:00:00. > :00:08.issues. Thank you. Or death, business question. Thank you, --- or
:00:09. > :00:12.death. Could the Leader of the House gives the forthcoming business. The
:00:13. > :00:18.business the next week will be as follows, estimates date Monday
:00:19. > :00:21.the... There will be a debate on future drug prevention followed by a
:00:22. > :00:27.debate on health and social care. Tuesday the 28th of that be, there
:00:28. > :00:31.will be a debate on the government's productivity plan followed by a
:00:32. > :00:34.debate on intergenerational fairness. Further details will be
:00:35. > :00:44.given in the official port at 7pm that day will stop Wednesday the 1st
:00:45. > :00:49.of March, proceedings and the supply and appropriation anticipation, and
:00:50. > :00:54.adjustments Bill. Followed by a second freezing of the bus services
:00:55. > :00:58.Bill, Lords. Firstly the 2nd of March, a debate on the motion
:00:59. > :01:04.concerning International Women's Day, followed by a general debate on
:01:05. > :01:09.Welsh affairs, as determined by the... The 3rd of March, the House
:01:10. > :01:13.will not be sitting. It commences the 6th of March and will include
:01:14. > :01:17.Monday the 6th of March, second reading of the bagel technology and
:01:18. > :01:23.aviation Bill. Mr Speaker, I should also like to inform the House that
:01:24. > :01:29.the business in Westminster Hall for the second, sixth and 9th of March
:01:30. > :01:32.will be as follows... Thursday the 2nd of March, debate on the ninth
:01:33. > :01:39.report of the work and pensions committee on support for the breed.
:01:40. > :01:46.Monday the 6th of March, dash for the bereaved. Debate on the eve
:01:47. > :01:51.position motor to high heels and workplace dress codes. Thursday the
:01:52. > :01:56.9th of March, debate on the second report of the mother of Scotland and
:01:57. > :02:00.the implications for the devolution. Mr Speaker, in addition I should
:02:01. > :02:05.like to inform a is that following discussion through the usual
:02:06. > :02:08.channels, the ten minutes allocated up War Parliamentary questions to
:02:09. > :02:12.the Leader of the House, that have recently taking place in the six
:02:13. > :02:18.weekly voter, will now be used as additional time for questions to the
:02:19. > :02:22.Secretary of State for culture, media and sport. And you questions'
:02:23. > :02:26.rotor is now available from the vote office and members should be
:02:27. > :02:30.reassured that I will continue to appear at the dispatch box at every
:02:31. > :02:34.Thursday morning and honourable members will be able to use the
:02:35. > :02:40.opportunity to ask any questions that they might otherwise have asked
:02:41. > :02:44.at leaders' all is. Thank you, and can I thank the Leader of the House
:02:45. > :02:59.but confirming that he will still be here even though he is such a
:03:00. > :03:03.talented former Minister for Europe I think his talent should be the
:03:04. > :03:06.ploy elsewhere. I am still going to ask the date of the recess, I know
:03:07. > :03:09.that the Deputy Leader of the House is keen to know whether he can go on
:03:10. > :03:11.holiday as he needs to do the pre-recess adjournment debate the
:03:12. > :03:14.summer, he needs to order his new tie. Following on from the point of
:03:15. > :03:17.order from the honourable member for the City of Chester, Billy get
:03:18. > :03:21.mentioned to me the year of the act I asked politely, and it is the
:03:22. > :03:28.elected that sensitive order into bars and to which enables processing
:03:29. > :03:32.and closure of sensitive... Politely was very helpful I ensure that it
:03:33. > :03:37.honourable as want a copy in making go bad. Mr Speaker, this is a photo
:03:38. > :03:41.opportunity, the Prime Minister and government, or photos and no
:03:42. > :03:44.substance or any thought that the British people. Not content with
:03:45. > :03:50.being the first to visit the United date, when the prime Minster should
:03:51. > :03:53.be networking in Europe, the Prime Minister then photo bombs the House
:03:54. > :03:56.of Lords in a company with the Leader of the House, no wonder we
:03:57. > :04:01.cannot get a date the recess, instead of 30 bombing the Prime
:04:02. > :04:06.Minister to focus on what is going on in her own Cabinet. She needs to
:04:07. > :04:10.have a discussion with the Cabinet, who are completely out of control.
:04:11. > :04:16.She needs to think about our young people as they are our future. The
:04:17. > :04:23.government sneaked out, just before Christmas recess which means
:04:24. > :04:28.students will face a tuition fee rise in perpetuity. The Prime
:04:29. > :04:33.Minister, yesterday, talk about children and their aspiration well
:04:34. > :04:38.this generation is saddled with debt before they even start out in life.
:04:39. > :04:43.There are two S eyes which are two was a tax and aspiration. Could the
:04:44. > :04:47.leader with the House please said you are a debate on this with Billy
:04:48. > :04:55.Mabry disgraceful increase in tuition fees. We want a debate,
:04:56. > :05:11.scrutinise and debate on those SIs will stop the great debt --- the
:05:12. > :05:15.great get-together to net Jo Cox... They have been handing out wooden
:05:16. > :05:19.than the notices to people by e-mail and cutting the very organisation
:05:20. > :05:26.that can help people in communities trust each other. They are there to
:05:27. > :05:33.help about OK racism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, we have seen a rise
:05:34. > :05:38.in hate crime, just as all of us try to do. Could we have a debate on
:05:39. > :05:50.EDM, and on sacked staff. The government are not interested in
:05:51. > :05:54.education, across the parties, many members are alarmed at the new
:05:55. > :05:59.funding formula courts to ask all is. The Prime Minister has said that
:06:00. > :06:03.we are looking at a new formula, it is a consultation, so will the
:06:04. > :06:08.Leader of the House guarantee a statement and immediately it is
:06:09. > :06:12.over. And could the Leader of the House they when the consultation
:06:13. > :06:15.will come to an end. The government are not interested in businesses,
:06:16. > :06:19.what a lesson in disorganisation and chaos on business rates every pound
:06:20. > :06:24.generated by the local businesses in the high Street 70p goes back to the
:06:25. > :06:34.local economy, most businesses and the high-street pay more on business
:06:35. > :06:39.tax... He should have looked into the long-term effects on business
:06:40. > :06:48.rates before he introduced the policy. A loophole introduced by
:06:49. > :06:54.the... Could the Leader of the House ensure that there is a full impact
:06:55. > :07:00.assessment on these proposals before they are enacted. Mr Speaker, which
:07:01. > :07:03.the and chaotic government with the Secretary of State for health
:07:04. > :07:09.stating on the BBC last week can get away with this comment that
:07:10. > :07:14.performance in some parts of the NHS are completely unacceptable and then
:07:15. > :07:17.do nothing about it. Yesterday the Prime Minister mentioned mid Staffs
:07:18. > :07:27.but forgot to mention what the person who led the enquiry into the
:07:28. > :07:30.NHS said, ... The NHS is facing an existential crisis with a disconnect
:07:31. > :07:35.between what the government is saying and the people's experience
:07:36. > :07:39.on the ground. Could we have a statement on the government's plan
:07:40. > :07:44.of action on restoring the NHS and listen to clinicians and staff, so
:07:45. > :07:49.when the City of London has warned that the loss of banking jobs to the
:07:50. > :07:53.EU threatens financial stability, the government needs to listen and
:07:54. > :07:57.be transparent with British people on these warnings. The member the
:07:58. > :08:04.Cambridge, had yesterday that people working in the museum, archaeology
:08:05. > :08:09.place in Cambridge, want their contract is over that as it was the
:08:10. > :08:14.education mess, help the mess, businesses under threat and the
:08:15. > :08:16.judge says the government are making slow process on allowing civil
:08:17. > :08:22.partnerships the heterosexual couples, who is this woman serving?
