:00:00. > :00:00.stage is to look at this pipeline and make sure we are encouraging
:00:00. > :00:07.women every step to make sure we have more women on board than ever
:00:08. > :00:12.before. THE SPEAKER: The shadow leader of
:00:13. > :00:17.the House. Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming
:00:18. > :00:22.business, please? Mr Speaker if you allow me to say that I think the
:00:23. > :00:25.shadow leader, myself and the SNP spokesman all have something in
:00:26. > :00:29.common this morning. We should feel anxious after the march of the
:00:30. > :00:34.deputies before the recess. I would like to congratulate all three for
:00:35. > :00:40.doing a star turn in that last session before recess. There will be
:00:41. > :00:44.another opportunity as well. Monday 18th April there'll be a debate on
:00:45. > :00:50.the introduction of the national living wage and related changes to
:00:51. > :00:54.employee contracts, followed by a debate on educational attainment in
:00:55. > :00:59.North Yorkshire and the Humber. Tuesday, 19th April, will be the
:01:00. > :01:04.remaining stages of the Bank of England and financialfy nanssing
:01:05. > :01:10.bills. The consideration of the Energy Bill, Lords. Followed by a
:01:11. > :01:17.debate There'll be a debate on a motion on
:01:18. > :01:22.record copies of acts. The subject for this debate was determined by
:01:23. > :01:27.the Backbench Business Committee. On Thursday 22nd April, Mr Speaker, the
:01:28. > :01:34.Prime Minister and indeed I think the whole House will participate in
:01:35. > :01:41.a humble address to mark the Queen's 90th birthday. Friday, the House
:01:42. > :01:46.will not be sitting. On 25 April, consideration of Lords amendment
:01:47. > :01:49.followed by a debate on educational funding in London, a Backbench
:01:50. > :01:53.Business Committee debate. Tuesday 26th April is the first day of the
:01:54. > :01:59.remaining stages of the policing and Crime Bill. 27th April consideration
:02:00. > :02:04.of Lords amen mends and 28th April a backbench committee day, where the
:02:05. > :02:13.debate on world autism awareness week, followed by a debate on HMRC's
:02:14. > :02:17.building our future plan, the plan. Friday 29th April, the House is not
:02:18. > :02:21.sitting. I should also inform members that the business of
:02:22. > :02:29.Westminster Hall on 25th April will be a debate on the e-petition
:02:30. > :02:34.relating to meningitis B. Mr Speaker, can I start by
:02:35. > :02:39.congratulating the deputy, the wonderful and magnificent member for
:02:40. > :02:44.Grimsby and all the opposite, and all her opposite numbers on their
:02:45. > :02:51.very impressive appearance last time. It was the first time all
:02:52. > :02:56.three were women. In the word of Annie Lennox, "Sisters are doing it
:02:57. > :03:02.for themselves." I am coming to him in a moment!
:03:03. > :03:07.I also wish the honourable member for Wolverhampton North-East and her
:03:08. > :03:11.fiancee well for their wedding on Saturday. I know there are not many
:03:12. > :03:15.Tories in the chamber today. I gather there is an away day for the
:03:16. > :03:19.Conservative Party, or maybe two away days in different parts of the
:03:20. > :03:25.country. Apparently it is a dress-down event. I have a horrible
:03:26. > :03:29.image of the honourable member for Lichfield preparing his outfit, but
:03:30. > :03:35.I will leave that there! I have seen it before and yes, it is not very
:03:36. > :03:39.pretty! Mr Speaker, I asked on 10th March whether you could hear the
:03:40. > :03:44.slow ebbing down the beach of the authority of the Prime Minister and,
:03:45. > :03:48.boy, wasn't I right! When there is still so much to be done to improve
:03:49. > :03:53.the life chances of the most vulnerable, it is difficult to
:03:54. > :03:57.justify putting middle class tax cuts before the needs of the working
:03:58. > :04:03.poor and the socially disadvantaged. That is not me, it is a Conservative
:04:04. > :04:07.Member of Parliament, the MP for central Suffolk and East Ipswich,
:04:08. > :04:13.even Tories admit the Prime Minister is a busted flush. We had a classic
:04:14. > :04:17.example of this yesterday, I bet the Prime Minister thought he was giving
:04:18. > :04:25.a helpful plug for the kur ri yous ins curious incident of the dog in
:04:26. > :04:29.the night. The author of the book, Mark Haddon was horrified. He
:04:30. > :04:33.treated his agreement with the Smiths, who said "David Cameron stop
:04:34. > :04:39.saying you like the Smiths, no, you don't. I forbid you to like it! "
:04:40. > :04:46.There are 63 private member bills on the paper today. Two new ones were
:04:47. > :04:51.added this week. When the members for Selby and for Donn valley were
:04:52. > :04:56.asked second reading, what day by you? They said, 28th April. Even
:04:57. > :05:01.though they know, you know, I know and everyone else knows that we will
:05:02. > :05:04.not be sitting that day or any other Friday during this session.
:05:05. > :05:09.Incidentally, Mr Speaker, why on Earth do you say, second reading,
:05:10. > :05:17.what day? As if you are Yoda in Star Wars? Why can't you say it in proper
:05:18. > :05:23.English? Yesterday, it is a good impersonation you do, mind you. When
:05:24. > :05:26.you call Andrew Salooo! Yesterday there was an excellent debate on
:05:27. > :05:31.this in Westminster Hall. Many of us think that the present system of
:05:32. > :05:37.private member bills is a waste of time and brings the House into
:05:38. > :05:40.disrepute. When the report is published will the leader make
:05:41. > :05:45.proper time for us to debate changes f that is what the House wants to
:05:46. > :05:49.do? Incidentally, can the leader do something about the small Business
:05:50. > :05:55.Minister? I mean the minister for small business? She has become
:05:56. > :06:00.terribly patronising. She called me "darling" on Question Time last
:06:01. > :06:05.week. All I say to her, is frankly I have been patronised by much better
:06:06. > :06:12.women than you. I have a terrible fear she thinks she's becoming
:06:13. > :06:17.Maggie Smith, from Downton Abbey. She cackles away during the debate
:06:18. > :06:21.that she almost makes makes me seem calm and reasonable. On Tuesday, she
:06:22. > :06:25.praised the role that the community union have played in the steel
:06:26. > :06:29.crisis. Absolutely right. She and her colleagues are the very
:06:30. > :06:34.ministers who are forcing the trade union bill through Parliament and
:06:35. > :06:38.utterly partisan piece of legislation which tries to cut the
:06:39. > :06:44.trade union legs off and is being cut to ribbons in the House of
:06:45. > :06:49.Lords. Wouldn't she be better off listening to Liberty, who say it is
:06:50. > :06:51.a legislation which will destroy the finely balanced relationships
:06:52. > :06:57.between trade unions and business? Can't we have a debate and it cannot
:06:58. > :07:04.be an opposition debate because he has not given us one, on boardroom
:07:05. > :07:11.chair. The chair of the remuneration of bp is giving its chairman a 20%
:07:12. > :07:16.pay hike. Taking his remuneration to ?14 million, in a year the company
:07:17. > :07:20.has made its biggest ever losses and has cut 25% of its workforce. What
:07:21. > :07:25.message does it send from the Government that she's been a
:07:26. > :07:29.non-executive board member of the Department for Business since 2014?
