:00:00. > :00:07.I thank all colleagues for what they have said and the way they have said
:00:08. > :00:15.it. Business statement, the Leader of the House, David Livingstone. Mr
:00:16. > :00:20.Speaker, with permission, before I announced the business, I would just
:00:21. > :00:24.like to update colleagues on one to practical matters following on from
:00:25. > :00:27.the terrorist attack yesterday. First of all, as is apparent to us
:00:28. > :00:34.all, the security checks and the all, the security checks and the
:00:35. > :00:39.rules on access to the palace remain for the time being, more restrictive
:00:40. > :00:44.to those to which we have become accustomed. I hope that honourable
:00:45. > :00:53.members on all sides will accept them with patient compliance, as do
:00:54. > :00:58.their staff. Secondly, an allusion was made in earlier exchanges to the
:00:59. > :01:02.possible health needs of staff and others who may have witnessed what
:01:03. > :01:06.took place yesterday and I would take this opportunity to remind all
:01:07. > :01:10.colleagues of the Parliamentary health and well-being service based
:01:11. > :01:16.at seven Millbank which is available to provide that kind of support to
:01:17. > :01:21.staff as well as members. The books of condolence to PC Keith Palmer are
:01:22. > :01:28.open in the library, the Royal Gallery and Westminster Hall.
:01:29. > :01:33.Finally, the chapel will be open all day for any member or a staff member
:01:34. > :01:41.who wishes to say prayers or reflect and your chaplain will be conducting
:01:42. > :01:47.short services there are 12:30 p.m., 3pm and six p.m., which anybody is
:01:48. > :01:52.welcome to attend. The business for next week will be as follows. Monday
:01:53. > :01:58.the 27th of March, remaining staved -- stages of the bus services bill.
:01:59. > :02:03.Tuesday the 28th, consideration of Lords amendment to the neighbourhood
:02:04. > :02:08.planning Bill followed by a debate on our motion on the conflict in
:02:09. > :02:13.Yemen. That debate having been determined by the backbench business
:02:14. > :02:20.committee. Whether Steve the 29th, remaining stages of the pension
:02:21. > :02:26.schemes Bill, Lords, followed by the expect private business to be named
:02:27. > :02:30.by the Chairman of Ways and Means. Thursday the 30th, debate on a
:02:31. > :02:34.motion on animal welfare followed by a general debate on matters to be
:02:35. > :02:45.raised before the forthcoming adjournment. Friday the 31st, the
:02:46. > :02:49.house will not be sitting. The provisional business for the week
:02:50. > :02:54.commencing the 17th of April will include Monday the 17th of April,
:02:55. > :02:57.the house will not be setting. Tuesday the 18th of April, second
:02:58. > :03:07.reading of the finance number two Bill. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I
:03:08. > :03:10.thank the Leader of the House for the forthcoming business and for
:03:11. > :03:15.mentioning where staff and people who work in this House can get some
:03:16. > :03:22.extra support if they needed. Can I also thank him and his deputy for
:03:23. > :03:28.the leadership he showed yesterday. It is a sad day because we have lost
:03:29. > :03:32.her superhero, someone who has kept us safe everyday. His family are
:03:33. > :03:36.suffering and now they are trying to make sense of his death, but their
:03:37. > :03:42.life will be utterly changed. We will always remember Keith Palmer.
:03:43. > :03:49.Can I thank colleagues who were extremely patient yesterday and the
:03:50. > :03:54.year 12 politics students who were up in the gallery and a primary
:03:55. > :03:57.school from Birmingham, but also the police and security service and the
:03:58. > :04:01.emergency services for all they did to protect us and keep us informed
:04:02. > :04:06.in the usual professional manner, and for the dedication that the show
:04:07. > :04:12.was public servants day after day, allowing us to go about life safely.
:04:13. > :04:16.And to the Sergeant at Arms and the magnificent team of doorkeepers, we
:04:17. > :04:21.all know how good you are every day, but in a situation as we had
:04:22. > :04:27.yesterday, on behalf of all of us, our very special thank you for your
:04:28. > :04:32.calm professionalism and kindness. It is a real tribute to the house
:04:33. > :04:39.service. And the clerk of the house and your team, ensuring decisions
:04:40. > :04:43.could be made promptly and sensibly. The Prime Minister has said this is
:04:44. > :04:48.business as usual, so why will proceed to business as usual and ask
:04:49. > :04:50.the Leader of the House, it is a convention when a statutory
:04:51. > :04:56.instrument is prayed against that there is a debate. Can I express my
:04:57. > :05:04.concern that the convention has not been followed into particular EDM
:05:05. > :05:08.is, the PRP regulations and the 9482 awards. Those in psychological
:05:09. > :05:12.distress are denied access to additional support under these
:05:13. > :05:15.registration. Epilepsy action said they were deeply concerned about the
:05:16. > :05:23.regulations and how it affects people with epilepsy. For the
:05:24. > :05:26.students, the inflation linked rise representative body of percent
:05:27. > :05:33.increase. If continued, this could mean the fees rising above ?10,000
:05:34. > :05:38.in the next few years. The house rose early on Tuesday and the last
:05:39. > :05:42.opposition day was a month ago. The government seems to be thwarting the
:05:43. > :05:44.opposition, preventing an effective opposition by controlling the
:05:45. > :05:50.business in this way, so could we have time for a debate on those two
:05:51. > :05:54.very important statutory instruments? As article 50 is
:05:55. > :06:00.triggered next week, there is a vast amount of legislation to be enacted.