:08:23. > :08:29.As someone who has served this House well... Someone who has served this
:08:30. > :08:33.House well is someone who had a birthday, he is 85, I am sure we
:08:34. > :08:37.would all wish in a very belated happy birthday and look forward to
:08:38. > :08:47.the documentary on his life The Nature Of The Beast. Mr Speaker, can
:08:48. > :08:53.I say that I cannot give a date for the summer recess. I would say to
:08:54. > :08:57.the honourable lady back in my experience the Deputy Leader can
:08:58. > :09:01.barely be torn away from his desk. He is so assiduous in his commitment
:09:02. > :09:06.to his work in government and on behalf of his constituents. I will
:09:07. > :09:09.try to let the honourable lady and the whole house have notice of the
:09:10. > :09:13.summer recess dates as soon as I can, I completely agree with her on
:09:14. > :09:20.the significance of the 2002 order and indeed the I recall that it was
:09:21. > :09:25.brought in at a time when honourable members on all sides were as now,
:09:26. > :09:29.finding a number of public authorities reluctant to disclose
:09:30. > :09:35.information to them which space sought on Bihar but constituents
:09:36. > :09:41.which had approached them. --- sought on behalf of constituents. I
:09:42. > :09:49.was disappointed with what she said about the House of Lords, I actually
:09:50. > :09:53.think it is important that ministers respect of the constitutional role
:09:54. > :10:01.of the House of Lords. In my experience both in government and in
:10:02. > :10:05.opposition, members of the other place like the fact that ministers
:10:06. > :10:11.and indeed opposition spokesman go and listen to what they have to say
:10:12. > :10:17.and that is exactly what the Prime Minister and I would be entirely in
:10:18. > :10:24.the week. --- earlier in the week. We could have a long debate about
:10:25. > :10:29.the opportunities for young people, in our society, but I simply say
:10:30. > :10:35.that it is under this government that we see a rise in the number of
:10:36. > :10:39.schools that are rated good or outstanding, giving our young men
:10:40. > :10:45.and women the best start in life and we are seeing implement in the
:10:46. > :10:48.United Kingdom at a record high in the best of them all is to enable
:10:49. > :10:54.young people to have a decent education and then a job and the
:10:55. > :10:59.housing white paper spells out ways in which the generating additional
:11:00. > :11:03.supplies of housing we will help young people to get back foot on the
:11:04. > :11:11.housing ladder so many are unable to afford at the moment. She asked
:11:12. > :11:15.about tuition fees, the reality is that the maximum the cap will not be
:11:16. > :11:22.increasing in real terms for anyone going to university. She and others
:11:23. > :11:25.have asked me previously on Thursday sessions about the measures taken by
:11:26. > :11:30.the equalities and human rights committee, they are publicly funded
:11:31. > :11:36.body at arms length, ministerial direction and they like any other
:11:37. > :11:41.part of the public sector have to take responsible decisions about how
:11:42. > :11:45.to set priorities ever finite taxpayers resources that have been
:11:46. > :11:52.allocated to them. I will write to her and put a note in the library
:11:53. > :11:58.about the exact date when the consultation on the new funding
:11:59. > :12:02.formula the schools is June two end. That is due to end. From memory it
:12:03. > :12:09.is later in March but I will confirm that in writing. The other point she
:12:10. > :12:15.asked about, and business rates, let's not forget that business rates
:12:16. > :12:21.are founded upon the rental row you of business properties and rental
:12:22. > :12:26.values change. I wasn't sure whether the honourable lady was saying that
:12:27. > :12:29.the opposition would rather that the valuation was left on the basis of
:12:30. > :12:39.rental values that are now seven years out of date. The government
:12:40. > :12:46.has brought forward the revaluation that needed to be done, but as the
:12:47. > :12:51.community secretary said yesterday, he is now working with the
:12:52. > :12:57.Chancellor of data to see whether there there are further ways that we
:12:58. > :13:04.can find to insure that some believe is given to individual businesses
:13:05. > :13:07.that might be particularly badly affected by the impact of the
:13:08. > :13:13.revaluations that have been carried out.
:13:14. > :13:21.We could debate for a long time the NHS, I simply remind the honourable
:13:22. > :13:25.lady that it is under this Government that the NHS is getting
:13:26. > :13:30.record levels of funding, with an increase in the number of doctors,
:13:31. > :13:34.nurses, and an increase in the number of our fellow citizens who
:13:35. > :13:42.are being treated by immensely professional and hard-working NHS
:13:43. > :13:45.staff. Far from this Government being disunited, it is this
:13:46. > :13:54.Government that is pursuing a determined course to try to address
:13:55. > :14:01.some of the deep-seated social and economic challenges that our nation
:14:02. > :14:05.has faced for many years, and doing so in a way that brings benefit to
:14:06. > :14:11.people in all parts of our United Kingdom and all parts of society. If
:14:12. > :14:17.the honourable lady's looking for chaos, she should look behind and in
:14:18. > :14:20.particular she has to look around the Shadow Cabinet table, because I
:14:21. > :14:23.suspect you have to look at the nameplates to remind yourself who is
:14:24. > :14:34.entitled to be at that meeting in that particular week. Would my right
:14:35. > :14:37.honourable friend find time for a debate on funeral poverty? Whilst I
:14:38. > :14:43.applaud the work of the Member for Swansea East, the Member for rugby
:14:44. > :14:48.and the legislative proposal of the Member for Airdrie, having recently
:14:49. > :14:51.met people from the sector, I am still convinced that there is more
:14:52. > :14:58.that the Government could do to help people in financial difficulties at
:14:59. > :15:04.what is often a distressing time. My honourable friend does raise an
:15:05. > :15:13.important point. As he will know, the current arrangements mean that
:15:14. > :15:19.the reimbursement of costs is available for people who are in
:15:20. > :15:25.need, that can cover necessary costs involved with burial and cremation,
:15:26. > :15:33.and up to ?700 for other expenses. And my understanding is that in the
:15:34. > :15:41.last year for which we have figures, 2015, 2016, 29,000 such awards were
:15:42. > :15:45.made, of more than 100,000 -- 100 thousand ?400 on average. But the
:15:46. > :15:50.Government is exploring various options to see if we can make access
:15:51. > :15:54.easier to the schemes we have. I'm sure any thoughts on proposals my
:15:55. > :16:00.honourable friend has to make will be gratefully received by ministers
:16:01. > :16:04.responsible. Can also thank the Leader of the House for announcing
:16:05. > :16:07.the business for next week. I suppose the Leader of the House can
:16:08. > :16:12.safely put away the abolition of the Lords Bill, and all we really needed
:16:13. > :16:20.was a selfie of himself and the Prime Minister. After threatening to
:16:21. > :16:25.lead this great Brexit rebellion, the Lords have only led the nation
:16:26. > :16:30.up to the top of the Woolsack hill and down again, while leaving the
:16:31. > :16:34.taxi running! Am I the only member who is slightly disturbed by the
:16:35. > :16:39.allegations from the zero -- former Lord Speaker? Surely, does the
:16:40. > :16:42.Leader of the House not agree that this warrant some sort of
:16:43. > :16:46.investigation about what is going on down there with their expenses? Will
:16:47. > :16:50.he assure us today that the Government has no intention of
:16:51. > :16:58.debating early day motion 943 and government-owned? This is this
