:00:12. > :00:18.Order, business question. Whlmer house give us the business for next
:00:19. > :00:25.week and the recess dates for next year, as well. The business for the
:00:26. > :00:30.house next week will be nothing at all because I will be enjoyhng a
:00:31. > :00:35.good festive break. The bushness for the house on the week commencing the
:00:36. > :00:39.4th of January 2016, on the Monday, the house is not sitting. Wd return
:00:40. > :00:44.on Tuesday 5th of January and I would remind colleagues that it is a
:00:45. > :00:47.Monday timetable starting at 2: 0pm, rather than a normal Tuesdax
:00:48. > :00:54.timetable. We will be debathng the remaining stages of the Housing and
:00:55. > :00:57.planning Bill. My right honourable friend, the Prime Minister, expects
:00:58. > :01:01.to make a statement to the house that day. On Wednesday 6th of
:01:02. > :01:06.January, we will have an opposition day on a subject to be annotnced. On
:01:07. > :01:09.Thursday 7th of January, thdre will be a debate on emotional lives and
:01:10. > :01:12.the effects of the equalisation of the state pension age and women
:01:13. > :01:17.followed by a debate on a motion relating to children in card. Both
:01:18. > :01:21.subjects which have been selected by the backbench business select
:01:22. > :01:24.Committee. Friday eighth, the house is not sitting. The provisional
:01:25. > :01:27.business for the week commencing the 11th of January will includd on
:01:28. > :01:32.Monday the 11th, the remainhng stages of the Armed Forces Bill
:01:33. > :01:35.followed by business to be nominated by the backbench business committee.
:01:36. > :01:43.I should also inform the hotse that business and Westminster Hall on a
:01:44. > :01:48.January date will be on the week that we return, Thursday 7th of
:01:49. > :01:52.January, a report on the arled services covenant. Monday 10th, a
:01:53. > :01:58.debate on the eve petition relating to the NHS bursary. Colleagtes will
:01:59. > :02:02.wish to know that subjects to the progress of business, the house will
:02:03. > :02:08.rise for the Easter recess `t the close of business on Thursd`y 2 th
:02:09. > :02:15.of March 2016 and will return on Monday April the 11th 2016.
:02:16. > :02:23.In what is a festive week, because my honourable friend the Melber for
:02:24. > :02:33.Suffolk Coastal and the Deptty Leader of the House have a
:02:34. > :02:36.particularly festive air today, in aid of charity, can I therefore take
:02:37. > :02:43.the opportunity to wish you, to which her, to which the shadow team,
:02:44. > :02:51.and to all members of this House a very happy Christmas. That's all
:02:52. > :02:55.members of this House, and for those not -- north of the border, a very
:02:56. > :03:00.happy Hogmanay. I'm sure thd whole house will want to join me hn
:03:01. > :03:03.recognising the important work that goes on supporting the Housd
:03:04. > :03:06.throughout the year. I would like to thank all the staff working
:03:07. > :03:11.throughout the Palace of Westminster and to wish them all a restful
:03:12. > :03:16.Christmas and a happy New Ydar. And since there are always staff on duty
:03:17. > :03:21.in part at the spammers, to which those who have to work over the
:03:22. > :03:28.Christmas period, a prison break when they have one. -- duty at the
:03:29. > :03:32.Palace. Despite the caterwauling yesterday
:03:33. > :03:37.by the Leader of the House when he suggested that I would make lame
:03:38. > :03:42.jokes about Star Wars today, as they did the Prime Minister himsdlf did
:03:43. > :03:47.yesterday, I have a UK exemption from Star Wars related tumotr, and I
:03:48. > :03:54.have some better -- perfectly good blame Labour jokes of my own. The
:03:55. > :04:01.pantomime season is upon us. Oh yes, it is! And Cinderella hs
:04:02. > :04:06.appearing, apparently audithons were last month so unfortunately the
:04:07. > :04:12.Rhondda will have to do without my Prince Charming this year. However,
:04:13. > :04:18.I see the Epsom Playhouse this year as beauty and the beast. Thdre is a
:04:19. > :04:21.rumour going around that thd leader and the Deputy Leader are actually
:04:22. > :04:27.going to be appearing in thhs production on select nights. The
:04:28. > :04:36.only question is, which part will they be playing? I am prettx certain
:04:37. > :04:49.that the Deputy Leader will be playing Mrs Pot, because shd would
:04:50. > :04:52.be Mrs Coffee Potts. And as for the Leader of the House, he is no beast
:04:53. > :04:59.obviously, but I hear there was a mystery had earlier on this week at
:05:00. > :05:03.the sale of Mrs Thatcher's dresses. There is a rumour that he is going
:05:04. > :05:08.to be seen waltzing across the stage in that black printed chiffon number
:05:09. > :05:17.in beauty and the beast latdr on this week. So Mr Speaker, c`n we
:05:18. > :05:26.have a debate on food waste? Last year, ?1.2 million -- 1.2 mhllion
:05:27. > :05:29.sausages were sent to landfhll in Rhondda alone, so it is gre`t that
:05:30. > :05:32.the local council is signing everybody up to proper food
:05:33. > :05:37.recycling. At new figures show that this has last year wasted 44,00
:05:38. > :05:45.meals that were just tipped in the bin. 33 food banks within the M 5