:06:01. > :06:05.Can he ensure there are white papers, draft legislation and an
:06:06. > :06:09.impact assessment before the pills are published? Could he ensure that
:06:10. > :06:15.the government to not use secondary legislation to stifle debate, but
:06:16. > :06:21.allowed parliament to scrutinise the secondary legislation? Could we have
:06:22. > :06:24.a debate to leave the BBC alone? The backbenchers may have time on their
:06:25. > :06:29.hands but the letter sent round the many members in this House, they
:06:30. > :06:35.said that the BBC are focusing on regretful voters. That is absurd. It
:06:36. > :06:39.had e-mails from some who voted to leave who have regretted it, but
:06:40. > :06:44.there was not a single piece of evidence in the latter, it was all
:06:45. > :06:47.opinion. The editor of the today programme used openly support the
:06:48. > :06:53.Tory candidates for mayor and the current editor of the Evening
:06:54. > :06:57.Standard is a former Tory Chancellor. More importantly, there
:06:58. > :07:02.should be no pre-emptive or intimidation strike on a public
:07:03. > :07:07.broadcaster. Another manifesto promise broken while the
:07:08. > :07:11.consultation closed yesterday on the new funding formula, the government
:07:12. > :07:16.promised in their 2050 manifesto a real terms increase in the schools
:07:17. > :07:20.budget in this Parliament and as the number of pupils increases sold the
:07:21. > :07:25.amount of money in schools. Nearly half of all schools in the country
:07:26. > :07:30.would face a in funding. In Walsall South schools face a reduction of
:07:31. > :07:37.?490 per pupil, so could we have a debate on the impact on the new
:07:38. > :07:42.funding formula and set out the losers, because every school will be
:07:43. > :07:46.a loser. They will be bearing the brunt of unfunded rises in pay,
:07:47. > :07:51.pension and National Insurance contributions. He could amount to
:07:52. > :07:59.between 6% and 11% for their budgets for the years 2019 to 2020. These
:08:00. > :08:03.are the last business questions before the Easter recess so can
:08:04. > :08:07.attack against the clerk of the house, the library, the doorkeepers,
:08:08. > :08:13.Mr Speaker, you enter deputies venture officers, all who may have
:08:14. > :08:19.made life easier as Shadow leader, may you all have a happy Easter. Can
:08:20. > :08:26.I finally say, from every corner of this United Kingdom, from every
:08:27. > :08:38.corner of the world, bless it are the peacemakers. Can I first thank
:08:39. > :08:43.the honourable lady for her kind words and associate myself
:08:44. > :08:47.unreservedly both with her final remarks and with the tributes that
:08:48. > :08:55.you rightly paid not only to the police, but to the staff of the
:08:56. > :09:04.house in their various roles and what they did yesterday? I am
:09:05. > :09:11.intending to be here for a business statement next Thursday. I hope that
:09:12. > :09:17.her hesitation... I am sorry to lose her across the dispatch box. Perhaps
:09:18. > :09:26.this is another opposition front bench change. She asked me about a
:09:27. > :09:31.number of pieces of forthcoming business. I can tell her that the
:09:32. > :09:36.government will make provision for the debate on the two issues she
:09:37. > :09:40.expressed concern about. I can't give her a firm date yet but
:09:41. > :09:46.discussions will continue through the usual channels about the precise
:09:47. > :09:49.date, but the time will be fine. On the items of European legislation
:09:50. > :09:55.that would be needed, of course there is going to be ample
:09:56. > :10:01.opportunity to debate the content and the impact of those pieces of
:10:02. > :10:03.legislation, and while I would certainly expect, it is the secret
:10:04. > :10:13.that I would expect the repeal bill to include some secondary
:10:14. > :10:16.legislative powers, the scope, the definition of those secondary
:10:17. > :10:23.legislative powers will of course themselves be subject to the full
:10:24. > :10:26.Parliamentary process, that those definitions, that's group would have
:10:27. > :10:33.to be agreed by both Houses of Parliament through the normal
:10:34. > :10:40.process of enacting a bill into law. On her points about education, it is
:10:41. > :10:47.a fact that more is being spent on schools than ever before, but the
:10:48. > :10:51.national funding formula to which she made particular objection has
:10:52. > :10:56.been the subject of the consultation which only closed a couple of days
:10:57. > :11:00.ago. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education
:11:01. > :11:03.will not be considering the responses to local authorities,
:11:04. > :11:06.schools and others to the consultation and coming forward with
:11:07. > :11:13.the government's proposals in due course. It was for a long time
:11:14. > :11:20.common ground between political parties that the existing funding
:11:21. > :11:25.formula was grotesquely unfair and that it provided in some cases for a
:11:26. > :11:32.child attending school in one authority to receive twice as much,
:11:33. > :11:35.almost twice as much, as an equivalent child in a comparable
:11:36. > :11:39.school in a different local authority despite the basic costs
:11:40. > :11:45.being this same. That is the reason why the government is committed
:11:46. > :11:50.itself to bring forward and national funding formula. Finally she asks me
:11:51. > :11:59.about the BBC. I notice she didn't look to the presence of our former
:12:00. > :12:02.Labour Cabinet minister in a senior role in the BBC at the moment but I
:12:03. > :12:07.think he has probably been airbrushed out that the current
:12:08. > :12:11.Labour Party leadership. As long as I have been in this place there have
:12:12. > :12:16.been robust strongly held and strongly expressed views about the
:12:17. > :12:25.BBC, for and against voiced by members on all sides. My own feeling
:12:26. > :12:31.is that if honourable members have since in this respect they spent too
:12:32. > :12:36.much time watching to the current affairs programmes. And I think of
:12:37. > :12:40.the BBCi think of the Proms on Radio 3 and I think it enables me to
:12:41. > :12:48.approach that subject with a degree of serenity. ER urge for it to be
:12:49. > :12:52.business as usual. It is difficult considering what happened yesterday
:12:53. > :12:58.because simply we are so horrified and saddened at those events and the
:12:59. > :13:10.terrible deaths and injuries and we wish everyone well. I would try to
:13:11. > :13:14.engage in business as usual and ask the Leader of the House this, many
:13:15. > :13:18.of us are surprised to learn that the apprenticeship levy, which is a
:13:19. > :13:26.good idea, which has been rightly passed on to local authorities
:13:27. > :13:32.wrongly has interned being passed on to schools. Schools in my
:13:33. > :13:37.constituency find that they are paying ?400 but receiving the
:13:38. > :13:42.benefit from the levy, but having to pay the burden and it wrong. When
:13:43. > :13:50.will the Leader of the House arrange for us to have a debate on this
:13:51. > :13:57.outrage? Can I first evolves say that I think it is important that we
:13:58. > :14:00.remember that while we rightly returned to business as normal as a
:14:01. > :14:06.demonstration that our democracy and free society will not be disrupted
:14:07. > :14:13.by terrorism, we need always to remember that for the families of
:14:14. > :14:19.those who lost their lives yesterday and the families of those who have
:14:20. > :14:24.been severely injured, the events of yesterday are things that they will
:14:25. > :14:28.have to live with for the rest of their days on this earth, and we
:14:29. > :14:34.should have that in mind as well. In response to her question about the
:14:35. > :14:38.apprenticeship levy, the situation she has described in Nottinghamshire
:14:39. > :14:43.is not as I understand that the case with every local education authority
:14:44. > :14:47.in the country. Some local education authorities have decided to deal
:14:48. > :14:51.with the levy themselves rather than pass it on to schools, but I will
:14:52. > :15:02.draw her concern to the Secretary of State. Can I thank the Leader of the
:15:03. > :15:07.House and join him in his tributes to the members of staff who worked
:15:08. > :15:08.so well yesterday, and the leadership that he should yesterday
:15:09. > :15:16.in this chamber. They are continuing business just as
:15:17. > :15:21.normal as we continue our business and we will not be deterred from our
:15:22. > :15:24.important work on behalf of all the people that we represent. Mr
:15:25. > :15:28.Speaker, this institution lost one of its own yesterday and I want to
:15:29. > :15:32.express my heart-felt condolences to the family of Keith Palmer and
:15:33. > :15:37.others who lost lives. One thing I have noted as a Scottish Member of
:15:38. > :15:41.Parliament is just the resilience of this great city and its people. It