:16:59. > :17:03.protect -- pathetic motion, but invites us to express no confidence
:17:04. > :17:07.in you, Mr Speaker. That has secured a paltry five signatures. Will the
:17:08. > :17:11.Leader of the House now confirmed that this is the end of this sorry
:17:12. > :17:17.business? On Monday and Tuesday we have annual Estimates Day, when the
:17:18. > :17:23.-- and one of the key features is that the estimates themselves to not
:17:24. > :17:33.have to be debated. I lasted one minute and seven seconds last year
:17:34. > :17:38.in trying to debate them. Lastly, Mr Speaker, I'm sure you will welcome
:17:39. > :17:42.the Brit awards, David Bowie securing two awards, I think
:17:43. > :17:48.everybody will welcome that today. I'm sure a few bleary eyed
:17:49. > :17:51.honourable members perhaps overindulged over the ceremony. Our
:17:52. > :17:58.music industry is one of the greatest success stories, and I'm
:17:59. > :18:03.sure the Leader of the House in a more conciliatory tone would like to
:18:04. > :18:06.welcome not just the enormous culturing -- cultural contribution
:18:07. > :18:15.that our artists make, but also the economic one. On his first point
:18:16. > :18:19.about the House of Lords, while I don't know any detail beyond the
:18:20. > :18:26.reports of this television programme, it is clearly right that
:18:27. > :18:30.evidence about specific allegations needs to be investigated by the
:18:31. > :18:34.appropriate authorities in that house just as should be the case in
:18:35. > :18:39.this one. But there has also to be due process, and one has to proceed
:18:40. > :18:44.on the basis of evidence and not just allegation. He will notice that
:18:45. > :18:49.I have not announced any plans to debate early day motion 943. This is
:18:50. > :19:00.a long-running campaign that he and his colleagues have pursued. I think
:19:01. > :19:05.the Government's point of view is that we are awaiting the report from
:19:06. > :19:09.the select committee on procedure into estimates procedure. I will
:19:10. > :19:14.want to reflect carefully on that when I see that report, and the
:19:15. > :19:16.Government will obviously then respond to whatever recommendations
:19:17. > :19:28.that select committee may wish to make. And I'm very happy to endorse
:19:29. > :19:35.his salute to the economic impact as well as the cultural impact and the
:19:36. > :19:38.enjoyment that so many people derive from our arts sectors and our
:19:39. > :19:45.creative industries. It's important that we do remember that the arts
:19:46. > :19:50.and the creative industries are major generators of wealth and of
:19:51. > :19:54.employment in this country, as well as "Class entertainment to people. I
:19:55. > :19:59.rather suspect that the honourable gentleman when he went last night
:20:00. > :20:06.was hoping against hope that perhaps next year there might be the guest
:20:07. > :20:14.slot, and then we could see him and his colleagues in all the us! My
:20:15. > :20:18.right honourable friend will agree with me that corruption in local
:20:19. > :20:21.government is totally unacceptable. Can we have an urgent debate about
:20:22. > :20:25.the subject? The Serious Fraud Office is now investigating a
:20:26. > :20:30.multi-million pounds council tax scam by Taunton Deane borough
:20:31. > :20:35.council and its officers. They are under fire for failing to declare
:20:36. > :20:38.conflicts of interests, and the leader's links with well-known
:20:39. > :20:46.building firms are a bit more than dodgy. I also understand the club
:20:47. > :20:51.has been set up to help funds. It is locally known as the monumental rip
:20:52. > :20:55.off club. There is a nasty smell coming out of Taunton Deane, and
:20:56. > :21:01.this has to be heard urgently. My honourable friend has made some
:21:02. > :21:06.serious allegations. He has told the House that the Serious Fraud Office
:21:07. > :21:09.is involved, as he knows, the Serious Fraud Office is completely
:21:10. > :21:19.independent, rightly so, political from ministers, any evidence needs
:21:20. > :21:22.to be placed before the appropriate authorities. I would like to
:21:23. > :21:26.accommodate the very large number of members seeking to ask a business
:21:27. > :21:33.question. I should point out the House that each of the two to
:21:34. > :21:37.follow, the opposition day debate and the debate under the auspices of
:21:38. > :21:40.the backbench business committee, are well subscribed. Therefore I
:21:41. > :21:47.hope the House will help me, and that members will help each other,
:21:48. > :21:51.with pithy questions and answers. Led, in this important matter, by no
:21:52. > :22:00.less a figure in the House than Dame Rosie Winterton. I absolutely agree
:22:01. > :22:04.with the point made by the honourable member for Perth and
:22:05. > :22:07.North Ayrshire about early day motion 943, and welcome what the
:22:08. > :22:13.leader said in response. But can I say that the leader did not mention
:22:14. > :22:19.when the next debate on Brexit would be. Can I urge him when he does
:22:20. > :22:25.bring forward that debate, that it focuses on the impact of Brexit on
:22:26. > :22:27.the English regions? So the state is Max Secretary of State for Brexit
:22:28. > :22:34.has the opportunity to tell us what analysis he has done on how Brexit
:22:35. > :22:38.will affect areas like Yorkshire and the Humber, and what plans he has
:22:39. > :22:44.too convened a meeting in York that he has spoken about, but which does
:22:45. > :22:48.not yet seem to have materialised? I can assure the right honourable lady
:22:49. > :22:54.that there will be a thing plenty of opportunities to debate all aspects
:22:55. > :22:58.of our exit from the European Union, but I shall discuss with my
:22:59. > :23:05.colleagues the particular thing that she proposes. In the absence of the
:23:06. > :23:09.honourable member for Gateshead, who I trust we wish well and a speedy
:23:10. > :23:12.recovery, on the half of the backbench business committee I thank
:23:13. > :23:18.my right honourable friend for securing the debates this afternoon.
:23:19. > :23:22.With protective time. Can I ask them for that next week, when we are
:23:23. > :23:27.going to be debating International women's day and Welsh affairs, that
:23:28. > :23:30.protected time is considered for those two debates, which
:23:31. > :23:34.traditionally have been full day debate in this House? Speaker-macro,
:23:35. > :23:39.we have a full waiting list of debates, which if we were allocated
:23:40. > :23:43.every Thursday night until probation, we could fill
:23:44. > :23:48.straightaway. That is before further requests come in. We have also had
:23:49. > :23:53.to shoehorn debates into 90 minutes slots to meet the demand that is
:23:54. > :23:57.coming forward from backbenchers. Can I just gently remind the leader
:23:58. > :24:05.of course but on Monday the House rose very early, we could have had
:24:06. > :24:11.backbench business debate in the time available. We had two budget
:24:12. > :24:14.debate requests, sanctioned by the backbench business committee, which
:24:15. > :24:18.we would like to schedule before my right honourable friend the
:24:19. > :24:24.Chancellor presents his budget. So if time was available for those, we
:24:25. > :24:30.would appreciate it. I hosted last night the centenary of the Rotary
:24:31. > :24:36.foundation. This is a prime example of how polio can be eradicated and
:24:37. > :24:41.the use of International development funds. Could we have a statement
:24:42. > :24:50.from the Secretary of State on the money used to help eliminate polio
:24:51. > :24:53.across the world? I can't offer an immediate debate statement, my right
:24:54. > :24:58.honourable friend is quite right to draw attention to the importance of
:24:59. > :25:04.that issue, and the achievement of voluntary as well as Government
:25:05. > :25:13.action in helping to bring about a reduction in this dreadful disease.
