Commons Business Questions

:00:00. > :00:00.our own industry. It has to be on a fair basis. There are special cases

:00:00. > :00:11.around British Steel and 98% of the bridge -ish -- this deal we purchase

:00:12. > :00:17.is British Steel. Urgent question, Mr Bernard Jenkin. I am most

:00:18. > :00:26.grateful to ask the Prime Minister if he will ask for an enquiry to be

:00:27. > :00:29.launched on whether discussions between the trade unions and the

:00:30. > :00:36.Labour Party on amendments of the trade union Beale -- trade union

:00:37. > :00:45.bill constitute a breach of the conduct. The Cabinet Office has

:00:46. > :00:49.advised me that there is no breach and nothing for the priming is to's

:00:50. > :00:56.adviser on ministerial interest to investigate. As is customary at such

:00:57. > :01:09.times, ministers have had regular discussions with Jago ministers to

:01:10. > :01:12.discuss possible... On the basis of discussions yesterday evening, I can

:01:13. > :01:18.reassure my honourable friend that we are well on our way to ensuring

:01:19. > :01:21.all of our manifesto commitments. Reforms to the role of the

:01:22. > :01:27.acidification of this, a tightening up of rules around the location

:01:28. > :01:32.time, and introduction of a transparent opt in process and a

:01:33. > :01:37.tightening up of intimidation of non-striking members. The question

:01:38. > :01:43.of compulsory opt in to trade union funds was one of the most

:01:44. > :01:47.contentious, especially in the Lords. The Lords referred it to a

:01:48. > :01:51.special committee. Following the select committee's report, the House

:01:52. > :01:59.of Lords voted by a large majority to accept an amendment to restrict

:02:00. > :02:04.the opt in to new members and exclude current trade union members.

:02:05. > :02:13.My honourable friend will not be surprised to learn that I speak to

:02:14. > :02:19.trade unions and the secretary of the TUC regularly. Trade union

:02:20. > :02:24.support for the campaign to remain in the European Union is not new and

:02:25. > :02:29.should not come aces -- as a surprise to anybody. The TUC

:02:30. > :02:36.declared its support in February, eg you be -- DNB did the same in

:02:37. > :02:44.February, unite in March and Unison in April. We all remember the Prime

:02:45. > :02:50.Minister for telling that the next scandal would be a lobbying scandal

:02:51. > :03:01.and had -- here it is. Trade union members have been complaining that

:03:02. > :03:16.have been unable to campaign for the in... The result of this amendment

:03:17. > :03:21.means that a 19-year-old who has just started a job and is a member

:03:22. > :03:25.of a trade union will now never be asked if he wants his political fund

:03:26. > :03:30.subscriptions to be taken out of his pay packet. The Prime Minister told

:03:31. > :03:34.the House of Commons on the 15th of July last year, there is a very

:03:35. > :03:38.simple principle here. Giving money to a party should be an act of free

:03:39. > :03:43.will, money should not be taken out of pay packets without them being

:03:44. > :03:47.told properly about it. He likened it to mis-selling. The minister in

:03:48. > :03:50.the Other Place described the Labour's amendment, which the

:03:51. > :03:55.Government has accepted, as a wrecking amendment on the 16th of

:03:56. > :03:59.March this year. Yesterday, the Minister's concession was wholly

:04:00. > :04:06.unexpected and my right honourable friend for Grantham and Stanford

:04:07. > :04:09.announced his decision to abandon the opposition to the bill. It is

:04:10. > :04:15.now being reported that these unexpected concessions are linked to

:04:16. > :04:20.the question of a ?1.7 million donation that trade unions make from

:04:21. > :04:26.their political funds, which are now much larger than they would have

:04:27. > :04:31.been, to the Labour remain campaign. Until very recently, the honourable

:04:32. > :04:38.gentleman for Hull West and hassle, was trying to raise ?75,000 for the

:04:39. > :04:43.loons and badges. Now they are getting ?1.7 million. It has been

:04:44. > :04:45.confirmed to me through more than two independent sources that number

:04:46. > :04:51.ten instructed these concessions to be made after the discussions with

:04:52. > :04:57.trade union representatives. This being true would amend -- add to the

:04:58. > :05:05.sale of Government policy for cash and political favours. Lest there be

:05:06. > :05:11.any doubt about the propriety -- the impropriety of this deal, the leader

:05:12. > :05:17.of Her Majesty's opposition should ask themselves this question -- what

:05:18. > :05:19.would they be saying if this Government had altered the bill in

:05:20. > :05:24.order to give money to the Conservative Party or to the

:05:25. > :05:27.Conservative Party's remain campaign? My honourable friend

:05:28. > :05:31.should ask himself this question. What would be the reaction if the

:05:32. > :05:43.Labour Government had changed a bill to favour the Labour's ability to

:05:44. > :05:46.favour it self. This stinks as cash for questions and shows this

:05:47. > :05:51.Government really is at the rotten heart of the European Union. The

:05:52. > :05:56.seven principles of public life requires public office holders, and

:05:57. > :05:59.I quote, to avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or

:06:00. > :06:05.organisations that might try inappropriately to influence their

:06:06. > :06:09.work. The ministerial code states that ministers must ensure that no

:06:10. > :06:14.conflict arises or appears to arise between their public duties and

:06:15. > :06:18.their private interests. In this matter, the Labour Party constitutes

:06:19. > :06:23.one of their private interests. Will my right honourable friend the Prime

:06:24. > :06:28.Minister instructed friend on parliamentary interest to launch

:06:29. > :06:35.this investigation. If my honourable friend is right, he has nothing to

:06:36. > :06:40.fear from such an investigation. Thank you, Mr Speaker. If I can

:06:41. > :06:43.start by saying I have the greatest possible respect from the passion

:06:44. > :06:48.and commitment which has lasted not just for years but for decades that

:06:49. > :06:52.my honourable friend has brought to the cause which he is now advocating

:06:53. > :06:57.with such vigour that we should leave the European Union. I have

:06:58. > :07:02.nothing but total respect for that passion and commitment. So I just

:07:03. > :07:06.want to gently correct him on a view points of fact, because he has been

:07:07. > :07:10.focusing so much on the very important question that there are a

:07:11. > :07:13.number of things that he's adjusted which are absolutely correct about

:07:14. > :07:18.the way that the current mechanism for union members subscriptions to

:07:19. > :07:24.the political fund works. The first point to make is to say that it is

:07:25. > :07:28.not the case that somebody who has recently joined a trade union, to

:07:29. > :07:34.whom there for the new requirement for an optimal not apply, is never

:07:35. > :07:38.asked whether they want to pay into the political levy. Very far from

:07:39. > :07:45.it. There is a long-standing legal requirement that they are offered an

:07:46. > :07:49.opt out of that political levy and that that is something communicated

:07:50. > :07:54.very clearly to them and it is not just a one-time thing. It is not

:07:55. > :07:59.something they are offered when they join, it is something they can

:08:00. > :08:03.exercise at any time and need to be reminded of on a regular basis. The

:08:04. > :08:11.other thing to say to my honourable friend is that while estimates vary

:08:12. > :08:17.from different unions, the overall estimate for trade union membership

:08:18. > :08:22.is that roughly 13 to 14% of all members of a trade union joined in

:08:23. > :08:26.the last year. That means that over the time of this Parliament, I'm not

:08:27. > :08:31.going to suggest that all members of trade unions will have needed to opt

:08:32. > :08:36.into the political fund, but a very substantial proportion will have.

:08:37. > :08:43.The argument that was made, and this was not a point made... I'm afraid

:08:44. > :08:46.he is also not correct to say this was an amendment made by Labour. It

:08:47. > :08:54.was made by the honourable member, Lord Burns, someone that I know he

:08:55. > :08:58.has great respect of, who is fiercely independent, and that

:08:59. > :09:02.flowed out of a committee in which there was some this representation

:09:03. > :09:07.of all parties. The amendment was very clearly inspired by Lord Burns

:09:08. > :09:10.when he said that it was not reasonable to ask people who have

:09:11. > :09:14.signed up to an arrangement in good faith to then have to you sign up

:09:15. > :09:20.again through a different process simply because we have changed the

:09:21. > :09:25.law later. I did not agree with that argument and nor did we in this

:09:26. > :09:30.House, but as is often the case, when the House of Lords feels very,

:09:31. > :09:35.very strongly on an issue, there is a very large majority against the

:09:36. > :09:39.Government's position. When an independent member of the House of

:09:40. > :09:43.Lords has moved an amendment which has secured support not just from

:09:44. > :09:48.the official opposition, not just from the Liberal Democrats, but from

:09:49. > :09:52.a huge number of crossbenchers and not just from crossbenchers, but

:09:53. > :09:56.from some very significant members of our own party, and I would simply

:09:57. > :10:01.urge him to look at the people who both spoke in the debate and voted

:10:02. > :10:07.or assertively chose not to vote in support of the garment's position.

:10:08. > :10:13.They include not just the noble lord Cormack and the noble lord boughs,

:10:14. > :10:18.they also include the noble Lord Forsyth, who supports the same

:10:19. > :10:21.campaign in the European Union that he supported and who both privately

:10:22. > :10:26.and publicly said that he thought it was a profound error for us to

:10:27. > :10:35.pursue a compulsory opt in for all existing members.

:10:36. > :10:41.Finally, Mr Speak, my honourable friend suggested that it is

:10:42. > :10:47.inappropriate, of course, for Government to do anything for

:10:48. > :10:50.private interests, in terms of making changes to legislation,

:10:51. > :10:54.further private interests. Of course, he is right. It is not right

:10:55. > :11:00.and not neven the passion of the moment is it fair to categorise the

:11:01. > :11:05.Government's support, the official policy of Her Majesty's Government.

:11:06. > :11:10.We support the proposition that the United Kingdom should remain a

:11:11. > :11:12.member of the European Union. He disagrees, but it is not a private

:11:13. > :11:23.interest, it is Government policy. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker and

:11:24. > :11:27.it is very good to have this further opportunity to reemphasise our

:11:28. > :11:30.implacable opposition to the trade union bill it is entirely

:11:31. > :11:37.unnecessary. It is bad for workers and it is also bad for businesses.

:11:38. > :11:43.And, as the minister said, the Lord set up a cross-party committee, to

:11:44. > :11:49.look at the trade union and party political funding and that committee

:11:50. > :11:52.came up with a series of Salisbury convention compliance

:11:53. > :11:57.recommendations, which were voted for by a majority of peers from

:11:58. > :12:03.parties. I wonder if the minister can confirm he met with Lord Burns,

:12:04. > :12:09.who made clear the strength of clearing on the other matter. Can he

:12:10. > :12:11.confirm that he has received overwhelming reputations from all

:12:12. > :12:15.quarters, including the trade unions, which by the way, is hardly

:12:16. > :12:20.surprising, give this is the trade union bill that he should receive

:12:21. > :12:25.reputations from the unions. Is it not the case that all these various

:12:26. > :12:30.reputations made clear that the proposals on political funding were

:12:31. > :12:33.unworkable and breached the long established convention that major

:12:34. > :12:39.changes to the funding a political party should only happen by

:12:40. > :12:43.agreement. Now, it would appear, at least partially, that the minister

:12:44. > :12:47.listened. Well done. But he should have listened earlier and he

:12:48. > :12:52.#23450eds to keep listening, actual limit can I ask him now to have a

:12:53. > :12:56.few more meetings with trade unions, who have made entourly reasonable

:12:57. > :13:00.proposals on E balloting and facility time which remain in the

:13:01. > :13:06.bill. There is still time for him to think again.