:07:30. > :07:32.Why don't the Government have a big sign printed, put over the
:07:33. > :07:37.department saying, there is one rule for the rich and quite another for
:07:38. > :07:42.the rest of you? Why don't they get 20 of these printed and put one over
:07:43. > :07:46.the Treasury, one over HMRC, one over Downing Street? Fundamentally
:07:47. > :07:51.that is the Government's motto today, isn't it? Finally, can we
:07:52. > :07:55.have a debait on underachievement? Some people on that side of the
:07:56. > :07:59.House this I if you are not a millionaire you are a failure. Can I
:08:00. > :08:05.tell you who has achieved something in life, it is the woman who gets up
:08:06. > :08:10.at 4am to catch the first bus to clean a hotel for 13 hours for the
:08:11. > :08:14.minimum wage, the widower who can make sure he can put food on the
:08:15. > :08:21.table for his children. The middle aged woman who gives up her job to
:08:22. > :08:25.care for her elderly dad. The squady, who goes way beyond the Call
:08:26. > :08:32.of Duty. I would be proud to sit in a house full of people like that,
:08:33. > :08:38.rather than have to face these dead beats over there. A Health Secretary
:08:39. > :08:42.who has alienated the NHS. A Chancellor who produces a budget so
:08:43. > :08:49.unfair that it even made Iain Duncan Smith cry.
:08:50. > :08:56.Mr Speaker, I can first thank all of those who were involved in
:08:57. > :09:01.organising the security stands in Portcullis House yesterday? I hope
:09:02. > :09:06.all members on all sides will take advantage of the equipment on
:09:07. > :09:11.display there. I am pleased to learn they run out of equipment such was
:09:12. > :09:16.the degrie of interest. The shadow leader talked about poverty. Let me
:09:17. > :09:21.remain this - child poverty under this Government is falling.
:09:22. > :09:26.Unequality under this Government is falling T proportion of tax paid by
:09:27. > :09:30.the wealthiest in our society is rising.ly take no lessons from that
:09:31. > :09:37.-- I will take no lessons from that side after a shall billion lick
:09:38. > :09:40.decade in Parliament when they left 2.5 million unemployed, communities
:09:41. > :09:43.struggling with a failing economy. We have turned it away in a --
:09:44. > :09:48.around in a way they couldn't have done. About the private member
:09:49. > :09:51.bills, of course it is open to any Select Committee to bring a matter
:09:52. > :09:55.to this House. I am very responsive to the thought we should have a
:09:56. > :09:59.detailed discussion about the recommendations they make and we
:10:00. > :10:09.should look at ways to improve the system. I was a little surprised to
:10:10. > :10:15.hear a star wars joke from the jar jar binnings of the Labour Party. I
:10:16. > :10:20.regard you as greater stature than Yoda and I am surprised he would
:10:21. > :10:24.even make that comparison. On the trade union bill, can I remain the
:10:25. > :10:30.honourable gentleman that the purpose is to stop trade unions
:10:31. > :10:33.holding the public to ransom. We see time and again relatively small
:10:34. > :10:37.groups of working bringing our transport system to a halt, which
:10:38. > :10:41.does damage to far, far more workers. That is why we are the
:10:42. > :10:46.party of the workers. We are representing the millions travelling
:10:47. > :10:51.to work, not a tiny minority of trade unionists who want to cause
:10:52. > :10:57.trouble for our country. On the subject of boardroom pay, it is of
:10:58. > :11:05.course a matter for shareholders and board members as to what to pay
:11:06. > :11:12.directors. I would not condone large pay rises, I hope all those involved
:11:13. > :11:19.in attending general meetings t shareholders will look carefully to
:11:20. > :11:29.ensure the message is sent out and consistent with a well motivated
:11:30. > :11:33.workforce. We have a debate every Wednesday about the underunder
:11:34. > :11:38.achievers. The biggest is the leader of the opposition.
:11:39. > :11:42.I will also Mr Speaker be joining the Conservative Party away day this
:11:43. > :11:46.afternoon. There is one event for the Conservative Party. The truth is
:11:47. > :11:50.on their side they would really struggle to hold an away day, such
:11:51. > :12:10.as the divisions in their party, such as the desire to remove their
:12:11. > :12:13.leader. Image Image sitting bebehind one underachieves week after week.
:12:14. > :12:18.THE SPEAKER: We must hear the leader of the House.
:12:19. > :12:24.Finally something which will unite all in the House apart from
:12:25. > :12:33.Tottenham supporters, good luck to Leicester City in their final games.
:12:34. > :12:36.It would be an extraordinary achievement 2,500-1 outsiders to
:12:37. > :12:39.win. Talking of outsiders, I have been trying to put a few quid on
:12:40. > :12:44.another rank outsider. I have been to the bookies. I asked the bookies
:12:45. > :12:50.if they would let me have a bet on the shadow leader winning the battle
:12:51. > :12:54.to succeed, due in due course, as the next speaker. I have to tell the
:12:55. > :12:56.House that the bookies thought it was so bizarre they wouldn't even
:12:57. > :13:10.take my money. The European referendum campaign has
:13:11. > :13:13.kicked off with a controversy about Government leaflets and now the
:13:14. > :13:17.local election campaign in Southend is marred in controversy. Would my
:13:18. > :13:23.Right Honourable friend find time for a debate on the conduct of local
:13:24. > :13:27.authorities behaviour during local election campaigns, because it is
:13:28. > :13:34.claimed that my local authority in Southend, which consists of seven
:13:35. > :13:40.individual groupings is sending out blatant party electioneering letters
:13:41. > :13:42.about an energy company and including articles in magazines
:13:43. > :13:49.without the appropriate election in print.