:05:46. > :05:51.and an estimated 70,000 children in London going to bed hungry dach
:05:52. > :05:55.night, would it not be time to institute a new scheme to donate
:05:56. > :06:02.unused food from this palacd to local Fairbanks. -- food banks. La
:06:03. > :06:07.Plagne minister make sure hhs statement on the first day back is
:06:08. > :06:15.on the Prime Minister's renegotiation of the UK's
:06:16. > :06:19.relationship with the EU's H gather his EU counterparts are now so
:06:20. > :06:22.heartily sick of his endless whining that he is finally going to be
:06:23. > :06:26.allowed to speak tonight for a couple of minutes during dinner
:06:27. > :06:32.while the waiters are clearhng away the plates somewhere between
:06:33. > :06:36.courses. He is becoming rather like one of those really irritathng
:06:37. > :06:41.relatives, who pops around 40 every now and again and then casu`lly
:06:42. > :06:48.asked if you can bed down on the sofa, drinks or your whiskex, and
:06:49. > :06:54.then when you finally summon up the courage to ask him to leave, asks
:06:55. > :06:56.can I redecorate the bathroom? There seems something utterly illogical
:06:57. > :07:02.about the whole renegotiation process. The Prime Minister seems to
:07:03. > :07:05.think that EU citizens in Poland and Romania sit around trying to work
:07:06. > :07:09.out which is the most generous to benefit system in Europe before they
:07:10. > :07:13.decide where to go and live and work. Is that really what honourable
:07:14. > :07:19.members opposite think people do? Do they think this is the kind of
:07:20. > :07:27.conversation they have, hey Bob band, which is better, the TK's
:07:28. > :07:38.yesterday at the EU's flexible security? Honestly, all of this is a
:07:39. > :07:43.complete nonsense. Every single one of us... And he is clever enough to
:07:44. > :07:48.know it. Every single one of us knows it, EU citizens come here
:07:49. > :07:52.because we speak English, bdcause there are jobs in this country and
:07:53. > :07:58.because it is a great country. Another Government's trying to
:07:59. > :08:07.undermine every single thing -- element of that. -- I know the
:08:08. > :08:09.Government's. But the Prime Minister's proposal will make
:08:10. > :08:14.absolutely no difference to net migration figures in this country.
:08:15. > :08:19.So why did we just get on whth the referendum now? In or out, remain
:08:20. > :08:22.orderly. As Sir John Major said flirting with exit would be
:08:23. > :08:29.dangerous for this country. It is one thing to choose to leavd, one to
:08:30. > :08:31.leave, honourable but in by mindfulness, but quite another to
:08:32. > :08:37.end up leaving by accident. That would be incompetent and
:08:38. > :08:41.dishonourable. I'm delighted the Leader of the House has givdn us the
:08:42. > :08:46.dates for the Easter recess, but maybe he could extend it further to
:08:47. > :08:56.the Whitsun recess. It is the 1 th of May. As Boxing Day appro`ches,
:08:57. > :09:03.can I ask for an assurance from the Leader of the House that thd draft
:09:04. > :09:08.hunting act 2004 amendment which was withdrawn earlier this year is not
:09:09. > :09:12.back on the horizon? Becausd it has been rumoured to be so in the press.
:09:13. > :09:16.If the Government wants to bring back hunting, it should be open and
:09:17. > :09:21.honest about it and not to stick it back in through the back door.
:09:22. > :09:27.Primary legislation, not secondary. With the New Year coming up, can I
:09:28. > :09:34.suggest the leader makes a resolution, can he repeat after me.
:09:35. > :09:38.I will always... Come on, I will always... Oh, dear. I will `lways
:09:39. > :09:42.guarantee that all major announcements of Government policy
:09:43. > :09:47.are made to this House first, and not leaked to the press. And if that
:09:48. > :09:54.guarantee is breached, I will resign immediately! I thought, Mr Speaker,
:09:55. > :09:59.but the Prime Minister treated this House and you, frankly, with utter
:10:00. > :10:02.contempt last week, when after you said in this House that any
:10:03. > :10:06.announcement on the decision or the process of the decision or dven the
:10:07. > :10:09.process of the lack of decision regarding Heathrow and Gatwhck
:10:10. > :10:14.should be made in this Housd, that very afternoon he went out `nd made
:10:15. > :10:18.statements on the television. But is a gross discourtesy to this House,
:10:19. > :10:21.and the Leader of the House should have excoriated the Prime Mhnister
:10:22. > :10:35.and should do so every time he tries to do that again. When of the
:10:36. > :10:42.amendments today is on the subject of the Southern health NHS Trust,
:10:43. > :10:44.where the deaths of 1000 people with disabilities and mental health
:10:45. > :10:51.problems were not openly investigated. This will onlx be made
:10:52. > :10:53.available late in the day-to-day, long after honourable members will
:10:54. > :10:58.be able to quiz the Governmdnt about it. That again is a gross
:10:59. > :11:03.discourtesy to this House. Lr Speaker, it is Christmas tile, but
:11:04. > :11:09.Christmas is not a snug as ht may seem in the adverts of the carols.
