30/03/2017 Business Questions

for the Rhondda, who initially suggested to me the idea for this

award. Order. Business question, Valerie Vaz. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

The leader of the house please give us the forthcoming business? The

leader of the house. Mr Speaker, the business for the first week back

after the Easter recess will be as follows. Monday the 7th of April,

the house will not be sitting. Tuesday, the 18th of April, reading

of the Finance Bill. Wednesday, the 19th of April. Consideration of

Lords amendments to the technical and further education bill. That is

followed by motions relating to the Higher Education, Higher Amount

England Regulations 2016, and the Higher Education Basic Amount

Regulation Under 16. A debate on a motion on section five of the

European Amendment act, 1983. Followed by a motion related to the

social security personal independence payment regulations

2017. Thursday the 20th of April, statement on the publication of the

cost report on the public administration and affairs committee

on lessons learned from the EU referendum, followed by a statement

on the publication of the 12th report of the Justice committee on

prison reform, Governor in parliament and prisoner performance.

That is followed by debate on a motion relating to state pensions,

payable to recipients outside of the UK. Followed by a general debate on

research and development on tackling infectious diseases. The subject for

these debates have been determined by the backbench business committee.

On Friday the 21st of April, the house will not be sitting. The

provisional business for the week commencing the 24th of April will

conclude on Monday the 24th of April, consideration in committee of

the Finance number two Bill, first day. I would also like to inform the

house that the business in Westminster Hall, for the 20th 24th

of April, will be as. Thursday the 20th of April, a debate on the third

report of the transport committee. The false flag emission scandal and

vehicle type approval. That is followed by a debate on the European

arrest warrant. Monday the 24th of April, debate on and he petitioned

relating to GCSE English literature exams. -- debate on and e-petition.

May I also add my congratulations to the nominee, we support everything

that the women do in Pakistan to promote democracy. Can I thank the

leader of the house for the forthcoming business? I am sure the

leader is also getting concerned that her gracious sovereign might

not be aware of the data that she is due to give her speech. Is he

checking that she is free on those dates? If the leader of the house

could give some inclination of when we are likely to rise, that would be

helpful. Mr Speaker, what a significant day, the 26th of March.

There were eight honourable and right honourable members that shared

a birthday. The right Honourable Member for South and West, members

for Worsley and Eccles South, Basingstoke, Congleton, Bristol

East, Nottingham South, and the youngest member for Linlithgow. We

wish them a belated happy birthday. PC Keith Palmer, who often stood

around here, a supporter of Charlton athletic, Aysha Frade, Kurt Cochran

and Leslie Rhodes will not ever be able to celebrate their birthdays

again. I want to thank your chaplain, the Reverend Hudson, and

the Roman Catholic priest, for the ceremonies that they held last

Thursday. They have always supported us when we need them, and I want to

thank them. It is a convention that when an essay is paraded, the

government backed up provides a debate day. I want to raise concerns

that a debate was not provided for the tuition fees. The leader of the

confirm that in future the convention will be honoured so that

the opposition do not have to use standing order 24 to get an

emergency debate? It is going to be extremely important because there

will be a plethora of statutory instruments coming as we leave

Europe. We do not want to see a return to the powers exercised by an

absolute monarchy when Parliament is sovereign and is a democratic

institution. Mr Speaker, not all business was carried over last

Wednesday. Could the leader of the house find time for a debate on the

exiting the European Union and global trade? This house would like

to know what the department has been doing jury in the last nine months.

The Prime Minister said yesterday they have all been busy. As yet, the

Secretary of State has not been able to come to the house to tell us what

global trade deals are in the offing. Yesterday was a significant

day in our island story. We in the opposition wanted to see a strong

and collaborative future relationship with the EU, the exact

same benefits as we currently have as members of the single market and

Customs union, fair migration in the interests of the economy and

communities, we want to defend rights and protections and prevent a

race to the bottom. We want to protect security and our capacity to

tackle cross-border crime and terrorism, and ensure that any

negotiation delivers for all regions and the nations of the UK. That is a

position of certainty. It is not the fallback position of no deal is

better than a bad deal. That should not be entering the government's

vocabulary. Is the leader of the house aware that the CBI to say that

businesses would experience serious disruption if no new trading

relationship is agreed and they are forced to trade with the EU under

World Trade Organisation rules? No deal should not be an option.