:13:07. > :13:10.Mr Speaker, I can confirm what the honourable gentleman has said, which

:13:11. > :13:16.is earlier this week that I did hold a meeting, at my request, with the

:13:17. > :13:20.noble Lord Burn, in which I discussed with him an amendment we

:13:21. > :13:26.put down and we were intending to move to this bill. That amendment

:13:27. > :13:30.was one which would still have aapplied the compulsory option to

:13:31. > :13:34.existing members of trade unions, but would have built in a longer

:13:35. > :13:40.period of transition for trade unions to implement this and would

:13:41. > :13:45.have changed the agraments for renewal of their opt-in to align wit

:13:46. > :13:51.the political ballots that need to take place every ten years. I hoped

:13:52. > :13:55.that was a compromise that the noble Lord Burns would feel, if not

:13:56. > :14:00.enthusiastic about, at least able to indicate that he would not actively

:14:01. > :14:06.oppose when the bill went back to the Upper House in the next stage of

:14:07. > :14:14.ping-pong. And the nobble Lord Burns, who is a man I have huge

:14:15. > :14:20.admiration and liking, was very, very clear to me that he felt that

:14:21. > :14:26.was not an exception able compromise, that not just would he

:14:27. > :14:30.not support it, he would actively the reinstatement of his amendment.

:14:31. > :14:34.He made clear his judgment was not so much a political one or, and

:14:35. > :14:38.certainly not inspired by questions around the balance of party funding,

:14:39. > :14:41.it was simply based on his experience in the financial services

:14:42. > :14:47.industry, which is where he said that it is very, very unfair to ask

:14:48. > :14:50.people to sign up to new things when they have already expressed an

:14:51. > :14:54.opinion on that very same question by a means which was previously

:14:55. > :14:58.legal. He said that applied in this case and he thought that it was

:14:59. > :15:04.wrong and that he could not support it.

:15:05. > :15:10.We then reflected on Lord Burns' position and moved the amendments

:15:11. > :15:13.that we passed last night. As for the honourable member's comments

:15:14. > :15:20.about the rest of the bill, I just have to be very, very clear with him

:15:21. > :15:25.and with honourable members on his side, this bill is going to

:15:26. > :15:32.dramatically improve the state of employment relations and the state

:15:33. > :15:37.of industrial action. At the moment a trade union, like various

:15:38. > :15:42.education trade unions, can hold a strike three years after a ballot

:15:43. > :15:48.has been passed with the turnout of less than 20% of their members and

:15:49. > :15:53.still close over 1,000 colleges. That is currently legal. When the

:15:54. > :15:59.bill, that with the support of my honourable friend, we are passing in

:16:00. > :16:04.this House, and I anticipate the nobble Lords will pass next week,

:16:05. > :16:08.when that achieves royal consent it will not be possible to inflict on

:16:09. > :16:13.hard-working parents the closure of a school in the middle of a week on

:16:14. > :16:16.the basis of a tiny turnout that would secure -- that was secured

:16:17. > :16:20.several years ago. That is why I am proud of this bill. That is why I

:16:21. > :16:24.think my honourable friend can be proud of this bill. We have secured

:16:25. > :16:28.our manifesto commitments for all working people. The

:16:29. > :16:35.THE SPEAKER: The minister has been diverted from the path of procedure

:16:36. > :16:38.vert cho as a result of the cheeky enquiries of the opposition front

:16:39. > :16:44.bench. We cannot now have a third reading on the trade union bill and

:16:45. > :16:50.must focus narrowly instead upon the matter of the urgent question, which

:16:51. > :16:54.I know will be done faithfully by Lord Liam Fox. Thank you, Mr

:16:55. > :16:59.Speaker. In making this change in the trade union bill and following

:17:00. > :17:03.on from our abavendment of our manifesto commitments on immigration

:17:04. > :17:08.by not rethe goshiating freedom of movement, can he tell us of the

:17:09. > :17:15.commitments he referred, which must not be abandoned in terms of trying

:17:16. > :17:21.to seek a vote. Mr Speaker, your cautionary tone is ringing in my

:17:22. > :17:25.ears. So, I will answer my Right Honourable friend's question by

:17:26. > :17:29.narrowly focussing on the measures in this bill, which demonstrate, I

:17:30. > :17:34.believe, as I said at the start of my statement, that we had genuinely

:17:35. > :17:38.secured everything that was in our manifesto. It is a point that came

:17:39. > :17:44.up in my discussion with Lord Burns who knows a thing or two about

:17:45. > :17:51.legislative drafting. He said he was confident having read and re-read

:17:52. > :17:56.the resis words in our manifesto about the transparent opt-in for the

:17:57. > :18:03.political fund. He was very, very clear that the amendment that he

:18:04. > :18:07.moved and it was passed in the upper place fulfilled that manifesto

:18:08. > :18:13.commitment in full. Not only that, that the further introduction of

:18:14. > :18:19.opt-in to apply to existing members was not given cover by the Salisbury

:18:20. > :18:23.convention and he would made it plain in the Upper House if we were

:18:24. > :18:28.to try and restore that position. I mean no commitment of those who

:18:29. > :18:33.wrote our manifesto because it is a wonderful document which will live

:18:34. > :18:38.through the ages. Their wording was not so precisely established as to

:18:39. > :18:44.ekoo our that additional application of the opt-in to existing members of

:18:45. > :18:49.trade unions. Thank you, Mr Speaker and we want to reiterate on these

:18:50. > :18:53.benches our complete opposition to the trade union bill. Can the

:18:54. > :18:57.minister confirm that it would be strange for a piece of legislation

:18:58. > :19:01.that affects six million workers for a Government not to consult with

:19:02. > :19:06.bodies that represent those six million workers? Can he also confirm

:19:07. > :19:12.that the Government were considering concessions as far as as the 26th

:19:13. > :19:19.January, when a memorandum in his name was leaked to many media

:19:20. > :19:23.outlets? What onof going discussions is he having with devolved

:19:24. > :19:28.institutions who have a major problem with this bill and the time

:19:29. > :19:34.and further issues? Thank you, Mr Speaker. The honourable gentleman

:19:35. > :19:38.made a valuable contribution to our deliberations at all stages, perhaps

:19:39. > :19:43.especially in committee. He was vocal and incisive in his commitment

:19:44. > :19:48.of almost every measure in the bill. Of course he is right. We don't just

:19:49. > :19:52.hold discussions with institutions in society about whom we are

:19:53. > :19:56.legislating. I think it would be a little unfair if we didn't. We

:19:57. > :20:01.invited them to give evidence to the committee. We had one of the most

:20:02. > :20:07.terrifying sightsvy seen in long time, which is the General Secretary

:20:08. > :20:10.of Unite, the General of GMB and of the TUC, all sitting in a row,

:20:11. > :20:16.giving evidence to that committee. So, of course it was right to do

:20:17. > :20:22.that. He's also right that we consulted with a devolved

:20:23. > :20:27.administration. I have had a number of conversations on phone and

:20:28. > :20:30.devolved Governments who have expressed concern about whether all

:20:31. > :20:33.the provisions in the bill should properly apply to them, although we

:20:34. > :20:37.are confident that all the provisions in the bill relate to

:20:38. > :20:42.observed matters and therefore apply to everyone and every trade union in

:20:43. > :20:46.the United Kingdom. I chaired the trade union bill and committee. If I

:20:47. > :20:50.am not going to comment on the trade union bill, was I can made a

:20:51. > :20:56.constitutional point? There would be concern if, as part of the ping-pong

:20:57. > :20:59.process, any Government, at any time made concessions on a bill, as a

:21:00. > :21:04.result of something which had nothing to do with that bill.

:21:05. > :21:08.My honourable friend is an honourable man and I am sure he can

:21:09. > :21:16.confirm that no Government of which he was a part would ever do that.

:21:17. > :21:20.Mr Speaker, I think I have expressed -- explained clearly what the

:21:21. > :21:26.process was. I speak for myself in simply saying when I met the

:21:27. > :21:30.immovable force of the Lord Burns, I decided that maybe discretion was

:21:31. > :21:34.the better part of valour. That's not to say that Government ministers

:21:35. > :21:37.don't have discussions on all sorts of issues with all sorts of people

:21:38. > :21:46.in society. And it is the Government's policy to

:21:47. > :21:50.support the Remain Remain campaign. The General Secretary of TUC is a

:21:51. > :21:54.member and has been for months and the trade unionsvy have listed have

:21:55. > :21:59.made their positions clear, long before this bill came back to this

:22:00. > :22:04.House or was considered in connection with the opt-in the Upper

:22:05. > :22:09.House. So, I just gently say to my honourable and Right Honourable

:22:10. > :22:18.friends that not every compromise is a conspiracy.

:22:19. > :22:23.THE SPEAKER: Mr Denis Skipper. -- Ski in, ner.

:22:24. > :22:27.Now that the Government are calling to this barmy idea which has been

:22:28. > :22:32.propagated this morning from the right-wing of the Tory Party, now

:22:33. > :22:39.that the Government has seemingly prepared to give way on different

:22:40. > :22:45.subjects, can I ask him, what is the price for dropping this lousy,

:22:46. > :22:51.rotten trade union bill at? -- all together?

:22:52. > :22:54.Mr Speaker, it is the goal of my life to give pleasure to the

:22:55. > :23:01.honourable gentleman. I have to, I am afraid, I have to

:23:02. > :23:05.tell him that there is no price, because we believe in this bill, we

:23:06. > :23:14.believe in our manifesto. And we are well on the way to delivering it.

:23:15. > :23:19.I hope the minister will understand that when we read from a senior

:23:20. > :23:23.political journalist in the Telegraph the following words, "Last

:23:24. > :23:26.night a union source said bosses had always been clear it would be

:23:27. > :23:30.difficult to spend significant amounts on the campaign to keep

:23:31. > :23:34.Britain in the Union, whilst fighting against the trade union

:23:35. > :23:39.bill, but they revealed that unions will now step up their campaigning

:23:40. > :23:43.and funding efforts in light of the concessions." He can well understand

:23:44. > :23:48.why people are asking these questions. Can he confirm right now

:23:49. > :23:52.that this journalist is absolutely wrong? Her sources are incorrect and

:23:53. > :23:57.no such trade took place? Mr Speaker, I am afraid I am going

:23:58. > :24:01.to have to repeat what I have already said, which is there is a

:24:02. > :24:05.natural process towards the end oh of a parliamentary session, where

:24:06. > :24:11.concessions are made on bills in order to secure their timely

:24:12. > :24:15.passage. What trade unions decide to do about their long-standing

:24:16. > :24:25.commitment to back the remain campaign is entirely a matter for

:24:26. > :24:30.them. I think this is a very rare occurrence for the Government to

:24:31. > :24:33.actually listen to the Members of Parliament, both in the Upper House

:24:34. > :24:37.and here. And I welcome that. That is the right thing to do. And it is

:24:38. > :24:43.right that they should meet with trade unions. Of course they should.