:13:50. > :13:54.There are very clear rules as to how to conduct themselves in referendum
:13:55. > :13:58.and election campaigns and four local authorities it is a matter for
:13:59. > :14:01.the Chief Executive to ensure those rules are kept. There are
:14:02. > :14:05.appropriate authorities to complain to if that does not happen and I
:14:06. > :14:11.hope he will do that. As regards to the overall national leaflet for the
:14:12. > :14:18.Government it has a fine picture on it. Can I thank him for announcing
:14:19. > :14:23.the business for next week and also paid tribute to a very efficient
:14:24. > :14:28.deputy when we were able to make it the victory might honourable friend
:14:29. > :14:35.the member for South Cheshire who was an undoubted star of the show.
:14:36. > :14:41.This little tired stuff was put forward to the House. I tried to get
:14:42. > :14:46.a bet in Scotland as to who would succeed in the race to be the next
:14:47. > :14:54.First Minister. The odds are better for him than the actual Conservative
:14:55. > :14:58.candidate Ruth Davidson herself. Yesterday my honourable friend the
:14:59. > :15:01.member from Ruby is the issue of those working in the benefits
:15:02. > :15:07.investigators against those working in the affluent union in the HMRC.
:15:08. > :15:11.After appearing there was a tad bemused and embarrassed, deeply
:15:12. > :15:18.masted seem to doubt the robustness of the figures. I say that my
:15:19. > :15:22.honourable friend perhaps got these figures wrong. It is reported in the
:15:23. > :15:29.Guardian This Morning that the 3200 figure quoted by my Right Honourable
:15:30. > :15:38.friend has now sworn to 3700 of benefits investigators compared to
:15:39. > :15:43.320 in the affluent unit. Can we have a debate about these relative
:15:44. > :15:46.numbers and if the Prime Minister still has a mind to Charles and he
:15:47. > :15:50.can perhaps come to the Beard himself and tell us what the figures
:15:51. > :15:54.actually are. Speaking of the Prime Minister he has now consistently and
:15:55. > :15:58.repeatedly refused to come before the Liaison Committee to answer
:15:59. > :16:02.questions about the EU referendum. It is an absolute disgrace. He has a
:16:03. > :16:06.responsibility and obligation to come before the Committee chairs to
:16:07. > :16:11.answer these questions. I don't know why he has this anxiety and viruses
:16:12. > :16:18.but I am certain that a gentle approach from the Leader of the
:16:19. > :16:22.House -- nervousness. To take up his responsibilities and have a quiet
:16:23. > :16:25.chat with those Committee chairs and Liaison Committee. We were promised
:16:26. > :16:32.several statements on military action in Syria and we haven't had
:16:33. > :16:36.any at all. I perhaps know the reason why there hasn't been
:16:37. > :16:41.statements, because there is nothing to report. There has been no
:16:42. > :16:46.military operations since the beginning of March and the last time
:16:47. > :16:52.the fabled Princeton system was used was February 18. We are supposedly
:16:53. > :16:55.engaged in Syria to support opposition forces fighting Daesh on
:16:56. > :17:01.the ground but there is little evidence that that is happening.
:17:02. > :17:02.Even if it is just the Defence Secretary counters house to tell us
:17:03. > :17:15.that nothing much sexy happening. It is not the fabled monster of law
:17:16. > :17:26.it is in fact a hollowed out old wreck and has been stuck in the deep
:17:27. > :17:34.for a number of decades. He says Scottish Tories and I couldn't
:17:35. > :17:41.possibly add to that. The chaotic we were party take over the opinion
:17:42. > :17:46.poll is perhaps a testament to the Conservative government itself. --
:17:47. > :17:49.Labour Party. I can reassure the honourable gentleman I have
:17:50. > :17:54.absolutely no expectation or desire to be the next First Minister of
:17:55. > :17:57.Scotland. However I am equally convinced that the Conservative
:17:58. > :18:01.leader in Scotland would indeed be an excellent First Minister of
:18:02. > :18:04.Scotland and I had to say whatever the outcome of the other selections
:18:05. > :18:08.it is clear that the Scottish people think she would be a better First
:18:09. > :18:12.Minister than the current Labour leader in Scotland and I suspect
:18:13. > :18:17.that is something we could agree on. On the issue of HMRC, there are
:18:18. > :18:20.thousands of people in HMRC whose job is day in day out to insured the
:18:21. > :18:28.secure the right amount of tax elsewhere. This government has a
:18:29. > :18:33.record that is far better than the predecessors in securing the
:18:34. > :18:36.repayment of tax from overseas centres, in tightening up the rules
:18:37. > :18:40.and closing loopholes, things that were never done when the Labour
:18:41. > :18:45.Party was in power during the last decade. On the question of the
:18:46. > :18:49.Liaison Committee, I know there are discussions between the chair of
:18:50. > :18:53.that Committee and number ten, dates have been provided and promised to
:18:54. > :18:55.the future. I have no doubt the Prime Minister will continue to give
:18:56. > :19:01.evidence to the Liaison Committee in a proper way. On Syria, the last
:19:02. > :19:04.statement by the International Development Secretary was in
:19:05. > :19:08.February and I expect a statement from the Ministry of Defence in the
:19:09. > :19:14.very near future to update on defence matters in Syria. It is
:19:15. > :19:18.right and proper and the House was also able to question the Foreign
:19:19. > :19:23.Secretary back in March about what were very important issues. I think
:19:24. > :19:27.we hope in this country that the ceasefire that has been in place in
:19:28. > :19:33.Syria, not completely kept but has at least taken things thawed a step,
:19:34. > :19:41.can continue. He mentioned the Labour Party but what he saw
:19:42. > :19:44.headlights is sometimes... I am very grateful to the backbenchers
:19:45. > :19:51.business committed to finding time for debate on the important issue,
:19:52. > :19:56.as read of the self to decide these matters. Will he confirm to me that
:19:57. > :19:59.despite the fact that debate to be replied to by a Cabinet officers
:20:00. > :20:04.there is nonetheless remains has business, much for a free Bob Dudley
:20:05. > :20:08.for Conservative Party, an opportunity for us to say in the
:20:09. > :20:16.House of Lords we feel strongly on these matters and wanted to be
:20:17. > :20:22.known. Of course it is a custom and practice forgotten Mr is to be in
:20:23. > :20:26.this House week in week out to respond to backbench business
:20:27. > :20:30.debates. Add a bit of that kind will be no different. It is assigned
:20:31. > :20:33.earlier on the order paper and the House can discuss these issues
:20:34. > :20:36.shortly. The honourable gentleman on the other side who wish to speak
:20:37. > :20:43.against, I think the Shadow leader will wish to speak favour. To
:20:44. > :20:52.continue the Star Wars theme, it is grateful but I am, Mr Speaker. In
:20:53. > :20:55.the leader announcement on the future business, members will look
:20:56. > :20:59.as there are four days in the next two weeks in which there are
:21:00. > :21:04.backbench debates to take place and I believe that after that, there
:21:05. > :21:09.could be two weeks of business before the Queen's Speech. We are
:21:10. > :21:13.still some way short of our 27 days in the parliament and they do
:21:14. > :21:16.anticipate an amicable accommodation over the number of days for
:21:17. > :21:22.backbench business before the Queen's Speech. I know we have just
:21:23. > :21:25.had questions to the Minister for Women and Equalities but one thing
:21:26. > :21:29.which did occur to me to relate to submit a question was that on the
