16/06/2011 House of Commons

right a range as to be made in event of those scenarios he talked

about. I thank the Minister and colleagues, urgent question, Mr

Andy Burnham. -- the Secretary of State for Education to make a

statement on funding for the academy programme. The errors

reported in the Financial Times today relate to mistakes made by

local authorities in their returns to the department. It relies on

local authorities to provide accurate information about their

spending and occasionally individual local authorities make

errors which can lead to academies getting too much or indeed to

little funding. The system for funding academies set up by the

previous Government is unclear, unwieldy and in our view and fair.

It is no surprise therefore that some errors do occur. This is why

we are proposing changes to the school funding system to ensure all

schools and academies are fully funded and three system without the

complexities that lead to these types of problems. It is brought up

of the right honourable gentleman to ask these questions and

attacking us for failing for the system created by the previous

Labour Government of which he was a part. We are the ones sorting it

out just as we are sorting out the historic budget for deficit. Does

he agree we should raise the bar on secondary schools from 35%

achieving five good GCSEs and English and maths to 40% next year

and does he agree that we should further raise it to 50% by the end

of this Parliament. Does he agree with our announcement today... I do

not why the opposition do not want to hear this, does he agree with

our announcement today to extend the Academy's programme to

underperforming Paris schools and in particular to the 200 worst

performing primary schools many of which were in that state for a

decade while his party was in When will they learn that they can

never backed away the question and always blame at something --

somebody else? Today's Financial Times says that his department has

given a large number of academies in England more money than they are

entitled to. This comes days after the Secretary of State caved in to

a legal claim that too much money had been taken from councils to pay

for academies. Does the Secretary of State and the Minister have a

grip on the budget? Wary is the Secretary of State? This is a day

on which serious questions are being asked about the rapid

expansion of his Academy's programme and whether it is backed

up with a serious plan. Why is he not here making that statement to

the House of Commons? Shouldn't he be here to reassure members that he

can proceed with his programme fairly and efficiently without

penalising other schools? Will the Minister tell the House how many

schools have been over funded and what is the total amount paid in

error? Will this money now be clawed back from schools? It is not

good enough to blame everybody else. When will he take responsibility

for the budget of his own department? If they had not spotted

this mistake before the F T reported it, why not? Under threat

of legal action, the government has announced a U-turn on Academy

funding. Can the Minister set out the details for that review and

does he accept the need for urgency? Is indeed the case that

the Secretary of State repeatedly finds himself in these situations

because he fails to consult people? -- isn't it the case. The only way

that people can make you listen to them is to launch her legal action.

That is no way to run a department. We hear that he will pay the

councils' legal costs. He has paid more money on solicitors' fees than

Ryan Giggs and Fred Goodwin tomorrow. -- together. Isn't this a

scandalous waste when money is needed for children's education? He

has been converted to Labour policies. We support raising

standards in schools. It is the standards of the Secretary of State

we are worried about. Maybe the plan necessary today was for poorly

run government departments to be taken over by successful ones.

Today the Secretary of State pathetically tried to blame Labour

for his latest blunder. Isn't it time he took responsibility for his

serial incompetence? Who yet again the honourable gentleman overstates

his case. The Secretary of State is speaking in Birmingham to the

national college as school leadership. I am sure his

predecessors spoke to them every year. We are taking action to

tackle these problems. They occur every year and they did so every

year under the last Labour government. The difference is that

we are taking action to sort out this problem and that is why we

announced a fundamental review of the school funding system. We are

making further announcements on the details of that review later this

year. He also raised the issue of double funding, where central

government is funding both the local authority and the Academy for

the same services. This is something that occurred under the

last Labour government and we are sorting it out. That is why the D C

L G sliced money off the funding of local government to deal with that

funding. We are looking about again. -- looking at that again. I would

like to know whether the right honourable gentleman supports us in

supporting a clearer and simpler system. We want a system that has a

per pupil funding system that everybody can understand and that

is fair. Rather than the system that his government had, where

schools were receiving thousands of pounds more per pupil a than

another school in a similar situation. Isn't it the case that

the question is a smokescreen for those who opposed academies? We

created more in 12 months than they created in 12 years. The last

government left half-a-million children illiterate. They want to

wallow in mediocrity rather than pursue excellent. -- excellence.

is clear where the opposition stands in relation to free schools,

for example. Since the election the right honourable gentleman has said

he opposes the establishment of free schools but since the news

broke that one of Tony Blair's closest aides is setting up his new

school he has now said that he supports them. Does he support the

academies programme or would he closed down those schools if he

came to power? When I published the original policy paper 10 years ago

on academies it was never intended that they should be overpaid and

local authorities under paid for doing the job of supporting pupils.

