Live Cabinet Office Questions

:00:00. > 3:59:59It stopped and 2724 hours before the general election. And then again

:00:00. > :00:46.three weeks later. Paul Cook good morning and welcome

:00:47. > :00:50.to the live coverage of the Commons. It's that time of the week again in

:00:51. > :00:53.half an hour David Cameron will be facing the Labour leader Jeremy

:00:54. > :00:58.Corbyn plus backbench MPs for the latest round of Prime Minister's

:00:59. > :01:02.Questions. Then at 1230, there will be a statement from the Home

:01:03. > :01:06.Secretary Theresa May following yesterday's conclusion to the

:01:07. > :01:09.inquest into the deaths of the 96 Liverpool football supporters at the

:01:10. > :01:14.Hillsborough ground in Sheffield in April 19 89. The main business today

:01:15. > :01:18.will be a debate on changes peers have made to the trade union Bill,

:01:19. > :01:23.parts of the bill could now go through what's called Parliamentary

:01:24. > :01:28.ping-pong batting between the two houses until one concedes defeat.

:01:29. > :01:32.Don't forget to join me, Keith McDougall, for a round-up of the day

:01:33. > :01:37.in both Houses of Parliament at 11pm tonight. First its questions to the

:01:38. > :01:41.Cabinet office minister Matthew Hancock and his team. The first

:01:42. > :01:47.question from the SNP's Martin Doherty Hughes concerns and steps

:01:48. > :01:56.being taken to increase active participation in democracy. Order,

:01:57. > :02:03.order. Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet office. Martin Doherty

:02:04. > :02:06.Hughes. Some elements of participation like polling day

:02:07. > :02:09.turnout life are beyond the powers of mere Government and depend on the

:02:10. > :02:12.importance of the poll and the brilliance or otherwise of

:02:13. > :02:15.campaigns. Government can help things like voter registration and

:02:16. > :02:18.we are about to begin countless pilots to make the registration

:02:19. > :02:22.process quicker, cheaper and more digital. Were also working with a

:02:23. > :02:25.British youth Council, and universities UK to encourage and

:02:26. > :02:28.registered groups to sign up and we are partnering with the embassies

:02:29. > :02:31.abroad and electoral commission to run registration drives in the

:02:32. > :02:36.run-up to the polls on May the 5th of June 21. I'm grateful for the

:02:37. > :02:39.ministers answer but nevertheless the week before the Scottish

:02:40. > :02:43.Parliament elections, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Irish

:02:44. > :02:48.assembly, this Government has overseen the disenfranchised of over

:02:49. > :02:51.770,000 people by the introduction of a self-assessment terms of

:02:52. > :02:57.registration process, how can the Government helmets had up and say

:02:58. > :03:05.increasing participation? The registrars are being reduced by the

:03:06. > :03:10.entries are people of moved House or died. They are not therefore likely

:03:11. > :03:14.to turn up vote. There is a parallel problem which is of the missing

:03:15. > :03:17.millions of people who've never been on the register and need to be found

:03:18. > :03:21.for that we can't cross them off because they aren't on it but we

:03:22. > :03:25.all, collectively, on a cross-party basis, need to get out there these

:03:26. > :03:32.people up. If he wants to join in a deputation to do so, I be delighted

:03:33. > :03:39.to help. Michael fabricant. Equally as important as ensuring that those

:03:40. > :03:44.who are entitled to vote are able to vote, it is to make sure that

:03:45. > :03:48.genuine candidates are not disenfranchised by those people who

:03:49. > :03:55.get onto the electrical register who oughtn't to be there because thereon

:03:56. > :03:59.thereby fraud. Absolutely, it is crucially important we have a

:04:00. > :04:02.register which is both complete and accurate and therefore I'm looking

:04:03. > :04:08.forward with great anticipation to the report by the Member for

:04:09. > :04:14.Brentford into electoral fraud which will cover this. What specific work

:04:15. > :04:18.if the Government doing with students and young people to ensure

:04:19. > :04:25.that they are both registered about? Mr Speaker, we are working with

:04:26. > :04:29.universities UK and the Association of colleges, great deal of work

