25/04/2016

:00:10. > :00:14.I would like to ask the Secretary of State for Defense if you would make

:00:15. > :00:21.a statement to the governments plans of shipbuilding on the Clyde. I'm

:00:22. > :00:24.sure way into the honourable ladies question of the whole house like to

:00:25. > :00:29.join me in offering our sincere condolences to the family and

:00:30. > :00:34.friends of a captain who tragically died after collapsing during the

:00:35. > :00:37.London Marathon on Sunday. This is not a operational casualty but given

:00:38. > :00:41.the interest of many members of his house take in raising charitable

:00:42. > :00:45.funds for the marathon and as he many members of our Armed Forces at

:00:46. > :00:48.that it was appropriate to start my response in that way. Our thoughts

:00:49. > :00:56.are with his family and friends in his difficult time. I welcome the

:00:57. > :01:04.opportunity to highlight our plans. The tight comments ship programme is

:01:05. > :01:08.consistent to these plans. They restated this governments commitment

:01:09. > :01:16.to the tags 26 global combat ship programme. These ships are critical

:01:17. > :01:24.for the road maybe and we are going ahead with the type 26 ships. The

:01:25. > :01:33.build work on its will be preceded by disruption of two offshore

:01:34. > :01:47.personal muscles. We will build a new class of forgets. -- forgets. It

:01:48. > :01:51.will provide continuity of ship building workload at the shipyards

:01:52. > :01:59.on the Clyde before district construction began. Nothing has

:02:00. > :02:03.changed since the publication of the SDS are. Of the decade we will spend

:02:04. > :02:12.?8 billion on Royal Navy surface warships. We will continue to

:02:13. > :02:18.progress the programme as last month we announced the award of a contract

:02:19. > :02:25.BEA systems valued at ?472 million to extend the type 26 demonstration

:02:26. > :02:33.phase two June 20 17. This will continue to work with industry

:02:34. > :02:42.forward onto my schedule to affect the outcome of the SDS are. And to

:02:43. > :02:46.invest in testing facilities. And extend our investment in the water

:02:47. > :02:52.supply chain in parallel with the rebate signing work which is

:02:53. > :03:00.continuing. Overall the SDS are achieved a positive and balanced

:03:01. > :03:04.outcome. Delivering on our commitments to spend at least 2% of

:03:05. > :03:09.GDP on defence and in the maritime sector setting the trajectory for

:03:10. > :03:31.extension of the Royal navies frequently. We referred to as the

:03:32. > :03:43.GPS F. ... With our unique high-end warships. Six type 45 destroyers and

:03:44. > :03:50.eight type 26 frigate. To deliver the SDS are and must improve and

:03:51. > :03:58.develop our national ship is ship building capability. To that end we

:03:59. > :04:01.announced the intent for a nationals shipbuilding strategy and I'm

:04:02. > :04:06.delighted that Sir John Parker and Freeman engineer and for authority

:04:07. > :04:13.on the ship building has started work as the independent chair of

:04:14. > :04:17.this project. I look for to receiving his recommendations which

:04:18. > :04:21.will address other things, the best approach to the build. I understand

:04:22. > :04:33.the strong interest in timing of the award of the contract to build type

:04:34. > :04:35.26 global combat ships. Let me ensure the shipyard workers, this

:04:36. > :04:39.government remains absolutely committed to the type 26 programme.

:04:40. > :04:46.And to assembling the ships on the Clyde. Is working with the systems

:04:47. > :04:49.to take the type 26 programme forward. Ensuring that it has

:04:50. > :04:53.progressed on a sustainable and stable footing. More broadly for

:04:54. > :05:01.Scotland, our commitment to the successor programme will sustain

:05:02. > :05:11.6800 military and civilian jobs. Writing to 8200 by 22 in Scotland.

:05:12. > :05:18.An additional 270 personnel will be at the base Clyde. Extending into at

:05:19. > :05:23.least 2040 and upgrading it with you actively electronically scanned

:05:24. > :05:32.radar will benefit loss of life and others in Edinburgh. Our new airtime

:05:33. > :05:35.patrol aircraft will be ideally placed for the most common maritime

:05:36. > :05:43.patrol areas and is currently used as a patroller by our Nato allies.

:05:44. > :05:51.This will also lead to significant investment in our current estimate

:05:52. > :05:55.is for 200 action jobs in Scotland. Order. I am most grateful for the

:05:56. > :06:04.Minister for his words averages gently point out that he was more

:06:05. > :06:07.than twice his allotted time, he had imported information to impart but I

:06:08. > :06:10.cannot let it go another time. There are rules in this place and he must

:06:11. > :06:14.be observed. In recognition of how long it took a minister Venerable

:06:15. > :06:24.Lady has a slightly longer if she wishes to take. In recovery. Can I

:06:25. > :06:31.also extend our condolences to the captains family. I'm grateful to

:06:32. > :06:34.resist that is an urgent question, but I'm deeply disappointed that the

:06:35. > :06:38.Minister had to be dragged to the house this afternoon to explain what

:06:39. > :06:43.on earth has been going on to government so far. The Secretary of

:06:44. > :06:46.State cannot be seen dust. After days of considerable uncertainty

:06:47. > :06:54.over the future of ship building during which the government has get

:06:55. > :06:57.remade the design. You have... Desire Royal Navy and national

:06:58. > :07:01.defence. It is bad enough that a Navy has had its service been cut by

:07:02. > :07:06.six this is government came into office, we can promise at least 13

:07:07. > :07:10.new frigate will be built at the time table for delivering them is

:07:11. > :07:13.slipped governments promised to maintain the fleet at his current

:07:14. > :07:17.sides is put at risk. Kenny Minister please enter a simple question, will

:07:18. > :07:22.contraction begin this year in line with previous commitments. The

:07:23. > :07:29.minister has said that the claims that the orders of new frigate will

:07:30. > :07:32.sit on the SDS are but the SDSR says nothing about the timetable and a

:07:33. > :07:36.timetable is vitally important. The units are not being told this could

:07:37. > :07:40.be delayed for up to a year. If the Minister saying this is not the

:07:41. > :07:44.case, does he also denied the claims made by the union that the type 26

:07:45. > :07:51.construction has our been delayed. If this issue is not about the type

:07:52. > :07:56.26 frigate at the Minister has said. The government has promised that all

:07:57. > :08:01.13 of the navies new frigate has been built on the Clyde. Not only

:08:02. > :08:09.the type 26 but at least five later frigate. It is pretty a pretty

:08:10. > :08:13.estate confirm that today. There were rumours that the two new

:08:14. > :08:22.offshore personal vessels without committing the same budget as the

:08:23. > :08:25.forgets. Is this right? Has nothing changes the Minister says, if that

:08:26. > :08:29.is right and why was it that the systems have not denied press

:08:30. > :08:32.reports that they will be redundancies in the shipyards. Why

:08:33. > :08:35.the unions being told that there will be redundancies and if that's

:08:36. > :08:39.not the case. First is a matter of national importance for United

:08:40. > :08:41.Kingdom, the future of hundreds of people in Glasgow hang on the

:08:42. > :08:45.ministers words this afternoon. Would you please answer my questions

:08:46. > :08:50.about today because this is very important, Mr Speaker the government

:08:51. > :08:53.says that it is publishing the shipowning strategy later this year,

:08:54. > :08:59.but the waiting 60 months and we're now told that there has been a chair

:09:00. > :09:02.pointed, that is good but where are we going to get the strategy this

:09:03. > :09:08.year. At the mummy and looks like a shambles. This is not a time for

:09:09. > :09:10.weasel words such as optimised schedules, we need clear-cut

:09:11. > :09:14.assurances that the government will honour the commitment that has made.

:09:15. > :09:17.Both the local communities and our national defenses. If it does not

:09:18. > :09:25.this would be yet another betrayal of Scotland. One of the asking he

:09:26. > :09:34.will not be able to fix, only a British Labour government will be

:09:35. > :09:40.able to be in a position. I'm grateful for your advice at the end

:09:41. > :09:48.of my opening remarks. I will keep my revised breeze. I think the

:09:49. > :09:54.Honorable Lady is seeking to make a position over a routine meeting but

:09:55. > :09:58.to the systems in the trade unions which may place last week. That you

:09:59. > :10:02.come nearly two weeks of a general election for the Scottish Parliament

:10:03. > :10:10.and she is seeking to make political capital out of that fact. The

:10:11. > :10:15.commitment to this government from the Royal Navy is crystal clear. We

:10:16. > :10:21.had a 10-year forward implement plan and which will be investing over ?8

:10:22. > :10:28.billion. Insufficient. Where is her commitment? Where was her parties

:10:29. > :10:34.committed to the road Navy? How much are they willing to spend on GDP and

:10:35. > :10:42.defence? Will contraction begin this year? Placed as I said earlier a

:10:43. > :10:45.contract for another ?470 million and takes her contract on this

:10:46. > :10:59.programme up to someone points of the billion pounds. That is paying

:11:00. > :11:06.for equipment sex -- sets. We have firmed as I had to take we have and

:11:07. > :11:13.give the type 26 built on the Clyde is the multiyear programme. Extends

:11:14. > :11:24.beyond the equipment plan before we have the type 23 is coming out from

:11:25. > :11:29.service. She asked when the national sibling strategy will be published,

:11:30. > :11:32.we have inviting the innovation and to ensure his work is completed

:11:33. > :11:36.before the end of the year. I'd expect it will be. She asked when

:11:37. > :11:39.the time frame will the general-purpose forgets will be

:11:40. > :11:42.determined and that is part of the visible part of the national sibling

:11:43. > :11:56.strategy so become apparent once that is published. Since 1997, the

:11:57. > :12:04.total numbers of frigates and destroyers declined from 35 to May

:12:05. > :12:09.19 -- only. Does the Minister recognise that the possibility of

:12:10. > :12:14.the lights and general-purpose frigate is a great opportunity to

:12:15. > :12:18.reverse the decline in numbers to create the only more platforms for

:12:19. > :12:25.the Royal Navy but more work for the shipyards and possibly even to

:12:26. > :12:30.create and export opportunities if the frigate is designed in the right

:12:31. > :12:33.way which should be modular, adaptable, and Campbell of being

:12:34. > :12:42.upgraded in service rather than having all of the accoutrements put

:12:43. > :12:44.on it from day one. I thank my Honorable friend who is very

:12:45. > :12:50.knowledgeable on all matters nipple. He is right to draw attention to the

:12:51. > :12:55.fact that the introduction of a new and letter class of frigate does

:12:56. > :13:01.raise the prospects of not only the possibility of more platforms for

:13:02. > :13:04.the Royal Navy, but also the prospects for more exports. As far

:13:05. > :13:09.as I am aware that not been a conflict warship exported from the

:13:10. > :13:19.yards to other navies around the world. This provides the opportunity

:13:20. > :13:23.to provide the general-purpose frigate and patrol vessels to give

:13:24. > :13:30.the Royal Navy in due course a larger physical preference and

:13:31. > :13:32.reverse the decades of decline. I'm sure those watching will be

:13:33. > :13:43.disappointed with this question came so quickly, I want to pay tribute to

:13:44. > :13:51.my colleague, the Honorable moment... The question was not

:13:52. > :13:55.exposed in this timetable. This will be expected since the publication of

:13:56. > :14:01.SDSR last year. This government was creating the conditions to once

:14:02. > :14:05.again betrayed workers on the Clyde. Earlier today minister met with the

:14:06. > :14:18.union and be AEE and he expressed their brief concern that... Database

:14:19. > :14:23.they stream of what is coming to the yard on the Clyde guaranteeing

:14:24. > :14:28.employment just three years ago. The Prime Minister said, and I quote,

:14:29. > :14:35.Scottish defence jobs are more secure as part of the United

:14:36. > :14:41.Kingdom. The minister say, can you confirm that there will be no

:14:42. > :14:46.redundancies at the systems in Glasgow and Kenny confirm that the

:14:47. > :14:51.Ministry of Defense will stick to the time frame that has been agreed

:14:52. > :14:56.and set out? But I can confirm is that half of the independence vote

:14:57. > :14:59.gone the way that he has collies would have liked that would have

:15:00. > :15:04.been no warships built on the Clyde because the United Kingdom

:15:05. > :15:09.government would not have chosen to do so. What made it very clear. As

:15:10. > :15:15.it is I just confirmed the house earlier today we will be proceeding

:15:16. > :15:23.with construction of eight public typo exports of on the Clyde when

:15:24. > :15:30.the programme is ready to do so. Does my Honorable friend share my

:15:31. > :15:34.concern that the shadow defence secretary is refusal to commit her

:15:35. > :15:38.party to the 2% Nato extension to GDP defence and not only a threat to

:15:39. > :15:47.our national security to key programmes and investment on type 26

:15:48. > :15:55.with Mac and he is right, this is an obfuscation on the part of the

:15:56. > :15:58.obvious opposition. I would draw his attention to the backlog of work

:15:59. > :16:02.head of shipowners in this country as a result of our mother plan and

:16:03. > :16:08.commitment to build the eight type 26 vessels. There is no warships

:16:09. > :16:14.guard in Europe which has the prospect of eight substantial

:16:15. > :16:18.warships to look for two. From that perspective those working in those

:16:19. > :16:22.yards in Scotland can take some considerable hard that they are

:16:23. > :16:30.working in our yards with an yards elsewhere in Europe. The Secretary

:16:31. > :16:33.of State for defence has stated in the past that warships are only

:16:34. > :16:46.building UK arts. What percentage of the total contract value will float

:16:47. > :16:50.to British companies. Not just the context of the swift timetabling of

:16:51. > :16:54.awarding contracts to help the British steel industry now? I think

:16:55. > :17:01.that it's a good question and I wish I was in position to give him a

:17:02. > :17:06.answer. I will say that of the countries that up been place sucks

:17:07. > :17:10.far the vast majority have got to UK contractors. In relation to the

:17:11. > :17:15.systems and long lead items that have been placed thus far. Formerly

:17:16. > :17:21.systems to Rolls-Royce and to the gearboxes. As far as the steel

:17:22. > :17:23.content is concerned which is I know the subject of great interest to the

:17:24. > :17:31.honourable gentleman. We made it very clear that in this house that

:17:32. > :17:36.UK steel mills might have the opportunity to beta for this of the

:17:37. > :17:42.course of this programme. They will be up to the British steel industry

:17:43. > :17:47.to see if it is in a position to match those orders for the

:17:48. > :17:54.specification for timelines. Does my writable friend have any information

:17:55. > :17:58.over the designation of the GP frigate would be confirmed. Would be

:17:59. > :18:07.a type 31 at his rumoured in the press. Would be directed to exports

:18:08. > :18:11.and will be getting out and getting ideas for that side of the exports

:18:12. > :18:18.should because back my Honorable friend pushes me to try and preempt

:18:19. > :18:21.the normal routine for the Royal Navy to make designations and in

:18:22. > :18:25.particular naming of vessels which he did not ask for but are regularly

:18:26. > :18:28.asked for in this house by colleagues to let you express an

:18:29. > :18:32.interest on behalf of the constituents quite rightly. I cannot

:18:33. > :18:37.give her any current comfort of the designation of the vessels. She is

:18:38. > :18:42.right to question whether or not the vessels will be designed with export

:18:43. > :18:47.process in mind. I do have said to my friend that is something we

:18:48. > :18:58.intend to do but the priority would be to meet the requirements and

:18:59. > :19:05.needs of the Royal Navy was ... But with an eye on possibility for

:19:06. > :19:12.exports. Does he have an estimate of the percentage of the work on the

:19:13. > :19:18.frigate which will be carried out in Scotland during the programme. Has

:19:19. > :19:22.that changed over the last 18 months and does the government have an

:19:23. > :19:30.estimate of the number of fewer jobs in shipbuilding related roles that

:19:31. > :19:35.would be in Scotland in the Scottish national party got its wish to carry

:19:36. > :19:47.out its obsession with taking Scotland out of the United Kingdom!

:19:48. > :19:50.My Honorable friend is a champion of English should building to Billy in

:19:51. > :19:56.his constituency across the border. I don't have a direct figure for him

:19:57. > :20:01.as to what would happen to the type 26 programme in Scotland. Our intent

:20:02. > :20:05.is to build the ships on the Clyde in Scotland. I don't perceive any

:20:06. > :20:13.direct change from the position we were in last year. As far as he is

:20:14. > :20:19.concerned, and he is vastly right there would be an enormous impact on

:20:20. > :20:22.reducing jobs in Scotland, had a Scottish people decided to follow

:20:23. > :20:25.the Scottish national party advice and vote for an independent

:20:26. > :20:30.Scotland. Some of these people need to calm down. Mr blackboard you are

:20:31. > :20:36.an extraordinary individual. You become very excitable. I prefer your

:20:37. > :20:42.cerebral side if you can find to be for the afternoon is out. The house

:20:43. > :20:51.will be greatly obliged to you. Following on from the question for

:20:52. > :20:55.the Honorable member. Order order. I don't know what has exerciser but we

:20:56. > :20:59.cannot do that matter now, when you order afterwards that I will happily

:21:00. > :21:04.hear her. It's synergistic elation going on. Members from the Labour

:21:05. > :21:07.benches in the Scottish national party benches should calm down, but

:21:08. > :21:14.I will come to the point of order at the appropriate time if it is still

:21:15. > :21:22.relevant. We all must unite in hearing the next speaker. Following

:21:23. > :21:25.on, has any specific assessment been made of the impact of any delays on

:21:26. > :21:34.the British steel industry in particular? We have made it very

:21:35. > :21:39.clear that the British Government procurement policies of the adopted

:21:40. > :21:44.by the Minister of defence. We're looking to provide for all of

:21:45. > :21:48.contracts, where stealing is involved for contractors to ensure

:21:49. > :21:55.the British steel manufacturers have an opportunity to bid. No in respect

:21:56. > :22:03.in that change is that we have limited that new policy that before.

:22:04. > :22:09.Thank you Mr Speaker, the workforce on the Clyde are highly skilled and

:22:10. > :22:16.motivated men and women. I do wish to focus in the house this afternoon

:22:17. > :22:19.could be preserving their futures and livelihoods as that of any other

:22:20. > :22:24.consideration. With that in mind for the Minister assure me that the

:22:25. > :22:28.treatment of the end of the construction of the offshore patrol

:22:29. > :22:30.vessels and the start of the type 26 and everything will be done to

:22:31. > :22:35.ensure that there is continuity, because it is a in our national

:22:36. > :22:41.strategic interest to ensuring that workforce is maintained. I'm

:22:42. > :22:47.grateful for focusing his question the very important subject. I grew

:22:48. > :22:53.them that the workforce on the Clyde are highly skilled and indeed I make

:22:54. > :22:57.a point of meeting with the trade union reps ship owners on the Clyde.

:22:58. > :23:03.I did say last month that the shortages question is yes. The five

:23:04. > :23:08.five offshore patrol vessels, three of which are in-built into it would

:23:09. > :23:14.be added as part of the SDSR. They do provide continuity between the

:23:15. > :23:26.typo defies and the aircraft characters. With the type 26 again.

:23:27. > :23:30.And I welcome the news of these new ships, it is fantastic news. We

:23:31. > :23:35.still do not have enough but we are going to right direction. They ask

:23:36. > :23:41.my Honorable friend that no HM ships currently serving we withdraw and

:23:42. > :23:49.before and until any new ship is built and commissioned. I think my

:23:50. > :23:53.Honorable friend is referring to the type 23 class of forgets and the

:23:54. > :24:00.intent of the Royal Navy is for the new vessels to come in to replace

:24:01. > :24:12.type 23 ships on a flight for life basis as they come out of service.

:24:13. > :24:16.CHEERING -- Hear, hear! He stated in the contract for the forgets with

:24:17. > :24:22.secure jobs in the Clyde from the next 30 years, another delays in

:24:23. > :24:25.this contract is running very jobs of this topic should secure can you

:24:26. > :24:41.tell the workforce when he should What I can tell the workforce, as I

:24:42. > :24:44.did to the trade union representatives, in the honourable

:24:45. > :24:50.lady when she visited me last month as Paul, is that we have a programme

:24:51. > :24:51.for type 26 in the offshore control vessels and the subsequent

:24:52. > :25:04.general-purpose frigate. This is the biggest shipbuilding

:25:05. > :25:09.programme that we have had in this country for a number of years. That

:25:10. > :25:15.should give reassurance that the highly skilled workforce will have

:25:16. > :25:18.jobs for decades to come. With quality jobs and apprenticeships

:25:19. > :25:26.being secured by David Brown engineering and Huddersfield, can

:25:27. > :25:31.the Minister assured me that as we move forward with the purpose

:25:32. > :25:37.frigate programme, that the Northern Powerhouse will be a major part of

:25:38. > :25:41.that programme? My honourable friend is right to highlight the gearbox

:25:42. > :25:50.work for David Brown. They have already secured contracts. The

:25:51. > :25:54.benefit of the Royal Navy shipbuilding programme is not

:25:55. > :25:58.confined to Scotland. It does affect constituencies across this country.

:25:59. > :26:02.That is just as it should be, and what we will be seeking to do is to

:26:03. > :26:06.highlight honourable members and their constituencies when contacts

:26:07. > :26:16.are placed, the work that will be provided to their constituents.

:26:17. > :26:20.Perhaps amongst the politics, this house can remember the estimated 800

:26:21. > :26:24.families who it is a worrying time for what their livelihoods at risk.

:26:25. > :26:31.Can the Minister confirm that the promised investment in upgrading the

:26:32. > :26:34.shipyards will be going ahead? I hope that some of the remarks I made

:26:35. > :26:39.earlier today will provide some reassurance to the families of those

:26:40. > :26:44.who work on the Clyde. As far as investment is concerned, part of the

:26:45. > :26:50.context that we have already signed with the a systems do help provide

:26:51. > :26:59.test facilities both on the Clyde in and supply chain. I can't update the

:27:00. > :27:07.honourable lady any further at this point. Type 45 destroyers have

:27:08. > :27:10.world-class capabilities, but they cost ?1 billion each. One of the

:27:11. > :27:15.reason but they cost more than we thought, and took longer to build,

:27:16. > :27:18.was that they kept being predesigned after construction had started. Now

:27:19. > :27:22.we learn that there have been major problems with the power play. Can

:27:23. > :27:29.the Minister assured the House that these mistakes will be avoided for

:27:30. > :27:32.me come to the type 26 frigates. My honourable friend makes a valid

:27:33. > :27:39.point. There is no doubt that before you start construction of a complex

:27:40. > :27:44.warship, it makes an enormous amount of difference if the design is more

:27:45. > :27:50.complete than otherwise. He is right to point out that the type 45

:27:51. > :27:53.programme began with a less advanced design than the type 26 will have.

:27:54. > :27:58.We hope that we are learning lessons from that. We have certainly learned

:27:59. > :28:09.lessons in relation to the power and propulsion have a different system.

:28:10. > :28:21.Some of the of representing... 800 jobs at risk is not... Can the

:28:22. > :28:29.Minister confirm that the reason original date for cutting steel...

:28:30. > :28:32.What are the reasons for the delay? What methods does the Minister had

:28:33. > :28:36.to the trade unions and workforce and the Clyde who viewed the

:28:37. > :28:41.national shipbuilding with suspicion and attempt to reduce the role of

:28:42. > :28:44.shipbuilding on the Clyde? Are the fears of the workforce unfounded or

:28:45. > :28:54.is that another for trails like betrayal still to come? I have been

:28:55. > :29:02.pleased to meet him at the yard in the past. To use words like

:29:03. > :29:07.betrayal, this is not frankly, characterizing what is happening. We

:29:08. > :29:11.are making commitments to build a type 26 for several years had. I

:29:12. > :29:18.cannot, I'm afraid, give him an update on the date that cuts will be

:29:19. > :29:22.a merge from work that has been finalised. I think that it is wrong

:29:23. > :29:26.to suggest that people should be fearful of the outcome of the

:29:27. > :29:34.national shipbuilding project. This is to seek to put the roller coaster

:29:35. > :29:38.ride of shipbuilding in his country in recent years onto a firm and

:29:39. > :29:41.stable footings that there is clarity for the next decade. The

:29:42. > :29:45.honourable gentleman says that that is what they think. Perhaps I can

:29:46. > :29:49.help him by saying that the objective of the national

:29:50. > :29:54.shipbuilding strategy is to align the Royal Navy requirements, which

:29:55. > :29:57.stretch of the many years ahead, with the capability in this country

:29:58. > :30:04.to maintain high quality engineering skills in this country. They

:30:05. > :30:16.presently reside on the Clyde in his constituency. I wanted to ask the

:30:17. > :30:19.Minister to Mac specific questions. Will there still be five the

:30:20. > :30:27.general-purpose frigates and wearable baby build? On the Clyde or

:30:28. > :30:30.elsewhere? The honourable gentleman will have to wait and see what

:30:31. > :30:35.emerges from the national shipbuilding strategy. The intent is

:30:36. > :30:42.that by having a more affordable design he would be able to do some

:30:43. > :30:46.of the less high tempo tasks which the type 26 will undertake. It

:30:47. > :30:50.should allow the Royal Navy potentially to have more than five

:30:51. > :30:57.frigates. I can confirm that the intent is to replace the type 23 on

:30:58. > :31:02.it like for like basic with the potential for there to be more.