:24:44. > :24:50.This legislation is an attack on trade unions and does nothing for

:24:51. > :24:54.employer relations whatsoever. It is a wrecking piece of legislation and

:24:55. > :24:58.any concessions, at all, can only improve this bill and I hope we

:24:59. > :25:05.could see more in the short time left to it.

:25:06. > :25:11.Mr Speaker, the honourable lady is far too kind to me. I didn't want to

:25:12. > :25:18.listen at all. I simply acknowledged that when you have a -- an array of

:25:19. > :25:21.forces which includes most of the crossbench, all of the Liberal

:25:22. > :25:28.Democrat party, all of the Labour Party and some very influential

:25:29. > :25:38.Conservative peers, when you have that, neophytes like me in this game

:25:39. > :25:41.perhaps need to admit defeat. It is true that the noble lord, Lord

:25:42. > :25:51.Cormack, is a very special parliamentarian. As the grandson of

:25:52. > :26:02.a trade union shop steward who went on to become a Conservative trade

:26:03. > :26:06.unionist, I can say that has been opposition on this side of the House

:26:07. > :26:15.and can I thank him for listening to that. The debate can family

:26:16. > :26:21.Conservative manifesto piece to improve situations. I thank my

:26:22. > :26:25.honourable friend and his father, who did not just make it to the

:26:26. > :26:30.Other Place but made it into the Cabinet and was a very significant

:26:31. > :26:35.performer in the area of employment law and industrial relations, so we

:26:36. > :26:40.have much to learn from his work, and he is right about that. I hope

:26:41. > :26:46.it is not breaking a confidence to say that there are other members of

:26:47. > :26:49.this House with whom I've had conversations about the specific

:26:50. > :26:56.provision who were deeply concerned about them and they do include among

:26:57. > :27:02.them, I don't think I should mention their names, they include among them

:27:03. > :27:08.leading supporters of those in the campaign to leave the European

:27:09. > :27:12.Union. Can there be any psychological explanation why so

:27:13. > :27:18.many Tory MPs have such a loathing of trade unions? I do not recognise

:27:19. > :27:27.that loathing and I certainly don't feel it myself. Can I join with my

:27:28. > :27:33.honourable friend from Worcester to say firstly congratulations to the

:27:34. > :27:38.minister in the way that he has handled this bill but also to ask

:27:39. > :27:42.him, again, if it is not the case that he has had conversations with

:27:43. > :27:46.many people on all sides of the House, including this side of the

:27:47. > :27:49.House, both here and in the Other Place about their concerns and that

:27:50. > :27:53.many of those concerns have been addressed without any contributions

:27:54. > :28:00.being made at all to us? I can confirm that and none more important

:28:01. > :28:03.than my honourable friend who had some very serious concerns which he

:28:04. > :28:07.did exactly the right thing, you came to see me privately about them

:28:08. > :28:10.as we were deliberating in this House, he laid an amendment at

:28:11. > :28:14.reports state which he then did not move because I gave him reassurance

:28:15. > :28:20.we would look closely at it as the Bill progressed and while he was not

:28:21. > :28:23.here, I mentioned specifically yesterday that he had been hugely

:28:24. > :28:31.influential in our decision ultimately not to press ahead with

:28:32. > :28:37.the decision to remove the check arrangement from trade unions the

:28:38. > :28:42.public sector. Can I declare an interest as someone who has been in

:28:43. > :28:49.the following level -- for an levy since 1969, and the former head of

:28:50. > :28:55.the trade union. The trade unions are clear. They do not want this

:28:56. > :29:00.bill at all. Even Winston Churchill spoke against what they are trying

:29:01. > :29:06.to do and what ever gossip people are hearing, there is no doubt that

:29:07. > :29:13.the trade unions vote would be Labour Party's remain campaign

:29:14. > :29:17.because they realise that the right-wing reactionaries who would

:29:18. > :29:28.deregulate this nation would be bad for employers -- employees. I think

:29:29. > :29:33.the honourable gentleman's words speak for themselves and they are

:29:34. > :29:36.very helpful. It is a shabby political episode when the

:29:37. > :29:42.Government has been caught violating trade union legislation to sit

:29:43. > :29:47.persuade the trade unions to come on board with a campaign to stay in the

:29:48. > :29:51.European Union. Isn't it now clear that the Government, big business,

:29:52. > :29:56.the BBC and now the trade unions are all hanging up on British people to

:29:57. > :30:03.try to persuade them to stay in the European Union? Mr Speaker, nothing

:30:04. > :30:10.pains me more than to have clearly angered my own furry friend -- by

:30:11. > :30:14.honorary friend because I have extreme liking for him. I always

:30:15. > :30:17.dropped everything to go to his constituency because he is a great

:30:18. > :30:23.man but I do reject what he has said. I think perhaps in this case

:30:24. > :30:28.he is able the bit blinded by his passion for the issue and I would

:30:29. > :30:31.simply point to him that all he needs to do is to look at the front

:30:32. > :30:35.pages and the editorial pages of every single newspaper that is

:30:36. > :30:39.traditionally seen as a Conservative supporting newspaper to see that

:30:40. > :30:47.there is a balance of opinion in this debate. His arguments are being

:30:48. > :30:50.well represented. Given the impact this bill will have on workers

:30:51. > :30:54.rights across the whole of the United Kingdom, can I ask the

:30:55. > :30:59.minister what discussions he had with the devolved administrations

:31:00. > :31:05.since the Lords amendments? I haven't yet had that pleasure but I

:31:06. > :31:09.anticipate it. Thank you Mr Speaker. This is a very simple issue which

:31:10. > :31:14.the Minister could give a straightforward answer to. The

:31:15. > :31:18.allegation is that the trade union bill was watered down for the

:31:19. > :31:22.benefit of the trade unions on the understanding that they would then

:31:23. > :31:27.make a considerable donation to the campaign to stay in the European

:31:28. > :31:31.Union. Can the Minister give us, with the authority of the dispatch

:31:32. > :31:38.box, a clear denial that any such discussion took place and that in no

:31:39. > :31:41.way whatsoever, no discussions with ministers or officials, in no way

:31:42. > :31:45.what any of the watering down of the trade union Bill done with any

:31:46. > :31:49.mention of any funding for the U remain campaign for the trade

:31:50. > :31:56.unions? It is very simple to deny it if it is not true. Mr Speaker, I

:31:57. > :32:00.aspire to be as straightforward as my honourable friend. I have been

:32:01. > :32:03.very clear. We went through a process of negotiation, not just

:32:04. > :32:08.with Shadow ministers but with members of other parties and in the

:32:09. > :32:12.Other House and we have secured a package, which I have to say I do

:32:13. > :32:15.not believe any honourable member on my side of the House would have

:32:16. > :32:20.predicted when we introduced this bill that we would have secured as

:32:21. > :32:23.much of it as swiftly and as easily as we have, because it was probably

:32:24. > :32:31.the most politically controversial bill in our original Queen 's

:32:32. > :32:33.speech. As for decisions by the trade unions to back the campaign

:32:34. > :32:39.for which they have already declared, long before's -- long

:32:40. > :32:42.before yesterday's considerations of the Bill, I think the honourable

:32:43. > :32:46.gentleman spoke very clearly when he said they would support this

:32:47. > :32:50.campaign full heartedly and full throated Lee because they believe it

:32:51. > :32:57.is in the interests of their members to do so. I do not think there is

:32:58. > :33:01.anything so grubby as a deal but if an agreement was reached can I

:33:02. > :33:08.congratulate the opposition Chief Whip on showing how this can be

:33:09. > :33:12.done? Can I ask him to follow the leadership of the trade unions and

:33:13. > :33:18.contact their members to make the case for year up and the terrible

:33:19. > :33:23.threats for growth if we leave a single market of 500 million

:33:24. > :33:31.consumers? Mr Speaker, I'm not sure if you will that I'm likely answer

:33:32. > :33:34.to that question as directly relevant to the question but I will

:33:35. > :33:42.venture until you stop me. I will venture that small companies have

:33:43. > :33:47.beefs about the European Union, so do I, but ultimately they feel it is

:33:48. > :33:51.in our interest to stay will stop I feel all of us should be doing what

:33:52. > :33:55.we can do to encourage people that we represent to see that their

:33:56. > :34:04.interests are best protected by staying in. The person who asked

:34:05. > :34:11.this question speaks passionately on behalf of of his own union which is

:34:12. > :34:16.the general and municipal union of a Brexit bigots. It is extraordinary

:34:17. > :34:21.that he asks for the advisor on ministerial interest to be woken up

:34:22. > :34:25.from his slumber. He has been virtually unemployed since he was

:34:26. > :34:31.appointed when the previous holder of that office resigned, believing

:34:32. > :34:36.that he should have been called in to investigate the conduct of the

:34:37. > :34:44.Member for North Somerset who -- North Somerset who gained absolution

:34:45. > :34:48.by resignation. As the person asking this question, why isn't he asking

:34:49. > :34:52.for an enquiry into the two ministers who gave ?3 million to

:34:53. > :34:57.Kids Company in the face of advice from their civil servants three days

:34:58. > :35:04.before it collapsed? It is because the office of the advisor had been

:35:05. > :35:13.degraded and politicised. Calm down. Calm. For the benefit of yoga -- the

:35:14. > :35:26.benefit of yoga, even for ministers, should not be underestimated. I want

:35:27. > :35:29.to talk about a pause for order. The reason I didn't intervene when a

:35:30. > :35:35.word was used is because I believe it to be a matter of taste. There

:35:36. > :35:40.was no imputation of dishonour. I mean this in no unkind spirit but

:35:41. > :35:49.the honourable member for Harwich and North Essex and other

:35:50. > :35:52.like-minded souls are perfectly capable of looking after themselves

:35:53. > :35:56.and their honour has not been impugned in any way. That is why the

:35:57. > :36:02.remark stands. The Minister must of course reply. Mr Speaker, there are

:36:03. > :36:06.no bigots on this side of the House, least of all my honourable

:36:07. > :36:12.disavowing to disagree with me on this subject. The honourable

:36:13. > :36:17.gentleman does himself absolutely no credit by hurling that kind of

:36:18. > :36:21.Playschool abuse across this chamber. He is a disgrace, the

:36:22. > :36:28.comment was a disgrace and he should withdraw it. The Minister is

:36:29. > :36:37.entitled to his view and I hope the House won't take offence if I say I

:36:38. > :36:47.will judge if a comment should be withdrawn. I think we should leave

:36:48. > :36:51.it there. If I were to intervene on grounds of order every time a

:36:52. > :36:58.question were not answered nothing else would ever happen in the

:36:59. > :37:12.chamber. I must confess, Mr Speaker, I must find myself amused by this

:37:13. > :37:17.question of urgency. I am restating yet again my absolute opposition to

:37:18. > :37:20.this bill. Can the Minister confirm that trade unions remain a part of

:37:21. > :37:22.civil society and they have an absolute right to make

:37:23. > :37:26.representations on the half of them and the two Government irrespective

:37:27. > :37:31.of what right-wing members of his own backbenchers might wish? Of

:37:32. > :37:34.course I can confirm that but I have to say to the honourable gentleman

:37:35. > :37:39.that frankly the position governing strike action the position governing

:37:40. > :37:43.the proper regulation of trade union activities with regards to finances

:37:44. > :37:47.and membership, the position regarding picketing and intimidation

:37:48. > :37:52.of non-striking workers, all of those were frankly not acceptable

:37:53. > :37:59.until this bill was introduced to this House and remain not acceptable

:38:00. > :38:02.until this bill has secured Royal assent. Of course I accept that

:38:03. > :38:06.trade unions have an important role in society but they needed this

:38:07. > :38:10.reform, they will benefit from this reform and I want to put on my

:38:11. > :38:14.record -- on record my gratitude to all members on my side, not least

:38:15. > :38:20.the honourable member who has made comments on this bill, their support

:38:21. > :38:23.of this bill. As today is International Workers Memorial Day,

:38:24. > :38:29.I think it says that they poignant reminder as to why we need good and

:38:30. > :38:35.strong trade unions in our society. I think it's also right that we have

:38:36. > :38:38.the trade union movement opposed to many of the measures contained

:38:39. > :38:43.within this bill which is an attack on how they operate on behalf of

:38:44. > :38:49.their members. In terms of the substantive point of the urgent

:38:50. > :38:55.question today, of course the trade union Bill is not yet legislation.