:11:10. > :11:14.Jerusalem does not lie still. Not the hopes, but the fears, of the
:11:15. > :11:22.years on it in her tonight. H UK points out that more than 1 million
:11:23. > :11:26.old people go for more than a month without speaking to a neighbour of
:11:27. > :11:30.family friend over Christmas. Thousands of families will have to
:11:31. > :11:35.choose between heating and dating, and the real Christmas storx is
:11:36. > :11:38.about an unfair tax, a brut`l dictator slaughtering innocdnts a
:11:39. > :11:43.young unmarried woman giving birth in a stable and a family harshly
:11:44. > :11:48.forced into Excel. All of these things have been repeated in Syria
:11:49. > :11:51.in the last week alone, -- dxile. It questions dare to believe that in
:11:52. > :11:58.that story lies hope for thd world. So can I wish you, Mr Speakdr, a
:11:59. > :12:00.Merry Christmas, and through you, to the clerks, the doorkeepers, the
:12:01. > :12:07.catering staff, the cleaners and all of those who work in and for
:12:08. > :12:11.Parliament. To our Armed Forces security services and all those who
:12:12. > :12:20.keep a watchful eye when we are married, I say in the words of tiny
:12:21. > :12:25.Tim, God bless us, one and `ll. I didn't think he was great to
:12:26. > :12:29.finish! Let me start, I would like to update the House on the progress
:12:30. > :12:33.being made on the provision of security for members. You know this
:12:34. > :12:37.has been a matter of considdrable concern to members in recent weeks,
:12:38. > :12:41.and I have been working along with the Chairman of Ways and Me`ns to
:12:42. > :12:46.try and identify a proper w`y forward for members. I am pleased to
:12:47. > :12:50.inform members that the sectrity measures available to all mdmbers
:12:51. > :12:55.are to be standardised in a security package. The package will address
:12:56. > :13:02.MPs group is personal securhty of site, and will include conshderation
:13:03. > :13:05.of staff safety. This is solething that actually has been raisdd as a
:13:06. > :13:10.confirmed by many members, `nd I think it is important to recognise
:13:11. > :13:13.the concerns that members h`ve. Many colleagues will already havd
:13:14. > :13:19.adequate security arrangements, but the standardised package will
:13:20. > :13:23.accelerate the procurement of security items. The Chairman of Ways
:13:24. > :13:32.and Means is going to write to colleagues today, and they will
:13:33. > :13:35.receive notification in the New Year of how to access this package. I
:13:36. > :13:43.hope this will allay concerns of members. It has been the end of an
:13:44. > :13:47.eventful year. The Conservatives won the General Election, Labour lost
:13:48. > :13:51.the General Election, the Lhberal Democrats shrank in number `nd I
:13:52. > :13:55.think what on invisibility cloaks. There has been a slight change in
:13:56. > :14:02.the numbers of the benches over there. -- on the benches. And then
:14:03. > :14:06.of course we all came back to Westminster and you remember those
:14:07. > :14:08.happy early morning sprints as the Labour left and the Scottish
:14:09. > :14:13.national Party rushed for the best seats. But they don't have to do
:14:14. > :14:19.that any more, because the Labour left has moved from those stits to
:14:20. > :14:24.the front bench. -- seats. What we will see in the New Year is whether
:14:25. > :14:28.the shadow leader decides to do anything about that. He askdd the
:14:29. > :14:33.question about food waste. 0.4 million sausages sent to landfill in
:14:34. > :14:38.his constituency alone. If xou're stuck about food waste, can I
:14:39. > :14:43.suggest he might consider starting slightly closer to home, it was I
:14:44. > :14:51.think the produce of Welsh farmers is first rate. I cannot unddrstand
:14:52. > :15:00.why it would be sent to food banks at all. On the EU issue, thd Prime
:15:01. > :15:04.Minister will address this but I think it is also important lembers
:15:05. > :15:08.get to question him about the process -- progress on the Syrian
:15:09. > :15:13.peace talks. So of course hd will answer questions about Europe after
:15:14. > :15:16.Christmas, but he will also be available to address other hssues as
:15:17. > :15:21.well as necessary. The shadow leader talked about jobs. At the end of
:15:22. > :15:24.this year, one of the things -- things we can be proudest of as a
:15:25. > :15:29.party of the unemployment fhgures we saw yesterday. There were more than
:15:30. > :15:34.1.5 million people claiming benefit when I was employment minister, that
:15:35. > :15:39.number has almost halved in the last four years. More and more pdople are
:15:40. > :15:44.in work and finding opportunities in this country. The legacy of
:15:45. > :15:49.unemployment we inherited from the party opposite has been well and
:15:50. > :15:52.truly turned around. Mr Spe`ker when it comes to Europe, I `m not
:15:53. > :15:55.going to take any lessons from the man who won decade ago exprdssed
:15:56. > :16:05.deep distress that it was not joining the euro. -- a decade ago.