Manufacturers in the West Midlands have asked, do I need to change my

supply chain? Will I have to enforce new rules? Those are just two of the

questions. Could we have a statement to show how the Government will

answer these questions to business? Could we have a debate on the

National Audit Office report of the 24th of March? Capability in the

civil service. The report says that the government is facing

ever-increasing challenges in providing public services,

continuing budgetary restraints is putting pressure on departments,

making important forms with fewer staff and smaller budget. There is a

skills gap that cannot be filled by the private sector. The report says

one in four posts of senior position are unfilled. What is the government

going to do to address the skills shortage as we leave the EU? Could

the leader of the house say when NHS staff will be receiving more than a

1% pay increase, given that half the Cabinet have said that ?350 million

a week is now available for the NHS? Could the leader of the house also

set out how the Prime Minister will be reporting back to the UK on the

negotiations? Our children and grandchildren, 75% of whom voted to

remain, our hurt and betrayed because they know that the EU is

about equality, peace, security, collaboration, the quality of life,

the air that we breathe, tourism, consumer rights and human rights. We

must not betray them. So, two are and -- e-petition, rock and roll. We

lately have the death of Joe -- Chuck Berry. He had some songs that

were seemingly made for us. Disquiet about school funding, special deals

with Tory councils. One for you, Mr Speaker, Johnny be good. Finally, I

want to say thank you to all of the civil servants, for the work they

did when we were part of the EU and all of the ambassadors, all of the

ministers for Europe, including the leader of the house, he was an

outstanding minister for Europe. It was because he was so good that I

hope the goodwill will come back when we finish our negotiations. I

also want to say goodbye and thank you to David Beamish, the clerk of

Parliament, sadly retiring after 42 years. He has done a fantastic job

and has worked very closely with our own clerk. And also to Russell

Tatum, one of the unsung heroes. A backroom person that has worked for

both sides, the Labour and Conservative opposition whips. He

kept us all going. We wish him well at his new post and hope he can sort

out the Department of Health as well. Can I repeat again, can I

thank everyone for everything they did in the last week, and everyone

connected with the house, a very happy and peaceful Easter. The

leader of the house, Mr David Lidington. Can I first of all join

with the honourable lady in expressing thanks to your chaplain

and to the Roman Catholic chaplain for the work they have done in the

last week, which I am sure they will continue to do in the future. Also,

join her in paying tribute to David Beamish, who has served the House of

Lords and Parliament as a whole with great distinction throughout his

career. I think I would add to that the name of Glenn McKee, amongst our

own clerk 's, retiring after more than 30 years of service to this

house. I think we would want to put on record our thanks and

appreciation to him for that record of service. The date of the Queen's

speech will be announced as soon as possible. As the honourable lady

knows, the exact date of it will depend on the presence of business.

If I can turn to some of the issues that she raised, the Government has

actually delivered on the convention, and slots have been

provided for debates on the tuition fees and on personal independence

payments. The opposition will get their opportunity to debate those

prayers, when we get back. Clearly, this Government, like all

governments, will then act on the basis of what Parliament decides.

She made a broader point about secondary legislation in the context

of the forthcoming European legislation. While I am sure there

will be questions to the Secretary of State later on, and ample

opportunity to debate this matter during proceedings in the next

session, on the repeal Bill, it is a fact regarding any secondary

legislation that delegated legislative powers can only be

exercised by ministers if those powers have been expressly conferred

on ministers by Parliament, through an act of Parliament. So, the

authority for the use of delegated legislation will have to have been

approved after Phil Alinghi process in both houses, before reaching the

statute book. She asked me what International Trade. My right

honourable friend the Secretary of State has hardly been invisible. He

is doing the job the Prime Minister appointed him to do, which is to

maximise the opportunities for jobs and investment in the United Kingdom

by drumming up support for trade and investment all around the world. He

has been here regularly, in the slots allotted to the Department for

International Trade, to answer questions from all parts of the

house. I would add that the honourable lady's description of

what she wanted out of a EU negotiation sounded to me very much

like a paraphrase of the Prime Minister's letter to President

Donald Tusk yesterday. And I welcome that. If there is an outbreak of

common sense, a more consensual approach from the opposition,

supporting the Prime Minister, a response to her call for national

unity, at this time, that is something that I would very much

welcome. I don't think my honourable friend could possibly have been

clearer, either in her letter, or in the nearly three hours which she

spent yesterday making her statement and answering questions at the

dispatch box, that her objective is a comprehensive deal with our

friends and allies in the European Union, which makes possible a deep

and special partnership between ourselves and the 27 countries of

the EU, after we have left, because it will remain an essential national

interest of the United Kingdom for there to be stability and prosperity

right across Europe. While we in Plymouth result of the decision that

the British people tuck in their referendum -- well we implement the

result of the decision the British people have taken in the referendum,

it is important that we strive for a new form of cooperative agreement

with countries that will continue to be our friends, allies and partners

on so many different areas of policy.

She asked me about the National Health Service and the capacity of

staff to deal with what be very demanding and the chief executive

has said that himself. But what I would point to the honourable lady

towards is the track record of NHS managers and NHS clinicians in

delivering effective reforms. One of the things I find so striking about

the National Health Service is that there can be a severe disparity of

performance between different trusts or different hospitals in different

parts of the country, and one of the objectives that NHS England wants to

secure is to make certain that the best practice, the successes of the

most innovative parts of the NHS can be disseminated and put into

practice more widely. Can we have a debate on protecting and valuing the

Church of England estate? This week we learned that the Church of

England have given the green light to ripping out the interior of the

grade one listed 13th century church in long sought, Peterborough,

including replacing the altar with a self standing altar, and the puppet

with a modern lactone, and ripping out all the pews will stop -- the

pulp pulpet with a modern lactern. I clearly don't know the details of

the church to which my right honourable friend referred.