:04:30. > :04:33.being done in universities to examine very closely the work being

:04:34. > :04:38.done in places like Sheffield University to sign up students when

:04:39. > :04:41.they first arrive and enrol at the University of cell, serve as a great

:04:42. > :04:48.deal we can do but probably more as well. I would like to congratulate

:04:49. > :04:51.the Government on driving up Democratic participation in the EU

:04:52. > :04:55.referendum. By publishing their leaflet, the Government leaflet,

:04:56. > :05:04.which is up for the Pulitzer prize for the best works of fiction. What

:05:05. > :05:07.the Minister agree with me that that is driving more people to take part

:05:08. > :05:14.in the EU referendum because they're so cross and want to leave? I'm glad

:05:15. > :05:19.that my honourable friend enjoyed the read. I would just point out to

:05:20. > :05:23.him about 85% of the population said they want to hear more about the

:05:24. > :05:27.issues from the Government but if it does serve to drive a participation

:05:28. > :05:35.amongst remainders or levers, I'm sure he and I will both be pleased.

:05:36. > :05:39.Thank you. There is much concern about the Government's new proposals

:05:40. > :05:44.for Public appointments in that they might decrease social mobility, Sir

:05:45. > :05:48.David Normanton has said that the grim stone's proposals will enable

:05:49. > :05:52.ministers to set their own rules, override them whenever they want,

:05:53. > :05:54.point their own selection panels, get preferential treatment for

:05:55. > :05:58.favourite candidates, ignore the panels advise that they don't like

:05:59. > :06:02.it, and appoint someone considered by the panel as not up to the job.

:06:03. > :06:08.What the Minister like to answer that question? I'm sure the

:06:09. > :06:12.honourable gentleman is concerned about the appointment in the context

:06:13. > :06:18.of the drive to increase democratic participation. Yes, social mobility

:06:19. > :06:25.and public appointment is very important for the democratic

:06:26. > :06:28.participation. I'm not quite sure how I linked any kind of answer to

:06:29. > :06:31.democratic participation but I will nonetheless point out we are

:06:32. > :06:39.adhering consistently to the principles and everything we're

:06:40. > :06:42.doing in this area. I appreciate the ministers answers to my treated

:06:43. > :06:47.question. I don't believe everything I read in the papers. But this week

:06:48. > :06:52.it was revealed the culture secretary appointed, recommended

:06:53. > :07:00.five candidates for a trustee of the public gallery, three of them were

:07:01. > :07:05.Tony tourers -- donors and one was a former Tory minister. Is that the

:07:06. > :07:09.way we do democratic participation for Tory cronies? I suspect the

:07:10. > :07:13.honourable gentleman is trying to raise a serious point but that ideas

:07:14. > :07:23.to the principle of a whole and you should stop digging. Rebecca Paola.

:07:24. > :07:27.Question number two, Mr Speaker. We have ambitious plans to make NCSA

:07:28. > :07:30.rite of passage for young people. We have committed over ?1 billion to

:07:31. > :07:35.grow the programme to reach the majority of 16-year-olds by 2021 and

:07:36. > :07:40.we would like them to benefit regardless of where they live in the

:07:41. > :07:44.UK. It is therefore extremely disappointing there is currently no

:07:45. > :07:46.NCS programme in Scotland or Wales, despite the generous funding made

:07:47. > :07:53.available through the autumn spending review. Last summer I was

:07:54. > :07:58.invited to a highly successful launch event for veterans and others

:07:59. > :08:03.organised by young people through the National citizens service scheme

:08:04. > :08:07.and this year, on that scheme, they are running a social action project

:08:08. > :08:11.which involves creating a sensory garden for young adults with

:08:12. > :08:15.learning difficulties. Does he agree with me that the skills learned

:08:16. > :08:20.through this programme, confidence building teamwork, I make no real

:08:21. > :08:25.difference to young getting into work and closing our skills gap?

