26/05/2016

:00:00. > :00:00.resignation, but the four then he will continue to champion their

:00:00. > :00:08.interests and I'm sure the House supports him in doing so. Order.

:00:09. > :00:18.Statement, the Secretary of State for business, innovation and skills.

:00:19. > :00:23.-- Business, Innovation and Skills. I would like to make a statement on

:00:24. > :00:28.Britain's steel industry. Yesterday Tata Steel board met and reviewed

:00:29. > :00:34.progress in the sale of their UK steel-making assets. Ahead of that

:00:35. > :00:37.meeting our travel to India to discuss this with their leadership.

:00:38. > :00:44.I arrived in London a few hours ago. I use the opportunity to stress the

:00:45. > :00:49.importance of the strong and effective sales process that Tata

:00:50. > :00:52.have done so far. I raised issues that had been flagged to me by

:00:53. > :00:57.potential buyers, and reiterated the government's willingness to support

:00:58. > :01:02.orders who can deliver a sustainable and successful future for British

:01:03. > :01:06.steel making. Tata understandably wants the sales process to be as

:01:07. > :01:09.swift and straightforward as possible, however they assured me

:01:10. > :01:14.that they remain absolutely committed to being a responsible

:01:15. > :01:20.seller. There are number of credible bids on the table, all of which we

:01:21. > :01:23.discussed. Tata is now discussing the proposals closely before making

:01:24. > :01:27.a decision on which to take through to the next stage of the sales

:01:28. > :01:33.progress. We will be continuing our dialogue with bidders and Tata while

:01:34. > :01:38.this happens. This remains an independent commercial process. It

:01:39. > :01:44.is not the government was my job to choose a winner or back a specific

:01:45. > :01:47.bed. What we can do is listen to Tata, to the bidders, and work with

:01:48. > :01:52.everyone involved to remove potential barriers to a sale. For

:01:53. > :01:56.example today we are launching a consultation on options to deliver

:01:57. > :02:02.clarity and security for British Steel pension scheme members. This

:02:03. > :02:06.follows representations from the trustees of the scheme itself, and

:02:07. > :02:10.also from Tata. Let me take this opportunity to thank my right

:02:11. > :02:14.honourable friend the Secretary of State for work and pensions and his

:02:15. > :02:19.team for all the hard work and making this consultation happen. The

:02:20. > :02:23.House will appreciate that commercial confidentiality stops me

:02:24. > :02:29.from offering running commentary on the sales process itself. All the

:02:30. > :02:32.bidders have themselves signed a nondisclosure agreement. I will

:02:33. > :02:35.continue to update the House in progress whenever that is

:02:36. > :02:40.appropriate to do so, and will continue to work round-the-clock to

:02:41. > :02:44.support ready steel-making and steelworkers. That support has

:02:45. > :02:54.already seen tens of millions of pounds of compensation paid to

:02:55. > :02:59.energy intensive agencies. It is seen as -- we are the first

:03:00. > :03:04.government to make it easier for other companies to buy British

:03:05. > :03:09.Steel. It has seen a stand-up British Steel in Europe, calling for

:03:10. > :03:14.a ban on Chinese imports where there is evidence of unfair trade. At

:03:15. > :03:18.yesterday's demonstration by steelworkers, it reminded us that

:03:19. > :03:21.this is ultimately about people, about the hard-working men and women

:03:22. > :03:27.who make British Steel the best in the world. We owe it to them and

:03:28. > :03:32.their families and communities to do everything we can to secure the

:03:33. > :03:35.future of the industry, and that is why my colleague has been fighting

:03:36. > :03:40.for British Steel since long before the current crisis hit the

:03:41. > :03:47.headlines, which is why we will continue to fight for it but as long

:03:48. > :03:55.as it takes. We are very pleased to be supported by the First Minister

:03:56. > :04:03.of Wales. We're also receiving... By putting aside political point

:04:04. > :04:06.scoring, we're together securing a secure and safe future for British

:04:07. > :04:12.steel-making. I commend the statement to the House. Can I thank

:04:13. > :04:16.the right honourable gentleman for his statement and advanced sight of

:04:17. > :04:20.it. I am surprised that he has failed to mention any of the details

:04:21. > :04:27.of the consultation paper on pensions. This is published today. I

:04:28. > :04:33.agree with his assessment of the importance of the steel industry to

:04:34. > :04:37.the UK economy. No one who saw the steelworkers marched through London

:04:38. > :04:43.yesterday can felt to be moved by the sight of a dedicated unskilled

:04:44. > :04:48.workforce fighting for the industry. I welcome his trip to Mumbai along

:04:49. > :04:55.with the First Minister of Wales to meet with the Tata Borja study. His

:04:56. > :04:58.direct engagement with them is better late than never. I also

:04:59. > :05:03.welcome his confirmation that Tata are acting as a responsible seller.

:05:04. > :05:09.That is vital for the future of the industry here, and I commend them

:05:10. > :05:12.for it. The British Steel pension scheme, especially the liabilities

:05:13. > :05:19.it now brings with it, is clearly an issue that requires resolution. Any

:05:20. > :05:23.resolution must protect the pensions of the scheme's 130,000

:05:24. > :05:30.beneficiaries, but it must also ensure that it avoids setting a

:05:31. > :05:34.potentially dangerous precedent for the millions of other occupational

:05:35. > :05:42.pensioners who currently enjoy RBI indexation rights. I recognise that

:05:43. > :05:45.there are no easy options. I welcome the consultation which has been

:05:46. > :05:51.published today by the Department for work and, at the time frame for

:05:52. > :05:57.responses is very short. This document has been published on the

:05:58. > :06:04.last day before a recess. The suggested move from RBI to CPI for

:06:05. > :06:07.the British steel pension scheme risks setting a worrying precedent

:06:08. > :06:13.for other occupational schemes. The House will know that this change is

:06:14. > :06:17.currently illegal. Why has the Secretary of State said nothing

:06:18. > :06:22.about the details of the pension consultation that he has published

:06:23. > :06:26.today? Can he now say a little more? Is there a agreement across the

:06:27. > :06:31.government on the principle of the changes to section 67 and 68 of the

:06:32. > :06:38.1995 act which would reduce indexation from RBI to CPI in this

:06:39. > :06:41.particular scheme? What assurance can the Secretary of State give me

:06:42. > :06:46.that this proposed change will not be extended in the future to other

:06:47. > :06:52.occupational schemes? Can this change be sensibly and safely ring

:06:53. > :06:57.fenced quest Mark if not, it is very difficult. What guarantees can the

:06:58. > :07:00.Secretary of State give the House on the future management of the British

:07:01. > :07:05.Steel pension scheme, if such concessions limiting future benefits

:07:06. > :07:07.to pensioners are conceded now, especially on the administrative

:07:08. > :07:14.costs under charges of the scheme going forward? Are there any other

:07:15. > :07:17.options that were considered either Secretary of State but not included

:07:18. > :07:22.in the consultation, such as safeguarding the scheme on the

:07:23. > :07:28.public books, as has been done with the postal scheme and was done with

:07:29. > :07:34.the Mineworkers? Finally, has the Secretary of State considered the

:07:35. > :07:42.effect on the incentive to save for the wider workforce if accrued

:07:43. > :07:49.pension rights can be arbitrarily reduced, as the paper suggests?

:07:50. > :07:55.First, let me thank her for her comments and questions. She raised

:07:56. > :08:01.the demonstration that took place yesterday and she is right that it

:08:02. > :08:05.is all about people. I was pleased to note that the Business Minister

:08:06. > :08:10.attended that demonstration alongside the Leader of the

:08:11. > :08:17.Opposition, they are united in this cause to find a long-term solution.

:08:18. > :08:24.The right honourable lady focused questions on pensions, and I will

:08:25. > :08:28.answer as many as those as I can. She is a former pensions minister

:08:29. > :08:32.herself and I take very seriously what she has to say. She has a great

:08:33. > :08:37.deal of experience in this area. While the consultation continues, I

:08:38. > :08:42.would be more than pleased to sit down with her to discuss things in

:08:43. > :08:48.more detail, as I know them work and pension secretary will also be. She

:08:49. > :08:53.raised the issue of time. It is a four-week consultation, as I think

:08:54. > :09:02.she knows, but time is of the essence. The steel industry is in a

:09:03. > :09:07.very difficult state at the moment. Tata is looking to secure a sale as

:09:08. > :09:11.soon as possible. They have been responsible with the time frame so

:09:12. > :09:17.far, but I hope she understands that timing is important, and hopefully

:09:18. > :09:20.we have plenty of time to consider all the stakeholders that have

:09:21. > :09:25.responded. Turning to the consultation itself, one of the

:09:26. > :09:29.first important points to make is that it is the scheme's trustees

:09:30. > :09:34.that have come forward and asked us to look at current legislation

:09:35. > :09:42.because they believe that it would lead to better outcomes for the

:09:43. > :09:49.investors. Under the current rules, they do have the ability to make all

:09:50. > :09:55.of the changes they have proposed, but they are prevented, rightly so,

:09:56. > :09:59.by legislation, the 1995 pensions act, and they have asked us if we

:10:00. > :10:01.would consider removing that portion of the act in the case of beer

:10:02. > :10:19.scheme only. -- their scheme only. The scheme is in deficit so it is

:10:20. > :10:22.very unlikely that any situation can come about where, unless some of

:10:23. > :10:28.these changes are made, this scheme can be prevented from entering the

:10:29. > :10:34.PPF. That is not to say there is any issue with the PPF. It is one of the

:10:35. > :10:37.strongest brands of our pension system and envied around the world

