14/04/2016 House of Commons


14/04/2016

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stage is to look at this pipeline and make sure we are encouraging

:00:00.:00:00.

women every step to make sure we have more women on board than ever

:00:00.:00:07.

before. THE SPEAKER: The shadow leader of

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the House. Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming

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business, please? Mr Speaker if you allow me to say that I think the

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shadow leader, myself and the SNP spokesman all have something in

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common this morning. We should feel anxious after the march of the

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deputies before the recess. I would like to congratulate all three for

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doing a star turn in that last session before recess. There will be

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another opportunity as well. Monday 18th April there'll be a debate on

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the introduction of the national living wage and related changes to

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employee contracts, followed by a debate on educational attainment in

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North Yorkshire and the Humber. Tuesday, 19th April, will be the

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remaining stages of the Bank of England and financialfy nanssing

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bills. The consideration of the Energy Bill, Lords. Followed by a

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debate There'll be a debate on a motion on

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record copies of acts. The subject for this debate was determined by

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the Backbench Business Committee. On Thursday 22nd April, Mr Speaker, the

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Prime Minister and indeed I think the whole House will participate in

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a humble address to mark the Queen's 90th birthday. Friday, the House

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will not be sitting. On 25 April, consideration of Lords amendment

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followed by a debate on educational funding in London, a Backbench

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Business Committee debate. Tuesday 26th April is the first day of the

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remaining stages of the policing and Crime Bill. 27th April consideration

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of Lords amen mends and 28th April a backbench committee day, where the

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debate on world autism awareness week, followed by a debate on HMRC's

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building our future plan, the plan. Friday 29th April, the House is not

:02:14.:02:17.

sitting. I should also inform members that the business of

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Westminster Hall on 25th April will be a debate on the e-petition

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relating to meningitis B. Mr Speaker, can I start by

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congratulating the deputy, the wonderful and magnificent member for

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Grimsby and all the opposite, and all her opposite numbers on their

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very impressive appearance last time. It was the first time all

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three were women. In the word of Annie Lennox, "Sisters are doing it

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for themselves." I am coming to him in a moment!

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I also wish the honourable member for Wolverhampton North-East and her

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fiancee well for their wedding on Saturday. I know there are not many

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Tories in the chamber today. I gather there is an away day for the

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Conservative Party, or maybe two away days in different parts of the

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country. Apparently it is a dress-down event. I have a horrible

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image of the honourable member for Lichfield preparing his outfit, but

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I will leave that there! I have seen it before and yes, it is not very

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pretty! Mr Speaker, I asked on 10th March whether you could hear the

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slow ebbing down the beach of the authority of the Prime Minister and,

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boy, wasn't I right! When there is still so much to be done to improve

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the life chances of the most vulnerable, it is difficult to

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justify putting middle class tax cuts before the needs of the working

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poor and the socially disadvantaged. That is not me, it is a Conservative

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Member of Parliament, the MP for central Suffolk and East Ipswich,

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even Tories admit the Prime Minister is a busted flush. We had a classic

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example of this yesterday, I bet the Prime Minister thought he was giving

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a helpful plug for the kur ri yous ins curious incident of the dog in

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the night. The author of the book, Mark Haddon was horrified. He

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treated his agreement with the Smiths, who said "David Cameron stop

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saying you like the Smiths, no, you don't. I forbid you to like it! "

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There are 63 private member bills on the paper today. Two new ones were

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added this week. When the members for Selby and for Donn valley were

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asked second reading, what day by you? They said, 28th April. Even

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though they know, you know, I know and everyone else knows that we will

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not be sitting that day or any other Friday during this session.

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Incidentally, Mr Speaker, why on Earth do you say, second reading,

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what day? As if you are Yoda in Star Wars? Why can't you say it in proper

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English? Yesterday, it is a good impersonation you do, mind you. When

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you call Andrew Salooo! Yesterday there was an excellent debate on

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this in Westminster Hall. Many of us think that the present system of

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private member bills is a waste of time and brings the House into

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disrepute. When the report is published will the leader make

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proper time for us to debate changes f that is what the House wants to

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do? Incidentally, can the leader do something about the small Business

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Minister? I mean the minister for small business? She has become

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terribly patronising. She called me "darling" on Question Time last

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week. All I say to her, is frankly I have been patronised by much better

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women than you. I have a terrible fear she thinks she's becoming

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Maggie Smith, from Downton Abbey. She cackles away during the debate

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that she almost makes makes me seem calm and reasonable. On Tuesday, she

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praised the role that the community union have played in the steel

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crisis. Absolutely right. She and her colleagues are the very

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ministers who are forcing the trade union bill through Parliament and

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utterly partisan piece of legislation which tries to cut the

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trade union legs off and is being cut to ribbons in the House of

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Lords. Wouldn't she be better off listening to Liberty, who say it is

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a legislation which will destroy the finely balanced relationships

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between trade unions and business? Can't we have a debate and it cannot

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be an opposition debate because he has not given us one, on boardroom

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chair. The chair of the remuneration of bp is giving its chairman a 20%

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pay hike. Taking his remuneration to ?14 million, in a year the company

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has made its biggest ever losses and has cut 25% of its workforce. What

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message does it send from the Government that she's been a

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non-executive board member of the Department for Business since 2014?

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Why don't the Government have a big sign printed, put over the

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department saying, there is one rule for the rich and quite another for

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the rest of you? Why don't they get 20 of these printed and put one over

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the Treasury, one over HMRC, one over Downing Street? Fundamentally

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that is the Government's motto today, isn't it? Finally, can we

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have a debait on underachievement? Some people on that side of the

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House this I if you are not a millionaire you are a failure. Can I

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tell you who has achieved something in life, it is the woman who gets up

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at 4am to catch the first bus to clean a hotel for 13 hours for the

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minimum wage, the widower who can make sure he can put food on the

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table for his children. The middle aged woman who gives up her job to

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care for her elderly dad. The squady, who goes way beyond the Call

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of Duty. I would be proud to sit in a house full of people like that,

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rather than have to face these dead beats over there. A Health Secretary

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who has alienated the NHS. A Chancellor who produces a budget so

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unfair that it even made Iain Duncan Smith cry.

