07/12/2017 Business Questions

Majesty has signified her Royal

assent to the following act.

European Union approval is at 2017.

-- approvals act. Business question,

Valerie Baz. -- Vaz.

The Leader of

the House please update the house on

the forthcoming business?

Andrea

Leeds.

-- Andrea Letson. It will

include Monday the 11th of December,

second reading of the Finance Bill.

Tuesday the 12th of December,

continuation and committee of the

European Union withdrawal bill Day

six. Wednesday the 13th of December,

continuation and committee of the

European withdrawal bill day seven.

Thursday the 14th of December,

debate on a motion of equality

pension provision for women followed

by a debate on hormone pregnancy

tests. The subject for these debates

were determined by the backbench

business committee. Friday the 15th

of December, the house will not be

sitting. The provisional business

for the week commencing the 18th of

December will include, Monday the

18th of December, consideration in

committee of the Finance Bill Day

one. Tuesday the 19th, consideration

in committee of the Finance Bill Day

two. Wednesday the 20th of December,

conclusion of continuation in

committee of the European withdrawal

Bill Day eight. Thursday the 21st of

December, a general debate on

Russian interference in UK politics

in society followed by a general

debate on matters to be raised

before the forthcoming adjournment.

Friday the 22nd of December, the

house will not be sitting. Mr

Speaker, today is a day of

celebration. I'm sure colleagues

across the house will join me in

congratulating our fellow

parliamentarians down under, who

have today legalised gay marriage.

Australia becomes the 23rd country

to recognise that marriage is a

celebration of all love and it has

been wonderful to see such happy and

celebratory scenes in their

parliament. In further good news,

today is the commissioning of the

UK's new aircraft carrier HMS Queen

Elizabeth, where Her Majesty herself

will be guest of honour at the event

and we hope it is a huge success. Mr

Speaker, I would also like to wish

good luck to the five cities who

will this evening find out which one

of them will be crowned the UK City

of Culture. It is a tough choice

between Stoke-on-Trent, Swansea,

Sunderland, Coventry and Paisley but

I know the successful city will do

the entire country proud. And

lastly, Mr Speaker, my final bit of

good news is for the Right

Honourable member for Walsall South,

the lady opposite, and I'm sure the

whole house will join me in wishing

her a very happy birthday today. I

look forward to our catch-up later,

where I am sure we will be having a

piece of cake together.

Thank you,

Mr Speaker. Follow that, as they

say. Just I think the numbers were

printed incorrectly for my age, but,

anyway... Reverse it. Can I thank

the Leader of the House for updating

the house on business for the next

few weeks. It is more or less

settled, I suspect subject to a few

phone calls because clearly we were

expecting a statement from the Prime

Minister earlier this week. We have

the business for the 11th of

January, the R and R debate is fixed

and I wonder if the Leader of the

House could update us on the

business for that week and on R and

R, does she agree with me that given

the recent action by Unite and the

GMB, she will know more than £10

billion was paid out last year to

over 250 working people who had been

denied a job because their name

appeared on a blacklist. I'm sure we

will look at any future contracts

under R and R to ensure this illegal

activity doesn't take place because

it has ruined lives. I don't know if

she is in a position, the Leader of

the House, to publish the motion

before Christmas so members can have

a chance to amend it? Can I ask the

Leader of the House to correct the

record, the Chancellor, and I have

notified him that I would raise this

today, he said in his budget

statement we have heard a lot of

talk recently about the opposition

and about what they would do to

crack down on tax avoidance, but the

truth is that they did not and he

was doing the job the Labour

Government failed to do in office.

That is totally incorrect. I have

asked the House of Commons library

what a Labour Government did and

they have set out measures in the 14

budget reports of all the tax

implications that were set out by

the Labour Government to protect our

tax revenues. I will write to the

Chancellor and the Leader of the

House and place that on record and

also on my website, but I think it

is important to say tax measures to

protect our revenues did take place.

It is important because the deficit

is the difference between what the

Government spends and what it

receives. If it is reducing the tax

base and cutting jobs in hey Jim is

it, it is hard to know where they

are going to get the money from and

that is why there have been cuts to

public services and people living in

poverty -- cutting jobs in HMRC. 75

years of the Beveridge report the

commission resigns en masse,

including the former Secretary of

State for Education now in the Other

Place, because they say the

Government seems unable to commit

the necessary energy to the social

mobility agenda and the Joseph

Rowntree then reduced its 2017

report and found that nearly one in

three disabled people are living in

poverty. 36% of children at and

pensioners live in relative poverty.