:38:56. > :38:57.It hasn't been connected, so surely -- it hasn't been an active, so

:38:58. > :39:05.surely the fact that the Labour affiliated trade union has decided

:39:06. > :39:09.to donate some of its money, it's Labour affiliated political fund, to

:39:10. > :39:18.a Labour supported campaign is perfectly within the law? Mr

:39:19. > :39:21.Speaker, he is correct. I am extremely grateful to the Minister

:39:22. > :39:26.and all colleagues. We come now to the business question.

:39:27. > :39:36.Points of order have really come after statements, I would prefer...

:39:37. > :39:41.The honourable gentleman has had a good run. He should be patient. Aam

:39:42. > :39:46.sure his point of -- I am sure his point of order can be heard later.

:39:47. > :39:50.Mr Speaker, will the lead ore of the House give us the forthcoming

:39:51. > :39:59.business? So, Mr Speaker, on Monday 2nd May

:40:00. > :40:05.the House is not sitting. It is the Mayday bank hole dasmt Tuesday 3rd

:40:06. > :40:11.we will sit Monday hours, not Tuesday hours, when we will debate a

:40:12. > :40:15.motion to approve a ways and means resolution to the Housing Bill,

:40:16. > :40:22.followed by considerations and amendments of the planning bill. On

:40:23. > :40:26.the 4th May, an Opposition Day Debate. That will be followed by a

:40:27. > :40:31.motion relating to education funding in London. A subject determined by

:40:32. > :40:39.the backbench committee. Thursday 5th, there'll be a debate on

:40:40. > :40:43.contributions of faith sector to local communities. Friday 6th May,

:40:44. > :40:46.the House is not sitting. The provisional business for the

:40:47. > :40:50.following week, commencing Monday 9th May, will include on the Monday

:40:51. > :40:54.a debate on the motion of Government departments outside London and the

:40:55. > :40:57.subject of this debate determined by the Backbench Business Committee,

:40:58. > :41:03.followed by consideration of Lords' amendments. I should like to inform

:41:04. > :41:09.the House that the business in Westminster Hall will be a debate on

:41:10. > :41:16.an e-petition relating to the Government's referendum leaflet. Mr

:41:17. > :41:20.Speaker, Ed Balls, do we actually, Mr Speaker, have a Government at

:41:21. > :41:24.all? They are all over the place. We all thought the referendum was a

:41:25. > :41:29.simple question of EU in or out? This week it got much more

:41:30. > :41:34.complicated as we learnt it is all about the ECHR in or out as well. So

:41:35. > :41:39.the Home Secretary is an in-out, but the hostage-taker is an out-in and

:41:40. > :41:43.the Chancellor is an in-in, along with the Attorney General and the

:41:44. > :41:55.Solicitor-General, but the lead ore the House is an out-out. As for me,

:41:56. > :42:05.I am out for in. Mr Speaker, the Health Secretary tells us he's in

:42:06. > :42:08.his last big job in politics. I hear with an impending reshuffle several

:42:09. > :42:12.ministers have been scouring the job market. I heard rumours of

:42:13. > :42:19.Government postings to overseas territories being planned.

:42:20. > :42:27.Boris is off to cultivate his that polyian complex and for the Health

:42:28. > :42:30.Secretary there is the island known as "inaccessible island" which is

:42:31. > :42:42.probably where the junior doctors want to send him anyway. 33-1 to be

:42:43. > :42:51.the next chancellor of the Exchequer. On this day in 1789

:42:52. > :42:57.Fletcher Citian mutinied on the bounty. He ended up on an island

:42:58. > :43:05.9,000 miles away from here. I can imagine the leader of the House as

:43:06. > :43:09.the governor of Pitcane, dressed in his white socks and sandals, Lording

:43:10. > :43:13.it over the inhabitants, all 56 of them. If he wants I can put in a

:43:14. > :43:17.word with the Prime Minister for him because the Prime Minister is trying

:43:18. > :43:22.to advance my career, I see. Can we, Mr Speaker, have a debate on

:43:23. > :43:28.irresponsible politics? I suspect the leader may never have heard of

:43:29. > :43:36.Avon Jones, but he tweeted, I think we should have a protest where

:43:37. > :43:44.thousands of us have send e-mails with the words bomb, Iran... He may

:43:45. > :43:48.be a crank but he's the Plaid Cymru condedate for Police and Crime

:43:49. > :43:52.Commissioner in North Wales. Can we have a statement from the Home

:43:53. > :43:57.Secretary on the worrying break down of the E border systems on 13th and

:43:58. > :44:03.14th June last year? We need to know, have there been other break

:44:04. > :44:07.downs? Were full index warnings checked? Why did the Home Secretary

:44:08. > :44:10.cover this up for so long? The leader of the House says we should

:44:11. > :44:16.leave the EU so we can control our borders. Surely the lesson is the

:44:17. > :44:22.greatest threat to our border is frankly Tory income I pi tense. The

:44:23. > :44:27.leader said we should -- incompetence. As I walked into

:44:28. > :44:30.Parliament this morning the police were moving two homeless people on

:44:31. > :44:34.who had been sleeping on the doorstep of this parliamentary

:44:35. > :44:38.palace for the last week. Under the Tories, rough sleeping has doubled

:44:39. > :44:42.and funding for those who are sleeping rough has halved. Now, we

:44:43. > :44:48.believe this bill will make the housing crisis in London even worse.

:44:49. > :44:54.Will this Government, at least ensure for heavens sake that for

:44:55. > :44:59.every single social housing unit sold off another is built in its

:45:00. > :45:05.place? Mr Speaker, on 29th November, 2012, the Prime Minister said of the

:45:06. > :45:07.Leveson Inquiry there would be a second part to investigate

:45:08. > :45:11.wrongdoing in the press and the police. I listened to the Home

:45:12. > :45:15.Secretary very carefully yesterday. She made an excellent statement. She

:45:16. > :45:20.said we have always said a decision on lef son will be made when all the

:45:21. > :45:24.investigations have been completed. That is not right, Mr Speaker. Up

:45:25. > :45:31.until now the Government position, the Prime Minister's position has

:45:32. > :45:35.always been that Leveson will start, but should start as soon as the

:45:36. > :45:40.police and prosecuting authorities have finished their work. Surely one

:45:41. > :45:43.of the many lessons we must learn from Hillsborough is when the

:45:44. > :45:47.relationship between the police and the press gets too close it corrupts

:45:48. > :45:54.them both. After all, some have argued that the law of liable means

:45:55. > :45:57.there's no need nor a strong press regulator, but the 96 whose

:45:58. > :46:07.reputation was dragged through the mud by the police, by the Sun and

:46:08. > :46:13.the Spectator, couldn't sue for libel, could they? As passover ends

:46:14. > :46:19.on Saturday, let me say again, as clearly as I can, anti-Semitism is

:46:20. > :46:25.wrong, full stop, end of story. I am sick and tired of people trying to

:46:26. > :46:28.explain it away and yes, I talking to you Ken Livingstone. Of course

:46:29. > :46:33.the illegal settlements are wrong and the Palestinians deserve a

:46:34. > :46:37.better deal. Rocket attacks are wrong and Hamas and Hezbollah must

:46:38. > :46:43.acknowledge the right of Is hail to exist. I was taught -- of Israel to

:46:44. > :46:49.exist. I was taught not to judge people by the colour of their skin,

:46:50. > :46:55.their gender but their character. I also say it is no better when a

:46:56. > :47:01.senior politician looks at the President of the United States and

:47:02. > :47:06.only sees the colour of his skin and his part Kenyan ancestry, or when

:47:07. > :47:10.the Tory candidate for Mayor of London runs a racially-charged

:47:11. > :47:16.campaign against his Labour opponent. It is irresponsible. I off

:47:17. > :47:24.fendss the decency -- it off fends the decency of the British people. I

:47:25. > :47:32.say racism and racial peg disare not welcome in our political parties.

:47:33. > :47:43.I will come back and I share most of the sentiments just raised let me

:47:44. > :47:49.start by wishing you and the Shadow Minister a happyEd Balls day. I

:47:50. > :47:53.never thought they would miss him as much as they would. He didn't talk

:47:54. > :47:56.about all over the place policies. That is what the Labour Party's

:47:57. > :48:00.position is on this. They don't want prisoners to have the vote. They

:48:01. > :48:05.don't want to change our human rights laws. They ought to be smrt

:48:06. > :48:12.enough to know those two position -- smart enough to know those two

:48:13. > :48:17.positions are income pat tibl. He raised the subject of big jobs in

:48:18. > :48:21.Government. We will remind the gentleman opposite, he does not see

:48:22. > :48:25.his job as the last in Government, as the Prime Minister reminded him

:48:26. > :48:30.yesterday. He talked about jobs for the future. I suspect the odds on

:48:31. > :48:36.him becoming the speaker of this House are longer than the odds of me

:48:37. > :48:41.becoming the manager of Liverpool Football Club. On that subject, can

:48:42. > :48:46.I say a couple of things? I served when we were in opposition as shadow

:48:47. > :48:51.member for Liverpool. I have enormous regard for that city, its

:48:52. > :48:55.people and resilience. I would pay a tribute to all of the Hillsborough

:48:56. > :48:59.families and all the people in Liverpool who supported them through

:49:00. > :49:04.their long years of struggle. They, this week, achieved justice. I would

:49:05. > :49:11.like to pay a trib boo to the member for Lee, who I thought was -- a trib

:49:12. > :49:18.boo to the member for Lee, he deserves credit for what he's done.

:49:19. > :49:21.The honourable gentleman talked about LevesonII. We will not move

:49:22. > :49:24.forward until the cases are complete. That is the right thing to

:49:25. > :49:29.do. We will continue to stick to that position.