:16:06. > :16:08.Further recess dates will of course be subject to the progress of
:16:09. > :16:12.business because we as a party believe it is more important to make
:16:13. > :16:18.sure the social business upon we were -- which we were electdd can be
:16:19. > :16:21.enacted upon to make a diffdrence to this country. He mentioned the
:16:22. > :16:25.hunting issue, we get this dvery week. He must stop believing
:16:26. > :16:28.everything he reads in the papers. Whether and if this Governmdnt has a
:16:29. > :16:35.new measure, we will announce things. I have stood in this chamber
:16:36. > :16:40.over the last few weeks and received numerous requests from people to
:16:41. > :16:43.receive updates before Christmas. So I make no apology for the f`ct that
:16:44. > :16:47.today we are providing this House with plenty of updates before
:16:48. > :16:51.Christmas. Lastly, he made the series point about lonely pdople
:16:52. > :16:56.this Christmas, and I hope dveryone in this country will think Tom do I
:16:57. > :17:00.have a lovely person next door who I can invite round for a drink over
:17:01. > :17:05.Christmas and bring a bit of light into a lonely life? Mr Speaker, I
:17:06. > :17:07.hope everyone in this country has a very happy and joyful familx
:17:08. > :17:24.Christmas. In the absence of the Christmas
:17:25. > :17:29.adjournment debate would my right honourable friend find time for the
:17:30. > :17:35.debate on CQC timetable changes which unfortunately has transferred
:17:36. > :17:42.what used to be the happy lhne back into the misery line again. -- C2C.
:17:43. > :17:47.The chair of the committee hs here and I think I would simply stick to
:17:48. > :17:52.him that it is quite clear that the house understands the situation this
:17:53. > :17:56.time around and it is clear we will return to the traditional format and
:17:57. > :18:01.a number of people are making representations to me and I hope we
:18:02. > :18:04.will do that next time around. We will not hear the usually
:18:05. > :18:08.characteristic element from my friend and he makes his point very
:18:09. > :18:11.well and I am sure with him on the case that if the happy lane is
:18:12. > :18:19.turned into the misery line then it will she be back to the app can I
:18:20. > :18:24.thank the leader of the house for announcing the next year's business.
:18:25. > :18:28.I wish a peaceful and Merry Christmas and I extend it to the
:18:29. > :18:34.leader of the house and the deputy leader of the house. I was sure the
:18:35. > :18:44.members of staff are very Mdrry Christmas and a peaceful Christmas
:18:45. > :18:47.and I congratulate the staff and ensure that all members are
:18:48. > :18:51.accommodated and look forward to and Merry Christmas to the staff. I am
:18:52. > :18:59.surprised to see so many colleagues here today because last night it was
:19:00. > :19:05.our Christmas party and it was a lot a the singing. I am impressdd see so
:19:06. > :19:13.many of my colleagues here. We also have beauty and the beast appearing
:19:14. > :19:17.for our annual pantomime. Sleeping beauty might have been more
:19:18. > :19:23.appropriate for them. I alw`ys like a good pantomime horse so what about
:19:24. > :19:35.a pantomime horse from the colleagues in the Labour Party.
:19:36. > :19:42.UK opinion polls are showing the majority of people in the UK
:19:43. > :19:47.favouring leaving the Europdan Commission. We have seen thd Prime
:19:48. > :19:54.Minister flirting with our dxit trying to renegotiate our mdmbership
:19:55. > :20:03.terms with European ladies who couldn't care less. -- European
:20:04. > :20:07.leaders. They just want to see the back of him. A recent opinion poll
:20:08. > :20:10.shows that Scottish people `re determined to stay within Etrope but
:20:11. > :20:15.there is a growing fear that our nation might be taken out of Europe
:20:16. > :20:20.against our will. It is tot`lly unacceptable to us and it whll be
:20:21. > :20:25.the first time ever that a nation within Europe has been taken out
:20:26. > :20:33.against its will. We were told that a no vote would secure our place in
:20:34. > :20:41.Europe during the referendul. I am asking for a debate. If we `re a
:20:42. > :20:45.family of nations within thd United Kingdom, one nation of this union
:20:46. > :20:49.cannot determine the membership rights of every other nation with
:20:50. > :20:53.the UK. We have an opportunhty to resolve this and make sure that no
:20:54. > :20:58.nation is taken out of Europe against their will. I am asking the
:20:59. > :21:03.house to ensure they are to that debate next year. Yesterday's debate
:21:04. > :21:11.on fracking was just simply appalling. We have an appropriate
:21:12. > :21:18.Scots word which means it w`s no debate at all. The fracking will
:21:19. > :21:22.desecrate the National Parks of this country and thank goodness that we
:21:23. > :21:27.have they necessary powers to ensure that our country will not bd
:21:28. > :21:31.desecrated by the Tories fr`cking friends and that is very difficult
:21:32. > :21:39.to say when you have had a very good night out the night before. We go
:21:40. > :21:43.into the New Year with no agreement about the fiscal framework the
:21:44. > :21:47.engine that will allow the fiscal arrangements of the Scotland Bill to
:21:48. > :21:55.operate properly. We need to have this agreed and we need to know how
:21:56. > :21:58.this will go. I am supposing that the leader of the house will not
:21:59. > :22:01.agree to a debate about it that can he assure that Treasury minhsters
:22:02. > :22:05.will appear before the Scottish affairs committee of the move into
:22:06. > :22:10.the whole situation but the fiscal framework. All he needs to do is go
:22:11. > :22:15.to the Treasury and ensure we have the necessary ministers so we can
:22:16. > :22:22.put the points to them. Fin`lly this has been some year. The real news of
:22:23. > :22:27.this year is the emergence of my colleagues my honourable frhend the
:22:28. > :22:33.Scottish National Party winning 50 out of 59 seats in Scotland. One
:22:34. > :22:41.Tory one Conservative, who barely one seat is all we have in Scotland.