Can the Minister confirm that the 2.25 % that has been withdrawn from

school funding general and the overspend on academies has denied

other children the key services they need to raise standards and

give them a life chance that all of us should want for every child?

think it is a rich when former Education Secretary is attack us

for this policy because this is a system that this government

inherited from the previous government. We will look at every

case of either under or over funding. We want to reach a

position where all schools and academies in this country are

funded on a fair and simple and transparent process. Whilst we can

all accept that the problems that have occurred are the fault of the

regime in place under the last Labour government, can I get an

assurance from the Minister that he will have in place a replacement

system so that the next tranche of academies will not have the same in

constituencies -- inconsistencies? I am grateful for embracing those

issues. That is precisely what we intend to introduce and that is

what the current review into school funding is seeking to deliver. The

review is taking place now and later on the year we intend to

announce a further consultation on the details of that review. Is the

Minister aware that he is in danger of alienating those on these

benches who believe in the Academy programme and welcome announcements

made by this House - back to this House, but the question made by

Sarah Montego -- Montagu this morning has to be answered. Is the

end -- the incompetence we are talking about emanating from local

authorities, as he said, all from the Department? This is an error in

the figures quoted to does Palmer. -- to the Department. We are

determined to simplify the system. It is the complexity of the system

that was a local authorities. The only way to tackle it is to

simplify the system. Would the Minister agree that PMQs was an

extraordinary own goal? The party opposite either knew about the

problem and did nothing about it or else had no idea at all? Which does

the Minister think is worse? honourable friend does raise an

important point. It goes to how you handle opposition. I think that is

why I asked the questions to the honourable gentleman because it is

not about jumping on the latest bandwagon in a Financial Times

report. It is about working out where the opposition stands on

questions like raising the bar at secondary schools and how you

tackle the 200 worst performing primary schools. Since the

beginning of this year, at the request of parents in my

constituency, as I have been trying to find out the funding basis of

the several free schools due to open there. I have correspondent

from his department with every possible excuse for not giving that

information. Will he address my appeal against the refusal under

the Freedom of Information Act? Is it because they do not know it

because they are incompetent or is free schools are being given

preferential treatment? Details of free schools will be published once

they are open. The honourable gentleman will be able to see all

of that information. What we are concerned about is disclosing

details of proposals for free schools where they have been turned

down because that can cause embarrassment to those individuals

who have put forward a proposal which has turned down, and

sometimes they are put forward by teachers with existing jobs. Any

free school that opens, all of those details will be made

available when it opens. I welcome the statement by honourable -- my

honourable friend about simplifying the system because I hope he agrees

that it is only fair that students about as -- those schools get the

same funding. She raises a good point about how the system is

supposed to work. Academies are funded on the same basis as

maintained schools but they have more control over that element of

funding which is at the moment spent by the local authority on the

central services provided by the Academy. That is all that is going

to happen in the funding system. It is the complexity arising from that

that has led to some of these problems but this is an issue that

we are tackling and sorting out. Even though the Secretary of State

is in Birmingham, just in case he does not get a chance to talk to

councillors, the Birmingham Post recently complained bitterly that

there are significant hidden costs in the Academy's programme that

leaves the local authority out of pocket. We talked to Les Lawrence

on many occasions. He raises an important point. When the top

sliced funding for the local authority central services was

taken away from local authorities, there is an issue about how you

allocate those savings across local authorities. That is the issue that

is being corresponded over with those local authorities and we are

reviewing the position to ensure that we do not leave them in a

position where they can't find the central services that they continue

to provide to maintain schools and indeed to pupils attending

academies as well. I would like to agree with my honourable friend

