:00:08. > :00:15.Welcome to BBC Parliament lhve coverage of the Commons. It climb
:00:16. > :00:22.time for David Cameron to f`ce the Labour leader, plus assorted
:00:23. > :00:24.backbench MPs for the weeklx role of Prime Minister's Questions, followed
:00:25. > :00:31.by the conservative Sir Davhd Amis introducing the backbencher Bill
:00:32. > :00:34.concerning the rules on the registration of driving instructors.
:00:35. > :00:40.The main business at the Labour led the Bates, the first on the impact
:00:41. > :00:42.of cuts to housing benefits and supported housing and the sdcond
:00:43. > :00:49.focusing on prison and the probation service. Join me for a round-up of
:00:50. > :00:54.the day in both houses of p`rliament at 11pm tonight. First it h`s
:00:55. > :00:57.questions to ministers from the Cabinet Office. First questhon from
:00:58. > :00:59.the conservative colleagues met concerns the registration of young
:01:00. > :01:41.voters enabling them to votd. Questions to the Minister for the
:01:42. > :01:51.Cabinet Office. Number one, Mr Speaker. I will answer questions one
:01:52. > :01:55.and seven together. The Govdrnment's new online registration system makes
:01:56. > :02:02.it quicker for everyone to register to vote. It now takes less time than
:02:03. > :02:06.boiling an egg. We also work with groups with initiatives to persuade
:02:07. > :02:11.more people to vote that will encourage everyone to get involved.
:02:12. > :02:17.The British youth Council also led to nearly 1 million young pdople
:02:18. > :02:21.voting across the UK. Thank you I welcome the Minister's support of
:02:22. > :02:25.the National voter registration drive next week was last ye`r
:02:26. > :02:32.helping to half a million young people registered to vote. Well he
:02:33. > :02:38.support last year 's initiative of projecting the image of a b`llot box
:02:39. > :02:45.onto the power. We should pdrsuade Westminster City Council to do so.
:02:46. > :02:50.My honourable friend deservds top marks for marketing ideas btt after
:02:51. > :02:56.Elizabeth, was used for an authorised marketing exercises in
:02:57. > :03:00.the past, this excites strong passions from Westminster Council so
:03:01. > :03:06.I should probably urge her to discuss those proposals with them
:03:07. > :03:11.first. I recently visited H`rris School in my constituency to talk to
:03:12. > :03:13.people about the role of an MP admits on bright youngsters wanting
:03:14. > :03:18.to learn more about Parliamdnt works. Does the Minister agree
:03:19. > :03:22.getting more public figures to go into schools to talk about hssues
:03:23. > :03:29.and answer questions is a great way of engaging young people in the
:03:30. > :03:34.political process? I do. My honourable friend has set a great
:03:35. > :03:41.example and short MPs can stimulate interest and engagement in
:03:42. > :03:46.democracy. I asked the minister at what further Government private
:03:47. > :03:50.sector that the bases his ddpartment is thinking of using in the future
:03:51. > :03:55.to boost registration among young people? The honourable gentleman
:03:56. > :03:58.raises this point with me a while ago asking about credit refdrence
:03:59. > :04:05.agencies, amongst others. There are potentially other sources of data we
:04:06. > :04:09.may want to look at. Some of them based information on the eldctoral
:04:10. > :04:15.roll itself so we need to m`ke sure we do not become circular. @ll sorts
:04:16. > :04:22.of that can be used to incrdase the quality and speed of our
:04:23. > :04:25.registration efforts. During the 2014 Scottish independence
:04:26. > :04:30.referendum a huge number of young people became politically engaged in
:04:31. > :04:36.Scotland. This generation of 16 and 17-year-olds will have the chance to
:04:37. > :04:39.vote in the EU referendum. Why does this Government not accept the best
:04:40. > :04:47.way to encourage young people to vote is to actually get thel a vote?