:22:42. > :22:44.What you will have here is ` determined and united opposhtion.
:22:45. > :22:48.The real opposition to thesd Tories and they will get away with nothing
:22:49. > :22:55.as long as the Scottish Nathonal Party are fitting here becatse we
:22:56. > :22:59.can no longer rely on the dhsunited, dispirited, forlorn Labour Party. It
:23:00. > :23:09.is these benches that will provide the opposition. The leader of the
:23:10. > :23:13.house. The honourable gentldman may have had an apt steam your snipe to
:23:14. > :23:18.last night or he has been t`sting the single malts. I do not know I
:23:19. > :23:21.wish him personally am very happy festive period and all of hhs
:23:22. > :23:28.colleagues and I hope they will have a relaxing and enjoyable. Otr nation
:23:29. > :23:41.went be taken out of Europe Europe against its will. His nation and my
:23:42. > :23:49.nation are the same. If he had his way and he didn't they would now be
:23:50. > :23:53.at the doors of Westminster's begging bowl. They collapsed and the
:23:54. > :24:00.oil price would have shot their financial plans to pieces. ,- the
:24:01. > :24:05.collapse in the oil price. The decision has proved remarkably
:24:06. > :24:12.prescient. Our nation will decide our future in the European Tnion. It
:24:13. > :24:17.is nonsense that fracking whll desecrate some of our finest areas.
:24:18. > :24:20.It has existed for many years as a technique and it has been used in
:24:21. > :24:33.the south-east of England in very attractive parts of the country with
:24:34. > :24:37.people not noticing for dec`des This will not in any way descriptor
:24:38. > :24:41.finest areas of the country. He asked if a Treasury minister would
:24:42. > :24:44.appear and we have Scottish questions the first week back so he
:24:45. > :24:50.will be able to raise questhons there. As chairman of the sdlect
:24:51. > :24:55.committee he will know that it would be unprecedented for a minister to
:24:56. > :25:03.say no if he is invited to ` select committee so the invite you should
:25:04. > :25:07.be extended. The Scottish N`tional Party a very good year. It hs our
:25:08. > :25:12.goal next year to be the second party of Scotland at Holyrood. I
:25:13. > :25:16.wish all of my conservative colleagues well in the coming months
:25:17. > :25:27.for the campaigns they are `bout to fight.
:25:28. > :25:37.He dropped a Star Wars joke into his speech but he is a class above. I
:25:38. > :25:42.was disappointed that the Shadow leader did not want to tell his Star
:25:43. > :25:43.Wars jokes because I'm in the last few days are number of people have
:25:44. > :26:07.described him to me as the jar Jar binks of the
:26:08. > :26:11.Labour Party. International women's Day is coming up and I wonddr if we
:26:12. > :26:17.can focus on the opportunithes of getting more female representation
:26:18. > :26:21.into this house. Perhaps we could have had debate about it he`ding up
:26:22. > :26:29.to that date perhaps even on that date itself. This is an important
:26:30. > :26:33.point and getting a better gender balance in this house is gohng to
:26:34. > :26:41.continue to be a priority. H am delighted to see an increasd in
:26:42. > :26:44.members of Parliament that women on both sides of the house and I think
:26:45. > :26:50.the house is a better place for a tad long may it continue. In
:26:51. > :26:57.relation to the debate on n`tional women's Day, there should bd won
:26:58. > :27:00.since there was a debate on international men's day. Thd man who
:27:01. > :27:13.can take that decision if shtting years and will be noticing this
:27:14. > :27:20.Could I, on the of the backbench committee and its staff which the
:27:21. > :27:32.house a very Merry Christmas and I happy and healthy 2016. I thank the
:27:33. > :27:40.Leader of the House of Lords business data is and I am pleased
:27:41. > :27:49.that we have time on Januarx, will that be protected time for the
:27:50. > :27:55.backbench business committed? We would like three hours protdcted
:27:56. > :27:59.time in case there is an ovdr running of the Armed Forces Bill.
:28:00. > :28:04.Can I also apologise to the right on a member for Southend West? The
:28:05. > :28:08.backbench business committed made a decision about the allocation of
:28:09. > :28:10.time in good faith based on the time that was provided at the tile and I
:28:11. > :28:27.have to say to the leader of the house but there
:28:28. > :28:31.are two important debates this afternoon which have a lot of
:28:32. > :28:37.support and it was on that basis that the backbench business
:28:38. > :28:42.committee took that decision. I m aware about the situation whth
:28:43. > :28:46.protected time but judging by the speed in which the Armed Forces Bill
:28:47. > :28:50.has made progress so far thdre is consensus on both sides of the house
:28:51. > :28:53.about it I think the likelihood is that you will end up with more time
:28:54. > :29:00.rather than less but I will continue to review the issue. I thank him for
:29:01. > :29:04.the work he is doing and I think the committee works well and it has
:29:05. > :29:09.picked up interesting topics for debate. I one request to thdm, it is
:29:10. > :29:12.not for the government to interfere, but there have been a number of
:29:13. > :29:15.points in the calendar debating how we deal with veterans of thd Armed
:29:16. > :29:21.Forces that I hope the commhttee will always look to for maintaining
:29:22. > :29:27.in the calendar. I do not whsh to be pedantic but I think the ch`ir of
:29:28. > :29:35.the back business committee -- backbench business committed is not
:29:36. > :29:50.the one who represents Leicdster East that is her little brother The
:29:51. > :29:53.director-general 's of several museums have warned that significant
:29:54. > :29:57.damage could be done to thehr collection of firearms leadhng to
:29:58. > :30:01.the destruction of thousands of historic ones if the proposdd
:30:02. > :30:05.changes to the EU firearms directive goes out. Can we have a statement
:30:06. > :30:11.from the government on what they are doing to stop this happening please?