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Mr Speaker, I can first thank all of those who were involved in

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organising the security stands in Portcullis House yesterday? I hope

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all members on all sides will take advantage of the equipment on

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display there. I am pleased to learn they run out of equipment such was

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the degrie of interest. The shadow leader talked about poverty. Let me

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remain this - child poverty under this Government is falling.

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Unequality under this Government is falling T proportion of tax paid by

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the wealthiest in our society is rising.ly take no lessons from that

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-- I will take no lessons from that side after a shall billion lick

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decade in Parliament when they left 2.5 million unemployed, communities

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struggling with a failing economy. We have turned it away in a --

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around in a way they couldn't have done. About the private member

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bills, of course it is open to any Select Committee to bring a matter

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to this House. I am very responsive to the thought we should have a

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detailed discussion about the recommendations they make and we

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should look at ways to improve the system. I was a little surprised to

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hear a star wars joke from the jar jar binnings of the Labour Party. I

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regard you as greater stature than Yoda and I am surprised he would

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even make that comparison. On the trade union bill, can I remain the

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honourable gentleman that the purpose is to stop trade unions

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holding the public to ransom. We see time and again relatively small

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groups of working bringing our transport system to a halt, which

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does damage to far, far more workers. That is why we are the

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party of the workers. We are representing the millions travelling

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to work, not a tiny minority of trade unionists who want to cause

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trouble for our country. On the subject of boardroom pay, it is of

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course a matter for shareholders and board members as to what to pay

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directors. I would not condone large pay rises, I hope all those involved

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in attending general meetings t shareholders will look carefully to

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ensure the message is sent out and consistent with a well motivated

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workforce. We have a debate every Wednesday about the underunder

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achievers. The biggest is the leader of the opposition.

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I will also Mr Speaker be joining the Conservative Party away day this

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afternoon. There is one event for the Conservative Party. The truth is

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on their side they would really struggle to hold an away day, such

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as the divisions in their party, such as the desire to remove their

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leader. Image Image sitting bebehind one underachieves week after week.

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THE SPEAKER: We must hear the leader of the House.

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Finally something which will unite all in the House apart from

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Tottenham supporters, good luck to Leicester City in their final games.

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It would be an extraordinary achievement 2,500-1 outsiders to

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win. Talking of outsiders, I have been trying to put a few quid on

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another rank outsider. I have been to the bookies. I asked the bookies

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if they would let me have a bet on the shadow leader winning the battle

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to succeed, due in due course, as the next speaker. I have to tell the

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House that the bookies thought it was so bizarre they wouldn't even

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take my money. The European referendum campaign has

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kicked off with a controversy about Government leaflets and now the

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local election campaign in Southend is marred in controversy. Would my

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Right Honourable friend find time for a debate on the conduct of local

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authorities behaviour during local election campaigns, because it is

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claimed that my local authority in Southend, which consists of seven

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individual groupings is sending out blatant party electioneering letters

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about an energy company and including articles in magazines

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without the appropriate election in print.

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There are very clear rules as to how to conduct themselves in referendum

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and election campaigns and four local authorities it is a matter for

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the Chief Executive to ensure those rules are kept. There are

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appropriate authorities to complain to if that does not happen and I

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hope he will do that. As regards to the overall national leaflet for the

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Government it has a fine picture on it. Can I thank him for announcing

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the business for next week and also paid tribute to a very efficient

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deputy when we were able to make it the victory might honourable friend

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the member for South Cheshire who was an undoubted star of the show.

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This little tired stuff was put forward to the House. I tried to get

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a bet in Scotland as to who would succeed in the race to be the next

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First Minister. The odds are better for him than the actual Conservative

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candidate Ruth Davidson herself. Yesterday my honourable friend the

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member from Ruby is the issue of those working in the benefits

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investigators against those working in the affluent union in the HMRC.

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After appearing there was a tad bemused and embarrassed, deeply

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masted seem to doubt the robustness of the figures. I say that my

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honourable friend perhaps got these figures wrong. It is reported in the

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Guardian This Morning that the 3200 figure quoted by my Right Honourable

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friend has now sworn to 3700 of benefits investigators compared to

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320 in the affluent unit. Can we have a debate about these relative

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numbers and if the Prime Minister still has a mind to Charles and he

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can perhaps come to the Beard himself and tell us what the figures

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actually are. Speaking of the Prime Minister he has now consistently and

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repeatedly refused to come before the Liaison Committee to answer

:15:55.:15:58.

questions about the EU referendum. It is an absolute disgrace. He has a

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responsibility and obligation to come before the Committee chairs to

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answer these questions. I don't know why he has this anxiety and viruses

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but I am certain that a gentle approach from the Leader of the

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House -- nervousness. To take up his responsibilities and have a quiet

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chat with those Committee chairs and Liaison Committee. We were promised

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several statements on military action in Syria and we haven't had

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any at all. I perhaps know the reason why there hasn't been

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statements, because there is nothing to report. There has been no

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military operations since the beginning of March and the last time

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the fabled Princeton system was used was February 18. We are supposedly

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engaged in Syria to support opposition forces fighting Daesh on

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the ground but there is little evidence that that is happening.

:16:56.:17:01.