:31:03. > :31:04.People have to wait and see what images and the national ship

:31:05. > :31:16.building strategy is to timetable in the patient. Given that had a task

:31:17. > :31:23.force of 42 Royal Navy ships. This figure the us to believe that a

:31:24. > :31:30.fleet of 19 frigates of destroyers sufficient for a Navy with strategic

:31:31. > :31:33.ambitions outlined in the 2015 SDSR. I would remind the honourable

:31:34. > :31:45.gentleman that part of me should teach it ambition is fulfilled by

:31:46. > :31:47.the two primary. As far as the defence is concerned, I can

:31:48. > :31:53.absolutely be assured him that the military assets in place on and

:31:54. > :31:57.around the full ones are of an order of magnitude greater than they half

:31:58. > :32:02.than in previous times. In particular in comparison with 1982,

:32:03. > :32:06.and therefore the notion of having to send a flotilla of the type of

:32:07. > :32:14.taken at that time will not be required in the event of a threat to

:32:15. > :32:20.the Falklands today. Shipbuilders on the Clyde are very skilled as are

:32:21. > :32:24.those in Merseyside. They also share having experienced a threat of

:32:25. > :32:32.redundancy over many years. Will he confirm that the government has...

:32:33. > :32:40.Will cover the sludge in all parts of the country where ever Marine

:32:41. > :32:44.engineering skills resigned? The objective of the national

:32:45. > :32:49.shipbuilding strategy is to look at the manufacture of complex warships.

:32:50. > :32:52.As part of that, there are significant capabilities, as she

:32:53. > :32:58.prefers to, across the country to the supply chain. I am not expecting

:32:59. > :33:01.a detailed review of all elements of the supply chain, but I take the

:33:02. > :33:07.point that she has made and I will reflect upon that my conversations

:33:08. > :33:25.with Mr John Parker. I was going to call Natalie. No? The order can be

:33:26. > :33:29.fragmented to bring with the government... With uncertainty,

:33:30. > :33:33.exactly what type of regulation is a government hoping to bring? Is the

:33:34. > :33:42.Minister nothing think that on Clyde deserve to hear what work will be

:33:43. > :33:47.available and when? The honourable lady I'm afraid we'll have to have a

:33:48. > :33:55.little more patience. The way that major procurements of this take

:33:56. > :34:01.place, it is not appropriate except hair is running or be alarmist about

:34:02. > :34:05.the prospect for individual companies or locations until such

:34:06. > :34:16.time as a contract has been signed. There is not the clarity that the

:34:17. > :34:22.honourable lady seeks to achieve. The 2015 SDSR gave commitment to

:34:23. > :34:31.frigates being built on the Clyde, but given the workers that covered

:34:32. > :34:33.its... We forgive and work for sex, does he wonder why the Clyde work

:34:34. > :34:55.space are unsure about promises? When decisions were taken were taken

:34:56. > :34:59.to reduce the type 45 class. We did make it crystal clear in the SDSR at

:35:00. > :35:04.that age type 26 global combat ships will be billed, and that they will

:35:05. > :35:06.be built on the Clyde. In response to her colleague earlier, I think

:35:07. > :35:11.that that is to be assurance that the workforce on the Clyde needs.

:35:12. > :35:23.This is a Ford programme, the like of which we have not been able to

:35:24. > :35:33.make. Now we can. The Minister has spoken about the role of steel in

:35:34. > :35:36.the frigates and other key pieces of procurement that the MOD will be

:35:37. > :35:41.making. I was not particularly comforted by his comment on the role

:35:42. > :35:46.that procurement will play in this case. Can he confirm that local

:35:47. > :35:56.content, local value, will play a key role when decisions are made

:35:57. > :36:03.about procuring steel? As the honourable gentleman knows, the

:36:04. > :36:19.specification and standards of steel required for Maple warships is not

:36:20. > :36:27.same. -- Naval. That is why there has been different proportions of UK

:36:28. > :36:31.steel content in different types of military platforms. The offshore

:36:32. > :36:35.patrol vessels, for example, have a dinner plate then it is currently

:36:36. > :36:45.available from any of the mills in the UK, which is white UK meals --

:36:46. > :36:51.no UK mills bid for that thus far. -- dinner plate.

:36:52. > :37:00.Believed to be inviting steel manufacturers and give them an

:37:01. > :37:03.opportunity to bid. The Minister said earlier that he is still

:37:04. > :37:10.confident that his department's orders will provide jobs for decades

:37:11. > :37:13.to come. That of course will be of little benefit to anyone who gets

:37:14. > :37:16.made redundant between now and when his department makes up its mind

:37:17. > :37:21.about what it is going to do. Can I ask him again the question that he

:37:22. > :37:26.has not so far answered, will he get a commitment there will be no

:37:27. > :37:32.compulsory redundancies on the Clyde as a result of these delays? All I

:37:33. > :37:36.can say to the honourable gentleman any work based on the Clyde is that

:37:37. > :37:41.we have through the SDSR and again committed today a commitment to till

:37:42. > :37:46.eight type 26 is on the Clyde. That will provide work for the highly

:37:47. > :37:54.skilled workforce on the Clyde for many, many years. The growing sense

:37:55. > :38:04.of anger and frustration on the Clyde, many workers feel they were

:38:05. > :38:16.used as a constitutional pond. -- pawn. I find it hard to characterize

:38:17. > :38:21.a commitment to build eight complex warships on the Clyde as being if

:38:22. > :38:34.the trail. That is what we did in SDSR, and that has not changed.

:38:35. > :38:36.Thank you Mr Speaker, said the guards on the Clyde require a

:38:37. > :38:41.commitment from the UK Government that you will deliver the contract

:38:42. > :38:45.as promised without any risk to important. Will the Minister be

:38:46. > :38:52.recommended to the government ferment... I am sorry to have to

:38:53. > :39:01.stay to the honourable gentleman, the risks to employment on the Clyde

:39:02. > :39:04.will. The fact that they didn't. There are still hundreds of people

:39:05. > :39:15.working in shipbuilding on the Clyde. A debate like this, language

:39:16. > :39:19.is important. In his response, the Minister stated that ships would be

:39:20. > :39:26.assembled and at one point constructive. Can he clarify beyond

:39:27. > :39:35.doubt, kidney minister to the House that those in my constituency

:39:36. > :39:39.represented by my honourable friend, also includes fabrication? That it

:39:40. > :39:45.is beginning to in any yards and not somewhere else. I would encourage

:39:46. > :39:50.the honourable gentleman to spend a little more time in the guards on

:39:51. > :39:55.the Clyde to understand how come parents and systems are an integral

:39:56. > :39:57.part of the capability of building a conference worship. Fabrication is

:39:58. > :40:05.an important part of that, but much of the value in the content comes

:40:06. > :40:16.from introducing weapons that are not up on the Clyde. On the 4th of

:40:17. > :40:19.April 2013, the Prime Minister said that Scottish defence talks were

:40:20. > :40:26.more secure as part of the United Kingdom. As the Minister realise how

:40:27. > :40:30.ridiculous that now sounds? I will have to repeat again that we have

:40:31. > :40:35.committed to build eight type 26 complex warships on the Clyde. Half

:40:36. > :40:38.the people of Scotland voted for it in independent feature we would not

:40:39. > :40:45.have made a commitment. After a little time to simmer down and I

:40:46. > :40:50.hope that the honourable gentleman has now acquired the poise, grab a

:40:51. > :40:59.task, and serenity to which he has now aspired. We are beginning to

:41:00. > :41:03.gently simmer. Can I reflect on the words that the Minister said. The

:41:04. > :41:09.demonstration phase is not going to continue to June 20 17. Is not that

:41:10. > :41:12.not the cat out of the bag? Why doesn't he get the guarantee of the

:41:13. > :41:21.workforce that the jobs are saved in the Beacon reflect -- we can

:41:22. > :41:24.reflect. I'm not sure that the simmering has really called the

:41:25. > :41:37.honourable gentleman down. As I said. We will provide high-quality

:41:38. > :41:42.jobs, which would not have been the case of the people of Scotland voted

:41:43. > :41:47.for independence. Points of order after statements. There are a number

:41:48. > :41:53.of statements, I know. That is the way in which we deal with these

:41:54. > :41:56.matters. That is how it will be handled today. The code to the

:41:57. > :42:05.statement by the secretary of state for help. -- health. We have many

:42:06. > :42:11.choices in life. One thing over which we have no control is the date

:42:12. > :42:15.of the week we get ill. That is why the first line on the first page of

:42:16. > :42:21.this government's manifesto said that we will deliver a seven day NHS

:42:22. > :42:26.so that we can promise NHS patients the same high-quality care every day

:42:27. > :42:30.of the week. We know from countless studies there is a weakened effect

:42:31. > :42:34.showing higher mortality rates for people admitted to hospital at

:42:35. > :42:40.weekends. The British public note it also, and today we reaffirm that no

:42:41. > :42:45.trade union has a right to veto a manifesto promised voted for by the

:42:46. > :42:50.British people. We are proud of the NHS as one of our greatest

:42:51. > :42:54.institutions, but we must turn up right into actions in a seven-day

:42:55. > :42:57.service will help us turn the NHS into one of the safest highest

:42:58. > :43:05.health care systems in the world. This week, the BMA has called on

:43:06. > :43:10.junior doctors to withdraw emergency care for the first time ever. I will

:43:11. > :43:13.update the House on the extensive measures being taken up and down the

:43:14. > :43:19.country to try to keep patients safe. Before I do that, I wish to

:43:20. > :43:26.appeal directly to all junior doctors, not to withdraw emergency

:43:27. > :43:27.cover which creates particular breasts for AMD's, maternity units,

:43:28. > :43:38.and intensive care units. -- risks. They are not always able to give

:43:39. > :43:42.patients the highest quality of care that they would like to. I

:43:43. > :43:46.understand that some doctors may disagree with the government over

:43:47. > :43:50.our seven day NHS plans, and particularly the introduction of a

:43:51. > :43:54.new contract. I also understand that doctors worked incredibly hard,

:43:55. > :44:00.including at weekends. The strong feelings exist on the single

:44:01. > :44:06.remaining busy grooming us substance Saturday paid. The new contract

:44:07. > :44:11.offers junior doctors who work frequently at weekends more Saturday

:44:12. > :44:17.premium pay than nurses, paramedics, and the assistants who work in their

:44:18. > :44:19.own operating theatres. More than police officers, firefighters, and

:44:20. > :44:26.ended nearly every other worker and the public and private sectors.

:44:27. > :44:30.Regrettably, at the end of the status view, and vulnerable to

:44:31. > :44:40.attack vulnerable people have seen a kid disrupted the public will

:44:41. > :44:45.question whether this is a... Taking strike action is a choice, and if

:44:46. > :44:53.they won't listen to the Health Secretary average person to listen

:44:54. > :44:57.to some of the country's most experienced doctors that have all

:44:58. > :45:02.urged doctors to consider the damage both to patients and the reputation

:45:03. > :45:07.of the medical profession that will cost. Let me address some of the

:45:08. > :45:12.concerns that have been raised by junior doctors. Firstly, the concern

:45:13. > :45:16.that a seven day NHS might spread resources too thinly. This

:45:17. > :45:20.government's financial commitment to the NHS has already seen a like for

:45:21. > :45:30.like increase of 10,000 7000 more Hospital nurses. Following last

:45:31. > :45:36.year's spending review, commended the government to a increase in the

:45:37. > :45:41.budget by 2020. I can't today tell the House up by the end of this

:45:42. > :45:48.Parliament, the supply of doctors trained to work in the NHS will have

:45:49. > :45:52.increased by a further 11,000 420. While it is to the pressures on the

:45:53. > :45:55.NHS will continue to increase on the back of an ageing population, we are

:45:56. > :46:00.not saying that the current workforce will have to bear all the

:46:01. > :46:05.streams of delivering a seven-day service, evening date though they

:46:06. > :46:08.must play the part. There is concern that the government will want to see

:46:09. > :46:14.all NHS services operating seven days. Let me be clear, our plans are

:46:15. > :46:17.not about elective care, but about improving the consistency of urgent

:46:18. > :46:33.and emergency care at evenings and weekends. To do this, the Academy

:46:34. > :46:37.has ... Seven-day availability of diagnostic test with a one hour

:46:38. > :46:46.turnaround for the most critically ill patients, 24 24 hour access

:46:47. > :46:51.twice daily reviews of patients and high dependency areas such as

:46:52. > :46:55.intensive care units. Around one quarter of the country will be

:46:56. > :46:59.covered by trusts meeting the standards for next April, rising to

:47:00. > :47:05.the whole country by 2020. Thirdly, there is a concerned that proper

:47:06. > :47:08.seven-day services need supportive services for doctors in the weekends

:47:09. > :47:13.and evenings as much as doctors themselves. Less than half of

:47:14. > :47:17.hospitals are currently meeting the standard on began diagnostic

:47:18. > :47:20.services. Meaning that patients needing urgent or emergency testing

:47:21. > :47:29.on a Saturday or Sunday such as urgent alters ultrasounds or even

:47:30. > :47:43.days of anxiety waiting for weekday tests. Our new status will change

:47:44. > :47:48.this. -- standards there is a legitimate concern that a seven day

:47:49. > :47:52.NHS needs to apply to services offered outside of hospitals if we

:47:53. > :47:57.are properly to reduce the pressure on struggling departments. As

:47:58. > :48:02.announced last week, the government's seven day NHS will also

:48:03. > :48:08.see transformed services to our GPs. We are committing an extra ?2.4

:48:09. > :48:14.billion a year for GP services. The spending will rise from nine points

:48:15. > :48:21.?6 billion last year to over ?12 billion by 2021. A 14% in real terms

:48:22. > :48:24.increase. Thanks to the significant investment, patients will see a

:48:25. > :48:26.genuine transit domain transformation in how general

:48:27. > :48:34.practice services operate in England. By 2020, everyone should

:48:35. > :48:37.have access to easier and more convenient GP services, including

:48:38. > :48:42.evenings and weekends. We will not be asking all GP practices to open

:48:43. > :48:46.up again to deliver this commitment. Instead, using networks of practices

:48:47. > :48:49.to make sure that people can get to evening or weekend appointments even

:48:50. > :48:54.if not at their regular practice. We have committed to group or create an

:48:55. > :48:58.additional 5000 doctors to work in general practices to help meet this

:48:59. > :49:08.commitment and will support GPs in the treasure by harnessing... The

:49:09. > :49:15.impact of the next two days will be unprecedented. With over 110,000

:49:16. > :49:21.outpatient appointments and over 12 and a half thousand operations

:49:22. > :49:23.cancelled. However, the NHS has made exhaustive preparations in order to

:49:24. > :49:30.try to make sure patients remain safe. I want to thank those many

:49:31. > :49:34.people in NHS England at every trust and the country who have been

:49:35. > :49:39.working incredibly hard over this weekend to that effect. I myself

:49:40. > :49:41.have chaired a series of contingency planning meetings bringing together

:49:42. > :49:47.the operational response across the entirety of the NHS and social care

:49:48. > :49:52.systems. From this, NHS England has worked with every trust to ensure

:49:53. > :49:56.they have plans in place to provide safe care with particular focus on

:49:57. > :50:00.the emergency departments, maternity units, cardiac arrest teams, and

:50:01. > :50:03.mental health crisis teams. As part of their duties for civil

:50:04. > :50:12.contingency preparedness, trust also have major incident plans in place.

:50:13. > :50:15.NHS England has also as GP practices and other primary care providers in

:50:16. > :50:20.some areas to extend their opening hours so patients can continue to

:50:21. > :50:23.get the important, but not emergency care, such as follow-ups and

:50:24. > :50:29.assessments of thingy. Finally, we set up a dedicated strike page on

:50:30. > :50:34.the NHS website to provide as much information to the public as

:50:35. > :50:35.possible on what local authorities up Tardis to hospital care there

:50:36. > :50:50.are, where these alternatives are,. The NHS 111 system will also work as

:50:51. > :50:53.a mother inject, and has been provided with additional staff to

:50:54. > :50:58.cope with the expected increase in demand. We will encourage people

:50:59. > :51:03.concerned that they may need urgent care to visit this website and call

:51:04. > :51:09.111 in advance of showing up to an a department. Mr Speaker, the eight

:51:10. > :51:24.NHS is busting their guts to keep the public safe.

:51:25. > :51:31.To help deliver this, the NHS will this year received the sixth biggest

:51:32. > :51:34.funding increase in its history. It is not just about money, as we know

:51:35. > :51:40.from the mistakes of previous governments. It is also about taking

:51:41. > :51:44.the tough and difficult decisions necessary to make sure we really do

:51:45. > :51:48.turn our NHS into the safest, highest quality health care system

:51:49. > :51:58.in the world. This government will not dock that child. I commend the

:51:59. > :52:06.statement to the House. Hear, hear! Can I think the House secretary for

:52:07. > :52:12.the advance... Tomorrow's strike is one of the saddest days in the

:52:13. > :52:15.history of the NHS. The saddest thing is that the person sat

:52:16. > :52:25.opposite me could have prevented it. Hear, hear! Yesterday, as the House

:52:26. > :52:29.secretary was presented with a genuine constructive cross party

:52:30. > :52:34.proposal and to pilot the contract. This would have enabled him to make

:52:35. > :52:39.progress towards his manifesto commitment on seven-day services and

:52:40. > :52:46.crucially could have potentially averted this week's strike. Any

:52:47. > :52:51.responsible house secretary would have grasped that opportunity

:52:52. > :52:59.immediately, or at least considered it then discussed it. But not this

:53:00. > :53:06.one. Yesterday morning, he tweeted, Labour plan is opportunism. That was

:53:07. > :53:11.a deeply disappointing and irresponsible response. Let me just

:53:12. > :53:17.remind the Health Secretary that the proposal was not a Labour plan, but

:53:18. > :53:22.was cosigned by two of his respected former ministers, the conservative

:53:23. > :53:29.member for central Stoffel Philipp Sabot and north is which. The

:53:30. > :53:33.Liberal Democrat member for North... The honourable Lady for Central

:53:34. > :53:40.Ayrshire in. Let me also remind him that it not only have the support of

:53:41. > :53:45.a number of medical Royal colleges, including the Royal College of

:53:46. > :53:51.surgeons, but crucially the BMA had indicated that they were prepared to

:53:52. > :53:56.meet with the government and discuss calling off Tuesday and Wednesday's

:53:57. > :54:02.action. The Health Secretary claimed yesterday that a phased imposition

:54:03. > :54:06.is the same as a pilot. Can he explain how imposition on a

:54:07. > :54:11.predetermined timescale with no opportunity to right the wrongs of

:54:12. > :54:22.his proposed contract, and with no independent assessment of its impact

:54:23. > :54:24.on patient care, is the same as a pilot? Why is the Health Secretary

:54:25. > :54:26.so afraid of an independent evaluation? Why doesn't he wants to

:54:27. > :54:32.know how changing this contract actually contribute in practice to

:54:33. > :54:37.meeting his aspirations for more consistent emergency care across

:54:38. > :54:44.seven days of the week? Why is it that he is so determined to railroad

:54:45. > :54:48.this contract through with all the associated implications instead of

:54:49. > :54:52.friends testing it and working with junior doctors and hospital bosses

:54:53. > :54:59.to bring about the changes in patient care and outcomes he wants

:55:00. > :55:02.to see? Mr Speaker, the Health Secretary claims that any further

:55:03. > :55:10.delay means it will take longer to eliminate the so-called weekend

:55:11. > :55:14.effect. He has failed to produce a shred of evidence to show how

:55:15. > :55:20.changing the junior doctor contract alone will deliver that aim. He will

:55:21. > :55:26.know that the very person he appointed to lead his negotiations

:55:27. > :55:30.has said that the staff group who needs to change their working

:55:31. > :55:35.patterns leased to deliver seven-day care is to your doctors. They

:55:36. > :55:41.already work weekends. They already work nights. They work bank holidays

:55:42. > :55:47.also. Mr Speaker, the Health Secretary talked about safety. He is

:55:48. > :55:53.right to do so. NHS England's update today said the NHS is pulling out

:55:54. > :55:59.all the stops to minimise the risk to the quality and safety of care

:56:00. > :56:05.this week. We know that in many cases, senior staff will be stepping

:56:06. > :56:10.in to provide cover and ensure the provision for essential services.

:56:11. > :56:14.There is no escaping the fact that this is the time of unprecedented

:56:15. > :56:20.risk. She should have thought about that yesterday before dismissing a

:56:21. > :56:24.plan which could have seen the strike averted. Mr Speaker, the

:56:25. > :56:31.Health Secretary wants to be remembered as the person who

:56:32. > :56:42.championed cheap patient -- patient safety. It will be the people who

:56:43. > :56:49.work any NHS who will be picking up the pieces this dispute and they are

:56:50. > :56:54.rightly worried about the long-term safety implications of the proposed

:56:55. > :56:59.contract. Let me ask the Health Secretary this, how can it be safe

:57:00. > :57:03.to impose a contract when no one knows what the impact will be on

:57:04. > :57:08.recruitment and retention for everyone fears the worst? When he is

:57:09. > :57:13.running the risk of losing hundreds of female doctors given a contract

:57:14. > :57:19.this portion impact on women, and even when just 1% of junior doctors

:57:20. > :57:24.decide enough is enough and leave the NHS, those are people we can not

:57:25. > :57:30.afford to do without. Mr Speaker, how can it be safe? To impose a

:57:31. > :57:35.contract that risks destroying the morale of junior doctors when the

:57:36. > :57:39.NHS does not just depend on the goodwill of staff going the extra

:57:40. > :57:44.mile, but it survives on it. This Health Secretary is breaking bad

:57:45. > :57:50.goodwill. How can it be safe to introduce a contract where there is

:57:51. > :57:55.no guarantee that effective and robust safeguards will be in place

:57:56. > :58:00.to control hours work and shift patterns? These are the issues that

:58:01. > :58:04.a pilot could have addressed, and that is precisely why it had the

:58:05. > :58:09.backing of so many people. I suspect, that when the Health

:58:10. > :58:16.Secretary gets back to his feet, he will launch another attack on Dean

:58:17. > :58:22.and the Labour Party to detract attention for his culpability for

:58:23. > :58:28.tomorrow's action. I know this, Mr Speaker, because last week instead

:58:29. > :58:32.of working to resolve this dispute the Health Secretary was busy

:58:33. > :58:46.writing me a 2-page letter which he briefed to the sun asking me if I

:58:47. > :58:50.will be on a picket line? Let me deal with this now in the hope that

:58:51. > :58:55.we can get some construction constructive answers from the Health

:58:56. > :59:00.Secretary. No, I won't be on a picket line tomorrow or Wednesday.

:59:01. > :59:04.But that is not because I don't support the junior Doctor's cause,

:59:05. > :59:09.and is certainly not because I feel even an ounce of sympathy for the

:59:10. > :59:13.Health Secretary. It's because I think patients affected by this

:59:14. > :59:18.dispute want to see politicians working together to find a

:59:19. > :59:23.constructive solution. That is exactly what I was doing last week

:59:24. > :59:34.while the Health Secretary was penning his pathetic political

:59:35. > :59:38.attacks. Hear, hear! I am flattered that the Health Secretary attaches

:59:39. > :59:44.such significance to my actions, but the truth is, it is his actions and

:59:45. > :59:52.his actions alone that can stop this strike. Not to me, not to the Labour

:59:53. > :59:57.Party, him. If he plows on that I warned him not, history will not be

:59:58. > :00:01.kind to him. It will show that when faced with a compromise, the Health

:00:02. > :00:08.Secretary chose a fight. When presented with a way out, this

:00:09. > :00:12.Health Secretary chose to dig in. When asked to put pasted patients

:00:13. > :00:19.first, this Health Secretary chose strengths. Mr Speaker, the way the

:00:20. > :00:24.government has handled this dispute is the political equivalent of

:00:25. > :00:29.pouring oil on to a blazing fire. Even if we put to one side the legal

:00:30. > :00:34.question about his authority to impose a contract and the detail of

:00:35. > :00:40.the contract provisions, the simple truth is this, there is no trust

:00:41. > :00:45.left between the people who work in the NHS and this Health Secretary.

:00:46. > :00:51.He can barely show his face in a hospital because he ends up being

:00:52. > :00:57.chased down the road. This is a deeply, deeply sad day for the NHS.

:00:58. > :01:07.Even at this 11th hour, I urge him to find a way out.

:01:08. > :01:19.Mr Speaker, the Shadow Health Secretary can do better than that.

:01:20. > :01:23.She talked about the judgements, she talked about the judgement that I

:01:24. > :01:28.have made as Health Secretary. I will tell her a judgement issue. It

:01:29. > :01:33.is whether or not to back a union that is withdrawing life-saving care

:01:34. > :01:36.from your own constituents, have secretaries should stand up for

:01:37. > :01:46.their constituents and patients. If she will not I will. She also talked

:01:47. > :01:50.about the trust and of the profession. The healthy Kerry loses

:01:51. > :01:53.the trust of the possession -- professional AV Health Secretary

:01:54. > :01:57.does not make tough decisions to make health care better for

:01:58. > :02:01.patients. Something we have seen little evidence from her or her

:02:02. > :02:04.predecessors. Shows the talked about putting oil on a blazing fire, but

:02:05. > :02:10.what does she make then of the shadow chancellors comments when he

:02:11. > :02:13.says he got to work to bring down this government at the first

:02:14. > :02:16.opportunity whether it is in Parliament, on the picket line, or

:02:17. > :02:23.on the streets, is Labour leadership will be with you. Yes, with the

:02:24. > :02:26.strikers but also against the patients and neighbours should be

:02:27. > :02:33.ashamed of, it's like that. Made by the Shadow Chancellor. But still

:02:34. > :02:43.with the substance of what she said. She talked about her proposals for

:02:44. > :02:47.pilots. If this was a genuine attempt to broker a deal between all

:02:48. > :02:51.the parties why wasn't that the first the government knew about it

:02:52. > :02:59.was when we read the Sunday Times yesterday morning. This was about

:03:00. > :03:04.politics, not peacemaking. If she is saying that we should stage

:03:05. > :03:10.implementation of this contract to make sure we get absolutely right

:03:11. > :03:14.and I agree. That is when only 11% of junior doctors are going onto the

:03:15. > :03:20.new contract and August. She independent studies into mortality

:03:21. > :03:24.rates for weekends, we have already had the agent knew last six years.

