regularly by the National Security Council.

:55:29. > :55:33.We have a statement from the Government about the increased role

:55:34. > :55:37.of the military of defence police in undertaking duties in civilian areas

:55:38. > :55:41.outside of Faslane and cool port, in order to establish who took the

:55:42. > :55:48.decision, why was it made and are these officers armed and under

:55:49. > :55:53.watching of command do they operate? I will, I will check whether there

:55:54. > :56:00.were defence questions coming up next week. Since there are not I

:56:01. > :56:04.will ask the relevant to write to the honourable gentleman. The reason

:56:05. > :56:08.we have a debate here needs to be led by the Prime Minister so we can

:56:09. > :56:12.ask questions about what she's doing about the NHS. Simon Stephens said

:56:13. > :56:18.it is stretching the truth to say they got more than what they asked

:56:19. > :56:23.for and we are spending less than other developed countries. The NHS

:56:24. > :56:32.is in crisis and the Government is doing nothing about it. The

:56:33. > :56:39.Government is actually meeting the spending commitment that the NHS

:56:40. > :56:48.wanted to support its plan and, yes, there are pressures - nobody denies

:56:49. > :56:53.that. We have seen since 2010 significant increases in the numbers

:56:54. > :56:56.of doctor, the number of nurses, the number of diagnostic tests, the

:56:57. > :57:01.number of A and treatments. There is real improvement goes on. We

:57:02. > :57:05.should pay tribute to the NHS staff who are delivering that.

:57:06. > :57:10.Mr Speaker, can we have a debate about how the Government could take

:57:11. > :57:15.a more proactive role to preserve banking and Post Office services on

:57:16. > :57:19.our local high streets. In two years the Bank of Scotland has closed one

:57:20. > :57:22.in my constituency. Wave had announcement this week that four

:57:23. > :57:28.Post Offices are under threat across Scotland. I am very conscious from

:57:29. > :57:34.the exfeerns of my constituency of the -- experience of my constituency

:57:35. > :57:39.of the pressure on shop owners thon and the lack of service to customers

:57:40. > :57:48.and small business. My understanding on Post Offices is that the Post

:57:49. > :57:54.Office proposes that the, crown Post Offices that they would close would

:57:55. > :57:58.instead become sub-post offices. Sub-post offices would continue in

:57:59. > :58:02.those communities. The provision of the service is important. It is

:58:03. > :58:05.right there should be full consultation with the local

:58:06. > :58:10.communities about in I of those proposed closures. It is a reality

:58:11. > :58:14.that more and more of our constituents are using on-line

:58:15. > :58:22.banking services and that is bound to have an impact upon the economic

:58:23. > :58:26.viability of branch networks. Can we have an urgent statement from

:58:27. > :58:29.the energy minister on the forthcoming industrial action in the

:58:30. > :58:35.nuclear industry, which is being caused as a direct result of the

:58:36. > :58:39.Government's beal of workers in that industry, despite the amendments we

:58:40. > :58:43.put down at the time in the enterprise bill and the promises

:58:44. > :58:48.that were made at the time of privatisation? I cannot offer a

:58:49. > :58:51.promise of a statement, but this may be something the honourable

:58:52. > :58:57.gentleman may wish to seek an adjournment debate on.

:58:58. > :59:03.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Following on from my honourable friend from

:59:04. > :59:05.Edinburgh South West, can we have the post services minister to give a

:59:06. > :59:11.statement on the Government's role in the Post Office and its future. I

:59:12. > :59:16.received a litter that morningside Post Office would be closed and

:59:17. > :59:20.franchised. It is a well-used Post Office and should be stopped. Can we

:59:21. > :59:26.have a statement on what the Government will do about these

:59:27. > :59:29.closures? A process that the Post Office operates for consultation and

:59:30. > :59:32.decision, I would encourage the honourable gentleman to use that

:59:33. > :59:36.opportunity on behalf of his constituents.