:30:12. > :30:15.Well, Mr Speaker we will have questions with the Foreign Secretary
:30:16. > :30:19.shortly after hour return in January but it is important whether it is in
:30:20. > :30:24.this place or in Brussels that new roads legislation is thought through
:30:25. > :30:28.carefully and unintended consequences are planned for in
:30:29. > :30:40.advance and addressed. He h`s identified what is absolutely a
:30:41. > :30:43.policy that one can underst`nd. This is for the removal of dangerous
:30:44. > :30:53.firearms but it should not be at the expense of museums and we should
:30:54. > :31:03.take note. My mistake, she hs firmly rooted in her seat.
:31:04. > :31:09.On December six my constitudnt s was tragically stabbed to ddath on a
:31:10. > :31:14.night out with friends on a night out in central London. He w`s a
:31:15. > :31:19.father of the three-year old boy and a carer for his elderly grandmother.
:31:20. > :31:25.He was warm and intelligent and kind. A few weeks ago I told the
:31:26. > :31:29.house of some of constituents who lost their lives to youth vholence
:31:30. > :31:33.and I asked the leader of the house if he could have a debate on the
:31:34. > :31:44.matter. He dodged the questhon and gave no answer. Today I ask him
:31:45. > :31:50.again. Will he allow us to debate youth violence? First of all any
:31:51. > :32:00.death as a result of knife crime is tragic. Our Secretary of St`te for
:32:01. > :32:08.Justice for Enfield North, H legislate in the last Parli`ment to
:32:09. > :32:14.extend the jail sentences for people carrying a knife more than once
:32:15. > :32:17.That is very little excuse. I have to give careful consideration to
:32:18. > :32:21.what time can be available but a lot of the times in the hands of the
:32:22. > :32:22.backbench business committed and I would encourage her to talk to that
:32:23. > :32:39.committee committee. Given that the Lord Chancellor has
:32:40. > :32:42.announced that he is undert`king a review, does the leader of the house
:32:43. > :32:45.think it is sensible that there should be time given to a ddbate on
:32:46. > :32:47.sentencing so that he can gdt a sense of the wishes of the house
:32:48. > :32:51.before he brings legislation forward? There is a logic as he
:32:52. > :32:59.prepares his review for members to express a view, I will talk to you
:33:00. > :33:02.about that might be best possible. Yesterday the National Audit Office
:33:03. > :33:07.published its report about the future of acute hospitals showing
:33:08. > :33:12.that 181 of the hospital trtsts in this country are deficit six months
:33:13. > :33:16.into this financial year. In the Autumn Statement, the Chancdllor
:33:17. > :33:21.announced extra money for NHS England and we now know that is
:33:22. > :33:25.likely to be swallowed up bx these deficits. Will the league ldader of
:33:26. > :33:28.the house make sure that either the Chancellor or the Secretary of State
:33:29. > :33:33.health comes to the house to explain how the government is going to make
:33:34. > :33:38.sure that our hospitals do not close button marked the reason thd
:33:39. > :33:40.finances are under pressure is because the health service hs doing
:33:41. > :33:45.more today than it has ever done before in this country. Providing
:33:46. > :33:49.more new treatment options for people. It is right that it
:33:50. > :33:52.continues to do everything ht can and that is why we have provided
:33:53. > :33:55.more money for the National Health Service and we will continud to do
:33:56. > :33:59.so. The Health Secretary will be here the day we return for
:34:00. > :34:02.questions. She will have thd opportunity to raise those concerns
:34:03. > :34:10.again. It is because the NHS is doing more that it is facing
:34:11. > :34:15.pressures. Will the leader of the house arrange for a debate hn the
:34:16. > :34:19.New Year to discuss the cherished relationship United Kingdom has with
:34:20. > :34:22.the other 15 realms where hdr majesties the Queen is the head of
:34:23. > :34:26.state and will he share with me the consent that the government of
:34:27. > :34:30.Barbados is calling to a republic without giving the people of
:34:31. > :34:36.Barbados the right to have ` referendum to make their own choice?
:34:37. > :34:41.Well, Mr Speaker, my honour`ble friend makes his point customer
:34:42. > :34:47.early eloquently and I have to say that I would always hope and expect
:34:48. > :34:54.the constitutional change in a Commonwealth country... We derive
:34:55. > :34:58.enormous strength, Mr Speakdr, from our ties with the Commonwealth. They
:34:59. > :35:02.provide an opportunity for cultural exchange and economic environment
:35:03. > :35:07.and working together and long may that when she should continte. And
:35:08. > :35:14.we have a debate on the UK Border Agency in the New Year as it affects
:35:15. > :35:18.constituents like mine? One in particular has lived in the UK for
:35:19. > :35:23.31 years and is married to ` British national and still struggling which
:35:24. > :35:28.Eve permanent residency in ` case where the Home Office are vdry
:35:29. > :35:43.reluctant to engage. And I wish you and everybody a happy New Ydar?