:10:38. > :10:42.and it provides an excellent safety net to so many people. At the scheme

:10:43. > :10:45.trustees have put forward this proposal and it is only right that

:10:46. > :10:52.we consider it. I won't go into the details about how, if their proposal

:10:53. > :10:55.was taken forward, how it would affect certain members, but I think

:10:56. > :11:00.it is very important to emphasise that if this proposal happened, it

:11:01. > :11:02.wouldn't be the Government making changes, it would be something the

:11:03. > :11:07.scheme would want to do because it believes it would mean that in

:11:08. > :11:12.almost every case, that their members would be either better off

:11:13. > :11:17.or no worse off. That is their belief and it would be tested by the

:11:18. > :11:20.pensions regulator. Lastly on the pension, I think it is with also

:11:21. > :11:26.highlighting that the Government has not made any decision, it is rightly

:11:27. > :11:30.considering what the pension trustees have come up with as a

:11:31. > :11:33.proposal and I think it is absolutely right to consider this

:11:34. > :11:39.and consult widely and then for the Government to determine later on if

:11:40. > :11:43.it is the right thing to do. Can I welcome the Secretary of State's

:11:44. > :11:52.statement about the possibility of Tata Steel being bought and carrying

:11:53. > :11:55.on as a business. This is very similar to... Which has just closed

:11:56. > :12:00.down in my constituency. There are people looking to keep it running

:12:01. > :12:05.and keep the 320 people employed. Could I have an urgent meeting with

:12:06. > :12:17.the Secretary of State to discuss this? I would be very happy to meet.

:12:18. > :12:24.I thank the Secretary of State for advanced side of his statement. This

:12:25. > :12:28.is an incredibly sensitive issue and it must be handled with extreme care

:12:29. > :12:33.and that is why I am disappointed there was not more detail in this

:12:34. > :12:37.statement today. It begs more questions than answers. We wish to

:12:38. > :12:42.see the Government act where it can and as quickly as it can, to support

:12:43. > :12:48.and save the UK steel industry and as said on so many occasions in this

:12:49. > :12:51.House, we are keen to support steel community is represented across this

:12:52. > :12:56.House. As the Shadow Secretary of State says, we are concerned this

:12:57. > :13:05.could upset a dangerous precedent, undermine workplace pensions. The

:13:06. > :13:08.general secretary of community said this morning, we are not taking

:13:09. > :13:13.anything off the table but it is important that any change in law to

:13:14. > :13:17.change Steelworkers's pensions will not have an adverse impact on other

:13:18. > :13:22.pension schemes. Mark Turner of Unite has made comments this

:13:23. > :13:26.morning. That is why it would be inappropriate for the UK Government

:13:27. > :13:30.to push this through without further consideration. Could the Minister

:13:31. > :13:36.advise what discussions he has had, how will the scheme work? How will

:13:37. > :13:40.pensioners currently in the scheme be affected? Will there be a

:13:41. > :13:43.disadvantage for future scheme members? Will he commit to set aside

:13:44. > :13:47.more time in this House so all of these issues can be teased out and

:13:48. > :13:57.discussed to support the industry but also insure there are no wider

:13:58. > :14:04.unintended consequences? He quoted the leader of the community union

:14:05. > :14:08.and I think Roy is right. We need to tread carefully and this is a very

:14:09. > :14:12.important issue and he is right, that we should not set any

:14:13. > :14:16.precedents where the House may come to regret them later. At the same

:14:17. > :14:22.time, I think it is also right that we listen to the trustees and indeed

:14:23. > :14:26.the unions and Tata itself, about this proposal and we consider it

:14:27. > :14:30.very carefully indeed. I am sure the House will have more time to look at

:14:31. > :14:37.this in more detail. There is a lot more information. I understand you

:14:38. > :14:40.might not have had enough time to look at it just yet but I believe

:14:41. > :14:45.the consultation will give us the time that we need to look at this

:14:46. > :14:49.carefully. May I commend the Secretary of State for what he's

:14:50. > :14:54.doing to try to save this industry. I say this other pension fund holder

:14:55. > :14:59.myself, but I am slightly concerned by these proposals and I hope we

:15:00. > :15:04.would proceed with great caution and with thoughtful those likely to be

:15:05. > :15:09.series the affected by it. Can I thank my honourable friend for his

:15:10. > :15:13.comments. I think there will be many members of this scheme that may well

:15:14. > :15:16.be concerned and that is why it is absolutely right they have full

:15:17. > :15:22.information, both in terms of the consultation, I understand the

:15:23. > :15:26.chairman of the trustees today has welcomed the Government's move on

:15:27. > :15:33.this but at the same time, he said the trustees themselves were right

:15:34. > :15:37.to... Members. I know this is all about getting the best outcome for

:15:38. > :15:42.the members but also sustaining the long-term future of our great steel

:15:43. > :15:46.industry. I welcome the Work and Pensions Secretary's rhetoric in the

:15:47. > :15:49.written statement today that Britain's steel industry is part of

:15:50. > :15:54.our economy and this Government is working to help the industry. May I

:15:55. > :15:59.push the Business Secretary on the risks that steps taken could set at

:16:00. > :16:02.dangerous precedent whereby companies abdicate their

:16:03. > :16:06.responsibility to the members of their pension schemes. Is this deal

:16:07. > :16:14.purely for steel or is the Government extending it to

:16:15. > :16:16.strategically important sectors of the community, of industries

:16:17. > :16:28.identified to be of crucial importance to the UK? I mention the

:16:29. > :16:33.Royal Mail scheme. Wright can I welcome those comments. There is no

:16:34. > :16:37.deal and no preferred option. This is a very open consultation. There

:16:38. > :16:41.are a number of options the Government is looking at. No

:16:42. > :16:48.decision has been made. We are very weary of setting a precedent -- we

:16:49. > :16:56.are very wary. This is very much about this scheme only. As ministers

:16:57. > :17:01.know, on our recent visit with the Business Minister to the Tata site

:17:02. > :17:04.in Corby, we had a good discussion about the future of the site and we

:17:05. > :17:10.heard about what was required in terms of time and investment needed

:17:11. > :17:15.to see the plan through. As part of his discussion, not only with

:17:16. > :17:18.potential buyers but also in Mumbai, has the Secretary of State had any

:17:19. > :17:25.indication that sort of investment we desperately need in Corby will be

:17:26. > :17:30.forthcoming? My honourable friend asks a good question and of course,

:17:31. > :17:35.he is rightly concerned about Corby, his constituency, the operations

:17:36. > :17:38.Tata Steel have there. There is a lot in this process that is

:17:39. > :17:43.commercially sensitive and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to

:17:44. > :17:47.discuss it in public. But there are seven bidders that have already come

:17:48. > :17:52.forward. A number of them have put forward in much more detail, serious

:17:53. > :17:57.bids and Tata are considering those. Many of them include a future for

:17:58. > :18:05.all the operations that Tata currently have. While the House is

:18:06. > :18:10.naturally concentrating on steel jobs and steel pensions, the

:18:11. > :18:14.Secretary of State must be aware there are thousands of other schemes

:18:15. > :18:27.covering millions and millions of members, whose schemes are

:18:28. > :18:35.equally... Difficult placed at the current time. Might I make a plea,

:18:36. > :18:39.that when we return from this short break, we have an opportunity to

:18:40. > :18:44.discuss what will be the longer term repercussions of the announcement he

:18:45. > :18:49.has made today so there can be a feeling of the House on what the

:18:50. > :18:54.next moves might be to defend what has been one of the great successes

:18:55. > :19:01.the welfare state occupational pensions. I would listen carefully

:19:02. > :19:05.to what the chairman of the Select Committee for work and pensions has

:19:06. > :19:10.to say, particularly on this type of issue. I would be happy to meet and

:19:11. > :19:15.discuss this further. He makes an important point that this should be

:19:16. > :19:19.seen as a general look at pensions rules. We are lucky other country to

:19:20. > :19:26.have a robust pension system when things do go wrong. This is very

:19:27. > :19:32.much about this scheme and I would be happy to discuss it with him

:19:33. > :19:36.further. The Secretary of State's consultation present in important

:19:37. > :19:41.potential point of principle. Could you tell the House whether it alone,

:19:42. > :19:46.the change of indexation alone will put the fund into surplus, but if it

:19:47. > :19:51.is still in deficit after this change, is there not a future

:19:52. > :19:57.possibility, a PPF referral will mean a double whammy towards the

:19:58. > :20:02.workforce? What I can tell my honourable friend is that the

:20:03. > :20:06.pension trustees believe with their proposal, that it will move the

:20:07. > :20:09.scheme into surplus and make it stable. However, it is worth

:20:10. > :20:15.emphasising that the pension regulator would be very much

:20:16. > :20:18.involved if this did go ahead. Pension regulator would have to be

:20:19. > :20:25.satisfied with that and they would have to be a of safeguards also.

:20:26. > :20:31.There has been some speculation in the media that Tata Steel may in

:20:32. > :20:34.fact decide to retain the business. Could the Secretary of State

:20:35. > :20:37.explained if that were to happen, what role Tata Steel would play in

:20:38. > :20:44.this issue of dealing with the pension scheme? There is all sorts

:20:45. > :20:52.of a collision on this issue in the press but what I can tell you, a

:20:53. > :20:58.gentleman I note has been committed to this process. Tata remains

:20:59. > :21:03.focused and committed on the sales process. There are seven potential

:21:04. > :21:08.bidders, the next step is to narrow the field, which is important, so we

:21:09. > :21:13.can all focus on the most credible bids and the Government stands ready

:21:14. > :21:18.to work with those bidders. On both sides of the House, there is concern

:21:19. > :21:23.of what would happen if the pension scheme was changed for Tata Steel.