that the party opposite does not like to listen to the success story

of the Academy's programme. Can I ask the Minister why he thinks that

so many schools have already The reason is because of the

autonomy academy status brings. By now, 700 and for academies have

opened from 200 when this government came into office and

they are delivering very high quality education and I hope the

opposition will supporters, not only in our existing Academy

programme, but in a proposal to extend the Academy programme to

primary schools and particularly the worst performing primary

schools. He has clearly been sent here as the fall-guy. Can I ask as

a parent on behalf of the parents in my constituency, we have a

Secretary of State who barged the building schools for future

programme, who had to do a U-turn on schools for Sports partnerships,

who cannot spot errors in the funding programmes of his own

department. Why should any parent have confidence in him running the

education system when he cannot even run his own department? I see

the honourable lady is trying to create a theme here. There is no

theme. This is a particular problem it reported in the F T today that

occurs every year and it rises out of the complexity of the funding

system and we will sort it out. I congratulate the Minister for

moving the focus today on the 200 worst performing primaries schools

and can I ask him if he agrees with a head of the PPI and Tony Blair's

former policy adviser that this is something the previous government

did not focus on. Yes, I agree. When we propose in opposition

extending academy status to primary school, the schools minister at the

time thought it was an appalling idea. Yet we have to do something

about the 200 underperforming schools and all underperforming

schools because this is where children learn the basics of

reading and arithmetic and if you don't get it right in the early

years, it can blight the life chances of all those children

attending underperforming schools and we intend to sort the might.

Speaker, the Secretary of State has made it plain that if schools do

not buy a raffle ticket by going for academy status, they won't get

involved in the raffle of getting capital out of future schools

funding. The Secretary of State has admitted to the House that There

are 100 staff in the department engaged in the expanse some --

expansion of the free schools programme. How much is is costing

the department? It is an important part of raising standards in our

school system. It is a crucial element in raising standards. When

9% of boys leave primary school basically unable to read, you

cannot say that applying staff in the department to deliver the

Academy's programme is a waste of taxpayers' money. It is good money

diverted to a programme designed to raise standards in our least

performing schools and I think it is a good use of taxpayers' money.

Does my right honourable friend agree that it is extraordinary for

the party opposite to quibble about accounting errors. Is it a

smokescreen to detract from comments Tony Blair has made

supporting this Government's policies on academies and primary

schools. My honourable friend raises a point that I was too

sensitive to raise with the opposition and that is that our

policies have been endorsed in yesterday's newspaper by the former

Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and a former schools minister voted for

art academies Bill in the other place supporting our expansion of

the Academy's programme. I wish the official opposition would now

support that too. Is the Minister familiar with the maxim that a

minister can delegate power but not responsibility? Just say sorry to

parents and pupils. Well, I'm not denying responsibility. That is why

we are taking action to simplify the over-complex funding system we

inherited and which led to these problems in previous years.

Great Yarmouth, we have seen the benefits of freedom and academies,

does the Minister agree that it is these freedoms that is encouraging

about one in 38 secondary schools to apply for academy status? -- one

in three. Academies are improving at twice the pace of the rest of

the school system and that is why we are so determined to expedite

the conversion process to academy say -- status. Turning

underperforming schools into academies in Bristol was for the

most part a great success. Free schools when not wanted however.

When will the government get his priorities right and address the

real problems, the chronic under provision of primary school places.

The honourable lady seems to contradict herself. There is a

shortage of places and yet she said there is no need for the free

school programme. That can be used to create or school places. We also

want more high quality school places and that is what the free

school programme, in particular, is designed to achieve. Schools in my

constituency - two schools - are considering applying for academy

status. Surely the fact these numbers have reached a high level

is a ringing endorsement of the policy the Minister is introducing.