:08:26. > :08:28.Yes, indeed, it's absolutely true that NCS is creating a generation of

:08:29. > :08:34.more responsible and engaged young people. The skills being developed

:08:35. > :08:38.by NCS participants in Taunton are echoed widely around England and

:08:39. > :08:43.Northern Ireland, indeed, 90% of participants say it helps them

:08:44. > :08:47.develop these skills for the future. NCS is now recognised by UCAS and

:08:48. > :08:54.taking part is becoming a very sought-after addition to any young

:08:55. > :08:57.person's CV. The Minister will know I'm a great supporter of the

:08:58. > :09:02.National citizens service, but isn't it true that it is underfunded and

:09:03. > :09:05.come at the moment, we have got to be honest, it's reaching down mostly

:09:06. > :09:13.into more affluent communities and not those communities with kids from

:09:14. > :09:20.poorer backgrounds. That's the truth. He should do something about

:09:21. > :09:27.it. 200,000 young people have been through the NCS programme so far and

:09:28. > :09:31.we're aiming to get up significantly and it made ?1 billion available to

:09:32. > :09:35.do so, but what I would say to him is, in terms of diversity, we are

:09:36. > :09:41.doing extremely well, 21% of participants are eligible for free

:09:42. > :09:47.school meals compared to the national average, at 8%, and 27% of

:09:48. > :09:52.participants are from non-white backgrounds compared to 90% across

:09:53. > :09:56.the country, so we are doing better than the national average. The

:09:57. > :10:00.Government of the group this question with question before. Some

:10:01. > :10:06.reason, didn't do so but I will take the question now. I'm very grateful.

:10:07. > :10:10.I'm grateful for his earlier answer and it's right to say NCS is proving

:10:11. > :10:14.invaluable for young people across the country. In Dorset there was

:10:15. > :10:19.recently a successful scheme about replanting trees. I would be

:10:20. > :10:23.grateful if he could give advice and guidance to members on both sides as

:10:24. > :10:30.to how they can get more involved in this excellent scheme best mark

:10:31. > :10:33.well, I know he's doing he can all he can to support it in his

:10:34. > :10:39.constituency and every member of the House can help by visiting a local

:10:40. > :10:43.NCS programme to raise awareness and ensure local schools and colleges

:10:44. > :10:47.are encouraging students to but is about. The Secretary of State for

:10:48. > :10:50.Education and I will soon write to all members of this House to

:10:51. > :10:58.highlight how everyone can make their contribution to NCS. I've

:10:59. > :11:01.visited NCS in my constituency and I was hugely impressed with the work

:11:02. > :11:07.we're doing with young people on that particular scheme but many of

:11:08. > :11:10.the young people more widely raised the cats to youth services so I

:11:11. > :11:17.wonder whether any impact assessment has been done by the Minister as to

:11:18. > :11:22.how, why cats have impacted on the aims and objectives of the NCS

:11:23. > :11:25.programme? I thank you for that question and it gives me the

:11:26. > :11:29.opportunity to say how disappointed I am local authorities are choosing

:11:30. > :11:36.to make cuts in their local service provision. But we are investing over

:11:37. > :11:40.?1 billion in NCS over this Parliament. The overwhelming

:11:41. > :11:45.majority of that funding will flow through delivery organisations, most

:11:46. > :11:49.of whom are public or the CF he voluntary organisations and beyond

:11:50. > :11:55.that we are also investing more widely in the sector through

:11:56. > :12:02.programmes like the British youth Council and Stepped Up To Serve to

:12:03. > :12:05.reshape the local youth provision. The Minister gave the sadistic

:12:06. > :12:09.barely in response to his question but could you tell us what steps he

:12:10. > :12:15.is taking to encourage the participation in NCS of those young

:12:16. > :12:20.people with this kind of background? Can I thank again for asking about

:12:21. > :12:26.these participation clubs, because it is really important every young

:12:27. > :12:32.person gets the opportunity, to take part in NCS because it creates a

:12:33. > :12:35.more cohesive society, it adds a social mobility, social engagement,

:12:36. > :12:40.but also with the programme which delivers value for money and those

:12:41. > :12:42.statistics I cited earlier show this is a programme the Government and

:12:43. > :12:50.the whole country can be very proud of. Patrick Grady. Number three, Mr