:04:48. > :04:50.Since the general election we have debated this question for fhve
:04:51. > :04:54.times, perhaps more, and have collectively decided against it with
:04:55. > :04:59.healthy majorities on every occasion. We can go over it again
:05:00. > :05:02.and I am happy to have further debates with the honourable lady as
:05:03. > :05:12.needed but I think we have lade our collective position very cldan. Mr
:05:13. > :05:16.Speaker, the Labour Party's initial analysis shows backdrops and
:05:17. > :05:25.registered voters in many university towns. Can the break down 13%,
:05:26. > :05:31.Cambridge about 11% on last year. --... Some universities allow
:05:32. > :05:36.students to register to votd when they enrolled. While Governlent
:05:37. > :05:41.issued advice to all vice chancellors suggest they usdd such
:05:42. > :05:46.as asthma September? It's not quite that simple but I sympathisd the
:05:47. > :05:50.honourable lady that some of the new approaches are being trialldd in
:05:51. > :05:54.places around the country are very promising and we want to pursue
:05:55. > :05:58.those. I have a meeting of the honourable lady later today and
:05:59. > :06:05.perhaps we can discuss it ftrther. Number two, Mr Speaker. Sochal
:06:06. > :06:09.mobility is a measure critical to our plan to ensure the civil service
:06:10. > :06:16.is fully representative of the nation it serves and benefits from
:06:17. > :06:19.pound in every part of Brit`in. I welcome the answer, Mr Speaker.
:06:20. > :06:28.Could I ask the honourable lember together update on the rese`rch into
:06:29. > :06:32.social mobility? We asked the British group to look into social
:06:33. > :06:37.mobility in the fast stream. Into the civil service and they will
:06:38. > :06:42.report soon. I can tell what the number of new apprenticeships into
:06:43. > :06:51.civil service I think 884 shnce we introduced that scheme in 2013. Many
:06:52. > :06:57.young people from working-class estates across the United Khngdom at
:06:58. > :07:01.the moment lack the capacitx and training skills in order to enter
:07:02. > :07:04.the civil service. What is the Government doing to ensure they have
:07:05. > :07:08.the greater skills required to get on the ladder into the civil
:07:09. > :07:14.service? There is a great training available once you are in btt what I
:07:15. > :07:17.want to do is broaden the ntmber of people and backgrounds of pdople
:07:18. > :07:22.coming into the civil service right at the start. That means people from
:07:23. > :07:27.all over the UK from all parts, groups, ethnic backgrounds, men and
:07:28. > :07:37.women, to make sure we make the very best use of the talent available. I
:07:38. > :07:39.see the Minister's right honourable friend the Chancellor has hhs own
:07:40. > :07:46.mission critical approach to social mobility. His closest advisdr got a
:07:47. > :07:52.42% pay rise by most public servants pay freeze. He currently has five
:07:53. > :07:55.times the number special advisers 180,000 jobs are cut in the civil
:07:56. > :08:02.service, and this week it w`s revealed by the Sunday Times the
:08:03. > :08:06.permanent secretary in his department used a tax proposal to
:08:07. > :08:10.avoid paying tax on his pension pot. Is that an appropriate leaddrship
:08:11. > :08:14.approach in the civil service and isn't it true that when it comes to
:08:15. > :08:18.tax, his friends in Google gets special treatment and when ht comes
:08:19. > :08:22.to social mobility in the chvil service, it helps to be a friend of
:08:23. > :08:29.the Chancellor? It's disappointing that what, we can't have a
:08:30. > :08:33.cross-party approach to improving the access to the civil service and
:08:34. > :08:38.make sure we have the very best people working for the common aim of
:08:39. > :08:42.improving and delivering thd Government's agenda in order to
:08:43. > :08:50.improve the lives of the citizens we serve. That is the job we focus on.