So when will we have an urgent

debate on the state of poverty in

the UK? And when will there be new

appointments to the board? We turn

now to the invisible papers, as I

call them. I have a few questions,

the who, where, what and why? We

know who, because the motion was

very clear. The Secretary of State

had to give papers to the exit

committee. In 2016, they were called

assessments, in December 2016, they

were set some analyses, and it is

highly bizarre, members have do make

an appointment, arrived five minutes

early and the new Den get escorted

to look at the papers with a

Government official. You cannot take

your mobile phone, you have to take

a notebook and perhaps we are given

a stubby pencil or a pen with

invisible ink. That is bizarre, we

are elected representatives and

entitled to see the papers. And if

there is nothing in the papers, why

is it so secretive? But the bigger

why is why has the Government is not

conducted the impact assessments

when it is affecting 88% of our

economy. I join the Leader of the

House in celebrating gay marriage in

Australia, but more importantly, on

Sunday is human rights Day, Amnesty

International asks us to remember

our actions that freed Albert would

Fox, who was held in the USA for 43

years in solitary confinement and

others in Burma and Mexico. They

have all said when they were

released it was a result of the role

of Amnesty International and you, Mr

Speaker, launched yesterday in the

speakers has the Write for Rights.

They want us to write for amnesty,

their chair and director, 49

defenders of Turkish rights. I know

the whole house will join in

thanking the Burgundy town of

Avignon that named one of its

streets Rue Jo Cox, which reads

"British MP killed for her

convictions." We condemn those who

support his killer and their group

and we stand with those who opposed

them and of course, salute the

silence breakers. And finally, Mr

Speaker, can I congratulate you on

your wedding anniversary, you and

Sally.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I was

not aware it is your wedding

anniversary, congratulations. I

would also like to share with the

honourable lady in remembering Jo

Cox and in congratulating that

community in France who have sought

to recognise her memory and for the

work that she did to promote human

rights and cohesive communities. She

will never be forgotten and I think

all honourable members would want to

remember her. She has raised the

specific issue of blacklisting and

she will be pleased to know that it

has been made very clear in all of

our procurement contracts that

blacklisting may not form a part of

any of our suppliers' activities and

we have received that assurance in

the work and contract for the

restoration of Big Ben and Elizabeth

tower, so I share her concern about

that issue. On the matter of tax

avoidance, she sought pleads that

the Labour Government did a lot to

try and ensure measures to avoid tax

avoidance but the facts are that

since 2010, HMRC have generated £160

billion of tax revenues from

measures to stop avoidance and

evasion. That is an extraordinary

and strong achievement that we

should congratulate HMRC for but

also this Government, because all

too often, the opposition talks the

talk but do not walk the walk. They

simply do not achieve what they

promise and now under this

Government, the top 1% are paying

27% of all taxes. The top 5% nearly

half of all taxes. People who earn

more have never been taxed more than

under this Government, so

progressive taxation is a feature of

our Government's achievement, far

more so than when the Labour

Government is work in office. She

talks about the social equality

commission and, yes, she is

absolutely right to point out that

Alan Milburn did a great show and

downs of resigning on a job that was

actually coming to end -- made a

great song and dance of resigning.

What I would like to point out to

the honourable lady is the amazing

achievement just this week of

children's literacy in our schools

in England, where England is joint

eighth in the world for our reading

as a result of this Government's

changing to phonics and the amazing

dedication of teachers across the

country. Also, how Green paper on

mental health, where we on this side

of the house are determined to

ensure there is parity of esteem

between mental and physical health.

There are more than 600,000 disabled

people now in work compared to 2010,

that is a record of achievement that

we on this side of the house are

proud of and, of course, there are

600,000 fewer children in workless

households than there were in 2010.

All things designed to support young

people that are measures this side

of the house have put in place and

have been determined to make

progress on. Finally, she talks

about the impact assessments. May I

say to the house that the opposition

have absolutely caused enormous

headlines and publicity over this

issue. The house will be interested

to know that the sum total of 16

members of this House and members of

the House of Lords have taken the

trouble to go and see that analysis

that has been made available. And of

course, it is very important, as all

honourable member should respect,

that the freedom of civil servants

to discuss freely and give advice

freely to ministers must be upheld

and that is why it is important that

these reports are held in a

confidential and secure way, so that

those who have a need and an

interest in reading them can do so.