:25:14. > :25:18.Can I join him in sending best wishes to the chair of the backbench
:25:19. > :25:22.business committee, I spoke to him earlier this week, he was hoping to
:25:23. > :25:29.be able to return to the House as soon as possible. The particular
:25:30. > :25:33.request that my right honourable friend made of me, I will take away
:25:34. > :25:39.in consider that was -- request for protected time on the 2nd of March.
:25:40. > :25:44.I understand his point about the pressure on backbench business
:25:45. > :25:47.committee time, and I have to say that my experience is that sometimes
:25:48. > :25:51.with backbench debates as with Government debates, they do finish
:25:52. > :25:54.unexpectedly early, and at other times they run up against the
:25:55. > :26:00.buffers. It is difficult to put -- predict. But the question of setting
:26:01. > :26:08.priorities is I'm afraid unavoidable. Next Tuesday the Mr
:26:09. > :26:11.Speaker's committee meets, and I understand they will be introducing
:26:12. > :26:16.their scheme for the future. There are many members on all sides of the
:26:17. > :26:20.House who simply mean that -- feel that they are not meeting the
:26:21. > :26:23.requirement for adequate support. Some members are saying they are
:26:24. > :26:27.never going to stand again, there are families who are finding it
:26:28. > :26:31.difficult to get along and provide support for the children, and
:26:32. > :26:34.they're all in particular conservative colleagues from closer
:26:35. > :26:37.seats to London, who when we have late nights find it impossible to
:26:38. > :26:43.know whether they are good to be able to stay in a hotel. Surely it
:26:44. > :26:48.is time for a proper full review of these operations.
:26:49. > :26:54.The speakers committee on this will be one of the highlights of next
:26:55. > :26:58.week as well the me and other members. I think we do need to be
:26:59. > :27:02.fair judgment on the new scheme until we have seen the details of
:27:03. > :27:07.that. Very strong representations have been made by colleagues right
:27:08. > :27:10.across the House to Ipsa on different aspects of the current
:27:11. > :27:18.scheme and also on the way in which advice is offered to members. I
:27:19. > :27:22.think, let's see how they respond to that, what I do not think would be
:27:23. > :27:29.sensible would be to go back to the days when members themselves tried
:27:30. > :27:35.to set the rules on expenses for salaries, I think we are better with
:27:36. > :27:42.a system that is done independently. Mr Speaker, can we please have a
:27:43. > :27:46.debate on the ease of registering to use government websites? If someone
:27:47. > :27:49.does not have a passport or driving licence all the credit record it can
:27:50. > :27:58.be very difficult indeed if not impossible. I cannot offer an Egypt
:27:59. > :28:05.debate, I think that we are right across government. --- and immediate
:28:06. > :28:10.debate. To try and make it easier for people who mostly digital access
:28:11. > :28:14.and to make green expect to engage in public and private services that
:28:15. > :28:21.way to make it easier for them to do so, we know not everyone,
:28:22. > :28:25.particularly the most honourable in society has the official credentials
:28:26. > :28:30.that are often demanded of them by governments. That is why we have set
:28:31. > :28:35.of this new scheme as a new system for letting people prove their
:28:36. > :28:42.identity more easy online. I hope that may provide part of the answer
:28:43. > :28:48.to the problem that's been identified. But we need to focus on
:28:49. > :28:52.this matter. Last night the Parliamentary human rights group
:28:53. > :28:59.held a screaming of the Ross Kemp documentary which was called Libya's
:29:00. > :29:03.Migrant Health, I want to ask the government to make a statement on
:29:04. > :29:08.how we are helping those people in Libya, because we saw the most
:29:09. > :29:11.dreadful scenes of women being raped and beaten and the holding camps
:29:12. > :29:14.where they don't have enough food and I think we have some
:29:15. > :29:20.responsibility and I would like a statement. The honourable lady has a
:29:21. > :29:25.long history of championing the course of refugees and others in
:29:26. > :29:28.dire need of and the world, she knows that the Department for
:29:29. > :29:34.International Development and the Foreign Office are seeking to
:29:35. > :29:38.support the very fragile Libyan government in trying to establish
:29:39. > :29:43.control over its own territory and to ensure decent standards in the
:29:44. > :29:50.treatment of refugees and Libyan citizens are maintained. We will do
:29:51. > :29:55.what we can and I shall make so that ministers are alerted, later today
:29:56. > :30:00.to her concerns, but the reality in Libya is that we need order and
:30:01. > :30:04.governance on the grounds to be able to start work to improve the
:30:05. > :30:11.standards in the way that we would both like to see done. Our party
:30:12. > :30:18.candidate the West Midlands mayor has pledged if elected a special
:30:19. > :30:23.fund to bring 1600 hectares of Brown land into use, could we have a
:30:24. > :30:28.debate on the need to focus on brown field land before we tamper with the
:30:29. > :30:35.green belt particularly around my constituency. I would be delighted
:30:36. > :30:37.to hear the creative thinking that he is characteristically bringing to
:30:38. > :30:42.these questions of housing and planning in the West Midlands and
:30:43. > :30:46.hope very much that he will have the opportunity to put those into effect
:30:47. > :30:52.as an elected mayor. The housing white paper as my honourable friend
:30:53. > :30:58.will know stores say in terms that local authorities should be bringing
:30:59. > :31:01.forward Brown field land and the government is eager to explore ways
:31:02. > :31:05.in which we could insure that some of the obstacles such as the risks
:31:06. > :31:11.of land contamination are addressed so weak and get that done. Does the
:31:12. > :31:16.Leader of the House or any other member of the government actually
:31:17. > :31:21.know roughly, what a two-year process of Brexit negotiations would
:31:22. > :31:27.actually yield? If so can they arrange a statement at other
:31:28. > :31:32.Leicester Busquets we know that the exit negotiation has to be conducted
:31:33. > :31:37.under the process set out under Article 50 of the treaty. --- could
:31:38. > :31:47.they arrange a stamen to tell the rest of us? They are not prepared to
:31:48. > :31:52.in gauge in negotiations until Article 50 has been triggered, said
:31:53. > :31:56.the straight and is that we do not know the details, but we are
:31:57. > :32:01.committed to seeking a deal that delivers on all of the present green
:32:02. > :32:05.principles that were set out in a white paper on the subject. Could we
:32:06. > :32:10.have an early debate followed by legislation to prevent the
:32:11. > :32:13.unacceptable practice of large developed is buying three held land
:32:14. > :32:28.on which they then sell new houses on a leasehold basis? Calo cap ---
:32:29. > :32:36.this is then stopped by some developers. Many young people feel
:32:37. > :32:39.it is a rip-off. It is unacceptable and we need action. I'm grateful to
:32:40. > :32:45.my honourable friend the raising this issue today. Developers should
:32:46. > :32:49.be building homes to people to live in and not creating income
:32:50. > :32:55.opportunities or selling on freeholds to investors or financial
:32:56. > :32:59.institutions. Other then are very few accept no circumstances I do not
:33:00. > :33:05.see why new houses shouldn't be built and sold with the freehold
:33:06. > :33:10.interest of the point of sale. The community secretary has said that he
:33:11. > :33:15.intends to stamp out the unfair, unjust, and unacceptable abuse of