:03:25. > :03:29.Putting to begin to fade, how many more studies that she want? Now is

:03:30. > :03:39.the time to act, to save lives, and give us a safe NHS for our patients.

:03:40. > :03:45.She ducked a legal parent that powers. The hell act of 2006 is very

:03:46. > :03:50.clear where my powers are. Either directly or indirectly to introduce

:03:51. > :03:54.a new contract with foundation trust choose to follow the national

:03:55. > :04:00.contract. Mr Speaker I have given very straight answers today, but

:04:01. > :04:05.will she tell us yes or no, will you never tell us yes or no, do they or

:04:06. > :04:11.do they not support the withdrawal of lessening care for NHS patients.

:04:12. > :04:17.Her answer last week was no comment, will no comment is now British and

:04:18. > :04:21.Mr Speaker. They were used to stand up for vulnerable patients, but now

:04:22. > :04:26.they care more about powerful unions and it is the conservatives are

:04:27. > :04:31.putting their money into the NHS delivering a seven-day service for

:04:32. > :04:39.patients and fighting to make NHS care the best in the world. Thank

:04:40. > :04:42.you Mr Speaker, there are only losers in this dispute. Those who

:04:43. > :04:46.have the most to lose our patients and their families. Tomorrow there

:04:47. > :04:50.will be people visiting hospitals to see the people they care about

:04:51. > :04:54.whether anything in the world. They'll be asking themselves why the

:04:55. > :05:03.doctors on the picket line are not inside looking after the people they

:05:04. > :05:09.love. Can I ask the BMA directly whether they will show dignity and

:05:10. > :05:13.put patients first and draw back from this escalation. Whatever

:05:14. > :05:18.provocation they feel that all sides put patients first in this dispute.

:05:19. > :05:28.Can I think her for her intervention. She stood very wisely

:05:29. > :05:30.and wrote recently in the Guardian something I agree with, something

:05:31. > :05:34.that there could've been a solution to this problem back in February

:05:35. > :05:41.there is a very fair compromise put on the table. The one outstanding

:05:42. > :05:45.issue of substance which is Saturday pay. This is a very emotive issue,

:05:46. > :05:50.the government initially wanted there to be no premium pay on

:05:51. > :05:53.Saturdays, in the end we agreed to premium pay for anyone who works on

:05:54. > :06:02.one Saturday a month or war. That will cover more than half of all

:06:03. > :06:05.junior doctors working on Saturday. Unfortunately the negotiators were

:06:06. > :06:09.not willing to take that opportunity. I would just say that I

:06:10. > :06:12.urge them as well tomorrow to come up whatever the differences in the

:06:13. > :06:18.bar with the government, to think about patients. It would be a

:06:19. > :06:21.tragedy for the NHS is the thing goes wrong and he next couple of

:06:22. > :06:32.days and they have a duty to make sure that wrong. I welcome the

:06:33. > :06:36.Secretary of states absolute commitment to date there were only

:06:37. > :06:41.talking about seven-day emergency care. They have been many times in

:06:42. > :06:49.the past where he has seemed to move between elective and emergency. He

:06:50. > :06:58.has also criticised the imposition and has described the fact that what

:06:59. > :07:02.has lost consensus across the profession has been this conflation

:07:03. > :07:05.of the need for robust emergency service over seven days with the

:07:06. > :07:11.junior contract when they already work seven days. I think that what

:07:12. > :07:17.has also said Google has been the use statistics without analysis.

:07:18. > :07:21.This is not after death on the weekend, suggesting poor care, but

:07:22. > :07:27.action deaths among people admitted and begins within 30 days. That is

:07:28. > :07:31.quite an odd formula. We can think of things that might contribute, and

:07:32. > :07:35.the standards that the Secretary of State mentioned I would support.

:07:36. > :07:42.Then the family junior doctors. Number one is probably access to

:07:43. > :07:51.diagnosis. People lying over the weekend, not accessing scans, and

:07:52. > :07:56.therefore their whole path is laid. That was to aid depth that

:07:57. > :08:03.identified issues, not sufficient seniority of operating surgeon

:08:04. > :08:08.later. Not sufficient seniority of... We have now worked out with

:08:09. > :08:16.the problem is. Therefore going on about the four standards, Senior

:08:17. > :08:20.reviewed, 24/7 access, and basically access to diagnostics. This will not

:08:21. > :08:29.be changed for the junior doctor contract. Secretary of State calls

:08:30. > :08:35.in the BMA to listen to leaders. In his letter to the leader of the BMA

:08:36. > :08:39.over the weekend he highlights things that so needs sorting out.

:08:40. > :08:43.There is a need to talk. There has been no talking for five weeks.

:08:44. > :08:54.Surely we would stop imposition and get rid of the strike and go back to

:08:55. > :08:57.the table and complete the talk. I figure the total tragedy when the

:08:58. > :09:03.Health Secretary and that no other choice but to impose. Had we had

:09:04. > :09:08.sensible negotiations that would not have been necessary. Signs of the

:09:09. > :09:14.world colleges and what they say is that withdrawal of emergency care

:09:15. > :09:17.should not happen. The president of the Royal College of surgeons said

:09:18. > :09:23.that she could not strike personally. I have tried this

:09:24. > :09:26.afternoon, to be very clear what is exactly what we are trying to do. We

:09:27. > :09:30.have been clear on many occasions that this does not apply to elective

:09:31. > :09:35.care. She is conservative of the statistics I would encourage her to

:09:36. > :09:39.read some the many studies that we have had. We have had 50

:09:40. > :09:44.international studies covering stroke, cancer, emergency surgery,

:09:45. > :09:48.paediatric care, including a very thorough study that was published

:09:49. > :09:55.last September. What many of the talk about she is right, is senior

:09:56. > :10:00.decision-makers being present. That could be a consultant, and can also

:10:01. > :10:05.be an experienced junior doctor. She knows junior doctors, some what of a

:10:06. > :10:08.misnomer, BB eight for seven years is to be a junior doctor, just as

:10:09. > :10:14.with a link with the Junior Doctor contract. The single ascending issue

:10:15. > :10:20.is Saturday pay rates. That is which the thing that's they confirm their

:10:21. > :10:28.cells, that that was the issue. We need to make it possible for doctors

:10:29. > :10:32.to roster more people on weekends. Saturday pay raises honestly

:10:33. > :10:36.connected to them. Would have tragedy today is that the supply of

:10:37. > :10:42.trained doctors into the NHS will be going up doing is province. Without

:10:43. > :10:45.the depending on the current workforce to supply the additional

:10:46. > :10:51.set of eight cover in its entirety. There will be more doctors will

:10:52. > :10:58.spread the burden that we would get a safe NHS that we want. I support

:10:59. > :11:04.the mission of the seven-day NHS any safer NHS. For all those uncommitted

:11:05. > :11:12.listening to our debate that is what the NHS to work, can you just tell

:11:13. > :11:22.us how a big is the gap and how to CC being resolved? -- see it he is

:11:23. > :11:27.right to draw attention to the difficult paradox that we came very

:11:28. > :11:36.close to an agreement earlier this year. Had there been a willingness

:11:37. > :11:42.to negotiate, rather than what I fear was the desire for a full

:11:43. > :11:47.government climbed down, is really about social hour day, not Saturday

:11:48. > :11:53.pay. As were the main difference was. We've sensible sensible cost of

:11:54. > :11:59.governments on that. We had to decide, this is what Sir David

:12:00. > :12:05.Dalton said we had to decide quickly longer going to do. That will be in

:12:06. > :12:10.the new contracts from this August. We are very willing to talk to all

:12:11. > :12:15.parties including the BMA about the implementation of these contracts.

:12:16. > :12:21.About anything to make sure this contract works, because mood much

:12:22. > :12:24.rather have a negotiated agree to solution going further and is a

:12:25. > :12:33.great tragedy we were not able to do this this time. When his secretary

:12:34. > :12:36.is taken as the chamber today I don't know whether or not he

:12:37. > :12:41.realises it, but there is a smirk and arrogance about him that almost

:12:42. > :12:47.betrays the fact that he is delighted in taking part in this

:12:48. > :12:55.activity! He could start negotiations today, wipe that smirk

:12:56. > :13:01.off his face, get down to some serious negotiation is, it is had to

:13:02. > :13:07.be done in the past, but instead he comes into here to try and blame the

:13:08. > :13:17.opposition for what has taken place! This strike can only because by two

:13:18. > :13:22.sides! One of the Junior Hospital Doctors and the other side is the

:13:23. > :13:29.government acted like he has almost given the impression that he is

:13:30. > :13:32.reveling in standing up to the Junior hospital doctors, start

:13:33. > :13:42.negotiating now and sort the matter out! Hear, hear! Dano gentleman has

:13:43. > :13:50.made many countries is this house, but that was unworthy of his track

:13:51. > :13:53.record. The meantime with the government has been trying to do to

:13:54. > :13:59.solve this issue, we have been talking to the BMA for over three

:14:00. > :14:03.years, we have had three independent processes, 75 meetings to try and

:14:04. > :14:08.resolve these issues. In his meetings he might be interested to

:14:09. > :14:12.know that we made 74 concessions. There's been a huge effort, it is

:14:13. > :14:16.not just about talking but both sides, cover Monday to reach a

:14:17. > :14:22.solution. The committee were not willing to have those constructive

:14:23. > :14:32.discussions. That is why we face the tragic discussion -- thing that we

:14:33. > :14:36.face now. We have not had sensible negotiations the time. I met with

:14:37. > :14:40.junior doctors on Saturday morning and they said to me that they did

:14:41. > :14:44.want to go back to talking, so maybe that is something the union is not

:14:45. > :14:49.representing as well as it could. They also said that apart from the

:14:50. > :14:55.date, there were a couple of the did have concerns about. I need to ask a

:14:56. > :15:01.he could look at those. It was due to rusting and timing. It should be

:15:02. > :15:05.finishing a one or two in the morning, I think there are some

:15:06. > :15:10.issues of the two discussion to my doctor and instantly wanted to go

:15:11. > :15:14.on. Maybe the union is not being as helpful as they could be. I'm afraid

:15:15. > :15:19.junior doctors who work in credit be hard on the back foot of the NHS

:15:20. > :15:23.have not been well represented by their union. The BMA is currently

:15:24. > :15:26.telling junior doctors not to co-operate with trust in any

:15:27. > :15:31.discussions at all about the implementation of the new contract.

:15:32. > :15:36.The kind of issues she talks about are exactly the issues that we want

:15:37. > :15:42.to sit down and talk to the BMA about. To the chair of the General

:15:43. > :15:44.Counsel, and I talk to him earlier this afternoon about the possibility

:15:45. > :15:49.of talks to go through all of those after contractual issues, and the

:15:50. > :15:52.contract itself and make sure we've listed it in the best possible way.

:15:53. > :15:56.That is the kind of dialogue with the government is going to have.

:15:57. > :16:03.That's how we would welcome. You need another party to come to the

:16:04. > :16:06.table and we are going to succeed in doing it he knows very well the

:16:07. > :16:12.seven-day working has nothing to do with his proposed new contact. He

:16:13. > :16:16.visited the hospital sure referred to earlier Risley. They already

:16:17. > :16:19.running is seven-day service on the existing contract. I have to tell

:16:20. > :16:24.him that his petulant rejection of the all party proposal to pilot this

:16:25. > :16:30.contract shows that tomorrow will be his adjustability and his alone.

:16:31. > :16:34.Let's be absolutely clear, the people who are responsible for the

:16:35. > :16:43.strike tomorrow the people who choose to do the BMA is urging and

:16:44. > :16:48.withdrawing care for patients. There are a couple of trusts in the

:16:49. > :16:52.country that have been very good about introducing a seven-day

:16:53. > :16:56.standards in urgent emergency care. My judgement and he got judgement of

:16:57. > :16:59.the government is that it would not be possible under current contract

:17:00. > :17:04.was structures throw that all across the whole NHS. That to have the most

:17:05. > :17:07.outstanding leaders in the NHS, we need to learn from what they had

:17:08. > :17:15.done and make it possible for the same things to happen at all

:17:16. > :17:18.hospitals including his own. Those of us who have served our time at

:17:19. > :17:23.junior doctors understand the hard work in a very long hours that they

:17:24. > :17:29.have. The system that has too few doctors is the exception. Many who

:17:30. > :17:35.believe that there is no dispute about paid conditions that justifies

:17:36. > :17:38.putting peasants lives at risk, casting my Honorable friend that has

:17:39. > :17:44.of confusion about the government has meant by a seven-day NHS. It has

:17:45. > :17:48.always been in seven-day emergency service, but it is too patchy across

:17:49. > :17:53.the country. Annie's been very different they a set of service

:17:54. > :18:01.which said they cannot be achieved with doctors alone, there are very

:18:02. > :18:04.honest and others. The government cases to be more clear and defining

:18:05. > :18:08.silly know what is we're trying to achieve. There is very little

:18:09. > :18:11.difference between what the government wants and what the

:18:12. > :18:18.doctors want, not withstanding the fact that I believe the BMA has

:18:19. > :18:24.paved rather badly. He is right, I think the tragedy here is that with

:18:25. > :18:28.the government once, which is to illuminate the weekend effect where

:18:29. > :18:33.they have higher mortality rates for those admitted to the weekend is

:18:34. > :18:36.exactly what every doctor wants. We should be sitting around the table

:18:37. > :18:44.it discussing how we can achieve a proper consisting seven-day system

:18:45. > :18:51.for emergency care. Because elected provision, that is not part of a

:18:52. > :18:54.plan. There are some trust that are operating in active care. We're are

:18:55. > :19:01.charged do is reduce the higher mortality rates, and we think that

:19:02. > :19:09.is the heart of our vision for a true seven-day NHS. To the Health

:19:10. > :19:18.Secretary name a single medical College who backed his decision to

:19:19. > :19:24.impose this contract? All I would say is every medical college agrees

:19:25. > :19:29.with me that doctors should not withdraw emergency care in

:19:30. > :19:33.tomorrow's strike because this is a big as my right honourable friend

:19:34. > :19:35.said earlier is a line to the medical profession has not crossed

:19:36. > :19:40.before and I don't think that she crossed the tomorrow either. The

:19:41. > :19:43.essay on behalf of members of both sides of the house how good is to

:19:44. > :19:56.see the Honorable Lady back in her seat and I hope not in very health.

:19:57. > :20:02.-- now. I think many members are as concerned as a circuit Secretary of

:20:03. > :20:06.State is. Would you agree with me to junior doctors do seem to have some

:20:07. > :20:09.concerns about the rotating shift patterns particularly when they're

:20:10. > :20:14.married to another doctor. As he able to give any assurance first of

:20:15. > :20:19.that as it is rolled out, this would be looked up very carefully and at

:20:20. > :20:25.the NHS would be helpful to couples in that situation in making sure

:20:26. > :20:36.that the rotating shifts are more reasonable? My right honourable

:20:37. > :20:43.friend is vastly white -- right. We will look at all the quality of life

:20:44. > :20:53.issues, one of them is that it is too difficult for doctors who are

:20:54. > :20:56.polymers -- partners want to reform that. There are many other things we

:20:57. > :21:06.could do in terms of improving the picked ability and reliability of

:21:07. > :21:11.shift patterns, we need the BMA to co-operate with what we set up, and

:21:12. > :21:14.then we can sort out these problems. At the moment we don't have that

:21:15. > :21:19.cooperation and why we are not making the progress we want. Can I

:21:20. > :21:25.say to the Secretary of State that it is because I have very real

:21:26. > :21:29.anxieties about the impact on patients of the strike involving

:21:30. > :21:34.emergency services not political opportunities that I signed that

:21:35. > :21:40.letter. I would urge the Secretary of State even at its 11 hour to

:21:41. > :21:46.discuss this in a reasonable and rational way. We all have a

:21:47. > :21:51.responsibility to try and inferred this strike. I agree with that, but

:21:52. > :21:55.also said to him that if that was the case he has got my phone, he

:21:56. > :21:59.could have contacted me, it did not need to be Sunday Times which was

:22:00. > :22:05.the first place that I saw of his proposal and frankly that was not

:22:06. > :22:10.the way they were genuinely serious about brokering a deal to go about

:22:11. > :22:14.it. I think we all have a duty to you do everything we can to avert

:22:15. > :22:19.tomorrow's strike. His proposal to change the government plans to

:22:20. > :22:22.pilots as he is currently well with this would mean that seven-day care

:22:23. > :22:31.will be kicked into the longer grass and probably not happen. We have a

:22:32. > :22:37.responsibility to deliver on promises and that is what going to

:22:38. > :22:41.do. To my right honourable friend refresh my memory, those who are

:22:42. > :22:48.going to strike tomorrow and it is not all junior doctors putting

:22:49. > :22:52.patients lives at risk. Would they be earning more rather than less,

:22:53. > :22:58.for fewer rather than more hours. Pretty also remind me of other

:22:59. > :23:05.public sector employee, who gets time and a half for working on a

:23:06. > :23:09.Saturday morning? My noble friend makes a very important point, the

:23:10. > :23:13.deal is fair for those doctors. It is higher premium paid for through

:23:14. > :23:19.the work regular Saturdays than nurses, paramedics, health care

:23:20. > :23:23.assistance, then fire officers, and anyone else in the public or private

:23:24. > :23:27.sector of under the new contract. Guess we are bringing down premium

:23:28. > :23:36.rates for Saturday pay, but we are making sure we compensate that with

:23:37. > :23:41.an increase in their basic pay. Don't mean that the take-home pay

:23:42. > :23:47.goes up for 75% of junior doctors. That is a very fair deal and is

:23:48. > :23:51.designed make sure that they are not out of pocket as he make changes

:23:52. > :24:01.that are safer for patients and why should we be talking about these

:24:02. > :24:05.patients -- changes and abstracts. Ended up an implementation is not

:24:06. > :24:11.the same as having a pilot with an independent evaluation to sex the

:24:12. > :24:21.fax of this contract. Why will the health of Jerry not... Which will

:24:22. > :24:29.break the deadlock that we could only have. We have now had eight

:24:30. > :24:32.studies the last six years six of those eight studies talk about these

:24:33. > :24:36.innovative studies not commissioned by the government bus have covered

:24:37. > :24:39.areas like paediatric care, paediatric care, cancer care,

:24:40. > :24:44.emergency surgery, and a whole range of other areas and that they, six of

:24:45. > :24:50.those eight studies, has talked about staffing levels and begins

:24:51. > :24:55.that Susie needs to be investigated. A government that has higher

:24:56. > :24:57.mentality rates today, whenever responsibility to do something, not

:24:58. > :25:14.commissioned for the study. May I reiterate my concern that

:25:15. > :25:18.there appears to have been no balance of junior doctors visit the

:25:19. > :25:22.click on the question of withdrawal of emergency care, and as the

:25:23. > :25:24.secretary of state share my fear that if despite his best efforts

:25:25. > :25:30.people die as the result of this withdrawal of emergency cover, that

:25:31. > :25:33.is public demand for a legislative change to the sure bet this kid

:25:34. > :25:44.never happen again will become irresistible? I think the public

:25:45. > :25:48.will be extremely disappointed that professionals are putting patients

:25:49. > :25:52.at risk in this way. I think that it is extremely tragic but they are

:25:53. > :25:58.doing that. I am afraid that I do think that this is crossing a line

:25:59. > :26:04.in a way that has not before. I think it is totally tragic, and I

:26:05. > :26:08.support his concerned on that point. In his statement, the secretary of

:26:09. > :26:13.state said it was in his manifesto. It is about ideology, not the NHS.

:26:14. > :26:18.In the secretary of state cares about the NHS, could he hear the

:26:19. > :26:26.will of the House concert the BMA straight after this statement and

:26:27. > :26:31.negotiate? If by ideology, she means a commitment to make the and eight

:26:32. > :26:36.is the safest high quality health system in the world, that I would be

:26:37. > :26:39.guilty of ideology. By the NHS that I want. That means a seven-day NHS,

:26:40. > :26:43.but we don't have higher mortality rates for people that we can. There

:26:44. > :26:47.was a tab in the Labour Party would have been prepared to take tough and

:26:48. > :26:56.difficult decisions. That day has passed. Thank you Mr Speaker. There

:26:57. > :26:59.are many professions and occupations which require seven-day working,

:27:00. > :27:04.both in the public and private sector. Given that all but one of

:27:05. > :27:08.the points of difference between the BMA and the government have been

:27:09. > :27:13.dissolved, does my right honourable friend agree with me that to take

:27:14. > :27:20.this drastic strike strike action on the remaining issue of Saturday pay

:27:21. > :27:24.is wholly unjustified. It is wholly unjustified. The offer on the table

:27:25. > :27:28.for Saturday pay is extremely generous, and subways more generous

:27:29. > :27:32.than pretty much that's available to every other professional and the

:27:33. > :27:38.public or private sector. It is a very extreme step as far as patients

:27:39. > :27:42.are concerned. What the BMA needs to do is to recognise that this

:27:43. > :27:46.government is as committed to the NHS as they are, and we do have a

:27:47. > :27:53.government that wants to live nameless Gleevec lessons at Mid

:27:54. > :27:56.Staffs, turn around struggling hospitals, the right thing to do is

:27:57. > :28:01.to sit around the table, negotiate, and talk. That is not what we have

:28:02. > :28:06.from the BMA. We must not be reflected from taking this difficult

:28:07. > :28:10.decisions, because in the end of responsibility is to patients. I

:28:11. > :28:32.recently visit isn't it fine not to pilot this

:28:33. > :28:37.contract, but not only that burden services of these dedicated people

:28:38. > :28:44.which will surely decrease patient safety not increase it. What is

:28:45. > :28:49.devastating to junior Doctor morale is when they are represented by or

:28:50. > :28:53.organisation that constantly feeds from miss information about the

:28:54. > :28:56.content of this new contract. The BMA first of all told them that it

:28:57. > :29:01.was going to mean their pay was cut. Then it ultimate they were going to

:29:02. > :29:11.be asked to work longer hours. In fact, the reverse is true. I would

:29:12. > :29:24.say the way that we raise the row -- raise morale. Not refuse to budge as

:29:25. > :29:32.we saw in February. It is reasonable that registrars to be earning on

:29:33. > :29:36.average ?52,000 per year, it is rational for junior doctors leaders

:29:37. > :29:41.to accept that roster ring should be a matter of discussion because there

:29:42. > :29:44.is a right level or a wrong level. Some of the premium pay for

:29:45. > :29:48.Saturdays. It seems to me that it would be a good idea of those behind

:29:49. > :29:56.the BMA negotiators came out in the open and explained in detail, to my

:29:57. > :29:58.patients of 600 and 49 other MPs of what is the issue from stopping them

:29:59. > :30:15.of calling off the strengths . But I find is that they don't want

:30:16. > :30:18.to bring up issues in the new contract because much of what's in a

:30:19. > :30:23.new contract is actually very good for junior doctors. The fact that

:30:24. > :30:25.they can't be asked to work six months consecutively which they can

:30:26. > :30:36.at the moment, the fact that they can be asked to work more than six

:30:37. > :30:40.long days. -- can't. There are lots of things that are good in this new

:30:41. > :30:43.contract. That is why be sensible, rational thing to do is to sit down

:30:44. > :30:55.and discuss this with the government, not to... This morning,

:30:56. > :31:00.a doctor resigned to fight the contract on the behalf of his

:31:01. > :31:04.patients in the NHS. I also met with junior doctors over the weekend and

:31:05. > :31:16.the morale is really low. Does the health secretary believe, ... I will

:31:17. > :31:20.tell the honourable Lady what is unsafe for patients. It is not

:31:21. > :31:23.standing up to the BMA when they behave in a totally unreasonable

:31:24. > :31:27.length with a government that is determined to make NHS care safer.

:31:28. > :31:30.But the greatest respect to her, because she is due to the House, she

:31:31. > :31:35.will appreciate that the predecessor Labour governments actually did not

:31:36. > :31:42.stand up to the BMA, and that is why we are left with many of the

:31:43. > :31:44.problems we face today. The Health Secretary is doing the right thing

:31:45. > :31:48.for patients that I welcome the statement. Would he accept that

:31:49. > :31:55.there is more to be done in contractual terms for the NHS

:31:56. > :31:59.workforce if the ten clinical standards are to be implemented?

:32:00. > :32:04.Although he may not wish to reflect on it at this particular point in

:32:05. > :32:10.time, what does he think can be done to improve contact sport and on

:32:11. > :32:18.training -- non-trading consultant in the NHS? My honourable friend

:32:19. > :32:21.speaks wisely from experience. I try to make a point in my statement that

:32:22. > :32:26.a seven-day NHS is not just about junior doctors, it's about a whole

:32:27. > :32:32.range of services. Consultants, diagnostic services, general

:32:33. > :32:36.practice, and as we seek to move towards a seven-day NHS, we will

:32:37. > :32:41.also be explaining the NHS workforce to make sure that the current

:32:42. > :32:45.workforce is not bear all the strain by it. This is an opportunity. We

:32:46. > :32:50.had lots of comments today about morale. I was able to say this, the

:32:51. > :33:01.way to improve morale for doctors is to get them the stiffest possible

:33:02. > :33:04.care for patients. -- safest. We want to change that, and you want to

:33:05. > :33:11.work with the BMA to make that possible. So far, the secretary of

:33:12. > :33:15.state has not grabbed the opportunity presented from him

:33:16. > :33:20.across the House with both hands. If patients are at the centre of his

:33:21. > :33:23.thinking, he would have done so. He has told the House that he has not

:33:24. > :33:27.done so because he read about it in the Times, rather than getting a

:33:28. > :33:32.phone call. If the right honourable member agrees to call his mobile and

:33:33. > :33:37.tell him anything he wants to hear, whisper sweet nothings into his ear,

:33:38. > :33:46.will he agree to have the conversation and called the check

:33:47. > :33:49.off? -- strike off. The day that the honourable member is whispering

:33:50. > :33:53.sweet nothings has never actually happened, particularly since he has

:33:54. > :33:58.been an opposition it not happened. In terms of doing what it takes, but

:33:59. > :34:03.we tell him directly. Three years of trying to solve this problem, 75

:34:04. > :34:07.meetings, 74 concessions, three independent processes, we have been

:34:08. > :34:12.doing everything we possibly can to solve this problem. What we have is

:34:13. > :34:17.a very intransigent and difficult junior Doctors committee of the BMA.