:35:44. > :35:51.The honourable gentleman is clearly pursuing his constituency c`se and
:35:52. > :35:59.it is difficult for me to comment on the specifics. Thank you very much,
:36:00. > :36:06.Mr Speaker. Earlier this wedk, the European Commission imposed a
:36:07. > :36:11.Draconian and premature ban on the catching of sea bass on fishermen in
:36:12. > :36:16.the south-west. Could we either have a policy statement as used happen
:36:17. > :36:21.when a fisheries Minister c`me back from Europe or could we havd a
:36:22. > :36:27.debate in the New Year to look at the implications of the fisheries
:36:28. > :36:33.Council decision on the UK fishing industry? I have known for xears
:36:34. > :36:36.that we used to have debates after the event and we used to have a
:36:37. > :36:40.statement from the fisheries minister in the chamber so he could
:36:41. > :36:47.be questioned. Could we ple`se have that? Mr Speaker, I will discuss
:36:48. > :36:51.this with the fisheries minhster and also make sure that her concerns are
:36:52. > :36:59.raised. It is a difficult Allens. We have a duty to try and ensure we
:37:00. > :37:02.protect fish docks but I will make sure that the fisheries minhster get
:37:03. > :37:12.in touch with her and addresses her concerns are some as possible. The
:37:13. > :37:15.leader of the house might know that Christmas is not only known for
:37:16. > :37:18.overindulgence in many ways but it is also a time when many of our
:37:19. > :37:24.constituents get out and have a wonderful walk, often on Boxing Day,
:37:25. > :37:28.but many members here believe that children learn best outside the
:37:29. > :37:32.classroom, so can we have an early debate when we get back on the value
:37:33. > :37:37.of out-of-school learning and would he and other members joined those
:37:38. > :37:40.members of Parliament who h`ve raised ?5,000 in their constituency
:37:41. > :37:45.to make sure that ten schools get out into the countryside and if that
:37:46. > :37:50.involves a partnership we would be happy to help? I would be ddlighted
:37:51. > :37:54.to find out more about what he's doing. I agree with him abott the
:37:55. > :37:58.need to get all of us, our families, our constituents, alt, exercising
:37:59. > :38:05.and taken advantage of our beautiful countryside over the coming weeks.
:38:06. > :38:09.He makes a very important point and what is also important is something
:38:10. > :38:12.I sought to change in the l`st Parliament, unnecessary health and
:38:13. > :38:17.safety rules that put schools off taking young people out on visits
:38:18. > :38:24.elsewhere are eased so they are balance between appropriate
:38:25. > :38:30.safeguards and common-sense. First of all, can I extend my best wishes
:38:31. > :38:34.to everybody for Christmas `nd particularly the team behind the
:38:35. > :38:38.education select committee. Now with Christmas in mind, can he spare
:38:39. > :38:43.a thought for the turkey as it is prepared for the oven and actually
:38:44. > :38:46.completely and utterly stuffed? Does the leader of the house agrde with
:38:47. > :38:53.me that we should have a debate on the consequences of leaving the
:38:54. > :39:00.European Union after a referendum? Mr Speaker, that is an interesting
:39:01. > :39:09.segue. On the subject of thd turkey, I think many turkeys will bd gracing
:39:10. > :39:12.our tables at Christmas timd. Mr Speaker, I think the conseqtences of
:39:13. > :39:16.leaving the European Union `re a matter that will be debated and
:39:17. > :39:19.discussed over the coming months and there will be strong views
:39:20. > :39:26.articulated on both sides and the people of this country will decide.
:39:27. > :39:35.The leader of the house will be aware that one of our most dminent
:39:36. > :39:43.conservationists, Chris Patten, said of the... Said earlier this week of
:39:44. > :39:50.the 75% declining butterfly species that this was a final warning to the
:39:51. > :39:55.UK. Could we have a debate on the decline in species in this country
:39:56. > :40:04.and the need to take urgent action to meet our targets? Well, Lr
:40:05. > :40:11.Speaker, I would like to declare having an interest in this subject,
:40:12. > :40:16.the Grayling is also a speches of butterfly. I would not C butterflies
:40:17. > :40:21.disappearing from our country. It is important in this country that we
:40:22. > :40:26.have a balanced policy that ensures we protect our countryside, protect
:40:27. > :40:29.habitats, as well as providhng is base for agriculture and I think the
:40:30. > :40:33.points he makes are well made and I would make sure they are
:40:34. > :40:49.communicated to the Secretary of State. As co-chair of the all-party
:40:50. > :40:52.group mountaineering, we welcome the sport strategy today that w`s
:40:53. > :40:57.presented by the government which goes beyond traditional sport to put
:40:58. > :41:00.further focus on outdoor recreation, such as walking, cycling and
:41:01. > :41:06.Mountain sports as well. Will my right honourable friend consider
:41:07. > :41:15.holding a further debate on the benefits of mountain recreation My
:41:16. > :41:21.honourable friend makes a vdry good point. I think the government sport
:41:22. > :41:24.strategy sets an appropriatd path for the future, engaging yotnger
:41:25. > :41:28.children in sport at an early age is very important, and I will pay
:41:29. > :41:31.tribute to my honourable frhend for the work she has done in assembling
:41:32. > :41:37.the sport strategy and if I may I think I will miss her all the very
:41:38. > :41:40.best for the next two weeks. She will be expecting her first child in
:41:41. > :41:47.the New Year and we wish her all the very best for racing Cecil birth and
:41:48. > :42:03.a happy time with her newborn child. My eye extend my good wishes. During
:42:04. > :42:06.this Smith commission process the Scottish Government argued hn favour
:42:07. > :42:12.of devolving implement law, including trade union legislation.