:49:30. > :49:35.He made the point about Mr Jones - yes I know who he is. The views he

:49:36. > :49:39.expressed are objectionable. It is my hope in that part of North Wales

:49:40. > :49:45.he is not elected as police and crimes commissioner. On the borders

:49:46. > :49:49.issue I would remind him when Labour were in power the e-Borders

:49:50. > :49:52.programme was supported to arrive and be put into effect. It didn't

:49:53. > :49:56.happen because they failed to deliver the programme. When they

:49:57. > :50:01.talk to us about what we have done in Government, they were in power

:50:02. > :50:05.for 13 years. They started by dismantling our exit check borders

:50:06. > :50:14.and they failed to put in place an alternative. Mr Speaker, he talked

:50:15. > :50:20.about homelessness. Let me remind him of his party's record. They

:50:21. > :50:26.built fewer council Houses than we did in office. Let me talk about

:50:27. > :50:30.anti-Semitism. He has been a voice of reason and common sense. He

:50:31. > :50:37.deserves credit for that. I wish all his colleagues saw things the same

:50:38. > :50:43.way. He is right to talk about Ken Livingstone. His matters suggest

:50:44. > :50:47.they were not anti-accept mettic, they were disgraceful. I do not

:50:48. > :50:49.understand as many Labour MPs do not understand how Ken Livingstone is

:50:50. > :50:53.still today a member of the Labour Party. He should be suspended from

:50:54. > :50:58.the Labour Party for the things that he said.

:50:59. > :51:04.But I also think there's some any evety on those benches, a member

:51:05. > :51:09.said on the Today Programme she regarded the events as trial via

:51:10. > :51:12.Twitter. She clearly does not fully

:51:13. > :51:17.understand the gravity of the situation. Mr Speaker, despite the

:51:18. > :51:23.wise words of the shadow leader, and I disagree what he said about my

:51:24. > :51:27.honourable friend for Uxbridge, he nonetheless makes a powerful point.

:51:28. > :51:32.He is a beacon of sense in this party. Where is the sense on the

:51:33. > :51:39.rest of his benches of what is a deeply, deeply serious matter?

:51:40. > :51:45.A number of my constituents have been the victims of who appears to

:51:46. > :51:49.be a financial scam. The police have referred them to action fraud. The

:51:50. > :51:53.contact they have had with Action Fraud is minimal. And they are very

:51:54. > :51:58.dissatisfied. Could the leader arrange for a debate on the work of

:51:59. > :52:02.Action Fraud? Well, Mr Speaker, my honourable

:52:03. > :52:06.friend makes an important point. We are aware across our society of a

:52:07. > :52:10.range of different scams. Often it is vulnerable people in our society

:52:11. > :52:14.who are the victims. I pay tribute to him for raiding this issue. I

:52:15. > :52:17.would say the Secretary of State and the business department will be here

:52:18. > :52:21.next week. I hope he will take advantage to make sure it is on his

:52:22. > :52:25.radar as well. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Can

:52:26. > :52:33.I thank you for the business for next week. Forget aboutEd Balls --

:52:34. > :52:36.about Ed Balls, but we remember all those killed in the workplace.

:52:37. > :52:40.Remember the dead and fight for the living has been considered. The

:52:41. > :52:44.trade union bill, that is very apt words for the business we are

:52:45. > :52:50.considering. Will the Government just now not do it? Will it now do

:52:51. > :53:00.the right thing when it comes to accepting uncompanied child refugees

:53:01. > :53:03.in number of camps. Even the Daily Mail are calling for the Government

:53:04. > :53:08.to accept these children. For the Daily Mail to say this, surely the

:53:09. > :53:11.time has come for this, even this, the most callous of Governments to

:53:12. > :53:16.reconsider its position and do the right thing? It has its chance, it

:53:17. > :53:19.looks like on May 9th the amendment will come back to this House again.

:53:20. > :53:23.Will the Government look at this positively and for the sake of this

:53:24. > :53:27.country, for all the people, even the right-wing press, will it do the

:53:28. > :53:34.right thing for these children? When I was growing up in Scotland, and we

:53:35. > :53:38.sometimes got an announcement which would preview the programmes, it was

:53:39. > :53:43.not for viewers in Scotland. I was sort of thing maybe we could

:53:44. > :53:48.resurrect this and apply it to Prime Minister's Questions. For most of

:53:49. > :53:52.the last two sessions it has been about English schools, not for

:53:53. > :53:56.viewers in Scotland or most other parts of the UK. The leader of the

:53:57. > :54:03.opposition can raise whateverish shoo shoe he wants. It is up to him

:54:04. > :54:07.-- whatever issue he wants. The time has testimony coreview Prime

:54:08. > :54:11.Minister's Questions to make it -- the time has come for a review of

:54:12. > :54:15.Prime Minister's Questions. Maybe the Leader of the House could

:54:16. > :54:20.support that call, Mr Speaker. Can we have a debate on the Government's

:54:21. > :54:24.commitments on the spending on the Clyde shipyards? I remember only too

:54:25. > :54:28.well during the independence referendum and some of the things

:54:29. > :54:32.which were said and I remember a leaflet that went around, which was

:54:33. > :54:37.designed by the Labour and the Tory alliance and a bit together, it was

:54:38. > :54:43.separation kills shipyards. It is what they said. It was a neat

:54:44. > :54:46.slogan. It was all with the union and doom and gloom for secured

:54:47. > :54:50.independence. We know that for the nonsense it is. It is not

:54:51. > :54:57.independence that is killing shipyards, it is the union who is

:54:58. > :55:01.killing it slowly and painfully by administering these yards and

:55:02. > :55:06.delaying the start of works T Scottish people feel duped. Can we

:55:07. > :55:10.have a debate where the Government can explain what is going and an and

:55:11. > :55:15.ensure we get this work started on time. Lastly, I am sure the House,

:55:16. > :55:20.as leader of the House, has full access to the Prime Minister's

:55:21. > :55:23.diary. Can he explain why there's no visit to Scotland from the Prime

:55:24. > :55:28.Minister in advance of a Scottish election? It is probably the last

:55:29. > :55:35.person that Ruth David son would like to see if she has division and

:55:36. > :55:40.beating Labour into third place in Scotland. We would love to see him.

:55:41. > :55:44.Every time he appears it is an extra 2% for the Scottish National Party.

:55:45. > :55:48.Can he encourage the Prime Minister, even his good self to come to

:55:49. > :55:51.Scotland. The more Tories in Scotland the better for the Scottish

:55:52. > :55:57.National Party. Mr Speaker, as the Honourable

:55:58. > :56:02.Speaker knows I have great regard for him as a parliamentary colleague

:56:03. > :56:06.but I do think sometimes his rhetoric lets him down. The idea

:56:07. > :56:10.when he describes this as the most callous of Government, we are

:56:11. > :56:15.providing the second largest amount of aid to all the refugee camps

:56:16. > :56:18.around Syria, doing as much as any nation in the world by the United

:56:19. > :56:22.States to try to help the people affected. We are taking 20,000

:56:23. > :56:26.people not from other European countries but from the refugee camps

:56:27. > :56:29.where they are the most vulnerable. And when he talks about

:56:30. > :56:34.unaccompanied children, we are talking unaccompanied children not

:56:35. > :56:37.from other EU countries where they are safe, but from the camps where

:56:38. > :56:41.they are safe. Surely that is the sensible, wise on the thoughtful and

:56:42. > :56:46.considerate thing to do? It is not saying no, we won't assist. It is

:56:47. > :56:50.providing assistance to those not able to make it to Europe and that

:56:51. > :56:53.is a policy with resolutely stand-by. He talks about by

:56:54. > :56:58.ministers questions and the discussion about education. I would

:56:59. > :57:01.simply remind him that is the consequence of devolution. This is a

:57:02. > :57:05.United Kingdom Parliament but it is true that in his constituency,

:57:06. > :57:09.education matters are not a matter for him but for the Scottish

:57:10. > :57:13.parliament. That is something we have debated over time, but the

:57:14. > :57:18.reality is that it is a consequence of the Doully volution championship

:57:19. > :57:28.-- devolution that he has championed over time. He talks about shipping.

:57:29. > :57:32.He wants a debate and a chance to vote, he will soon have a chance to

:57:33. > :57:38.vote on removing from Scotland one of the biggest defence facilities in

:57:39. > :57:45.the United Kingdom, very moving jobs, and removing part of the

:57:46. > :57:50.nation's defences and when he can explain his thought on that with

:57:51. > :57:54.regards to Scotland, I will take him seriously. He talks about

:57:55. > :57:58.conservatives in Scotland and I have been to Scotland since the start of

:57:59. > :58:01.the election campaign and I am delighted to see the Conservatives

:58:02. > :58:04.moving up in the polls, though I am sure there is no connection between

:58:05. > :58:09.the two, and all of us on the side of the House believes we have the

:58:10. > :58:12.best leader in Scotland and we believe she will play a crucial part

:58:13. > :58:16.in its affairs over the coming years as people come to realise that the

:58:17. > :58:23.SNP Government in Edinburgh may make a lot of noise, but it's actually

:58:24. > :58:27.incapable of getting the job done. On the 12th of May, the Prime

:58:28. > :58:31.Minister is hosting an anti-corruption Summit in London

:58:32. > :58:36.which has never happened before and I think it will have far reaching

:58:37. > :58:39.impact. Can we have a debate conferred -- concerning the British

:58:40. > :58:47.Overseas Territories and Crown dependencies on a process for

:58:48. > :58:50.benefit information. This is a subject to be debated in Westminster

:58:51. > :58:53.Hall shortly but by honourable friend is absolutely right about the

:58:54. > :58:57.role this Government has played in the last six years, bursting

:58:58. > :59:03.coalition and then on our own. We have delivered -- inevitable change

:59:04. > :59:10.than any previous Government and we should be proud of that. I thank the

:59:11. > :59:15.leader for the announcement of the business and with this afternoon's

:59:16. > :59:21.business which is nominated by the backbench business committed and the

:59:22. > :59:26.half day and day next week that he has announced, we are inching ever

:59:27. > :59:30.closer to the 27 days which the backbench business committee are

:59:31. > :59:35.entitled to within the parliamentary session and I do thank the Leader of

:59:36. > :59:40.the House for that. As has been mentioned, today is Workers Memorial

:59:41. > :59:45.Day and it is a day that is commemorated by the TUC and trades

:59:46. > :59:51.councils all around the country and in my own constituency there will be

:59:52. > :59:59.a memorial service at noon today. We say, remember the date -- the dead,

:00:00. > :00:03.remember the living. It is for those who die within their workplace. I

:00:04. > :00:09.wonder if the leader would consider recognising Workers Memorial Day in

:00:10. > :00:13.the future Parliamentary calendar? Well, Mr Speaker, can I say first of

:00:14. > :00:16.all on the subject of Workers Memorial Day that this country is a

:00:17. > :00:22.better place than it was in the past? He is right, representing an

:00:23. > :00:27.area where there have been great industrial accidents in the past, to

:00:28. > :00:31.recognise the progress made but also to recognise those who died before

:00:32. > :00:35.that progress was made. None of us would want to go back to those days

:00:36. > :00:39.and even though we often debate the complexity of health and safety, I

:00:40. > :00:45.put on record that in my view it is in no way in the interest of anyone

:00:46. > :00:49.in this country to have an environment where people are at risk

:00:50. > :00:53.in the workplace. When industrial accidents happen, as tragically

:00:54. > :00:57.happened at Didcot power station recently, we all regret it and I pay

:00:58. > :01:01.tribute to him and all sides of the House for the work they do to mark

:01:02. > :01:08.this occasion and that has never go back to a time when these things

:01:09. > :01:13.were commonplace in our country. With regards to the Parliamentary

:01:14. > :01:17.character, I am sure he will find an opportunity to recognise this