But I say again, only 60 members

across both houses have availed

themselves of that opportunity.

we have outlawed forced marriages in

this country, but could we have a

debate on children of 16 still being

able to be married with the consent

of their appearance, instead of

waiting until the 18, because that

seems to be an anomaly we should be

fixing.

I think the honourable lady

raises a question that many people

have concerns about, which is about

the safety of our children until

they reach an age they can reach

decisions for themselves. It has

been a long-standing law that young

people can marry from the age of 16,

and I do not think that is likely to

be reviewed in the near future.

And

I thank the House for announcing the

business. Can I wish the honourable

lady happy birthday, and U2, Mr

Speaker, a happy wedding

anniversary. What a dramatic week,

when you think that this Brexit

chaotic cluelessness could not get

any worse, the government surprises

you all over again. I am now

embarrassed that my nation of

Scotland is caught up in this

disaster. We did not go looking for

this, we certainly didn't vote for

it, but the institutions of my

nation are caught up in the

collateral of it. The government is

in thrall to the DUP, I hope they

business has been given in advance,

in case they have to hastily

withdraw. The analysis papers are

still going on, detailing 50 to 60

impacts, while not existing at all!

What is coming clear is that there

was never such papers, and for some

reason the government took it upon

itself to boast about the existence

regarding papers that didn't even

exist on a binding vote! Is that not

contempt of Parliament? The

Secretary of State needs to consider

his position. This week everyone

noticed the repeal Bill is not fit

for purpose and damages the

settlement, but today the clauses of

the bill still remain in place.

Yesterday the Secretary of State for

Scotland said he would bring

amendments at report stage and he

will be held to that, but can he

ensure they are tabled early so they

Scottish Government can assess

whether they are sufficient? Can I

also congratulate the cities in the

city of culture, but you will

forgive us if we give an extra bit

of support for the city of Paisley

to become the first-ever city of

culture for the UK?

We will always

be very understanding of his desire

to support his own local contender,

that is acceptable to all, but

nevertheless in the Westminster

Parliament we do congratulate all of

them and wish them luck. He asks

about the claim that the should

continue to be contempt of

Parliament, but I must utterly

refute that. The government has

satisfied a motion covering 68

sectors of the economy. We were

always clear that the analysis did

not exist in the form the Parliament

requested, but the department has

taken time to bring together the

analysis in a way that meets the

request of Parliament, which is to

provide it with the respect it is

due, and you have now had

recognition from the Brexit select

committee that they consider that

matter has been closed. The

honourable gentleman also asks about

devolved administrations, and it has

been made clear that there will be

close consultation with all the

consultations including Scotland on

all subjects relating to the bright

future that we believe lies for the

United Kingdom once we leave the

European Union.

Will he find time

for a debate on nuisance telephone

calls made randomly by cold callers?

Yesterday I was driving along the

day 13 hands-free when a young lady

came on the phone to say she had

heard I had been involved in a road

accident, to which I replied, if I

get one more call I will be involved

in a road accident.

I am pleased

that he always drives carefully, and

also T here he was using a

hands-free device. But he raises a

very important point of concern to

many constituents. In the past the

information Commissioners office had

to prove that an office had to -- a

company had to cause distress before

they could step in. Now there is a

new law we're friends can be made.

He might want to seek a Westminster

Hall debate are is the issue at DCS

questions.

Winter is beginning to

bite, and up and down the country

accident and emergency is struggling

to cope with the demand. Report this

morning, 1 million people have not

been served within four hours in

accident and emergency. In

Huddersfield we have closure of AMD

threatened. Can we have a debate on

it, the shortage of beds, the

shortage of doctors?

He will be

aware that, thanks to the hard work

and dedication of staff, alongside

record levels of funding, the NHS

has prepared for a winter this year

more than ever before. We know that

the NHS is facing increased

pressure, which is why it has robust

plans in place supported by an extra

335 million and announced in the

autumn budget on top of the

previously announced 100 million to

support accident and emergency

departments. Nationally there are

more than 1000 extra beds freed up

since February by reducing delayed

transfer of key, and areas continue

to work to increase that number to

more than 3000 extra beds over the

winter period.

Would the Leader of

the House consider holding a debate

on access to NHS dentists in rural

areas? Oral health in children is

reaching crisis levels with almost a

quarter of five-year-old suffering

from tooth DK, and in my

constituency with a population of

12000 and growing, but not a single

NHS dentist. I believe this should

be debated to ensure everyone,

irrespective of where you live,

should have access to good dental

care.