:42:13. > :42:16.This was blocked by both thd party opposite and the Labour Party. Given
:42:17. > :42:19.that one of the two have now had an epiphany, and now wish to sde the
:42:20. > :42:23.Scottish Parliament have power over trade union legislation, max we have
:42:24. > :42:31.a debate on further devoluthon beyond Scotland Bill? May I remind
:42:32. > :42:33.the honourable lady that of course there were excessive negoti`tions
:42:34. > :42:43.and discussions around the Smith commission. I think the Scottish
:42:44. > :42:47.Parliament and the Scottish administration would do well to
:42:48. > :42:51.concentrate on using the powers we are giving them rather than using
:42:52. > :42:57.more. There is very little dvidence that when we give them powers they
:42:58. > :43:03.make use of them. Can we have a debate in government time on the
:43:04. > :43:06.airport commission 's report, in light of the shambolic performance
:43:07. > :43:13.last week with the non-decision and the manner of its non-announcement
:43:14. > :43:16.in this house, in order to be able to discuss the unanimous conclusions
:43:17. > :43:21.of the five commissioners that Heathrow was the right site for a
:43:22. > :43:27.new runway and can the terms of the debate beset wildly enough ,- widely
:43:28. > :43:29.enough to include installathon of the extraordinary proposition from
:43:30. > :43:34.Gatwick that they can put fhve times as many passengers at the Brighton
:43:35. > :43:38.mainline, in light of Southdrn rails performance in the last week where I
:43:39. > :43:43.repeat a tweet from my constituent Jonathan Freeman who when travelling
:43:44. > :43:48.to work to be the managing director of one of the Prince of Walds 's
:43:49. > :43:53.charities says really? Southern rail? Again? You want some sort of
:43:54. > :43:57.sponsored screw-up and this is how we know how desperate the shtuation
:43:58. > :44:08.is, Crispin Blunt MP, you are only hope. The situation was cle`rly
:44:09. > :44:12.deeply wretched. I think we are in danger of getting into the detail of
:44:13. > :44:16.the policy. Reference was m`de earlier to the fact that thdre was
:44:17. > :44:20.no statement on the day in puestion on the Thursday. It was a vdry
:44:21. > :44:23.regrettable state of affairs. The Secretary of State did come on
:44:24. > :44:27.Monday to deliver a state wdnt and there can be no doubt that `
:44:28. > :44:32.minister was going to have to appear at the dispatch box either to
:44:33. > :44:36.deliver a state and awe to respond to an urgent question. That the
:44:37. > :44:41.right honourable gentleman had no reason to be in any doubt whatsoever
:44:42. > :44:44.as the leader of the house knows. In future rather than delivering peace
:44:45. > :44:47.date meant belatedly when it was gone to have to be delivered, it
:44:48. > :44:54.should be delivered on time. As courtesy to the House of Colmons.
:44:55. > :44:56.The leader of the house. Mr Speaker, you know that I was inevitably
:44:57. > :45:01.shivered announcements are lade to the house. No public statemdnts they
:45:02. > :45:09.have been made by the command of the Strathclyde review which has now
:45:10. > :45:16.been published. I would say of course that the government has to
:45:17. > :45:21.deal with sensitive information and so I have noted his comments, Mr
:45:22. > :45:25.Speaker, I have to say that the phrase are only hope is Crispin
:45:26. > :45:28.Blunt is one I have never hdard before in this house. How often it
:45:29. > :45:37.will be said in future, I whll wait to see. He makes an important point
:45:38. > :45:41.about the Brighton mainline. The Brighton mainline is alreadx heavily
:45:42. > :45:44.congested and aspirations to substantially increase the number of
:45:45. > :45:48.passengers on it, I think those who have constituencies in and `round
:45:49. > :45:55.the area, they will take a little bit of persuading. Just pick up on
:45:56. > :45:59.the last question, the servhce that has been provided by Southern trains
:46:00. > :46:04.with Network Rail to hundreds of thousands of commuters in mx
:46:05. > :46:10.constituency and London and the south-east has been an appalling
:46:11. > :46:13.joke, and absolute joke. Sotthern trains have admitted they don't even
:46:14. > :46:19.have enough drivers and thex don't have enough decent trains. They set
:46:20. > :46:21.things in providing a service. Will the leader of the house get the
:46:22. > :46:25.Transport Secretary here to give us a statement or at least write to
:46:26. > :46:28.both of us explain what he's going to do to get these companies sought
:46:29. > :46:31.their act out? They have broken their act out? They have broken
:46:32. > :46:51.promise after promise, enough is enough. Well,... I take notd of the
:46:52. > :46:55.comments that he makes. I whll make sure the Transport Secretarx is
:46:56. > :47:03.aware of them. In defence, however, of at least part of the sevdn
:47:04. > :47:25.service, on the line near Epsom the service seems to be working well.