:01:18. > :01:21.important day but also to ensure that in coming years, the same

:01:22. > :01:28.opportunity is there for members of the House. -- the Parliamentary

:01:29. > :01:32.calendar. Macy, a nine-year-old girl in my constituency is not well at

:01:33. > :01:37.the moment. I think she was taken into hospital again last night. To

:01:38. > :01:41.make her completely better, she's going to have to go to the United

:01:42. > :01:44.States and the NHS are providing for that. But there was a problem

:01:45. > :01:47.because she couldn't get her passport. She doesn't have a

:01:48. > :01:51.passport and her mother doesn't have a passport and it would have taken

:01:52. > :01:57.up to six weeks for this to have occurred. Thanks to the intervention

:01:58. > :02:03.by my friend, the honourable member for Northampton North, and a

:02:04. > :02:07.personal intervention of the Home Secretary, the passports are now

:02:08. > :02:14.going to be sorted out tomorrow. Macy asked if I could thank the

:02:15. > :02:18.House for that and in particular the Home Secretary. So perhaps we could

:02:19. > :02:21.have a general debate sometime in the future about how the Government

:02:22. > :02:28.can, at times, work together for common sense? Mr Speaker, I think my

:02:29. > :02:33.honourable friend's words say at all. We wish her all the very best

:02:34. > :02:38.for her treatment and her recovery. It is nice to see. Very often the

:02:39. > :02:41.image of this place is one of political debate and confrontation,

:02:42. > :02:46.but actually behind the scenes there are decent people on all sides of

:02:47. > :02:48.this House, of whom he is one, working under half of their

:02:49. > :02:51.constituents, trying to solve problems like this one where all of

:02:52. > :02:57.us would want the right thing to be done. Mr Speaker, the Leader of the

:02:58. > :03:01.House will know that Calvin Thomas is retiring today after 26 years

:03:02. > :03:05.great service to the House, including six teen years as a

:03:06. > :03:08.doorkeeper and in the special gallery since 2009. I know Calvin

:03:09. > :03:13.well personally because we have sometimes been confused with each

:03:14. > :03:18.other due to our similar if different names. He has been

:03:19. > :03:25.consistently charming in carrying out his duties as a valued member of

:03:26. > :03:28.our staff, so may I raise the banks of all the members of the staff and

:03:29. > :03:33.wish him a happy retirement on our behalf? The honourable gentleman has

:03:34. > :03:38.had said it eloquently on behalf of all of us and I would echo his

:03:39. > :03:41.words, not only to which Calvin a very happy retirement but also to

:03:42. > :03:45.express thanks to our doorkeepers who are great servants to this

:03:46. > :03:49.House, treating us all with great courtesy and good humour, performing

:03:50. > :03:56.valuable work for us and we value what they do enormously. As my right

:03:57. > :04:00.honourable friend may know, the UK sepsis trust has been working for

:04:01. > :04:07.some time with the Secretary of State for Health to try to establish

:04:08. > :04:12.a public awareness campaign. This. Sepsis currently claims around

:04:13. > :04:15.44,000 lives in the UK a year and the symptoms of the disease are

:04:16. > :04:22.still not well recognised. Do you think we could have a debate on what

:04:23. > :04:24.could be done to introduce a sepsis specific awareness campaign for both

:04:25. > :04:30.children and adults because I believe it would save the lives of

:04:31. > :04:34.thousands of people every year? Mr Speaker, can I start by

:04:35. > :04:38.congratulating my honourable friend on the work she is doing in this

:04:39. > :04:40.important area and say I am aware that the Secretary of State is

:04:41. > :04:45.taking this issue enormously seriously. He has had meetings about

:04:46. > :04:50.the kind of work she is talking about and I am sure he will wish to

:04:51. > :04:54.take that forward. It is of course a very serious matter and it is

:04:55. > :04:58.beholden upon us, Mr Speaker, as representatives of our constituents

:04:59. > :05:07.as well as members of the Government to deal with challenges like that. I

:05:08. > :05:10.would ask the Leader of the House to condemn the Labour PCC candidate in

:05:11. > :05:13.North Wales for the appallingly callous Twitter comments which can

:05:14. > :05:20.only be interrupted by right thinking candidates as marking

:05:21. > :05:30.Hillsborough families. I tend to this. We'll be Leader of the House

:05:31. > :05:36.presently Business Secretary to make a statement to ensure Port Talbot

:05:37. > :05:42.workers that this Government priorities -- prioritises their

:05:43. > :05:48.future indeed as well is worth? All future decisions will be made on

:05:49. > :05:52.evidence -based research? Mr Speaker, I can ensure the honourable

:05:53. > :05:55.lady that this is a matter the Government takes enormously

:05:56. > :05:57.seriously. The Secretary of State for business will be here next week

:05:58. > :06:00.and I would say to her this is something the Government has taken

:06:01. > :06:04.interest in from the Prime Minister downwards. He has taken a personal

:06:05. > :06:07.interest and none of us want to see Paul Tolbert disappear. We all want

:06:08. > :06:19.to make steel and we will all make sure that it continues. Can we find

:06:20. > :06:23.time for a debate on the conduct of the EU referendum campaign so far?

:06:24. > :06:28.Can this thing in the south-west I have filed local residents

:06:29. > :06:34.absolutely angered by the intervention of the outgoing

:06:35. > :06:41.president and the intervention of national affairs and the ?9 million

:06:42. > :06:44.which has been spent on the leaflet and think the booklet making

:06:45. > :06:48.predictions for 2030 is crazy, when just like weather forecasters they

:06:49. > :06:59.cannot get their projections right for the next day? My honourable

:07:00. > :07:03.friend is a vigorous campaigner on these issues and he will be able to

:07:04. > :07:11.take part in a debate on the 9th of May. The interesting thing is, will

:07:12. > :07:19.be factors he has described have an impact on the poll he is describing?

:07:20. > :07:21.We have heard from the Shadow Leader of the House this morning that a

:07:22. > :07:26.British Airways computer system despite -- designed to stop the

:07:27. > :07:32.movement of terrorists crashed for 48 hours last year. I have also

:07:33. > :07:35.learned that an outsourcing programme at BA threatens 800

:07:36. > :07:41.skilled workers, skilled workers who are working to protect our country.

:07:42. > :07:45.May we therefore have a debate to discuss the role of outsourcing in

:07:46. > :07:49.this event and to stop BA from threatening our national security to

:07:50. > :07:53.save money? The Government takes our national security enormously

:07:54. > :07:57.importantly and of course, while the failure she talks about to Place,

:07:58. > :08:00.border control checks do and will always remain in place. Passports

:08:01. > :08:04.are checked when people arrive in this country and the new border

:08:05. > :08:08.system is mostly about trying to check people when they leave the

:08:09. > :08:18.country. It is something we hoped would happen many years ago but it

:08:19. > :08:22.never came to pass. Can we have a debate in Government time on the

:08:23. > :08:25.implications for the United Kingdom of the five presidents report on

:08:26. > :08:30.economic monetary union, because as my right honourable friend will be

:08:31. > :08:33.aware, under the guise of single market legislation, the proposals

:08:34. > :08:42.are to take Intel can signal, company law and is property rights,

:08:43. > :08:46.so don't we have a duty to talk about the consequences of remaining

:08:47. > :08:51.in the European Union? The five Presidents report is a major

:08:52. > :08:56.document which sets out the visions of the institution for the next ten

:08:57. > :09:00.years and it has and will provoke a lively debate about the future of

:09:01. > :09:04.this country and the European Union as a whole. If my honourable friend

:09:05. > :09:09.feels it is a matter that should be debated in this House, I would

:09:10. > :09:14.suggest, and I suspect they would be time available, and I would suggest

:09:15. > :09:21.a debate on the subject would attract widespread participation.

:09:22. > :09:24.Last week during prime ministers questions I raised a very serious

:09:25. > :09:30.issue of food banks increasing in the last year alone of 20% and this

:09:31. > :09:37.is precisely due to benefit delays and even more criminally benefit

:09:38. > :09:41.sanctions. One person had been sanctioned for three whole years.

:09:42. > :09:44.The reply I got from the Leader of the House was, this could only

:09:45. > :09:49.happen if three reasonable job offers had been turned down so I

:09:50. > :09:54.want to return to this issue to answer a question. Paul was on ?36 a

:09:55. > :09:59.week. He was on three sanctions you to not filling out his job log but

:10:00. > :10:04.correctly. He turned up ten minutes late due to problems getting a bus

:10:05. > :10:09.and thirdly, he was waiting for an hour at the Jobcentre which he had

:10:10. > :10:12.two expresses dissatisfaction for. Living on ?36 a week for three whole

:10:13. > :10:17.years, I would like them to consider as a matter of urgency a debate on

:10:18. > :10:20.the sanctions on an increasing number of people are having to

:10:21. > :10:26.depend on the Sanctuary -- the charity of others.

:10:27. > :10:32.I suggest the honourable gentleman looks at the circumstances of the

:10:33. > :10:37.case closely because I produced the sanction and it was a judge is for

:10:38. > :10:40.people who are on three separate occasions turned only reasonable job

:10:41. > :10:43.offer, people who refused to work, and it remains my view that people

:10:44. > :10:46.who refuse to work and refuse to work again and again should not be

:10:47. > :10:50.entitled to carry on receiving support from the benefit system.

:10:51. > :10:56.Last week in the excellent news, really welcome news that my

:10:57. > :10:59.honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and safeguard

:11:00. > :11:06.the qualifications and teaching of community language. Gujarati,

:11:07. > :11:14.Bengali, who do, Japanese, Arabic, modern Greek, modern Hebrew,

:11:15. > :11:17.Portuguese and Turkish. That means we have safeguarded the

:11:18. > :11:21.qualifications and the teachings of these vital languages in the modern

:11:22. > :11:26.world so that everyone can communicate. Unfortunately, the

:11:27. > :11:30.Secretary of State was not able at Questions this week to regale the

:11:31. > :11:33.good news and I don't think something like this should be left

:11:34. > :11:36.to wither on the vine so surely we should have a statement on this

:11:37. > :11:42.position so that we can actually make sure that everyone understands

:11:43. > :11:45.that from 2018, these languages are safeguarded our education system. Of

:11:46. > :11:49.course this is enormously important and why we have the benefit of this

:11:50. > :11:53.country and the news we had to an international language and English,

:11:54. > :11:58.it is right and proper that as a cosmopolitan society we champion

:11:59. > :12:01.languages that not only preserve the communities that live here but also

:12:02. > :12:04.open enormous opportunities for Britain around the world saw my

:12:05. > :12:08.honourable friend makes an important point and I have no doubt she will

:12:09. > :12:12.look into the different channels available to him to make sure these

:12:13. > :12:21.matters are debated a lot more in this House. Last week I spoke in the

:12:22. > :12:24.introduction of the national living wage debate to highlight the

:12:25. > :12:29.injustice of the decision to deny the living wage to under 25 is. A

:12:30. > :12:35.young person could start work at 18 and be in a role for seven years

:12:36. > :12:37.before being paid the same as their older and potentially less

:12:38. > :12:43.experienced colleagues. Can we give members the time to write this wrong

:12:44. > :12:50.and extend a living wage to people under 25? It was the policy of this

:12:51. > :12:54.Government and previous Government to differentiate between older and

:12:55. > :12:58.younger workers precisely because when a young worker enters the

:12:59. > :13:02.workplace, the employer is making an investment decision as well as a

:13:03. > :13:12.recruitment decision. The employer takes responsibility for training

:13:13. > :13:15.and developing that worker. Many young people who start on the

:13:16. > :13:19.national living which will live on through success either in their own

:13:20. > :13:22.workplace or moving to another job to move up the pace skill but I

:13:23. > :13:30.think it is important to do everything we can to incentivise

:13:31. > :13:36.employers to take on young people. As we're talking about the dodgy

:13:37. > :13:42.behaviour of PCC candidates, a number of folks standing for

:13:43. > :13:45.election next week are previous coppers who are trading on the

:13:46. > :13:49.record as police officers. Does he agree with me that they should bring

:13:50. > :13:53.forward proposals to make sure that those standing to be PCC makes their

:13:54. > :13:59.police service records available for scrutiny? My honourable friend makes

:14:00. > :14:04.an important point, I am aware of allegations around the Labour PCC

:14:05. > :14:08.candidate in Humberside. It is absolutely the case that if the

:14:09. > :14:12.story alleged is true, he is unfit for public office and it is a matter

:14:13. > :14:19.of public interest that the two should be known before election day.