:33:16. > :33:18.the leasehold system and our housing white paper highlights the
:33:19. > :33:27.government's decision to consult on a range of measures to tackle all
:33:28. > :33:34.unfair and unreasonable abuses. I raised two weeks ago and matter
:33:35. > :33:38.where a colleague of ours had asked for an F in relation to the
:33:39. > :33:42.renewable heat initiative and was tough as there was too much
:33:43. > :33:46.information to give. He resubmitted it to get another excuse, once
:33:47. > :33:51.again, we have an election in Northern Ireland which is based on
:33:52. > :33:54.the renewable heating initiative, would the Leader of the House
:33:55. > :33:59.confirmed that Her Majesty's government has not been in
:34:00. > :34:06.discussion with anyone in the executive and knows nothing about
:34:07. > :34:10.the renewable heat initiative? I certainly don't know anything about
:34:11. > :34:17.it other than what I have read in the press. The way that the
:34:18. > :34:22.government operates on this is that we have a set of rules that govern
:34:23. > :34:28.how we respond to these sorts of requests. There is a definition of
:34:29. > :34:33.how you calculate disproportionate cost that applies right across
:34:34. > :34:39.government. Quite often in my experience refining a request more
:34:40. > :34:45.precisely those unable that request to pass the test of not encouraging
:34:46. > :34:48.disproportionate costs. If the honourable gentleman would like to
:34:49. > :35:01.have a word with me outside the chamber later on today I will see
:35:02. > :35:06.there was anything I can do further. I wonder whether you might encourage
:35:07. > :35:10.the Leader of the House to give some government time to talk about not
:35:11. > :35:14.just the economic value of the high street but the culture that it
:35:15. > :35:19.brings. As we are talking about business rate widely at the moment,
:35:20. > :35:21.it would be wrong to focus on the economic output by taxi on the
:35:22. > :35:26.nature of the society the high street Spring otherwise towns like
:35:27. > :35:30.those that I represent will become dormant trees for London and lose
:35:31. > :35:36.the very essence that keeps our county in our country so great. ---
:35:37. > :35:43.dormitories blunted what is important in a world where everyday
:35:44. > :35:48.lives and the nature of business is being transformed rapidly by digital
:35:49. > :35:53.technology and social change, is that we find ways that enable our
:35:54. > :36:00.high streets to continue to thrive economically and culturally, while
:36:01. > :36:06.adapting to the new challenges of this century. I streets that remain
:36:07. > :36:09.fossilised tend to fail. There is good examples all around this
:36:10. > :36:13.country where local business communities in the high Street have
:36:14. > :36:20.successfully adapted and I hope that we can find mechanisms for
:36:21. > :36:25.disseminating that good practice. I know that the Northern Powerhouse
:36:26. > :36:30.Minister has a big job of work to do and I imagined that he was dismayed
:36:31. > :36:36.this week to see the latest treachery figures showing that the
:36:37. > :36:42.transport infrastructure investment is a per head in 2016 to 2017 in
:36:43. > :36:49.Yorkshire and Humber what 1942 in London. I wondered if we could have
:36:50. > :36:54.a debate on what the Northern Powerhouse means that area like Hull
:36:55. > :37:01.which has tax payers who do not get a good deal. I would expect the
:37:02. > :37:07.honourable lady champions the course of grandmother macro in particular
:37:08. > :37:10.but I would like to say that this government is investing a lot of
:37:11. > :37:18.money to improve transport across the novel of England. --- the course
:37:19. > :37:21.of Hull in particular. That is only possible because we are pursuing
:37:22. > :37:26.economic policies that generate the wealth that enable us to provide
:37:27. > :37:29.that support. I could give her a list of such projects, billion to
:37:30. > :37:37.upgrade rail infrastructure, to the work we are doing with the rail
:37:38. > :37:41.franchises in the north to 2.9 billion of bold improvements across
:37:42. > :37:46.the North, the position is getting better but it relies on a strong and
:37:47. > :37:51.productive economy without spending to continue. Perhaps the Leader of
:37:52. > :37:55.the House could give is the anticipated timetable for the
:37:56. > :37:59.prisons and caught Bill? And in the meantime could we have a debate on
:38:00. > :38:05.assaults on prison officers, the number of these has gone up, and the
:38:06. > :38:10.number of extra days given as prison sentences to people who commit those
:38:11. > :38:15.offences has gone down since 2010 from an average of 20, pretty low as
:38:16. > :38:19.it was, down to just 16, surely we should be stopping the release of
:38:20. > :38:23.people halfway through their prison sentences that anyone who is
:38:24. > :38:27.convicted in prison of assaulting a prison officer. Can we have a debate
:38:28. > :38:32.to influence the government's Bill when it comes before was? I think if
:38:33. > :38:35.when my honourable friend gets a chance to study the prisons and
:38:36. > :38:40.caught Bill, he will find that it contains a number of measures that
:38:41. > :38:46.will be welcomed by prison governors and prison officers, because they
:38:47. > :38:48.are designed to help prison staff to warn the establishments in a way
:38:49. > :38:56.that is safe for staff and for prisoners. --- to run the
:38:57. > :39:02.establishments. I cannot give him the timescale for the debates but
:39:03. > :39:05.there will be questions on the 7th of March when he may have the
:39:06. > :39:14.opportunity to pursue some of these matters. Thank you. The revelations
:39:15. > :39:23.by the former Lord Speaker of the peer and the... Is something that
:39:24. > :39:27.calls the House into complete distribute. Basically appear acting
:39:28. > :39:33.as if this place a smash and grab cash machine. This Vista be shrugged
:39:34. > :39:39.off is not good enough. --- for this to be shrugged off. What must be
:39:40. > :39:43.done is... Has a question been put to the former Lord Speaker to reveal
:39:44. > :39:50.the name of that period? And is not is an investigation gets taken place
:39:51. > :39:56.as in whom that Lord blue peer was? And for this person to be called
:39:57. > :40:01.into question. The House of lords like this House is self-governing
:40:02. > :40:09.when it comes to the conduct of its members, my view is that where there
:40:10. > :40:15.is evidence, at the moment we have reports of allegations without
:40:16. > :40:19.people being named, that there has been malpractice that should be
:40:20. > :40:27.investigated and if the evidence is proven then appropriate action
:40:28. > :40:34.should be taken. Hat-trick of questions this morning, in my end of
:40:35. > :40:38.term speech last year I raised that social media company should take
:40:39. > :40:42.responsibility for hate speech and extremism on the platforms rather
:40:43. > :40:45.than leaving it to the pleased to their dirty work. Since there has
:40:46. > :40:51.been no real improvement on these companies can we have a debate on
:40:52. > :40:54.how we can make them face up to their responsibilities? I cannot
:40:55. > :40:58.offer an immediate debating government time, I think this would
:40:59. > :41:02.be extremely appropriate all debate in backbench offices or in
:41:03. > :41:06.Westminster Hall, my honourable friend makes a very powerful point I
:41:07. > :41:15.think most of us are pretty sickened ride the racist, vicious,
:41:16. > :41:21.misogynistic, anti-Semitic material that is sent to our constituents and
:41:22. > :41:27.used to intimidate members of this House as well. It is a practice
:41:28. > :41:29.which needs to stop and I would hope that the internet companies would
:41:30. > :41:34.live up to their corporate responsibilities.