It demonstrates the teaching profession values the autonomy and

trust this government is putting in them. That is in enormous contrast

to the top down and prescriptive approach taken by the previous

government and that is why I believe our system will work in

contrast to the way Labour did not manage to achieve a significant

rise in standards in their 13 years in office. Can the Minister tell

the House how many times the previous Labour government was

taken to court over its education policies? Well, the Sharon shoes

miss case springs to mind but I will write to the honourable lady

and let her have those figures. Financial and accounting errors are

a very serious matter and it is not surprising the shadow Secretary of

State raised this issue given his direct experience in that

catastrophic financial accounting areas -- errors of the last

government. Does he not agree that on a day when this government has

thrown a lifeline to children trapped in underperforming primary

school, it is odd the party opposite turns again they're back

on those children? I would have thought that, of all the issues to

raise in the House of Commons today, the fact that the Secretary of

State is announcing that we are taking urgent action to convert the

200 least performing primary schools in our country to academy

status, transforming them, giving the youngsters that attend those

schools a significantly better start in their education, I would

have thought that would be the issue raised today. Given its

serial bungling, can the government and the Minister tell us how much

has been spent by the Department on defending legal challenges in the

last year? These issues face all governments and all departments,

but I don't have those figures to hand. If I am able to get them I

will write to the honourable gentleman. Three of the 700 and for

a new academies in my constituency -- are in my constituency. We are

seeing an education revolution. Why are we discussing the accounting

areas -- errors? The simple answer is that the reason we are

discussing this matter is that an urgent question application was

submitted to me and granted by mi sono further discussion on that is

required. Is it not the case that is edge in question has underlined

the need for an inquiry into this discredited system because it is

unfair and inefficient. Is it not ironic that this issue has been

raised because schools want to actually have more autonomy and is

it not also the case that we should support...? That is enough. The

honourable gentleman has had a good outing. My honourable friend is

right. It is an issue that many local authorities have been raising

for many years. They have been campaigning and lobbying the

previous government about the unfairness of if school funding

system and that is what we are determined to sort out with the

school funding review. I visited a special school in my constituency

on Friday and learned how keen they are to obtain academy status. Could

the Minister help other special schools like that in encouraging

them to apply for the status of academies and were you assist my

school in particular, please? grateful. That is one of the

changes that is proposed in the Education Bill, to allow academy

status to apply to special schools as well and I would be very happy

to help my honourable friend. If she wants to have a meeting with

their head teacher from that school, I will be delighted to arrange it.

New academies in Kettering have been welcomed. Can the Minister

confirm the proportion of education funding that goes into teaching

pupils will go on under this government with less so bent as a

proportion in local bureaucracy in town halls? That is an important

point about bureaucracy in the system. We are devoting a huge

amount of resources to clamping down on bureaucracy and removing

bureaucratic burdens on schools. It involves rewriting reams of

guidance. For example, the guidance on believing runs to up to 500

pages which is rarely read in schools. We are streamlining it

down to 25. We are doing that with all the guidance so that it is

efficient and quick to read and schools can use it without having

to read through reams of phials emanating from the Department.

Business question. Mr Hilary Benn. Thank you. Can I asked the Leader

of the House to give us the forthcoming business. George Young.

The business for next week will be, Monday, second reading of the

Pension Bill, Lords. Tuesday, a motion relating to the partial we

committal of the Health and Social Care Bill. Remaining stages of the

Scotland Bill. Wednesday, opposition day. There will be a

debate on opposition motions - subject to be announced. Thursday,

a motion relating to review of congenital cardiac services for

children followed by emotion relating to circuses. The

provisional Business for the week commencing June 27th will include,

Monday, a debate on House of Lords reform. Tuesday, opposition day

there will be a debate on opposition may to an -- motion,

subject to be announced. A I'm grateful. A whole house will have

welcomed this week's successful meeting of the global alliance on

vaccines and immunisation because it showed up why the last

government was right to prioritise vaccination of children on an aid

budget. Can the right honourable gentleman confirm that the current

session will end in March next year with the Queen's Speech before the

end of that month so that it is all done before the Easter recess and

pre-election purdah? On the Health and Social Care Bill week a little

motion, can it be confirmed whether it will be debatable and for how

long? The House must have the opportunity to discuss how the bill

will be scrutinised by hard -- because the Health Secretary has

said that only the relevant parts of the Bill are to be recommitted.

This is completely unacceptable and will only make life more difficult

for the government in the other place where it already has problems

with time. In the case of the last two Bills to be recommitted, the

whole bill was sent back. When will we see the draft amendment and what

The reason this Bill is in chaos is because the Government must take up

the first time around. It is essential for the House that we

have the time and scope needed to look again in detail this time

around. Can we also have a debate on why the Prime Minister got this

so catastrophically wrong in the first place, with staff being

sacked and rehired at critics Spence? As we saw yesterday, and it

really was rather embarrassing, the Prime Minister does not do his

homework and he does not even know what is in his own legislation.

While nobody tries to take responsibility for the mess,

everybody tries to take credit for the changes. The Lib Dems, the

Prime Minister thinks he has saved the NHS from his health secretary.