Even if it is just the Defence Secretary counters house to tell us

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that nothing much sexy happening. It is not the fabled monster of law

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it is in fact a hollowed out old wreck and has been stuck in the deep

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for a number of decades. He says Scottish Tories and I couldn't

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possibly add to that. The chaotic we were party take over the opinion

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poll is perhaps a testament to the Conservative government itself. --

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Labour Party. I can reassure the honourable gentleman I have

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absolutely no expectation or desire to be the next First Minister of

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Scotland. However I am equally convinced that the Conservative

:17:55.:17:57.

leader in Scotland would indeed be an excellent First Minister of

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Scotland and I had to say whatever the outcome of the other selections

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it is clear that the Scottish people think she would be a better First

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Minister than the current Labour leader in Scotland and I suspect

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that is something we could agree on. On the issue of HMRC, there are

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thousands of people in HMRC whose job is day in day out to insured the

:18:18.:18:20.

secure the right amount of tax elsewhere. This government has a

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record that is far better than the predecessors in securing the

:18:29.:18:33.

repayment of tax from overseas centres, in tightening up the rules

:18:34.:18:36.

and closing loopholes, things that were never done when the Labour

:18:37.:18:40.

Party was in power during the last decade. On the question of the

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Liaison Committee, I know there are discussions between the chair of

:18:46.:18:49.

that Committee and number ten, dates have been provided and promised to

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the future. I have no doubt the Prime Minister will continue to give

:18:54.:18:55.

evidence to the Liaison Committee in a proper way. On Syria, the last

:18:56.:19:01.

statement by the International Development Secretary was in

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February and I expect a statement from the Ministry of Defence in the

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very near future to update on defence matters in Syria. It is

:19:09.:19:14.

right and proper and the House was also able to question the Foreign

:19:15.:19:18.

Secretary back in March about what were very important issues. I think

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we hope in this country that the ceasefire that has been in place in

:19:24.:19:27.

Syria, not completely kept but has at least taken things thawed a step,

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can continue. He mentioned the Labour Party but what he saw

:19:34.:19:41.

headlights is sometimes... I am very grateful to the backbenchers

:19:42.:19:44.

business committed to finding time for debate on the important issue,

:19:45.:19:51.

as read of the self to decide these matters. Will he confirm to me that

:19:52.:19:56.

despite the fact that debate to be replied to by a Cabinet officers

:19:57.:19:59.

there is nonetheless remains has business, much for a free Bob Dudley

:20:00.:20:04.

for Conservative Party, an opportunity for us to say in the

:20:05.:20:08.

House of Lords we feel strongly on these matters and wanted to be

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known. Of course it is a custom and practice forgotten Mr is to be in

:20:17.:20:22.

this House week in week out to respond to backbench business

:20:23.:20:26.

debates. Add a bit of that kind will be no different. It is assigned

:20:27.:20:30.

earlier on the order paper and the House can discuss these issues

:20:31.:20:33.

shortly. The honourable gentleman on the other side who wish to speak

:20:34.:20:36.

against, I think the Shadow leader will wish to speak favour. To

:20:37.:20:43.

continue the Star Wars theme, it is grateful but I am, Mr Speaker. In

:20:44.:20:52.

the leader announcement on the future business, members will look

:20:53.:20:55.

as there are four days in the next two weeks in which there are

:20:56.:20:59.

backbench debates to take place and I believe that after that, there

:21:00.:21:04.

could be two weeks of business before the Queen's Speech. We are

:21:05.:21:09.

still some way short of our 27 days in the parliament and they do

:21:10.:21:13.

anticipate an amicable accommodation over the number of days for

:21:14.:21:16.

backbench business before the Queen's Speech. I know we have just

:21:17.:21:22.

had questions to the Minister for Women and Equalities but one thing

:21:23.:21:25.

which did occur to me to relate to submit a question was that on the

:21:26.:21:29.

white paper on education, the removal of the requirement to have

:21:30.:21:35.

parent governors, and it is a removal of a requirement, parents

:21:36.:21:38.

will still be governors in other categories but it is the removal of

:21:39.:21:42.

the requirement to have parent governors that it will

:21:43.:21:45.

disproportionately impact on women, particularly in primary schools,

:21:46.:21:49.

given the number of primary schools which are yet to convert. I wonder

:21:50.:21:54.

if we could have a statement from the Minister for Women and equality

:21:55.:21:57.

is about the impact of the implications of the white paper on

:21:58.:22:04.

women and other minorities? Of course this is a subject that was

:22:05.:22:09.

discussed in this House yesterday. We have just had women and old is

:22:10.:22:15.

questions of course, if any measures, there will be

:22:16.:22:18.

opportunities to debate them. If I may, he makes an important point

:22:19.:22:22.

about service coming forward. As a government tester I would not

:22:23.:22:26.

normally make a representation to Backbench Business Committee, if I

:22:27.:22:28.

could break that rule. I think it would be a very good idea that we

:22:29.:22:33.

have a number of requests over the weeks of this session for members on

:22:34.:22:35.

both sides to talk about the work being done by voluntary sector

:22:36.:22:40.

groups in their constituencies. I would venture to suggest to the

:22:41.:22:44.

business backbench Committee that providing an opportunity to do that

:22:45.:22:46.

over the next three or four weeks would be a valuable response to

:22:47.:22:51.

those requests. I think most of a subgroup Sudbury Valley and we wish

:22:52.:22:54.

to pay to be two and having a base debate would be valuable in my view.

:22:55.:23:02.

According to recent polling by you Gulf, 85% of the public believe that

:23:03.:23:07.

the recently produced EU leaflet produced by the Government was

:23:08.:23:10.

biased and 50% of the public disapproval of it completely. Can we

:23:11.:23:13.

therefore have a statement from the Government stating that no further

:23:14.:23:17.

such materials will be produced during the referendum campaign? And

:23:18.:23:24.

also can they confirm that the leaves and remain campaigns

:23:25.:23:26.

following yesterday's declination will have parity in terms of

:23:27.:23:30.

funding, spending power and media coverage going forward? The

:23:31.:23:36.

Government position has been to support remaining in the European

:23:37.:23:39.

Union and that was the context in which the leaflet was distributed.

:23:40.:23:42.