She's quite right to raise

this. NHS England has a legal duty

to commission primary care NHS

dental services to meet your needs.

Access has improved in recent years,

but there is more that needs to be

done and I encourage her to seek an

adjournment debate so she can raise

this.

Happy wedding anniversary. And

a happy birthday to my collie, and I

am happy to see that she is at an

age where the candles do not cost

more than the cake! It is a very

fine line! Could I ask the Leader of

the House for early indications of

taming is over Christmas. I am

hoping we will get some time on the

following Thursday because we had a

deferred debate... We're getting

indications regarding important

matters. On the sectoral analysis

and impact assessments, the

north-east of England has a

particular set of problems when it

comes to the economy of the United

Kingdom. There is no sectoral impact

assessment for anywhere else. We

would like one for the north-east of

England. We are part of a country

that has a balance of payments

surplus in manufacturing at the

moment, and it is a great deal of

concern if there is nothing outlined

in terms of what our future would be

as a region.

I am sympathetic to his

request for more time backbench

business debates, particularly the

he mentioned that was rescheduled

for the RBS restructuring group. He

mentioned the impact assessment and

issues specifically for the

north-east, and I am sure he will be

reassured since 2010 unemployment is

down 41% in the north-east, 44,000

more children in good or outstanding

schools, but he makes a good point,

and I can assure him the government

is committed to making a success of

leaving the EU for all parts of the

United Kingdom.

Order, could I

indicate to the House there are 34

colleagues seeking to contribute,

that we really should finish this

set of exchanges by midday, because

there is a statement from the

parliamentary undersecretary of

state the Department of Health to

follow, and thereafter two very well

subscribed backbench business

committee debates. So, there is a

premium on brevity. If colleagues

have prepared too long text, please

have for others that would be

represented, by cutting that, and if

you cannot, don't bother with the

question because the debates that

follow are very important and I have

to respect the interests of those

who want to content -- contribute to

the debates. I was hoping Sir

Desmond was going to help out

because he is always the master of

brevity. His questions do not take

much time anyway.

Simple question,

we're going to build more houses, we

welcome that, but can we have a

debate to stop estate agents abusing

their position with price-fixing

Western Mark I agree we want to

build more houses -- your position

with price-fixing?.

There are DC L

questions next year, but my

honourable friend, I will suggest

that he writes to me on that point

and I will take it up with them.

Last week I raised with the Leader

of the House the possibility of

having a debate about the position

of Muslims in Pakistan, particularly

those sentenced to death because of

the beliefs. Now we understand that

a captain, the parliamentarian who

raised the issues is about to visit

the UK. Can we have a debate to see

what the government will say to him

about their plight?

I'm sure she

will be in touch with ministers and

the Foreign Office to make sure she

has reflected her views to them and

I'm sure they will be happy to

respond to her request on what the

official line will be when he

visits.

My constituent had an offer

on his House of £200,000 before fees

to part of HS2 was announced. They

have now valued it at £185,000. Can

we have a statement on how HS2 Ltd

are instructing these valuations?

I

thank him for raising this very

important matter, which has been of

great concern to my own constituents

and yours. I continued to challenge

them on a number of constituents

House purchase matters that have

been outstanding, and I urge my

honourable friend to seek an

adjournment debate or a Westminster

Hall debate to get a further

response from ministers on what more

can be done to ensure HS2 and

addressing all the concerns of the

Association of medical research

charities has published its report

large all concerns girly.

Can we

have a debate on how to increase

access to cross blatant dogs?

All

members have issues within their

constituencies about OFT

-- off patent drugs. I'm sure there

will be support for a debate on the

subject.

I am concerned about the

way the boundary commission is

operating its consultation because

5957 respondents, which is 96% of

all people consulted in my

constituency put on a response that

was substantial to say they wanted

to keep Morecambe and Lunesdale

intact. Both parties agree that both

communities should be kept separate,

and since then over 1000 more

submissions have been put in.

Well, my honourable friend is

raising a very important point. The

boundary commission for England,

Scotland and Wales publicised

Bakkali to publish provisos and the

consultation does not end until

September -- published revisions. It

is right to come forward before the

closure.

Last month, I met my

constituents Margaret and Richard in

Parliament at an event organised by

CRY, and sadly they were there

because they lost their son, Tom

Hartmann, who was a talented local

cricketer who died of sudden cardiac

death, so can we have a debate on

the work done by CRY and how we can

prevent the 600 deaths every year?