:21:30. > :21:35.white paper on education, the removal of the requirement to have
:21:36. > :21:38.parent governors, and it is a removal of a requirement, parents
:21:39. > :21:42.will still be governors in other categories but it is the removal of
:21:43. > :21:45.the requirement to have parent governors that it will
:21:46. > :21:49.disproportionately impact on women, particularly in primary schools,
:21:50. > :21:54.given the number of primary schools which are yet to convert. I wonder
:21:55. > :21:57.if we could have a statement from the Minister for Women and equality
:21:58. > :22:04.is about the impact of the implications of the white paper on
:22:05. > :22:09.women and other minorities? Of course this is a subject that was
:22:10. > :22:15.discussed in this House yesterday. We have just had women and old is
:22:16. > :22:18.questions of course, if any measures, there will be
:22:19. > :22:22.opportunities to debate them. If I may, he makes an important point
:22:23. > :22:26.about service coming forward. As a government tester I would not
:22:27. > :22:28.normally make a representation to Backbench Business Committee, if I
:22:29. > :22:33.could break that rule. I think it would be a very good idea that we
:22:34. > :22:35.have a number of requests over the weeks of this session for members on
:22:36. > :22:40.both sides to talk about the work being done by voluntary sector
:22:41. > :22:44.groups in their constituencies. I would venture to suggest to the
:22:45. > :22:46.business backbench Committee that providing an opportunity to do that
:22:47. > :22:51.over the next three or four weeks would be a valuable response to
:22:52. > :22:54.those requests. I think most of a subgroup Sudbury Valley and we wish
:22:55. > :23:02.to pay to be two and having a base debate would be valuable in my view.
:23:03. > :23:07.According to recent polling by you Gulf, 85% of the public believe that
:23:08. > :23:10.the recently produced EU leaflet produced by the Government was
:23:11. > :23:13.biased and 50% of the public disapproval of it completely. Can we
:23:14. > :23:17.therefore have a statement from the Government stating that no further
:23:18. > :23:24.such materials will be produced during the referendum campaign? And
:23:25. > :23:26.also can they confirm that the leaves and remain campaigns
:23:27. > :23:30.following yesterday's declination will have parity in terms of
:23:31. > :23:36.funding, spending power and media coverage going forward? The
:23:37. > :23:39.Government position has been to support remaining in the European
:23:40. > :23:42.Union and that was the context in which the leaflet was distributed.
:23:43. > :23:47.It has clearly provoked strong views around the country. In those
:23:48. > :23:51.households where it has been discovered, certainly in my
:23:52. > :23:58.household it was rather buried in the Peter leaflets. But what I would
:23:59. > :24:02.say to you, it is of -- fundamental importance over the coming weeks
:24:03. > :24:04.that both sides of the argument received the appropriate support
:24:05. > :24:08.under the rules that were set out in the act that we debated in the past
:24:09. > :24:12.last year. I'm sure that'll be the case and the Government will want to
:24:13. > :24:15.ensure that that happens and the broadcasters will also want to
:24:16. > :24:21.ensure there is a proper balance between the two sides in the debate.
:24:22. > :24:24.In the middle of all the work I have done on the steel industry recently
:24:25. > :24:30.and local transport, I received a phone call from a distraught couple
:24:31. > :24:35.who run a rescue centre in my constituency. -- rack shelf is that
:24:36. > :24:38.I centre. They are nursing back to health care job in the last week
:24:39. > :24:45.with spines were cut off by a pair of scissors. -- hedgehog. They
:24:46. > :24:47.expressed their frustration to the perpetrators of this wicked act are
:24:48. > :24:52.very unlikely to be brought to justice. Can we have a debate not
:24:53. > :24:55.only on the need to extend and increased population of hedgehogs as
:24:56. > :24:59.I know the honourable member for Plymouth is often called but also
:25:00. > :25:07.the need to increase protections for these wonderful creatures? I
:25:08. > :25:11.absolutely agree. I saw the picture that hedgehog, it was shocking and
:25:12. > :25:13.it sometimes beggars believe how low and unpleasant some people in our
:25:14. > :25:19.society can be, utterly unacceptable. We do from time to
:25:20. > :25:22.time find extraordinary examples of maltreatment of animals. What I
:25:23. > :25:25.would say to her is the law does allow prosecution of people who have
:25:26. > :25:28.committed the offences and they certainly would hope in a case like
:25:29. > :25:31.the one that hedgehog is the perpetrators could be found they
:25:32. > :25:34.would be prosecuted but that is a matter for the independent
:25:35. > :25:37.prosecution authorities but I urge them to take that issue very
:25:38. > :25:41.seriously. The Government will of course continue to look at ways of
:25:42. > :25:45.ensuring that we provide proper protection for animals in our
:25:46. > :25:49.society. I'm sure she will now be joining the campaign being led by
:25:50. > :25:51.Right Honourable friend for Plymouth Sutton to provide the protection
:25:52. > :25:57.that is clearly supported by many tens of thousands of people. Can I
:25:58. > :26:01.ask him whether it would be possible to have an early debate on the
:26:02. > :26:05.potential role by the House of Commons in providing information to
:26:06. > :26:09.the public in the EU referendum campaign? The public are now clearly
:26:10. > :26:13.given up any hope of getting objective information from the
:26:14. > :26:17.Government. In order to ensure that we can maintain trust in our
:26:18. > :26:22.institutions, does my Right Honourable friend agree that there
:26:23. > :26:27.is a role for the House of Commons library to produce information
:26:28. > :26:31.perhaps in a specialised website? So that my constituents and other
:26:32. > :26:35.constituents can actually see the facts in relation to how much we
:26:36. > :26:40.paid to the European Union each week, the negative balance of trade
:26:41. > :26:42.with the European Union as the impossibility of delivering our
:26:43. > :26:46.manifesto commitment to reduce net migration etc. Could we not put that
:26:47. > :26:52.on a dedicated House of Commons site which by the respected as being
:26:53. > :26:56.objective? I we would we would all pay tribute to the work done by the
:26:57. > :27:01.House of Commons Ivory which is a valuable service that provides very
:27:02. > :27:04.dispassionate analysis -- library. It publishes the work that it
:27:05. > :27:08.produces but that this brass as members to ask for that work in the
:27:09. > :27:11.first place and I am sure my honourable friend will seek that
:27:12. > :27:14.kind of analysis on his behalf so it can be published by the public as a
:27:15. > :27:23.whole to judge for themselves the rights and wrongs. It has happened
:27:24. > :27:30.again. Another young boy has been tragically stabbed to death in my
:27:31. > :27:34.constituency. Myron was a talented young rapper who was well loved by
:27:35. > :27:39.his family and friends. We have had the debate in here, the backbench
:27:40. > :27:45.business debate and we were looking to set up a commission. At the last
:27:46. > :27:50.business questions the deputy Leader of the House said to me to go ahead
:27:51. > :27:53.and set up the commission will stop I will do that but what I want to
:27:54. > :27:59.know is how can I access government funds to ensure that that the
:28:00. > :28:01.commission is successful and how can we ensure that the Government
:28:02. > :28:07.respond to the recommendations from it?