:41:35. > :41:42.Is the leader aware that the mechanism to achieve an elected
:41:43. > :41:46.mayor is open to abuse? In my constituency on outsider has peddled
:41:47. > :41:51.a petition making unfounded claims that an elected mayor would bring
:41:52. > :41:57.lower council tax and an end to landlord licensing. Will the Leader
:41:58. > :42:05.of the House allocate time in order that these processes and the abuses
:42:06. > :42:09.can be investigated? I mean, certainly I am aware, Mr Speaker, of
:42:10. > :42:14.the Tower Hamlets case which demonstrated that there is the
:42:15. > :42:19.possibility of abuse in a mayoral election. I can't offer an immediate
:42:20. > :42:24.debate in Government time. It is of course important that where there
:42:25. > :42:27.are allegations of fraud or other types of malpractice, that those are
:42:28. > :42:35.independently and rigorously investigated and people brought to
:42:36. > :42:38.justice. May I commend the Leader of the House on the announcement that
:42:39. > :42:43.this House will have the opportunity to vote on allowing Welsh to be
:42:44. > :42:47.spoken in the grandest of all committees, the Welsh grand
:42:48. > :42:51.committee? Would he also agree with me that this is another example of
:42:52. > :42:57.the Conservative Government championing the Welsh language,
:42:58. > :43:01.something we have done since introducing the Welsh language act
:43:02. > :43:12.in 1993? Therefore can we have a debate in this House on this
:43:13. > :43:15.momentous decision? My honourable friend's words, I think if I
:43:16. > :43:22.attempted to address the House in Welsh are probably on do all the
:43:23. > :43:25.goodwill that we may have obtained through the announcement made
:43:26. > :43:30.yesterday. -- undo all the good will. But I am pleased by the
:43:31. > :43:35.welcome this has had from Welsh members across the chamber. I think
:43:36. > :43:41.it is a demonstration of the respect that this Government has for the
:43:42. > :43:45.Welsh language, for its centrality in a sense of national identity and
:43:46. > :43:52.cultural identity in Wales, and that will continue to be the case.
:43:53. > :43:56.Yesterday Perth Kinross Council passed a budget which guarantees
:43:57. > :44:03.local services will invest in jobs, education and social care.
:44:04. > :44:09.Contrarily, however, on average in England and Wales council tax levels
:44:10. > :44:13.at that ?300 to ?400 higher than those in Scotland. Can we therefore
:44:14. > :44:21.have a debate on why England is the highest council tax part of the
:44:22. > :44:26.United Kingdom? I think one would have to look at the variations in
:44:27. > :44:29.council tax levels, and in central government grants, to local
:44:30. > :44:34.authorities in different parts of the kingdom. And the point about
:44:35. > :44:39.devolution is it does give Scottish authorities the choice as to how to
:44:40. > :44:43.raise money; in the case of Scotland Scottish Government has chosen to
:44:44. > :44:49.impose additional taxes centrally on constituents right across Scotland,
:44:50. > :44:56.to make people in Scotland the most highly taxed people anywhere in the
:44:57. > :45:02.United Kingdom. Can we have a debate about the case of the Welsh maths
:45:03. > :45:08.teacher who was removed from a plane on his way to the United States in
:45:09. > :45:14.front of his pupils? Isn't there a contrast between the way that we are
:45:15. > :45:18.rolling out the red carpet for President Trump, whatever our views
:45:19. > :45:26.on that, whilst he is treating our school teachers like criminals? This
:45:27. > :45:32.case was disturbing because it went contrary to the declared policy of
:45:33. > :45:36.the UK Government as regards British citizens. My understanding is that
:45:37. > :45:41.this was down to the way in which a decision was taken at local level in
:45:42. > :45:45.this particular case, but I will draw the honourable gentleman's
:45:46. > :46:02.concern to the attention of the Foreign Secretary. In April 2013 on
:46:03. > :46:06.the outskirts of Aleppo there was a mid-abduction by honour group of
:46:07. > :46:10.men. Amid all the confusion, despite the efforts of many, there has been
:46:11. > :46:18.no resolution whatsoever. They have faced a deafening wall of silence. I
:46:19. > :46:22.think all reports indicate that the two gentlemen are still alive, but
:46:23. > :46:28.efforts to free them has met a war of silence. Can I ask this -- the
:46:29. > :46:31.leader, would he agree to a statement from the foreign and
:46:32. > :46:36.Commonwealth of Sir on this case. I will make sure that ministers are
:46:37. > :46:42.aware of this. The reality is, as he knows, but we have no British
:46:43. > :46:51.Embassy in Syria at the moment, and the situation in and around Aleppo
:46:52. > :46:57.remains dire in humanitarian terms. We all hope and indeed pray that the
:46:58. > :47:09.Metropolitan and his colleague are alive and will be released in due
:47:10. > :47:14.course. Instead of dealing with this, they now are proposing to
:47:15. > :47:18.demolish these iconic tower blocks. Such action will do nothing for the
:47:19. > :47:22.housing crisis. This surely warrants a statement from the housing
:47:23. > :47:29.Minister or indeed a debate on the issue? There will be questions to
:47:30. > :47:32.the Housing Minister next Thursday on the 2nd of March, but they give
:47:33. > :47:35.the honourable gentleman and opportunity, but I fear these are
:47:36. > :47:40.primarily matters for the local authority rather than the
:47:41. > :47:46.department. The Leader of the House we have seen the headlines about
:47:47. > :47:52.armed drones operating from RAF Waddington with a playlist. What has
:47:53. > :47:58.happened to the commitment to come to the House if lethal force if used
:47:59. > :48:02.as Mac is used in self defence. Can we have a debate on the number of UK
:48:03. > :48:07.citizens targeted, and whether the kill list extends beyond areas where
:48:08. > :48:11.military actions have been authorised by this House? The
:48:12. > :48:16.Defence Secretary has been very clear about this, of course the
:48:17. > :48:19.House did vote in favour of permitting the Government to extend
:48:20. > :48:24.military operations being carried out in Iraq onto Syrian territory as
:48:25. > :48:32.well, as part of a campaign to check and then defend -- defeat and
:48:33. > :48:37.hopefully eradicate Daesh. The Defence Secretary has been clear
:48:38. > :48:42.that we and the Coalition against Daesh will pursue people who are a
:48:43. > :48:48.threat to our security and to the safety of British citizens. Whether
:48:49. > :48:53.those people may come from. We act as always in our military operations
:48:54. > :48:58.within the law, but I'm afraid that the message to anybody tempted to go
:48:59. > :49:05.to join Daesh must be that they do so at great risk to themselves. I
:49:06. > :49:10.would like to draw the Leader of the House's attention to my early day
:49:11. > :49:15.motion about capping overdraft -- capping overdraft charges for
:49:16. > :49:20.current accounts. And I would request a statement on this, because
:49:21. > :49:25.it is important that the Government considers a cap on total charges any
:49:26. > :49:30.bank can place on overdrawn personal current accounts. It has been my
:49:31. > :49:37.experience as a constituency MP that this causes undue burden on many
:49:38. > :49:45.people who find themselves in uncertain employment. I would
:49:46. > :49:48.encourage the honourable lady to attend Treasury questions next
:49:49. > :49:59.Tuesday, when she can put that point directly to the Chancellor a short
:50:00. > :50:02.time before the budget. In January, the Chartered Institute of Taxation,
:50:03. > :50:06.the Institute of fix -- fiscal studies and the Institute for
:50:07. > :50:10.Government published a report about making tax policy better, and it
:50:11. > :50:13.contains recommendations about how Parliament and Government can
:50:14. > :50:16.improve the ways they make tax policy. With the Leader of the House
:50:17. > :50:19.committee looking at this report and getting back to me about what
:50:20. > :50:24.actions he intends to take in order to realise these recommendations? A
:50:25. > :50:32.prep primarily be for Treasury ministers to consider their response
:50:33. > :50:36.to recommendations made. -- it would primarily be. But I shall ask
:50:37. > :50:44.Treasury ministers to write in the way she suggested, to explain their
:50:45. > :50:50.response it. -- response to it. In a macro on Saturday I will be meeting
:50:51. > :50:53.with the managers of a wind turbines firm who are in the process of
:50:54. > :50:59.learning on employees because a company spokesman says the UK