:14:20. > :14:25.Back in 1847 when Lord John Russell was Prime Minister, our taxi

:14:26. > :14:29.licensing laws were developed. We now have a problem in the North West

:14:30. > :14:34.of England where one particular local authority is handing out

:14:35. > :14:38.Hackney taxi licences like sweeties. The problem we've got is that once

:14:39. > :14:44.you have a hackney license, you can operate as a private hire a anywhere

:14:45. > :14:48.in the country so there are no taxis on this local authority operating as

:14:49. > :14:52.far afield as Bristol without appropriate checks and balances so

:14:53. > :14:57.can we have an urgent debate on how we bring up to date our taxi

:14:58. > :15:02.licensing regime? The honourable gentleman makes a good point and I

:15:03. > :15:06.was not aware of the situation. I will make sure that as John to the

:15:07. > :15:15.attention of the Secretary of State who was also unaware I'm sure I will

:15:16. > :15:17.look at the matter seriously. The Secretary of State for communities

:15:18. > :15:19.and local Government has threatened to introduce legislation which would

:15:20. > :15:26.make it illegal for those in my constituency to charge on Government

:15:27. > :15:33.and organise sporting event which attracts the few hundred people to a

:15:34. > :15:37.small part every weekend. I think it is a tad hypocritical. Could I ask

:15:38. > :15:41.my honourable friend if we can have a debate on the power of local

:15:42. > :15:46.councils the freedom to charge organisers who run sporting events

:15:47. > :15:49.in their parks? I am not aware of the proposal my honourable friend

:15:50. > :15:54.refers to it but I understand his concern and I can see why he would

:15:55. > :15:58.raise this as a matter of importance in the House today. What I would say

:15:59. > :16:01.to him is that I will draw that to the Secretary of State. Clearly we

:16:02. > :16:06.want to encourage local authorities to support and develop and underpin

:16:07. > :16:09.events like this that bring communities together. He makes an

:16:10. > :16:14.important point about his own constituency. I'll make sure we get

:16:15. > :16:20.the proper response for you. This week seen a dispute between the

:16:21. > :16:26.other place in this chamber and instead of leading to accompanied

:16:27. > :16:30.refugee children being allowed in, it will lead to more cronies in the

:16:31. > :16:33.House of Lords. The leader said there is no appetite for proper

:16:34. > :16:36.reform. I would like to ask him to make a statement, asking when is the

:16:37. > :16:41.public appetite for even more cronies and donors in the 800 that

:16:42. > :16:47.exist at present and where does the manifesto commitment to continue

:16:48. > :16:48.stuffing that other place? I do think the honourable gentleman and

:16:49. > :16:55.his colleagues opposite insult many of the very deserving and very

:16:56. > :17:00.effective people operating the other place, people who represent the

:17:01. > :17:02.disability lobby who have serious disabilities themselves, people who

:17:03. > :17:09.represent the arts world who have long track record in the arts,

:17:10. > :17:12.people from the business world. I think the expertise and the other

:17:13. > :17:15.place brings something significant to our parliamentary system even

:17:16. > :17:24.though sometimes the two houses disagree over issues are weak -- as

:17:25. > :17:33.we are currently. Given the delays my constituents have faced in reform

:17:34. > :17:36.payments, could we have a debate on farmers whose land crosses the

:17:37. > :17:39.English and Welsh borders and Scottish and English borderers who

:17:40. > :17:47.always appear to be at the back of the queue? This of course remains an

:17:48. > :17:51.issue. I have spoken to the department about this and it is true

:17:52. > :17:55.across the country that the vast majority of payments have now been

:17:56. > :17:58.made but I hear the point my honourable friend makes an owl make

:17:59. > :18:01.sure the Secretary of State is aware of his concerns and she will be here

:18:02. > :18:07.next week and will be able to respond to him fully. The Leader of

:18:08. > :18:13.the House will be aware of the emerging crisis at the yards on the

:18:14. > :18:16.Clyde tasked with building the type 26 frigate. A late start of the

:18:17. > :18:22.project and uncertainty over the future workflow threatens hundreds

:18:23. > :18:25.of jobs at Govan in Scotstoun. Can we therefore have a debate on

:18:26. > :18:29.Government time to allow members of this House to discuss in depth the

:18:30. > :18:36.future of the Klein ship building industry -- Clyde, and give a voice

:18:37. > :18:42.to those workers and should of the future? The reason the Clyde

:18:43. > :18:46.shipbuilding industry has a strong future is twofold, firstly because

:18:47. > :18:48.they remain part of the United Kingdom and therefore benefit from

:18:49. > :18:51.the United Kingdom's defence spending and the second is because

:18:52. > :18:55.this Government has committed to the 2% spending level is part of our

:18:56. > :18:59.commitment to Nato. If those things were not happening, of course the

:19:00. > :19:03.future would be much more uncertain but I'm convinced that the Clyde

:19:04. > :19:08.shipyards have a strong future. They are an essential part of and we need

:19:09. > :19:15.to make sure they continue to flourish. I have a statement about

:19:16. > :19:17.the treatment of Idaho is about politicians, petitions that

:19:18. > :19:20.attracted large number of signatures. As the leader knows,

:19:21. > :19:24.there's going to be a debate on the 9th of May about the petition to

:19:25. > :19:37.stop the Government spending sums of public money on pro Remain EU

:19:38. > :19:43.referendum. 2072 have so far signed as a few moments ago but that debate

:19:44. > :19:48.will be held in Westminster hall were no vote can be held. Should it

:19:49. > :19:55.not be a possibility for the backbench business committee to hold

:19:56. > :19:58.such debates in the main chamber because otherwise petitioners will

:19:59. > :20:05.be disappointed to find that although their concerns get debated,

:20:06. > :20:09.the House is unable to vote on them? My honourable friend makes an

:20:10. > :20:11.important point and not only on the subject, there are others, I do

:20:12. > :20:17.think I would encourage discourse between the two honourable members

:20:18. > :20:24.who cheer the business and backbench committees to see how well it

:20:25. > :20:26.petition reaches a certain level of public interest that the debate can

:20:27. > :20:31.be brought to the front of the House. Perhaps I can see from the

:20:32. > :20:34.chair, I think that would be a very good thing. I wouldn't dream of

:20:35. > :20:40.taking sides on the issues but in terms of the link dream Parliament

:20:41. > :20:45.and the people, I think it is very important that it be not just

:20:46. > :20:49.tangible but meaningful and a little scope for progress there so I very

:20:50. > :20:57.much appreciate what the Leader of the House has said. On that topic of

:20:58. > :21:02.democracy and having votes, the House divided last week on a motion

:21:03. > :21:05.to ask the UK Government to bring to the UN security council the issue of

:21:06. > :21:14.genocide against Christians, Yazidis and other people. The House 4278

:21:15. > :21:17.votes to zero. What the House do to bring the Government to account to

:21:18. > :21:20.make sure that it respects the democracy of this place and do what

:21:21. > :21:25.it has been asked to do and make sure that we take crimes against the

:21:26. > :21:31.people in these countries to the UN Security Council as major action is

:21:32. > :21:35.taken? The Government's position as one of shock, horror and

:21:36. > :21:39.condemnation about what has taken place, that is an unreserved

:21:40. > :21:42.statement, and I know that my honourable friend the Foreign

:21:43. > :21:45.Secretary is taking careful note of the view of the House as expressed

:21:46. > :21:52.in the debate that the honourable gentleman refers to. I recently had

:21:53. > :21:54.cause to write to the president of the European Commission asking him

:21:55. > :21:59.to clarify the role his commission is playing in her EU referendum. I

:22:00. > :22:04.have had no answer but given the fact that the commission spent ?560

:22:05. > :22:10.million directly promoting itself in 2014, that the commission interfered

:22:11. > :22:16.in the Irish referendum in 2009, could we have a statement from the

:22:17. > :22:20.Government as to whether it believes EU interviewers in this referendum

:22:21. > :22:25.as well, not? As I understand, it has no powers to prevent the EU

:22:26. > :22:30.being an unwelcome active participant in our democratic

:22:31. > :22:33.process. I can confirm that that is the case. However, I'm sure there

:22:34. > :22:37.will be different opinions in this House as to whether such an

:22:38. > :22:44.intervention would be helpful or unhelpful to either side of the

:22:45. > :22:49.argument. The minister who spoke from that dispatch box less than a

:22:50. > :22:56.year ago is now employed by industry in China, presumably using his

:22:57. > :23:03.insider knowledge with firms that bring competition with British

:23:04. > :23:07.industries. 70% of former civil servants on income tax are now

:23:08. > :23:18.working in the retirement tax avoidance industry, there should be

:23:19. > :23:27.a fierce, Rottweiler watchdog but there is nothing but a poodle

:23:28. > :23:37.without teeth or clause, Bart -- bark or bite and it is useless. Tell

:23:38. > :23:41.us what you really think! I'm not sure if my memory is correct but if

:23:42. > :23:45.I remember rightly, the committee to which she referred was set up by the

:23:46. > :23:49.party of which she is a part and I would remind him that it was a

:23:50. > :23:52.senior member of his own party who describe themselves after leaving

:23:53. > :24:05.office and well in pursuit of commercial opportunities as a taxi

:24:06. > :24:08.for hire. I visited the rugby junket is project in my constituency under

:24:09. > :24:14.the inspirational dealership of Annette Callier for amazing young

:24:15. > :24:18.people who play a part in the care of family members so I was concerned

:24:19. > :24:23.to hear that Warwickshire Young carers Project will lose funding

:24:24. > :24:27.that affects those under 18 and it will have an effect in rugby. Can I

:24:28. > :24:31.ask for a debate in the importance of properly supporting these young

:24:32. > :24:36.people? My friend makes an important point. One of the most invisible

:24:37. > :24:42.drips of yours are our young carers. None of us understand it until we

:24:43. > :24:47.come across it, how a child can be a full-time carer for a parent. I have

:24:48. > :24:51.a young carers in my constituency which does enormously valuable work.