:12:51. > :12:54.Speaker. With your permission, I would like to take questions three

:12:55. > :12:58.and six together. And set out earlier this month we are continuing

:12:59. > :13:02.to work with charities, universities and others on this issue, the

:13:03. > :13:04.principle of clay, tax payers money should not be wasted on Government

:13:05. > :13:15.lobbying Government. Will he not admit that this policy

:13:16. > :13:19.is a mess and he has been forced into a U-turn? Will he undertake to

:13:20. > :13:22.urgently review the operation of the entire class, at the very least

:13:23. > :13:25.commit to an ongoing reviews that we can be sure that the freedom of

:13:26. > :13:31.speech of others organisations and charities is not undermined? As we

:13:32. > :13:35.have said, we are reviewing representations and will take a

:13:36. > :13:39.decision on the form of the clause and we are pausing on implementation

:13:40. > :13:46.but we are committed to this. To ensure that taxpayer's money is used

:13:47. > :13:52.in the good causes for which it is intended and not wasted on

:13:53. > :13:58.Government lobbying Government. Six years after the Government promised

:13:59. > :14:04.to crack down on lobbying, the big corporate lobbyists are free to

:14:05. > :14:09.lobby in secret and anonymously, but charities have had their lives made

:14:10. > :14:16.a misery by new bureaucracy. Why do they persistently dabble in the

:14:17. > :14:23.shallows, worrying the medals while the big, fat salmon swim by

:14:24. > :14:27.unhindered? -- minnows. I am an enormous supporter of charities but

:14:28. > :14:32.what I find extraordinary is that the honourable gentleman seems to be

:14:33. > :14:36.a supporter of lobbyists using money, but only when it comes from

:14:37. > :14:43.taxpayers. I think taxpayer's money should be put to better use. Mr

:14:44. > :14:47.Speaker, does my honourable friend agree with me that when our

:14:48. > :14:52.constituents give money to charity, they expected to be used directly to

:14:53. > :14:56.help those disadvantaged people the charity claims to help, and if they

:14:57. > :15:02.wanted it to be used for political lobbying, they would have made a

:15:03. > :15:07.donation to a political party? Mr Speaker, I could not have put it

:15:08. > :15:12.better myself. Would my honourable friend not agree that when people

:15:13. > :15:17.donate money, they want to see the money

:15:18. > :15:20.being provided by a charity and most people in this country would be

:15:21. > :15:27.shocked at the amount of money spent on administration and lobbying. My

:15:28. > :15:30.honourable friend makes an important point, which is that charities play

:15:31. > :15:34.an enormous role in alleviating suffering, in improving good causes,

:15:35. > :15:38.and in strengthening our communities, and let's make sure

:15:39. > :15:44.that where money is donated to a charity, as many if not all of us on

:15:45. > :15:47.this house do and many people around the country, that that is spent on

:15:48. > :15:54.the good causes that it is intended for. Mr Speaker, this Government has

:15:55. > :15:57.succeeded in uniting the entire British voluntary sector against it.

:15:58. > :16:07.Including household names like the girl guide, Mencap and Oxfam.

:16:08. > :16:12.Indeed, its actions are reminiscent of the Algerian regime. I would like

:16:13. > :16:16.to ask the minister this. If voluntary organisations, cross

:16:17. > :16:23.systemic child abuse or female genital mutilation -- are they

:16:24. > :16:29.really saying they need to remain silent when a change in the law

:16:30. > :16:36.could make these practices outlawed? It seems an absurd suggestion, but

:16:37. > :16:39.the principle that taxpayer's money should not be used to lobby

:16:40. > :16:48.Government is a perfectly reasonable one and I would say one that most

:16:49. > :16:51.people support. A leading board member of the Charity commission has

:16:52. > :16:56.written an essay calling for the UK to leave the EU. This essay comes

:16:57. > :17:01.after the Charity commission tried to clamp down on charities engaging

:17:02. > :17:07.in the EU debate. If the Minister able to explain why the Charity

:17:08. > :17:13.commission appears to be explaining to as I say, not as I do. I welcomed

:17:14. > :17:16.his voice but it flies in the face of their own recent gagging clauses.