Sometimes there is a difficult balance to be struck between what

the congregation needs to meet the needs of worship and the historic

fabric of a church. I would hope that these matters are always

approached with proper sensitivity, with high regard for our

architectural and design heritage, and in particular the views of the

local community in particular of the church congregation are fully taken

into account. I thank the House will be Sam Querrey work last week -- I

thank the House for the work last week. It has certainly been another

one of these historic weeks. It is not the time for meaningless and

provocative sound bites. But we see the white paper for this shabby

repeal bill, 20,000 pieces of European legislation, in what was

the greatest transfer of powers from Brussels to this government. For a

Parliament that so jealously guards its sovereignty throughout the

centuries, I can't believe it is leaving the European Union. One

thing that we really need to hear from the Leader of the House is a

commitment that the shabby repeal bill will not be subject to the evil

procedure. It is far too complicated that. Without any fanfare or

flourish we got this this morning, the leader of the House's review

into the operation of evil, and the dramatic conclusion he comes to is

working perfectly. What it is in fact it's an absolute and total

embarrassment to this House. We suspend business, we're going to

committee, we go out of committee and not a word is said. This is not

the court of Henry VIII. It is a Byzantine court. And we have still

not had any statement or response from the government about the

historic vote in the Scottish Parliament that we had. This seems

to be quite consistent with the way this government seems to treat

Scotland. We although there is no common UK approach to leaving the

European Union and this government could not have gone further out of

its way to antagonise government over its plans to leave the European

Union. If we look at the great repeal bill and we think of Henry

VIII on these benches, we will be thinking of Robert the Bruce. Mr

Speaker, for a moment at the start of that I thought that the

honourable gentleman was going to become part of this new consensus

that the Prime Minister is seeking to build. I hold out some modicum of

hope for him but I have got to confess that after the rest of the

Thai red, not all that much. I would seriously encourage the honourable

gentleman and members of his party to read the white paper before they

make a judgment on it. I think when they have seen it, they will see

that the case for certain powers as regards dedicated legislation is

made out in detail. The argument is set out very clearly. As is the

government's position that it will of course be necessary for the

exercise of any such specific delegated legislative powers to be

done subject to conditions and restraints to make sure that those

cannot be abused and that the powers are used only for the purpose for

which they would have been created. I know that other members on the

Scottish National Party benches will want to put questions to the

Secretary of State very shortly this afternoon, but the government will

be proposing a number of very important safeguards on the exercise

of those powers. On his question about the application of the English

votes procedures to the repeal bill, I have got to repeat what I said to

him in previous exchanges. We both know the English votes procedures

can only be exercised in a case where an issue to be determined is

both devolved to the Scottish Parliament and in relation to

legislation before this House applies to England only or to

England and Wales only. I think the chances of that happening in the

repeal bill are very slim indeed given that the repeal bill addresses

the application of European law, of the treaties to this country, and

the treaties as international agreements are reserved matters

under the terms of the Scotland act itself. I can't at this stage rule

out some hypothetical piece of future secondary legislation but I

really do think it is not right to exaggerate fears of something which

I think it's very unlikely to come about. And then he asked me about

the First Minister's call for another referendum. And the vote by

the SNP and the Green Party in the Scottish Parliament for a second

referendum. The Prime Minister was very clear yesterday that we are

embarking on a major change of policy in this country in response

to what the people of the United Kingdom as a whole have decided and

that now is not the time for a further referendum on a matter that

all sides agreed would be settled in the 2014 referendum. And I would

simply remind the honourable gentleman of what the First Minister

herself said when launching the party manifesto for the Scottish

elections in April last year, when she said this. Setting the date for

a referendum before a majority of the Scottish people have been

persuaded that independence and therefore another referendum is the

best future for our country is the wrong way round. If we don't succeed

we will have no right to propose another referendum. I support what

the First Minister of Scotland said on that occasion. Order. On my

reckoning, a further 44 honourable members are seeking to catch my eye.

As per usual I am keen to accommodate all would be contributed

but I remind the House that there is a very important as likely to be

well subscribed statement to follow. And thereafter two imported debates

under the auspices of the backbench business committee, therefore there

is a premium upon time on brevity. In Rochester we have been contacted

by a growing number of residents concerned with the influx of

travellers and the number of illegal encampments that have been set up in

my constituency. There have been major reports of intimidation and

threatening behaviour and I am well threatening behaviour and I am well

aware there are problems in other parts of the country but it is

apparently disappointing that local authorities and the police have

either a lack of capacity or willingness to use powers to deal

with the problems. Some of those problems have been down to

anti-social behaviour and they have seen this regard of the community.