It has clearly provoked strong views around the country. In those

:23:43.:23:47.

households where it has been discovered, certainly in my

:23:48.:23:51.

household it was rather buried in the Peter leaflets. But what I would

:23:52.:23:58.

say to you, it is of -- fundamental importance over the coming weeks

:23:59.:24:02.

that both sides of the argument received the appropriate support

:24:03.:24:04.

under the rules that were set out in the act that we debated in the past

:24:05.:24:08.

last year. I'm sure that'll be the case and the Government will want to

:24:09.:24:12.

ensure that that happens and the broadcasters will also want to

:24:13.:24:15.

ensure there is a proper balance between the two sides in the debate.

:24:16.:24:21.

In the middle of all the work I have done on the steel industry recently

:24:22.:24:24.

and local transport, I received a phone call from a distraught couple

:24:25.:24:30.

who run a rescue centre in my constituency. -- rack shelf is that

:24:31.:24:35.

I centre. They are nursing back to health care job in the last week

:24:36.:24:38.

with spines were cut off by a pair of scissors. -- hedgehog. They

:24:39.:24:45.

expressed their frustration to the perpetrators of this wicked act are

:24:46.:24:47.

very unlikely to be brought to justice. Can we have a debate not

:24:48.:24:52.

only on the need to extend and increased population of hedgehogs as

:24:53.:24:55.

I know the honourable member for Plymouth is often called but also

:24:56.:24:59.

the need to increase protections for these wonderful creatures? I

:25:00.:25:07.

absolutely agree. I saw the picture that hedgehog, it was shocking and

:25:08.:25:11.

it sometimes beggars believe how low and unpleasant some people in our

:25:12.:25:13.

society can be, utterly unacceptable. We do from time to

:25:14.:25:19.

time find extraordinary examples of maltreatment of animals. What I

:25:20.:25:22.

would say to her is the law does allow prosecution of people who have

:25:23.:25:25.

committed the offences and they certainly would hope in a case like

:25:26.:25:28.

the one that hedgehog is the perpetrators could be found they

:25:29.:25:31.

would be prosecuted but that is a matter for the independent

:25:32.:25:34.

prosecution authorities but I urge them to take that issue very

:25:35.:25:37.

seriously. The Government will of course continue to look at ways of

:25:38.:25:41.

ensuring that we provide proper protection for animals in our

:25:42.:25:45.

society. I'm sure she will now be joining the campaign being led by

:25:46.:25:49.

Right Honourable friend for Plymouth Sutton to provide the protection

:25:50.:25:51.

that is clearly supported by many tens of thousands of people. Can I

:25:52.:25:57.

ask him whether it would be possible to have an early debate on the

:25:58.:26:01.

potential role by the House of Commons in providing information to

:26:02.:26:05.

the public in the EU referendum campaign? The public are now clearly

:26:06.:26:09.

given up any hope of getting objective information from the

:26:10.:26:13.

Government. In order to ensure that we can maintain trust in our

:26:14.:26:17.

institutions, does my Right Honourable friend agree that there

:26:18.:26:22.

is a role for the House of Commons library to produce information

:26:23.:26:27.

perhaps in a specialised website? So that my constituents and other

:26:28.:26:31.

constituents can actually see the facts in relation to how much we

:26:32.:26:35.

paid to the European Union each week, the negative balance of trade

:26:36.:26:40.

with the European Union as the impossibility of delivering our

:26:41.:26:42.

manifesto commitment to reduce net migration etc. Could we not put that

:26:43.:26:46.

on a dedicated House of Commons site which by the respected as being

:26:47.:26:52.

objective? I we would we would all pay tribute to the work done by the

:26:53.:26:56.

House of Commons Ivory which is a valuable service that provides very

:26:57.:27:01.

dispassionate analysis -- library. It publishes the work that it

:27:02.:27:04.

produces but that this brass as members to ask for that work in the

:27:05.:27:08.

first place and I am sure my honourable friend will seek that

:27:09.:27:11.

kind of analysis on his behalf so it can be published by the public as a

:27:12.:27:14.

whole to judge for themselves the rights and wrongs. It has happened

:27:15.:27:23.

again. Another young boy has been tragically stabbed to death in my

:27:24.:27:30.

constituency. Myron was a talented young rapper who was well loved by

:27:31.:27:34.

his family and friends. We have had the debate in here, the backbench

:27:35.:27:39.

business debate and we were looking to set up a commission. At the last

:27:40.:27:45.

business questions the deputy Leader of the House said to me to go ahead

:27:46.:27:50.

and set up the commission will stop I will do that but what I want to

:27:51.:27:53.

know is how can I access government funds to ensure that that the

:27:54.:27:59.

commission is successful and how can we ensure that the Government

:28:00.:28:01.

respond to the recommendations from it?

:28:02.:28:07.

I am shocked to learn what she just said. It is a tragedy when we lose a

:28:08.:28:13.

young person in such circumstances. So have that occur more than once in

:28:14.:28:17.

her constituency must be difficult for her. I would send all our

:28:18.:28:22.

condough lenses to the family and friends of the Young Vic timg. If it

:28:23.:28:30.

is helpful -- the young victim. When I was tis secretary we introduced

:28:31.:28:34.

further measures to try and frighten up the law so there is a clear

:28:35.:28:39.

presumption of a jail sentence if somebody is caught carrying a knife

:28:40.:28:44.

for a second time. We need to convince young people of the dangers

:28:45.:28:48.

of carrying a knife. That is a task I think we should all share across

:28:49.:28:50.

this House. As a result of his disabilities my

:28:51.:29:03.

constituent, Daniel, Barbali needs a ceiling hoist in his bedroom. He,

:29:04.:29:07.

like every one else, likes to travel and would like to stay in hotels

:29:08.:29:12.

from time to time. He finds few hotels make provisions for this in

:29:13.:29:16.

their bedrooms, even the largest hotels. Could we debate how large

:29:17.:29:20.

hotels could provide at least one or two rooms in every one of their

:29:21.:29:27.

properties which has a ceiling hoist so people like my constituent can

:29:28.:29:30.