:59:37. > :59:42.But it is also the case that the vast majority, 97% of the Post

:59:43. > :59:46.Offices branches around the country are already operated on the basis

:59:47. > :59:47.that they are sub-post offices, independent businesses with a Post

:59:48. > :59:59.Office franchise. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Can

:00:00. > :00:05.we have a statement on the unlawful implementation on various provisions

:00:06. > :00:10.of the investigator powers act and vault personal data sets, following

:00:11. > :00:15.on by the European Court of Justice that e-mails and communications by

:00:16. > :00:21.Governments is illegal. A point frequently underlined by my friend

:00:22. > :00:25.and I join the bills progress? The Government is considering its

:00:26. > :00:32.response to that judgment. U bit is certainly the view of those who

:00:33. > :00:36.serve us in the security intelligence agencies that the

:00:37. > :00:39.ability to collect bulk data is something that is of vital

:00:40. > :00:45.importance in the continuing battle against terrorism.

:00:46. > :00:50.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can we have a debate on the excellent report of

:00:51. > :00:55.the Defence Select Committee on decision making in defence policy?

:00:56. > :01:00.In particular, it noted the lack of understanding of military strategy

:01:01. > :01:05.in key decision makers. Can we have a debate on military strategy that

:01:06. > :01:09.will allow us to look at whether issues such as forward deployment of

:01:10. > :01:18.personnel is deterrents or provocation? Well, I think that I

:01:19. > :01:20.mean we would welcome the possibility of a debate possibly

:01:21. > :01:24.through the Backbench Business Committee. I have to say, when it

:01:25. > :01:30.comes to the forward deployment of UK forces as part of Nato

:01:31. > :01:36.contingents in Estonia and in Poland, this is all about deterrent

:01:37. > :01:42.and solidarity with a Nato ally. Nato was an organisation which Atlee

:01:43. > :01:46.and Bevin helped to create. I look forward to the day when we have a

:01:47. > :01:52.Labour leadership that gives full hearted support to Nato.

:01:53. > :01:55.The Government has talked out three out of four SNP private member

:01:56. > :02:00.bills. The treatment for Durham's bill is completely appalling and its

:02:01. > :02:05.response to the report is inadequate as the system itself. It did accept

:02:06. > :02:07.there should be a change to the standing order that requires Private

:02:08. > :02:11.Member's Bills to be published slightly earlier than they are. When

:02:12. > :02:16.it will give us time to debate that proposal that it does accept? We are

:02:17. > :02:20.looking at the moment, Mr Speaker, at a number of proposed changes to

:02:21. > :02:24.standing orders, some many coming from the procedure committee and

:02:25. > :02:29.some coming from other committees of the House. I think it will probably

:02:30. > :02:34.be for the convenience of the House if we can find an opportunity to

:02:35. > :02:38.deal with all of those as a block, rather than piecemeal. That is the

:02:39. > :02:44.kind of arrangement I'm hoping to secure. I am very sorry to be picked

:02:45. > :02:50.so late on kiss a ginger day. As we only get one day a year. I wonder if

:02:51. > :02:56.you might be colour blind. I would recommend a... Mr Speaker, can we

:02:57. > :03:02.have a debate on the future of our parks funding. The park in my

:03:03. > :03:08.constituent receives higher level funding because of its higher nature

:03:09. > :03:13.of its budget. I would be very grateful if we can have a debate in

:03:14. > :03:20.Government time? There'll be questions next Thursday to DEFRA

:03:21. > :03:29.ministers or to DCLG ministers next Monday. The few xur of stewardship

:03:30. > :03:34.funding is being considered in the context of denoshations after all.

:03:35. > :03:41.Dozens of my constituents have complained they have been miss-sold

:03:42. > :03:49.solar panels under the Government's green deal. By answer I have learnt

:03:50. > :03:52.the company which has since gone into liquidation was previously

:03:53. > :03:56.sanctioned by the Government in November 2015 for breaches of the

:03:57. > :04:00.green deal code of practise. Maybe have a statement from the Government

:04:01. > :04:04.as to what support it will offer my constituents who have been left

:04:05. > :04:12.struggling their electricity bills which have in some cases tripled.