:28:08. > :28:13.I am shocked to learn what she just said. It is a tragedy when we lose a
:28:14. > :28:17.young person in such circumstances. So have that occur more than once in
:28:18. > :28:22.her constituency must be difficult for her. I would send all our
:28:23. > :28:30.condough lenses to the family and friends of the Young Vic timg. If it
:28:31. > :28:34.is helpful -- the young victim. When I was tis secretary we introduced
:28:35. > :28:39.further measures to try and frighten up the law so there is a clear
:28:40. > :28:44.presumption of a jail sentence if somebody is caught carrying a knife
:28:45. > :28:48.for a second time. We need to convince young people of the dangers
:28:49. > :28:50.of carrying a knife. That is a task I think we should all share across
:28:51. > :29:03.this House. As a result of his disabilities my
:29:04. > :29:07.constituent, Daniel, Barbali needs a ceiling hoist in his bedroom. He,
:29:08. > :29:12.like every one else, likes to travel and would like to stay in hotels
:29:13. > :29:16.from time to time. He finds few hotels make provisions for this in
:29:17. > :29:20.their bedrooms, even the largest hotels. Could we debate how large
:29:21. > :29:27.hotels could provide at least one or two rooms in every one of their
:29:28. > :29:30.properties which has a ceiling hoist so people like my constituent can
:29:31. > :29:35.travel around and stay in different parts of the country? I think my
:29:36. > :29:40.honourable friend makes an important point and one I had not had brought
:29:41. > :29:45.to me before. He makes a valuable contribution. I think this is a
:29:46. > :29:47.subject where I would encourage him to bring about the minister
:29:48. > :29:53.responsible for the House to put these points to him. By bringing the
:29:54. > :29:55.point up in this House he will encourage hotel chains to think of
:29:56. > :30:02.doing something they have not thought of doing in the past. Can we
:30:03. > :30:10.have an early debate entitled "liberal democracy in the 21st
:30:11. > :30:16.century "to celebrate the hereditary section. Seven candidates have been
:30:17. > :30:26.declared, they will face an electorate of three -. The count
:30:27. > :30:29.will be conducted by elect roral reform -- electoral reform services
:30:30. > :30:34.and the first votes for each candidate and the position after the
:30:35. > :30:38.transfer of votes will be available in the printed paper office. How
:30:39. > :32:41.long are we going to have a situation where a party rejected
:32:42. > :32:54.I'd like to pay tribute to everyone involved in organising successful
:32:55. > :33:00.event. Having been liberated by retirement, he said this week that
:33:01. > :33:05.at least once a month he was approached in his office by the
:33:06. > :33:10.Prime Minister, other ministers in order to favour Tory Party donors,
:33:11. > :33:14.ex-MPs, or other Conservatives officeholders to favour them in
:33:15. > :33:18.appointments, public appointments. When can we have a debate on pit
:33:19. > :33:24.village to discover a wide, for the past six years, the Merit for
:33:25. > :33:28.applicants to these key top dogs was decided on their party Tory card on
:33:29. > :33:40.the amount of money in their wallets. There are times I have just
:33:41. > :33:44.take back and continued amazement at the cheek of the Labour Party. They
:33:45. > :33:47.spent 13 years in government packing the public sector with their
:33:48. > :33:50.grannies and six years later we are still trying to achieve a sensible
:33:51. > :33:55.balance in our public services. I will take no lessons from them, we
:33:56. > :34:03.are trying to provide a proper balance of expertise, background,
:34:04. > :34:07.gender, skills, to make sure we have a properly representative public
:34:08. > :34:14.centre and not one that is packed with the Labour cronies we inherited
:34:15. > :34:19.in 2010. My constituent tells me that a year ago he discovered that
:34:20. > :34:22.his energy supplier had been changed without his consent and it took him
:34:23. > :34:25.a lot of time and effort to resolve the matter but it still wasn't clear
:34:26. > :34:29.whether this was a genuine mistake or an underhand marketing pink pig.