The people who really count, the public, think, you cannot trust the

Tories on the NHS. Following the Sea Lord's comments this week about

the Libyan effect on the Royal Navy, and that we could have saved time

and money if we still had Ark Royal and its Harriers, when William --

when will we have a statement from the Defence Secretary about the

strategic defence review? It has left this country in the

extraordinary position of being an island nation that cannot put an

aircraft carrier to see. Having heard the Government's pathetic

excuses for a refusing to bring in a band... Bauhaus was told this was

because of a non-existent legal case. -- the House. As they

Minister had legal indication from effort that they plan on docking

the policy before next week's debate? Will he join me in voting

to do the right thing? And finally, can we have a debate on weekly

rubbish collections? Although it was the Secretary of State for the

Environment to answer at Tuesday's urgent question, we really want to

hear from the communities Secretary. It was his Pat -- pet project. He

must be so disappointed. He had proclaimed that having the rubbish

taken away every seven days was a basic right for every English man

and woman. Shami Chakrabarti and Liberty please note. Jumping up of

-- heroically on a passing bin Kuyt in, he planned to bring back weekly

bin collections. He has been defeated by his own conservative

collections -- councils. Conservatives like Andrew Nunn who

said that Eric Pickles should spend less time reading the newspapers,

that he had got it wrong. I agree, but with one exception. After all

the policies that have had to be thrown away by the Government in

recent weeks, there is one place that needs a weekly bin collection,

10 Downing Street. Well, Mr Speaker. I thank the right honourable

gentleman for that response. His performances at business questions

are attracting the attention of powerful friends. Last week he was

praised by the Daily Mail, who announced, Hilary Benn for Labour

leader, the campaign starts here. After that intoxicating but

unlikely endorsement, I looked up the odds. I was disappointed to see

him some way behind the pack at 33- 1. If I was a betting man I would

have said that was worth a pony. I welcome what he said about the

conference on Monday. He will have noted the extra 800 million which

the Government put in to vaccination. He would have heard

the Secretary of State's statement on Wednesday about our overall

policy on aid. The right honourable gentleman should not believe

everything you read in the press. The end of the session will depend

on the progress we make with legislation. They had just remind

him that it was not the case that 10 months before March and 2009,

the Government was telling us when the session was going to end. So

far as the motion about recommit will is concerned, that motion to

recommit would have been taken forthwith. We propose to make time

that they have -- available to debate it. The proposition is that

we should recommit those parts of the Bill that have been amended by

the Government in its recent statement. That are proposed to be

amended. The motion to recommit will be tabled in good time for the

House to debate it on Tuesday. So far as the comments on the bill are

concerned, I hope he read what Lord Darzi said about our policy. He did

not see it as a U-turn, but as a continuum of reform that the health

service has witnessed for the past decade under a Labour and is moving

into the next decade in the same way. He hoped that you would be

reiterated by opposition spokesman. So far as the Sea Lord is concerned,

the Prime Minister dealt with that yesterday. He referred to the Chief

of Defence Staff's statement. We have the resources to stay in Libya

for as long as it takes. His party in Government deferred having a

strategic defence and security review for a long period of time.

We have carried one out. We have no plans to revisit it. I announced

there would be a debate on the subject next Thursday in Government

time. The Government will make its position clear. I would just remind

the right honourable gentleman, this was yet another issue on which

his Government failed to take any action at all, leaving us to sort

it out. Finally, on bin collection, I was surprised he raised the

subject. I remember is rather humiliating U-turn on waste when he

was Environment Secretary only two years ago. He had to back down on

his own proposals. We are backing those local authorities that want

to increase the frequency of their bin collection. We have abandoned

their guidance to the Audit Commission, penalising those which

carried out weekly collections. When can we expect a statement and

a debate on sentencing? New assault guidelines have been issued which

say that the assault on a police officer where the Criminal attempts

to evade arrest and has previous convictions for public order

offences, can now only be punished by a fine. This soft, lily-livered

approach to sentencing is driving my constituents mad. It is time the

Government got a grip on it. I have some good news for my honourable

friend and his constituents. The Government will be introducing the

legal aid and sentencing Bill, which -- when he will have an

opportunity to share his views at greater length. When the Leader of

the House find time for an urgent to explain why this Government is

refusing to sign a UN convention protecting the rights of domestic

workers? Announcement was made on the same day the Secretary of State

for Work and Pensions was supporting an inquiry into modern-

day slavery. It is about time the Government got its act together.