:34:18. > :34:21.They have refused to negotiate sensibly, and in that situation, the

:34:22. > :34:24.sector has a simple choice, do you move forward or do you give up. When

:34:25. > :34:31.it comes to patient safety that we are moving forward. Patient safety

:34:32. > :34:33.is a matter close to my heart. Tomorrow, doctors were shocked that

:34:34. > :34:42.this check is not about paid or Saturday working, but about six --

:34:43. > :34:45.patient safety. Will the Secretary of State reassure the House that

:34:46. > :34:48.there is absolutely no process that this government getting into this

:34:49. > :34:52.attempt by the doctor's union to hold honourable patients as hostage

:34:53. > :35:02.in a row over pay. Patients must always come for. She is absolutely

:35:03. > :35:07.right. -- first. The truth is that being Health Secretary is not easy

:35:08. > :35:16.for health sector might help the secretaries of any government. --

:35:17. > :35:21.health secretaries as seven-day NHS is one of the issues. When it comes

:35:22. > :35:24.to safety, Channel 4 fact check, which is not a known supporter of

:35:25. > :35:29.the government, has looked at the new government compared to the old

:35:30. > :35:33.contract and sets the new one is safer. That should be assured that

:35:34. > :35:39.this is the right thing for the NHS to do and they should work with is

:35:40. > :35:42.not against us. The secretary of state has is that this is all about

:35:43. > :35:48.patient safety. The junior doctors by Matt Lee that it is about patient

:35:49. > :35:58.safety also. Don't believe they don't believe... Can he tell the

:35:59. > :36:04.House has he done a risk assessment on the imposition of a contract and

:36:05. > :36:11.the consequences for patient safety of lowering Doctor's morale and

:36:12. > :36:14.losing doctors from the NHS? Lets gently dealt blue and gently tell

:36:15. > :36:25.her the fact. It revolves reducing the number of

:36:26. > :36:30.nights and long days they can work, as we discussed earlier. This is a

:36:31. > :36:35.safer contract, and the reason that morale is low is because rather than

:36:36. > :36:38.negotiate sensibly, the BMA has gone for an out right wing. He could have

:36:39. > :36:44.a negotiated solution a long time ago. That was a big mistake. In that

:36:45. > :36:50.situation, a Health Secretary has to do with charter patients. That is

:36:51. > :36:54.what we're doing. I have long found that the BMA is not universally

:36:55. > :36:58.admired by doctors. Perhaps, the cause of their long history of

:36:59. > :37:06.putting doctors and just ahead of patients. Will he ensure that he

:37:07. > :37:21.does not inadvertently drive doctors of arms of the BMA? I have had a

:37:22. > :37:24.discussion with him about that. I think that the mutual structure is

:37:25. > :37:30.something that we should be open-minded about. What I would

:37:31. > :37:34.simply say to him is that when junior doctors go on to the new

:37:35. > :37:38.contracts, which will happen in stages starting from as August, they

:37:39. > :37:42.will find it is safer and better. It there are more protectable shift

:37:43. > :37:47.patterns. It enables them to have a better quality of life, and they

:37:48. > :37:55.will back Delaet how badly the group represented by the BMA. I am worried

:37:56. > :37:59.about the potential consequences of the secretary of state having people

:38:00. > :38:04.believe that if they are ill on the date of strike action there will be

:38:05. > :38:08.no emergency for them to go to. And if they don't go and there are

:38:09. > :38:11.consequences, I believe those consequences are the responsibility

:38:12. > :38:14.of the secretary of state. That he now clear this matter up with the

:38:15. > :38:19.British public and confirm that there will be accident and emergency

:38:20. > :38:29.cover on the day of the strikes the sex go-ahead? -- if the strikes go

:38:30. > :38:33.ahead. That does not mean to say that they will be huge pressure on

:38:34. > :38:36.hospitals which is why we are urging people only to go to accident and

:38:37. > :38:41.Emergency if they really need to go. What I would say to him is that the

:38:42. > :38:44.responsibility for this disruption is the responsibility of the people

:38:45. > :38:55.who are choosing to withdraw emergency care for the first time in

:38:56. > :39:08.the history of the NHS. Doctors are amongst the most highly rated rated

:39:09. > :39:11.of the Public service. Can I ask my right honourable friend to review

:39:12. > :39:28.the situation with regard to accident and emergency medics? I

:39:29. > :39:32.would say that A When you are paid a high salary, that comes at

:39:33. > :39:38.the responsibility of the profession, that is by no matter how

:39:39. > :39:42.much you disagree with the new contract, it is totally

:39:43. > :39:46.inappropriate to withdraw emergency care anyway that is going to happen

:39:47. > :39:49.tomorrow in the next day. That is why I think doctors should be very

:39:50. > :39:57.carefully about the impact this will have on their status in the country.

:39:58. > :40:02.The secretary of state said in his statement taking strike action is a

:40:03. > :40:09.choice. It never feels like a choice at all. The secretary of state could

:40:10. > :40:12.not answer my question and month ago about how big the provider deficit

:40:13. > :40:18.would be in the last financial year, it was about ?3 billion. With the

:40:19. > :40:21.answer my question now. -- Will he answer my question now. What will be

:40:22. > :40:28.provider deficit be in the next financial year? We are taking

:40:29. > :40:32.serious action to bring that deficit down. In particular, one of the

:40:33. > :40:36.things we need to do is to reduce the use of agency staff in order to

:40:37. > :40:40.do that. I will be something that I think will help the provision of

:40:41. > :40:43.more full-time staff in the NHS, which I think will be something that

:40:44. > :40:49.is good for the junior doctor workforce. Can I come in my right

:40:50. > :40:59.honourable friend for the way that he is -- command...

:41:00. > :41:08.I wanted to achieve a political outcome rather than a settlement.

:41:09. > :41:13.Regrettably, there has only been one occasion. In the October before the

:41:14. > :41:23.election they walked out of talks after extensive action. I think the

:41:24. > :41:26.most shocking thing of all was the decision of the Junior Doctors

:41:27. > :41:30.committee to ballot for strike action before they had even been

:41:31. > :41:34.prepared to sit down and talk to me about what the new contract

:41:35. > :41:38.involved. That has been at the heart of so many misunderstandings about

:41:39. > :41:42.this contract, and led to so much disappointment on all sides. I think

:41:43. > :41:45.if they had sat down and talk to us, they would have discovered we all

:41:46. > :41:52.want to do the same thing which is a safer seven-day NHS. The secretary

:41:53. > :41:58.of state tells us he spent over three years on this matter. All I

:41:59. > :42:02.can say is, three years and he brought us to this unprecedented

:42:03. > :42:06.state of affairs? Can I gently suggest to him that the junior

:42:07. > :42:16.doctors are not the problem, he is. My constituents overwhelmingly feel

:42:17. > :42:21.that he has been irresponsible and intransigent. He needs to get back

:42:22. > :42:35.to negotiation table and put the people in A and beyond fat first.

:42:36. > :42:39.-- that first. She is asking me... The answer is I am not. I am the

:42:40. > :42:45.Health Secretary who had to deal with Mid Staffs it a huge number of

:42:46. > :42:51.hospitals up and down the country who frankly her party in power did

:42:52. > :42:54.not do anything to turn around. We put 27 hospitals in to special

:42:55. > :42:58.measures, was dramatically increased numbers of doctors and nurses and

:42:59. > :43:09.our hospital awards because we care about a safer NHS. I think the

:43:10. > :43:13.secretary of state can be criticised in this dispute. My criticism is

:43:14. > :43:26.being far too jaded generous to junior doctors. -- generous to

:43:27. > :43:32.junior doctors. As far as I'm concerned, it is an absolute

:43:33. > :43:35.disgrace to withdraw emergency cover on the basis of what premiums are

:43:36. > :43:39.paid on a Saturday when much of my constituents that are much poorly

:43:40. > :43:44.paid goal to work on a Saturday without any premiums whatsoever. No

:43:45. > :43:48.government should ever given to this industrial action. Will he get a

:43:49. > :43:55.formed agreement that he will stick to his guns on this particular

:43:56. > :43:58.issue? I will absolutely give my honourable from that commitment. He

:43:59. > :44:02.is right to sue the professionals should not be withdrawn commercial

:44:03. > :44:10.care and pursuance of a pay dispute. It is totally inappropriate. It is

:44:11. > :44:18.not just me saying that. It is the wrong way to go Way to go about this

:44:19. > :44:30.dispute. You cannot choose but date of the BG get Bill. We going to have

:44:31. > :44:34.the health service... I raise with the secretary of health before the

:44:35. > :44:38.problem with recruitment and retention and Hull and East

:44:39. > :44:40.Yorkshire. Either they get undertaking from the secretary of

:44:41. > :44:43.State that if he moves forward with the imposition of a new contract,

:44:44. > :44:47.and the evidence comes to light that retention and recruitment is going

:44:48. > :44:54.to be in difficulty, that he will stop the imposition and think again?

:44:55. > :44:59.We are constantly monitoring what is going to happen with new contacts.

:45:00. > :45:02.We want to make sure that we get it absolutely right. But I would say to

:45:03. > :45:06.her is that she's making those pleas to me, that she should talk to the

:45:07. > :45:11.BMA and say that the way to ensure we this contract is to sit the

:45:12. > :45:14.government and talk about the way to make it successful, and I refuse to

:45:15. > :45:21.talk to us. That is what is happening at many hospitals. I

:45:22. > :45:25.briefly attended a medical conference over the weekend, and the

:45:26. > :45:28.doctors there said that they were hugely concerned by the impact on

:45:29. > :45:32.the vast majority of junior doctors who neither wish to strike nor

:45:33. > :45:41.believe that the contract satisfactory for the reasons given

:45:42. > :45:45.by my honourable friend. I really urge the BMA to withdraw the threat

:45:46. > :45:53.of strike action and for the secretary straight the next day to

:45:54. > :45:59.make it quite clear that he will do, . I am prepared to talk about

:46:00. > :46:03.anything that could in the future be improved in a contract that is going

:46:04. > :46:09.to be introduced, and extracontractual things also. In the

:46:10. > :46:13.moment we don't have that dialogue. That has been the problem. The

:46:14. > :46:17.imposition of a new contract is something that is the last thing in

:46:18. > :46:22.the world that we wanted as a government. It was after 75

:46:23. > :46:27.meetings, a totally exhaustive process. In the end, will be found

:46:28. > :46:29.is that we had a counterparty that weren't interested in sitting down

:46:30. > :46:36.and talking. They just wanted a political one. We had to make a

:46:37. > :46:40.choice about doing the right thing for patients. I wish we did not get

:46:41. > :46:47.to that point. We need to carry on. The door is always open for further

:46:48. > :46:53.talk and discussion. The secretary of State is the one person who can

:46:54. > :47:01.stop the strike. Why won't he now take a step back, engage the

:47:02. > :47:07.services of specialists and negotiations, remove the

:47:08. > :47:08.conditionality and address the remaining issues? Proper dialogue

:47:09. > :47:32.will get a result. Been the last decade, the Labour

:47:33. > :47:35.government took away medical services from the hospital, now we

:47:36. > :47:42.have a 20 four sevenths urgent treatment service and also it

:47:43. > :47:46.doctors out of our service. Does my right honourable friend should the

:47:47. > :47:52.dismay of my local patients at the BMA are asking junior doctors to go

:47:53. > :47:55.against their Hippocratic oath? I think many people are deeply upset

:47:56. > :48:03.that that is happening inside and out the medical profession. We will

:48:04. > :48:06.continue to invest in local health services. I think that what his

:48:07. > :48:11.constituents will be upset about is the fact that the pay and conditions

:48:12. > :48:15.that many of them get for working on the weekends go nowhere near what is

:48:16. > :48:20.being offered to junior doctors at the moment under the new contract.

:48:21. > :48:23.In that sense, it is totally disproportionate to withdraw

:48:24. > :48:29.emergency care. Such an extreme measure, and something that is never

:48:30. > :48:31.happened before. I welcome the Secretary of State in his answers

:48:32. > :48:35.today recognising the junior doctors are the backbone of the NHS. In

:48:36. > :48:40.expressing his willingness to talk about the implementation of the

:48:41. > :48:44.contract. Those words are great. I urged him to look use actions to

:48:45. > :48:48.match those words and take the opportunity of a cross party

:48:49. > :48:52.initiative to pilot this contract. If he does not do that, and he plows

:48:53. > :48:59.on regardless, he will jeopardise patient safety. I welcome any

:49:00. > :49:06.genuine attempt to resolve this issue, but others have said they did

:49:07. > :49:11.boldly describes pretty approach is workable. Others said to him before,

:49:12. > :49:15.only having pilots with respect to seven day care and new junior doctor

:49:16. > :49:26.contacts, would mean that we would take too long to deliver key

:49:27. > :49:30.manifesto promise. Farmers, others, all work across the week and we need

:49:31. > :49:34.the NHS to work across the week as well. We can't choose which date our

:49:35. > :49:39.children fostered. It makes absolute sense for the NHS to operate seven

:49:40. > :49:42.days a week for the sake of patients. It is crucial for the BMA

:49:43. > :49:46.to join with the government and resolve these well thought out

:49:47. > :49:51.plans, and I urged the Secretary of State to keep up the good work. I do

:49:52. > :49:56.think my honourable friend. I think she makes the point very eloquently

:49:57. > :50:00.that this is a moment of opportunity for the NHS. We have been through

:50:01. > :50:03.some terrible problems at Mid Staffs and a number of other hospitals

:50:04. > :50:07.where there are serious issues in the quality of care. Now they're

:50:08. > :50:11.going on a journey to make the NHS one of the safest health care

:50:12. > :50:14.systems in the world. That means facing up to these problems, not

:50:15. > :50:20.stacking them. That is what's going to happen in the time I'm health

:50:21. > :50:23.sector. The junior doctors that I has spoken with are concerned about

:50:24. > :50:32.safe staffing levels in working shifts. They asked me to make it

:50:33. > :50:36.clear to patients into the public, that the team extract days or nine

:50:37. > :50:41.hour in length and will last from 8am in the morning until 5pm. And

:50:42. > :50:46.that emergency care will be provided by consultants. The solution is in

:50:47. > :50:49.the Health Secretary's hand. Withdraw the imposition of this

:50:50. > :50:55.contract, and get background at the negotiating table. As I have said

:50:56. > :50:57.many times, were we to do that we would be given the BT Beth Cobden

:50:58. > :51:13.BMA a veto. -- BMA a veto. We are increasing staffing levels in

:51:14. > :51:17.the NHS to deal with the extra pressures. With respect to

:51:18. > :51:21.unworkable working shifts, maybe she would go and tell the BMA to sit

:51:22. > :51:25.around the table and talk to their local trust management so we can get

:51:26. > :51:32.those working shifts to work. The way to sort out the problems is to

:51:33. > :51:38.sit down and discuss them. Pull the secretary of state join me in

:51:39. > :51:47.thanking the consultants that will be working extra hours to guarantee

:51:48. > :51:54.patient cover as they can. Doesn't the recent leak of e-mails show that

:51:55. > :52:01.they utterly reject any compromise and that any offer at this stage is

:52:02. > :52:04.simply not a serious offer? She is absolutely right. I want to think

:52:05. > :52:08.her for what she said about consultants in her local trust, and

:52:09. > :52:12.up-and-coming country, and nurses and paramedics in many other people

:52:13. > :52:17.who'll be working to keep the public safe. I salute all of them. She is

:52:18. > :52:21.absolutely right. Those e-mails show that junior doctors know that had

:52:22. > :52:26.they been prepared to negotiate on Saturday pay they would not have had

:52:27. > :52:32.and impose contract. It was in their hands to avoid this outcome. They

:52:33. > :52:36.chose not to do that. They wanted war. That was a totally

:52:37. > :52:39.irresponsible thing to do. They need to recognise that the way that we

:52:40. > :52:48.will build a safer NHS is by sitting around and talking to the government

:52:49. > :52:56.that wants to create it. Can I ask why he suspects the motives of his

:52:57. > :53:05.former ministerial colleague? Why has he taken to Twitter to accuse

:53:06. > :53:09.him of political opportunism? What I actually would say is that my

:53:10. > :53:14.honourable friend who is the one conservative who signed up to that

:53:15. > :53:18.proposal, when he was health Minister was actually proposing a

:53:19. > :53:23.much tougher contract on junior doctors in the contract that we

:53:24. > :53:35.ended up introducing. It's a very interesting U-turn on his parts to

:53:36. > :53:38.do that. To take pressure off GPs, A units, and junior doctors, can I

:53:39. > :53:42.urge my right honourable friend to make full use of the pharmacy that

:53:43. > :53:48.were to make sure that they can play their full part in a seven-day

:53:49. > :53:52.National Health Service. No health statement will be complete without a

:53:53. > :53:57.mention by my honourable friend of the important role in pharmacy

:53:58. > :54:00.template and solvent absolutely any problem the NHS faces, and once

:54:01. > :54:08.again I commend his excellent contribution.

:54:09. > :54:15.The government aspirations, we cannot run the health service that

:54:16. > :54:24.any day of the week without doctors willing to do it. They're angry, the

:54:25. > :54:29.feeling no choice, this is not about the BMA. There's general strength of

:54:30. > :54:33.feeling about people have been treated, it is chaired by nurses,

:54:34. > :54:43.and consultants. That is why they're winning -- willing to come up with

:54:44. > :54:47.it. What people want to know, as if there's one issue left to say, why

:54:48. > :54:51.the imposition of necessary? Why can't it be taken off the table,

:54:52. > :54:59.negotiations can begin, and if I can be avoided? Because, on that one

:55:00. > :55:03.issue, the Saturday paper, the BMA said in writing last November that

:55:04. > :55:06.they would negotiate on it. They tore up the agreement, and said they

:55:07. > :55:08.were prepared to admit that they would negotiate on it. They toured

:55:09. > :55:14.the agreement, and said they were prepared to go shake one iota. Had

:55:15. > :55:17.stuck to their word, we would have had a strike today. The government

:55:18. > :55:21.has been totally reasonable and fair throughout the beat and by the BMA

:55:22. > :55:24.have not it is their choice to call the strikes, they should think again

:55:25. > :55:31.because this is the wrong thing for patients, and the wrong thing for

:55:32. > :55:35.the NHS. Many of our constituents as were concerned, and angry that some

:55:36. > :55:39.of the most vulnerable people in our society old, and young, and sick, or

:55:40. > :55:46.being put at risk by about what they see as some of the most advantaged

:55:47. > :55:52.people here in society. As I write I will friend agree, but this will do

:55:53. > :56:01.the repetition harm to the medical looked profession, and it will

:56:02. > :56:07.damage the morale? I totally agree with my right old friend. Medicine

:56:08. > :56:15.is a profession, it is very important values attached to it. Do

:56:16. > :56:22.no harm. It is a step too far to say that the dispute with of more pay on

:56:23. > :56:26.a Saturday, I think it is the wrong call for medical profession when the

:56:27. > :56:31.alternative on the table is a sit down and talk with the government

:56:32. > :56:38.wants to work with the medical profession to provide safe care. A

:56:39. > :56:43.doctor who is a constituent but also on the board that you may 70,014

:56:44. > :56:49.that he became politicized because he once crashed a car due to the

:56:50. > :56:54.grueling hours of a junior doctor. Does my right honourable friend

:56:55. > :57:01.agreed me, with all of these revisions of what is coming forward

:57:02. > :57:07.of hours, should they think of the past? I totally agree with that.

:57:08. > :57:11.Which since then junior doctors hours of Henry's dearest, and under

:57:12. > :57:15.this contract, we are reducing the maximum hour they are asked to work.

:57:16. > :57:19.This new agreement, should be something that every document

:57:20. > :57:26.welcomes. Because unfortunately, the BMA have not chosen this despite

:57:27. > :57:30.exhaustive efforts we are left with the choice is whether to proceed our

:57:31. > :57:36.parents or whether we give up. I think elected governments should

:57:37. > :57:40.never give up on manifesto promises. Junior doctors, went into medicine

:57:41. > :57:44.to save lives, not to place them at risk. With my right honourable

:57:45. > :57:51.friend agreed me that by striking, they're putting people at risk. Can

:57:52. > :57:54.you confirm, but the position would be if the contracts would lapse what

:57:55. > :58:05.the effect of be on the National Health Service? I do agree that the

:58:06. > :58:08.strikes are putting patients at risk, what happened and we just that

:58:09. > :58:14.the current contract to roll over? The answer is we would not have made

:58:15. > :58:16.progress toward safer seven-day NHS. It is something that will give

:58:17. > :58:24.enormous benefit to his constituency in mind. I wondered the Secretary of

:58:25. > :58:28.State would appeal directly to junior doctors to ignore the

:58:29. > :58:31.militant BMA and too drunk to work tomorrow to acknowledge the

:58:32. > :58:40.government has met with the BMA in over 70 times, with the negotiation

:58:41. > :58:48.table, and my constituencies get seven days a week, that they

:58:49. > :58:53.deserve. He speaks wisely I say this to every junior doctor. What you

:58:54. > :58:57.want from me and HS, safe service, safe care for patients, across every

:58:58. > :59:06.day of the week, is what we want as well. This is the government is

:59:07. > :59:10.committed to the HS. We are putting our money where our mouth is, we

:59:11. > :59:20.will sit down with medical fashion and make this work for patients. My

:59:21. > :59:24.understanding is correct? On the one hand the BMA wants time and a half

:59:25. > :59:30.for a Saturday, on the other her Majesty public government is

:59:31. > :59:36.offering time and a half on Saturday and a little bit on Sunday, five

:59:37. > :59:47.o'clock in the afternoon to those who have worked more than one for

:59:48. > :59:50.Saturdays. Time and a half between nine o'clock and midnight. My

:59:51. > :59:55.constituencies had submitted for the union doctors, but totally opposed

:59:56. > :59:57.with withdrawal of life saving emergency care, especially when the

:59:58. > :00:03.difference between their position in the government is so narrow? My

:00:04. > :00:11.Honorable friend speaks wisely as ever on this. We have moved a long

:00:12. > :00:16.way to meet the BMA's biggest concerns which should still be

:00:17. > :00:20.premium pay on Saturdays for doctors who work regularly on weekends. This

:00:21. > :00:23.is a good deal, better than anyone else and public sector. And that's

:00:24. > :00:27.why we think the resulting what to do would be to accept this deal, and

:00:28. > :00:37.not to these wholly unnecessary strikes. I know my friend, the

:00:38. > :00:39.dispute over pay the cannot justify lack of emergency cover. We

:00:40. > :00:57.confirmed that after the government of the new government comes in --

:00:58. > :01:02.contract. ... He is quite right to point out that this seven-day is not

:01:03. > :01:08.about junior doctors, it is about support services for junior doctors.

:01:09. > :01:11.Something that is not just benefiting the patients, it is

:01:12. > :01:15.rewarding for them. It is frustrating for doctors to not get

:01:16. > :01:24.by quickly because it is a weakened. We want to solve that, better

:01:25. > :01:28.patients better doctors. Whatever the objections to this contract, a

:01:29. > :01:35.person still he held, removing emergency services is not on the

:01:36. > :01:40.lips of options. On the issue of the Saturday pay, can I ask him to bring

:01:41. > :01:45.clarity to this. Will doctors who work regular Saturdays, more than

:01:46. > :01:55.one and four, continue to receive a pay upgrade? Yes they will, and that

:01:56. > :01:59.is the main outstanding issue as small as issues that was not

:02:00. > :02:05.resolved and he went a very long way to make that the BMA work. We are

:02:06. > :02:12.reducing premium rates for the Saturday, but we're making up for it

:02:13. > :02:18.for increase in basic pay, and as a bee that hospitals can roster more

:02:19. > :02:23.docs doctors on weekends. They will get premium pay for extra work. It

:02:24. > :02:35.is a good pick for doctors, it is a good thing for patients. Order.

:02:36. > :02:39.Statement. Minister of State, thank you Madam Deputy Speaker with your

:02:40. > :02:42.permission I would like to make a short statement update of the House

:02:43. > :02:46.following the announcement this morning the British home store has

:02:47. > :02:52.filed for administration is obviously a very difficult time for

:02:53. > :02:59.all of the employees. Between eight and a half thousand, many may be

:03:00. > :03:03.11,000 working there. Of course we bear in mind that it is also a

:03:04. > :03:07.difficult time for the many creditors who will be concerned,

:03:08. > :03:20.especially those with small businesses.

:03:21. > :03:30.Be HS hundred and 64 stores worldwide. I recognise the consumer

:03:31. > :03:34.trends are trained team, moving away from high street shopping and

:03:35. > :03:43.increasingly towards online retail channel which continues to see the

:03:44. > :03:48.retail wind scale landscape change. It has been particularly troubling

:03:49. > :03:55.for BHS workers. There is a clear message today. That BHS is still

:03:56. > :04:03.open for business as now planned for immediate redundancy and

:04:04. > :04:07.administrators are to sell BHS is a concern. If this proves not be

:04:08. > :04:12.possible, then the government will stand ready to offer assistance

:04:13. > :04:18.including jobs and to move people into jobs as quickly as possible.