:34:30. > :34:34.It is however a serious problem. It is estimated there by 5000 such
:34:35. > :34:37.cases a year. I wonder if we could have an debate to consider the
:34:38. > :34:39.obligations of energy suppliers to prevent erroneous transfers and to
:34:40. > :34:45.make sure they have a valid contract before the takeover supply. This is
:34:46. > :34:51.an important point, there are vulnerable consumers committed on
:34:52. > :34:56.the doorstep to make changes when it is not appropriate to do so,
:34:57. > :35:00.especially of the kind that it has been provided. It is the rule of the
:35:01. > :35:03.modem to look now at the issues and to deal with complaints against
:35:04. > :35:07.different organisations but of course this is an example of the
:35:08. > :35:10.kind of consumer issue that should be brought before this House on a
:35:11. > :35:15.regular basis and I would encourage my friend to use one of the
:35:16. > :35:18.challenge is available and do that. It was claimed in Prime Minister's
:35:19. > :35:21.Questions yesterday by the honourable member for pinball but
:35:22. > :35:27.Lancashire County Council is proposing to cut all funding to nine
:35:28. > :35:29.women's refuges. There are presented of other council tells me the
:35:30. > :35:33.opposite is the case, that the Government appalled this at putting
:35:34. > :35:38.people money and the Council are filling the gap. Can we have an
:35:39. > :35:41.urgent debate on the funding of women's refuges? This situation is
:35:42. > :35:48.far too serious proportions to distort for their own political
:35:49. > :35:50.purposes. Two points. First we learned in Prime Minister's
:35:51. > :35:54.Questions yesterday that the Government has provided many
:35:55. > :35:56.millions of pounds to work refuges and she has many opportunities to
:35:57. > :35:59.bring forward the base to this House, where she was to have a
:36:00. > :36:06.debate with my revenge is very able to do so. Can we have a debate on
:36:07. > :36:13.the 2% levy that the Chancellor allowed councils to charge for
:36:14. > :36:18.social care. It seems Bradford Council is only spending a small
:36:19. > :36:21.proportion of that money despite only a small proportion being spent
:36:22. > :36:27.on the care home sector. Can we have a debate so that what was intended
:36:28. > :36:31.by the Government it is and is sure that this goes to what it was funded
:36:32. > :36:34.to. So that councils around the country are spending is to help
:36:35. > :36:37.those care homes pay for things like the national living wage which I
:36:38. > :36:43.thought the phone tension and not spending it on things that were not
:36:44. > :36:47.intended. Treasury questions session on Tuesday will provide an
:36:48. > :36:51.opportunity for him to raise that were Treasury measures but what is
:36:52. > :36:53.identified is what we often find ourselves that when it comes to
:36:54. > :36:57.Labour councils, they don't spend the money on services that matter,
:36:58. > :37:06.this depended on bloated bureaucracies and open... Huge
:37:07. > :37:13.portions of the standing orders of this place after... They go out of
:37:14. > :37:14.their way to prevent new representation and to ensure
:37:15. > :37:19.stacking in favour of the Government. They pay Committee has a
:37:20. > :37:25.number of occasions done reviews of the standing orders and produced a
:37:26. > :37:28.very comprehensive suggestion of reviews last year. Will the
:37:29. > :37:32.Government committed to either clicking on the reviews of the
:37:33. > :37:34.procedure Committee, or ripping up the standing orders and starting
:37:35. > :37:41.again with something a lot more workable? I think we have been open
:37:42. > :37:44.to change over the years since 2010 since we first entered government.
:37:45. > :37:48.We have made extensive changes to the way this House works. We have
:37:49. > :37:52.been open to new ideas. I am open to new ideas. I listened very carefully
:37:53. > :37:55.and discuss very regularly bots and dishes brought forward by the
:37:56. > :37:58.procedure Committee. We have in the time allocated to the Backbench
:37:59. > :38:02.Business Committee and opportunity for the House to bring forward its
:38:03. > :38:06.own thoughts about what needs to happen and change. I will dispute
:38:07. > :38:09.what she says about there being no opportunity for backbenchers to get
:38:10. > :38:13.their views heard and I will say to her I am open as Leader of the House
:38:14. > :38:19.to look at ways in which we can do things better. May the force be with
:38:20. > :38:24.you, Mr Speaker. I am looking forward to the Conservative love in
:38:25. > :38:28.later today and can I commend similar no knives allowed event for
:38:29. > :38:32.the Labour Party as well? Probably the biggest thing you regret as
:38:33. > :38:39.being Speaker, that you can come to the event. -- can't come to the
:38:40. > :38:46.event. One name that will be on anybody's lips at this loving will
:38:47. > :38:50.be Fraser Cameron. An eurocrat who since the Dutch referendum has said
:38:51. > :38:55.that the EU should ban any further referendums on anything to do with
:38:56. > :39:00.the EU. Could the Leader of the House go to the dispatch box and
:39:01. > :39:04.make a statement now to inform Fraser, we would call him Mr Cameron
:39:05. > :39:08.in case there is any doubt, that we live in a democracy, we actually
:39:09. > :39:11.believe in what people say and it is this Conservative government that is
:39:12. > :39:14.giving a referendum to the British people and it will be a British
:39:15. > :39:20.Government that will decide when we have referendums on such matters. I
:39:21. > :39:24.think he has found an item on Europe that the Shadow leader and I would
:39:25. > :39:27.agree on. The idea that we would deny people across the European
:39:28. > :39:31.Union and the opportunity in the future to have a referendum on key
:39:32. > :39:35.issues of importance to them is an absurd one. In a democracy there is
:39:36. > :39:39.a time and place by referendum and a time and a place to consult the
:39:40. > :39:43.people. The idea we would not do that in the future is a ludicrous
:39:44. > :39:48.one and one that to my mind the author of should be profoundly
:39:49. > :39:52.embarrassed about his comments. Can I offer an apology to the Leader of
:39:53. > :39:59.the House, during foreign funds questions earlier this week, when
:40:00. > :40:03.certain members of the alt European brigade on his ventures shouted and
:40:04. > :40:11.people who are pro-Europeans, I called Ella Bond a grumpy old men, I
:40:12. > :40:17.realised that was a deeply ageist comment and I apologise for it but
:40:18. > :40:21.could I also have an early debate on consumer power? We know have social
:40:22. > :40:27.media where we could take on the BP 's and pay these disgrace wages to
:40:28. > :40:32.the Chief Executive, take on the Company 's your taking all the perks
:40:33. > :40:36.that ordinary workers have in order to compensate for the living wage.
:40:37. > :40:41.Can we have a debate on empowering consumers to punish these greedy
:40:42. > :40:44.people? The honourable gentleman makes an important point. It is
:40:45. > :40:49.always worth remembering in our society,
:40:50. > :40:52.change the law on this and that, one of the most powerful weapons
:40:53. > :40:55.available today through the emergence of social media and mass
:40:56. > :40:59.communication society is direct consumer pressure on companies. If
:41:00. > :41:03.consumers disapprove of corporate behaviour they take their business
:41:04. > :41:06.elsewhere, it is very quick to impact the performance of those
:41:07. > :41:09.companies and the need to learn the lessons pretty quickly. The power of
:41:10. > :41:14.the consumer today is perhaps more than it has ever been. Earlier this
:41:15. > :41:20.week the National Crime Agency stated that northern ports and in
:41:21. > :41:24.particular those on the Humber such as Hull, Grimsey and Ning are being
:41:25. > :41:27.targeted by people smugglers. When I last raised this with the ministers
:41:28. > :41:33.they give me an assurance that adequate resources were in place. In
:41:34. > :41:37.view of the agency has now said, could be arranged for a Home Office
:41:38. > :41:44.minister to make a statement on this? And used as a matter of
:41:45. > :41:49.concern. -- I know this is. We do not want to see smaller ports used
:41:50. > :41:53.in this way and if they are the extra measures can sometimes be a
:41:54. > :41:57.disruption to legitimate trade. The Transport Secretary is here this
:41:58. > :42:00.week. Can I suggest it is picked up with him but I will make sure the
:42:01. > :42:05.Home Office ministers are also aware of the concerns he has raised?