travel around and stay in different parts of the country? I think my

:29:31.:29:35.

honourable friend makes an important point and one I had not had brought

:29:36.:29:40.

to me before. He makes a valuable contribution. I think this is a

:29:41.:29:45.

subject where I would encourage him to bring about the minister

:29:46.:29:47.

responsible for the House to put these points to him. By bringing the

:29:48.:29:53.

point up in this House he will encourage hotel chains to think of

:29:54.:29:55.

doing something they have not thought of doing in the past. Can we

:29:56.:30:02.

have an early debate entitled "liberal democracy in the 21st

:30:03.:30:10.

century "to celebrate the hereditary section. Seven candidates have been

:30:11.:30:16.

declared, they will face an electorate of three -. The count

:30:17.:30:26.

will be conducted by elect roral reform -- electoral reform services

:30:27.:30:29.

and the first votes for each candidate and the position after the

:30:30.:30:34.

transfer of votes will be available in the printed paper office. How

:30:35.:30:38.

long are we going to have a situation where a party rejected

:30:39.:32:41.

I'd like to pay tribute to everyone involved in organising successful

:32:42.:32:54.

event. Having been liberated by retirement, he said this week that

:32:55.:33:00.

at least once a month he was approached in his office by the

:33:01.:33:05.

Prime Minister, other ministers in order to favour Tory Party donors,

:33:06.:33:10.

ex-MPs, or other Conservatives officeholders to favour them in

:33:11.:33:14.

appointments, public appointments. When can we have a debate on pit

:33:15.:33:18.

village to discover a wide, for the past six years, the Merit for

:33:19.:33:24.

applicants to these key top dogs was decided on their party Tory card on

:33:25.:33:28.

the amount of money in their wallets. There are times I have just

:33:29.:33:40.

take back and continued amazement at the cheek of the Labour Party. They

:33:41.:33:44.

spent 13 years in government packing the public sector with their

:33:45.:33:47.

grannies and six years later we are still trying to achieve a sensible

:33:48.:33:50.

balance in our public services. I will take no lessons from them, we

:33:51.:33:55.

are trying to provide a proper balance of expertise, background,

:33:56.:34:03.

gender, skills, to make sure we have a properly representative public

:34:04.:34:07.

centre and not one that is packed with the Labour cronies we inherited

:34:08.:34:14.

in 2010. My constituent tells me that a year ago he discovered that

:34:15.:34:19.

his energy supplier had been changed without his consent and it took him

:34:20.:34:22.

a lot of time and effort to resolve the matter but it still wasn't clear

:34:23.:34:25.

whether this was a genuine mistake or an underhand marketing pink pig.

:34:26.:34:29.

It is however a serious problem. It is estimated there by 5000 such

:34:30.:34:34.

cases a year. I wonder if we could have an debate to consider the

:34:35.:34:37.

obligations of energy suppliers to prevent erroneous transfers and to

:34:38.:34:39.

make sure they have a valid contract before the takeover supply. This is

:34:40.:34:45.

an important point, there are vulnerable consumers committed on

:34:46.:34:51.

the doorstep to make changes when it is not appropriate to do so,

:34:52.:34:56.

especially of the kind that it has been provided. It is the rule of the

:34:57.:35:00.

modem to look now at the issues and to deal with complaints against

:35:01.:35:03.

different organisations but of course this is an example of the

:35:04.:35:07.

kind of consumer issue that should be brought before this House on a

:35:08.:35:10.

regular basis and I would encourage my friend to use one of the

:35:11.:35:15.

challenge is available and do that. It was claimed in Prime Minister's

:35:16.:35:18.

Questions yesterday by the honourable member for pinball but

:35:19.:35:21.

Lancashire County Council is proposing to cut all funding to nine

:35:22.:35:27.

women's refuges. There are presented of other council tells me the

:35:28.:35:29.

opposite is the case, that the Government appalled this at putting

:35:30.:35:33.

people money and the Council are filling the gap. Can we have an

:35:34.:35:38.

urgent debate on the funding of women's refuges? This situation is

:35:39.:35:41.

far too serious proportions to distort for their own political

:35:42.:35:48.

purposes. Two points. First we learned in Prime Minister's

:35:49.:35:50.

Questions yesterday that the Government has provided many

:35:51.:35:54.

millions of pounds to work refuges and she has many opportunities to

:35:55.:35:56.

bring forward the base to this House, where she was to have a

:35:57.:35:59.

debate with my revenge is very able to do so. Can we have a debate on

:36:00.:36:06.

the 2% levy that the Chancellor allowed councils to charge for

:36:07.:36:13.

social care. It seems Bradford Council is only spending a small

:36:14.:36:18.

proportion of that money despite only a small proportion being spent

:36:19.:36:21.

on the care home sector. Can we have a debate so that what was intended

:36:22.:36:27.

by the Government it is and is sure that this goes to what it was funded

:36:28.:36:31.

to. So that councils around the country are spending is to help

:36:32.:36:34.

those care homes pay for things like the national living wage which I

:36:35.:36:37.

thought the phone tension and not spending it on things that were not

:36:38.:36:43.

intended. Treasury questions session on Tuesday will provide an

:36:44.:36:47.

opportunity for him to raise that were Treasury measures but what is

:36:48.:36:51.

identified is what we often find ourselves that when it comes to

:36:52.:36:53.

Labour councils, they don't spend the money on services that matter,

:36:54.:36:57.

this depended on bloated bureaucracies and open... Huge

:36:58.:37:06.

portions of the standing orders of this place after... They go out of

:37:07.:37:13.

their way to prevent new representation and to ensure

:37:14.:37:14.

stacking in favour of the Government. They pay Committee has a

:37:15.:37:19.

number of occasions done reviews of the standing orders and produced a

:37:20.:37:25.

very comprehensive suggestion of reviews last year. Will the

:37:26.:37:28.