:15:42. > :15:47.has been inspiring and it has been determined. I think this morning and
:15:48. > :15:52.this afternoon, we're all Londoners today. Mr Speaker, perhaps as a
:15:53. > :15:57.tribute maybe we could consider a debate on the value of our emergency
:15:58. > :16:01.services to this nation, the risks that they take and the immense
:16:02. > :16:06.contribution they play in keeping our nation safe. I think that would
:16:07. > :16:15.be a fitting tribute for us as Members of Parliament to make to the
:16:16. > :16:19.memory of Keith Palmer. The Scottish Parliament suspended its business
:16:20. > :16:23.yesterday and a section 30 order so a legal referendum could be held to
:16:24. > :16:30.determine the future of political arrangements for Scotland. This will
:16:31. > :16:35.be carried out next Tuesday. The will of the Scottish Parliament will
:16:36. > :16:39.be expressed and it is upon this House to respond positively to the
:16:40. > :16:42.democratic voice of the Scottish Parliament there can be no good
:16:43. > :16:47.reason for Scotland to be ignored. Will the leader of the House tell us
:16:48. > :16:52.how this place intends to respond and positively to what is agreed in
:16:53. > :16:57.our national Parliament? Mr Speaker it is beyond pernicious that this
:16:58. > :17:03.Government will seek to put through the rate clause by clause 3
:17:04. > :17:05.straument without any debate. I know my honourable friend from Glasgow
:17:06. > :17:09.attempted to get a debate on this issue. Will the House consider
:17:10. > :17:14.something as important as this should right I will be debated on
:17:15. > :17:19.the floor of this House. Article 50 will be triggered but I could see
:17:20. > :17:23.anything within the statement to say there'll be a statement or some sort
:17:24. > :17:28.of debate in order to pass the fact this is going to be debated in the
:17:29. > :17:32.House of Commons. Will the leader of the House confirm there'll be at
:17:33. > :17:37.least a statement next week to mark this depressing event? As we all go
:17:38. > :17:40.home, we go home to our friends and our families this afternoon, I think
:17:41. > :17:45.it is absolutely right to remember one of a number who works in this
:17:46. > :17:46.House who won't have that same opportunity and that same advantage
:17:47. > :17:59.as we have today. I thank the honourable gentleman for
:18:00. > :18:05.his kind remarks. And associate myself with his condolences to the
:18:06. > :18:11.victims of yesterday's attack and a salute to the emergency services and
:18:12. > :18:17.others. On the political questions that he raised, of course, when it
:18:18. > :18:27.was said that the Government will find time for strattry instrument to
:18:28. > :18:32.the bebaited. It was something which was authorised by the act of
:18:33. > :18:37.Parliament from which this is delegated legislation. So that power
:18:38. > :18:42.is something which was debated and approved by this House at the time
:18:43. > :18:50.that act was taken through. But on the substance of the policy on a
:18:51. > :18:54.third child for a woman who has been subjected to the ordeal of, and the
:18:55. > :18:59.Government does recognise this is a very difficult and sensitive issue.
:19:00. > :19:05.That's why we've adopted a third party model to allow us to make sure
:19:06. > :19:08.that neither DWP or HMRC staff would question the mother about the
:19:09. > :19:13.incident. Instead they would simply take the claim and receive the
:19:14. > :19:17.supporting evidence from a third party professional. That seems to us
:19:18. > :19:23.to be the right balance between making sure mothers get support they
:19:24. > :19:28.need within the need for unnecessary intrusive processes and at the same
:19:29. > :19:33.time providing assurances additional support is going for those whom it
:19:34. > :19:39.is intended. On his question about Article 50, I am sure that there
:19:40. > :19:43.will be opportunity for the House to debate Article 50. We have not been
:19:44. > :19:49.short of opportunities up until now, I have to say. But I am sure there
:19:50. > :19:55.will be an opportunity before long for that decision to be debated or
:19:56. > :19:59.for questions to be posed. On the question of the debate in the
:20:00. > :20:03.Scottish Parliament, I think that my Right Honourable friend, the Prime
:20:04. > :20:12.Minister, has been very clear about this. We believe that now is not the
:20:13. > :20:14.time for a second referendum, particularly when the 2014
:20:15. > :20:20.referendum was supposed to be something that was a once in a
:20:21. > :20:28.generation opportunity. And that what ought to happen now is for the
:20:29. > :20:33.United Kingdom Government and all three devolved Governments to work
:20:34. > :20:39.very closely together to ensure that we get the best possible deal for
:20:40. > :20:42.all the people of every part of the United Kingdom in the forthcoming
:20:43. > :20:47.European negotiations. Thank you Mr Speaker. Can I first
:20:48. > :20:51.commend the leader of the House for his calm and reassuring presence in
:20:52. > :20:56.the chamber yesterday and Mr Speaker, through you, your deputy,
:20:57. > :21:01.the Deputy Speaker. They both performed magnificently in
:21:02. > :21:07.the chamber yesterday. Could we have a timescale for the statement or
:21:08. > :21:14.debate on the fairer funding formula for schools? Preferably a time when
:21:15. > :21:18.the Government will scrap its current proposals, which are frankly
:21:19. > :21:22.unjustifiable. It is taking money from schools in Bradford district,
:21:23. > :21:27.which is one of the worst performing local authorities in the country to
:21:28. > :21:31.transfer money to some of the highest performing in the country,
:21:32. > :21:35.which is absolute madness. Every school in my constituency will be
:21:36. > :21:39.losing money. It is unjustifiable. Can the leader of the house tell us
:21:40. > :21:43.how quickly it will take for the Government to realise these
:21:44. > :21:49.proposals are unjustifiable and unacceptable. Can I thank my
:21:50. > :21:55.honourable friend for his kind remarks. The Secretary of State will
:21:56. > :22:00.come forward as soon as possible. But since the consultation on the
:22:01. > :22:05.draft nation aling funding proposals concluded only this week, I think it
:22:06. > :22:08.is reasonable that she should have a while in order to consider the very
:22:09. > :22:12.detailed reputations that have been put forward by a number of different
:22:13. > :22:17.parties. She will come forward and I can promise my honourable friend
:22:18. > :22:20.there will be an opportunity for the Government to debate any proposals
:22:21. > :22:25.that are then submitted. I am very grateful, Mr Speaker. Can
:22:26. > :22:32.I begin with an apology to members of the House for my absence over
:22:33. > :22:35.recent weeks. Can I also add my thanks to oh members and staff and
:22:36. > :22:39.security personnel for their activities yesterday. There is one
:22:40. > :22:43.group of people we have forgotten about. Members of the public,
:22:44. > :22:47.hundreds of them who were in this building for dozens of reasons and
:22:48. > :22:55.meetings yesterday and who, through many hours, actually showed great
:22:56. > :22:59.compliance, patience, forebearence and fortitude while the situation
:23:00. > :23:05.was outside the confines of this building. Can I place on record our
:23:06. > :23:08.thanks to them? Can I thank the leader of the House for the notice
:23:09. > :23:12.that next Tuesday's debate on the crisis in Yemen will be protected
:23:13. > :23:17.for 90 minutes. We will have a decent amount of time to discuss the
:23:18. > :23:21.on-going dreadful situation there. And to the notice we have two
:23:22. > :23:27.debates next Thursday on animal welfare and of course the prerecess
:23:28. > :23:30.adjournment debate. Can I ask the leader of the House for early
:23:31. > :23:34.notice, if at all possible, for any time that willal le kated to the
:23:35. > :23:38.Backbench Business Committee on the week beginning 18th April and the
:23:39. > :23:42.week beginning 24th April? Can I point out, I am sure he's aware of
:23:43. > :23:47.this, of an anomaly on standing orders. When we come back on 18th
:23:48. > :23:53.April, this House, this chamber will meet at 2. 30pm. But understanding
:23:54. > :23:58.to be Westminster Hall will commence at 9. 30am, which I think is an
:23:59. > :24:03.inconvenience to members but also to the staff of this House. I think we
:24:04. > :24:08.have a Backbench Business Committee debate scheduled for then, which
:24:09. > :24:10.would be led off by the honourable member for Motherwell who will
:24:11. > :24:19.aingually have to leave her constituency -- who will actually
:24:20. > :24:22.have to leave her quifrnltsy on who will have to leave her constituency
:24:23. > :24:25.on a Monday. Which is a bank holiday.