:17:17. > :17:19.Can he now confirmed that it is the case that charities are allowed to

:17:20. > :17:31.speak out, but only if they agree with the Minister? No. In the last

:17:32. > :17:35.round, my honourable friend will remember that we held a referendum

:17:36. > :17:39.where this country resoundingly rejected a proposal to abandon our

:17:40. > :17:44.tried and tested first past the in favour of an alternative. I believe

:17:45. > :17:46.we should respect that result and the clear democratic decision is

:17:47. > :17:53.addressed the presents, and therefore we have no plans to change

:17:54. > :17:55.the voting system. Given that the British people voted overwhelmingly

:17:56. > :17:59.for first past the post, does my honourable friend agree with me that

:18:00. > :18:02.as with all referendums, the result is final when settled and that the

:18:03. > :18:08.Government is absolutely right to push ahead with delivering its vital

:18:09. > :18:10.manifesto commitments? Mr Speaker, as in many things, I could not have

:18:11. > :18:27.put it better myself. The honourable gentleman's timing

:18:28. > :18:31.could be improved in future. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. When it

:18:32. > :18:34.comes to electoral reform, in Northern Ireland, we're all of

:18:35. > :18:37.electoral offices. Surely part of electoral reform is trying to get

:18:38. > :18:44.more people involved and closing electoral offices is the way -- is

:18:45. > :18:48.the wrong way to do it? I will not trample on the poor views of the

:18:49. > :18:52.default administrations and the Northern Ireland Office but I would

:18:53. > :18:56.say if you would like to write to me with more details, I would be happy

:18:57. > :19:01.to respond. If the Government looking seriously at how the

:19:02. > :19:04.security challenges of online voting might be overcome so that future

:19:05. > :19:10.generations of young people could actually vote online in this

:19:11. > :19:16.country, safely and securely and thereby increasing voter

:19:17. > :19:19.registration? And participation? My honourable friend is absolutely

:19:20. > :19:22.right that online activity is an increasing part of our everyday

:19:23. > :19:25.lives, whether it is shopping or everything else, and as technology

:19:26. > :19:28.improves and as online voting becomes steadily more secure, then

:19:29. > :19:32.it is something which we will need to continue to revisit. At the

:19:33. > :19:35.moment, the prospects of potentially stealing the Government of a country

:19:36. > :19:41.are too great to allow it to happen as yet. Will the Minister agree that

:19:42. > :19:47.we must do everything possible to bring power closest to people in

:19:48. > :19:54.every part of the country and a good start would be to make it easier for

:19:55. > :19:57.people to engage in politics? I absolutely would agree with that and

:19:58. > :20:00.as I said in my remarks in response to an earlier set of questions,

:20:01. > :20:03.there is a great deal which governments can do, but of course

:20:04. > :20:06.there is a great deal which political parties and others need to

:20:07. > :20:17.do as well to engage the interests of the voters. I thank my honourable

:20:18. > :20:20.friend for his question and his work for social mobility in the house. In

:20:21. > :20:24.our mission to increase social mobility, we are working with a

:20:25. > :20:27.number of leading businesses and organisations in our plans to

:20:28. > :20:30.improve my chances across the nations. This includes the civil

:20:31. > :20:34.service is pushing ahead with the delivery of more than 30,000 of the

:20:35. > :20:37.overall 300 million apprenticeships which will start by 2020,

:20:38. > :20:41.introducing named live recruitment and leading the development of a new

:20:42. > :20:48.national common measure of social economic diversity for employers. It

:20:49. > :20:52.is vital that the civil service reflects the society it serves. Good

:20:53. > :20:55.might honourable friend explain how the Government is acting on the

:20:56. > :21:00.recommendations made in the report of the Bridge group? Well, my

:21:01. > :21:05.honourable friend will be pleased to know that we are accepting every

:21:06. > :21:08.part of the recommendations of the bridge report and I say this to him

:21:09. > :21:12.because he will know that we are the party of the ladder. We are the

:21:13. > :21:15.party of social mobility and the party of the living wage, the party