:21:24. > :21:29.Isn't the thing that would make the sale more attractive, is to go to

:21:30. > :21:34.the root of the problem, which is the dumping of Chinese steel? Why

:21:35. > :21:39.can't we followed the example of the President of the united States, who

:21:40. > :21:49.has just put on tariffs of 588% against Chinese steel? First of all,

:21:50. > :21:52.tariffs do have a role to play, whether there is evidence of unfair

:21:53. > :21:57.trade and the good news is, where that evidence has come up, working

:21:58. > :22:02.with our colleagues in the EU and his colleagues in the EU, we have

:22:03. > :22:08.been able to take action. In almost every case, where a tariff has been

:22:09. > :22:13.introduced, it has resulted in a fall in Chinese imports of almost

:22:14. > :22:19.90% and so, it shows us the process is affected. -- effective. My

:22:20. > :22:27.father-in-law is a British Steel pension holder, what do you believe

:22:28. > :22:33.would happen regarding recent deals if the pension has to be absorbed

:22:34. > :22:38.into the protection fund? How much money the Treasury's already made by

:22:39. > :22:47.taking over the miners's pension from receiving half the surpluses

:22:48. > :22:52.every year. What I can tell you, if this pension fund ended up in the

:22:53. > :22:54.PPF, the outcome would be different depending on the particular

:22:55. > :22:59.circumstances of that group of members. Where those members are

:23:00. > :23:03.existing pensioners, so receiving their pension already, typically,

:23:04. > :23:10.what would happen if they would continue to get 100% of their

:23:11. > :23:20.pension but the indexation would change to the statutory minimum,

:23:21. > :23:23.which is typically CPI. I know from my discussions with ministers about

:23:24. > :23:27.the future of the Scunthorpe works, they have been grappling with the

:23:28. > :23:31.issue of business rate support for the industry. Is the Minister able

:23:32. > :23:34.to advise and update us on any progress that has been made to

:23:35. > :23:41.additional relief that could be given? What I can tell him is that

:23:42. > :23:46.business rates, they are an important component of costs for

:23:47. > :23:49.many industries. The Government has already taken action so the last

:23:50. > :23:58.budget, we announced going forward, they would be index to CPI rather

:23:59. > :24:02.than RPI. Regarding steel, there are specific proposals and while we do

:24:03. > :24:09.keep things under review, we are very focused on other ways we can

:24:10. > :24:12.also help the industry. Can the Secretary of State tell the House

:24:13. > :24:16.whether he or the scheme trustees have had any preliminary discussions

:24:17. > :24:16.with the pensions regulator about this potentially very risky

:24:17. > :24:27.precedent setting proposal? I can tell her we have. I have the

:24:28. > :24:32.Secretary of State of Work and Pensions Azerbaijan we as other

:24:33. > :24:36.ministers and what it underlines in of these proposals wept ahead it

:24:37. > :24:44.would require the full support of pensions regulator.

:24:45. > :24:49.My right honourable friend referred to this about people. Can he update

:24:50. > :24:55.on what support is given to the steelworkers and the wider

:24:56. > :24:59.community? Mr Speaker, I think some of the best support we can provide

:25:00. > :25:03.is the confidence that we have given to the sales process to secure

:25:04. > :25:07.long-term future for Tata's asset, in the UK. My right honourable

:25:08. > :25:12.friend will know for example we have talked about helping with financing

:25:13. > :25:17.on commercial term, hundreds of millions of financing, including a

:25:18. > :25:24.potential equity investment of up to 25%.

:25:25. > :25:28.In Scotland, Tata plant in my constituency has already been sold

:25:29. > :25:32.on, but current and former steelworkers in Motherwell will

:25:33. > :25:37.rightly be concerned about their pensions now frozen in the scheme.

:25:38. > :25:43.Will the Secretary of State provide assurances as quick laze possible,

:25:44. > :25:50.to my constituents that their future pensions are secure? Mr Speaker, it

:25:51. > :25:54.is important the Hoyle knows that no pensions are frozen. Honourable

:25:55. > :25:59.lady. This scheme is working as it should, the reason this consultation

:26:00. > :26:03.has come about, is because as I have said, the scheme, the trustees

:26:04. > :26:08.believe this may lead to a better outColl for all members including

:26:09. > :26:10.her constituents. I welcome the Secretary of State's

:26:11. > :26:15.statement and I wonder what assurances he can give the House,

:26:16. > :26:19.that in his able work to ease the steel crisis, that the crucial

:26:20. > :26:25.principles of members always having the final say and employer pension

:26:26. > :26:30.promise, once made should always be delivered is protected? My right

:26:31. > :26:36.honourable friend is right to highlight that. Of course, we must

:26:37. > :26:41.maintain to everything, to maintain integrity in our pension system, in

:26:42. > :26:46.this particular case, I think what is important, is examining carefully

:26:47. > :26:50.the belief of the trustee, which is they believe that by exploring some

:26:51. > :26:57.alternatives laid out to datings it would be a better outcome than the

:26:58. > :27:03.alternative for members. Is the minister wear that the last

:27:04. > :27:10.Tory Government deal with the major occupational pension fund was the

:27:11. > :27:16.Major Government way back in 1994, when they privatised tall pits and

:27:17. > :27:23.they did a deal with the tested UDM in order to get the thing on the pen

:27:24. > :27:28.snund settled. The result was chaos. -- pension fund. The net result was

:27:29. > :27:34.even worse after that, because it meant that the Government was able

:27:35. > :27:39.to get its hands on billions of pounds from the miners' pension fund

:27:40. > :27:45.and then at the end, when me and my honourable friend were calling for a

:27:46. > :27:51.little bit of state aid to save the last remaining pits, this lousy

:27:52. > :27:58.rotten Tory Government wouldn't find a penny. I am not sure MrDeputy

:27:59. > :28:06.Speaker that has anything to do with today's statement.

:28:07. > :28:10.I know the Secretary of State and the Business Minister will do all

:28:11. > :28:14.they can to ensure as many jobs as possible and make sure that the

:28:15. > :28:19.pension scheme pays outs to as many as possible. Possible. Can he assure

:28:20. > :28:23.it it will be sustainable and we won't be back if two years' time

:28:24. > :28:35.having the same challenges in the steel industry? What I... Sorry.

:28:36. > :28:40.Thank you. I can assure my right honourable friend that first no deal

:28:41. > :28:43.has been done. Today is about this consultation is about exploring

:28:44. > :28:48.options that have been brought to us by the trustees. It is right we look

:28:49. > :28:51.at that, and further assurance, I can again tell my right honourable

:28:52. > :28:54.friend that the regulator would have to be involved as well as a number

:28:55. > :29:00.of other safeguards if we went ahead.

:29:01. > :29:03.I appreciate the timescale in this consultation has to be short but

:29:04. > :29:07.will the Government commit to publishing a full impact assessment

:29:08. > :29:10.of what it means for people. My constituents have suffered so much.

:29:11. > :29:14.If they get another kick like this it will be disgraceful. The

:29:15. > :29:20.Government has acted shamefully. Please look at what the impact of

:29:21. > :29:24.this will be. I have listened carefully to the

:29:25. > :29:26.honourable lady and I think there will be rightly be including her

:29:27. > :29:29.constituents many people that will want to know what kind of impact

:29:30. > :29:33.this could have. They would want to compare to it to the alternative as

:29:34. > :29:37.well, and judge for themselves, if they are better off with the

:29:38. > :29:41.proposal from the trustees. There is a lot more information the

:29:42. > :29:45.consultation document but I am sure there will be more available in the

:29:46. > :29:49.next few weeks. I would like to welcome the

:29:50. > :29:53.statement from my right honourable friend today, and that as these

:29:54. > :29:54.important discussion continue, I would like to ask for his assurance

:29:55. > :29:59.all the rest of work to support the all the rest of work to support the

:30:00. > :30:02.steel industry continues, and with that in mind, in particular, to

:30:03. > :30:07.congratulate him on his denouncement to roll out the guidance on

:30:08. > :30:11.procurement practise and ask what he is doing to ensure that UK steel

:30:12. > :30:15.companies are wear of bidding opportunities and they are in this

:30:16. > :30:18.the best place to win contract? Can I thank my right honourable friend

:30:19. > :30:26.for her comments and I can assure her we continue the rest of the work

:30:27. > :30:30.which began a long time ago, unfair trading, but of course on

:30:31. > :30:34.procurement as well. One of the streams is just that, as she

:30:35. > :30:39.suggested is making sure that our procurement pipeline, we have the

:30:40. > :30:48.biggest infrastructure pipeline of any Government that is well-known to

:30:49. > :30:55.all steel suppliers and producers. Angela Smith.

:30:56. > :30:59.Thank you MrDeputy Speaker. Look I acknowledge that the Secretary of

:31:00. > :31:02.State and the Business Minister have both visited Stocksbridge and they

:31:03. > :31:07.will understand now that the plant does make some of the very best

:31:08. > :31:12.steel in the world. On that basis it really is important that we do have

:31:13. > :31:16.a responsible buyer for the business, so can I ask for further

:31:17. > :31:21.details from the Secretary of State, of the timetable which is an

:31:22. > :31:26.indicator that Tata is committed to finding a responsible buyerer and

:31:27. > :31:30.how the pensions consultation timetable fits into this overall

:31:31. > :31:36.time table for the sale of the Tata UK holdings.