:24:26. > :24:30.THE SPEAKER: It is a ples slur to both see him here today and hear his
:24:31. > :24:34.voice. The leader of the House... It is
:24:35. > :24:41.good to see the honourable gentleman back in his normal place at these
:24:42. > :24:45.exchanges on Thursdays. I will do my best to make sure he and his
:24:46. > :24:51.committee have any notice of allocated time in the weeks
:24:52. > :24:57.beginning 18thth April. I take his point about the anomaly in standing
:24:58. > :25:00.orders. And I have already spoken to my Right Honourable friend, the
:25:01. > :25:05.Chief Whip, to see if we can look for a way in which to make life
:25:06. > :25:08.easier for him and for the honourable lady.
:25:09. > :25:15.Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I am sorry I am such a poor substitute
:25:16. > :25:21.for the chairman of the backbench committee. I was unsuccessful in the
:25:22. > :25:27.unshuffle at equality questions. Can I ask the leader of the House for an
:25:28. > :25:33.early statement on the position of the promised consultation document
:25:34. > :25:37.on cast discrimination which will allow the Hindu community to put
:25:38. > :25:42.their perspective on why this unwanted, unnecessary and ill-judged
:25:43. > :25:48.legislation can be removed from the statute book? My honourable friend
:25:49. > :25:55.raises a matter which is very important to his constituents and
:25:56. > :25:58.does so el wantly. I will suggest to the minister concerned that she
:25:59. > :26:03.writes to my honourable friend about the Government's current position on
:26:04. > :26:08.this. As he will be aware this particular decision involves not
:26:09. > :26:11.just a policy commitment, but also the allocation of legislative time,
:26:12. > :26:22.which is under pressure from many departments at the moment.
:26:23. > :26:28.Can I welcome the leaders assurances about support for staff after
:26:29. > :26:32.yesterday's tragic events? And can I thank you, Mr Speaker, for what you
:26:33. > :26:35.said about the commission itself under your chairmanmanship, looking
:26:36. > :26:41.at lessons learnted, and particularly perhaps into the issues
:26:42. > :26:49.of support to staff? Mr Speaker, could we have a debate on the work
:26:50. > :26:56.of the Taylor Review before it actually completed publication? So
:26:57. > :27:02.that we can feed in our views around issues of insecurity at work,
:27:03. > :27:08.particularly the huge growth in zero-hours contracts - the increase
:27:09. > :27:11.in staff from agencies and also self-employment. If the House itself
:27:12. > :27:18.had the debate, it would be useful to feed knit that way.
:27:19. > :27:23.The honourable lady makes a perfectly reasonable point. Although
:27:24. > :27:27.there is of course nothing to stop individual Right Honourable and
:27:28. > :27:31.honourable members from making representations to Matthew Taylor. I
:27:32. > :27:36.think the best advice I could give her would be to seek a backbench
:27:37. > :27:40.business debate on this. It certainly is good to see the
:27:41. > :27:44.honourable member back in his place. I am glad it was a back problem
:27:45. > :27:49.rather than a heart problem. Will my Right Honourable friend find time
:27:50. > :27:54.for a debate on debates along the Thames Estuary. Last week the North
:27:55. > :27:59.Thames fishery action group were awarded ?800,000. That will be spent
:28:00. > :28:06.further on enhancing the culture and the heritage of the Thames Estuary.
:28:07. > :28:11.My honourable friend is in a great historical tradition. Magna Carta
:28:12. > :28:17.itself mentions the importance of maintaining fish wires in the River
:28:18. > :28:26.Thames. -- wiers in the River Thames. The renewal of marine life
:28:27. > :28:30.and river life in the estuaries of the Thames and other rivers are to
:28:31. > :28:34.serve the great industrial cities of our city and I hope that the money
:28:35. > :28:39.that has been announced recently will enable that development to be
:28:40. > :28:45.taken further forward. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can we have
:28:46. > :28:51.an early debate on rules of origin documentation? And particularly the
:28:52. > :28:59.five or seven-fold increase that will be required when this country
:29:00. > :29:04.leaves the customs union. That is a very important subject. I agree.
:29:05. > :29:07.It's one that I am sure the honourable gentleman will be
:29:08. > :29:12.ingenious enough to raise in the course of the numerous debates that
:29:13. > :29:17.we'll have on European issues in forthcoming months.
:29:18. > :29:25.This is not the day to labour the point. I don't expect the leader to
:29:26. > :29:31.reply in any detail, but when we do finally have the long delayed debate
:29:32. > :29:36.on whether this House should leave this building in the decan't which
:29:37. > :29:42.is proposed until now, I think we should at least n the light of what
:29:43. > :29:46.has happened in the last 24 hours, give great consideration to the
:29:47. > :29:50.symbolism of this place and the security considerations of
:29:51. > :29:56.dispersing MPs and peers around Parliament Square.