:21:16. > :21:21.of lower taxes for Middle earners, and the party that brings millions

:21:22. > :21:29.and millions of jobs. Topical question number one. Mr Speaker, the

:21:30. > :21:34.Cabinet Office is responsible for efficiency in reforming Government

:21:35. > :21:37.for transparency civil society, digital technology, cyber security,

:21:38. > :21:44.and for delivering the Government's agenda. I commend my honourable

:21:45. > :21:46.friend for releasing vast amounts of Government data which will improve

:21:47. > :21:51.transparency across Government. What further action can he take to ensure

:21:52. > :21:55.that performance improves, transparency is available to the

:21:56. > :21:59.general public, and their data is in a manageable form so that people can

:22:00. > :22:02.analyse it? By honourable friend is right that it is not only about

:22:03. > :22:06.releasing more information, it is about releasing it in a way that is

:22:07. > :22:14.usable, but I can announce to the house that we have now as a

:22:15. > :22:17.Government since 2010 released 27,000 open data sets, eight new

:22:18. > :22:25.high, and it goes to show that we are the most transparent Government

:22:26. > :22:34.ever. British troops serve fewer years in Iraq. But the first and

:22:35. > :22:39.Second World War did not take as long as it has taken to publish the

:22:40. > :22:47.Chilcott report. Will the Minister gave my friend whose son who died in

:22:48. > :22:54.the Iraq war and apology for these delays and also promised that they

:22:55. > :23:00.will be able to see the embargoed report? I understand the member's

:23:01. > :23:03.concern and the concern of his constituents. He will note that the

:23:04. > :23:06.timing of publication of the matter for the independent enquiry. It has

:23:07. > :23:12.set out a timetable. National security checking is very important

:23:13. > :23:15.and will take place appropriately and thankfully we will get to the

:23:16. > :23:21.end of this conclusion of this process soon. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

:23:22. > :23:25.Government needs to keep up with the digital revolution and I applaud the

:23:26. > :23:29.minister's efforts to ensure this is being done. Does he agree with me

:23:30. > :23:33.that as more interaction between citizens and Government is

:23:34. > :23:38.increasingly taking place online, cyber security must keep pace? I

:23:39. > :23:42.entirely agree with my honourable friend. He is absolutely right that

:23:43. > :23:45.cyber security is increasingly important, not just 40 minute

:23:46. > :23:48.station between citizens and the Government but also any wide range

:23:49. > :23:53.of businesses and that is why we have laid aside ?1.9 billion in this

:23:54. > :23:58.Parliament to improve our cyber security and why we are creating a

:23:59. > :24:04.new cyber Security centre. Thank you. We have heard earlier on the

:24:05. > :24:07.anti-lobbying clause the Secretary of State determined to introduce any

:24:08. > :24:10.drive to clean up politics. The lobbying Scotland act, unlike UK

:24:11. > :24:16.rules, covers lobbying of endless peace. Does he have any plans to

:24:17. > :24:23.expand the scope to cover lobbying of MPs? Well, we brought in the

:24:24. > :24:28.lobbying act in the last parliament. There was progress made on this

:24:29. > :24:32.issue. But the crucial point about tackling lobbying through grants is

:24:33. > :24:35.that taxpayer's money should be spent on the things it is intended

:24:36. > :24:45.for not spent on lobbying Government. Damian Collins. The Fifa

:24:46. > :24:49.corruption scandal and other scandals around the world have sold

:24:50. > :24:53.a need for a more integrated international approach to tackling

:24:54. > :24:57.corruption. Will the Minister be present at the anti-corruption

:24:58. > :25:01.Summit next month? In short, yes. That is also part of the global

:25:02. > :25:03.goals which my honourable friend the Prime Minister led the world in

:25:04. > :25:08.establishing, the development goals, one of the targets within that is to

:25:09. > :25:12.reduce that kind of corruption and we will be emphasising that in our

:25:13. > :25:16.work and lamenting our part in fulfilling those targets. Mr

:25:17. > :25:21.Speaker, what steps has the Minister taken to make his colleagues aware