There will be questions to the business Secretary on 14th July. I

will draw his attention to it -- to his question. Could the Leader of

the House find time for the Transport Secretary to explain the

decision this morning to award the contract for Thames Line trains to

Siemens, to be built in Germany, rather than in Derby. --? I believe

I am right in saying that there was it written ministerial statement

today by the Secretary of State for Transport on a two subject. One was

on the award of this particular contract. Next Thursday my right

honourable friend has questions at this despatch box where you have an

opportunity to press him or more likely her on why this decision was

taken. Earlier today,... Whether you're a supporter of co-operatives,

the big society or just a football supporter, I believe that the

excellent work footballers directs cannot be lost. -- football

directors. He has supported Queen's Park Rangers for a very long time.

And he welcomes its recent promotion. I understand that my

honourable friend, the sports minister, was very supportive

indeed to the proposition just put forward. I hope it is pursued

further in Westminster Hall. I will ask the Sports Minister if he can

add to what he said a few moments ago. Many of my constituents who

are concerned about the disruption the industrial action by teachers

will have on their children's education. Can we have a debate on

this important issue? I understand my honourable friend's concern. I

am sure it is shared on both sides of the House. It is regrettable

that two teaching unions have decided to take industrial reaction.

This would be bad news for the children and bad news for those

parents who go out to work. Responsibility for a contingency

planning rests with individual employers. At this stage the

Government has no plans to change the legislation. I would bring her

concern to the attention of the Education Secretary. Last night the

Chancellor, in his Mansion House speech, as well as pre-empting the

independent commission on the banking's final report, also

announced the sale of Northern Rock to the highest bidder. I do not

know if that is going to be considered as part of the following

statement. If not, can I urge the Leader of the House to have a

debate on this issue, or indeed a statement, sold the House can be

aware of why the Government has chosen not to implement the

Coalition agreement, which states, and I caught, to foster diversity

and financial services and create a more competitive banking industry.

Why has that not been followed in this case? In response to the

direct question, whether a question on Northern Rock will be in order

on the statement that follows, will be a matter for you, Mr Speaker. I

can see that your reflecting on it as we speak! -- you are. It has

always been the policy of the Government to return Northern Rock

to the private sector. That announcement was made yesterday

evening. The Olympic organising committee appears to believe that

the London Olympic Games prevents other people even mentioning the

date of next year. They say the term 2012 is now widely used in the

UK as a reference to the Games. My constituents -- constituent, Julie

Benton, is being threatened. My exhibition, she says, next year

will promote the best of Great Britain to the rest of the world.

It is not about a sporting event in London. Can the Leader of the House

reassure me and hair, and printers of diaries and calendars everywhere,

that the Act does not confer on the lump -- London Olympic Committee

exclusive rights to any No. Or Date, and that honourable members will

not have to rely on the privileges of members of this House to talk

about it next year? Surely the Leader of the House will fashion a

way to relate his answer to the business of next week! Or indeed

next year! Can I say that I endorse the general proposition at the end,

that there is no monopoly on 2012 and that... I would hesitate before

engaging in what appears to be a legal dispute between two companies

which I believe would be better Can we have a debate on the

responsibility of members of boards of directors because US law makes

it clear directors are bound to show due care and diligence in

making sure Companies Act lawfully but this clearly has not occurred

at news of the world. This leaves people like Andrew Knight, rod

Eddington, Thomas Perkins and Stanley Schumann in real legal

peril. Can we have a debate on this? I believe the member prefaced

his question by a certain someone had acted unlawfully. If that is so,

it is a matter for the police. we have a debate on the ownership

and the effectiveness of local and regional newspapers including my

own. A high proportion of editors up across the country feel they are

unable to scrutinise local public bodies and whilst it is not our

role to run newspapers, I believe the pressures on this industry

means that we should debate the implications of this serious matter.

I would welcome a debate in Westminster Hall initiated by the

backbench business committee. It wasn't quite clear from the

question why they were impeded from reporting on certain events but if

you would like to right, I you will see what I can do. -- right to me.