:29:57. > :30:06.The security of not just members, but of staff, let us never forget
:30:07. > :30:13.there are something like 14,000 pass holders to the Parliamentary estate,
:30:14. > :30:15.is at the forefront of the consideration by the Parliamentary
:30:16. > :30:25.officials who have been leading on this and I can assure my honourable
:30:26. > :30:30.friend that whatever is finally approved by this House and by the
:30:31. > :30:35.House of Lords, that, as these works are carried through on whatever
:30:36. > :30:41.timescale and fashion, security will continue to be at the forefront of
:30:42. > :30:48.everybody's mind. It was striking this morning to come into this place
:30:49. > :30:53.and see so many police officers on duty protecting us, and at the same
:30:54. > :30:59.time mourning their colleague, the hero, PC Keith Palmer. His death in
:31:00. > :31:07.active service, protecting us here, is a reminder that there are
:31:08. > :31:13.families of murdered police officers and indeed those who have lost loved
:31:14. > :31:16.ones serving in the Armed Forces, who have still not got proper
:31:17. > :31:21.compensation for the rest of their lives. Can we look at this issue
:31:22. > :31:26.again and ensure any person who dies in active service in the police
:31:27. > :31:31.force, in our Armed Forces, their families are properly compensated
:31:32. > :31:36.for the rest of their lives? It would indeed be good to find a way
:31:37. > :31:43.in particular in which one could spare people the need to go through
:31:44. > :31:49.long and complex litigation in order to get the compensation they
:31:50. > :31:55.deserve. This may be something which he is able to raise at Western --
:31:56. > :32:06.Westminster Hall or three backbench business. Can I support, all thanks
:32:07. > :32:14.to the staff, they were fantastic yesterday. Coming back to business
:32:15. > :32:18.as usual, can I anticipate the motion on the restoration and
:32:19. > :32:23.renewal of the palace. Could I ask it is a full day debate and dead
:32:24. > :32:28.weight when we would anticipate the house to be as full as it ever it
:32:29. > :32:35.is, in other words, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, but not a Thursday and
:32:36. > :32:40.obviously not a Friday? We will make a provision and announce a date for
:32:41. > :32:44.the debate as soon as we can and clearly the point my honourable
:32:45. > :32:50.friend has made is one of the considerations we will take into
:32:51. > :32:54.account. I have represented this House for
:32:55. > :32:58.seven years on the Nato Parliamentary assembly and during
:32:59. > :33:03.the lockdown yesterday there were messages coming from all over the
:33:04. > :33:07.Nato Parliamentary family offering solidarity and support including the
:33:08. > :33:11.headquarters in Brussels, where they had commemorated the attack on
:33:12. > :33:16.Brussels a year to the day, I wanted to pass that on to the Leader of the
:33:17. > :33:21.House and members present. Can we have a debate on issues of tolerance
:33:22. > :33:25.and understanding, that were so stressed during the statement from
:33:26. > :33:34.the Prime Minister, within the church in Wales? We have many
:33:35. > :33:38.opportunities to question, by the Church Commissioners statement in
:33:39. > :33:42.the house, but we have no such opportunity in relation to the
:33:43. > :33:48.church in Wales. Can we have a debate on how we can make that
:33:49. > :33:57.possible? First of all, like her, I have been struck by the spontaneous
:33:58. > :34:01.and stronger expressions of solidarity which honourable members
:34:02. > :34:04.and the government have received from democracies and elected
:34:05. > :34:09.representatives around the world. On her point about the Church in Wales,
:34:10. > :34:14.I can understand her wish for a debate, but I cannot offer one in
:34:15. > :34:19.government time because the Church in Wales is disestablished, but it
:34:20. > :34:26.may be that she is successful in securing a Westminster Hall
:34:27. > :34:35.opportunity. Negative SIs should for
:34:36. > :34:40.noncontroversial matters so returning to normal, in relation to
:34:41. > :34:44.the EU, we will have a lot of bills in the next parliament and we will
:34:45. > :34:48.want to continue with normal business. As the Leader of the House
:34:49. > :34:55.given thought to extending sitting hours, or sitting on Fridays when we
:34:56. > :35:03.don't see it for Private Members' Bill? I cannot miss a statement next
:35:04. > :35:08.week but how we allocate time, given the exceptional pressure that there
:35:09. > :35:15.will be on legislative time because of that legislation needed for the
:35:16. > :35:18.exit from the European Union is something I and other business
:35:19. > :35:21.managers are taking very seriously and we are spending a lot of our
:35:22. > :35:31.time reflecting on how best this might be achieved. I express my
:35:32. > :35:35.condolences to the family of PC Keith Palmer, family and friends.
:35:36. > :35:40.Today more than ever I would like us to think about the innate goodness
:35:41. > :35:44.and solidarity of people in this country and in that vein I wonder if
:35:45. > :35:52.we can have a debate on the honours system. There is a lady in Hull,
:35:53. > :35:58.Jean Bishop, aged 94, who dresses up in a bee costume and has raised
:35:59. > :36:04.?117,000 for age UK and before her 95th birthday she wants to get to
:36:05. > :36:09.?200 for the charity. She has been put forward for others before and
:36:10. > :36:15.has not been in receipt of one. There is a 13-year-old little girl
:36:16. > :36:22.in Hull who has got a petition going and 3500 said she deserves another.
:36:23. > :36:30.The honourable lady has put her case eloquently and I think many of us
:36:31. > :36:36.will know of comparable examples of local heroes and heroines who have
:36:37. > :36:39.voluntarily given of their time, effort and money, often over many
:36:40. > :36:46.years, in the service of their fellow citizens. The best advice I
:36:47. > :36:51.can give is for the honourable lady to present a strongly argued
:36:52. > :36:57.persuasive case with as many other supporters as she can in Hull to the
:36:58. > :37:04.secretariat at the Cabinet Office in charge of making initial
:37:05. > :37:08.recommendations on honours. Can I associate myself and my
:37:09. > :37:12.constituents with the words of the Prime Minister, the leader and all
:37:13. > :37:19.other members about yesterday's events? Could I ask for a debate on
:37:20. > :37:26.the situation in Burundi? More than 1000 refugees a day it is reported
:37:27. > :37:30.of fleeing into Tanzania and while there is rightly a concentration on
:37:31. > :37:37.other countries suffering from food, insecurity and famine in part of
:37:38. > :37:42.Africa, I believe the Randy is being ignored. We need a debate urgently.
:37:43. > :37:49.I can assure my honourable friend the government is not ignoring the
:37:50. > :37:53.situation in Burundi. Considerable amounts of humanitarian assistance
:37:54. > :37:57.are being directed there through the Department for International
:37:58. > :38:03.Development. Clearly we do have to work both through international
:38:04. > :38:08.agencies, but also through the existing authorities in Burundi and
:38:09. > :38:15.that is not always straightforward, but I will highlight to the minister
:38:16. > :38:22.for Africa the comments made. Yesterday the British Government
:38:23. > :38:27.announced the intention to build another prison, this time in Port
:38:28. > :38:36.Talbot. This will lead to surplus places across Wales. Could we have a
:38:37. > :38:42.debate as to whether provision reflects Welsh requirements? This is
:38:43. > :38:46.something he will want to take up directly with Justice ministers but
:38:47. > :38:52.the purpose of the prison building programme is that we should have a
:38:53. > :38:57.new generation of modern prisons that really are fit for purpose,
:38:58. > :39:03.that can deliver a regime that is secure all but also because it is
:39:04. > :39:08.secure, provides greater opportunities for work and education
:39:09. > :39:13.that are so vital if we are to make a success of rehabilitation
:39:14. > :39:18.policies. This programme would free up older prisons, usually in city
:39:19. > :39:22.centres, that we ought to be phasing out now and which could mean a
:39:23. > :39:27.significant capital return for government which we can then invest
:39:28. > :39:34.in modern facilities. I too would like to put on record my
:39:35. > :39:38.thoughts are with the family and friends of PC Palmer and all those
:39:39. > :39:46.who suffered as a result of yesterday's events. New Wolf Parish
:39:47. > :39:50.Council in my constituency has written to the Transport Secretary
:39:51. > :39:53.expressing what they regard as a complete waste of money, a proposal
:39:54. > :40:02.by North East Lincolnshire Council to install traffic signals at toll
:40:03. > :40:09.bar roundabout in their parish of New Waltham. This is being carried
:40:10. > :40:12.out with government money. Could we have a debate on how local
:40:13. > :40:22.authorities spend the many aliens the government had to them?