Will the government make time for a debate on the obligations of local

authorities and police and also how the current law can be strengthened

for the good of our communities? My honourable friend will have an

opportunity to push this with ministers on the 24th of April. But

my view is clear. The powers that she has described exist for a reason

and I would hope that both local authorities and police forces would

use them. Can I thank the Leader of the House for giving us an advert

for the backbench business that is coming up? And can I also thank him

and his staff team for arranging to move the debate is that was

scheduled for Westminster Hall on the 18th of April and the 2nd of May

back to hours to allow members to travel from their constituencies to

get to those debates? An additional piece of news. We have determined

that on Tuesday the 25th of April at 9:30am for 90 minutes there will be

a debate in Westminster Hall a Post Office closures and on the 2nd of

May, Tuesday, at 11:30am, voter ID and electoral fraud will be debated

in Westminster Hall. I am going to get my begging bowl out. Not for my

constituents. Members always accuse people from the North East of

England of having a begging bowl but this is our behalf backbench

members. The 20th will be our 27th allotted day, 27th at one quarter

allotted day for backbench business, all that is allowed in the

parliamentary committee. Any more spare time, could you send it our

way? We already have a list of debates waiting. We want

clarification. On Tuesday during the backbench debate on Yemen, the right

honourable member for Bournemouth East, the parliamentary

undersecretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs, on a point

of order asked the Deputy Speaker if it would be possible to use our full

allocation and the time up to a period of 30 minutes up until

members dispersed the House that day. Manning Deputy Speaker

responded the House decided on the timetable, that was true, but he

said the backbench business committee gave 90 minutes for this

debate and I am powerless to change that. The backbench business

committee asked for a minimum of 90 minutes for the debate but the

printed order allowed a maximum of 90 minutes. The backbench business

committee determines the subject matter of debates and the allocation

of time and the way in which the order paper reflects that are not

within our remit. I am grateful to the honourable gentleman for his

words of thanks. I will always do my best to try to accommodate what he

and his committee want but I am sure that he will appreciate that spare

hours in the parliamentary timetable are a rare commodity. Mr Speaker, in

March 2014, the only son of Joanne and Robert Ward, might constituents,

was killed by an HGV driver three times over the legal drink-drive

limit. On the 29th of October 2014, an adjournment debate in this

chamber asked the minister to carry out a sentencing review so that

those who cause death by drink-driving should carry a

manslaughter charge rather than the current charge which carries a

maximum sentence of ten years. Calum's killer got just seven years

and will serve three and a half before returning to his home country

of Bulgaria, where he will be free to drive unrestricted once again.

Could we have a statement from the justice minister updating the House

on how this review is progressing? Can I express my sympathy to his

family because they will still be feeling the loss. The consultation

ran into the February this year. It has received more than 9000

responses. The government is considering these responses and

ministers will publish a written report, response, in due course.

Could we have a debate on the conduct of virgin care in our NHS?

It has emerged they are suing the NHS after a contract to provide

children's care in Surrey was given to a nonprofit provider. It seems

that the pair are seeking a massive pay-out from the taxpayer. Will he

join me in saying this is appalling behaviour and ask the Health

Secretary to make a statement? Well, I don't, it's a case is the subject

of legal action, then clearly neither I nor any other minister can

comment on the specifics but if the Honourable lady could let me have

details of this particular case I'll ask the Secretary of State and his

team to write to her. And able leader yesterday the culture

secretary announced a consultation on the future of Channel four.

Please could we have a debate on the direction of Channel 4 and wouldn't

the House agree with me that having seen the success of the BBC's

relocation to Stanford that maybe Channel 4 should consider coming to

Yorkshire? -- relocation to Salford. And seeking the broadest possible

range of views and evidence to inform the government's assessment

about the location of Channel 4. I am sure that he will continue to be

a persuasive advocate for Yorkshire. When can we discuss motion 1131 and

the staggering cost of decommissioning nuclear sites of

?170 billion and the in the price of Hinkley Point from ?6 billion to ?37

billion. Why were successive governments in saturated by the myth

of cheap nuclear power that promised to deliver electricity that was too

cheap to meter when what is being delivered is ?170 billion Bill for

taxpayers that will impoverish government spending for decades?

Well, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State was at the

dispatch box on Monday this week in response to an urgent question about

nuclear decommissioning but my advice to honourable gentleman would

be to seek one of the longer Westminster Hall debate

opportunities. The government's view is that nuclear energy should be a

part of a broad mix of energy sources in this country to ensure

that we have security of energy supply and that we can rely

increasingly on sources of energy which do not add to the problem of

climate change. Eight debate on the Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals

trust that has illegally suggested closing the Elliot Dee -- the

accident and emergency ward, engaging up to 40 children are the

result of the agree that such moves should be consulted with the public,

local authorities and local MPs? There has been no consultation and

yet this proposal is going ahead in the autumn. I am concerned to hear

this and will draw it to be attention of the Secretary of State.

A significant change in configurations are the NHS that is

any area ought to be the subject of public consultation and of course

there is powerfully relevant committee on the local authority to

ask the Secretary of State to home that decision in and review it so I

would encourage him to pursue this would help ministers but I shall

draw a comments to the Secretary of State's attention. Can we have an

urgent debate on the state of local roads? In Nottinghamshire, including

my constituency, there is a ?319 million backlog for the Council, the

Nottinghamshire County Council, to deal with those roads. My

constituents and Nottinghamshire are fed up driving on roads which are

crumbling, full of holes and it is about time the government sorted it

out. Well, it was decisively to address problems in infrastructure

that the Chancellor of the Exchequer found ?23 billion additional

spending at the time of the Autumn Statement and as the Transport

Secretary said during his questions earlier this afternoon, the

government has allocated very significant sums of money to support

local highways authority, to deal with holes and other repair issues

concerning local roads but it is a reality which any responsible

government had to accept that resources are finite and the country

and the government have to live within their means. We still have a

significant visit in our public finances and the responsible

approach is to live within our means. Will the Leader of the House

give us an urgent debate on conflicts of interest because in the

course of that debate we could probably look, for example, at the

relationship of CH ten M, a contract NHS two, currently in his

constituency, because the relationship between a chest to and

CH2M cannot be good because they must have financial difficulties. We

can also look at if they can explain what they are going to do with

Bettel and the other bidders, whether it they are going to start

that contract from scratch or the other attack to take their word that

there was no conflict of interest, it one of those is appointed. We can

look at clarifying the roles of individuals such as Chris Reynolds

and the CH2M people working in a testing and perhaps we could look at

the role of the chairman of the National infrastructure commission.