:31:37. > :31:39.First can I tell the honourable lady I joined my visit to Stocksbridge

:31:40. > :31:43.and I can see how strong a business that is and how valuable it is. I

:31:44. > :31:49.agree with her comments of the business. In terms of the timetable,

:31:50. > :31:51.one thing I did mention earlier Tata wants a swift process but they

:31:52. > :31:57.haven't set out a specific timetable, which is good. There is

:31:58. > :32:00.some flexibility in that. The pensions consultation, being a four

:32:01. > :32:06.week consultation, if the government were to take any of these proposals

:32:07. > :32:10.forward, it is going to be based on the evidence and the returns to the

:32:11. > :32:13.consultation, then we just want to make sure it is done as quickly as

:32:14. > :32:19.possible, so they can help themselves -- the sales process.

:32:20. > :32:22.I understand that there are a number of credible bidders in the sale

:32:23. > :32:26.process. I wonder if he could tell the House whether there are options

:32:27. > :32:30.for these bidders to work in partnership to help seek solution

:32:31. > :32:35.for the pension scheme and for the UK steel industry more widely? What

:32:36. > :32:46.I can tell my right honourable friend, sorry. MrDeputy Speaker...

:32:47. > :32:50.What I can tell my right honourable friend is that seven bidders have

:32:51. > :32:54.expressed interest so far, that field will be narrowed now, I can't

:32:55. > :32:59.tell him because I don't know at this stage to exactly how many, but

:33:00. > :33:03.where there are bidders, that may want to work together, I am sure,

:33:04. > :33:14.very confident that Tata will take that seriously.

:33:15. > :33:23.Can I ask the Secretary of State what... About protecting those steel

:33:24. > :33:29.makers and processes involved in the success programme such as Sheffield

:33:30. > :33:34.Forgemasters. These are important for the UK economy and ability to

:33:35. > :33:37.provide a nuclear deterrent. I can tell him there have been regular

:33:38. > :33:42.meetings with our colleagues in the Ministry of Defence and with those

:33:43. > :33:46.company, including Sheffield Forgemasters, specialise in some of

:33:47. > :33:51.the steel that is required for defence purposes, for example he

:33:52. > :33:54.will be pleased to know for the new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers

:33:55. > :33:59.that will use 95,000 tonnes of British Steel.

:34:00. > :34:02.While the words of support from the party opposite is welcome, I wonder

:34:03. > :34:07.if the Secretary of State has made an assessment of the impact of the

:34:08. > :34:10.climate change Levy, introduced by Gordon Brown has had on the steel

:34:11. > :34:14.industry and what steps the Government is taking to support

:34:15. > :34:22.other energy intensive injuries such as the China clay industry which is

:34:23. > :34:28.important to my constituency. What I can tell him, it is an

:34:29. > :34:33.important point. Energy costs are important for all energy, including

:34:34. > :34:36.steel, Sam minute Micks and other industry, we have introduced

:34:37. > :34:41.compensation for industry, and that is meant for the steel industry that

:34:42. > :34:46.saved 83 million already, including Tata Steel. Now we are move further

:34:47. > :34:50.to an exemption which by the end of thisle Parliament could say another

:34:51. > :34:57.400 million. As well as the march yesterday

:34:58. > :35:02.Nissan held an event in Parliament celebrating the excess lens of the

:35:03. > :35:07.supply chain which includes the zodiac line. In these difficult

:35:08. > :35:11.time, can the Secretary of State be specific about what ministers are

:35:12. > :35:19.doing, to ensure customer confidence is being maintained? Because I

:35:20. > :35:24.wasn't here I missed that exhibition but know the Business Minister

:35:25. > :35:29.attended that, and very much agrees with the sentiment about the

:35:30. > :35:33.importance of in particular zodiac line fourth for our automotive

:35:34. > :35:38.industry. We have been in touch with Nissan and auto producers and many

:35:39. > :35:42.other companies that rely on British Steel, particularly from Tata, as

:35:43. > :35:46.operations and making sure that they have confidence in this process, the

:35:47. > :35:52.sales process so they can be secured that that supplier will be there for

:35:53. > :35:55.the long-term. Could I thank the Secretary of State

:35:56. > :36:00.and the minister for all the work they continue do on this matter. Can

:36:01. > :36:04.I raise the question I raised last year about problems if with quality

:36:05. > :36:07.of import steel, particularly in the construction industry and what work

:36:08. > :36:14.the department is continuing to do on that. My right honourable friend

:36:15. > :36:18.is right to raise this issue. British Steel is known worldwide,

:36:19. > :36:22.not just at home, for its quality, and there have been cases where I

:36:23. > :36:26.think companies have come to regret some the steel they have imported,

:36:27. > :36:31.and I think it is important that the Government continues to play a role

:36:32. > :36:38.alongside the industry to highlight that. The Secretary of State speaks

:36:39. > :36:44.of urgency when it comes to the pension consultation but does he

:36:45. > :36:49.agree he acted with urgency years ago we wouldn't be in the situation

:36:50. > :36:54.we are now. The honourable lady is right to talk

:36:55. > :37:00.about urgency and that is why this Government is acting as quickly as

:37:01. > :37:03.it can, to be fair to the honourable lady she should speak perhaps to

:37:04. > :37:10.some of the leadership of her party and ask why in the last Parliament

:37:11. > :37:12.the Leader of the Opposition, the Shadow Chancellor, the then Shadow

:37:13. > :37:22.Business Secretary didn't raise the word steel once in the Commons.

:37:23. > :37:26.This is obviously to look at the pension fund but what any

:37:27. > :37:29.perspective change to pensions and legislation include a ballot of

:37:30. > :37:35.scheme member, so they can give their approval for any changes to

:37:36. > :37:39.that scheme? MrSpeaker, my right honourable friend asks a good

:37:40. > :37:44.question. It is worth highlighting in terms of the proposal from the

:37:45. > :37:48.trustee, under the scheme rule, as they currently exist, the trustees

:37:49. > :37:52.do have the right to make the changes they have proposed. What is

:37:53. > :37:56.preventing them is legislation, but I think when the scheme trusteeings

:37:57. > :38:00.discuss this and communicate with members, it is important they

:38:01. > :38:07.provide full information and that is done.

:38:08. > :38:11.The Secretary of State mentioned the First Minister and trade unions and

:38:12. > :38:15.Plaid Cymru's support for the steel industry and we did propose some

:38:16. > :38:23.practical and detailed measures which would have supported the steel

:38:24. > :38:30.industry. However, would he accept that our supporter -- support is not

:38:31. > :38:34.affecting the pensions of current steel workers and of steel

:38:35. > :38:38.pensioners. I can tell the honourable gentleman

:38:39. > :38:41.that if these proposals that are in the consultation f they don't go

:38:42. > :38:44.ahead and I say still it is important the highlight the

:38:45. > :38:49.Government has not made a decision on this, it is very very likely that

:38:50. > :38:54.the scheme will end up in the Pension Protection Fund, because of

:38:55. > :38:57.the size of its deficit. So what I would urge the honourable gentleman

:38:58. > :39:01.in making that determination, we would be happy to speak to him

:39:02. > :39:04.further and discuss this in more detail. When he makes his

:39:05. > :39:12.determination he keeps in mind what the altentive might be.

:39:13. > :39:14.Thank you MrDeputy Speaker. I welcome the minister's statement

:39:15. > :39:20.today and the action so far that have been taken. He will be wear

:39:21. > :39:27.this isn't the only industry where pensions are being debated such as

:39:28. > :39:33.in terms of BHS. Would he confirm this is only being considered due to

:39:34. > :39:40.the desperate need to save jobs in the steel industry and any move

:39:41. > :39:45.would be to this company. As I say Mr Deputy Speaker, first he

:39:46. > :39:55.makes an important point. We have excellent protection for

:39:56. > :39:58.pensions in this country but we can all agree is is a very unique

:39:59. > :40:01.situation. When the government said we will look at all options, it is

:40:02. > :40:22.right we have this consultation today. The Secretary of State said

:40:23. > :40:34.that... There are lessons to be will learn from the minors. It was

:40:35. > :40:43.estimated that the Treasury would get ?2 billion, but they are going

:40:44. > :40:48.to get ?8 billion. I can reassure the honourable gentleman but those

:40:49. > :40:52.kinds of options that he has referred to are not being looked at.

:40:53. > :40:54.We are specifically looking at something very clear in this

:40:55. > :41:05.consultation document specifically regarding this game. -- this scheme.

:41:06. > :41:16.Thousands of members of the pension scheme are from the old Rando

:41:17. > :41:22.steelworks in my constituency. One of the obstacles to securing a buyer

:41:23. > :41:27.for the works has been the withdrawal of trade credit insurance

:41:28. > :41:30.over recent weeks. Will the Secretary of State do whatever he

:41:31. > :41:36.can to make sure that appropriate guarantees are available? My

:41:37. > :41:43.honourable friend is absolutely right to raise this. The provisional

:41:44. > :41:50.trade is a commercial matter the Tata but I'm confident that they can

:41:51. > :41:57.identify solutions but we are monitoring the situation closely. I

:41:58. > :42:00.welcome his reassurance that Tata remain committed to being

:42:01. > :42:07.responsible seller. Can he confirmed that Tata have a possibilities in

:42:08. > :42:15.reference to the pension scheme, and we will make sure that Tata develop

:42:16. > :42:18.did -- deliver those responsibilities so that no

:42:19. > :42:23.pensioner is worse off after this process has been completed? The

:42:24. > :42:30.honourable gentleman will no doubt first of all he is right to say that

:42:31. > :42:33.the scheme's sponsor Tata UK have response ability to the pension

:42:34. > :42:39.scheme. The reality is that the scheme is in deficit, depending on

:42:40. > :42:43.how you measure it. Anything from 700 million to 1.5 billion, perhaps

:42:44. > :42:47.even higher. And it is well understood that because of the

:42:48. > :42:52.financial troubles of his company, they are not able to that deficit.