Could we have an early debate on nannies. I think the Leader of the

House is beyond the nanny using stage of his life and for many he

is like a kind of generous now need too many of us. In Geneva, British

representatives instructed by the Prime Minister are seeking to vote

against a vital convention to protect domestic workers. We are

the only democracy soap to do. This is a matter that goes to the heart

of this government. It's contempt for international conventions which

are there to protect the most weak and vulnerable. We signed up to the

EU trafficking Convention and they think this question is the same as

the one asked a few moments ago. I undertook to raise their concerns

with my right honourable friend who has responsibility for these

matters and I will include you in the response. I wonder if my right

honourable friend would support me in getting ministers to ask

questions of the dread -- dreadful can see -- treatment of my

constituent, Julie Roberts. She has worked for the Royal Mail for 21

years and recently had her mail van stolen. She jumped onto the bonnet

of the male than and held on for one mile while the thief tried to

make a getaway. She was able to get the van stopped and regain control

of the vehicle. How do Royal Mail treat this lady? A suspend her and

she is under threat of losing her job. People in South Staffordshire

want her back in work and they want Royal Mail to show some common

sense and common decency. Julie sounds a courageous lady who was

doing her best to defend Royal Mail Property. I will certainly draw to

the attention of the chairman of Royal Mail my remarks the

honourable friend has just made and make sure the lady is recognised,

if appropriate, rather than penalised. Ted used to be the case

that after that G8 Summit we would get a report by the Prime Minister

on what he did on the nation's behalf. We don't seem to have had

one this year. Would the lead -- leader reinstate that practice, not

just for the G8 but also other events like the G20 summit so we

can probably hold the government to count what it does on our behalf in

the international arena? The Prime Minister has made more statements

at this dispatch box than his predecessor and his more than happy

to hold himself to account and has reported after most major

conferences. I will make some inquiries and my right honourable

friend is more than prepared to come to the House after major

international conferences. Could we have a statement on the continuing

debt crisis in the eurozone and the effect it is having on our IMF

contributions? Something that appeared in the sun this morning

was a wholly misleading in that there is a resolution before the

House which will go through and go upstairs to a committee which

refers to our contribution to the IMF. The move to increase the IMS -

- IMF resources were agreed to use go before any eurozone support and

down saw the proposition will get the attention it deserves from the

House. Further to the written statement that the government will

extend buying standards for food and catering across Whitehall, can

you give some indication on whether we can have a debate on regulation

because it seems that we need a national framework that would apply

to all public sector bodies. It seems wrong that hospitals will be

excluded, particularly when we have made such progress in respect of

the campaign one fish. I commend the campaign. A fortnight today

there will be questions to DEFRA but in the meantime I will see if

we can get an answer on the. The honourable lady has just made.