:04:19. > :04:30.There's an comment -- speculation about the BHS had to scheme. . I

:04:31. > :04:36.understand that the BHS scheme, as in the early stage of potential talk

:04:37. > :04:47.to action fund -- pension protection fund. But the retail sector is a

:04:48. > :04:57.crucial one in United Kingdom economy it excludes excluding full

:04:58. > :05:04.is for 2015 was 340 billion pounds. In 2015 volume of sales grew faster.

:05:05. > :05:08.A decline in price overall. The sector accounts for 3 million jobs

:05:09. > :05:16.on the third of those employees under the age of 25. We intend to

:05:17. > :05:20.want the success to continue. The government announced the biggest cut

:05:21. > :05:25.rate in England. Six point billion pounds over the next five years both

:05:26. > :05:42.affect the I commend the statement of the House 11,000? They're worried

:05:43. > :05:45.about their jobs today. It is been the future of our high street

:05:46. > :05:53.shopping for almost a century. I ensure all members of the side of

:05:54. > :05:57.the House... This difficult time for the workforce and their families we

:05:58. > :06:01.all want to be reassured that the government is doing everything it

:06:02. > :06:08.can to support a successful outcome. If the worst does happen but the BHS

:06:09. > :06:16.workers will stand they will help them get back to work. The crisis

:06:17. > :06:20.facing BHS, is increased competition from online retail and it's adapted

:06:21. > :06:28.Tage in order to stay relevant in competitive. It is important to

:06:29. > :06:34.understand the implications for Public policy. There are some

:06:35. > :06:43.serious questions, for the Pope final old -- previous owner. It is

:06:44. > :06:49.to use as owners ship, Georgia ?49 is paid in dividends. Mass majority

:06:50. > :07:07.going to his family. -- to lead 49 million. 200 ?49 million. ... When

:07:08. > :07:12.he got rid of the business, he turned into a deficit of hundreds of

:07:13. > :07:21.millions of pounds, the pension fund has a black hole of ?571 million. If

:07:22. > :07:24.the worst happens, it will be protected by the Pages scheme but

:07:25. > :07:34.the Minister indicated. And BHS staff will only get bit of that. He

:07:35. > :07:41.got much more out of the BHS up for himself than not. BHS staff, want to

:07:42. > :07:45.know what it took so many paths out of the business, and it is fair

:07:46. > :07:55.share of liabilities which accrued during his stewardship. Covered in

:07:56. > :07:57.the event... It appears that this owner has extracted hundreds of

:07:58. > :08:02.millions of pounds on the business, and walked away to his favourite tax

:08:03. > :08:09.haven, leaving the protection scheme to pick up the belt. We know that

:08:10. > :08:18.this person is a vocal supporter of the conservative party, he conducted

:08:19. > :08:22.it... What he appears to have done with BHS, is to extract huge value

:08:23. > :08:27.from the business before walking away and leaving all the liabilities

:08:28. > :08:32.to others. Including, the public purse, now we're just learning that

:08:33. > :08:39.BHS is paying more than ?25 million to read belt -- retail acquisitions.

:08:40. > :08:44.Tell a first aspect that is does this minister what she could do to

:08:45. > :08:49.ensure that 11,000 strong workers that will be looked after? Does the

:08:50. > :08:55.Minister think the taking hundreds of millions of pounds which Vatican

:08:56. > :09:00.to lead to huge pension black hole, what, so she have on the conduct of

:09:01. > :09:05.such ownership of BHS? That she agree with me that cases such as

:09:06. > :09:08.this with forward your order ships are to be held accountable and

:09:09. > :09:18.liable to pay their fair share of any accumulated deficit. He has

:09:19. > :09:24.reportedly offered a mere ?40 million in lieu of the pension

:09:25. > :09:27.deficit. That is under 10% of it. He's taken far more out of the

:09:28. > :09:31.business, does the Minister believes that this offer is acceptable, and

:09:32. > :09:36.if not could you set up the option which the government and the pension

:09:37. > :09:43.Opera ten headaches there settlement. It is yours also

:09:44. > :09:46.honours, are not able to extract value from businesses, and then walk

:09:47. > :09:57.lightly be liabilities to elsewhere? Hear, hear! At the state by concerns

:09:58. > :10:05.for the workers the creditors know it to small businesses. The

:10:06. > :10:12.Honorable Lady should turn this into some party political game? I think

:10:13. > :10:19.this is all way above that. The pension regulator is looking at the

:10:20. > :10:22.various matter. In the absorbency for overseas, administration, with

:10:23. > :10:31.the Berry to take any allegations but it misconduct, and any implied

:10:32. > :10:40.juries can very see is the government. Madam Deputy Speaker, I

:10:41. > :10:47.could say this, it is tapped -- perhaps unfortunate, the party

:10:48. > :10:51.opposite decided to vote against the boat began Sunday trading, with

:10:52. > :10:55.whether as set severe evidence that it would help retail. Had they done

:10:56. > :11:00.that, they might have a bit more credibility when they now decide to

:11:01. > :11:03.turn this unfortunate situation into BHS. This is not a political

:11:04. > :11:15.football to be kicked around by the opposition. Agri with the Minister

:11:16. > :11:18.should not political football. The pension fund is not designed to be

:11:19. > :11:22.to use some sort of convenient bargaining chip in the course of

:11:23. > :11:28.financial negotiation over the sale of businesses. Instead it should be

:11:29. > :11:32.used in rare circumstances, for government and others to intervene

:11:33. > :11:38.and protect the contributions of the company pension players would have

:11:39. > :11:45.been a sudden collapse in a particular company. Therefore I

:11:46. > :11:51.would agree, that the department will undertake an urgent inquiry as

:11:52. > :11:57.to the conduct and into the behaviour of the current owners of

:11:58. > :12:02.the BHS. It is appalling that the pension fund is being abused this

:12:03. > :12:11.way, and the BHS is not the only in this position I suspect. Provides a

:12:12. > :12:16.good, sensible and insight into this. We must be absolutely sure

:12:17. > :12:26.that it's not being abused by anyone. They do take this very sears

:12:27. > :12:36.thee, and we're given a keen eye on developments. Thank you Madame Depp

:12:37. > :12:42.Speaker me associate myself, so, made for the BHS workers. One of

:12:43. > :12:49.Scotland affect larger stores in my constituency, it is a store and

:12:50. > :12:53.workforce and a local community. We stand in solidarity today with them,

:12:54. > :13:02.and that is affecting all BHS workers. The SMP are deeply

:13:03. > :13:06.concerned about the job losses. We would like to acknowledge the

:13:07. > :13:11.neutrality of loyal customers to the store with some part of our high

:13:12. > :13:16.street since 1928. Behind every closure and job loss, was a personal

:13:17. > :13:33.story and the workers of BHS, having a first range of skills -- diverse.

:13:34. > :13:39.... I am surprised that the Minister told the party in one breath is not

:13:40. > :13:48.a political football, and then in another breath... Immediate

:13:49. > :14:01.conversation is wearing claims. Published by the Globe, 11,000 BHS

:14:02. > :14:05.workers the tax and business, the gap in its pension is using

:14:06. > :14:08.investigation I hope the government and the Minister will look at this

:14:09. > :14:19.issue carefully. Gay Minister please sell the House the nation the UK,

:14:20. > :14:29.and the workers of BHS what led to the cell of the BHS. . How can we

:14:30. > :14:36.secure the future of BHS and its workers? As I said of course, are

:14:37. > :14:42.with the workforce, and his serial port of the week make the point the

:14:43. > :14:49.stores are still open, people have not left their jobs. We want someone

:14:50. > :14:53.to come forward, and by the business and make sure it is a good,

:14:54. > :14:58.sustainable future. Making sure helping in any way we can sell a

:14:59. > :15:09.better buyer comes forward and pays tribute to the excellent workers at

:15:10. > :15:19.BHS. Not in the stores, not just in the stores, but in the various

:15:20. > :15:25.vendors as well. Hear, hear! Tens of thousands? Tens of thousands BHS

:15:26. > :15:31.pensioners are set to suffer from this news. With the government due

:15:32. > :15:43.to can to evolve with it is, a ?5 million pension fund was turned into

:15:44. > :16:04.a deficit of 571 million pounds. Will those he brought to justice? Of

:16:05. > :16:14.course now GPS... This is something that all leaks are concerned all of

:16:15. > :16:20.us. May one thing the Minister is running this morning at the Tata

:16:21. > :16:25.steel industry. There's a theme emerging across his house. Does the

:16:26. > :16:31.Minister agree that it cannot because it partially right that Mr

:16:32. > :16:37.Green, loaded with that, he paid his wife of 400 million pounds in

:16:38. > :16:44.dividends in the talks haven. How the owner runs a business is up to

:16:45. > :16:46.them, but went 11,000 jobs are under threat, forces Central pension

:16:47. > :16:53.liabilities, something is ripped gravely wrong. Changing company

:16:54. > :16:59.legislation to ensure that direct duties, the former owners cannot

:17:00. > :17:04.simply walk away, and that substantial long-term value created,

:17:05. > :17:17.the prior tourist and company law -- prior tourist -- prioritised? Anyone

:17:18. > :17:22.has hold directorship, has priority. They're serious cuts is for any in a

:17:23. > :17:30.series of guest and investigation. I'm confident that any allegations

:17:31. > :17:38.will be investigated. Of course we know it is already looking into

:17:39. > :17:42.matters. I am sorry we had to come back a little early and come short

:17:43. > :17:46.that visit to Hartley. As an excellent visit to the Tata factory

:17:47. > :17:51.and is an excellent workforce and excellent steel products made of

:17:52. > :18:01.British steel. I went to the British home store, in Worthington this

:18:02. > :18:07.morning, and said to the staff there the feeling of the people Ms. House

:18:08. > :18:12.is supporting them at this uncertain time. We must keep them in their

:18:13. > :18:17.jobs, and make sure nothing is done to harm their prospects. They been

:18:18. > :18:23.working there for years. I agree with my honourable friend. You don't

:18:24. > :18:28.know what you got till it's gone. The retouching is suffered in many

:18:29. > :18:35.ways beyond the presence of online sales. But also it lacks the support

:18:36. > :18:39.of what it traditionally had stopped we would also whiz shop in the same

:18:40. > :18:47.places, those days have gone. It is in that sort of loyalty. Shops are

:18:48. > :18:57.still open, if you have BHS doctors please go and spend and support the

:18:58. > :19:01.staff there. -- vouchers. Any impropriety will be taken extremely

:19:02. > :19:18.seriously because there is a serious concern here. That's than ?571

:19:19. > :19:22.million over the period. I think it should be set time and again, until

:19:23. > :19:27.there's some satisfaction on the matter. Can I just add in terms of

:19:28. > :19:31.the workers, the trade union offered to work with management to help

:19:32. > :19:37.consult with staff in this difficult time. With the Minister join me and

:19:38. > :19:43.encouraging me BHS to take them up on this offer? Absolutely. I'm a

:19:44. > :19:51.firm supporter of good responsible trade unions. I know the Bible rule

:19:52. > :20:03.the trade unions play in presenting workers -- valuable. Just as they

:20:04. > :20:09.are doing in our steel industry. It is a worrying time for BHS workers.

:20:10. > :20:23.They were looking for to make plans to make the sport the company. --

:20:24. > :20:29.support there's a for everyone. He makes a good point that councils,

:20:30. > :20:37.invariably are concerned about the future of high streets. We have to

:20:38. > :20:42.make sure those high streets are healthy and does a sense of course.

:20:43. > :20:45.This should be a continuation of work but yes I would urge all

:20:46. > :20:51.councils to immediately contact local management is it with a can

:20:52. > :20:56.do. He needs to be said that a number of landlords have already

:20:57. > :21:02.been engaged in a rent reduction or if there is any rent being paid at

:21:03. > :21:05.all. This is a business despite much effort, is in dire straits, but we

:21:06. > :21:16.must deposit that a new buyer will come along and that is what we need.

:21:17. > :21:25.I represent the city centre of Glasgow, there to BHS stores there.

:21:26. > :21:33.My sympathies go out the workers the stores. They face an uncertain

:21:34. > :21:38.future. Subcontractors employed by the duty cleaning and catering as

:21:39. > :21:47.well as supply chain as well. The Minister Tommy what is to ensure

:21:48. > :21:50.when workers with VHS which you were closer with the Scottish Government

:21:51. > :22:00.to ensure that the workers have all the support they have? ? Is eight

:22:01. > :22:04.affect on the supply chain so does not simply the difficult

:22:05. > :22:11.circumstances of the media players find themselves in. In the way the

:22:12. > :22:16.creditors, but this also connected to any. Is it just the immediate

:22:17. > :22:19.impacts, because all the way through and that is why it is important that

:22:20. > :22:29.we positive and hope that a buyer comes forward. It may be that facing

:22:30. > :22:37.a large and growing pension deficit that the previous owner when they

:22:38. > :22:43.came when laughing all the way to the bank. But if that sale was done

:22:44. > :22:51.in the understanding that was at avoiding a responsibility for the

:22:52. > :22:55.pension losses, then that one, she received is up the trail to the

:22:56. > :23:09.employers and pension plan is. Of the BHS. Will shoot look acutely at

:23:10. > :23:14.the PPS to ensure that the legislation will face this

:23:15. > :23:23.capitalism and not heard the taxpayer? While I support

:23:24. > :23:32.capitalism, I don't believe it should have anything more than a

:23:33. > :23:37.caring heart to it. I want to agree with him, but this is a very serious

:23:38. > :23:44.matter. The government takes the sort of issues, and allegations

:23:45. > :23:49.extremely seriously. At the moment, the regulator is involved. Let's see

:23:50. > :23:52.what conclusion the regulator comes to, but he should be absolutely

:23:53. > :23:59.assured as anyone else listening to this, or reading it, is that it is

:24:00. > :24:05.any suggestion of perspired tea, we will come after people they believe

:24:06. > :24:07.in every of our society we believe they do the right thing, especially

:24:08. > :24:15.when the whole people pulse of life in their hands.

:24:16. > :24:27.Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. Since the closure most recently W H

:24:28. > :24:29.Smith has vacated a very large space within our mall. There are many

:24:30. > :24:33.constituents that share their worries with me about the future for

:24:34. > :24:37.our town Center and the loss of the BHS would be a real blow to the

:24:38. > :24:45.local community. Does the Minister share my concern, echoed around this

:24:46. > :24:51.place today, about the reports that significant funds up to ?100 million

:24:52. > :24:56.are for so-called negative goodwill, were secured by Philip Green for the

:24:57. > :25:00.future of the BHS. Rather than invest in the business, the money

:25:01. > :25:05.was diverted to dividends offshore. If she is concerned with she

:25:06. > :25:14.investigate those claims, because up to 11,000 staff will be concerned.

:25:15. > :25:22.Mr Deputy Speaker, I am in danger of repeating everything I have already

:25:23. > :25:25.said. But can I just say that I am familiar with Crane and had the

:25:26. > :25:30.pleasure to go over to the crown scored in the shop in town centre. I

:25:31. > :25:36.know that it faces like many, it's probably a good job, but like many

:25:37. > :25:42.town centres, in all seriousness, it faces many challenges as I say. Many

:25:43. > :25:46.do. Can I commend to hurt a report that was written, Ashley for her

:25:47. > :25:52.party, but a gentleman called loosely. It is one of the most

:25:53. > :25:55.radical and brilliant reports on the future of print posters. It is

:25:56. > :26:03.pretty controversial. You may not agree with everything that is

:26:04. > :26:07.written. But in terms of understanding the future of retail,

:26:08. > :26:12.and how we would shop now and indeed in the future, I think he has an

:26:13. > :26:17.absolute great insight into it. He has many excellent solutions. I

:26:18. > :26:23.commend it to everybody. When this business was sold a year ago. There

:26:24. > :26:27.were clear concerned issues. There was a massive pension deficit and

:26:28. > :26:31.was sold to an organisation with no retail experience. Does she know

:26:32. > :26:36.whether or not the pension trustees of the BHS pension fund, signed off

:26:37. > :26:39.on this deal, prior to going ahead or if this game itself was a ball.

:26:40. > :26:48.If they weren't, does she agree there is a loophole here that we

:26:49. > :26:51.need to fix? Mr Deputy Speaker, I always try to get a straight answer

:26:52. > :26:54.to a straight question. I simply do not know the answer to the our

:26:55. > :26:59.legitimate question. I will make full inquiry to answer his question

:27:00. > :27:02.and will write to him and any other members want to see a copy of my

:27:03. > :27:10.letter, I am more than sure happy, happy to share it. Thank you Deputy

:27:11. > :27:14.Speaker. I would be very happy to receive a copy of that letter also.

:27:15. > :27:20.I would like to associate myself with the comments that have been

:27:21. > :27:24.made regarding Philip Green. I welcome the Minister's comment about

:27:25. > :27:32.the pensions regulator. Can I also say that just over a week ago the

:27:33. > :27:35.patient's regulator published information and talked about the

:27:36. > :27:39.efficiency. By concern is that I hope the Minister will be able to do

:27:40. > :27:43.something to reassure me on this point and that there will be a

:27:44. > :27:47.robust enough and enough resources within the pensions regulator to

:27:48. > :27:51.ensure this does not happen again to anyone else. There will be a robust

:27:52. > :28:03.investigation. I have full confidence in the regulator. Thank

:28:04. > :28:12.you very much Mr Deputy Speaker. Is the government reformed business

:28:13. > :28:15.rates going to help the BHS property for the Devonport constituency? I

:28:16. > :28:22.suspect I want to disappoint the honourable gentleman. My routable

:28:23. > :28:26.friend about that... I'm sure he deserves an answer. In all

:28:27. > :28:29.seriousness, the changes in business rates will affect all businesses.

:28:30. > :28:34.Multi chains, even those who have three or four shots in a particular

:28:35. > :28:40.area, that'll will not correctly great benefit that we have given,

:28:41. > :28:44.effectively or some of them that have had a big reduction in the

:28:45. > :28:52.rate. Actually that would not have sent the BHS. I commend the

:28:53. > :28:57.ministers for listening with that have been abuses of corporate power

:28:58. > :29:03.before. I urge you to listen to the select committee on this issue as

:29:04. > :29:08.well. Can I ask her, with the need to modernize in retail, if she will

:29:09. > :29:14.reconsider the freeze on further education budgets, with the need to

:29:15. > :29:21.scale those in the retail sector, to face the kind of challenges the

:29:22. > :29:24.retail sector is facing with white I am not particularly convinced that

:29:25. > :29:30.in any event I will have a look at it. I think the most important thing

:29:31. > :29:35.is that retail has in many ways suffered and in some instances has

:29:36. > :29:40.benefited from the Internet. The real trick is how do we make sure

:29:41. > :29:43.that we have shots on our high streets in the Internet age group

:29:44. > :29:50.that by way of example and looking into the report of the future of the

:29:51. > :29:56.high street, it is unlikely and has some excellent ideas in that report.

:29:57. > :29:59.Will the Minister agree with me that we should not lose sight of that

:30:00. > :30:04.that separate is spending more on its shots than ever before. We are

:30:05. > :30:09.biggest recipient in Europe of foreign investment in retail. The

:30:10. > :30:16.government's planned to cut Corporation tax to 28% down to 70%

:30:17. > :30:21.by 2020 will help successful businesses do even better. I'm

:30:22. > :30:23.absolutely delighted to agree with everything my Honorable friend just

:30:24. > :30:30.that. I absolutely agree with him. I think we are doing the right thing

:30:31. > :30:34.in setting the right conditions for businesses in our country to

:30:35. > :30:39.flourish. That is why our economy has grown and we are the fifth

:30:40. > :30:43.largest economy in the world. We have the subsequent creation of over

:30:44. > :30:45.to million drops. That is a record of success because we have been

:30:46. > :30:56.doing the right things but businesses. The 11,000 BHS records

:30:57. > :31:02.were excited when I saw today's headlines and it was a variety. The

:31:03. > :31:07.Minister mentioned earlier that horse trading means we need

:31:08. > :31:13.government to support our industries. Will she join me at the

:31:14. > :31:18.shop workers union to see what works, you can do to support our

:31:19. > :31:24.high streets? I can tell you right now. I will pretty much be with

:31:25. > :31:28.anyone and convince him that Sunday trading is wrong. That is another

:31:29. > :31:32.matter though. There is a really good debate to be had about the

:31:33. > :31:36.future of the high street and the recognition that for a large number

:31:37. > :31:40.of people, especially younger people, the days of going shopping

:31:41. > :31:45.has changed hugely. They will go and meet their friends and have coffee.

:31:46. > :31:50.As a side they might do some shopping. They are simply not from

:31:51. > :31:56.my daughters generation, the same sort of generation as it was for me.

:31:57. > :31:59.Indeed in many ways still is. It is a fascinating topic and would make a

:32:00. > :32:07.very good backbench business debate, if I may say. The market economy on

:32:08. > :32:16.which our civilization rest is dangerous. Profits are swiftly

:32:17. > :32:19.followed by losses on to the people with the taxpayers or pensioners.

:32:20. > :32:22.Since corporations are creatures of the state, will my right honourable

:32:23. > :32:29.friend look at the incentives here, particularly in relation to access

:32:30. > :32:33.that? So that we do not end up in a position where this can happen

:32:34. > :32:39.again? Usually when something goes wrong there are always lessons to be

:32:40. > :32:43.learned and I have already commented on our combined concerns about many

:32:44. > :32:48.issues concerning what has happened with BHS. I really do want us to

:32:49. > :32:53.have this very negative view of BHS. The stores are still open. People

:32:54. > :32:57.are still at work. Now we want to secure a buyer so that there is a

:32:58. > :33:05.future for all the shops. We also want to secure the workforce. Mr

:33:06. > :33:15.Deputy Speaker I welcome many of the ministers comments. The filtering

:33:16. > :33:19.and the BHS workers in my constituency and other members

:33:20. > :33:22.constituencies are paying the price of the corporate failure. Does the

:33:23. > :33:28.Minister understand why many employees will feel that the

:33:29. > :33:37.pensions regulator should seek the entire 571 million actuary deficit

:33:38. > :33:40.from Philip. The honourable gentleman are getting worried. Many

:33:41. > :33:43.things are increasing and I'm sure he's as worried as worried as I am.

:33:44. > :33:49.The serious point that the honourable gentleman makes is that

:33:50. > :33:54.for anybody, but especially if you have been in a job for a long time,

:33:55. > :33:59.with people who have been working there for up to 30 years, paying

:34:00. > :34:03.into a pension, with an expectation that when the moment comes for them

:34:04. > :34:08.to retire they will have a certain amount of money to live on, a lump

:34:09. > :34:12.sum or whatever. I think there is an increasingly good argument that it

:34:13. > :34:16.is really important that in the circumstances the right thing is

:34:17. > :34:22.done by them. After that sort of long service, and when you have paid

:34:23. > :34:26.in and in the right thing, it is seemed particularly cruel,

:34:27. > :34:31.especially at that age for that to be taken away from you in any great

:34:32. > :34:36.parts. Thank you Mr Speaker. I trust the Minister will recognise that it

:34:37. > :34:38.is the administrator that is in charge of this whole situation.

:34:39. > :34:43.Would she encourage the administrator to look forward and

:34:44. > :34:45.not backward? Is the administrator understand that the best solution or

:34:46. > :34:51.the best way to protect peoples pensions and jobs on those creditors

:34:52. > :34:58.is to find a credible buyer for the script? I absolutely agree with that

:34:59. > :35:03.my honourable friend. He makes a very important point. The

:35:04. > :35:06.administrators have been appointed and there is no doubt about it, they

:35:07. > :35:12.will do everything that they can to do the right thing by everybody. Of

:35:13. > :35:19.course that is the creditors and they will try and do everything they

:35:20. > :35:23.can to ensure a successful sale. Of course there is the role and then of

:35:24. > :35:26.the insolvency service. This is very important. I am confident that they

:35:27. > :35:33.to will play a full park. We want to be Mr Speaker is to be confident now

:35:34. > :35:39.about the stores remaining open and workers still at work. But make sure

:35:40. > :35:45.that the administration secures a buyer. The retail secretary is

:35:46. > :35:50.dominated with structural issues and job insecurities and also dominated

:35:51. > :35:55.by women. Of the 11 industrial strategies of the department has,

:35:56. > :35:59.each of those is dominated by professions run by men. What more

:36:00. > :36:04.can she do to rebalance and terms of gender, her department's effort to

:36:05. > :36:09.make sure that this sector is not lost on the high street. The

:36:10. > :36:12.honourable gentleman makes a interesting observation. There is

:36:13. > :36:15.some merit what he says. We know that women have until more recent

:36:16. > :36:21.years, suffered from an inequality in play. And also an inequality in

:36:22. > :36:24.opportunities. That is one of the great successes of the last

:36:25. > :36:30.government. We actually reduce the pay gap in the most astonishing way.

:36:31. > :36:32.This is not exist at all. I have to say that when I have met with some

:36:33. > :36:40.of the big retailers, their desire to make sure that people progress

:36:41. > :36:43.and are trained and that they have that aspiration to advance himself

:36:44. > :36:47.and progress, I have found it to be very good and very healthy. Any

:36:48. > :36:52.opportunity for the advancement of women is something that I will

:36:53. > :36:56.always back. Thank you Mr Speaker. I think the Minister is right not to

:36:57. > :37:00.want to talk down the business. I understand that the BHS is already

:37:01. > :37:06.looking for a buyer and they filled in that process. She comments on the

:37:07. > :37:09.retail sector but I wonder whether this is not an indication of

:37:10. > :37:16.fundamental structural issues that the retail sector is going to have

:37:17. > :37:21.to be addressed separately. The gentleman makes a very valid point,

:37:22. > :37:24.perhaps at the retail sector does face a number of serious challenges.