:40:23. > :40:26.One of the important roles both of lower tier authorities like Parish
:40:27. > :40:33.councils and also of members of Parliament is to hold local
:40:34. > :40:38.authorities to account for their stewardship of scarce and finite
:40:39. > :40:43.resources of taxpayers' money. I am in no position to comment in detail
:40:44. > :40:53.about traffic lights at roundabouts in his constituency, but Caley he
:40:54. > :40:58.will not let this issue go. The cuts to personal independence
:40:59. > :41:02.payment explicitly exclude people applying for mobility support if the
:41:03. > :41:07.problem arises from psychological distress and that is despite the
:41:08. > :41:11.Prime Minister's commitment to treat mental-health problems on a par with
:41:12. > :41:16.physical health. I'm grateful we are going to have a debate but could I
:41:17. > :41:20.pressed him for a date? These cuts have already taken effect and it
:41:21. > :41:27.sounds as if the debate will be after the Easter recess.
:41:28. > :41:31.Can he give a firm date? I wanted to reassure him on the design of
:41:32. > :41:36.personal independence payments. It is at the core of the payments
:41:37. > :41:41.system that nonphysical conditions should be given the same recognition
:41:42. > :41:46.as physical and we can already see the working of that in the fact is a
:41:47. > :41:51.significantly higher proportion of people who have mental health issues
:41:52. > :41:57.receive the top rates of Pip, which was the case with DLA.
:41:58. > :42:02.May I also associate myself with all of the tributes that have been made.
:42:03. > :42:05.I think we have seen the house at its best in the proceedings.
:42:06. > :42:11.Ultimately our democracy will not be silenced. The Corby urgent care
:42:12. > :42:14.centre is a vital NHS service and I'm pre-is the local commissioning
:42:15. > :42:22.group has confirmed the doors will not close. -- I am pleased. Will he
:42:23. > :42:30.urged the clinical commissioning group to resolve some contractual
:42:31. > :42:34.issues to give constituents greater reassurance and to ensure we
:42:35. > :42:38.continue to have the quality of service we expect and of course, can
:42:39. > :42:43.we have a debate next week? I think he will have to to take his
:42:44. > :42:48.chance with adjournment debates on this but while decisions about the
:42:49. > :42:53.configuration of health services are taken possibly in the light of local
:42:54. > :42:59.circumstance, that commissioning groups do manage their relationships
:43:00. > :43:03.with contractors effectively so that local people can be assured of the
:43:04. > :43:11.decent service to which they are entitled.
:43:12. > :43:14.I want to associate myself with all the remarks and condolences that
:43:15. > :43:19.have been given so eloquently this morning and I particularly wanted to
:43:20. > :43:24.mention my colleague from Perth and North Perthshire, who mentioned
:43:25. > :43:30.going home. I am going home tonight and I am grateful to be doing so.
:43:31. > :43:35.Unfortunately I will miss a rally that has been raised quickly to
:43:36. > :43:40.support refugees we are welcoming very soon and against a proposed
:43:41. > :43:48.Scottish Defence League march in Wishaw against refugees. Could I
:43:49. > :43:51.also thank the honourable member, the backbench committee convener and
:43:52. > :43:56.Leader of the House for consideration of the changes to time
:43:57. > :44:00.in Westminster Hall debates on Tuesday the 18th? My debate is on
:44:01. > :44:03.the child maintenance service and I have received support from members
:44:04. > :44:10.across the house and it is important will stop I don't mind travelling on
:44:11. > :44:15.bank holiday Monday to get here, but I understand the difficulties many
:44:16. > :44:21.members across this chamber will have to get to this debate at
:44:22. > :44:23.9:30am, so I appreciate all efforts the Leader of the House has said he
:44:24. > :44:30.will look to do. We will do our best to accommodate
:44:31. > :44:37.the problem she has identified. Item three on today's order paper on
:44:38. > :44:44.the business for the house, there is reference to a motion being tabled
:44:45. > :44:49.in the name of the Prime Minister relating to exiting the EU and the
:44:50. > :44:53.environment, and this is not mentioned in the business statement.
:44:54. > :44:57.I wonder if the Leader of the House could clarify that, and in light of
:44:58. > :45:02.yesterday's events, could we have a debate on community cohesion and the
:45:03. > :45:10.prevent strategy? The answer is that yesterday's
:45:11. > :45:17.business was interrupted for the reasons we all know. That business
:45:18. > :45:19.on the pensions schemes spill has had to be rescheduled and
:45:20. > :45:21.conversations through the usual channels agree the slot on the 29th
:45:22. > :45:32.is the best way to manage this. I was surprised to receive a letter
:45:33. > :45:37.from the Minister of State for transport this week. My surprise was
:45:38. > :45:42.because it referred to work improvement on the M25 motorway,
:45:43. > :45:46.which is some distance from my constituency. I was even more
:45:47. > :45:50.surprised because I'd just written to the Secretary of State about a
:45:51. > :45:56.number of serious accidents at Switch Island. With the Leader of
:45:57. > :46:01.the House please remind the Secretary of State of the need to
:46:02. > :46:07.respond to my letter? There are serious accidents happening far too
:46:08. > :46:11.often. My constituents care about Switch Island, not the M25. All
:46:12. > :46:15.that's happened is a repeat of the idea that investment happens in the
:46:16. > :46:21.south-east of England at the expense of the North West. My right
:46:22. > :46:23.honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport takes very
:46:24. > :46:28.seriously his responsibility to ensure that honourable members
:46:29. > :46:35.receive accurate and comprehensive replies to points they make about
:46:36. > :46:39.their constituencies. I will draw to the attention of the Secretary of
:46:40. > :46:47.State 's office the need for this reply to be sent. May I take this
:46:48. > :46:51.opportunity of thanking you, your staff and the way he conducted
:46:52. > :46:54.himself yesterday, and indeed to the Leader of the House and to the
:46:55. > :46:59.Sergeant of arms. As the chairman of the all-party peer group I would
:47:00. > :47:04.like to invite you all and your staff perhaps to share a great
:47:05. > :47:09.British pint and then to carry on at a later date. Place to be confirmed.