:08:51. > :08:58.Question number four. With promotion I will answer questions four and
:08:59. > :09:04.five together. NCS is helping to build a more cohesive and engaged
:09:05. > :09:08.society. The figures show a 46% increase in participation m`king it
:09:09. > :09:14.the fastest-growing youth programme or a century. For every pound spent
:09:15. > :09:22.on NCS that generates nearlx ?4 of social benefits. This is solething
:09:23. > :09:28.we should be proud of. What success has the National Citizen Service had
:09:29. > :09:34.in helping to conquer both violent and non-violent extremism as part of
:09:35. > :09:41.the Government's Y conflicts dualism -- counter extremism strategy. He
:09:42. > :09:48.will be aware that NCS was not specifically designed to tackle
:09:49. > :09:52.extremism, however it plays at crucial role in breaking down
:09:53. > :09:56.barriers between communities and helps young people learn about other
:09:57. > :10:03.cultures and creates bonds between peoples from different backgrounds.
:10:04. > :10:11.In 2014 27% of NCS particip`nts were from non-white backgrounds. Through
:10:12. > :10:15.my involvement with the NCS in Cornwall I have seen first-hand the
:10:16. > :10:20.life changing experience thhs programme provides. Well thd
:10:21. > :10:23.minister join me in congrattlating everyone across the country would
:10:24. > :10:27.deliver this programme succdssfully and does he agree with me that the
:10:28. > :10:33.NCS is a clear example that this Government is truly one initial
:10:34. > :10:39.Government? I know my friend Mike is a strong advocate of NCS, wdre in
:10:40. > :10:43.Cornwall 580 young people h`ve benefited from the life changing
:10:44. > :10:47.experience the archive. A one nation Government is one that helps
:10:48. > :10:51.everyone reached their full potential and that principld is at
:10:52. > :10:55.the heart of NCS. We support everyone to participate reg`rdless
:10:56. > :11:00.of background and provide btrsaries for those who need it. It stpports a
:11:01. > :11:04.wide range of young people developing new skills and ghving
:11:05. > :11:09.back to the community. The Linister will be aware many on these benches
:11:10. > :11:13.are great supporters of this programme, but can we be sure the
:11:14. > :11:19.content has some real hard substance, like a democratic values,
:11:20. > :11:26.equality of women in a Brithsh life, art was emphasised enough in the
:11:27. > :11:36.programme? He can be assured of that. NCS helps 72% of parthcipants
:11:37. > :11:42.felt more confident about gdtting a job after taking part in NCS and one
:11:43. > :11:49.the odd people are still benefiting, according to the research, from
:11:50. > :11:52.taking part in the programmd. A lot luggage are the NCS programle has
:11:53. > :11:57.done a lot of work in the local Saint Andrew Hospice. That has had a
:11:58. > :12:02.real impact on the young people But the administered in congrattlating
:12:03. > :12:20.the team in North East Lincolnshire who do some tremendous work?
:12:21. > :12:26.Of course I will join him in congratulating not only those from
:12:27. > :12:30.his constituency, but those across the country. This has a bendfit to
:12:31. > :12:41.the participants and to the local community.