Community groups play a vitally important role in helping to

regenerate town centres by holding events such as a festival taking

place this weekend. Would my right honourable friend consider holding

a debate on the important role community grapes -- groups make in

regenerating town centres and wishing the Barnaby festival every

success this weekend? I'm sorry I cannot get to the festival. This is

the big society in action and it is an opportunity for the community to

celebrate its history and promote Barnaby as an appropriate

destination. I hope it will make opportunities for further

regeneration and renewal. I wish it every success. One health bill we

committal, why shouldn't any member of this House from any party,

whether a backbencher or a front Bencher, have an equal opportunity

to put down amendments to the bill on any part of the bill that they

choose? They will have exactly that opportunity when the built reach

its its report stage. Any member will have the opportunity to do

that. Saturday marks the 196 anniversary of the Battle of

Waterloo. Could we have a stake and from the Leader of the House on

what plans they are to mark the day when Britain, led by a a future

Conservative prime minister, defeated the French and ended their

domination of Europe? Is there any likelihood of history repeating

itself? One of my ancestors, Admiral Sir George Young, was a

contemporary of Nelson so I have a particular interest in -- interest

in the question. I will refer the matter to the Secretary of Defence

to see if there are any events to commemorate this important

anniversary. What the Leader of the House is due consideration to a

debate on the proposed sale of Northern Rock? I understand the

Treasury has told reporters this morning that the Northern Rock

Foundation which does important big society work in the north-east, is

not going to be a condition of sale and that is a great deal of concern

to many of my constituents. I have had a very quick conversation with

my honourable friend sitting beside me and I understand he has some way

in the red folder the answer to the question. Later this afternoon, in

Ealing, they are unveiling a plaque commemorating Fred Perry he started

his tennis career there. What the Leader of the House agree that, not

only once - might do we want to see more tennis players get into the

top rankings, would he also agree it might be helpful to debate this

question in order to achieve that? I have heard Pete -- happy memories

of that club which used to be in my constituency. I also have happy

memories of the evening Lawn Tennis Club. I would welcome a debate on

sport and how we might do more to encourage young people in all

activities. A very much hope that in 2012, a profile might be

provided to raise the profile of sport -- an opportunity. Can we

please have a debate on the decision of the Transport Minister

to increase the Humber Bridge tolls to �3 per car per crossing, the

most expensive in Britain now? It was made without waiting for a

review the Treasury is taking forward and what will it mean for

the regeneration of the Humber Bridge area? The honourable lady

will know that in a week's time the Minister will be at the dispatch

box to answer questions on the top of the Humber Bridge. Can we have a

growth? Jobs figures yesterday showed a in increase in private

sector jobs growth in the last quarter which is of vital

importance to the airier I represent where we need to get more

sustainable private sector jobs. honourable friend reminds the House

of the encouraging set of figures we saw yesterday with an extra half

a million jobs in the private sector more than counterbalancing

any decline in public sector jobs. The decline in youth unemployment

was particularly good news and is lower than that of the previous

government. Could we not have sittings in Westminster Hall on

Monday afternoons and Thursday mornings? It is an ingenious --

ingenious suggestion. That proposition is one that would be

within the terms of reference and I'm sure my honourable friend has

given evidence along those lines. The Chancellor's talk about the

need for cultural change in banking regulation, bearing in mind the

failing system that was set up and led by the last administration.

What Howard -- plans has the Leader of the House got to debate this?

The debate will be initiated in a few moments time by my honourable

friend who will make a statement. We have to meet -- reform the

regime for financial-services if the city is to continue to be a

centre of wealth and enterprise. I hope my honourable friend will be

in his place for a few minutes longer when you could get a more

authoritative reply. Could we have a debate on the support for carers?

I understand the chief executive of carers UK... We could also discuss

the extensive additional support the government is putting into

respite care for carers. This is terrace week and tomorrow I will be

at the Princess Royal Trust for carers annual branch praising those

carers who saved this country a huge sum of money. We have found

additional resources for respite care for parents with disabled

children and also for others in the NHS and we have ring-fenced the

carer's allowance so it is not subsumed. Would the Leader of the

House find time for a debate on harsh practice by the Royal Bank of

Scotland? One constituent was treated very toughly by RBS with an

unnecessary court case threat even though she has funds to pay for a

reasonable settlement. Could my honourable friend speak to the

chairman of RBS and see what can be done? I will convey what my

honourable friend has just said. He will know that and a project Merlin

there was a clear commitment to increase blank -- bank lending and

whilst banks on-target, they are falling a bit behind on the SME

side. We made it clear we -- kept the right to refer to this matter

should it be necessary. I will pursue it and the Minister from the

Treasury has also heard that Could we have a debate on energy

policy and reforms? I am fed up to the back teeth, once the wholesale

price of gas increases, so does the retail price. When the wholesale

price comes down, the retail price never does. It is combating our

inflation target. I understand his concern, that they increase faster

than they come down. There will be an opportunity to question

ministers on July 7th. I know it is one of concern to many members of

the House as we read about fuel prices going up. The Green deal is

currently going through the House. A miner's bright it is being held

up by the siting of a communications mast. Will it the

Leader of the House find time for it debate to discuss the power of

communications companies to hold communities to ransom over

companies such as this? Isle would be misleading my honourable friend

if I could find time for a debate, if I said I could find time. I am

sure there are other members of parliament with the same concerns.

I would draw the attention of his concerns to the planning minister.

Could we have a debate on the progress being made by the

Government on the essential rebalancing and restoring the

health to Almagro economy? And could he ensured that members have

time in that debate to discuss the comment last night that the change

in the next would make very little sense? I entirely endorse what was

said. We heard a speech this morning demanding yet further tax

cuts that are wholly owned fund it. We will the Leader of the House

Grant was a debate on the independent commission of Banking

Report? -- grande us. Healthy competition needs to be a powerful

defender of consumer interest. said a few moments ago, there will

be an opportunity after my honourable friend has made a

statement for questions about our proposals to retain the City of

London as the thriving centre of enterprise. There will be an

opportunity to question my honourable friend on the

independent commission of banking proposals. K and we find time for

an urgent debate on trade union reform laws came at -- can we find