:42:53. > :42:56.That is why the scheme's trustees have come forward with this proposal

:42:57. > :43:01.and I hope the honourable gentleman agrees with me that whilst we should

:43:02. > :43:08.not rush to decision, it is right that we consider it. Would he like

:43:09. > :43:11.to draw the House's attention to the paragraphs in his consultation that

:43:12. > :43:14.say that should the government decided to regulate the change on

:43:15. > :43:19.indexation revaluation or transfer, the scheme was then to make a

:43:20. > :43:23.surplus, it is clear that any surplus would be used in the best

:43:24. > :43:29.interests of members and not transferred out subsequent any

:43:30. > :43:38.change. I can confirm that my honourable friend. Should these

:43:39. > :43:42.changes take place as proposed by the trustees, what ever surplus or

:43:43. > :43:45.whatever change that brings about to the value of the scheme, it is

:43:46. > :43:52.therefore the benefit of the numbers no one else. Can I declare a

:43:53. > :43:56.financial interest for the 30 years I worked in the steel industry and

:43:57. > :44:01.the pension I receive. It is a meagre amount compared to the amount

:44:02. > :44:07.I will be in title to next year for 30 years in this house. Shouldn't we

:44:08. > :44:12.recall that steel workers have served this nation well in an

:44:13. > :44:17.industry that is usually dirty, dangerous, always skilled, and it is

:44:18. > :44:24.right now that we look at the situation that, I respect the

:44:25. > :44:27.difficulties, but we should say that the nation cannot have a

:44:28. > :44:31.manufacturing base unless it is built on foundations of steel. Isn't

:44:32. > :44:35.there something Republican about expecting pensioners to pay for

:44:36. > :44:42.this, those who have given so much, rather than the nation that owes so

:44:43. > :44:47.much to the steel industry? I agree with the honourable gentleman in

:44:48. > :44:50.that the steel industry is a vital industry, important for our economic

:44:51. > :44:54.security and national security, that is why the government will do

:44:55. > :44:57.everything we can leave no stone unturned, in trying to find a

:44:58. > :45:05.long-term sustainable solution for Tata's assets in the UK. The steel

:45:06. > :45:10.industry has been crying out to have a lesser duty rule scrapped,

:45:11. > :45:14.something the government have showed at a reluctance to do. UK steel

:45:15. > :45:20.recently brought forward a possible solution to the lesser duty issue,

:45:21. > :45:24.to change how tariffs are calculated without scrapping the rule outright.

:45:25. > :45:32.How will he respond to this proposal? I can tell the honourable

:45:33. > :45:37.lady that there was a meeting of the EU trade Council last week which the

:45:38. > :45:41.Trade Minister attended. And we do think there can be improvement in

:45:42. > :45:46.the trade defence mechanisms, particularly around speeding up

:45:47. > :45:49.investigations and reviewing how duties are captivated. We do not

:45:50. > :45:57.think there is evidence to change the lesser duty rule but

:45:58. > :46:01.improvements can be made. The Tata steel plant in my constituency is

:46:02. > :46:05.part of the sale deal. And I would like to thank the Minister for

:46:06. > :46:09.business for the meetings we have had to secure that fight. They are

:46:10. > :46:11.great concern about their pensions going forward and some of the

:46:12. > :46:16.workers have been there for more than 40 years and are clearly

:46:17. > :46:20.distressed and worried. These have been loyal employees, they have

:46:21. > :46:23.given their working life to the plant. Could the minister in sure me

:46:24. > :46:31.he understands how worried they are and give assurances they will get

:46:32. > :46:34.their pensions? She rightly refers to the hard work of steel workers

:46:35. > :46:37.who are in this pension scheme either in the industry now or having

:46:38. > :46:41.worked for them in the past, and it is absolutely right that we listen

:46:42. > :46:44.to the trustees and see if there is anything that the government can do

:46:45. > :46:49.that will result in a better outcome than otherwise. That is why we have

:46:50. > :46:52.got this consultation today. I am sure when she goes through it with

:46:53. > :46:59.some detail, she has that time, that we can speak further about the best

:47:00. > :47:02.way to take this further. What consideration has the government

:47:03. > :47:06.given to the impact that the steel industry issues will have on the

:47:07. > :47:10.manufacturing industry and economy across these islands, the ticket

:47:11. > :47:17.early in Northern Ireland, where rolled steel and other products are

:47:18. > :47:23.imported through docs in my constituency? I think what the

:47:24. > :47:29.honourable lady highlights is the importance of the steel industry to

:47:30. > :47:32.this manufacturing industry in the UK, the auto industry, the aerospace

:47:33. > :47:40.and the terrorists track Ashman grid infrastructure needs of the country.

:47:41. > :47:46.-- the aerospace industry and the infrastructure needs of this

:47:47. > :47:50.country. Can I thank the Minister for visiting my constituency and

:47:51. > :47:57.enabling us to join in the conversations. Looking at the future

:47:58. > :48:01.not merely of Tata but firms like Forge rosters, when the government

:48:02. > :48:06.going to act to take away the unfair burden of the fact that they pay 85%

:48:07. > :48:12.more for energy than their competitors in Germany? The issue of

:48:13. > :48:17.energy comes up in the House and members are writes to raise it which

:48:18. > :48:23.is why we have taken action in terms of the compensation scheme which is

:48:24. > :48:27.effective, helping all steel-making companies, and we are going further

:48:28. > :48:33.with the exemption. It is something we will continuously keep under

:48:34. > :48:37.review. There are 133,000 members of this pension scheme. It includes

:48:38. > :48:43.many of my constituents and my father. Given the enormous work that

:48:44. > :48:47.has gone in by 70 people to their pensions, that the Secretary of

:48:48. > :48:51.State agree with me that even though time is short in this consultation,

:48:52. > :48:55.it has to be the widest possible consultation to look at the

:48:56. > :49:00.short-term and long-term effects on those people? I absolutely agree, I

:49:01. > :49:07.have explained that the sense of urgency in terms of finding a

:49:08. > :49:11.credible buyer for the Tata business in the UK but he is right to stress

:49:12. > :49:16.that it should be a far and wide reaching consultation and we should

:49:17. > :49:19.make sure that brings out that the list information possible so any

:49:20. > :49:27.decision made is made with all that information in mind. Recently

:49:28. > :49:34.Conservative MEPs were split over granting the Chinese status in the

:49:35. > :49:40.parliament. -- market economy status. Are they still going to

:49:41. > :49:43.grant that? On this issue of market economy status of China, it is

:49:44. > :49:47.something the commission is assessing at the moment. We await

:49:48. > :49:52.the outcome of that. And then we will respond. It is worth reminding

:49:53. > :49:59.the honourable gentleman that even if China is granted market economy

:50:00. > :50:04.status, it does not prevent us from taking action on tariffs. We need to

:50:05. > :50:07.remind ourselves that pensions are deferred income. I have some

:50:08. > :50:15.concerns when I hear the Business Secretary talking about a scheme

:50:16. > :50:18.that can go from the scheme -- deficit of 750 million to 1.5

:50:19. > :50:25.billion, that his cash that should be going to pensioners. We need to

:50:26. > :50:28.have all of the assumptions in front of us who we can understand the

:50:29. > :50:31.applications. We need to have a proper and thorough debate on these

:50:32. > :50:35.matters and consider the consequences of other occupational

:50:36. > :50:41.pension schemes, there are issues that have to be debated fully. I

:50:42. > :50:48.agree. There needs to be much more information available before any

:50:49. > :50:51.proposal if it is brought to the House, the government has not made a

:50:52. > :50:57.decision on this. It is entirely responsible of the government to

:50:58. > :51:01.listen to what the trustees have to say at this point, they are the ones

:51:02. > :51:07.legally responsible, they have a fiduciary responsible at the all the

:51:08. > :51:10.members. -- for all their members. There needs to be a lot more

:51:11. > :51:16.information before any action is taken. The steel industry would not

:51:17. > :51:24.be the state it is if was not for dumped Chinese steel. Does the

:51:25. > :51:29.Minister Park is -- does the Minister back market economy status

:51:30. > :51:34.which could make the problem worse? It is therefore him to raise the

:51:35. > :51:37.issue of Chinese steel, we have seen the -- it is fair for him to raise

:51:38. > :51:43.the issue of Chinese still because we have all seen the massive raise

:51:44. > :51:54.of Chinese steel in the last decade. It would be wrong to think that is

:51:55. > :52:01.the only issue facing the industry. Five years ago on the 15th of June

:52:02. > :52:09.2011, I asked the Prime Minister at PMQ 's, what does he understand that

:52:10. > :52:14.the Chancellor unilaterally setting a minimum price carbon in Britain

:52:15. > :52:18.would drive out inward investments such as Tata steel and he responded,

:52:19. > :52:23.I will listen to the honourable gentleman, but I think that Tata

:52:24. > :52:30.knows more about his business than he does. Having failed Tata, all

:52:31. > :52:33.that will he now promised to fully fund the pension fund index to RPI

:52:34. > :52:38.so we do not short-change pensioners and we do not caught contagion in

:52:39. > :52:47.the pension industry, and secondly inshore 25% government share for the

:52:48. > :52:52.long run, so confidence in investment can be there in the

:52:53. > :52:56.future. He is right to raise the issue of energy cost. He should bear

:52:57. > :53:01.in mind that although it is an important component of steel-making,

:53:02. > :53:16.it is often in' it is in terms of total cost. -- in low single digits

:53:17. > :53:19.in terms of cost. Yesterday talking to steelworkers, I heard over and

:53:20. > :53:23.over again how highly skilled members of the workforce were being

:53:24. > :53:28.poached by and in industries. Does the Secretary of State appreciate

:53:29. > :53:31.the importance of maintaining the confidence of the skilled workforce

:53:32. > :53:38.in the steel industry, and perhaps one of the ways he could do that was

:53:39. > :53:41.to today give an assurance of public sector contracting having a high

:53:42. > :53:48.percentage of British made steel, always within contracts? I think the

:53:49. > :53:52.honourable lady will agree that the government has done a great deal to

:53:53. > :53:57.bring confidence to the sales process, that is through changes in

:53:58. > :54:00.procurement, where we have allowed for economic and social factors are

:54:01. > :54:03.the first time to be taken into account when making this decision

:54:04. > :54:09.is. Also what the government said with helping with financial terms,

:54:10. > :54:13.that has provided confidence to the industry.