:37:25. > :37:30.I am reminded that on Friday when I had the great leisure to go to the

:37:31. > :37:37.Midland Asian business awards, the leader that is the head of John

:37:38. > :37:42.Lewis, an outstanding organisation, it gave an excellent insight into

:37:43. > :37:45.the way that his business has been progressing. It has actually been

:37:46. > :37:50.doing incredibly well and being able to have that high street presence of

:37:51. > :37:55.the same time as having an excellent online service. The to or not

:37:56. > :37:59.mutually exclusive. The to commute brought together. Perhaps we all

:38:00. > :38:11.could look at the retail sector and some of the big success stories by

:38:12. > :38:17.John Lewis. Many of my constituents are worried today about jobs for the

:38:18. > :38:24.BHS. The Minister mentioned the insolvency service in the role-play.

:38:25. > :38:33.Is she confident that the insolvency service will be able to help BHS?

:38:34. > :38:39.Never mind the violator was in full flow. Go ahead. The short answer is

:38:40. > :38:48.that yes I will have complete confidence in the insolvency

:38:49. > :38:52.service. Welcoming the ministers remarks in a positive role on the

:38:53. > :38:58.trade union. I will look forward to that debate on Wednesday. With the

:38:59. > :39:07.department ensure the BHS complies and companies where the employees...

:39:08. > :39:13.I have complete confidence in the administrators and I'm sure that

:39:14. > :39:18.they will with all the duties. The Minister mentioned the bill reports

:39:19. > :39:24.and I'll must admit I have not heard of it until now. I just want to say

:39:25. > :39:29.that with confidence the first section is entitled white high

:39:30. > :39:35.streets cannot be cut down for retail and pressed it to my future

:39:36. > :39:43.prosperity. Does this report actually supersede the porters's

:39:44. > :39:51.report from 2011 and no action seems to be taken on that reports

:39:52. > :39:55.recommendations. I have to say it was the Labour Party that

:39:56. > :39:58.commissions bills report. I would estimate to read all of the and I

:39:59. > :40:01.does have a quick scan of her here in the chamber. Some of it for what

:40:02. > :40:05.it's worth I don't agree with, but a huge pot of it absolutely do agree

:40:06. > :40:09.with. It is interesting to see that a number of our great town centres

:40:10. > :40:14.and high streets are actually in effect putting it into operation. He

:40:15. > :40:19.does make this a good point that high streets cannot just rely on

:40:20. > :40:22.retail. They have to rely on other things. Mr Speaker, going to try and

:40:23. > :40:27.persuade the Honorable ladies that it is an excellent report. I would

:40:28. > :40:30.really urge that she read it. It is a great foundation to understand the

:40:31. > :40:42.problem and look at some of the solutions. I think what is going on

:40:43. > :40:45.is that in 2012 when they ate, went into administration, the taxpayers

:40:46. > :40:54.ended up playing up to 100 million in at all costs. A Private equity

:40:55. > :40:58.forum bought it for ?1 and made about ?75 million worth of debt,

:40:59. > :41:03.loading the coming with debt, from which they received huge interest

:41:04. > :41:07.payments before walking off. The government had a position to oppose

:41:08. > :41:10.what happened but never published it. If that report will publish and

:41:11. > :41:16.we could see the similarities here with what is happening with BHS,

:41:17. > :41:21.what are the lessons to be heard? It does not really matter. I'll quite

:41:22. > :41:27.happy to look into that and write to her and find out what happened to

:41:28. > :41:41.that report. Thank you Mr Speaker. I would like to state my concerns from

:41:42. > :41:47.my constituency and the Minister mentioned future technologies. The

:41:48. > :41:50.BHS retailer was the future a few years ago and that is the debate

:41:51. > :41:53.that I would like to see brought back to the House. Nevertheless the

:41:54. > :42:01.real scandal of the situation for my constituents is that they will

:42:02. > :42:05.possibly pave, face redundancy. Can the Minister assured me and my

:42:06. > :42:12.constituents and this house that when the regulator does investigate,

:42:13. > :42:17.it is transparent and that it has done so with the full force of the

:42:18. > :42:22.lost? The short answer is yes. The other matter that the honourable

:42:23. > :42:28.gentleman raised is that the BHS was once the future, and at this stage I

:42:29. > :42:31.am not going to get my own views on the history of BHS and the lesson to

:42:32. > :42:35.be learned from it. I want to be positive about and thinking about

:42:36. > :42:39.the workforce in the future and looking for a buyer. He's absolutely

:42:40. > :42:52.right. There is a debate to be had about the changing nature and the

:42:53. > :42:59.way retail shop. Mr Speaker I apologise to you for attempting to

:43:00. > :43:04.be a supporter earlier and an opportune moment, and I was so

:43:05. > :43:10.outraged by the events that happened regarding shipbuilding earlier that

:43:11. > :43:15.I did get overenthusiastic. Mr Speaker in 20 years of teaching in a

:43:16. > :43:21.comprehensive school in Glasgow, I have never been subjected to

:43:22. > :43:29.language such as members in these ventures subjected me to earlier. I

:43:30. > :43:39.would like to ask you how we and these benches can place an official

:43:40. > :43:42.complaint with the I am very grateful to the Honorable Lady for

:43:43. > :43:50.point of order. Before I respond I will have some words to say. Of

:43:51. > :43:54.course I would invite honourable gentleman. I am sorry that you have

:43:55. > :44:00.been troubled with this Mr Speaker. To my knowledge I was not given any

:44:01. > :44:07.warning of this point of order. I mean, I can only hope that this is a

:44:08. > :44:14.genuine mishearing from the honourable member to my left. I hope

:44:15. > :44:21.that it is not malicious. I have to say that I have learned my lesson

:44:22. > :44:27.from my misplaced social media in the last couple of weeks. I

:44:28. > :44:32.certainly did not use any language which the honourable lady should

:44:33. > :44:37.complain about. I am slightly at a loss for what to say. If I could at

:44:38. > :44:45.this stage, I would have addressed it in a separate way. As further to

:44:46. > :44:51.this of order I have heard of growing concerns about the tactics

:44:52. > :44:57.of those on the benches they are, who do to an extent seem to believe

:44:58. > :45:03.that the kind of intimidation that was practiced on the streets of

:45:04. > :45:09.Scotland, to shut down free debate during the referendum, pain, seem to

:45:10. > :45:12.think it is acceptable to bring that into the chamber. Whereas in my view

:45:13. > :45:18.it is not acceptable in the streets are here. Let me respond. I will

:45:19. > :45:22.come to the honourable lady who has a whole different point of order.

:45:23. > :45:27.Let me respond to the initial point of order and to the response of the

:45:28. > :45:31.Ottawa zone. I am at a disadvantage. For the very simple reason that if

:45:32. > :45:38.anything offensive or on parliamentary was said by the

:45:39. > :45:45.honourable gentleman. I emphasise it. I did not hear it. If I had

:45:46. > :45:55.heard what I had subsequently heard was said or was told. I would have

:45:56. > :45:59.deprecated. Suffice it to say that in moderate language is always to be

:46:00. > :46:07.deprecated, whether from a sedentary position or when a member is on his

:46:08. > :46:14.or her feet. I did not hear it. I can not therefore call on it. I am

:46:15. > :46:18.not prepared to get involved or to subject the House to get involved in

:46:19. > :46:24.an ongoing exchange, suffice to say that at the time there was some

:46:25. > :46:31.discontent between the to set the benches. I did urge people to calm

:46:32. > :46:34.down. I stand by that. I am genuinely sorry if there are members

:46:35. > :46:41.who feel offended. I cannot condemn that which I did not hear. The

:46:42. > :46:48.honourable gentleman has made his point, which I have heard. No

:46:49. > :46:59.further exchanges reached choir on that matter. A complaint was made to

:47:00. > :47:06.me that the honourable gentlemen use bad language. And that he had

:47:07. > :47:12.deployed an expletive. I did not hear that deployment. Therefore the

:47:13. > :47:16.honourable gentleman has been convicted of nothing. An allegation

:47:17. > :47:23.was made was reported to me. I have no reason to accuse any order or

:47:24. > :47:28.anyone of dishonesty. A member whom I respect reported to me her

:47:29. > :47:33.understanding that bad language has been used. I did not hear it.

:47:34. > :47:37.Complaint has been made in the honourable gentleman denies any such

:47:38. > :47:43.impropriety. I think the sensible thing is to say we let it rest

:47:44. > :47:46.there. For the avoidance of doubt, and I'm referring not to the

:47:47. > :47:50.honourable gentleman or to any other particular member, of course bad

:47:51. > :47:55.language should not be used in this chamber. Whether out loud or

:47:56. > :48:03.sitting. We should conduct ourselves in a more seemly matter. Manner.

:48:04. > :48:11.Please let's park it there for today. Thank you Mr Speaker. On a

:48:12. > :48:17.point of order during the Prime Minister's Questions last Wednesday,

:48:18. > :48:25.in his response to my question about support for independent pharmacies.

:48:26. > :48:30.We are saying that we are supporting rural pharmacies. Since then I have

:48:31. > :48:33.sent a letter from the national pharmacy Association to the Prime

:48:34. > :48:38.Minister advising him that this is untrue and asking him to set the

:48:39. > :48:42.record straight. Can I ask your advice Mr Speaker on how I can best

:48:43. > :48:49.go about correcting the record as to the existence? In order to ensure

:48:50. > :48:59.full pharmacist to waste their time looking for something that does not

:49:00. > :49:03.exist. I think the honourable lady knows in the truth is that she has

:49:04. > :49:08.found her own salvation. She has put all of you on this matter, on the

:49:09. > :49:11.record. It would have been heard on the Treasury bench and no doubt it

:49:12. > :49:16.will be conveyed to the Prime Minister's office. If the Prime

:49:17. > :49:19.Minister feels that what he said was inaccurate or misleading in any way,

:49:20. > :49:25.he will take steps to correct what was said. It may be, and I simply

:49:26. > :49:32.emphasise that it may be that these are more matters of interpretation

:49:33. > :49:36.or opinion than of fact. I would stress that what ministers say in

:49:37. > :49:41.this house is the responsibility of ministers, not of the chair. The

:49:42. > :49:50.honourable lady has registered her point with force and alacrity. If

:49:51. > :50:13.there are no further point of order, we go now to the programme motion.

:50:14. > :50:24.Immigration Bill consideration of laws and amendments. Order. Before I

:50:25. > :50:33.call the Minister to move the first motion, I would like to make three

:50:34. > :50:39.general points about the designation of amendments engaging financial

:50:40. > :50:45.privilege. Which are about to come before us. First the designation of

:50:46. > :50:49.Lawrence amendments of engaging financial privilege is not a matter

:50:50. > :50:56.for which I or others exercise choice. I and those who advise me

:50:57. > :51:02.act as serpents of the House and giving effect to its procedures.

:51:03. > :51:09.Also in asserting its financial privacy. Secondly, the designation

:51:10. > :51:13.of an amendment does not have any bearing on the subsequent freedom of

:51:14. > :51:22.the House to debate and then decide whether to agree or disagree to the

:51:23. > :51:29.amendment. Thirdly, I have I a growing sense of disquiet tree of

:51:30. > :51:34.the recent use of the strong convention whereby ministers have no

:51:35. > :51:39.choice as to the terms of the reasons they propose when this house

:51:40. > :51:44.has disagree to a Lords's amendment which engages, and financial

:51:45. > :51:48.privilege, being limited to simply stating that that without offering

:51:49. > :51:53.the underlying policy reasons. I have therefore today written to the

:51:54. > :51:59.chair of the procedure committee, inviting his committee to consider

:52:00. > :52:03.the whole to reasons regime. I have asked the clerk of the House to

:52:04. > :52:12.prepare a memorandum. I hope that is helpful. I hope that's helpful to

:52:13. > :52:14.the House. I draw the houses attention to that and that financial

:52:15. > :52:33.privilege is engaged by Lords amendment one.

:52:34. > :52:53.the first Amendment to be taken as Lords amendment 87, which we will

:52:54. > :52:56.consider amendments 88 to 101, 60, 84, government amendment a in lieu

:52:57. > :53:20.of Lord's amendment 80 four. We will move to disagree with

:53:21. > :53:26.Lords's amendment 80 seven. Thank you Mr Speaker. I beg to move and as

:53:27. > :53:31.you have set out Mr Speaker, there are a large range of Lord's

:53:32. > :53:40.amendments within this debate this evening. I will speak to amendment

:53:41. > :53:45.60 on overseas domestic workers, and in relation to amendments related to

:53:46. > :53:54.detention, before moving on to Lords amendment 87, in relation to refugee

:53:55. > :53:59.children. I will start by addressing amendment 60 addressing overseas

:54:00. > :54:04.workers. I set up the governments response in my statement back in

:54:05. > :54:09.March. We have the knowledge to provide domestic workers who have

:54:10. > :54:14.arrived in the United Kingdom in an abusive employment relationship with

:54:15. > :54:17.an immediate escape from that situation. At the same time the

:54:18. > :54:23.government is concerned to ensure that what's, where such abuse occurs

:54:24. > :54:27.it is reported. If this does not happen, we cannot take action

:54:28. > :54:30.against the perpetrators and abuse may be perpetuated. The independent

:54:31. > :54:36.anti-slavery commission has endorsed this approach and made his concern

:54:37. > :54:41.that granting a longer extension of state, irrespective of whether abuse

:54:42. > :54:46.has occurred as a Lords amendment would, may create an environment in

:54:47. > :54:47.which criminals are ensured a continuous supply of domestic

:54:48. > :54:59.workers and which trade. I will Is he aware that if the alternative

:55:00. > :55:04.proposal is if someone leaves that employed a mixed point of employer,

:55:05. > :55:15.that they should notify the home office of that chain took -- change.

:55:16. > :55:19.Therefore gives an opportunity do what hasn't happened on the last

:55:20. > :55:29.years to a successful prosecution for exploitation of a worker. I

:55:30. > :55:38.respect what the Honorable Lidia said, and we have consider this

:55:39. > :55:43.carefully. It respected the time period as to which the duration of

:55:44. > :55:48.the visa should apply. What she said I appreciate annual allowing of all

:55:49. > :55:55.domestic and overseas worker, will... It can create a environment

:55:56. > :56:02.for criminals operate in a has only been happening prior to the 2012

:56:03. > :56:12.change. As she knows the we have amended the immigration rule. ...

:56:13. > :56:20.They do not need supplies from the home office to do so. We also had

:56:21. > :56:23.him amended the Immigration Bill who have a positive conclusive grounds

:56:24. > :56:29.can obtain a two-year extension state. We consider the concern that

:56:30. > :56:36.oversees domestic workers may not be readily able to secure employment.

:56:37. > :56:46.Even if they are referred to the national referral mechanism, we will

:56:47. > :56:53.make a further change to address this. We would use the power of the

:56:54. > :57:03.section 41 of the act of 1971 to ensure that overseas domestic worker

:57:04. > :57:08.has been referred to the mechanism. To take employment will be continued

:57:09. > :57:12.until her kids is assessed. With this additional change, these

:57:13. > :57:18.measures will ensure when a worker arrives in Nampa appointment

:57:19. > :57:21.relationship, they can leave it with certainty they will continue

:57:22. > :57:29.working, and also ensure that they will record that abuse early the

:57:30. > :57:33.Lords amendment is unnecessary. They need to properly understand the

:57:34. > :57:40.productions to them with safe space as well and employment conditions.

:57:41. > :57:49.It is not however clear that the Lords Amendment provisions quite

:57:50. > :57:53.work. It's not specifically clear how the credits is in the

:57:54. > :57:57.immigration staff if they are to be binding on the workers themselves.

:57:58. > :58:08.Nor is it clear how we could require to take place within the time period

:58:09. > :58:14.provided. We've already committed implementing the UN's recommendation

:58:15. > :58:19.and provision in our judgements are required. It will be sensible to

:58:20. > :58:25.preserve flexibility whether the requirements should be triggered and

:58:26. > :58:27.40 today's, as he originally proposed, or sooner as the

:58:28. > :58:34.anti-slavery commissioner has suggested. We also wish to link

:58:35. > :58:41.requirements to a registration scheme for employers, as part of a

:58:42. > :58:44.wider refocusing of our checks on employers and to prevent employers

:58:45. > :58:53.from bringing more employers to the UK when the job apply with the

:58:54. > :58:58.requirements. We will keep the position under review and have

:58:59. > :59:02.significant sped Linda Powers to make any additional changes to

:59:03. > :59:06.protect the rest of workers. The Lords Amendment is under judgement,

:59:07. > :59:13.it will not be affected and practice, and to risk that the

:59:14. > :59:13.effect of exploitation, and where a judgement -- environment where

:59:14. > :59:27.criminals can work. There is an established principle

:59:28. > :59:30.for any individual to be a teen individual, there is a realistic

:59:31. > :59:36.prospect for mobile within a reasonable time period. Our current

:59:37. > :59:44.time published, is that there is a presumption of liberty. The privates

:59:45. > :59:50.about of the liberty of skill consideration, take a direct and

:59:51. > :59:59.consideration. On this broad issues, I much appreciated the him but of

:00:00. > :00:03.colleagues across the House led by Sarah tether in the last pilot who

:00:04. > :00:11.looked at these issues very carefully. -- Parliament. I

:00:12. > :00:16.appreciate the opportunities that I've had to speak to a number of

:00:17. > :00:25.colleagues included by audible friend -- Honorable Fred friend on

:00:26. > :00:32.some issues. The government does take this very seriously we worked

:00:33. > :00:38.out a wide package of reforms which is already under way. The numerous

:00:39. > :00:45.policy which is to be published in May, will recommend the nature of

:00:46. > :00:57.our ability and introduce a focus on decision-making. ... Individuals

:00:58. > :01:00.determined to be at risk will generally be considered as

:01:01. > :01:05.unsuitable for detention, and must is compelling evidence that other

:01:06. > :01:09.factors related to immigration abuse, and the integrity of the

:01:10. > :01:15.system are such significance to pound away at the vulnerable

:01:16. > :01:22.factors. A is gatekeeper function will will provide oversight of

:01:23. > :01:26.scrutiny, and make sure the proper... This of bit further

:01:27. > :01:32.strengthened by Post management. With a clear focus on case

:01:33. > :01:41.progression by a removal plan and a process for summer to review. The

:01:42. > :01:42.motion of government proposes is another safeguard which complement

:01:43. > :02:03.and what a reform. . If it already applied in the first

:02:04. > :02:10.six months and no receive further referrals from the last hearing. It

:02:11. > :02:15.is a safeguard, ensuring that individuals that do not make

:02:16. > :02:20.applications themselves for whatever reason, let independent, judicial

:02:21. > :02:26.oversight of the ongoing detention. They will still be able to make it

:02:27. > :02:29.application at any point, and his package of reforms to result in

:02:30. > :02:49.fewer people being detained in for the minimum team -- time possible.

:02:50. > :02:55.Give the Minister give and details on the timing of that, and when the

:02:56. > :03:00.agreement which includes assessment of reforms the Minister has been

:03:01. > :03:06.mentioned, what the impact has on the length of time of detention?

:03:07. > :03:09.Grateful to my Honorable friend for his intervention in all of the

:03:10. > :03:18.insights and work he has done on this issue over an extended period.

:03:19. > :03:35.I can sit in yes we do want them to come in and review the effect of

:03:36. > :03:43.the... In relation to the reforms. In terms of timing, which it is

:03:44. > :03:49.right that we should be period which the system can be implemented and

:03:50. > :03:56.can run for a certain period. So I would anticipate Stephen Shaw, to

:03:57. > :04:01.come towards the next year I think that is a appropriate timescale of

:04:02. > :04:06.the changes to this year, and then see it run for effectively the best

:04:07. > :04:11.part of the year to ensure that his consideration is informed in

:04:12. > :04:19.relation to a system that has been embedded in at that time. I spoke to

:04:20. > :04:23.the Northern Ireland's Council for minorities, Ms. Said the problem is

:04:24. > :04:29.actually making sure procedures are followed. We do know it is said in a

:04:30. > :04:38.year's time, we can review it. Make sure procedures are properly

:04:39. > :04:42.followed. I am quite sure that the approach Stephen Shaw took in

:04:43. > :04:54.respect of his initial report, was overarching. It was wide reading --

:04:55. > :04:58.ranging. We don't want to see this extending into months, this is about

:04:59. > :05:09.testing whether the reforms we have put in place, are working. Therefore

:05:10. > :05:14.to give effect the key recommendation is that Stephen Shaw

:05:15. > :05:17.has put in place. I am sure he will focus on the practical

:05:18. > :05:32.implementation of the steps we have implemented. Like others I welcome

:05:33. > :05:36.the guidelines in lieu of the Shaw report. But does the Minister accept

:05:37. > :05:47.that with all reports in this matter, including shot review

:05:48. > :05:54.inquiry and also the review had asked for a much shorter period of

:05:55. > :05:58.an automatic judicial oversight, more near the one-month verse six

:05:59. > :06:05.months. What is yet to say about that? Want to say, this was in the

:06:06. > :06:11.context of the reforms we put in place of the system, which is why I

:06:12. > :06:16.did make reference to the quarterly reviews. It is a separate function,

:06:17. > :06:25.where the removal plan will be subject to that internal scripting

:06:26. > :06:36.and also this automaticity, in these bail hearings. Therefore, we think

:06:37. > :06:42.this is a right step to put in place to put that desire for having

:06:43. > :06:48.external arrangement. Indeed, it is open to anyone to apply for bail at

:06:49. > :06:57.any point. We think there is a safeguard, as per the amendment

:06:58. > :07:09.before the House this evening. Just too quick points. -- No's. Minister

:07:10. > :07:15.confirm we will take advice from independent groups that have been

:07:16. > :07:22.working with people that are been working in with groups especially

:07:23. > :07:27.pregnant women. If pregnant woman is detained, you have an independent

:07:28. > :07:32.assessment images of children who are detained and the charges --

:07:33. > :07:40.changes with the last Parliament? The result -- I'm sure we will seek

:07:41. > :07:45.inputs from other parties. I appreciate that there are

:07:46. > :07:52.organizations that do take a standing interest in this. And it

:07:53. > :07:57.helped to bring these posts before this evening. Let me come back to

:07:58. > :08:06.his point in retaliation to the protection of bringing women. I was

:08:07. > :08:14.just talk to his point, it may help to suffice and have for them to go

:08:15. > :08:18.on that point. I welcome the amendments to the government has

:08:19. > :08:23.brought in and respect the concerns that were raised in other ways and

:08:24. > :08:27.when he does respond to the detention of pregnant women, a

:08:28. > :08:31.reduced period that the government is now posing. Could you give an

:08:32. > :08:37.assurance even as reduced period of detention for pregnant women, that

:08:38. > :08:41.she will have access to full health care in that there's consideration

:08:42. > :08:48.to not give where is change but in the way in which she is transported?

:08:49. > :08:54.I'm grateful to my right honourable friend for highlighting this issue.

:08:55. > :09:01.This is certainly an issue that we need to give careful consideration

:09:02. > :09:05.to. I can assure her that we will continue to look at those specific

:09:06. > :09:16.issues that have been imported -- important steps. We must make sure

:09:17. > :09:25.appropriate care is provided to pregnant women, but I will certainly

:09:26. > :09:31.reflect on what you said in addition to the questions he is raised over

:09:32. > :09:40.transportation. I'd like to get into the meat of the amendment itself and

:09:41. > :09:51.then I will be happy to give way. I was going to save in respect of the

:09:52. > :10:03.amendments, I was pleased to see that the amendments in relation to

:10:04. > :10:13.-- respect to poetry footing,. -- parliamentary footing. There is an

:10:14. > :10:18.absolute exclusion of pregnant women from detention. We must retain the

:10:19. > :10:25.ability in certain ability in certain circumstances for example

:10:26. > :10:29.for pregnant woman who identified at the border and can return quickly.

:10:30. > :10:36.Or if a pregnant woman presents a public risk, as a compliance

:10:37. > :10:46.history, is the most safe and of eight short period of detention

:10:47. > :10:49.prior removal. However, however for sometime now I have listened

:10:50. > :10:53.carefully to the concerns expressed on the issue of detaining pregnant

:10:54. > :10:58.women pending removal. Indeed, ethically the wide ranging discussed

:10:59. > :11:03.on the business committee debate a few months back. Also I listened

:11:04. > :11:06.carefully to the representations made by honourable friends for

:11:07. > :11:14.Bedford, and honourable friends elsewhere. Mr Deputy Speaker, you

:11:15. > :11:20.will notice that the government public written statement on the 18th

:11:21. > :11:26.of April, said opposition with the detainment of pregnant women. It

:11:27. > :11:31.placed a statutory time limit for families with children that will end

:11:32. > :11:45.the detention of pregnant women. They can only be detained up to 70

:11:46. > :11:49.to hours, to prevent 70 to... They can extend this to seven days total,

:11:50. > :12:00.but only in the basis of ministerial recruitment Arab give way who are we

:12:01. > :12:07.detaining it is important to know this. Weird getting pregnant women.