The National infrastructure commission as to provide impartial

expert advice to the government and operate... And yet serve as a

director... Enough. I have been more than fair to the right honourable

lady. I know she is seeking a debate but a number of members are already

muttering that the debate has now happened. I am sure she will get the

debate that we do need to make progress. I hope she will forgive

me. I did catch my right honourable friend's responds a little earlier

this afternoon. There are strict rules around any kind of public

sector procurement and we expect all proper procedures to be followed,

including the rules that are there to provide safeguards against

conflicts of interest. Having received a response from the

Minister for energy and industry regarding over 40 of my constituents

who alleged to have been mis-sold solar panels by a government

approved provider I am not entirely confident that the department

appreciates the magnitude of the problem and how many people across

Britain are suffering financial hardship because of this botched

government energy efficiency scheme. May we have a debate in government

time to discuss this urgent and important and potentially

far-reaching issue? I have not seen the letter from the Minister to

which the honourable lady has referred. One option she might want

to explore is if she feels there has been maladministration by a

government department then there may be a case for reference to the

Parliamentary ombudsman to investigate that. Can reschedule his

own statement on your excellent abroad, Mr Speaker. That would give

him the opportunity to announce the critical role of different and to

explain to the House that this scheme uses the latest biometric

technology to deliver money electronically to the world's

poorest women, absolutely transforming their status by

providing them with a bank account -- the critical role of DIFID. I am

very happy, without tempting your anger by giving a statement, to

applaud the speaker's about for democracy and the particular

nomination of the success today and to pay tribute to the role of the

Department for International Development as my right honourable

friend rightly says. The use of digital technology can provide

power, freedom and opportunity to women in particular in some

developing countries who otherwise have to live in the and never have

any control over their lives. The funding crisis in the NHS has

reached new heights today with reports of a hospital trust asking

full-time nurses to register and set up as sole traders so it can avoid

paying employers national insurance. The Health Secretary urgently

investigate this and can he assure the House, than the Leader of the

House asking to assure the House that this outrageous practice is not

acceptable? I think given this particular case that the honourable

gentleman should either write directly to the health minister or

if he would like to come to my office I will forward his concerns

with those details onto the Secretary of State. Domestic dog

attacks on she, especially at lambing time at the moment, I real

concern not only for the businesses of our farmers across the country,

but also for dog owners who are often unaware of the consequences

for them and their pets should the attack take place. Can we had a

debate on what the government can do to promote awareness of the actions

so that farmers and authorities can take with regards to dogs attacking

sheep and a lot more can be done to prevent such attacks in the first

place? The government understands the huge loss that farmers face as a

result of dog attacks on livestock and it is the duty of all dog owners

to ensure that their animals are kept under proper control went on

farmland Woodstock government officials recently met police forces

farming representatives to discuss the situation. Five police forces at

a consequence of than the pilot a more systematic collection of

incidents and response practices. Can we have an urgent debate on the

6000 constituents of Norwich South who have been sanctioned since 2010

by the DWP. I'd like to raise the issue at 140 terminal cancer patient

who failed his suitability work assessment and he was denied JFK and

he is now living in the poverty. -- was denied jobseeker's allowance.

Can we have an urgent debate? The sanctions in their current form have

been used ever since jobseeker's allowance started back in 1996, so

the sanctions regime existed throughout the 13 years of Labour

government and the vast majority of people comply. Now, if there are

particular cases where things have gone wrong, where bad judgments have

been made by officials, then I would encourage the honourable gentleman

to take this up directly with the ministers concerned. But I do think

that a sanctions system is part of the logical, is a logical element in

an effective and fair system of benefits. Residence and retails in

my constituency in Barton are angry about a possible development of a

new supermarket on the edge of town. The government's efforts to

revitalise and support the high streets are often undermined by

decisions by the local authority planning departments. Could we have

a debate on the impact planning on the high street? Well, I think I

probably direct my honourable friend towards Westminster will

opportunities for the constituency case. I think it is right that these

decisions are taken at local level and we don't try and second-guess

every supermarket location from Whitehall but I am sure he will be a

formidable advocate in behalf of his own communities to try to make sure

that the planners come to a decision that takes account of local opinion.

The Home Secretary last weekend said that we need to make sure that our

intelligence services have the ability to get into situations like

encrypt it social messaging. This is a departure from the stated

government policy. Back in October it was said that the government was

opposed to encryption would legislate to undermine it is

fanciful. Can we have a debate on whether the investigatory Powers act

is still relevant but it is still a GCHQ's guidance to encrypt

communications and whether the Leader of the House can enlighten us

on what the necessary hashtags. The government wants people to be able

to communicate securely with each other. Cyber security is a real

threat and cybercrime a massive cost to society, so we support

encryption. But what we need to have is a balance which also makes sure

that encryption does not provide a safe space for terrorists,

paedophiles for organised criminals. Therefore, we also want to require

companies to have the ability to decrypt those messages when they

have been served with a properly authorised warrant. It is a

particular issue over end to end encryption, that is why the Home

Secretary is meeting today with representatives of the digital

industry and Internet providers to discuss these issues further.