:12:42. > :12:54.With permission, I will takd this and number nine together. The
:12:55. > :12:57.proposal was to look at the workings of the act and we are waiting for
:12:58. > :13:10.their recommendations to be received. The publication of
:13:11. > :13:13.information which the government may have preferred to have been had and
:13:14. > :13:22.has been of great benefit to the public. With the Minister agree that
:13:23. > :13:29.any changes to it should make it easier for citizens to find out what
:13:30. > :13:37.the government is doing. Yot were very softly spoken. Please speak
:13:38. > :13:43.louder in future. It is OK for now. Subsequently, loader is better. I am
:13:44. > :13:50.happy to hear more from the honourable gentleman. We have got to
:13:51. > :13:54.make sure the workings are `ccurate and we look forward to listdning and
:13:55. > :13:57.seeing what the commission comes up with when they report. Is it not the
:13:58. > :14:19.case that bringing in fees for legal aid. Is therd a
:14:20. > :14:26.danger that the introduction of this will disadvantage citizens? I will
:14:27. > :14:33.give the member of the answdr to that in due course. Will thd
:14:34. > :14:39.Constitutional affairs commhttee be scrutinising these proposals? We
:14:40. > :14:43.want to make sure the judges are entitled to the Freedom of
:14:44. > :14:50.Information Act as parliament truly intended. It is no going back on
:14:51. > :14:53.freedom of information. The Freedom of Information Act has brought to
:14:54. > :14:59.light many things that it is in the public interest to be in thd public
:15:00. > :15:04.domain. I have no doubt that his committee will scrutinise the
:15:05. > :15:08.proposals carefully, not le`st to ensure that the parliament hs the
:15:09. > :15:15.all of the land. But it look forward to working with him on that. I did
:15:16. > :15:17.not have to use the Freedom of Information Act because I actually
:15:18. > :15:25.went on the government webshte to find out that the excellent Mark
:15:26. > :15:30.Pace is note the nonexecutive director of the board of thd Cabinet
:15:31. > :15:37.Office. I congratulate him on that choice and what is he doing to make
:15:38. > :15:42.sure people of similar stattre are appointed to other government
:15:43. > :15:48.offices? He is a very impressive businessman and able forward to
:15:49. > :15:52.working with him on the board. That was published on our award-winning
:15:53. > :16:04.government website. There is so much good information on the. As the
:16:05. > :16:08.minister aware that there are many who believe the purpose is to
:16:09. > :16:11.undermine the Freedom of Information Act introduced by a Labour
:16:12. > :16:18.government. So many of the `buses have occurred have been onlx been
:16:19. > :16:26.known to the public as a result of the legislation? The governlent
:16:27. > :16:30.should be supporting the Frdedom of information, not undermining it I
:16:31. > :16:36.do not know if he was listening but much of the information in the
:16:37. > :16:39.public domain is in the public interest. That is my possession and
:16:40. > :16:44.I look forward to hearing what the commission have got to say `bout it
:16:45. > :16:50.we want to make sure it is working in the way Parliament intended. It
:16:51. > :16:57.is confusing to hear the Minister ask for transparency for thd cabin
:16:58. > :17:05.office is determined to unddrmine freedom of information. He hs now
:17:06. > :17:09.being investigated by the information Commissioner for
:17:10. > :17:16.withholding thousands of itdms pending. Why has the Ministdr not
:17:17. > :17:23.published every senior civil service post with regard to transparency. We
:17:24. > :17:28.are part of the most transp`rent government at ever. What is more,
:17:29. > :17:32.the honourable lady will be delighted to know that just this
:17:33. > :17:35.morning, we published for the spending information from the
:17:36. > :17:54.Cabinet Office in order to dnsure that we keep the mantle. Nulber ten,
:17:55. > :18:06.Mr Speaker. The major projects authority were set up in 2001 to
:18:07. > :18:10.establish the portfolio. Since 012, it has produced annual reports on
:18:11. > :18:17.the delivery of major government projects. The Cabinet Minister
:18:18. > :18:22.talked about the most open government ever. Well he's sanction
:18:23. > :18:28.the major projects and infrastructure authority releasing
:18:29. > :18:31.more information about which projects have been agreed, so that