:24:52. > :24:55.His grip plays an important role clearly and I'm sure he will do

:24:56. > :24:57.everything he can to make sure its future is guaranteed because it is

:24:58. > :25:02.important to the communities represents.

:25:03. > :25:08.I'm becoming increasingly concerned about the discriminatory language

:25:09. > :25:13.that has been used in the chamber recently the Education Secretary

:25:14. > :25:18.called the opposition death, using deafness as a pejorative term, which

:25:19. > :25:21.I think is unacceptable. The Prime Minister used the term pond see,

:25:22. > :25:25.which many people think is homophobic. I wonder if we could

:25:26. > :25:33.have a statement about the language that we use in this chamber. Mr

:25:34. > :25:36.Speaker, I think people here in words what they want to hear but the

:25:37. > :25:43.one thing I would say is that nobody could accuse the pie Minister of

:25:44. > :25:45.homophobia. The man who bought this House and saw through same-sex

:25:46. > :25:51.marriage is not somebody who could ever be described as homophobic. We

:25:52. > :25:57.know that there has been a very thorough committee meeting on the UK

:25:58. > :26:01.steel industry but will be Leader of the House organised a statement to

:26:02. > :26:05.be put out next week so that all members are able to put questions to

:26:06. > :26:11.ministers on behalf of our steel towns, because it is very important

:26:12. > :26:14.that both we and our constituents know exactly what is happening and

:26:15. > :26:24.what process -- progress is being made to secure the industry? All of

:26:25. > :26:27.those who represent steel towns have done a great job in recent weeks to

:26:28. > :26:32.remind us of the importance of that industry and I commend them for

:26:33. > :26:36.that. I can lay on just such an opportunity because next week is the

:26:37. > :26:40.Business Secretary them skills questions and he will be -- he will

:26:41. > :26:46.be able to put it to the Secretary of State then. Heart of the press

:26:47. > :26:50.this morning is early day motion 1432 which backs up the bill I

:26:51. > :26:55.produced on Tuesday to abolish hereditary peers rights to vote and

:26:56. > :26:58.speak in the House of Lords. Given that there are now the same number

:26:59. > :27:01.of members on the front bench of the Government as they were voting in

:27:02. > :27:08.the election of hereditary peers last week, is there not -- is it not

:27:09. > :27:15.time we had a debate to and this farcical process? The party opposite

:27:16. > :27:21.was endowment for 13 years but didn't address the issue they are

:27:22. > :27:23.calling for change on. We all admit that there is something curiously

:27:24. > :27:29.quaint about the Liberal Democrat electorate of three and one has to

:27:30. > :27:34.cut them a bit of slack because there are so few of them these days,

:27:35. > :27:38.but my view is that there are pressing issues facing this country

:27:39. > :27:45.and probably dealing with three people is not top of them. Can I ask

:27:46. > :27:50.the Leader of the House if we can have a debate on the London licensed

:27:51. > :27:53.taxi trade? My black cab drivers in my constituency offer a lots more to

:27:54. > :28:02.London and their community than Uber does. Mr Speaker, my honourable

:28:03. > :28:05.friend makes an important point and in the free market, London taxi

:28:06. > :28:08.drivers do face challenges, but I believe they are the best in the

:28:09. > :28:13.world. I believe they bring something of immense value to our

:28:14. > :28:16.city and I don't believe anything that any of us in politics, either

:28:17. > :28:22.at this level or at the London level, would wish to jeopardise

:28:23. > :28:27.that. Because of statements made in the back page business debate a

:28:28. > :28:33.couple of weeks ago in this House, I presume the Government will see for

:28:34. > :28:38.security review the Chilcott report last week. Can the Leader of the

:28:39. > :28:42.House are daters when we can expect a debate in the House? I am aware

:28:43. > :28:46.that it is now going through what I hope are the final processes before

:28:47. > :28:49.publication and I have said to this House before there is not a person

:28:50. > :28:52.on our side of the House who would not wish to see that report out and

:28:53. > :28:57.published. We were not in power at the time so the issues in their do

:28:58. > :29:00.not affect us. We want to see the truth out there and we want to learn

:29:01. > :29:10.lessons about the Chilcott process in the event of this other having to

:29:11. > :29:16.happen again. Could we have a debate on making it easier for metropolitan

:29:17. > :29:20.councils to switch to all-out elections or elections by halves,

:29:21. > :29:26.said that councils like Dudley can cut the cost of local politics but

:29:27. > :29:29.Mr Speaker, it is of course an important issue. They have the

:29:30. > :29:35.bleeding to do that. It is a matter for local councils as to whether

:29:36. > :29:39.they have elections in thirds, hard or individually and my personal view

:29:40. > :29:43.is that it is a real hike for a local council to do elections every

:29:44. > :29:52.year and I prefer all out elections by self but that is down to local

:29:53. > :29:55.decision-making. Every year on the Sunday closest to St George's Day

:29:56. > :30:02.Enfield Scouts and guides take part in St George 's date parades through

:30:03. > :30:07.Enfield town and I am normally there with them. It is a fantastic day. I

:30:08. > :30:13.want to pay to be to be Scouts and the guides but particularly to all

:30:14. > :30:16.the volunteer leaders who enable Scouts and guides to happen for our

:30:17. > :30:21.young people and what a good job they do. I am very concerned that

:30:22. > :30:26.with the cuts that the Government is passing down to local authorities,

:30:27. > :30:31.youth services are severely at risk and I would ask for a debate in

:30:32. > :30:37.Government time to consider this problem that is affecting our young

:30:38. > :30:41.people and their families. Mr Speaker, can I also pay tribute to

:30:42. > :30:45.the honourable lady for what she had said about anti-Semitism in her

:30:46. > :30:49.party. It brings credit to her as it does to the Shadow leader. Can I

:30:50. > :30:52.also say to her that I absolutely at tree with her on the role of the

:30:53. > :30:55.Scouts and guides but I would say that of course what they represent

:30:56. > :30:59.is the best of our voluntary sector and I think that sometimes we look

:31:00. > :31:03.to depend too much on the Government and public sector for the best work.

:31:04. > :31:06.That work is happening without any involvement of the Government and

:31:07. > :31:12.has done in the centuries since the Scouts and guides movement was

:31:13. > :31:17.formed and long may it continue. The Jewish immunity has a history with

:31:18. > :31:25.Scotland going beyond 200 years -- 's Jewish community, and I know

:31:26. > :31:28.members of this House will want to send a message that we value the

:31:29. > :31:33.contribution they have made not just in Scotland but across the United

:31:34. > :31:37.Kingdom. With that in mind and given events this week, can we have a

:31:38. > :31:42.debate on the valuable contribution that they have made to civil society

:31:43. > :31:45.in this country and, equally important, how we retard

:31:46. > :31:51.anti-Semitism in our political discourse in this country? The

:31:52. > :31:58.honourable gentleman makes a clearly important point and we have heard

:31:59. > :32:06.important contributions on that subject today. This is not just

:32:07. > :32:11.about anti-Semitism. It is about as phobia and prejudices against other

:32:12. > :32:15.groups in our society. There is no place in our society for racial

:32:16. > :32:21.prejudice. It has no place and we should unreservedly condemn it

:32:22. > :32:29.whenever we find it. I would like to ask if we could possibly in light of

:32:30. > :32:33.changes to the railways have a debate about how community groups,

:32:34. > :32:38.such as mining Berry, could lead to discuss how they can drive forward

:32:39. > :32:42.local ownership of railway assets that are to be disposed of so that

:32:43. > :32:46.local people get a say in what happens in their locality? This is

:32:47. > :32:51.actually a very important point and we have to be very careful about

:32:52. > :32:56.disposing of our assets for two reasons. One, as she has described,

:32:57. > :33:03.and the other because local authorities often have a vision to

:33:04. > :33:07.bring transport back into the locale and if that is sold off, that option

:33:08. > :33:12.is taken away. One of the things I am proud of is the reopening of

:33:13. > :33:16.railway lines and railway corridors of the last 15 years. You will be

:33:17. > :33:21.aware, Mr Speaker, that recently a new service was opened from Oxford

:33:22. > :33:24.to London Marylebone across lines which were previously disused and

:33:25. > :33:28.have been brought into operation again and Chiltern Railways. She

:33:29. > :33:31.makes an important point because had decisions being made to dispose of

:33:32. > :33:38.those facilities, that route would not have been possible. We'll ready

:33:39. > :33:41.see the reopening of the line from Cambridge, said she makes an

:33:42. > :33:46.important point about heroin constituency but it is applicable

:33:47. > :33:54.across the country. Last month in business questions I raised the

:33:55. > :33:58.point of Mike constituent -- of my constituency who took a drug which

:33:59. > :34:02.left her children with birth defects. I was advised to raise this

:34:03. > :34:07.at health questions but unfortunately I wasn't successful

:34:08. > :34:13.and I wonder if you have any advice for me on how I can raise the issue

:34:14. > :34:19.of this drug? The health minister has just arrived in the House, so

:34:20. > :34:23.that opportunity, and will probably have heard what she said, but I will

:34:24. > :34:27.raise this with the Department of Health for her at the end of this

:34:28. > :34:31.session and I will ask the appropriate minister to respond to

:34:32. > :34:38.her. She makes a good point and it is one we must be clear of. Many

:34:39. > :34:41.drugs make a difference to our society but when there are side

:34:42. > :34:47.effects like that that she refers to, we must be very careful I am

:34:48. > :34:57.most anxious that the Minister on the Treasury bench should have an

:34:58. > :35:01.opportunity to regain his breath. He is a very welcome arrival. He has

:35:02. > :35:07.just done the marathon. That might be why he is out of breath. Mr

:35:08. > :35:10.Speaker, could we have a debate to discuss the crazy situation I faced

:35:11. > :35:14.in Bexhill and Battle where our local authority has parking

:35:15. > :35:20.enforcement matters the responsibility of the police, who

:35:21. > :35:23.have stated that they can no log do this because they are required to

:35:24. > :35:28.look after policing matters. The local authority refused to take it

:35:29. > :35:32.on and this is driving our residents and business people absolutely mad.

:35:33. > :35:37.Could we have a debate about whether the men should step in and end this

:35:38. > :35:40.madness? Before I answer that, in relation to the arrival of my

:35:41. > :35:43.honourable friend for North East Bedfordshire, can I pay tribute to

:35:44. > :35:47.him but to all the members of the House he ran the marathon last

:35:48. > :35:57.weekend and emerged with medals around their neck, and in the past,

:35:58. > :36:04.but I'd like to focus on this year, please, and I commend all those who

:36:05. > :36:08.raised funds for charity, raised awareness of charities and they

:36:09. > :36:13.deserve a collective pat on the back from people of this House. What I

:36:14. > :36:17.would say from my honourable friend is that he is right. I can

:36:18. > :36:20.understand the frustration that local businesses have I would urge

:36:21. > :36:23.him to be double the on local authorities. If they have enough

:36:24. > :36:27.people coming behind him and what he wants to achieve, in the end, they

:36:28. > :36:31.will have to give way. I am grateful to the Leader of the House and I

:36:32. > :36:34.join him in congratulating the Minister on the front bench on

:36:35. > :36:40.running the marathon again and all other participants in the marathon.

:36:41. > :36:41.But the Leader of the House said is both right and greatly appreciated

:36:42. > :36:43.by colleagues.