:47:10. > :47:12.Can we have a debate on the contribution of the brewing industry
:47:13. > :47:18.to the United Kingdom and its culture? I thank my honourable
:47:19. > :47:22.friend to his kind remarks. I think one of the remarkable things we've
:47:23. > :47:27.seen in the brewing industry in the last couple of decades has been the
:47:28. > :47:33.surge in the growth of small-scale Varese. I think it's a real tribute
:47:34. > :47:38.to the enterprise of the sector that we've seen microbreweries and craft
:47:39. > :47:45.breweries take-off in this way, and continuing to win new, discerning
:47:46. > :47:50.drinkers to customers. Can I put on record my thanks to the staff and
:47:51. > :47:54.all those outside of this House, members of the public, who sent
:47:55. > :47:58.their kind thoughts and wishes in the past 24 hours. It's been very
:47:59. > :48:04.touching and I would like to thank them. I'd also like to thank my
:48:05. > :48:08.voice to the chorus of members who are calling for more time to debate
:48:09. > :48:13.the government's new funding formula, or as we call it funding
:48:14. > :48:17.education cuts. I've had head teachers across Norwich and Norfolk
:48:18. > :48:24.make the unprecedented step of sending letters to the parents of
:48:25. > :48:28.children, talking to them about the impending budget crisis. At a time
:48:29. > :48:33.when financial resources, precious financial resources, are being spent
:48:34. > :48:39.on more free schools and grammar schools, rather than on those
:48:40. > :48:43.schools that we already have. 25 out of 31 schools will be receiving
:48:44. > :48:49.funding cuts in my constituency and I would like to see if we could have
:48:50. > :48:52.more time to debate this. As I've already said today, Mr Speaker, the
:48:53. > :48:57.Secretary of State will be considering the recently concluded
:48:58. > :49:02.consultation into the new funding formula. She will be announcing her
:49:03. > :49:05.proposals in due course, that would be the appropriate time for her to
:49:06. > :49:12.be questioned offer any debate to take place. Mr Speaker, earlier this
:49:13. > :49:18.month I was honoured to open two new business premises in my constituency
:49:19. > :49:23.further data centres and inspiration health care. Also earlier this month
:49:24. > :49:27.I was pleased to visit two new facilities at Crawley Hospital, a
:49:28. > :49:32.new clinical assessment unit and a new 26 bed ward. Can we have
:49:33. > :49:36.consideration of the importance of further engendering economic growth
:49:37. > :49:40.as this government is doing, so we can afford better public services?
:49:41. > :49:44.My honourable friend makes a very important point. You cannot
:49:45. > :49:50.distribute wealth and less business has created it in the first place.
:49:51. > :49:54.The job of government, and this government's commitment, is to
:49:55. > :50:01.foster the economic climate in which businessmen in every part of the UK,
:50:02. > :50:07.men and women in every part of the UK, can help to generate economic
:50:08. > :50:11.growth and drive the numbers of those in employment up even higher
:50:12. > :50:20.than the record levels they have now reached. I would like to take this
:50:21. > :50:24.opportunity to express my happiness to share in the sentiments that have
:50:25. > :50:27.been expressed today, the condolences we've sent from this
:50:28. > :50:35.House and my thanks to all the staff yesterday. I've been recently quite
:50:36. > :50:41.concerned, Mr Speaker, by comments I've seen on social media regarding
:50:42. > :50:45.a UK Parliamentary petition. Where we have people on social media
:50:46. > :50:49.boasting they've signed this petition 2000 times. I wondered if
:50:50. > :50:53.the Leader of the House today can set out for the reassurance of this
:50:54. > :50:56.House what measures are in place to ensure that signatories of any
:50:57. > :51:01.Parliamentary petitions are valid, so we can all have confidence that
:51:02. > :51:06.these petitions have integrity and are signed only once, and only by
:51:07. > :51:12.those entitled to do so, given that they often influence what MPs debate
:51:13. > :51:21.in this place. Mr Speaker, there is a system in place to try to check
:51:22. > :51:25.the risk that there bogus signatories to petitions. Clearly,
:51:26. > :51:32.given the pace at which information technology moves, both systems need
:51:33. > :51:36.to be updated from time to time. I know that the petitions committee
:51:37. > :51:40.and the House authorities are very keen to act on the basis of any
:51:41. > :51:46.evidence of malpractice such as the honourable lady has described.
:51:47. > :51:51.Following the horrific events of yesterday, the Prime Minister said
:51:52. > :51:55.in this House today that she wanted all MPs to learn life-saving first
:51:56. > :52:00.aid skills. With that in mind, can we revisit the debate on compulsory
:52:01. > :52:04.first aid education in schools, which was the subject of a private
:52:05. > :52:10.members Bill and was sadly talked out by members on the government
:52:11. > :52:16.benches. I think my right honourable friend the Prime Minister in courage
:52:17. > :52:22.to people to acquire those skills. Whether the best way to do that is
:52:23. > :52:28.through making it a compulsory part of the school curriculum is a
:52:29. > :52:34.slightly different question. It's a perfectly reasonable element of the
:52:35. > :52:38.debate but allocating time to such skills lessons would inevitably mean
:52:39. > :52:41.either prolonging the school day or taking time away from other
:52:42. > :52:49.activities. I think the government's general approach is that we would
:52:50. > :52:56.allow for local schools and head teachers for these things. I'd like
:52:57. > :52:59.to associate myself and my constituents with everything that's
:53:00. > :53:02.been said this morning on the horrific attack yesterday. It goes
:53:03. > :53:10.to show that evil will never prevail. I recently met with a
:53:11. > :53:18.German national who has lived in Scotland for nine years. She's about
:53:19. > :53:21.applying for residency due to 2011 changes to the rules on
:53:22. > :53:25.comprehensive sickness insurance. Can we clarify the situation for EU
:53:26. > :53:31.nationals like her who are concerned about their future? This is a matter
:53:32. > :53:35.which the honourable gentleman could raise on behalf of his constituents
:53:36. > :53:41.in any of the frequent opportunities we have to debate European matters.