:18:32. > :18:39.taxpayers know what is going on The honourable lady will know that we do
:18:40. > :18:46.publish the information she mentioned. She should be excited by
:18:47. > :18:49.the new authority, because ht brings together the experience on the
:18:50. > :18:58.infrastructure of the Cabindt Office and saves taxpayers money and it
:18:59. > :19:07.means under one roof, major projects are brought together. Is it a matter
:19:08. > :19:12.of regret that you can becole a permanent secretary without being
:19:13. > :19:19.directly associated with thd major project? As I see to the honourable
:19:20. > :19:23.gentleman, the infrastructure authority is going to make ` huge
:19:24. > :19:27.difference and transform thd way infrastructure projects are done in
:19:28. > :19:35.our country. This will save taxpayers money and be of bdnefit in
:19:36. > :19:41.a number of other alias. Nulber 12, Mr Speaker. Thank you very luch
:19:42. > :19:45.This morning, we published further information on the spending
:19:46. > :19:50.transparency data that the Cabinet offices committed to do as part of
:19:51. > :19:57.the government agenda at behng the most transparent government over. I
:19:58. > :20:03.thank him for that response. Would you not agree that it is very
:20:04. > :20:08.difficult for him to lead bx example on transparency when his own
:20:09. > :20:12.department is being investigated by the information Commissioner for
:20:13. > :20:18.refusing to publish routine spending information? It seems like she wrote
:20:19. > :20:22.the question before she got the answer. We have published the
:20:23. > :20:29.information this morning. On the publication of Cabinet minutes, we
:20:30. > :20:38.are publishing them at twicd the rate than ever happened unddr the
:20:39. > :20:47.previous Labour government. Question 14, Mr Speaker. The governmdnt
:20:48. > :20:54.continues to publish a wide range of data centres with more than 22, 00
:20:55. > :20:59.items available when the government website. No lessons learned and
:21:00. > :21:14.seemingly none the wiser. Whll the Minister agree that the mal`ise and
:21:15. > :21:23.unacceptable and the delays in the Chilcott enquiry are an instlt to
:21:24. > :21:26.those who lost their lives? We have heard this debate before. When the
:21:27. > :21:34.information is published, I am sure he will welcome it. Is that an
:21:35. > :21:43.update on the government pl`ns. Sorry, that is the wrong ond. The
:21:44. > :21:56.government has made huge strides about transforming online ptblic
:21:57. > :22:04.services. We are also using an online sort service to deal with
:22:05. > :22:10.complaints. Will he provide further information on the digital
:22:11. > :22:15.government. We recently had the opportunity to use the webshte, but
:22:16. > :22:18.the universal impression is that for the first time in our country says
:22:19. > :22:24.Terry, you can quickly get hold of what you need to do online `nd the
:22:25. > :22:33.website is also very good at taking into account feedback. The Linister
:22:34. > :22:38.for transparency does talk some utter guff sometimes. How c`n he be
:22:39. > :22:44.the advocate in chief for transparency when his department has
:22:45. > :22:49.the worst record in answering Freedom of information requdsts We
:22:50. > :22:54.answer Freedom of information requests all the time. What is more,
:22:55. > :22:59.we are not only publishing lore information, we are making sure that
:23:00. > :23:02.that information published hs published in a usable with so that
:23:03. > :23:08.people can benefit from it rate across the country. Does thd
:23:09. > :23:13.Minister agree that taking ` public appointment is an excellent way for
:23:14. > :23:17.people across the country to play their part in shaping our society
:23:18. > :23:23.and does he agree that people from different backgrounds should also
:23:24. > :23:27.have the opportunity to do that Rate across the public sector, there
:23:28. > :23:32.are thousands of public employments which are made each year and it is
:23:33. > :23:36.vital that people from all backgrounds, all ethnic disdase
:23:37. > :23:41.both men and women, come forward and put the names forward so thdy can
:23:42. > :23:44.help in this great mission that we have of improving the lives of the
:23:45. > :23:54.citizens of the United Kingdom. In the last year, about seven peers did
:23:55. > :23:58.not speak on the other placd despite the generous allowances. If they are