:12:08. > :12:14.They are victims of rape, and sexual torture, and they come to us for

:12:15. > :12:22.sanctuary. So will the explicitly consider with being a victim, can be

:12:23. > :12:26.a grounds for denying detention? Because it is the 21st century, and

:12:27. > :12:33.is humiliating and cost effective to us as a nation that we aren't not

:12:34. > :12:37.setting them up well? It is important to recognise the majority

:12:38. > :12:43.of people court in immigration removal centres are not

:12:44. > :12:47.asylum-seekers. Some have claimed a final once they have been taken into

:12:48. > :12:58.an immigration removal centre, he points he makes about one ability as

:12:59. > :13:04.a bear powerful one. -- very. I hope that she will see when we publish

:13:05. > :13:10.the adults at risk strategy those various points away the factors, we

:13:11. > :13:13.are taking the site sleep those elements into account, and that the

:13:14. > :13:19.presumption should not be too detained unless there are

:13:20. > :13:27.overwhelming factors that will need to detain them. I very much look

:13:28. > :13:33.forward to engaging with her further when she's had the opportunity. Shop

:13:34. > :13:44.presumably considered all these things himself. -- Shaw. If the

:13:45. > :13:49.Minister is determined to go against the foundation, surely he must've

:13:50. > :13:55.decided where women will be detained and when you will be with the

:13:56. > :14:09.Telesat? I can solicit my right honourable friend that the feedback

:14:10. > :14:18.we have had this up facilities we've had a support of the linkages of

:14:19. > :14:23.health service in Bedfordshire, actually the join of the particular

:14:24. > :14:30.needs are best met. In respect to his question, we keep these matter

:14:31. > :14:35.under close and careful review. Equally, you will recall, the

:14:36. > :14:41.debates we had in the last Parliament in relation to the

:14:42. > :14:46.detention of children. Where things from as a Coalition government, we

:14:47. > :14:48.were proud to put in place measures that pragmatically, practically,

:14:49. > :14:52.ended the general detention of children. It is precisely that

:14:53. > :14:57.model, an approach that we are taking here in respect of pregnant

:14:58. > :15:02.women in this case learning from that, in the detention of children

:15:03. > :15:08.but recognising that there may be limited circumstances which

:15:09. > :15:14.detention may be necessary in order to facilitate, removal, or indeed

:15:15. > :15:17.because you have a young person that meets at the border and in that

:15:18. > :15:26.period they are held, is still typically in detention. I give way I

:15:27. > :15:32.remember it very well Mr Speaker. The start of the presumption that

:15:33. > :15:37.that place is not a good place to detain children. Why the government

:15:38. > :15:44.taking a different position now? The right honourable gentleman will

:15:45. > :15:52.probably know that that place is the only removal centre the detained

:15:53. > :15:59.women. When we reviewed this, it is a question of their the best

:16:00. > :16:06.facilities for the pregnant women. It's how it links up to the broader

:16:07. > :16:09.health service. That is why, our judgement remains the most up of the

:16:10. > :16:17.appropriate place. We need to keep these measures under appropriate

:16:18. > :16:21.review. I promise my honourable friend I would come back to him in

:16:22. > :16:27.respect of his point in relation to the assessments that are taking

:16:28. > :16:36.place. Obviously, we have the removal -- family removal process,

:16:37. > :16:40.for children. He will offered me said that a newer approach we're

:16:41. > :16:46.taking to the use of detention, with this on removal plan. Therefore

:16:47. > :16:50.anyone going into detention, whatever that removal plan

:16:51. > :16:56.considered in terms of the need to take some of there. So, I hope that

:16:57. > :17:01.he may see as his work develops the there are consideration the

:17:02. > :17:06.appropriateness of detention as part of a removal plan as we implement a

:17:07. > :17:37.number of reforms taking forward in relation to detention.

:17:38. > :17:45.You may recall that the West minister debate, the unit and my

:17:46. > :17:53.constituency, I wonder what kind of support be available that will be

:17:54. > :17:57.detained for much period? I'm grateful to my honourable friend for

:17:58. > :18:02.her searching questioning and her desire to bring about change and

:18:03. > :18:08.therefore I am pleased that we are bringing these to a full house of

:18:09. > :18:14.evening. There a link between the health services that are obtained

:18:15. > :18:20.with in that place, although how it links into the services of

:18:21. > :18:28.Bedfordshire health care system. We believe it is the right one to

:18:29. > :18:33.provide the joint of care, with other nurses and health

:18:34. > :18:35.professionals to come from Bedfordshire to the immigration

:18:36. > :18:43.centre to provide that level support for pregnant women. I don't wish in

:18:44. > :18:48.any way to underestimate the significant change of direction on

:18:49. > :18:54.the immigration detention policy that he is mining. However he will

:18:55. > :18:59.understand that there are me the skepticism of home office procedures

:19:00. > :19:05.and policies when they're put into practice. Hence the request for a

:19:06. > :19:08.independent search of oversight. In the steps you outlined, will there

:19:09. > :19:15.be a scope and oversight, crime, and detention of pregnant women? I say

:19:16. > :19:18.to my honourable friend, the best way to approach this is to implement

:19:19. > :19:28.the changes that are I have outlined the House this evening. As Stephen

:19:29. > :19:38.shop review this in -- Stephen shop in a couple months' time, with the

:19:39. > :19:44.policies and procedures you will see how they will have affect. Also, I

:19:45. > :19:48.will say I will continue to examine the best we can provide greater

:19:49. > :19:57.transparency for example over these issues as well. While we have

:19:58. > :20:02.creative more managing commission information, it is a question of how

:20:03. > :20:11.we can give reassurance and clarity of the Jews and utilisation --

:20:12. > :20:21.utilisation. We will continue to reflect on how we can do that this

:20:22. > :20:29.is a very sensitive matter. I will take you last a moment and then I

:20:30. > :20:36.will move on. You been generous in the amount of amendments you taken

:20:37. > :20:45.on. The adults at risk, I thank you for scrutinising that. Will they

:20:46. > :20:53.have access to legal aid, specific removal plan that they can be as

:20:54. > :20:58.level as possible? There is there are some groups that go into the

:20:59. > :21:06.immigration removal centres to provide support and advice, but

:21:07. > :21:12.matters of legal aid in the home office is more matters of the

:21:13. > :21:16.colleagues at the Ministry of Justice. Perhaps I should move onto

:21:17. > :21:27.the broader issue of Lords amendment 80 seven. -- Lords Amendment 87.

:21:28. > :21:35.Let's move the amendment and the other place but due to the country

:21:36. > :21:40.do more on the shores of the Mediterranean, and within Europe

:21:41. > :21:44.itself. The continuing conflict in Syria, continues a devastating

:21:45. > :21:50.effect on so many men, women, and children displaced in their homes

:21:51. > :21:56.their country, and their futures. The stories they tell, the lies that

:21:57. > :21:59.have been uprooted, the distressing images see, and of people fleeing in

:22:00. > :22:06.search of a better and safer life, are moving and compelling in equal

:22:07. > :22:10.measure. Now I know that many members in the House this evening,

:22:11. > :22:14.have travelled out to the region or to the Greek Islands or to the camps

:22:15. > :22:19.in northern France and have been deeply deeply moved by their

:22:20. > :22:25.stances. I have appreciated the opportunity to list -- listen to

:22:26. > :22:44.collect -- colleagues. Setting out the practical grounds

:22:45. > :22:46.for the country to do more. The Government wholeheartedly shares the

:22:47. > :22:54.Noble Lord's intention to protect and support refugee children. The

:22:55. > :23:02.challenges we harness a strong sense of compassion, and are strong bit of

:23:03. > :23:12.moral duty. As my honourable friend said recently how we is Buckhead,

:23:13. > :23:22.and heart. How we use both head and heart. Let's try and not put

:23:23. > :23:29.children at additional risk, or in the hands of human traffickers. In

:23:30. > :23:34.any response, we need to be careful to not invert elite creates in which

:23:35. > :23:38.families the advantage in helping children alone, and in the hands of

:23:39. > :23:44.traffickers, putting their lives at risk by attempting treacherous seas

:23:45. > :23:46.journeys. The greatest events in the Mediterranean demonstrate, that

:23:47. > :24:01.would be the worst of all outcomes. I give way I specifically heard of

:24:02. > :24:05.the tragedy in the Mediterranean. He mentions steering people, yet they

:24:06. > :24:08.are fleeing from all conflict out everywhere. It is a caring story of

:24:09. > :24:15.those that survive those terrible crossings. People travelling from

:24:16. > :24:18.everywhere and being abused by human traffickers. When children survived

:24:19. > :24:22.such a perfect tragedy such as those, but we need to do our bit and

:24:23. > :24:28.taking them into production in this country?

:24:29. > :24:33.While I will come onto the broader issues that he highlights and there

:24:34. > :24:39.are clear judgements to be made as to the most effective way that we as

:24:40. > :24:44.the UK can provide support. I will come onto the issues as to how we

:24:45. > :24:49.can help in Europe as well as obviously looking at those issues

:24:50. > :24:52.that he highlights on the trafficking gangs that exploit

:24:53. > :24:56.people across Africa, and the broader region. How there is a role

:24:57. > :25:00.that we are playing there and things like the cartoon process, to work

:25:01. > :25:06.with the African Union countries to take action and find that common

:25:07. > :25:11.sense of engaging and working against the people trafficking and

:25:12. > :25:16.smuggling networks. If I may just finish this point. I will be

:25:17. > :25:24.generous to all members during the course of this debate. I hope that

:25:25. > :25:28.you have RAC met during the course of this evening. I would like to say

:25:29. > :25:31.that no one should see a doubt about the governments ongoing commission

:25:32. > :25:37.to the migration crisis. The doubling of RA for the serious

:25:38. > :25:39.crisis to to 3p, the largest ever response from this country to a

:25:40. > :25:43.single humanitarian crisis, underlies not just this commitment

:25:44. > :25:48.but to act in practical ways to improve the lives of as many people

:25:49. > :25:54.as possible. Hundreds of thousands of people in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon,

:25:55. > :25:57.Turkey, and Egypt are receiving food, shelter, and medical treatment

:25:58. > :26:04.and support as a consequence of the actions of the UK. It is also about

:26:05. > :26:08.hope and opportunity in creating a strong sense of how we can quickly

:26:09. > :26:14.rebuild the lives of those torn apart by the law in Syria. An

:26:15. > :26:22.estimated 1.1 million jobs for those in the region, by 2018 and quality

:26:23. > :26:27.education at 1.7 million refugees and global children by the end of

:26:28. > :26:30.2016-17 school year. This will give equal access to girls and boys. I

:26:31. > :26:36.give way to the right honourable gentleman. I am very grateful. He

:26:37. > :26:41.makes the point and that action to help those who are stranded in

:26:42. > :26:47.Europe would somehow act as a factor. I think that is reduced in

:26:48. > :26:52.respect when you consider that there are four times more refugees in the

:26:53. > :26:58.region and he needs to accept that his decision not to accept the

:26:59. > :27:02.amendment is to ignore the thousands and thousands and tens of thousands

:27:03. > :27:05.of children who are in Europe now. Now the reality is that we know that

:27:06. > :27:11.10,000 have gone missing in the last year. They are now in the hands of

:27:12. > :27:20.traffickers in now. What will he do to help those children now! I was

:27:21. > :27:24.going to come onto that very point, in the context of my contribution. I

:27:25. > :27:28.will say that at this stage it is about supporting those front line

:27:29. > :27:31.Member States. It is about supporting our other European

:27:32. > :27:37.partners and to stand by their responsibilities. In essence Europe,

:27:38. > :27:40.should be a safe space. We're not talking about a conflict zone.

:27:41. > :27:46.Therefore we judge that the best way to make a difference and to help the

:27:47. > :27:51.greatest number of those in need is to support the majority of refugees

:27:52. > :27:57.to enable them to stay safely in their home region. This is why I'm

:27:58. > :28:00.at the point that I do in respect to the aid and assistance. When people

:28:01. > :28:05.have made the journey to Europe and we support our European partners to

:28:06. > :28:08.fulfil their duties, and also to support on this issue of family

:28:09. > :28:19.reunification, which I will come back to shortly. I will give

:28:20. > :28:24.honourable gentleman way. Can I point to what the hell secretary

:28:25. > :28:28.said in her speech. She said that we will develop a community sponsorship

:28:29. > :28:33.scheme like those in Canada and Australia to allow individuals,

:28:34. > :28:37.faith groups, churches, and businesses to support refugees

:28:38. > :28:40.directly. I have met with UNHCR and I have met with many of the position

:28:41. > :28:44.mentioned in the speech. They are all ready to do it. They have a

:28:45. > :28:54.system in place and the thing that is stopping them is the government.

:28:55. > :28:58.Hear, hear! I was just commenting to my Honorable friend the member

:28:59. > :29:02.concerning the Syrian refugees on the front bench, and that is not

:29:03. > :29:07.true. We will be coming for the very shortly with a proposal and respect

:29:08. > :29:11.of this issue of sponsorship, which we do believe is important that we

:29:12. > :29:14.do want to take it forth. It is important that we get this right.

:29:15. > :29:22.That is precisely what my boyfriend is doing. I will give way to the

:29:23. > :29:24.right Honorable lady. The Minister's point was effectively that the

:29:25. > :29:31.children who are alone in Greece now our grease's problem. In fact save

:29:32. > :29:37.the children has said that there 2000 children alone in northern

:29:38. > :29:42.Greece, and less than 500 places or shelter for them. Though shelters

:29:43. > :29:49.are full. What does he really wanted children to do when they are

:29:50. > :29:52.speaking rough, and they are being targeted by traffickers, smuggling

:29:53. > :29:59.gangs, and subject to abuse? Does he really think that is just grease's

:30:00. > :30:06.problem is that no I don't. And that is why it is right that we provide

:30:07. > :30:11.financial aid and assistance to help precisely in the area. I will come

:30:12. > :30:15.on and deal specifically with that support and underline the important

:30:16. > :30:24.commitments that this country is given. A few minutes ago he

:30:25. > :30:36.mentioned the action of our European partners. I think what we look at

:30:37. > :30:41.all the different aspects the work of our resettlement programmes and

:30:42. > :30:44.the support that we are giving in Europe and the steps that we are

:30:45. > :30:51.taking against smugglers and people trafficking networks, I think that

:30:52. > :30:55.we stand with very great credit in terms of the work that this country

:30:56. > :30:59.has done and continues to do. It is that focus that we will continue to

:31:00. > :31:05.bring. But we know that there are some that are of honourable those

:31:06. > :31:10.most in need and most at risk who made the best health care in the UK.

:31:11. > :31:13.That was why we launched the exterior and resettlement scheme to

:31:14. > :31:17.resettle 20,000 people over the course of this Parliament. Over 1000

:31:18. > :31:21.people have been resettled today. Half of these are children. This

:31:22. > :31:27.means that in the next four years, several thousand more children will

:31:28. > :31:31.be set resettled in the UK under the serious game. As I said in my

:31:32. > :31:36.statement to the House on the 20th of January. We want to do more. We

:31:37. > :31:41.want to do more for children most in need of support. That is why last

:31:42. > :31:45.week, I announced a new resettlement scheme for children at risk. This'll

:31:46. > :31:49.be the largest of resettlement effort that focuses on children at

:31:50. > :31:55.risk in the Middle East or North Africa and region, region. We work

:31:56. > :31:59.closely with UNHCR to design a scheme that will protect them as

:32:00. > :32:03.little children, resettling up to 3000 children and people of the life

:32:04. > :32:07.of this Parliament. The majority will be children. With UNHCR deemed

:32:08. > :32:11.to be in their best interest, children who are identified as at

:32:12. > :32:15.risk will be resettled with their family members or caregivers. It

:32:16. > :32:18.will not be limited to any particular nationality or group.

:32:19. > :32:24.This will allow us to assist the most global children whoever they

:32:25. > :32:33.are. UNHCR are fully dedicated to this effort. They plan to further

:32:34. > :32:42.resettlement efforts which uphold the principles of child protection.

:32:43. > :32:46.Having that the Council of Europe and listen to representation in

:32:47. > :32:49.regards to Matt regards to the children of law missing, and listen

:32:50. > :32:53.to the different countries talking about what they are doing in regards

:32:54. > :32:57.to these children, we're not doing as much as we should be doing. To go

:32:58. > :33:04.back and said that we are not want to go back and process the amendment

:33:05. > :33:07.would be embarrassing. I am afraid I disagree with the honourable lady. I

:33:08. > :33:13.will now come onto the support that we are providing in Europe. This is

:33:14. > :33:20.important and important for the House to recognise that context. If

:33:21. > :33:28.I can make a little comment that I will give way. While the UK can make

:33:29. > :33:32.the biggest difference in the region and children can benefit from

:33:33. > :33:34.countries which have similar legal obligations to our own, it is right

:33:35. > :33:39.that we should provide assistance in Europe, whether the are vulnerable

:33:40. > :33:43.children in need of support and the government is taking action. The UK

:33:44. > :33:50.is the largest bilateral contributed to the humanitarian response crisis

:33:51. > :33:54.with a total contribution of ?65 million. This includes nearly ?46

:33:55. > :33:59.million to provide life-saving aid to Margaret and refugees, including

:34:00. > :34:03.food, water, hygiene, are protected, protection for the most laudable.

:34:04. > :34:12.This will help the government build the capacity to manage their rivals

:34:13. > :34:17.in Greece and on the border. The Department of national development

:34:18. > :34:20.has created a ?10 million refugee children find, specifically to

:34:21. > :34:24.support the needs of vulnerable refugee and migrant children in

:34:25. > :34:27.Europe. This file will be used to support the UNHCR and save the

:34:28. > :34:33.children and the International Rescue Committee to work and care

:34:34. > :34:38.for and assist unaccompanied and separated children in Europe and the

:34:39. > :34:42.Balkans. This will also identify vulnerable children and provide them

:34:43. > :34:44.with the media support with thorough specialist care and helping find

:34:45. > :34:49.solutions such as family reunification. On this last one I am

:34:50. > :34:58.clear that it is important to help children reunited with families

:34:59. > :35:04.whenever possible. Thank you for giving way. He is given as awake and

:35:05. > :35:11.a reason that the British Government might encourage people smoke,

:35:12. > :35:17.smuggling from the Middle East to Europe and on faith journeys.

:35:18. > :35:21.Because of the British governments refusal to take children from

:35:22. > :35:25.northern France, children are being trafficked to the United Kingdom and

:35:26. > :35:33.not attempting unsafe journeys into the United Kingdom. Indeed one girl,

:35:34. > :35:38.alone and unaccompanied, that I met, has entered the UK by trafficking

:35:39. > :35:43.methods. Does the Minister acknowledged that by failing to take

:35:44. > :35:48.children from Europe, he's actually encouraging unsafe methods and

:35:49. > :35:52.trafficking? I will address that point had on. I think there are a

:35:53. > :35:56.number of important ways in which we can and are taking action. That is

:35:57. > :36:00.why I make the point about reuniting to do with the family. I think the

:36:01. > :36:07.honourable lady will know that we have additional resources into the

:36:08. > :36:10.European asylum office to implement and streamline processes and under

:36:11. > :36:13.the Dublin regulations, including to quickly identify children who

:36:14. > :36:20.qualify for family reunion. On the specific point and northern

:36:21. > :36:26.France... I do take these issues very seriously. I am personally

:36:27. > :36:30.committed to see that we improve and speed up our processes in relation

:36:31. > :36:35.to family reunification, where there are young people who are there who

:36:36. > :36:42.have family you have refugee claims here, to see that they are reunited

:36:43. > :36:47.with their families. That was why we didn't have the, of the senior

:36:48. > :36:52.Asylum expert to improve the process for family reunion. I think that has

:36:53. > :36:58.had an impact on the number being reunited with her family. And alas

:36:59. > :37:02.last six weeks over 50 cases have been identified. 24 have been

:37:03. > :37:07.accepted for transfers to the UK from France under the Dublin family

:37:08. > :37:10.unity provision. More than half of these have already arrived in the

:37:11. > :37:16.UK. I think that we have demonstrated that once this has been

:37:17. > :37:21.lodged, transfers can take place within a matter of weeks. Those who

:37:22. > :37:24.want us to do more on this can help us do more by encouraging and

:37:25. > :37:30.supporting children to use the processes that are in place, to help

:37:31. > :37:33.them be reunited with family. One of the biggest barriers at the moment

:37:34. > :37:37.is persuading these children to claim asylum, so that they can be

:37:38. > :37:41.considered for transfer to the UK, under the family unity provisions in

:37:42. > :37:48.the Dublin regulations. I give way. Thank you for giving way. On that

:37:49. > :37:53.point also, I don't think that it is the responsibility of us. At the

:37:54. > :38:04.moment it is the responsibility of British citizens who are doing that.

:38:05. > :38:10.One person is not good enough. We do have the same example of a child

:38:11. > :38:18.transferring week later. One example is not enough. Please can we try and

:38:19. > :38:32.get more results they are present but Matt we are ready to providing

:38:33. > :38:35.support to the French government. May have the responsibility for

:38:36. > :38:38.identification of the children and to see that they're going to the

:38:39. > :38:44.system so that we are able to do those child safeguard measures. That

:38:45. > :38:50.we are able to see the children are reunited. That is why and I do

:38:51. > :38:53.underlie the need to give a clear message to those who have

:38:54. > :38:59.connections to see and support children going into the French

:39:00. > :39:03.system because we will act. We have the systems and processes in place

:39:04. > :39:08.now to be able to act effectively. That is why it is important to see

:39:09. > :39:11.that that is operationalized and that we are doing what we can

:39:12. > :39:16.alongside the French government indeed. All the offices who are

:39:17. > :39:22.going in with some of the message and that they are giving and doing

:39:23. > :39:25.that alongside the French when children are identified and they can

:39:26. > :39:29.immediately be pointed to where they can get into that French system, so

:39:30. > :39:37.that we are then able to act. I will give way to the right honourable

:39:38. > :39:43.lady. I thank the Minister for giving away again. Specifically on

:39:44. > :39:50.that point, the citizens have about 157 cases and out of that is only 24

:39:51. > :39:54.of them have actually been accepted. Only half of those 24 have actually

:39:55. > :40:00.made it to Britain. Why are they all night here straightaway? Why are

:40:01. > :40:08.they still stuck in tents, cold, and in the mud in Calais. When he has

:40:09. > :40:11.accepted that they should be here? I say to the right honourable lady

:40:12. > :40:16.that there are 50 cases that we are processing, of which the 24 we have

:40:17. > :40:18.excepted. But a number of these cases are complicated. It is a

:40:19. > :40:23.question of the safeguarding measures that need to be put in

:40:24. > :40:28.place to ensure that families that are here for them to be reunited

:40:29. > :40:35.with, willing to take in the way that the tile may have expressed.

:40:36. > :40:38.Therefore it is more complex the times that it is presented at being.

:40:39. > :40:43.That is not in any way a desire on the point of the Government or

:40:44. > :40:49.anyone else to inhibit DeLay. Rather it is about the normal child

:40:50. > :40:56.safeguarding measures. I say to the right honourable lady and I say to

:40:57. > :41:01.citizens UK, if there are cases that meet those linkages here in the UK,

:41:02. > :41:07.to get them into the French system. I make that point again and again.

:41:08. > :41:11.We stand ready to act. We stand ready to take charge where those

:41:12. > :41:14.links are there. We will see if there are children in northern

:41:15. > :41:18.France who are separated from family and in the UK, the action is taken

:41:19. > :41:24.for those children. Now the process of family reunion is in addition to

:41:25. > :41:28.the unaccompanied asylum children who are seeking claims in this

:41:29. > :41:33.country. With over 3000 applications from unaccompanied children Lasher,

:41:34. > :41:36.I paid Chevy to all those local authorities, who despite the

:41:37. > :41:41.unprecedented pressure of surprising, provided support for

:41:42. > :41:45.these children. At the same time those exploited by human traffickers

:41:46. > :41:53.and encourage those to make the journey. We risk creating unintended

:41:54. > :41:57.consequences for people to put their lives into the lives of traffickers.

:41:58. > :42:00.Instead we are committed to providing safe and legal routes for

:42:01. > :42:05.the most honourable refugees to resettle in the UK. The success of

:42:06. > :42:10.the EU Turkey migration agreement is a vital opportunity to end the

:42:11. > :42:16.misery and leap over is that smugglers and organised criminals

:42:17. > :42:23.are causing. I will finish. The risk they are causing a daily basis. We

:42:24. > :42:28.need to close down illegal crossings from Turkey to Greece. We are

:42:29. > :42:32.offering 75 extra personnel to help with processing and administration

:42:33. > :42:38.of migrants in Greek reception centres. Provide medical support to

:42:39. > :42:43.our existing team and assist in the commission to ensure effective

:42:44. > :42:48.coronation. These teams which are ready to be deployed within crew

:42:49. > :42:53.experts for vulnerable groups. Those trained to tackle people trafficking

:42:54. > :42:58.will be included as well. This will help ensure that what old people,

:42:59. > :43:01.including children are identified and can access asylum and support

:43:02. > :43:06.procedures as quickly as possible. This is in addition to the work

:43:07. > :43:09.undertaken by the untied Labour Commissioner Kevin Hyland and assess

:43:10. > :43:14.what more can be done to ensure unaccompanied children are protected

:43:15. > :43:20.from traffickers. I give way to the right honourable gentleman. I am

:43:21. > :43:26.grateful for the Minister giving way. I want to just challenge the

:43:27. > :43:32.notion of the EU and I was on the Greek Macedonian border four months

:43:33. > :43:38.ago, which holds three or 400 people as they passed north to northern

:43:39. > :43:40.Europe. 25,000 people were crammed into a small space, absolutely

:43:41. > :43:46.desperate, children there as well. The reason they are not moving if

:43:47. > :43:50.they have no trust in our system as to where they would be moved to

:43:51. > :43:55.next. If not deportation out of Europe. The EU deal may be great in

:43:56. > :44:04.principle but the practice is not just for the benefit of politicians

:44:05. > :44:07.that for those desperate for help. I attended the meeting in Luxembourg

:44:08. > :44:12.last week and spoke to the Minister around this and how he is working on

:44:13. > :44:16.offerings to support that we have set out in terms of the practical

:44:17. > :44:20.operational libation of how we can make this happen very much at the

:44:21. > :44:31.front end, and the Greek Islands and increase. Dunn and injuries.