:53:42. > :53:45.But he, I hope, will understand that the government's objective is that
:53:46. > :53:49.at a very early stage in the forthcoming negotiations we should
:53:50. > :53:56.seek to ensure agreement with the 27 other members of the EU that each
:53:57. > :54:00.other's nationals should continue to have rights of residents and other
:54:01. > :54:06.connected rights, if they have been lawfully established. Could he and
:54:07. > :54:15.the Environment Secretary consider the need for a debate on the zoo
:54:16. > :54:22.licensing act of 1981? The alarming inadequacy of which has been exposed
:54:23. > :54:26.by the South Lakes safari zoo in my constituency, which you may have
:54:27. > :54:31.seen in the news. There is a catalogue of reasons why this act,
:54:32. > :54:34.these licensing regulations need to be modernised. It hasn't been
:54:35. > :54:41.debated for many years. I think the last time was four years ago in the
:54:42. > :54:46.Other Place. Please can he consider the need for an urgent debate on
:54:47. > :54:52.this. I did read the newspaper reports about what seems to have
:54:53. > :54:55.been a pretty appalling case of mismanagement and of the
:54:56. > :55:00.ill-treatment of a large number of animals at that zoo. There will be
:55:01. > :55:04.questions on Thursday the 20th of April but I think probably the
:55:05. > :55:11.honourable gentleman might also want to seek an adjournment debate either
:55:12. > :55:14.in the chamber or Westminster Hall. The Leader of the House keep saying
:55:15. > :55:17.people can apply the debates in Westminster Hall, but what's the
:55:18. > :55:23.point when the minister responses are so woefully short? There seems
:55:24. > :55:26.to be a problem where the 11am on a Wednesday slot. The average
:55:27. > :55:29.ministerial response lasts for ten minutes and the debates are
:55:30. > :55:33.finishing early. I understand ministers need to rush up here for
:55:34. > :55:38.Prime Minister's Questions but surely these debates, which are
:55:39. > :55:43.important to our constituents, should a decent response from the
:55:44. > :55:50.ministers. I think a courteous and decent response can also be pithy
:55:51. > :55:58.and succinct. I have to say the days when I had to reply to numerous
:55:59. > :56:02.Westminster Hall debate, we always seemed to need additional time to
:56:03. > :56:07.accommodate the many speeches. I often found my remaining time at the
:56:08. > :56:12.end of the debate was squeezed hard including by a spokesman for his
:56:13. > :56:18.party. Speaker, can I associate myself with the tributes paid
:56:19. > :56:22.regarding yesterday's tragic events. It should send a strong message to
:56:23. > :56:27.the Secretary of State for Education when members on this side like
:56:28. > :56:30.myself are entirely united with the honourable member for Shipley on the
:56:31. > :56:36.issue of formula funding for education. Can I say to him that
:56:37. > :56:41.many schools are facing severe deficits and need to be able to plan
:56:42. > :56:45.ahead urgently. I hear what he says about the consultation only ending
:56:46. > :56:48.yesterday, can I urge to say to the Secretary of State we need an early
:56:49. > :56:55.statement so that schools can plan ahead. I know that my right
:56:56. > :56:58.honourable friend is aware of the need for headteachers and governing
:56:59. > :57:05.bodies to be able to plan with the honourable gentleman. I will make
:57:06. > :57:11.sure that she is aware of the opinions that have been expressed
:57:12. > :57:15.this morning. In light of the Prime Minister's speech last night,
:57:16. > :57:23.stating the UK sets an example for advancing freedoms including freedom
:57:24. > :57:29.of religious belief, and further the FCO October conference the freedom
:57:30. > :57:31.to pursue religious belief, with the Leader of the House agreed to a
:57:32. > :57:46.statement by the minister responsible to confirm how
:57:47. > :57:53.FCO and DFID are promoting religious freedoms. I would encourage him to
:57:54. > :57:59.put those questions to those departments. I can ensure him from
:58:00. > :58:03.my own fairly recent experience of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
:58:04. > :58:06.that human rights including religious freedom is something that
:58:07. > :58:12.is taken very seriously throughout our network of posts abroad and in
:58:13. > :58:17.London. It is also sometimes the case that persecuted religious
:58:18. > :58:22.minorities themselves prefer that their plight to be addressed in the
:58:23. > :58:26.context of the expression of broader concerns about human rights,
:58:27. > :58:31.precisely because they don't want to be further singled out for
:58:32. > :58:35.additional persecution. So there is an element of judgment in how we go
:58:36. > :58:44.about this task but the centrality of that to the FCO and DfID is
:58:45. > :58:47.something about which I hope I can give him some firm assurance. Last
:58:48. > :58:54.week the National Institute for clinical excellence issued
:58:55. > :58:58.guidelines which introduced a financial cup on access to
:58:59. > :59:03.medicines. Major research charities warn that lives will be lost because
:59:04. > :59:06.of this new rationing system -- financial cap. Should there not have
:59:07. > :59:10.been a statement about such an important change of policy? And
:59:11. > :59:16.could we have a debate in the absence of such a statement? It's
:59:17. > :59:26.important that decisions about individual medicines are taken by a
:59:27. > :59:32.body like nice where it is clinical judgment rather than political
:59:33. > :59:37.pressure or a question of who has the most effective group of
:59:38. > :59:39.supporters to lobby on their behalf. I've lost the Department of Health
:59:40. > :59:46.to write to the honourable gentleman.
:59:47. > :59:53.Can I associate myself with expressions of sympathy today and
:59:54. > :59:59.appreciation expressed for those who keep us safe, including brain police
:00:00. > :00:10.officers. I wonder if we can have an urgent debate on the Chennai six,
:00:11. > :00:17.one of the men forced in incarceration in an Indian mental
:00:18. > :00:24.hospital and the fact the list are concerned is not able to meet
:00:25. > :00:29.terrified family members to reassure them? I met the question of the
:00:30. > :00:33.Chennai six is something that has been raised with the Indian
:00:34. > :00:40.authorities at the highest political level as well is repeatedly at
:00:41. > :00:44.official level is. I will ask my honourable friend the member for
:00:45. > :00:49.Reading West as the minister responsible for policy towards India
:00:50. > :00:55.to write to the honourable lady. I have a constituent who worked for
:00:56. > :01:02.the Royal Mail for 28 years and loved his job at 15 years ago he
:01:03. > :01:07.overcame the adversity of losing his daughter who was diagnosed with
:01:08. > :01:12.terminal cancer. The Royal Mail manager at that time wanted to sack
:01:13. > :01:17.him, which is unbelievable. He has since recovered and won postman of
:01:18. > :01:23.the year a few years later but 15 years later, he was off work due to
:01:24. > :01:27.muscle injuries and the Royal Mail has forced an ill-health retirement
:01:28. > :01:33.settlement on him after being off just four months. His appeal process
:01:34. > :01:40.is ongoing. The Royal Mail has refused to engage with my office but
:01:41. > :01:45.I am aware the government still has a minister with responsibility is
:01:46. > :01:48.listed as Royal Mail. Will he make a statement outlining what role that
:01:49. > :01:55.minister can play and what assistance can be given for a
:01:56. > :01:59.fantastic employee? I am sure the honourable gentleman
:02:00. > :02:04.would not expect me to comment on the particular case particularly as
:02:05. > :02:10.he has said it is subject to an appeal, presumably through an
:02:11. > :02:14.employment tribunal. I will draw his concerns to the attention of the
:02:15. > :02:22.minister responsible for Royal Mail, but I think it would not be a tall
:02:23. > :02:28.usual for government ministers to choose to intervene in individual
:02:29. > :02:31.employment cases. Royal Mail exists as a corporate entity and they do
:02:32. > :02:41.have to take management decisions about their personnel without being
:02:42. > :02:44.second-guessed by ministers. The Leader of the House repeated
:02:45. > :02:50.claim ministers have made that more people with mental-health problems
:02:51. > :02:56.are supported by Pip than DLA. The mental health charity Mind made it
:02:57. > :03:02.clear 55% of people with mental health had awards on DLA. How can I
:03:03. > :03:08.get the record corrected and push him for a debate on the new
:03:09. > :03:09.regulations? The pursuit of a debate has