My constituent, prison officer, died in the early hours of Christmas

morning after a vicious attack, and last week of course PC Keith Palmer

lost his life while doing his job here in Parliament. Now the trial of

the man charged with the manslaughter of my constituent

starts on June 20 six. May we have a debate on introducing a specific

offence to deal with those who attack the people protecting the

people in service? My right honourable friend will understand

that while I express my utter condolences to the family of the

police officer who lost his life on the Isle of Wight, I cannot comment

on a matter that will be the subject of a criminal trial. The courts do

have powers already to impose an additional sentence on the grounds

of aggravation if an attack has been on a police officer. I don't know

why the leaders being so coy about the date of the Queen's speech. It

is on the 17th of May, which we all know because it is on the

government's on all party whip, and it has been for weeks. But IPSA seem

to be determined to publish information regarding MPs revealing

their home addresses which I think is entirely inappropriate and I hope

the government will stand ready to legislate if necessary. I know this

is something that both the honourable gentleman and I have

raised with IPSA directly. Earlier this week, IPSA did give some

assurances that this matter was under active review, and I would

certainly hope that they take action at the IPSA board to make sure that

any such material that might identify a member and put a member

at risk of possible attack would not be published in future. We have an

urgent debate on NHS workforce planning. Among the reasons given to

me by my local NHS Trust for the difficulties in filling key posts,

is a sharp decline in applications from European Union citizens. There

will be opportunities to put questions to health ministers on

this but not in the next two weeks. I hope there will be some

reassurance to my honourable friend in knowing that we do have record

numbers of nurses and GPs in training at the moment and the

government has expanded training provision very significantly. Can I

take this opportunity to place on record my congratulations to Ms

Memon for winning the inaugural Speaker's democracy award. The

contribution of women to politics should be the focus of people's

tension and not what we wear and how we appear. As the leader of the

House ever had an opportunity to listen to the recording of an

appeal? An increasing number of constituents are visiting me because

they are upset by the process. Given that the majority of claimants are

successful on appeal, clearly the system is failing them will stop can

we have an urgent debate about how the system is failing and how we can

turn it into one that treats people with the dignity and respect that

they deserve? I simply disagree with the honourable lady that this PIPs

system is failing. A quarter of people on personal independence

payments received the highest level of support compared with just 15% of

working age claimants and Disability Living Allowance. Or if we look at

the figures for people with mental health conditions, again

significantly more people are getting help through PIPs and

secured help at the high level under the Disability Living Allowance.

PIPs is providing greater help to those in the greatest need. Can we

have a debate or can we raise the matter urgently with the Prime

Minister and the Chancellor of the developing situation with Falkland

Islands Holdings limited, the company that holds the majority of

land, transport and retail on the Falkland Islands, that is facing a

hostile take-over by a politically motivated Argentine billionaire, a

matter where the Chancellor or the parameter will have to step in and

the take-over code to protect the interests of the Falkland Islands

people. -- or the Prime Minister. I know my honourable friend raised

this matter earlier in the week as well. This question is the subject

of a full review by the Falkland Islands government at the moment and

the foreign Commonwealth Office is giving support to the Falkland

Islands administration in that task. On Mendes students from Grange

technology college visited me in Parliament. -- on Monday. I was

asked about the ?900,000 due to be cut from their budget, and research

suggests this equates to the salaries of 24 teachers at that

school. This is from a school that is working hard to come out of

special measures. Would the lead of the House be willing to allocate

time to debate the severe funding cuts faced by our schools? The

honourable lady refers to the new funding formula. That is the subject

of a consultation at the moment and the Secretary of State will be

bringing forward her proposals in due course. I would say to her that

they think it is hard to defend the current system under which

comparable schools with comparable catchment areas but in different

parts of the country can receive startlingly different sums of money

per pupil simply because of their geography. It has become alarmingly

common for business questions to take more than an hour. Not

occasionally, but alarmingly, and, as I say. I do have to have regard

for the next statement and the coming debates. So can we have short

questions and answers in the faint hope we can move onto the next

business shortly after midday? Can we have a debate on diversity in the

arts? I was pleased to attend the Muslim awards for excellence 2017

when my constituent was awarded the Muslim youth award for excellence in

the arts presented by my right honourable friend the member for

Bromsgrove. I congratulate my honourable friend's constituent on

that achievement and I can give him the news that Arts Council England

is making a priority of diversity in the arts. That has included half a

million pounds for organisations like Eclipse theatre, which is

delivering a programme supporting ethnic minority artists in northern

England. Further to the earlier question, the AA say that our roads

now resemble Swiss cheese. I understand that the number of

potholes filled by councils in England fell by 19% last year. When

is the government properly going to deal with this issue and can we have

a debate, please? Actually the latest visual assessment of road

conditions in England that was published in March this year showed

that local classified roads were improving with fewer local roads

needing to be considered for maintenance. The governments has

provided councils with over ?6 million up to 2020 to improve the

condition of local roads, but resources are finite and clearly

choices and priorities have got to be set at local and at national

level. The much loved tarot arts centre is once again threatened with

closure. -- Harrow. It has cultural activities for the whole community.