:44:32. > :44:36.Some of these challenging issues and that we are playing our absolute

:44:37. > :44:41.park to address this and also to see the positions in relation to the EU

:44:42. > :44:49.Turkey deal happen and actually do have the effect that we would like

:44:50. > :44:55.to see. I give way. He tells us to minutes ago that in fact we will be

:44:56. > :45:03.given only 75 members for staff for this. The commission says that we

:45:04. > :45:06.need 4000. How does that work? I say to the right honourable gentleman

:45:07. > :45:10.that the contribution that we are making stand in very positive terms

:45:11. > :45:15.of what other European partners are doing. That is identifying the right

:45:16. > :45:19.people to deploy to have the best at that. That is precisely what we're

:45:20. > :45:23.doing. Mr Speaker I am conscious that I have spoken for an extended

:45:24. > :45:30.period of time and I do want other members to get into this debate. I

:45:31. > :45:35.don't like the approach 87 is the right approach. This amendment does

:45:36. > :45:42.engage financial privilege and the Speaker has identified some of the

:45:43. > :45:46.issues that are highlighted in terms of the reasons that we give to the

:45:47. > :45:51.House of Lords and I know the statement that he has made in that

:45:52. > :45:55.connection. Under amendment 87, we could end at relieving pressure from

:45:56. > :45:59.developed countries in Europe that have the means to support your

:46:00. > :46:05.instead of helping developing countries that do not have the

:46:06. > :46:07.capacity to do so. This is upstream intervention before children at risk

:46:08. > :46:12.try to come to Europe. The government is committed to making a

:46:13. > :46:16.full contribution to the global refugee crisis. And particularly

:46:17. > :46:20.with helping children at risk. We think this approach will have the

:46:21. > :46:28.most impact for safeguarding vulnerable children. This will

:46:29. > :46:31.ensure a viable children are properly protected where they are in

:46:32. > :46:35.Europe and we argue that is the correct approach. I believe the UK

:46:36. > :46:38.can be proud of the contribution we are making and it stands in

:46:39. > :46:43.comparison with Annie. We are doing everything we said we would to

:46:44. > :46:46.provide aid for vulnerable refugees. We are already making a real

:46:47. > :46:50.difference to hundreds of thousands of lives. I recognise the sincere

:46:51. > :46:55.feelings of those who support amendment 80 seven. We share the

:46:56. > :46:59.objective to identify and protect children at risk. I firmly believe

:47:00. > :47:04.that the approach I have set out provides the best way to support our

:47:05. > :47:08.European partners. This will provide the visit to my biggest impact for

:47:09. > :47:25.the contribution this country can make.

:47:26. > :47:51.Lloyd does arrived in this country in 1939 as an unaccompanied child

:47:52. > :47:55.under the transport system. He speaks with a particular authority

:47:56. > :48:00.in relation to this amendment. The vote was won by 100 votes in the

:48:01. > :48:03.House of Lords, reflecting the long campaign that has gone on to change

:48:04. > :48:08.the position in relation to unaccompanied children in Europe.

:48:09. > :48:12.That is a campaign with honourable members in this house have supported

:48:13. > :48:18.along with NGOs and charities. It was a matter first raised by my

:48:19. > :48:22.right honourable friend in September 2015, to the Prime Minister. It is a

:48:23. > :48:29.matter which my right honourable friend has continually raised and I

:48:30. > :48:32.would like to a tribute to her this area as I would to save the children

:48:33. > :48:41.for raising this so much the last year. The issue is comparatively

:48:42. > :48:50.simple to state. Hundreds of thousands of families are fleeing

:48:51. > :48:53.their homes. Millions in total. The refugees crisis that we are

:48:54. > :48:58.witnessing is a vote of the skill the we have not seen since the

:48:59. > :49:05.Second World War. The Minister spoke of the devastating effect of war on

:49:06. > :49:08.so many people. We have become familiar with the images of families

:49:09. > :49:17.making treacherous journeys, often across the Mediterranean. We are old

:49:18. > :49:21.and I am sure I speak for the whole house, still shocked every time we

:49:22. > :49:27.see footage, images, and photographs of desperate families making those

:49:28. > :49:34.desperate, treacherous journeys. Of course. Would he agree with me that

:49:35. > :49:41.relative to the e-mails and anguish filled letters that we received as

:49:42. > :49:45.constituency MPs there does seem to be a lack of urgency from others

:49:46. > :49:51.that reflects me out of touch with how the country really feels about

:49:52. > :49:56.this. I am grateful for that intervention and I can say that I am

:49:57. > :50:00.sure again this is across the House, the number of constituents who have

:50:01. > :50:06.contacted me and other members about the plight of refugees in the last

:50:07. > :50:12.12 months, has been considerable. Again I am sure this is the same for

:50:13. > :50:16.many members. Many of those communications from members of the

:50:17. > :50:20.public are individualized and are not mass campaigns. They are people

:50:21. > :50:23.of real concern, who are usually say what can I do. I don't think the

:50:24. > :50:28.government is doing enough. Can I send money or close? In many

:50:29. > :50:33.respects some have said to me can I take someone in or even can I adopt?

:50:34. > :50:38.So there is a very powerful feeling about that. As doing the something

:50:39. > :50:44.more needs to be done in relation to refugees. I have spoken of the

:50:45. > :50:49.hundreds of thousands fleeing their homes but I think I will just give

:50:50. > :50:58.way before I go further. What is he says is exactly right. Much of the

:50:59. > :51:02.help that is given there is a given by individual British people who

:51:03. > :51:06.made the journey over there who or who have older masters. It is very

:51:07. > :51:11.clear what the view of our constituencies on this matter. The

:51:12. > :51:15.government is very well aware and be wise to wise to listen to that this

:51:16. > :51:20.evening. I'm grateful for that intervention. I have been into the

:51:21. > :51:26.camps and Calle and in Don Kirk. But many other people I was shocked. I

:51:27. > :51:29.discussed this with the Minister and the Minister for refugees. What I

:51:30. > :51:32.have tried to get across and it is very important I think in relation

:51:33. > :51:39.to this amendment tonight, is that when I went don her there were 3000

:51:40. > :51:45.individuals living in a swamp in a flimsy tent in the freezing cold,

:51:46. > :51:50.including many children. There were eight volunteers doing their level

:51:51. > :51:59.best to help in that camp. There was not an official in fact, apart from

:52:00. > :52:06.to buy the gate. All they were doing was stopping people. I know things

:52:07. > :52:12.have changed. But there needs to be a reality check about the ability of

:52:13. > :52:15.children in those camps and elsewhere to access the sort of

:52:16. > :52:19.advice and help they need to make any claim in relation to some of

:52:20. > :52:32.this. I will give way and then I will get onto children in

:52:33. > :52:37.particular. If the amendment was passed, does he have information

:52:38. > :52:45.about the deliverability of how many and when they will come to this

:52:46. > :52:49.country and how that will operate? I am grateful for the intervention. As

:52:50. > :52:52.Honorable member will have seen, the amendment proposes a scheme for

:52:53. > :52:59.taking children. That is important because as I do accept, there needs

:53:00. > :53:06.to be a proper scheme. It needs to be done proper and accommodations,

:53:07. > :53:11.school, health, etc needs to be put in place. The proposal is for a

:53:12. > :53:15.scheme, rather than just a set number without a skin around it. Can

:53:16. > :53:20.I just get on to describing the hundreds of thousands can I make

:53:21. > :53:27.some progress. I have described the situation for millions of families,

:53:28. > :53:30.travelling across the world. We are here dealing with children who make

:53:31. > :53:37.those treacherous journeys on their own. It is estimated that there are

:53:38. > :53:47.26,000 of them in Europe. I met four of them in Glasgow when I visited

:53:48. > :53:52.there. These were children from Iran, Somalia, the Democratic

:53:53. > :53:58.Republic of Congo, to girls, and to boys. They told me they're very

:53:59. > :54:02.powerful journeys about their trip across Europe. One of them a Boyd

:54:03. > :54:08.described to me how at age 14, he had to get into a boat which was

:54:09. > :54:13.intended for 60 and there over 100 strange adults in there. He was

:54:14. > :54:18.ordered to dispose of all his personal items or not be on the

:54:19. > :54:22.boat. He arrived in Europe, a 14-year-old, with literally no

:54:23. > :54:26.personal belongings at all with strangers that were adults. They are

:54:27. > :54:37.typical examples I will give way. Would he agree with me that the

:54:38. > :54:41.sword that he has recounted gives the lie to the government's position

:54:42. > :54:47.for the appropriateness that their position which is that we can

:54:48. > :54:56.possibly expect children to be treated the same as grown adults?

:54:57. > :55:01.The way I would put it is in this country, we recognise that children

:55:02. > :55:07.cannot access their rights without significant help. The position is

:55:08. > :55:10.the same in Europe. That help is not in place and is not happening. The

:55:11. > :55:15.examples and stories of the four children and Glasgow that I heard,

:55:16. > :55:22.there were topical stories of thousands of children arriving

:55:23. > :55:26.alone, frightened, and without with nothing. Then there is the chilling

:55:27. > :55:30.statistic. This is the telling statistic from a point of view.

:55:31. > :55:36.10,000 of those children are thought to be missing and that is a figure

:55:37. > :55:40.that come from Europol. I recognise many of the peoples at myself in the

:55:41. > :55:48.south has done a lot of work to combat sexual exploitation and

:55:49. > :55:53.trafficking. There is a shared concern that many of these children

:55:54. > :56:00.that will become victims of sexual exploitation or trafficking. That is

:56:01. > :56:04.the real concern that drives amendment 80 seven. It is a small

:56:05. > :56:12.but important contribution to the refugee crisis that test our

:56:13. > :56:17.humanitarian -ism. Akamai part have applauded the government

:56:18. > :56:21.resettlement scheme. I have spent time with Syrian families that have

:56:22. > :56:27.arrived under this game, both in Glasgow and in Colchester. We cannot

:56:28. > :56:38.ignore the children who have arrived in Europe. Until it is right here,

:56:39. > :56:42.they are in a desperate position. The government does not say nothing

:56:43. > :56:45.needs to be done. They are perfectly -- not at risk. The government

:56:46. > :56:50.recognises something needs to be done, and recognises they are at

:56:51. > :56:59.risk. But still possessed amendment 80 seven. -- resist.

:57:00. > :57:08.It is sometimes expressed as the pull factor. I want to address that,

:57:09. > :57:12.fair and square. The first thing to say about the so-called pull factor

:57:13. > :57:18.is there is flimsy evidence on analysis to support it one way or

:57:19. > :57:22.the other. The evidence that any discussion of a pull factor should

:57:23. > :57:28.not be a discussion in a vacuum. We have been here before in relation to

:57:29. > :57:31.risk use the Mediterranean. -- rescues in the. One view, people

:57:32. > :57:35.argued that those rescues were apoplectic, but we all recognise

:57:36. > :57:41.that will be abhorrent to lead people to their faith and that state

:57:42. > :57:47.in the Mediterranean. -- state in the Mediterranean. Therefore we have

:57:48. > :57:53.to be absolutely honest with ourselves about what we are saying

:57:54. > :57:57.about the pull factor here. In relation to the 26 other children in

:57:58. > :58:01.the 10,000 within them that are missing. -- 26,000 children. The

:58:02. > :58:08.argument is that we must abandon them to their fate on the basis of

:58:09. > :58:15.unproven theory that if we did something by taking them, others

:58:16. > :58:20.might be incurred. That is in stark terms the pull factor. I rejected,

:58:21. > :58:27.many members of this House rejected, and which all brightly rejected. --

:58:28. > :58:37.rejected. I hesitate to intervene on an excellent contribution, but as

:58:38. > :58:42.wonder why we don't hear discussion of a pull factor when this country

:58:43. > :58:45.took him and 50,000 Ugandans will in this country took him 30,000

:58:46. > :58:54.Cypriots, or this country took in 20,000 Vietnamese? We now are

:58:55. > :59:00.incurable, and child died just a few weeks ago at the camp Chris when I

:59:01. > :59:03.visited. It was absolutely awful that this government is doing what a

:59:04. > :59:06.story, really for the issues of immigration, it's a scandal. Isn't

:59:07. > :59:16.that really why we are discussing a pull factor? I am grateful for that

:59:17. > :59:24.powerful contribution. It a factor in its proper context because if you

:59:25. > :59:30.factor argument is to be deployed, it is an argument which is not a

:59:31. > :59:35.charge of any country that has been as tolerant as this country and

:59:36. > :59:39.providing support to those that are flying from persecution. It is an

:59:40. > :59:44.argument that in the end boils down to saying we will lead people to

:59:45. > :59:49.their fate for fear of encouraging others to follow in their footsteps.

:59:50. > :59:56.These are people that the Minister spoke of this just from war-torn

:59:57. > :00:04.zones. That is the context in which it is being applied here, but it is

:00:05. > :00:10.worse... This is the pull back their bank applied in relation to

:00:11. > :00:18.children. The boy I met was 14 when he made his journey and is one of

:00:19. > :00:24.many typical in that aspect. On the issue of the pull factor, I agree

:00:25. > :00:29.the evidence is at best a mixed. If there was any credible affected that

:00:30. > :00:33.I found in any of the camps I visited, -- pull factor in the cans

:00:34. > :00:38.that I visited, people factor was that Europe is a peaceful, decent

:00:39. > :00:41.stable place or you can raise your children without fear of them being

:00:42. > :00:49.killed. We should be proud of that fact the. -- factor. I know he's

:00:50. > :00:57.been very supportive of the campaigns in this respect. A number

:00:58. > :01:02.of those I spoke to spoke in glowing terms about the rule of law and

:01:03. > :01:12.human rights and are proud tradition in relation to refugee camps was

:01:13. > :01:17.were appalling when I saw them. I listened to what the Minister says

:01:18. > :01:20.and every time we debated this, I have applauded and acknowledged the

:01:21. > :01:25.steps the government is taking. I do accept that if steps are taken, they

:01:26. > :01:28.had to be proper with the proper scans so it works properly. But not

:01:29. > :01:33.taking these vulnerable children who are in the Europe right now is

:01:34. > :01:38.simply not good enough. This afternoon, and had e-mailed came to

:01:39. > :01:46.me by a rabbi. What are my constituents. He said this. As the

:01:47. > :01:49.Jewish community celebrates Passover, we remember not only our

:01:50. > :01:54.own journey to freedom, but all those who are not free. He was

:01:55. > :02:06.urging support of this another's amendments. He speaks for many

:02:07. > :02:10.others in my constituency. On these adventures, there are strong support

:02:11. > :02:15.for amendment 80 seven. -- these pages. I acknowledge that on the

:02:16. > :02:19.government benches, there is real concern of being praised by

:02:20. > :02:22.Honorable members on a number of occasions repeatedly. About the fact

:02:23. > :02:31.we are not taking this Google bottle children who need our help now. --

:02:32. > :02:37.group of vulnerable children. I was moved by the former Archbishop

:02:38. > :02:43.superhero. He compared the action that is being taken now with how we

:02:44. > :02:51.responded to the plight of children during the world war. Would you

:02:52. > :02:56.agree that supported the amendment is an opportunity for us to to the

:02:57. > :03:03.best of our tradition in the UK of reaching out and supporting most

:03:04. > :03:10.vulnerable? I do speak across the whole house and saying, history will

:03:11. > :03:14.judge how we responded to this historic crisis. It is all

:03:15. > :03:18.proportions not seen since the Second World War. This is the

:03:19. > :03:23.challenge of our time and whether we rise to it or not, will be the

:03:24. > :03:30.measure of us. We have the clear evidence of thousands of vulnerable

:03:31. > :03:37.children and we now need to act to take 3000 as proposed in the

:03:38. > :03:42.amendment. I do say to members opposite who have campaigned on

:03:43. > :03:47.this, this is the moment to do something about it, to make a real

:03:48. > :03:55.difference by voting with us on amendment 80 seven. We talked a lot

:03:56. > :04:00.about pull factors this evening. I think it's worth remembering for a

:04:01. > :04:05.moment the push factors, the children as young as seven will have

:04:06. > :04:10.been forced to the front line in Syria. The children raped in complex

:04:11. > :04:15.that are so Haverford the aid workers I work with are telling me

:04:16. > :04:21.it is the most horrendous that they'd ever witnessed. These are

:04:22. > :04:25.children in Europe right now, and I applaud the government record on the

:04:26. > :04:30.humanitarian support it has given to Syrian civilians in the region and

:04:31. > :04:35.some of the efforts we have made in Europe. But tonight it surely the

:04:36. > :04:48.moment that we have to go just a little bit further and I hope he

:04:49. > :04:53.agrees with that point. It reminds us that even applying a pull factor

:04:54. > :04:57.argument when it comes to refugees is inappropriate because these are

:04:58. > :05:04.by definition people who are playing persecution across borders and

:05:05. > :05:09.taking journeys which are treacherous, and dangerous. --

:05:10. > :05:13.fleeing persecution. When we see families of children and making the

:05:14. > :05:16.journalists we do think about families and think of the

:05:17. > :05:24.circumstances the desperation that lies behind those desperate acts.

:05:25. > :05:29.The perspective is a very important to be taken into account. I urge all

:05:30. > :05:41.members to vote with us on amendment 87 tonight. He must be aware of the

:05:42. > :05:47.government's statement that we will take for children from Benin around

:05:48. > :05:52.the rim. He has been arguing with others about the third children to

:05:53. > :05:56.be taken from within Europe. Clearly I think all of us in this House care

:05:57. > :06:01.very strongly about all portable children caught up in the situation.

:06:02. > :06:04.Can he advise them that they believe there is a choice between what

:06:05. > :06:20.Google or the other, should we be taking both more from Syria and the

:06:21. > :06:24.3000 and how would you decide? I support the statement that was me

:06:25. > :06:31.last week in relation to, the 3000 children will be taken from the

:06:32. > :06:37.region. It is not an either or. And it should not be. When we have a

:06:38. > :06:43.rigid -- refugee crisis not seen Alyssa Jozefzoon Second World War.

:06:44. > :06:48.This is a limited and proportionate number, 3000 children who are in

:06:49. > :06:53.desperate need in Europe right now. For my part, I did not subscribe to

:06:54. > :06:59.the categorisation of vulnerable ability. I think any child alone

:07:00. > :07:02.bring the Costa Brava haven't made a journey is vulnerable whenever --

:07:03. > :07:10.wherever they found themselves. Pictures and I have spoken to -- the

:07:11. > :07:13.children I have spoken to were very vulnerable, not only when they

:07:14. > :07:19.started those journeys, but when they made those journey. I am

:07:20. > :07:25.conscious that a lot of people want to get in by taking averages, I am

:07:26. > :07:33.slowing them down. This is a difficult issues, but you mentioned

:07:34. > :07:37.the issue of vulnerable ability. Surely the most honourable children

:07:38. > :07:44.and families and communities are not those that are in Ankara, the those

:07:45. > :07:50.closest to conflict. -- are endure. I don't want to go down this path.

:07:51. > :07:56.One of the 10,000 who has disappeared and may be subject to

:07:57. > :07:59.sexual exploitation are trafficking right now is extremely vulnerable. I

:08:00. > :08:07.am I going to categorise him or her as anymore or less honourable that

:08:08. > :08:11.made me be in a camp elsewhere. I know members across the House have a

:08:12. > :08:14.post system principles with humanity and has been a shared cause of

:08:15. > :08:23.concern and many of the debates. But I have to say this a pull-back to

:08:24. > :08:28.the Max factor or the idea that we categorised the vulnerability of

:08:29. > :08:33.children are not points well made in argument and a debate which is

:08:34. > :08:36.usually conducted in a framework of real principle. Mr Deputy Speaker, I

:08:37. > :08:42.will move onto a amendments 84 and 85. I will most likely because I'm

:08:43. > :08:52.aware of how many people want to speak. These amendments deal with

:08:53. > :08:58.indefinite detention in the detention of pregnant women. They

:08:59. > :09:01.reflect a going concern immigration detention and immigration detention

:09:02. > :09:08.of pregnant women in particular. Concern has been expressed in this

:09:09. > :09:12.house, and all of Parliament groups, NGOs, and a charity. The Liberal

:09:13. > :09:16.party point of view, we had a manifesto commitment to end in

:09:17. > :09:20.immigration detention. This data has been appraised throughout the

:09:21. > :09:26.passage of the bill and I am proud to ride to stick to it today. The

:09:27. > :09:33.solution in amendment 84 is simple, 28 days immigration detention of the

:09:34. > :09:38.possibilities of judicial extension on exceptional ground. That strikes

:09:39. > :09:44.the right balance while managing risk. And I commend it to the house.

:09:45. > :09:46.I want to spend a little time on pregnant women because they are a

:09:47. > :09:54.viable group as everybody appreciates. That's fundable group.

:09:55. > :09:56.Stephen shot was have to look at vulnerability and within a category

:09:57. > :10:03.to look at the position of honourable woman. He made for

:10:04. > :10:10.powerful findings. That's vulnerable women. The first was when he said,

:10:11. > :10:18.it is obvious that this hasn't both and baby. -- harms both. We start

:10:19. > :10:22.with that reminder of the obvious. Secondly, the he said the second

:10:23. > :10:30.regime of this agent is clearly not working. And thirdly, he pointed out

:10:31. > :10:36.that the vast majority of pregnant women and it detention are simply

:10:37. > :10:40.not removed. The idea that immigration detention is for those

:10:41. > :10:44.without a realistic prospect of removal is at odds the evidence

:10:45. > :10:53.becomes to pregnant women. That drove home to the conclusion that

:10:54. > :10:57.the only proper way for us is an absolute. I recognise the Secretary

:10:58. > :11:05.of State has moved on this issue but it is not enough and I urge all

:11:06. > :11:17.members to support MMS 84 and 85. -- amendments 84. On the specific issue

:11:18. > :11:19.of the absolute ban on detention of women, without support, I'm glad

:11:20. > :11:24.that he recognised the tremendous change the government is making

:11:25. > :11:30.because he reassured me and another is that if the category is for

:11:31. > :11:33.exclusion from the tensions, but that will not create a precedent for

:11:34. > :11:41.other groups to have a similar level of exclusion. I hope I did make it

:11:42. > :11:45.clear that I support the government's change of position and

:11:46. > :11:50.to recognise half of the government has gone. I simply said it is not

:11:51. > :11:58.enough. I don't think it sets a precedent. We are talking about a

:11:59. > :12:01.particular group within all those ended detention vulnerable in one

:12:02. > :12:04.way or another, but I think it's long the Raqqa not that pregnant

:12:05. > :12:11.women are a particularly vulnerable group within that. Amendment six

:12:12. > :12:17.only to them and it should be taken in those terms. -- this amendment

:12:18. > :12:22.speaks only. Finally to amendment sexy, which deals with overseas

:12:23. > :12:28.domestic workers. -- amendment sexy. It is an important matter, these are

:12:29. > :12:34.very vulnerable groups. Many of those abused by the House who employ

:12:35. > :12:39.them and find it very to escape that abuse. When the modern slavery act

:12:40. > :12:45.was going through this house, the government commissioned the humans

:12:46. > :12:51.are part of the pressure. That report was clear in his conclusion

:12:52. > :12:56.that there should be an ability for overseas domestic workers to change

:12:57. > :13:02.employer to apply for further lease for us to 30 months. And they should

:13:03. > :13:10.be informed of their bread. That is the basis for the amendment, to

:13:11. > :13:17.support the conclusions. There were the driving thing behind the report

:13:18. > :13:22.and plan for the proposals. What it said was this was the only practical

:13:23. > :13:26.way out of abuse for this very vulnerable categories of workers.

:13:27. > :13:29.There is more to be done on domestic workers, this a amendment is a very

:13:30. > :13:32.thin slice of the problem that they face. But I do urge all members of

:13:33. > :13:46.the house to support amendment 60. For me as a parent, whether or not

:13:47. > :13:48.to support the amendments which was named to the ability of the other

:13:49. > :13:52.place in relation to the resettlement of unaccompanied

:13:53. > :13:59.children conjure up, to my mind but does it this questions. If I were

:14:00. > :14:04.separated from her children, if they were destitute in a foreign country,

:14:05. > :14:09.cold, hungry, and far away from home, what would I want for the? But

:14:10. > :14:13.I be content for them to be at risk of violence and exploitation? Often

:14:14. > :14:18.sexual in nature. But what I want him offered safe haven with the

:14:19. > :14:23.desired baby looked at the with family members and of full. Those

:14:24. > :14:32.questions affect my mind to be rhetorical. I much regret that they

:14:33. > :14:39.are not answers which with the best of metals, I accept the government

:14:40. > :14:42.appears willing to give no. For a moment, but let's leave out the

:14:43. > :14:46.equation was said to bead the grave inconsistencies between arguing on

:14:47. > :14:51.the one hand of this country has a brawl of the EU, and get refusing on

:14:52. > :14:55.the other to shoulder the burden of the fact that Europol estimates that

:14:56. > :15:00.10,000 unaccompanied refugee children went missing in Iraq last

:15:01. > :15:03.year, after they had been registered with the authorities in the country

:15:04. > :15:09.would state that found themselves. But sleep out of the equation that

:15:10. > :15:12.the true number of minor subjected to abuse an expectation that

:15:13. > :15:18.violence is self-evidently far higher. Vastly out. Leslie bought

:15:19. > :15:24.the former archbishop went out in a newspaper over the weekend, doctors

:15:25. > :15:28.report that as many as half of unaccompanied African boys in the EU

:15:29. > :15:29.scar treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, diseases

:15:30. > :15:37.almost certainly acquired from sexual exportation during the

:15:38. > :15:40.passage to Europe. -- as was assumed. Budgeted of the system we

:15:41. > :15:44.don't know about Web guide called a moment in Europe, driven from their

:15:45. > :15:49.homes and separated from the parents and loved ones through no fault of

:15:50. > :15:54.their own. But the house reflect on history of the greatest migration