Government committed to either clicking on the reviews of the

:37:29.:37:32.

procedure Committee, or ripping up the standing orders and starting

:37:33.:37:34.

again with something a lot more workable? I think we have been open

:37:35.:37:41.

to change over the years since 2010 since we first entered government.

:37:42.:37:44.

We have made extensive changes to the way this House works. We have

:37:45.:37:48.

been open to new ideas. I am open to new ideas. I listened very carefully

:37:49.:37:52.

and discuss very regularly bots and dishes brought forward by the

:37:53.:37:55.

procedure Committee. We have in the time allocated to the Backbench

:37:56.:37:58.

Business Committee and opportunity for the House to bring forward its

:37:59.:38:02.

own thoughts about what needs to happen and change. I will dispute

:38:03.:38:06.

what she says about there being no opportunity for backbenchers to get

:38:07.:38:09.

their views heard and I will say to her I am open as Leader of the House

:38:10.:38:13.

to look at ways in which we can do things better. May the force be with

:38:14.:38:19.

you, Mr Speaker. I am looking forward to the Conservative love in

:38:20.:38:24.

later today and can I commend similar no knives allowed event for

:38:25.:38:28.

the Labour Party as well? Probably the biggest thing you regret as

:38:29.:38:32.

being Speaker, that you can come to the event. -- can't come to the

:38:33.:38:39.

event. One name that will be on anybody's lips at this loving will

:38:40.:38:46.

be Fraser Cameron. An eurocrat who since the Dutch referendum has said

:38:47.:38:50.

that the EU should ban any further referendums on anything to do with

:38:51.:38:55.

the EU. Could the Leader of the House go to the dispatch box and

:38:56.:39:00.

make a statement now to inform Fraser, we would call him Mr Cameron

:39:01.:39:04.

in case there is any doubt, that we live in a democracy, we actually

:39:05.:39:08.

believe in what people say and it is this Conservative government that is

:39:09.:39:11.

giving a referendum to the British people and it will be a British

:39:12.:39:14.

Government that will decide when we have referendums on such matters. I

:39:15.:39:20.

think he has found an item on Europe that the Shadow leader and I would

:39:21.:39:24.

agree on. The idea that we would deny people across the European

:39:25.:39:27.

Union and the opportunity in the future to have a referendum on key

:39:28.:39:31.

issues of importance to them is an absurd one. In a democracy there is

:39:32.:39:35.

a time and place by referendum and a time and a place to consult the

:39:36.:39:39.

people. The idea we would not do that in the future is a ludicrous

:39:40.:39:43.

one and one that to my mind the author of should be profoundly

:39:44.:39:48.

embarrassed about his comments. Can I offer an apology to the Leader of

:39:49.:39:52.

the House, during foreign funds questions earlier this week, when

:39:53.:39:59.

certain members of the alt European brigade on his ventures shouted and

:40:00.:40:03.

people who are pro-Europeans, I called Ella Bond a grumpy old men, I

:40:04.:40:11.

realised that was a deeply ageist comment and I apologise for it but

:40:12.:40:17.

could I also have an early debate on consumer power? We know have social

:40:18.:40:21.

media where we could take on the BP 's and pay these disgrace wages to

:40:22.:40:27.

the Chief Executive, take on the Company 's your taking all the perks

:40:28.:40:32.

that ordinary workers have in order to compensate for the living wage.

:40:33.:40:36.

Can we have a debate on empowering consumers to punish these greedy

:40:37.:40:41.

people? The honourable gentleman makes an important point. It is

:40:42.:40:44.

always worth remembering in our society,

:40:45.:40:49.

change the law on this and that, one of the most powerful weapons

:40:50.:40:52.

available today through the emergence of social media and mass

:40:53.:40:55.

communication society is direct consumer pressure on companies. If

:40:56.:40:59.

consumers disapprove of corporate behaviour they take their business

:41:00.:41:03.

elsewhere, it is very quick to impact the performance of those

:41:04.:41:06.

companies and the need to learn the lessons pretty quickly. The power of

:41:07.:41:09.

the consumer today is perhaps more than it has ever been. Earlier this

:41:10.:41:14.

week the National Crime Agency stated that northern ports and in

:41:15.:41:20.

particular those on the Humber such as Hull, Grimsey and Ning are being

:41:21.:41:24.

targeted by people smugglers. When I last raised this with the ministers

:41:25.:41:27.

they give me an assurance that adequate resources were in place. In

:41:28.:41:33.

view of the agency has now said, could be arranged for a Home Office

:41:34.:41:37.

minister to make a statement on this? And used as a matter of

:41:38.:41:44.

concern. -- I know this is. We do not want to see smaller ports used

:41:45.:41:49.

in this way and if they are the extra measures can sometimes be a

:41:50.:41:53.

disruption to legitimate trade. The Transport Secretary is here this

:41:54.:41:57.

week. Can I suggest it is picked up with him but I will make sure the

:41:58.:42:00.

Home Office ministers are also aware of the concerns he has raised?

:42:01.:42:05.

Leader of the House and perhaps yourself may recall my recent

:42:06.:42:10.

adjournment debate regarding the staffing crisis at the mid Yorkshire

:42:11.:42:14.

hospitals trust, where staff had actually confirmed that they were

:42:15.:42:19.

unable to deliver basic care due to lack of trained staff. I was

:42:20.:42:24.

therefore highly alarmed this week to learn that the A department at

:42:25.:42:28.

Dewsbury District Hospital was operating with last than half of the

:42:29.:42:34.

minimum safe staffing requirement. Given this very alarming information

:42:35.:42:37.

will be Leader of the House agree we should have an urgent debate to look

:42:38.:42:43.

at this issue? Clearly that it is a definite problem for her and her

:42:44.:42:46.

constituents. What I will do is make sure the Secretary of State is aware

:42:47.:42:49.

of the concerns he has raised This Morning. She might want to bring

:42:50.:42:52.

forward a debate but the experience is usually that it is best to go

:42:53.:42:56.

straightaway and there is an issue here to take a look and I hope that

:42:57.:42:59.

she has had a birthday on Saturday. Thanks to his decision-making, next

:43:00.:43:18.