:54:14. > :54:21.Have you had any notice of the intention of ministers from the

:54:22. > :54:24.Department for Communities and Local Government making a statement on

:54:25. > :54:30.devolution or combined authorities in East Anglia, as we speak the

:54:31. > :54:34.chief executive of add mam's brewery and Lord Heseltine are shuttling

:54:35. > :54:42.round the three counties of East Anglia, offering job, budgets,

:54:43. > :54:45.getting rid of public body, in short rearranging the constitutional

:54:46. > :54:52.settlement of this country on the hoof. Hoof. Isn't it encouple Ben on

:54:53. > :55:03.this House to explain what changes are envisage and show there is

:55:04. > :55:06.proper accountability? I we have had no notice... Might be interesting to

:55:07. > :55:10.know the answer. I presume he knows the answer. I I can our shine we

:55:11. > :55:16.have had no notification at this stage, we have had nothing that has

:55:17. > :55:20.come forward the clerk or the speaker's office so the front bench

:55:21. > :55:25.are all ears and they will have taken that away and it is on the

:55:26. > :55:30.record now. Let us see if ecan can make progress. The clerk will read

:55:31. > :55:34.the orders of the day. Queen's Speech motion for address adjourned

:55:35. > :55:39.debate on question. I have selected the amendment in the

:55:40. > :55:43.name of the Leader of the Opposition and amendments 1 C and D, which will

:55:44. > :55:46.be moved formally at the end of the debate. The question is that the

:55:47. > :55:53.humble address be presented to her he majority as on the order paper. I

:55:54. > :55:57.call John McDonald to move. Thank you. I beg to move the amendment in

:55:58. > :56:00.the name of the Leader of the Opposition and myself and several

:56:01. > :56:04.colleague, MrSpeaker last week was the first time I have visited the

:56:05. > :56:08.other place, to listen to Her Majesty read to us the Queen's

:56:09. > :56:13.Speech. Usually I avoid the crush and stay toe have a chat with the

:56:14. > :56:22.honourable member for Bolsover. I have to say... Good point. I have to

:56:23. > :56:29.say, my admiration for the Queen was immensely increased as a result of

:56:30. > :56:35.her ability to keep a straight face while reading its fictional drivel

:56:36. > :56:38.called the Queen's Speech. The Queen's Speech demonstrates

:56:39. > :56:42.conclusively the massive distance between the Chancellor and the real

:56:43. > :56:45.world. The Queen's Speech opened with an extraordinary piece of

:56:46. > :56:48.doublespeak. The Government apparently thinks eal world. The

:56:49. > :56:50.Queen's Speech opened with an extraordinary piece of doublespeak.

:56:51. > :56:56.The Government apparently thinks we live "In a strengthening economy".

:56:57. > :57:02.They seemingly are not playing axxxx paying attention to their own

:57:03. > :57:05.forecasts and statistics this is after the slowest recovery in modern

:57:06. > :57:10.British history, the Chancellor is presiding over a recovery built on

:57:11. > :57:14.sand. Business investment has slumped again, by 0.5% in the first

:57:15. > :57:20.quarter, according o this morning's figures and the O PR most recent

:57:21. > :57:25.forecast saw downward revision across the life of this Parliament

:57:26. > :57:29.in business investment. Consumer debt is rising at record

:57:30. > :57:34.rate, and is forecast to remain at unprecedented levels.

:57:35. > :57:37.The current account deficit has reached record highs. We are

:57:38. > :57:41.borrowing more than ever before from the rest of the world as a result.

:57:42. > :57:44.We are not as ficit has reached record highs. We are borrowing more

:57:45. > :57:46.than ever before from the rest of the world as a result. We are not as

:57:47. > :57:49.the Queen's Speech claimed "Living within our means" far from it on the

:57:50. > :57:52.Government's own figures. Productivity has slumped under the

:57:53. > :57:55.Government. The gap between what the average hour worked in Britain

:57:56. > :58:00.produces and what the average hour worked in the US or France or

:58:01. > :58:05.Germany produces, is bigger than it has ever been for a generation.

:58:06. > :58:09.Every hour worked in Germany produces one third more on average

:58:10. > :58:15.than it does here. Low productivity I will give way shortly, it is the

:58:16. > :58:20.sign of a weakened, damaged economy. It means lower wages and more

:58:21. > :58:28.insecurity. The slump in productivity which has arisen has

:58:29. > :58:33.been worse under this Chancellor than in any comparable G7 nation.

:58:34. > :58:36.What caused the budget for responsibility to revise its future

:58:37. > :58:43.forecast downwards. I give way. Will he accept that in

:58:44. > :58:51.the ten years of a Labour Government 2008 precrash the economy grew by

:58:52. > :58:58.40%, then after, then after the banking crash, we, after the banking

:58:59. > :59:03.crash, if I I may, after the banking crash, in 2010, left a debt of 55%

:59:04. > :59:09.of the economy, and now that debt is 83% of the economy. Doesn't that

:59:10. > :59:15.show failure to grow the economy or to manage productivity. You tested

:59:16. > :59:19.the patience previously. Massimo Donati test the patience, I care

:59:20. > :59:22.about colleagues in this House and I will make sure everybody gets in.

:59:23. > :59:28.Very short intervention. It's a long list and I don't want people to miss

:59:29. > :59:32.out. I say I don't want to be discourteous to anybody. There will

:59:33. > :59:37.only be a limited amount of interventions. With regard, with

:59:38. > :59:43.regard, on the crash. Let us be clear. Let us talk about the crash.

:59:44. > :59:48.Let us talk about crash, because the policies of deregulation of banking

:59:49. > :59:51.systems turned the City of London into a Cassano with policies pursued

:59:52. > :00:01.by the party opposite for 30 years previously.

:00:02. > :00:05.Let us go on to growth Mr Speaker. Growth is revised down wads for

:00:06. > :00:09.every year for the res of this decade. When it revises forecast

:00:10. > :00:15.downwards the Chancellor's entire budget plan was shot to pieces. He

:00:16. > :00:20.has been left with a 4.8 billion black hole of committed spending,

:00:21. > :00:26.but no committed funding. It is It is nonsensical to claim as

:00:27. > :00:29.the Government's Queen's Speech did that the public finances have been

:00:30. > :00:36.placed on a secure footing, when there is a gaping hole in the

:00:37. > :00:39.budget, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies think there's is only a

:00:40. > :00:43.50-50 chance of meeting the Government's own surplus. This is

:00:44. > :00:48.betting on the nation's finances on the equivalent of tossing a coin.

:00:49. > :00:54.There is nothing responsible, there is nothing in quotes secure, in

:00:55. > :01:00.setting unrealistic targets for public spending cuts.

:01:01. > :01:02.? On a stronger economy. It is ic targets for public spending cuts.

:01:03. > :01:05.? On a stronger economy. It is useful to peach to us "About a

:01:06. > :01:08.stronger economy." When by his actions in office for six year, the

:01:09. > :01:15.Chancellor ease undermined the economy. This was his choice.

:01:16. > :01:19.Austerity was a political choice not an economic necessaryty. We all now

:01:20. > :01:23.live and are still living with the consequences. Because it was the

:01:24. > :01:30.wrong choice to make, the Chancellor has failed, and it is the British

:01:31. > :01:35.people who are bearing the cost. He piled failure on failure. At the

:01:36. > :01:40.centre is failure to sustain productivity. It is the key to

:01:41. > :01:45.growth in a modern economy. The sure I way to ensure it is through

:01:46. > :01:49.increased investment. It means installing new equipment. Replacing

:01:50. > :01:54.old infrastructure. Business investment remains weak. When it is

:01:55. > :02:00.weak its Government that should set up, to make sure there is vital

:02:01. > :02:05.world class infrastructure, that it is produce. From high speed rail to

:02:06. > :02:09.broadband. There is a consensus through the IMF to the OECD, from

:02:10. > :02:12.the CBI to the TUC. Urging Government now, not just here but

:02:13. > :02:18.across the world to invest in the future. But this Government is

:02:19. > :02:25.clipping to its fiscal surplus target, which is set to cut traerms

:02:26. > :02:31.in Government inventment over the course of this particle cut in term

:02:32. > :02:36.of investment over the court course of this Parliament behind the

:02:37. > :02:41.failure, behind the failure to invest, behind the failure to

:02:42. > :02:46.invest, lies the failure of our economic institutions as well. Too

:02:47. > :02:50.many have been captured by special interest, or placed, or placed

:02:51. > :02:55.short-term gain, or place short-term gain ahead of long-term growth. We

:02:56. > :03:01.have major corporations sitting on a cash pile of up to 700 billion.