:42:06. > :42:10.Leader of the House and perhaps yourself may recall my recent
:42:11. > :42:14.adjournment debate regarding the staffing crisis at the mid Yorkshire
:42:15. > :42:19.hospitals trust, where staff had actually confirmed that they were
:42:20. > :42:24.unable to deliver basic care due to lack of trained staff. I was
:42:25. > :42:28.therefore highly alarmed this week to learn that the A department at
:42:29. > :42:34.Dewsbury District Hospital was operating with last than half of the
:42:35. > :42:37.minimum safe staffing requirement. Given this very alarming information
:42:38. > :42:43.will be Leader of the House agree we should have an urgent debate to look
:42:44. > :42:46.at this issue? Clearly that it is a definite problem for her and her
:42:47. > :42:49.constituents. What I will do is make sure the Secretary of State is aware
:42:50. > :42:52.of the concerns he has raised This Morning. She might want to bring
:42:53. > :42:56.forward a debate but the experience is usually that it is best to go
:42:57. > :42:59.straightaway and there is an issue here to take a look and I hope that
:43:00. > :43:18.she has had a birthday on Saturday. Thanks to his decision-making, next
:43:19. > :43:21.Thursday there's going to be a demonstration of the landmines and
:43:22. > :43:27.their removal by some of the most in Porton bodies including from
:43:28. > :43:32.Scotland. Given the importance of this humanitarian effort could we
:43:33. > :43:34.have a debate in this Parliament about the impact of the current
:43:35. > :43:45.conflicts going out throughout the world? Landmines have created some
:43:46. > :43:50.horrendous injuries and there are many thousands of people around the
:43:51. > :43:55.world with consequences of landmines so the work being done by people
:43:56. > :44:00.across our society from members of the Royal Family downwards to clear
:44:01. > :44:03.landmines and support their clearance is immensely valuable and
:44:04. > :44:08.I pay tribute to those in his constituency and Scotland who have
:44:09. > :44:15.been part of that. The Secretary of State for Defence is he on Monday
:44:16. > :44:22.and me want to -- he may want to highlight that work with him. I
:44:23. > :44:29.refuse at that they contacted by my constituent whose father sadly died
:44:30. > :44:38.while waiting two hours for an ambulance to arrive. The inquest
:44:39. > :44:41.which followed identified that despite the lifeline service
:44:42. > :44:44.provider having his full medical history they failed to convey any
:44:45. > :44:52.information to the Ambulance Services and if they had done so
:44:53. > :44:57.their previous -- his previous heart problems would have been identified.
:44:58. > :45:05.Could we have a debate so that any information is conveyed with the 999
:45:06. > :45:11.call? That is a shocking story, very disturbing, and we send out our
:45:12. > :45:17.condolences and good wishes to his family and distress that that could
:45:18. > :45:21.happen. One wishes that the housing association could act quickly to
:45:22. > :45:25.make sure that on the ground that could not happen again but I will
:45:26. > :45:31.also make sure my colleagues unaware of this having happened and ask them
:45:32. > :45:37.to look at whether or not this has to be changed for the future. Can we
:45:38. > :45:42.have a statement from a government minister on the crisis in funding
:45:43. > :46:03.for local services? How can it be fair that every household has lost
:46:04. > :46:16.?414 .74? Every house in Epsom and has only lost ?13 and 12p. He might
:46:17. > :46:21.look at the absolute figures. We attempt to provide a fair balance
:46:22. > :46:25.for funding around the country and make decisions that ensure that
:46:26. > :46:28.local authorities have funding they can use to deliver necessary
:46:29. > :46:33.services and that allows us to meet our national targets. Councils still
:46:34. > :46:43.receive far less than those in his area. When the house rose for the
:46:44. > :46:47.summary says that evening a local shopkeeper in my constituency was
:46:48. > :46:52.tragically killed. He was a much loved gentle and friendly man and he
:46:53. > :46:59.will be sorely missed by many in the south side of Glasgow. He was also a
:47:00. > :47:02.member of the Muslim community and the police have identified that
:47:03. > :47:09.there is religious aggravation by the killing. Can we have a debate on
:47:10. > :47:13.the persecution that the community faces in this country and around the
:47:14. > :47:21.world and discuss what the government is doing to tackle this
:47:22. > :47:26.cancerous form of sectarianism? Can I say how deeply shocked we all were
:47:27. > :47:31.by this terrible murder? Even more shocked by the motivation by that
:47:32. > :47:37.Margo. I know the Muslim community well. I have met members of the
:47:38. > :47:42.community and now the good work they do in our country and the positive
:47:43. > :47:45.role they tried to play in our communities. I know the way in which
:47:46. > :47:49.there might want to bridge gaps between different communities in
:47:50. > :47:55.this country and the fact he had published a message of goodwill to
:47:56. > :48:02.questions is a sign of what a valuable part of his community they
:48:03. > :48:08.are. They are persecuted around the world and we should always be
:48:09. > :48:16.willing to be their defenders. The Leader of the House of Lords aware
:48:17. > :48:21.that we have just had questions and the Secretary of State for women and
:48:22. > :48:25.equality is as informed as she is happy to have topical questions as
:48:26. > :48:30.part of this Question Time to allow members to raise issues which have
:48:31. > :48:40.come up. Can he give the host any indication as to when it might be
:48:41. > :48:43.implemented? I am very open to changes and as we move into a new
:48:44. > :48:49.session and may provide the opportunity for us to make changes
:48:50. > :48:53.of that kind. I have talked before about whether we should consider
:48:54. > :48:56.merging together business and Leader of the House questions and other
:48:57. > :49:05.areas where might we could make changes. We are considering these
:49:06. > :49:13.issues and we are open to making that kind of change. The case for
:49:14. > :49:18.reform of the Private Members' Bill system was made by myself and other
:49:19. > :49:22.members during a Westminster debate yesterday. There is a clear demand
:49:23. > :49:28.in this place and the public appetite for a fairer system. The
:49:29. > :49:34.general public think it is a farce. Will he bring forward plans to
:49:35. > :49:38.reform timetabling of private members' bills? I do not think the
:49:39. > :49:44.general public have an idea about what we do with regard to private
:49:45. > :49:48.members' bills. Sometimes there are examples of the system working well
:49:49. > :49:51.such as when we had the debate on assisted dying which I thought was
:49:52. > :50:00.this how is that it's best. There have been cases when it could not be
:50:01. > :50:05.understood what was happening. I have talked to the chair of the
:50:06. > :50:09.committee and I am receptive to looking at ways of improving the
:50:10. > :50:16.system and am waiting for them to report to me about the discussion.