:51:00. > :51:04.Government's energy policy has meant a slowdown in development. Is this
:51:05. > :51:07.an intended or unintended consequence of the change in
:51:08. > :51:13.Government policy, and can we have an urgent statement about the cat
:51:14. > :51:16.acrostic consequences of this Government's energy policy on the
:51:17. > :51:22.already fragile economy of my constituency? -- catastrophic
:51:23. > :51:28.consequences. The facts are that the UK is the world's leading player in
:51:29. > :51:33.the offshore wind market. We are on track now comfortably to exceed our
:51:34. > :51:39.ambition of delivering 30% of the UK's electricity from renewables by
:51:40. > :51:45.2020 to 2021. He should be standing up and employing what -- applauding
:51:46. > :51:53.the Government has done. -- applauding. Small businesses are
:51:54. > :51:55.vital to our economy, so I would congratulate the winners of my small
:51:56. > :52:04.business constituency awards this year. The NDP couriers employ people
:52:05. > :52:07.with disability. Can we have an important debate on supports for
:52:08. > :52:13.entrepreneurship for disabled people, to ensure that we harness
:52:14. > :52:17.and realise everyone's potential? First of all, I congratulate the
:52:18. > :52:22.businesses in her constituency on this particular award. She draws
:52:23. > :52:26.attention to an important point, which is the need to make sure that
:52:27. > :52:32.people with disabilities have equal access to employment opportunities,
:52:33. > :52:37.as people without disabilities do. We do now of course have more people
:52:38. > :52:41.with disabilities in employment in the United Kingdom than ever before,
:52:42. > :52:46.but there is a great deal still to be done, and that requires action by
:52:47. > :52:48.Government, yes, but also by innovative, forward-looking
:52:49. > :52:58.businesses that can see the advantages of inclusion. Can we have
:52:59. > :53:06.a debate on UK visa policy and its negative contribution to the UK
:53:07. > :53:09.economy? Two of my constituents originating from Mumbai were brought
:53:10. > :53:19.over in 2014 as part of the Sirius to grant, as graduate at -- on a
:53:20. > :53:22.graduate visa. They have set up the business, they have received
:53:23. > :53:29.significant funding for it, but this has recently been put at risk by the
:53:30. > :53:33.UK visas and immigration system. They have had their T1 visa rejected
:53:34. > :53:40.on a technicality. Putting all they have worked for at risk. They have
:53:41. > :53:44.no valid leave to remain at the present time. Can we have a debate
:53:45. > :53:48.on this important area, because it makes no sense to bring people over
:53:49. > :53:56.here to be part of the economy, to contribute, and then to kick them
:53:57. > :54:01.out. If indeed the application was rejected on a technicality, I don't
:54:02. > :54:05.know any details of the case, then I would hope it would be possible to
:54:06. > :54:10.find a remedy for that via the system that the Home Office
:54:11. > :54:14.operates. I mean, there has in any visa system to be a balance between
:54:15. > :54:18.getting the brightest and the best in the world to come and take job
:54:19. > :54:23.opportunities here and to study here as we all want to say, what are the
:54:24. > :54:28.same time ensuring that we have proportionate and effective
:54:29. > :54:31.immigration controls. The Leader of the House will be aware of his
:54:32. > :54:37.Government's policy to tax victims of domestic abuse for using the
:54:38. > :54:40.child maintenance service. Women's groups, charities and the miss of
:54:41. > :54:45.the public have said this Government are putting single parents and
:54:46. > :54:49.children at risk through this tax. 30% of CMS users are victims of
:54:50. > :54:57.domestic violence, and tens of thousands of women are losing money
:54:58. > :55:00.because they cannot gain safely with their ex-partner. Can I ask for a
:55:01. > :55:08.debate in Government time on this injustice? Is the honourable lady
:55:09. > :55:15.will know, this Government has demonstrated its commitment to
:55:16. > :55:19.trying to help people who are victims of domestic violence. -- as
:55:20. > :55:21.the honourable lady will know. It is something the Prime Minister takes a
:55:22. > :55:27.very close and strong personal interest in, she said within the
:55:28. > :55:31.last week, the Government is now committed to looking again at the
:55:32. > :55:35.whole range of laws as they apply to domestic violence, to consider what
:55:36. > :55:40.changes can be made. If she would like to just let me have some
:55:41. > :55:44.details of the particular problem that she has spoken about today,
:55:45. > :55:49.then I will certainly draw those to the attention of the appropriate
:55:50. > :55:54.ministers. The Leader of the House will be aware that this week -- next
:55:55. > :55:59.week there will be Assembly elections in Northern Ireland. This
:56:00. > :56:04.it has been revealed that that the even more holier than no sister
:56:05. > :56:08.party to the Liberal Democrats, the Alliance Party, have been seeking to
:56:09. > :56:15.manipulate phone in programmes by encouraging their members to give
:56:16. > :56:20.fake names, fake addresses, a tactic which they say helped the previous
:56:21. > :56:26.elections. The BBC has so far given very little coverage to this. Yet
:56:27. > :56:28.another example of the biased way in which they have conducted themselves
:56:29. > :56:35.during this election campaign. Can we have a debate in the House on the
:56:36. > :56:37.political bias of this publicly funded body, and the way in which it
:56:38. > :56:47.has breached its charter? The honourable gentleman has made
:56:48. > :56:52.his point very powerful a, the BBC in Northern Ireland as everywhere
:56:53. > :56:57.else in the United Kingdom is under an obligation to demonstrate,
:56:58. > :57:01.particularly during election campaigns of any kind, that it is
:57:02. > :57:06.impartial as between rival political parties, but it must be for the BBC
:57:07. > :57:11.not the government ministers to take responsibility for editorial
:57:12. > :57:17.positions. I was able to take part in a delegation in Cyprus and meet
:57:18. > :57:23.with the president and members of Parliament, about the peace process
:57:24. > :57:32.there... I wonder if we could have a debate on this issue so that
:57:33. > :57:38.perspectives could be... I think that I could say with my previous
:57:39. > :57:43.ministerial experience that the government is utterly committed to
:57:44. > :57:47.doing what ever we can to help bring about a reconciliation between the
:57:48. > :57:53.different communities in Cyprus and to support them in reaching a
:57:54. > :57:59.settlement that will reunite the island and which will endure for the
:58:00. > :58:03.long-term. A reunited Cyprus could provide such opportunities to
:58:04. > :58:15.Turkish and Greek Cypriots alike and it is good that in the dashed it is
:58:16. > :58:21.good that we have two leaders that wants to promote peace and
:58:22. > :58:28.reconciliation. No legislation exists that prevents insurance
:58:29. > :58:40.companies from exterminating against people... --- discriminating against
:58:41. > :58:47.people with diseases like Huntington's disease. Can we have
:58:48. > :58:52.debate this? The honourable gentleman has identified what is
:58:53. > :58:55.going to be an increasing challenge for our society, insurance companies
:58:56. > :58:58.have a business model based on an assessment of risk and greater
:58:59. > :59:03.genetic information will allow better risk to be coach elated much
:59:04. > :59:07.more precisely than in the past and that starts to get into situations
:59:08. > :59:16.where people find it difficult to get insurance. This is an issue well
:59:17. > :59:25.worth highlighting. Can we have a debate on the definition of New
:59:26. > :59:29.Money on Wednesday at press release was announced... It turns out that
:59:30. > :59:35.this is in fact not new money that was already budgeted for, can he
:59:36. > :59:39.arrange for the secretary to clarify what new and additional funding this
:59:40. > :59:46.government is prepared to provide the people who are starving to death
:59:47. > :59:53.in south Sudan. Nobody I think in any part of the House would wish to
:59:54. > :00:02.underplay the gravity of the crisis in South Sudan. The declaration of
:00:03. > :00:08.famine was shocking but not unexpected, it derives from the
:00:09. > :00:11.prolonged, political crisis, civil war in that country. The situation
:00:12. > :00:20.has been steadily worsening since the conflict began in 2013. What the
:00:21. > :00:22.government has done is to provide more than ?500 million of
:00:23. > :00:28.humanitarian health and education support over that last three years.