I'm so sorry to hear about that,

that is a really tragic case and

there are too many of those. As she

says, 600 cases a year. I do think

it is absolutely right to raise

these issues in the chamber and

encourage the honourable lady to

seek an adjournment debate on it.

I

received an e-mail this week from

two of my constituents, whose mother

is a former member of the women's

auxiliary air force and was

stationed at Bletchley Park in World

War II and is being cared for at the

Royal British Legion care home,

Dunkirk Memorial house in Taunton

Deane and they wanted to express

their immense praise and thanks for

the fantastic care their mother has

got, and other veterans get, in

these homes, so would the Leader of

the House joined me in praising the

staff at Dunkirk as an pass on the

message perhaps to the Ministry of

Defence about how important these

Royal British Legion care homes are

to our veterans.

Well, I'm delighted

to join my honourable friend in

praising the excellent work carried

out by the staff at the Royal

British Legion's Dunkirk Memorial

house in her constituency. All six

of the Legion's care homes around

the country make an enormous

difference to the lives of

ex-service men and women and their

families and I know my colleagues in

the defence team recognise that.

A

recent joint police and DVLA

operation in Bradford on uninsured

or taxed vehicles showed 540 taxed

vehicles identified and vehicles

seized because of drivers with no

insurance. It is highest tax evasion

rate forever decade. But the whole

house join me in congratulating

Yorkshire police in their innovative

operation to tackle dangerous

driving in Bradford and with the

Leader of the House grand

Parliamentary time to discuss this

issue?

Well I certainly share the

honourable lady's congratulations to

her local police force on tackling

this, that sounds like an enormous

achievement. I again encourage her

to seek an adjournment debate to

raise specific points and share best

practice in catching this type of

evasion.

I'm hoping that somebody

might perhaps, just conceivably,

manage a single sentence question?

Mr Stephen Curry...

-- Kerr.

Lastly, RBS which is owned

by the taxpayer and as branch

closures and the loss of jobs,

including the branch in my

constituency. Can the Leader of the

House, in Government time, provide

for us a debate on the announcement

of these closures and the future of

retail banking in this country?

Well, my honourable friend is a

strong champion for his constituency

and raises a very important point.

All banks must now comply with the

access to banking standard that

requires consultation and careful

thought before closures and he will

be aware that the Post Office now

provides access to basic banking

services for all retail banks, but

nevertheless, he raises a very

important point that I do encourage

him to pursue, perhaps with the FCA

or the bank themselves.

In recent

weeks, I've noticed an increase in

immigration casework and I'd

previously written to the Home

Office regarding the effect delays

are having my constituents. Data

published by the Department last

week showed only 62% of MPs' letters

and 72% of e-mails are responded to

within their standard service

timescale. Could you please have a

debate on the modernisation of Home

of his correspondence so members and

their constituents can receive

responses in a timely fashion?

Well,

the honourable lady raises an

important point that, for many

others, we all have constituency

cases with regards to these

challenges. I know from speaking to

the Home Office, quite often the

problem is slow responses from

overseas countries to enquiries, so

it is quite difficult to totally be

in control of response times but she

raises an important point that she

might want to bring about Home

Office questions.

This is an

important week in the taxing trade

-- taxi trade because the world's

first purpose-built electric taxi is

being made in Anstey Park in my

constituency and has been certified

for use in London. Can we have a

debate on how these initiatives can

meet environmental objectives?

I

congratulate him on that achievement

in his constituency, that is great

news for London and it is certainly

great news for rugby. The Government

is fully committed to reducing the

carbon footprint of our transport

system and this is a great new step

and it will certainly provide relief

for many people living in London.

Research carried out by the citizens

Project at Goldsmiths in my

constituency show that pollution in

south-east London reached six times

the world health limit on several

occasions during the last year. Can

we have a debate on this important

public health issue?

Well, the

honourable lady will have no doubt

been delighted by the mention of the

first London certified electric taxi

being built in his constituency. She

raises something that matters

enormously to all of us, the problem

of air pollution in London but right

around the country, it is something

the Government is determined to

tackle and we are taking strong

steps to encourage and to help local

authorities to pay for new pollution

free zones, but, equally, she should

speak to the Mayor of London, who

does of course have the challenge in

London are putting in place measures

to reduce the poor air quality in

our great city.

Having come eighth

in the international Reading test

only this week, can we have a debate

on phonics and the underlying

teaching of literacy in order that

we can make all children great

readers?