Thursday there's going to be a demonstration of the landmines and

:43:19.:43:21.

their removal by some of the most in Porton bodies including from

:43:22.:43:27.

Scotland. Given the importance of this humanitarian effort could we

:43:28.:43:32.

have a debate in this Parliament about the impact of the current

:43:33.:43:34.

conflicts going out throughout the world? Landmines have created some

:43:35.:43:45.

horrendous injuries and there are many thousands of people around the

:43:46.:43:50.

world with consequences of landmines so the work being done by people

:43:51.:43:55.

across our society from members of the Royal Family downwards to clear

:43:56.:44:00.

landmines and support their clearance is immensely valuable and

:44:01.:44:03.

I pay tribute to those in his constituency and Scotland who have

:44:04.:44:08.

been part of that. The Secretary of State for Defence is he on Monday

:44:09.:44:15.

and me want to -- he may want to highlight that work with him. I

:44:16.:44:22.

refuse at that they contacted by my constituent whose father sadly died

:44:23.:44:29.

while waiting two hours for an ambulance to arrive. The inquest

:44:30.:44:38.

which followed identified that despite the lifeline service

:44:39.:44:41.

provider having his full medical history they failed to convey any

:44:42.:44:44.

information to the Ambulance Services and if they had done so

:44:45.:44:52.

their previous -- his previous heart problems would have been identified.

:44:53.:44:57.

Could we have a debate so that any information is conveyed with the 999

:44:58.:45:05.

call? That is a shocking story, very disturbing, and we send out our

:45:06.:45:11.

condolences and good wishes to his family and distress that that could

:45:12.:45:17.

happen. One wishes that the housing association could act quickly to

:45:18.:45:21.

make sure that on the ground that could not happen again but I will

:45:22.:45:25.

also make sure my colleagues unaware of this having happened and ask them

:45:26.:45:31.

to look at whether or not this has to be changed for the future. Can we

:45:32.:45:37.

have a statement from a government minister on the crisis in funding

:45:38.:45:42.

for local services? How can it be fair that every household has lost

:45:43.:46:03.

?414 .74? Every house in Epsom and has only lost ?13 and 12p. He might

:46:04.:46:16.

look at the absolute figures. We attempt to provide a fair balance

:46:17.:46:21.

for funding around the country and make decisions that ensure that

:46:22.:46:25.

local authorities have funding they can use to deliver necessary

:46:26.:46:28.

services and that allows us to meet our national targets. Councils still

:46:29.:46:33.

receive far less than those in his area. When the house rose for the

:46:34.:46:43.

summary says that evening a local shopkeeper in my constituency was

:46:44.:46:47.

tragically killed. He was a much loved gentle and friendly man and he

:46:48.:46:52.

will be sorely missed by many in the south side of Glasgow. He was also a

:46:53.:46:59.

member of the Muslim community and the police have identified that

:47:00.:47:02.

there is religious aggravation by the killing. Can we have a debate on

:47:03.:47:09.

the persecution that the community faces in this country and around the

:47:10.:47:13.

world and discuss what the government is doing to tackle this

:47:14.:47:21.

cancerous form of sectarianism? Can I say how deeply shocked we all were

:47:22.:47:26.

by this terrible murder? Even more shocked by the motivation by that

:47:27.:47:31.

Margo. I know the Muslim community well. I have met members of the

:47:32.:47:37.

community and now the good work they do in our country and the positive

:47:38.:47:42.

role they tried to play in our communities. I know the way in which

:47:43.:47:45.

there might want to bridge gaps between different communities in

:47:46.:47:49.

this country and the fact he had published a message of goodwill to

:47:50.:47:55.

questions is a sign of what a valuable part of his community they

:47:56.:48:02.

are. They are persecuted around the world and we should always be

:48:03.:48:08.

willing to be their defenders. The Leader of the House of Lords aware

:48:09.:48:16.

that we have just had questions and the Secretary of State for women and

:48:17.:48:21.

equality is as informed as she is happy to have topical questions as

:48:22.:48:25.

part of this Question Time to allow members to raise issues which have

:48:26.:48:30.

come up. Can he give the host any indication as to when it might be

:48:31.:48:40.

implemented? I am very open to changes and as we move into a new

:48:41.:48:43.

session and may provide the opportunity for us to make changes

:48:44.:48:49.

of that kind. I have talked before about whether we should consider

:48:50.:48:53.

merging together business and Leader of the House questions and other

:48:54.:48:56.

areas where might we could make changes. We are considering these

:48:57.:49:05.

issues and we are open to making that kind of change. The case for

:49:06.:49:13.

reform of the Private Members' Bill system was made by myself and other

:49:14.:49:18.

members during a Westminster debate yesterday. There is a clear demand

:49:19.:49:22.

in this place and the public appetite for a fairer system. The

:49:23.:49:28.

general public think it is a farce. Will he bring forward plans to

:49:29.:49:34.

reform timetabling of private members' bills? I do not think the

:49:35.:49:38.

general public have an idea about what we do with regard to private

:49:39.:49:44.

members' bills. Sometimes there are examples of the system working well

:49:45.:49:48.

such as when we had the debate on assisted dying which I thought was

:49:49.:49:51.

this how is that it's best. There have been cases when it could not be

:49:52.:50:00.

understood what was happening. I have talked to the chair of the

:50:01.:50:05.

committee and I am receptive to looking at ways of improving the

:50:06.:50:09.

system and am waiting for them to report to me about the discussion.

:50:10.:50:16.