:00:29. > :00:33.That has helped to prevent famine in previous years on top of the
:00:34. > :00:38.previous money we gave to help refugees whose lead self Sudan. The
:00:39. > :00:47.hundred million 50,017 to 18 as I understand it is on top of the 500
:00:48. > :00:51.million that has already been spent. Clearly, different ministers always
:00:52. > :00:58.keep and review allocations within their budget particularly in the
:00:59. > :01:02.need for urgent humanitarian relief. Also, we need to make sure that the
:01:03. > :01:11.money we spend is going to help those who are genuinely in need.
:01:12. > :01:17.Hater RC have lost the court case with a well-received one of my
:01:18. > :01:25.constituency is the tool this action cost him a with no effective
:01:26. > :01:31.recourse to HMRC. Comey have a statement on how to rectify this
:01:32. > :01:40.type of injustice is? --- can we have a statement. I would say, first
:01:41. > :01:42.of all as he knows, probably, HMRC for good reasons operate
:01:43. > :01:46.independently but ministerial direction when it comes to handling
:01:47. > :01:50.the cases of individual taxpayers, because you do not want ministers to
:01:51. > :01:56.start having the powers to intervene in the cases of individuals' tax
:01:57. > :02:01.affairs. On the particular case that he has cited he said that it has
:02:02. > :02:05.gone to the courts and his constituent was successful, I would
:02:06. > :02:11.normally have expected the courts to consider the question about costs.
:02:12. > :02:14.If there is the injustice that he has described if you could let me
:02:15. > :02:20.know the details on why the courts did not apparently addressed this,
:02:21. > :02:26.then I will refer back to the Minister with overall responsibility
:02:27. > :02:33.for HMRC. Thank you Mr Speaker, do the government have any plans to
:02:34. > :02:36.copy the excellent initiative of the cabinet of Gregory holding Cabinet
:02:37. > :02:41.and public meetings in places other than the capital? If they do can I
:02:42. > :02:48.recommend the kingdom of Fife, which would give him and his colleagues a
:02:49. > :02:58.chance to visit, but he could also point out to his colleagues that the
:02:59. > :03:04.Forth Bridge is open. The answer to his first question is yes, and the
:03:05. > :03:09.Cabinet met in the North West of England quite recently. I would be
:03:10. > :03:13.very attracted by the idea of a cabinet visit to the Kingdom of
:03:14. > :03:16.Fife, as well, and I will make sure that number ten is aware of the
:03:17. > :03:24.honourable gentleman's wish to welcomer 's. Splendid. Point of
:03:25. > :03:28.order. --- wish to welcome us. On the 18th of January I asked a
:03:29. > :03:33.question to the Minister of Justice to ask them how many and what
:03:34. > :03:37.proportion of sentences to each category of offence was suspended
:03:38. > :03:42.sentences. On the 16th of February the Minister for prisons said that
:03:43. > :03:46.the information could be found on the government's website. It took
:03:47. > :03:50.among other Ministry of Justice to find this information before they
:03:51. > :03:53.could actually put back in answer to me, there was no indication of where
:03:54. > :03:58.on the website it could be found and it seemed that this is not the first
:03:59. > :04:01.time that this has happened. It is occurring regularly with the
:04:02. > :04:04.Ministry of Justice. It seems clear to me that they are doing this
:04:05. > :04:08.deliberately to make sure that this information never comes to light. I
:04:09. > :04:11.will refer this to the procedure committee and I am wondering if
:04:12. > :04:17.there was anything that you could do, Mr Speaker, to make sure that
:04:18. > :04:22.the answers we get actually open and transparent rather than this kind of
:04:23. > :04:28.dishonourable to? Well, I'm grateful for his point of order and my
:04:29. > :04:34.response is as follows, consistent with what I have said previously on
:04:35. > :04:38.this matter, first, over sponsors should be timely and the honourable
:04:39. > :04:44.gentleman suffered an untimely response, he had to wait longer than
:04:45. > :04:50.he should have had to do. Secondly, responses to parliamentary questions
:04:51. > :04:55.from members should be substandard ships and the honourable gentleman
:04:56. > :04:59.did not receive a substantive reply. --- should be substantive. I would
:05:00. > :05:04.say to the honourable gentleman and the House that it is one thing for a
:05:05. > :05:08.minister in answering a written question to refer to a website on
:05:09. > :05:13.which further and more detailed information might be available that
:05:14. > :05:21.would be of interest to the member but it is quite another matter
:05:22. > :05:25.simply, blandly and without guidance or direction to refer to a website
:05:26. > :05:30.to say nothing about where on it the member should look and to imagine
:05:31. > :05:36.that that is satisfactory as a substitute for a straight answer to
:05:37. > :05:41.a straight question. It is not. The Leader of the House takes very
:05:42. > :05:45.seriously his responsibility, as in the Deputy Leader doors, for
:05:46. > :05:48.ensuring that ministers provide timely responses that are
:05:49. > :05:54.substantive and do not use that Bruce or device and they have had
:05:55. > :06:01.the honourable gentleman's point of order and my response. Best if there
:06:02. > :06:05.are no further points of order, and I think you go racing that, we come
:06:06. > :06:15.to the presentation of bills, secretary Elizabeth truss.
:06:16. > :06:18.Prisoners... Second reading, what they? Tomorrow. We now come to the
:06:19. > :06:20.motion