:25:22. > :25:28.of the disastrous impact the trade union Bill had on relations with

:25:29. > :25:31.civil servants? The trade union Bill, which is currently before

:25:32. > :25:37.Parliament, takes important steps to modernise the relationship between

:25:38. > :25:41.trade unions and their members, because while trade unions play a

:25:42. > :25:45.very important part in our national life, and they represent the

:25:46. > :25:49.interests of many, they don't represent the interests of all, and

:25:50. > :25:52.we got to make sure that that relationship is modern and

:25:53. > :25:56.appropriate. Order. There is a lot of noise in the chamber. The

:25:57. > :26:04.Minister must be very disappointed to have such an inattentive

:26:05. > :26:07.audience. Let's hear the words! Mr Speaker, in return to individual

:26:08. > :26:12.electronic registration and in addition to today 's proposition to

:26:13. > :26:14.the honourable member for West Dunbartonshire, can the Minister

:26:15. > :26:17.give further assurance that all steps are being taken to engage

:26:18. > :26:24.harder to reach groups such as private renters of which there are

:26:25. > :26:28.very many in my constituency? Yes, indeed. We are determined to reach

:26:29. > :26:33.out to a new set of potential electors who have failed to

:26:34. > :26:36.register, as my honourable friend was making clear earlier in our

:26:37. > :26:41.proceedings, but I should also tell my honourable friend that every

:26:42. > :26:45.single person whose name appeared in the old register and who has been

:26:46. > :26:48.discounted from the individual electoral registration will have

:26:49. > :27:02.been approached at least nine times before their name is removed. Appeal

:27:03. > :27:06.to ministers to face the house. When I used to work for a charity, I was

:27:07. > :27:12.often called by the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office to give

:27:13. > :27:17.expert advice, on one occasion do a very anxious Minister just before

:27:18. > :27:20.home affairs Select Committee. Under the new anti-advocacy clause, can I

:27:21. > :27:26.ask whether charity specialists will continue to be able to help the

:27:27. > :27:28.Government, or will the new rule only apply when it suits Government

:27:29. > :27:37.rather than when it suits the public? Of course charities will be

:27:38. > :27:42.able to contribute to debate and they will be able to advise

:27:43. > :27:46.researchers will be able to bring forward their world beating ideas,

:27:47. > :27:49.but this idea is supported by the Labour Party that taxpayer's money

:27:50. > :27:57.should be used for paid lobbyists, we are going to put a stop to that.

:27:58. > :28:00.I welcome the Government's commitment to improving social

:28:01. > :28:03.mobility in these civil service. Will the Minister join me in

:28:04. > :28:10.encouraging more private sector employees to do the same? I would

:28:11. > :28:14.strongly endorse that approach, Mr Speaker. If you or if any other

:28:15. > :28:18.member has not already been involved in an inspiring the future event, I

:28:19. > :28:22.would encourage you to do so because it is not only good for the country,

:28:23. > :28:32.it is an incredibly enjoyable way to spend some time. 67% of people in

:28:33. > :28:35.the senior civil service were based in London last year, which was the

:28:36. > :28:43.highest proportion in the last five years. Does the Minister not accept

:28:44. > :28:49.that his policy in moving civil servants out of London and into the

:28:50. > :28:52.regions is failing? Well, we are introducing regional hubs for the

:28:53. > :28:58.civil service and of course there are many UK civil servants who work

:28:59. > :29:10.in Scotland and support the people in Scotland, but it is inevitable

:29:11. > :29:18.and we have got to make sure they represent the country that they

:29:19. > :29:24.serve. We know that special advisers are required to submit their e-mails

:29:25. > :29:28.and their telephones to public view because that is under the Freedom of

:29:29. > :29:34.Information Act. What is the policy of the Government on the question of

:29:35. > :29:44.using various applications which they are using to conceal Government

:29:45. > :29:50.business from public view? I have never personally use the service in

:29:51. > :29:57.my life, but I am happy to be able to reassure him that all aspects of

:29:58. > :30:02.Government business are properly regarded and subject to freedom of

:30:03. > :30:13.information requests as normal despite the rumours he has heard.