My question is one I would have liked to have asked as a topical to

:50:17.:50:20.

the woman inequalities team. This year the Northern Ireland assembly

:50:21.:50:25.

voted to maintain the ban on abortion even in cases of rape,

:50:26.:50:32.

incessant fatal abnormality and women accessing abortion would face

:50:33.:50:39.

life imprisonment. In light of the criminalisation of that vulnerable

:50:40.:50:41.

young women in the last month who elsewhere in the UK and in Europe

:50:42.:50:47.

would have received help from health care professionals and would not

:50:48.:50:51.

have faced imprisonment, and as it is the responsibility of their

:50:52.:50:55.

supposed to uphold the human rights of women in Northern Ireland, can we

:50:56.:51:01.

have a debate on this issue, because there are many members who would

:51:02.:51:06.

like to contribute? I understand her concern. I am not personally in

:51:07.:51:13.

favour of women who seek an abortion being punished for doing so. This is

:51:14.:51:19.

a devolved matter. We have taken a conscious decision to pass that

:51:20.:51:23.

decision until hands of the assembly in Northern Ireland and we cannot

:51:24.:51:27.

have it both ways. We cannot say it is your decision but if we do not

:51:28.:51:31.

like it we will start to debate on the issue. I agree with her. I think

:51:32.:51:39.

we should make the kind of statements that she has just made

:51:40.:51:44.

and I have just made but ultimately it will be a matter for the Northern

:51:45.:51:50.

Ireland assembly. Would the leader consider having a statement or

:51:51.:51:55.

debate on government time on the future of supported and specialist

:51:56.:51:59.

housing provision? It was raised by the member for Milton a few moments

:52:00.:52:04.

ago and raised that PMQs yesterday and we had a debate on Tuesday where

:52:05.:52:10.

a number of opposition members were in attendance and it is a very

:52:11.:52:16.

important issue, important for the victims of domestic violence, for

:52:17.:52:20.

veterans, elderly people, people with learning disabilities and

:52:21.:52:25.

mental health issues and there is a huge question hanging over the

:52:26.:52:29.

viability of specialist than supporting housing. If there could

:52:30.:52:33.

be statement or debate that would be very helpful. I understand the

:52:34.:52:40.

importance of that kind of housing. I visited a refuge in

:52:41.:52:44.

Gloucestershire a few weeks ago and Ireland stand the nature of the

:52:45.:52:49.

challenge. We listened carefully to the representations made a few weeks

:52:50.:52:54.

ago. I will make sure that ministers are aware of the concerns he has

:52:55.:53:00.

raised unless we have opportunities to debate this perhaps he would like

:53:01.:53:05.

to have a discussion with the chairman of the business committee

:53:06.:53:08.

and ask him to bring forward a debate. It is two years since the

:53:09.:53:17.

abduction of over 200 young schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Nigeria

:53:18.:53:22.

and I am sure everybody in this house sends our sympathies to their

:53:23.:53:26.

parents. We can only imagine what that must be like. I would welcome a

:53:27.:53:31.

statement of what kind of support of any we are giving from this country

:53:32.:53:40.

to try to recover these girls. I endorse what she has just said. It

:53:41.:53:45.

was a shocking incident and remains a matter of deep concern to the

:53:46.:53:50.

international community. We have been seeking to provide as much

:53:51.:53:55.

assistance as we can to the Nigerian government to identify what may have

:53:56.:53:59.

happened, to help them identify ways of retrieving the girls and we will

:54:00.:54:04.

continue to do that. For the Foreign Office that is a matter of great

:54:05.:54:09.

concern. First and foremost it is a matter for the Nigerian government

:54:10.:54:13.

but we stand alongside them at a Commonwealth country to address a

:54:14.:54:17.

challenge that remains an international blight that needs to

:54:18.:54:23.

be solved. During the recess I spoke at a conference and saw the

:54:24.:54:29.

wonderful work volunteers of the ambulance service do. Calls for a

:54:30.:54:36.

debate on the role of volunteering and including the hours that they

:54:37.:54:45.

contribute to the Welsh economy. I pay tribute to that work around the

:54:46.:54:51.

country, not just in his constituency, but volunteers who

:54:52.:54:57.

turn up at events, and we are immensely grateful for what they do.

:54:58.:55:09.

In their women and equality is questions the Minister of State

:55:10.:55:14.

indicated he would welcome a debate on maternity discrimination. Will he

:55:15.:55:17.

arrange a debate on government time on the subject? There are a number

:55:18.:55:24.

of ways in which you can bring to the chamber what is an important

:55:25.:55:28.

issues. One is what we have described than the other is the

:55:29.:55:33.

adjournment debate system. If she wants such a debate she should bring

:55:34.:55:40.

forward either you or someone from the backbench committee to bring

:55:41.:55:48.

forward a debate. GCSE and A-level exams in so-called minority

:55:49.:55:53.

languages, providers have said they will stop doing so despite promises

:55:54.:55:56.

last year that these exams would continue. Could we have a debate on

:55:57.:56:01.

what action we could take as the House of Commons to stop the

:56:02.:56:08.

language of many of my constituents from being downgraded? I understand

:56:09.:56:15.

the concern he has raised. The Secretary of State will be here on a

:56:16.:56:21.

week on Monday and will -- he will have the opportunity to raise that

:56:22.:56:26.

issue. We need a balance between good range of international

:56:27.:56:30.

languages and given the ties that we are building and have built and will

:56:31.:56:34.

continue to build with India that is an important issue but we also want

:56:35.:56:39.

to make sure that the quality of education is right for those in

:56:40.:56:43.

migrant communities to meet employment challenges. Suggesting

:56:44.:56:49.

that that because the duty has a negative balance of payments with

:56:50.:56:53.

the European Union we should be seeking to leave. Given we have a

:56:54.:56:59.

global trade deficit, perhaps we should be seeking to leave the

:57:00.:57:11.

world? Our current trade position is that we have the trade deficit with

:57:12.:57:15.

the European Union, a trade surplus with the rest of the world, and it

:57:16.:57:20.

is the government strategy to try to improve our trade ties around the

:57:21.:57:32.

world inside Europe and elsewhere. Order. Point of order. I

:57:33.:57:34.

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