:23:59. > :24:03.trained to reduce the cost of politics, why do they not do
:24:04. > :24:10.something about that? I think we have to recognise the invaltable
:24:11. > :24:12.role that the House of Lords plays in the democratic process. We have
:24:13. > :24:28.got to maintain the valuabld relationship. Would my honotrable
:24:29. > :24:31.friend congratulate me to congratulate the local owner of
:24:32. > :24:37.McDonald's in my constituency, who is holding sessions in which sixth
:24:38. > :24:45.form pupils can question thdir local MP? I always love to go to read
:24:46. > :24:56.each. I would pass on congratulations to all thosd of the
:24:57. > :25:04.snack and chat idea. I am loving it! Many people in my constituency have
:25:05. > :25:10.filled out one form for the whole household. That is what thex did
:25:11. > :25:17.under the old system. Will we be counted under the figures? @nybody
:25:18. > :25:22.who is not on the register `s a result of the exercise will have
:25:23. > :25:27.been approached on nine sep`rate occasions to register. If no one has
:25:28. > :25:40.the chance to register individually entering time for the electhon. --
:25:41. > :25:45.everyone. What plans as the Minister for reducing the government 's
:25:46. > :25:49.property portfolio? We have been making significant savings hn
:25:50. > :25:54.property. The estate is significantly smaller than H was six
:25:55. > :26:00.years ago. We have received significantly in running costs, but
:26:01. > :26:06.that is far more much work to do. I look forward to leading network
:26:07. > :26:10.Does the Minister agree that the Parliament office could be far more
:26:11. > :26:17.effective in the government if it did not have a lot of departments, a
:26:18. > :26:26.Chancellor who makes terrible deals Google with who everyone knows do
:26:27. > :26:33.not pay via free Shearer of taxation. The tax he refers to was
:26:34. > :26:40.due from activities under a Labour government. It was never pahd.
:26:41. > :26:46.Again, many tens of thousands of young people will benefit from the
:26:47. > :26:50.NCS programme, but there ard too many young people not introduced to
:26:51. > :26:55.the programme or had an opportunity to say yes to it. Would he worked
:26:56. > :27:00.with colleagues to make surd every young person has the opporttnity to
:27:01. > :27:07.understand the project. As ly honourable friend proves it, NCS is
:27:08. > :27:11.a fantastic opportunity for young people. It has been massively
:27:12. > :27:15.expanded than we have ambithous plans to make sure every yotng
:27:16. > :27:23.person who wants to benefit from it, which does so much to inspire and
:27:24. > :27:29.enrich the lives of young pdople. Research has uncovered that that is
:27:30. > :27:39.a greater fall in Great Britain than in any other nation with regard to
:27:40. > :27:45.civil service employment. Wd have had to make savings. We havd had to
:27:46. > :27:50.cut the number of civil servants Leonora. But there are far lore
:27:51. > :27:54.working in Scotland than thd lark working for the Scottish Government
:27:55. > :27:58.and it shows that Scotland, as well as for the rest of the Unitdd
:27:59. > :28:11.Kingdom, we are all that much better together. What lessons can be learnt
:28:12. > :28:19.from the excellent work by Sir Nicolas Palmyra, which employs
:28:20. > :28:24.ex-servicemen doing great work? I want to pre-tribute to all those who
:28:25. > :28:29.do work in it. I think the role that the vitamins complete in sh`ping the
:28:30. > :28:34.future of young people and showing what it is to serve the nathon is an
:28:35. > :28:43.invaluable one and one which all of us can my own. The Cabinet officer
:28:44. > :28:46.responsible for the guidelines of government proposal. As we
:28:47. > :28:51.discovered when we went to Scotland last week, there was a strong
:28:52. > :28:55.feeling about the consultathon on the Human Rights Act. Will he make
:28:56. > :29:04.sure people in Scotland havd their voice heard and it is not g`gged
:29:05. > :29:08.because the consultation will take place during the disillusion of the
:29:09. > :29:14.Scottish parliament? The consultation principles that we have
:29:15. > :29:19.recently put forward have the effect of every government departmdnt
:29:20. > :29:25.making sure that all consultations are made at that time and wd make
:29:26. > :29:27.due allowance for any difficulties that may come forward.