:03:02. > :03:04.Paying out salaries to senior executives while failing to invest.

:03:05. > :03:11.It is no wonder, no wonder in the last month we have seen a series of

:03:12. > :03:15.shareholder revolts at the remuneration packages. Yes we have a

:03:16. > :03:22.Department for Business, that doesn't believe in supporting

:03:23. > :03:25.business. Have a a Department for Business, which refuses to even

:03:26. > :03:31.mention the world industrial strategy.

:03:32. > :03:37.HMRC, we have a department for tax collection, that doesn't believe in

:03:38. > :03:42.collecting taxes, not at least from major corporations. That was

:03:43. > :03:47.demonstrated when they struck the deal with Google which reflects an

:03:48. > :03:51.effective tax rate in the single digits and the Chancellor called it

:03:52. > :03:56.a major success. That is why I have written to the

:03:57. > :04:01.Chancellor to make sure he contactings the French authority so

:04:02. > :04:03.they share any information they find from their investigation into

:04:04. > :04:07.Google's Paris head quarter, they share it with us and we can get a

:04:08. > :04:13.better understanding of Google's operation in the UK.

:04:14. > :04:22.Thank hill. Can he tell us how much money was raised from Google when

:04:23. > :04:25.Labour were last in power? It is interesting, the inquiry was started

:04:26. > :04:30.under the Labour Government. It is interesting also, it is interesting

:04:31. > :04:35.also, it is also interesting too, isn't it, that when the last

:04:36. > :04:40.assessment was made by not the Government, not us but independent,

:04:41. > :04:45.the FT, said the measures introduced by the last Labour Government would

:04:46. > :04:51.reap tax rewards ten times greater than anything introduced by this

:04:52. > :04:57.Government. After six year, after six years the Chancellor has no-one

:04:58. > :05:00.to blame for this but himself. The Queen's Speech furnished us with

:05:01. > :05:02.plenty more. S the Chancellor has no-one to blame for this but

:05:03. > :05:04.himself. The Queen's Speech furnished us with plenty more. The

:05:05. > :05:07.Government says "Support aspiration, and promote home ownership." Tell

:05:08. > :05:11.that to the hundreds of thousands of young people who now have no serious

:05:12. > :05:17.chance of ever owning a home of their own. Home ownership has fallen

:05:18. > :05:20.to the lowest level in decades under this Chancellor's watch. Rough

:05:21. > :05:25.sleeping has risen in London by 30% in the last year. The biggest rise

:05:26. > :05:31.since current reporting procedures were introduced. They are nearly 70

:05:32. > :05:35.thousand families living in temporary accommodation including

:05:36. > :05:44.bed-and-breakfast this year. Nine in ten under 35s can be frozen

:05:45. > :05:50.out of home ownership by 2000 a 25. Grateful. It is not just in London

:05:51. > :05:55.where this phenomenon is happening. But, actually in the streets of

:05:56. > :06:00.match. We have tent -- match match match. We now have tents. Isn't that

:06:01. > :06:12.a shocking I don'tlet on this Government's housing policy. Oman

:06:13. > :06:14.Chester. Can I say to the honourable member, I have a Conservative

:06:15. > :06:22.council. I have a Conservative council. I have possibly 200, I have

:06:23. > :06:27.possibly 200 families tonight, living in bed-and-breakfast. I have

:06:28. > :06:31.individuals sleeping in our parks along the canals. We have reinvented

:06:32. > :06:36.the back-to-back, where a family rents the front of a house and

:06:37. > :06:41.another rents the back. We have beds in sheds, rented to families. That

:06:42. > :06:47.is a disgrace. This Government has been in power six years and

:06:48. > :06:52.homelessness has escalated. According to the sweech let me

:06:53. > :06:57.quote. The Government will spread economic prosperity. They'll to the

:06:58. > :07:02.steelworkers I met in red car where the Government failed to moth ball

:07:03. > :07:09.the plant to save their local futures. Tell that to the BHS

:07:10. > :07:15.workers as their boss, a government adviser, stripped their business

:07:16. > :07:18.clean. The northern power ho house was referred to. The Government said

:07:19. > :07:23.we will continue to support the northern powerhouse, so that is why

:07:24. > :07:25.that are closing its Sheffield office and threatening another six

:07:26. > :07:31.offices across the north with closure. That is why of the top 15

:07:32. > :07:34.infrastructure projects with the most public funding, run with is in

:07:35. > :07:39.the north. They refer to poverty and

:07:40. > :07:44.deprivation, the Government says in the Queen's Speech, not to tackle

:07:45. > :07:48.poverty but to redefine it. The Chancellor's shameful response to

:07:49. > :07:53.the million people using our food banks every year, is to introduce

:07:54. > :07:57.new indicators for measures their life chances.

:07:58. > :08:02.The Chancellor has failed austerity programme is the human cost. 500,000

:08:03. > :08:06.more children have been forced into poverty. Nearly 13 million people in

:08:07. > :08:14.this country live in poverty. Over half of those in poverty are in

:08:15. > :08:19.work. This Queen's Speech offers no solutions, to those who have barely

:08:20. > :08:24.enough to feed their families and who can't put a pay to heat their

:08:25. > :08:29.house, instead the Government will make sure they are counting their

:08:30. > :08:35.misery properly. Grateful to him for giving away. Would he consider and

:08:36. > :08:40.celebrate a third of the working constituentings in becks ham are

:08:41. > :08:46.receiving a pay rise, thus taking those people from the breadline,

:08:47. > :08:50.further up the pay scale. I would celebrate it if it was a

:08:51. > :08:55.real living wage and if they weren't saufrling is as well, many of them,

:08:56. > :09:01.from cuts in Universal Credits as well.

:09:02. > :09:07.The reality is after six years desperate efforts to impose cuts on

:09:08. > :09:12.this economy, against the best available advice for the economics

:09:13. > :09:18.profession etc the Chancellor is staring a predictable failure in

:09:19. > :09:20.face. He started off with high flown promise, st available advice for the

:09:21. > :09:23.economics profession etc the Chancellor is staring a predictable

:09:24. > :09:25.failure in face. He started off with high flown promise, there were goes

:09:26. > :09:27.to be "A march of the makers." Today, manufacturing is still

:09:28. > :09:32.smaller than it was in 2008. There was going to be a rebalancing of the

:09:33. > :09:36.economy. Yet today we see that for every three jobs, every three jobs

:09:37. > :09:41.created in London, just one in craved in the rest of the country.

:09:42. > :09:47.There is going to be a modernised tax service. As the National Audit

:09:48. > :09:50.Office found out, the quality of service from them has collapsed in

:09:51. > :09:56.the last yore. As a result of staffing cuts.

:09:57. > :09:59.Investment the Chancellor promised increased investment but cut

:10:00. > :10:06.spending and plans to cut it further. Recovery he forecast in

:10:07. > :10:11.town 10, the fastest in living memory, he has delivered the

:10:12. > :10:15.slowest. Job creation. He and his Government has clung to the job

:10:16. > :10:16.creation figure, every month they are greeted with enthusiasm by

:10:17. > :10:26.Government ministers. The reality is that two thirds of

:10:27. > :10:32.those in poverty and nearly 9 million daily -- 9 million people...

:10:33. > :10:36.The front bench does not need to be echoing all the way along. The

:10:37. > :10:40.Chancellor will be coming on and you will expect me to treat people in

:10:41. > :10:50.the same way. I expect the Shadow Chancellor to be heard and not to be

:10:51. > :10:54.shouted down. Now then. I've been very good so far. I don't want to

:10:55. > :10:58.say any more because I am sure that the whips office could do with them

:10:59. > :11:10.on to make a cup of tea. -- someone to make it cup of tea. I might 11

:11:11. > :11:16.later. -- want one later. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. You are a class

:11:17. > :11:23.act! CHEERING

:11:24. > :11:36.let me just say this. The shout was, we welcome the jobs? Of course we

:11:37. > :11:40.do. Let's be very clear. We have seen jobs created in 2010, but too

:11:41. > :11:46.many of them have been poorly paid and insecure. 800,000 people,

:11:47. > :11:53.800,000 people now are on zero hours contracts. In security at work has

:11:54. > :11:55.been made worse by the undermining of important right by this

:11:56. > :12:03.government. There is no need for this. Does the them my concern that

:12:04. > :12:09.the food banks in Southwark are dividing food banks and support to

:12:10. > :12:15.hundreds of people in work, they think 10% of their people they serve

:12:16. > :12:18.are in work in central London. We welcome new jobs. The insecurity and

:12:19. > :12:24.poor pay mean the numbers in work going along to get support from food

:12:25. > :12:31.banks is growing rather than reducing. If I can press on. I know

:12:32. > :12:36.you are under pressure in time. It is the direct result of a failure to

:12:37. > :12:39.invest. Too many businesses have substituted cheap labour for

:12:40. > :12:42.expensive investment. They cannot be blamed because the government has

:12:43. > :12:48.set the lead, cutting investment spending. Low investment and week

:12:49. > :12:52.productivity have real-world consequences, it means wasted talent

:12:53. > :12:55.and opportunities lost. On one side, some are stretched to breaking point

:12:56. > :13:00.working long hours just to make ends meet. Others are left to languish

:13:01. > :13:05.desperately searching for extra hours. On wages, even the

:13:06. > :13:12.government's and forecasters do not expect wages to the cover until

:13:13. > :13:17.2020. -- wages to recover. Millions of people are self-employed but the

:13:18. > :13:21.average earnings have fallen by 22% since the Chancellor came in. The

:13:22. > :13:26.Queens speech tells us that the government plans to create an

:13:27. > :13:33.economy, I quote, where work is rewarded. Nothing could be further

:13:34. > :13:36.from the troops. -- truth. Those who work hardest are punished but tax

:13:37. > :13:46.dodgers and the super-rich are rewarded with tax cuts. Which one

:13:47. > :13:56.would you like? Whichever you prefer! On the subject of jobs, the

:13:57. > :14:00.former Leader of the Opposition said that the policy of this government

:14:01. > :14:07.would cost 1 million jobs. He is a gentleman that I believe that he

:14:08. > :14:14.wants back on the front bench. Does he conceded that was plain wrong?