Well, I completely agree

with my honourable friend. This is a

great achievement that demonstrates

just how far the Government's

teaching reforms have taken us and I

would like to again praise all

teachers for their amazing

dedication. And also the pupils

themselves, congratulations to all

those children on England delivering

its best result since 2001, in no

small part thanks to our increased

emphasis on phonics.

Mr Speaker,

many Conservative MPs said Monday

that Clause 11 of the EU withdrawal

bill was deficient and yet voted for

the cause. The Secretary of State

that Scottish questioned yesterday

said the committee stage of this

House was merely to listen. Can we

have the urgent debate on what the

stages of bills are supposed to be

at this House?

As has been made

clear so many times, included by

myself, we are determined to get the

best possible deal for the United

Kingdom and for the EU 27 as we

leave the EU and an important part

of that is listening to all views,

constructive views, that seek to

amend and improve the legislation.

That is what we have been doing and

that is what we will continue to do.

Reports suggest that some 800

British citizens may have gone to

fight for the evil death called

Daesh in Iraq and Syria my right

honourable friend the Defence

Secretary and indeed the Ministry of

State at the Foreign & Commonwealth

Office have both indicated those

individuals not be allowed to be --

to return to the UK and may be

hunted down and kill. Am I right

honourable friend arrange

restatement to be made before

Christmas, because clearly this is a

matter of great importance for

policy for members across the house?

My honourable friend is right to

raise this issue and I would like to

pay tribute to the amazing work of

our counterintelligence people in

this country who we have just heard

recently have been able to thwart

multiple terror efforts in this

country. It is important that we

continue to support them and we are

continuing to invest in

counterterrorism. Equally, my

honourable friend raises the

question of what we do to stop

terrorists from coming back to this

country from overseas and it is

clearly the case that we need to use

every means at our disposal to do

so.

Could the leader do something or

could we have a debate about the

Government publishing routine

information? I have been trying for

15 months to get the library's task

force dataset published and have had

various answers that it will be

published in due course or the near

future. If the Government can

publish papers that don't exist,

surely they can publish papers that

do exist and honourable members of

the public can see them.

If the

honourable gentleman wants to write

to me, I will take that up on his

behalf.

Mr Speaker, when I visited

the excellent Trinity high school in

Redditch just recently, I had the

privilege of speaking to the

wonderful people there and asked

them about their experience of being

a teenager in today's world and they

did indicate to me some of the

pressures that they face due to

social media and their lives today.

So would she joined me in welcoming

the massive boost to children's and

young people's mental health

services and will she work with the

Department of Health to make sure

this funding gets to work on the

ground in Redditch and elsewhere?

My

honourable friend is quite right,

there are huge challenges facing

young people, unique challenges from

social media, from cyber bullying

and so on and the Government's Green

paper on mental health does seek to

alleviate that and to address the

problem at its core. For me

personally, in the very earliest

years, building that robust

emotional strength that children can

then rely on for the rest of their

lives.

The Leader of the House will

have seen that virgin care have sued

the NHS and this is familiar to me

because they threaten to me when I

raised their dubious practices in

this House previously. Would she

consider the debate and make it

clear that she will consider

protecting from corporations like

virgin question mark absolutely, the

NHS is something that right across

this House we share a commitment to,

we share a commitment to service is

being free at the point of delivery

and we will always defend the NHS

against any external threats to it,

including from private providers.

--

private providers. Some private

provision has been incredibly

beneficial to patients and the NHS

and we shouldn't overlook that.

My

constituent recently received a

demand for payment of £160 from

parking contractors on behalf of his

local Lidl supermarket while he shot

better about 50 minutes and writing

to the chief Executive, he was

distinctly disinterested -- while he

was shopping there for about 50

minutes. Can we have a debate about

the abuse parking charges by certain

companies?

I think we can all share

my honourable friend's frustration

about some of the appalling abuses

of this type of activity by private

parking enforcement organisations

and I certainly share his concern, I

am very sympathetic to that and he

should, I'm sure, seek an

adjournment debates so other members

can also hear about this situation.

The British Association of social

workers issued advice to their

workers this week saying they

consider it unethical and grading to

subject a woman to disclosure of an

incident of rape to a third party

just to access benefits. They join a

listing including the Scottish

Government, Unison and RBN. Can we

join them in a condemnation of this

policy and the Clause?

What I say to

the honourable lady is we fully

recognise this is a very difficult

and sensitive issue but can I assure

her a mother -- another will never

be questioned by a member of HMRC or

staff, they will simply take the

claim and seek professional

third-party evidence. There will not

be any requirement for evidence of a

criminal conviction or judicial

finding. We have adjusted our

approach to make sure women are

getting the support they need and

additional financial support is

going to those to whom it was

intended.