:04:13. > :04:20.Well, clearly in any system that one has, I mean there is sadly a risk

:04:21. > :04:26.that somebody may seek to abuse that what I suggest the honourable lady

:04:27. > :04:30.does, if you write either to me or directly to the minister responsible

:04:31. > :04:36.for these matters, setting out the detail of what has happened to her

:04:37. > :04:42.constituents and detailed response to the particular concerns they

:04:43. > :04:46.have. Member of the House, I am delighted to be called last. They

:04:47. > :04:51.have heard from North West Durham about her bill. She's offered

:04:52. > :04:56.support for the, whatever the problems the House has. Saying it is

:04:57. > :05:00.now about time. If it was only three days before the Bill was published

:05:01. > :05:04.when it was supported in this House that is eight weeks and two days

:05:05. > :05:09.ago. Can he explain what the problem is with bringing this bill into

:05:10. > :05:12.committee? Or is it problems on his own backbenches because there was

:05:13. > :05:16.too much support on that side of the House? As I said earlier, Mr

:05:17. > :05:22.Speaker, the Government continues to consider the financial implications

:05:23. > :05:28.of the bill. Mr Speaker, the business lead ore of

:05:29. > :05:31.the House has ask -- Leader of the House has been asked twice for a

:05:32. > :05:35.debate of the Post Office. The Government cannot wash its hands of

:05:36. > :05:39.the matter. You told of sub Post Offices. In Dundee the general Post

:05:40. > :05:44.Office has been there a century. It is set to close. Arguing for a

:05:45. > :05:51.sub-post office is not good enough. Furthermore about pensioners. Many

:05:52. > :05:56.do not go on line to do on-line banking or check Pension Credit. Can

:05:57. > :06:03.I ask we have an urgent debate on the important matter of closing

:06:04. > :06:07.these offices I think the key concern of pensioners and others in

:06:08. > :06:12.his constituency in Dundee will sure I will be whether they continue to

:06:13. > :06:18.have access to the Post Office services which they need, whether

:06:19. > :06:22.those are provided via a crown Post Office or through a franchised

:06:23. > :06:27.sub-post office is a separate issue. It is the quality and accessibility

:06:28. > :06:31.of the service which must come first.

:06:32. > :06:37.Can we have a debate in government time on the future and current

:06:38. > :06:42.performance of UK border aforesaid airports? According to the tourism

:06:43. > :06:47.and industry council if the 23 million EU visitors who visit the UK

:06:48. > :06:57.are subject to four border checks of enquirer staffing to move to 300%.

:06:58. > :06:59.What other government's plans? I would signal 23rd of January and

:07:00. > :07:08.questions to the Home Secretary when he at that point to her. The plight

:07:09. > :07:14.of religious minorities who are subject to such terrible conditions

:07:15. > :07:17.from Daesh including secretary -- sexual slavery should be a priority

:07:18. > :07:23.for all of us in this house, Canellas the government for

:07:24. > :07:32.clarification on how we intend to support these people at the time of

:07:33. > :07:37.terrible need? We are providing an enormous amount of support, ?2.5

:07:38. > :07:44.billion almost to ease the humanitarian crisis in Syria and

:07:45. > :07:49.neighbouring countries. That is helping people, including refugees

:07:50. > :07:55.in the region. We are also giving as much priority as we can in our

:07:56. > :08:00.resettlement schemes for people who have been victims at risk of sexual

:08:01. > :08:04.abuse to women and children who are particularly vulnerable. Clearly we

:08:05. > :08:11.are actively looking always for other ways we can help these people.

:08:12. > :08:17.My honourable friend is sitting and would have further points my

:08:18. > :08:20.honourable friend has made. There can't be much that cheapens the

:08:21. > :08:24.honour system more than dishing out gongs to people who have been found

:08:25. > :08:30.by a UN committee to have breached human rights, including those of

:08:31. > :08:32.disabled people. Not a despotic regime but two senior civil servants

:08:33. > :08:38.in the Department for Work and Pensions. So with that in mind will

:08:39. > :08:49.he facilitate a debate on how we can reform the honour system? No, and

:08:50. > :08:54.the government has already made clear that we regard the report from

:08:55. > :08:58.that particular UN committee as a grotesque representation of the

:08:59. > :09:04.state of affairs in the United Kingdom. The report for one thing

:09:05. > :09:09.took no account of the very successful record we had in getting

:09:10. > :09:13.a record number of disabled people into work, and the programmes of

:09:14. > :09:22.support for disabled people who are in work. Points of order will come

:09:23. > :09:27.later. We now come to the select committee statement. The chair of

:09:28. > :09:29.the women inequalities select committee, the right honourable

:09:30. > :09:36.member for Basingstoke, will speak for up to ten minutes, during which

:09:37. > :09:37.no interventions may be taken. At the conclusion of her statement I

:09:38. > :09:38.will call