Culture London have raised ?3.1 million towards funding the centre

but Harrow Council are now thinking of closing it. Can we have a debate

in government I am on the future of community and cultural centres

across the UK? -- a debate in government time. I hope that when

Harrow Council takes its decisions that they will take into account the

strong representation from my honourable friend and his

constituents. The Leader of the House is known as a big planner, so

how much time is he planning to have on these 19,000 statutory instrument

and pieces of legislation and other instruments on the great repeal bill

and its attendant legislation in this place over the next two years

so that Parliament can fulfil its job of parliamentary scrutiny? How

much time is he planning? Mr Speaker, we will have to wait for

the bill to be published and the statutory instruments to be brought

forward. A statutory instrument can only be dealt with by whatever

procedure this House and the other players have approved in the parent

act of Parliament. -- the other place. I can say to the House that

the 19,000 figure he has given to the House is very far-fetched, in my

view. Another concerned will be nothing like that. -- the number

Can I thank the Leader of the House Can I thank the Leader of the House

will make to the written statement today on the technical review of the

English vote for English law standing orders and responding in

particular to the report of the procedure committee? Does my right

honourable friend agree that the 12 pages may be summarised simply by

saying that there will be no changes at the moment but that provisions

will be kept under review? I think that is a very fair summary. Will

the leader of the House make time available for a series of debates

which it would be appropriate for the Cabinet Office to respond to

those they can update us on the progress of the ?350 million per

week for the NHS? The reduction in immigration, the cut in VAT on fuel,

and they can also update us on the increased associated costs with

setting up parallel organisations to the ECJ? What the Cabinet Office is

very active in doing is to ensure that the pledges given in the

manifesto on which this government was elected are delivered, whether

through legislation or other means, but the point to which the

honourable gentleman referred have not been part of the government's

manifesto. Could we have an urgent debate to clarify the Prime

Minister's negotiating stance with the EU? If we extrapolate a wish

list from the statement in the House yesterday and the letter to Donald

Tusk, the only conclusion we can come to is either being a member of

the European Union or a member of the single market? What the Prime

Ministers said yesterday is consistent with what you said in the

Lancaster House speech and the subsequent white paper. -- what she

said. We are at the start of a complex and challenging period of

negotiation and as my right honourable friend said yesterday,

there is going to need to be political will and give and take on

both sides, but we are looking forward to that task and entering

into it in a constructive spirit. Would the leader of the House ensure

that the statement is made explaining to young people by his

government believes it is more important to reduce inward migration

than it is to protect the freedoms that I have enjoyed so that my

children can enjoy them as well? We want, Mr Speaker, to implement the

decision that the people of the United Kingdom took in a referendum

on membership of the European Union. That will clearly involve a change

from the existing arrangements on free movement, which are provided

under European law. The exact nature of movement rights and opportunities

are things that Home Office ministers in particular will be

reflecting on. But they will also be part of a conversation between

ourselves and other European governments. Options are clearly

narrowing in Northern Ireland. What time is he setting aside to prepare

to do business on the floor of this House on Northern Ireland after the

18th of April? As the honourable gentleman knows, it is the

government's wish that devolved government in Northern Ireland can

be resumed at the earliest possible opportunity. We have no wish to see

a resumption of direct rule. I have obviously been talking to the

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland regularly in recent weeks,

as the honourable gentleman would expect. The government makes plans

for many different contingencies. Commercial burglaries and serious

knife crime are still serious problems in my constituency. When

will the government about the very worrying findings of the HM RAC

report which shows that police across the country do not have the

resources to investigate all types of crime and the police have 700

fewer detectives than needed? -- the HMIC report. I point the honourable

gentleman to the success of the police in and outside London in

reducing crime, despite having to make different choices about

budgetary management. The police have done that by reorganising their

own operations and priorities to make sure that cutting crime

successfully comes first and fermenting and spreading best

practice. -- when implementing and spreading breast practice. When he

finally admit that contrary to what his predecessor told us, it is

simply not possible. To MPs to debate or vote on Barrick on

sequential is through the Estimates process?

There is a report on the select committee on procedure that is due

later this year on the estimates procedure and the government will

reply in detail to it in due course but the basic problem is that the

nature of devolution, that it budgetary decision taken here that

has banned its consequential for Scotland, does not ring fence that

Scottish funding for the same subject of which it might be spent

here, it is up to the Scottish Parliament how that money is spent,

so there is not a direct read across. Everyday I hear a story of a

person who discovers they have been duped into buying a leasehold

property. Lenders are refusing to grant mortgages on these homes,

threatening the integrity of the housing market. The Prime Minister

said there was no reason for these properties to be sold on a leasehold

basis on the 1st of March was when the government introduced

legislation to put those words into action? Disassembling my right

honourable friend the Minister for Housing is taking very seriously. I

draw the honourable gentleman's concern to his attention but he is

on top of this issue. The Leader of the House will be aware that

paragraph 25 of the European Parliament's draft motion on Brexit

Mexico that passporting the financial services will not

countenance. Financial services is key to Edinburgh and many of my

constituency work in the sector. Can we have a debate to find out how the

UK Government intends to support our financial organisations that are

facing serious disruptions as a result of this? I refer her back to

the privacy's letter yesterday which had explicit mention of our

objective of securing trade access for our financial service and

reciprocal rights for financial services firms based in other

European Union countries here. She tempts me to start speculating about

a forthcoming negotiation and as she knows that coming I am prepared to

do. Small businesses in my constituency got little confidence

from the privacy's statement yesterday. We were promised Bates in

government time over important issues impacting on leaving the EU,

like workers' rights comment by mental check is adverse or

businesses but these have not happen. The leader publish a

schedule of debates in government time that we can have on these

important factors? I can promise her that there are going to be numerous

opportunities, particularly in the forthcoming parliamentary session,

for every aspect of our departure from the European Union to be

debated. Is the cross-party talks in Northern Ireland are to inform the

legislation that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland brings

forward in April, can the Leader of the House assure us that business

constraints in this House will not be used as an excuse for saying that

that legislation and those talks should not address serious issues

like how the first and at the First Minister are jointly elected and the

petitions of concern? The secretary of state as the honourable gentleman

knows did say in his statement earlier this week that he might need

to bring legislation forward, not least to address the possibility of

there not being funding for essential public services in

Northern Ireland. I think it would be wrong for me to speculate here

about the exact nature of legislation that might conceivably

be brought forward. We still hope that that proves not to be necessary

and the secretary of state continues to work tirelessly with the

political parties to try to secure the restoration of the devolved

government. Fly-tipping is a light on the lives of residents across my

constituency, particularly those living in Plumstead. Can we have a

debate about what the government can do in regards to the powers

available to local authorities to tackle this problem? The opportunity

of questions to the Environment Secretary on the 20th of April.