Mr Speaker, I am afraid of

a steelworker's pension scandal

brewing. Constituent of mine are

worried about making the wrong

decision for pensions transfer. The

Financial Conduct Authority is, I

think, providing insufficient

support to steelworkers at this

crucial time, so can we have a

ministerial statement and an action

plan from the NCA to support

steelworkers trying to do the right

thing for their families? -- FCA.

Pensions is of course a complex

subject and for anybody who is

trying to make decisions, they do

need the right advice for that. The

honourable gentleman is right to

raise it in this chamber and I do

encourage him to seek further

guidance from the FCA so that he can

provide support to his own

constituents.

When are we going to

have a statement on the rights of EU

nationals, in particular Irish

citizens, many of whom have lived in

this country for decades. Even if

the Government can't sort out

anything else on the EU withdrawal,

please can we have a statement on

this, which is causing anxiety to

millions of people in this country?

Well, I'm surprised to hear the

honourable gentleman seek that

reassurance. The Prime Minister has

made very clear on numerous

occasions, including in her Florence

speech, that all EU citizens will be

able to carry on living their lives

as before and we have committed to

incorporating our agreement on

citizens rights fully into UK law.

Can we have a statement from the

Home Office regarding a constituent

of mine who lost his passport but

has indefinitely to Remain. He has

been stuck for three months even

with a replacement passport. His

wife is pregnant, can the Minister

look into this?

I am sure the honourable gentleman

is already in contact with UK BA,

and I am happy to look into it on

his behalf if he wants to write to

me.

Can I gently say to the

honourable gentleman, the Leader of

the House is not to the best of my

knowledge the chief Executive of the

citizens advice Bureau. And although

the honourable gentleman was allowed

to continue with his question,

questions should be about the

business for next week, so my little

hint to him if he should seek to get

into his enquiry referenced to a

request for a statement or debate.

That is very much the correct form

for business questions, not, will

you have a look into something and

let me know? It is not quite the

same thing. Nevertheless we let him

off on this occasion, and I see that

in the friendliest possible spirit.

From the current city of culture,

can I say that we send our very best

wishes to those bidding to be the

next city of culture. This week

radio Humberside is reporting that

there has been an upsurge in the

roof of mopeds to commit anti-social

behaviour. -- in the use of mopeds.

What practical steps can we take to

deal with this, and why is it

happening? It is not just in Hull,

and beyond the side of decent people

against this yob culture.

Yes, we

can all share in her concern in

this. We have seen a rise in more

bed crying, we are concerned about

this and the Home Office. I am sure

the chairman of the backbench

business committee would be

delighted to hear from her with the

suggestion that there be a

cross-party debate on it.

Will the

Leader of the House make time

available for a debate on why the

government have conducted an impact

assessment into gravity fell sewers

and games, but not into the UK

leaving the European Union.

We're

back to the government smells, are

we? Here's being quite deliberately

flippant. As he will know, the

government has produced sectoral

analysis, which has been provided in

a form that is useful to Parliament

in accordance with requirements of

the motion passed. Therefore the

government has fulfilled the request

made and I sincerely hope the

honourable gentleman is enjoying

looking at that analysis and

learning from it.

It has been two

years since the Glasgow city deal

was announced, but in recent days we

have heard the Scottish Government

agency transport Scotland is

backsliding on their commitment to

deliver the Glasgow Airport rail

link, having sabotaged the project a

decade ago. Could we call a debate

or make a statement on the delivery

of the Glasgow city deal to ensure

it delivers the infrastructure

needed for Britain's second city?

I'm extremely sympathetic to his

call for further progress. The

government is fully committed to

these city deals, and perhaps make

like to seek an adjournment debate

to discuss what more can be done to

make this happen faster.

Increasing

the number of live exports of

animals has been suggested to cope

with the expected 80% collapse in

meat exploits post Brexit,

increasing the number of animals

exported on the hoof rather than on

the hook. Will Brexit be paid for in

increased suffering by defenceless

animals?

I can see that we are proud

of having some of the highest animal

welfare standards in the world, and

it is in fact the EU that prevents

the UK from looking at curbing

further measures to export live

animals. But if I can just say to

him, the movement of live animals is

not the export, it is the distance

they have to travel without proper

care for food and drink undressed

and so on, that is the issue he

should be concerned with, not the

export or the distant travel of

those animals. We remain absolutely

committed to doing everything we can

to further improve the welfare of

animals as we leave the EU.