:50:17. > :50:20.My question is one I would have liked to have asked as a topical to
:50:21. > :50:25.the woman inequalities team. This year the Northern Ireland assembly
:50:26. > :50:32.voted to maintain the ban on abortion even in cases of rape,
:50:33. > :50:39.incessant fatal abnormality and women accessing abortion would face
:50:40. > :50:41.life imprisonment. In light of the criminalisation of that vulnerable
:50:42. > :50:47.young women in the last month who elsewhere in the UK and in Europe
:50:48. > :50:51.would have received help from health care professionals and would not
:50:52. > :50:55.have faced imprisonment, and as it is the responsibility of their
:50:56. > :51:01.supposed to uphold the human rights of women in Northern Ireland, can we
:51:02. > :51:06.have a debate on this issue, because there are many members who would
:51:07. > :51:13.like to contribute? I understand her concern. I am not personally in
:51:14. > :51:19.favour of women who seek an abortion being punished for doing so. This is
:51:20. > :51:23.a devolved matter. We have taken a conscious decision to pass that
:51:24. > :51:27.decision until hands of the assembly in Northern Ireland and we cannot
:51:28. > :51:31.have it both ways. We cannot say it is your decision but if we do not
:51:32. > :51:39.like it we will start to debate on the issue. I agree with her. I think
:51:40. > :51:44.we should make the kind of statements that she has just made
:51:45. > :51:50.and I have just made but ultimately it will be a matter for the Northern
:51:51. > :51:55.Ireland assembly. Would the leader consider having a statement or
:51:56. > :51:59.debate on government time on the future of supported and specialist
:52:00. > :52:04.housing provision? It was raised by the member for Milton a few moments
:52:05. > :52:10.ago and raised that PMQs yesterday and we had a debate on Tuesday where
:52:11. > :52:16.a number of opposition members were in attendance and it is a very
:52:17. > :52:20.important issue, important for the victims of domestic violence, for
:52:21. > :52:25.veterans, elderly people, people with learning disabilities and
:52:26. > :52:29.mental health issues and there is a huge question hanging over the
:52:30. > :52:33.viability of specialist than supporting housing. If there could
:52:34. > :52:40.be statement or debate that would be very helpful. I understand the
:52:41. > :52:44.importance of that kind of housing. I visited a refuge in
:52:45. > :52:49.Gloucestershire a few weeks ago and Ireland stand the nature of the
:52:50. > :52:54.challenge. We listened carefully to the representations made a few weeks
:52:55. > :53:00.ago. I will make sure that ministers are aware of the concerns he has
:53:01. > :53:05.raised unless we have opportunities to debate this perhaps he would like
:53:06. > :53:08.to have a discussion with the chairman of the business committee
:53:09. > :53:17.and ask him to bring forward a debate. It is two years since the
:53:18. > :53:22.abduction of over 200 young schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Nigeria
:53:23. > :53:26.and I am sure everybody in this house sends our sympathies to their
:53:27. > :53:31.parents. We can only imagine what that must be like. I would welcome a
:53:32. > :53:40.statement of what kind of support of any we are giving from this country
:53:41. > :53:45.to try to recover these girls. I endorse what she has just said. It
:53:46. > :53:50.was a shocking incident and remains a matter of deep concern to the
:53:51. > :53:55.international community. We have been seeking to provide as much
:53:56. > :53:59.assistance as we can to the Nigerian government to identify what may have
:54:00. > :54:04.happened, to help them identify ways of retrieving the girls and we will
:54:05. > :54:09.continue to do that. For the Foreign Office that is a matter of great
:54:10. > :54:13.concern. First and foremost it is a matter for the Nigerian government
:54:14. > :54:17.but we stand alongside them at a Commonwealth country to address a
:54:18. > :54:23.challenge that remains an international blight that needs to
:54:24. > :54:29.be solved. During the recess I spoke at a conference and saw the
:54:30. > :54:36.wonderful work volunteers of the ambulance service do. Calls for a
:54:37. > :54:45.debate on the role of volunteering and including the hours that they
:54:46. > :54:51.contribute to the Welsh economy. I pay tribute to that work around the
:54:52. > :54:57.country, not just in his constituency, but volunteers who
:54:58. > :55:09.turn up at events, and we are immensely grateful for what they do.
:55:10. > :55:14.In their women and equality is questions the Minister of State
:55:15. > :55:17.indicated he would welcome a debate on maternity discrimination. Will he
:55:18. > :55:24.arrange a debate on government time on the subject? There are a number
:55:25. > :55:28.of ways in which you can bring to the chamber what is an important
:55:29. > :55:33.issues. One is what we have described than the other is the
:55:34. > :55:40.adjournment debate system. If she wants such a debate she should bring
:55:41. > :55:48.forward either you or someone from the backbench committee to bring
:55:49. > :55:53.forward a debate. GCSE and A-level exams in so-called minority
:55:54. > :55:56.languages, providers have said they will stop doing so despite promises
:55:57. > :56:01.last year that these exams would continue. Could we have a debate on
:56:02. > :56:08.what action we could take as the House of Commons to stop the
:56:09. > :56:15.language of many of my constituents from being downgraded? I understand
:56:16. > :56:21.the concern he has raised. The Secretary of State will be here on a
:56:22. > :56:26.week on Monday and will -- he will have the opportunity to raise that
:56:27. > :56:30.issue. We need a balance between good range of international
:56:31. > :56:34.languages and given the ties that we are building and have built and will
:56:35. > :56:39.continue to build with India that is an important issue but we also want
:56:40. > :56:43.to make sure that the quality of education is right for those in
:56:44. > :56:49.migrant communities to meet employment challenges. Suggesting
:56:50. > :56:53.that that because the duty has a negative balance of payments with
:56:54. > :56:59.the European Union we should be seeking to leave. Given we have a
:57:00. > :57:11.global trade deficit, perhaps we should be seeking to leave the
:57:12. > :57:15.world? Our current trade position is that we have the trade deficit with
:57:16. > :57:20.the European Union, a trade surplus with the rest of the world, and it
:57:21. > :57:32.is the government strategy to try to improve our trade ties around the
:57:33. > :57:34.world inside Europe and elsewhere. Order. Point of order. I