There are significant powers available to local authorities,

local authority sometimes also work with police forces because organised

crime is quite often involved in large-scale fly-tipping, so I am

sure there is good practice that can be shared around the country but I

will flag the honourable gentleman's concerns with the relevant minister.

Two years ago a constituent of mine was given two months because of a

brain tumour. Continuing quality of life is attributed by many of those

treating her is heard decision, reluctantly, to take a dose of

cannabis oil. Can we ask if it is right for someone like her to be

criminalised? I would like to express sympathy and support to his

constituents and to her family. It is, of course, possible for a

medicine that has been developed from cannabinoids to be properly

licensed and go through the necessary safety procedures that we

have for any medicine in the United Kingdom before they are made

available through the National Health Service will generally. I

would be very reluctant to go, to dispense with a system that is put

in place in order to ensure patient safety. I think that prosecuting

authorities have powers of discretion and I would hope very

much if, given the circumstances he have described, that everybody would

look at the case with nothing but compassion. The leader will no doubt

be aware of the case of the Staffordshire, sped jail despite

repeatedly beating his wife, including forcing her to take

tablets of telling her to kill herself, hitting hitting herself

over the head with a cricket bat. I fully support the independence of

the judiciary but can we have a debate on sense and guidelines for

domestic violence perpetrators? This government has, of course, were in

legislation to strengthen the penalties for domestic violence. It

is something the Prime Minister as Home Secretary and now takes a very

close interest in and to which she gives a high priority. Sentencing

guidelines as he knows are published by independent sentencing councils

and individual decisions are taken by judges. Certainly in England and

Wales a consultation has started today on a new sentencing guidelines

to apply to all cases of domestic abuse and I would hope that

authorities in Scotland might consider following suit. Following

the Prime Minister's Article 50 letter yesterday, senior figures in

Brussels have complained that she has issued a blatant threat and is

treating security as a bargaining chip. Can we have a debate about the

Bush nation in government time to that the government might learn that

bullying and threats are not an effective way to get a good deal

with our allies? -- a debate about the negotiations. I am sorry that

she is giving credence to nonsense, given her legal qualifications. The

facts are that our participation in European arrangements on the sharing

of information between police was those and between judicial systems

rests upon instruments based in the treaties and grounded in European

law. Under Article 50, on the day that we depart the EU, the treaties

and therefore all instruments flowing from the treaties, cease to

apply to the United Kingdom. That is why we say that we are ambitious for

an agreement, a new, deep and special partnership with our EU

neighbours which encompasses security cooperation as well as

trade. I wish she would support that. Last week RBS announced a plan

to close their busy branch. This area was ready brass affected by

bank closures. Can we have an urgent debate on RBS's surprising assertion

that branches remain a core part of their offering to customers and this

is page in the not the case? -- this is a fiercely not the case. This is

a commercial decision for RBS but as with any bank I would hope they

would stick to a code to which they also they add here, which is that

they would continue to ensure, in particular, that the last branch of

a retail bank in any particular community is not closed, except in

the most extreme circumstances. Can I have a statement from him to

explain why the government thinks it is fair to take half the subsidies

in a year-on-year basis and the Mineworkers pension fund... I will

ask the relevant minister to write to the honourable gentleman. Can I

ask for a statement regarding the abuse of job trials by unscrupulous

employers. The instance that was brought my attention by a

constituent who worked for eight week -- who worked for a week

without pay, does he share might concern that these companies are

making free use of free labour of love and beyond what is reasonable

for a job trial? -- free labour above and beyond what is reasonable?

We believe that all workers should be treated in line with employment

law and we expect responsible employers to treat people on the

work trial over experience with decency. Amongst the sporting and

shooting organisations and firearms holders there is concern about

delays will licence renewal applications. One way of dressing

that would be a firearm certificate for ten or 20 year period, reducing

admitted of costs. Would he agree to a statement on how to deliver a ten

year 20 year arms certificate? I will ask the Minister to write to

them but I am sure he would understand that the balance has to

be struck between the problem he has described and the need to ensure

that we do know where potentially lethal weapons are and that they are

in the right hands. Statement the Secretary of State for Exiting the

European Union, secretary David Davis. With permission I would like

to make a statement about Staples back the publication of a White

Paper on the great repeal Bill. Yesterday we took the historic step

up notifying the European Council of the Dublin's decision to invoke

Article 50. The -- the European Council of the government's decision

to invoke Article 50. It begins at a two-year negotiation with the EU and

it reflects last year's instruction from the people of the EU. It is our

first determination to get the right deal for every single person. -- it

is Allah the US determination. It is the time to come together to make

sure the -- it is