Last

week Her Majesty's inspector didn't

of Constabulary announced the police

force is not fit for service, with

people in my constituency waiting

over an hour for a response.

I think

we are always extremely grateful to

our police forces for the work they

do, the honourable gentleman is

raising a point I am not aware of,

but he may wish to raise it in Home

Office questions or through an

adjournment debate to get further

information.

Since 2012, and two

thirds of Britain's total waste

plastic exports are being shipped to

China and Hong Kong. From January

that has to stop, China is banning

the imports. Can we have a statement

as to where we will send plastic

waste come the New Year?

I am sure

she will appreciate that this

government has been totally

committed to doing as much as

possible to protect our environment,

particularly marine environment

through the introduction of the

Bluebell and protected areas around

the coastline, our proposal to ban

micro beads and face cleansing

products, this government has banned

plastic bag use without charge

against them, and we're fully

committed to doing what we can to

protect our environment. Should she

wish to seek an adjournment debate

on this matter, I am sure ministers

will be delighted to discuss that

with her.

Nepal has passed a new

criminal Court Bill criminalising

so-called blasphemy and the

conversion of others. Widespread

concern... With the Leader of the

House agreed to a statement on this

issue?

I agree about the importance

of international freedoms and

looking after the rights of

minorities such as he mentions, and

I encourage him to seek a debate on

that subject.

On the Royal Bank of

Scotland and small business customer

treatment, could we have a debate as

soon as possible, but certainly

before the government flogs off its

shares and avoids accountability?

I

think he will be pleased to have

seen that RBS is recovering and

detox about the government flogging

off its shares. Because the

government's intention to return it,

and recoup the money the taxpayer

used to bail them out. He is

absolutely right, the debate was the

important one about the

restructuring that it. I know his

honourable friend, the chairman of

the backbench committee, is seeking

to the schedule it as soon as he

can.

Amongst the spin of how

powerful the new Scottish Tories are

and how they secured a £40 million

VAT exemption for police and Fire

Services, yesterday I highlighted

that has come at a cost of 265

million Scottish Tory. If they

genuinely did so much work in terms

of the VAT exemption, could she make

a statement outlining why the

Chancellor was not able to give me

in writing a date of one meeting

with any one of the 12 backbench

Scotty Tories on exemption?

I am

delighted he recognises the amazing

work done by my honourable friends

the Scottish Conservatives. I share

the enthusiasm for looking after the

interests of their Scottish

constituents, and I am sure the

honourable gentleman will be

delighted that in our budget a

couple of weeks ago the Chancellor

was able to confirm a £2 billion

consequential budget boost for the

Scottish Parliament.

Eight months

ago I informed the HSBC bank is

closing, no others are closing,

leaving my constituents with one

bank. What can ministers do to

address the issue of banks closing?

There is a new protocol that banks

must take to properly consult. As he

will be aware, the footfall in bank

branches has resumed -- reduced

significantly. But any areas where

there are older people who are not

so able, post offices and now

offering basic banking services for

all high street banks, which in some

cases means better opening hours and

a better service for constituents.

But he is right to raise this and I

would encourage him to seek an

adjournment debate.

We will hear

today who will be the winner of the

UK city of culture, and Paisley is

now one of the favourites after a

difficult start to the campaign. Can

we have a statement on the

competition to raise awareness of

the winner and the campaign?

We wish

all of those competitors the best of

luck and it is great to see the

honourable gentleman sticking up for

his own local applicant, and I wish

you every success with it. I am sure

there will be plenty of

opportunities for him to raise his

issue directly with the Prime

Minister should they be successful.

On the 9th of November last year,

seven people lost their lives and

many more were injured in the

Croydon tramp hash which was the

largest of its kind in 50 years.

Today there rail accident

investigation Branch are publishing

their findings into the causes of

the accident, and I have had early

site, and it is clear the findings

will apply across all of the

different tram networks of the UK.

For the sake of those who died, many

of whom were just going on their way

to work, never to return again, to

the Secretary of State come to this

place and make a statement about how

he's going to ensure the findings of

the investigation will be

implemented as quickly as possible

so this never happens again?

All

members, I think the whole country

was horrified by what happened, it

was an absolute tragedy, and I think

we all send our great condolences to

families and friends those who died,

and it is right that we learn the

lessons from that report, and we

will be very happy to discuss what

kind of feedback we