:14:15. > :14:19.The point I made earlier was that rather than employers investing they

:14:20. > :14:25.have used cheap labour. That has had an impact on wages and living

:14:26. > :14:32.conditions which is unacceptable. This government has failed and will

:14:33. > :14:35.continue to fail on every measure it has set itself. Let's look at those

:14:36. > :14:40.measures. It has failed in its target to reduce the debt. It has

:14:41. > :14:43.failed in its welfare cap target. And it has failed to achieve its

:14:44. > :14:48.target in closing the deficit as well. This is a government that has

:14:49. > :14:54.lost its way. Gone is the pretence of being the new workers party,

:14:55. > :14:58.trumpeted so loudly last summer. But disappeared when they started

:14:59. > :15:01.cutting in work benefits. The government wanders around from

:15:02. > :15:07.crisis to crisis waiting for another U-turn to make. Cuts to personal

:15:08. > :15:12.independent payments scrapped, the tampon tax, cuts to renewable

:15:13. > :15:18.subsidies, forced academies, all abandoned. Only one policy are

:15:19. > :15:24.active which holds this sorry excuse for administration together, to

:15:25. > :15:28.impose spending cuts of viciousness not seen in this country for

:15:29. > :15:32.generations. There is a consensus across the House, a strong economy

:15:33. > :15:37.is the foundation on watch all love can be built. The government has not

:15:38. > :15:44.-- on what all else can be built. The government has not built a

:15:45. > :15:47.strong economy. Strong on rhetoric and creative economy, but the

:15:48. > :15:51.economy is built on sand. The Chancellor has had plenty of

:15:52. > :15:56.opportunities to fix the roof while the sun was shining. He has the

:15:57. > :15:58.details. It would have meant taking a different approach and we all

:15:59. > :16:04.hoped to be frank after the referendum is out of the way, the

:16:05. > :16:09.economy will pick up. But without change the trajectory for this

:16:10. > :16:17.economy is clear. We are tracked in a low-wage, low skill, low wage

:16:18. > :16:21.economy. The government needs to make long-term patient investment in

:16:22. > :16:24.the economy. We need government to use a record low interest rates to

:16:25. > :16:29.invest in the future. At a minimum, the government should invest in

:16:30. > :16:35.infrastructure, skills, technology that can transform how this economy

:16:36. > :16:41.operates. And we need a government that clamps down on tax avoidance.

:16:42. > :16:44.It could go further. It could overhaul the tax system that is

:16:45. > :16:50.manifestly failing to lead the fair rates on those who can pay the most.

:16:51. > :16:53.-- levy fair rates. We need a government with an industrial

:16:54. > :16:57.policy, backing the steel industry, working with Europe to clamp down on

:16:58. > :17:02.the flooding of our markets with cheap subsidised Chinese steel. And

:17:03. > :17:06.it could also transform the institutions that govern the

:17:07. > :17:09.economy, from the Treasury to great corporations, unlocking potential

:17:10. > :17:14.that is wasted when vested interest dominate decision-making. The Queens

:17:15. > :17:19.speech was an opportunity to accept that posterity has failed and change

:17:20. > :17:24.course. It was not taken. -- austerity has failed. If this

:17:25. > :17:34.government cannot set out a confident calls for -- confident

:17:35. > :17:38.calls for the economy, then it is time for Labour to lead the way.

:17:39. > :17:44.Labour rejects the failed austerity programme adopted by this

:17:45. > :17:48.government. Instead, working in partnership with business,

:17:49. > :17:52.entrepreneurs and workers, Labour would create an entrepreneurial

:17:53. > :17:57.state to support innovation, create wealth, and drive growth. And we

:17:58. > :18:02.would share the proceeds of that growth fairly. By investing in our

:18:03. > :18:07.economy, Labour would lay the foundations of a new society that is

:18:08. > :18:13.radically fairer, more equal, more democratic, an alternative based on

:18:14. > :18:16.a prosperous economy which is economically sound, environmentally

:18:17. > :18:24.sustainable and aware that prosperity is shared by all. I beg

:18:25. > :18:29.to move. The original question was that the address be presented to Her

:18:30. > :18:37.Majesty as to the order paper. Since then and Emmett has been -- an

:18:38. > :18:47.amendment has been made. I now call the Chancellor of the extractor. --

:18:48. > :18:51.extractor. -- Chancellor of the Exchequer. I rise to support the

:18:52. > :18:54.plan we put forward which offers security and opportunity to working

:18:55. > :18:57.people in this country, that is what the British people entrusted us to

:18:58. > :19:00.deliver in the general election a year ago, and that is what we commit

:19:01. > :19:06.to provide in this programme for the coming year. There is of course a

:19:07. > :19:10.bold programme of social reform. We offer the biggest reform of the

:19:11. > :19:15.prison service since the Victorian era, so we protect the public and

:19:16. > :19:19.yes, we punish wrongdoers. But we also give them the chance to

:19:20. > :19:23.rehabilitate themselves and contribute our society. We overhaul

:19:24. > :19:27.social care and adoption to improve the life chances of some of the most

:19:28. > :19:31.vulnerable like young people in our country. We continue to improve our

:19:32. > :19:35.education system, raising standards in schools, so our children are

:19:36. > :19:38.equipped with the skills they will need to lead fulfilling lives. And

:19:39. > :19:45.we reform our universities say they remain the very best in the world,

:19:46. > :19:49.agents for social mobility and at the forefront of expanding human

:19:50. > :19:56.knowledge. Let me make this point, we address the crisis of childhood

:19:57. > :20:00.obesity which is damaging our children's health, with a new sugar

:20:01. > :20:05.tax on soft drinks. But, Mr the beauty speaker, none of these

:20:06. > :20:08.reforms to improve our -- Mr Deputy Speaker, none of these reforms to

:20:09. > :20:14.improve our health care, social care, would be possible without the

:20:15. > :20:19.bedrock of stability that our long-term economic plan is

:20:20. > :20:25.delivering. Would he not accept that if the best universities can raise

:20:26. > :20:28.their prices, the poorest will be deterred and instead of getting the

:20:29. > :20:33.best students, we will get the richest and that is simply wrong? I

:20:34. > :20:39.do not agree with that at all. The evidence shows that as a result of

:20:40. > :20:41.university reforms introduced by the Labour government which she used to

:20:42. > :20:46.support, and by the Coalition Government and now this government,

:20:47. > :20:51.we not only have a record number of students going to university, we

:20:52. > :20:54.have a record number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds going

:20:55. > :20:59.to university. I find it extraordinary that the Labour Party

:21:00. > :21:04.that introduced tuition fees is now promising to scrap them and create a

:21:05. > :21:07.?10 billion hole which will presumably be filled by the taxes

:21:08. > :21:12.paid by people who do not go to university and have low incomes.

:21:13. > :21:18.That is the so-called progressive policy of the so-called Progressive

:21:19. > :21:26.Labour Party. The simple truth is, I will give way... He mentioned being

:21:27. > :21:32.proud of the track record on social care, can he tell us how many fewer

:21:33. > :21:39.older and disabled people receive social care from Eckel government

:21:40. > :21:42.than when he took office in 2010? We have put more money into social

:21:43. > :21:47.government and we have -- into social care and we have allowed

:21:48. > :21:55.local authorities to have more money going into social care in the coming

:21:56. > :21:58.year. You cannot do any of these things, you cannot support social

:21:59. > :22:07.care or universities, you cannot do any of those things until you have a

:22:08. > :22:13.sound economic policy. And I listened in complete incredulity to

:22:14. > :22:18.yet another speech from yet another Shadow Chancellor promising yet more

:22:19. > :22:24.billions of pounds of spending and borrowing and extra taxes. It is as

:22:25. > :22:31.if these scorching experience of financial crash eight years ago and

:22:32. > :22:34.the crippling deficit they saddled this country with never happened.

:22:35. > :22:39.Most of the time when he was quoting the Labour government, he kept

:22:40. > :22:45.saying, up until 2008, as if he had forgotten there was the biggest

:22:46. > :22:49.crash in modern history while the Labour Party was in office. It is a

:22:50. > :22:56.bit like saying to Mrs Lincoln, apart from the assassination, did

:22:57. > :22:59.you enjoy the play? Will the Chancellor remind the House, did he

:23:00. > :23:08.or did he not meet his deficit target for 2015? The deficit has

:23:09. > :23:14.come down by another ?16 billion. When I first listed at this dispatch

:23:15. > :23:19.box at Chancellor of the Exchequer, we had a budget deficit of 11% of

:23:20. > :23:29.our national income, ?1 in every four of we spent on hospitals and

:23:30. > :23:32.police etc had to be borrowed. We are projected to have a surplus now

:23:33. > :23:37.at the end of the parliament. Will he also remind the House that while

:23:38. > :23:40.cutting the deficit, what he has managed to do to implement rate in

:23:41. > :23:47.this country? We have a record number of people in work. --

:23:48. > :23:56.implement rates? -- employment rates? We have a record number of

:23:57. > :23:59.people work in this country. Yesterday I refer to this report

:24:00. > :24:03.that the Labour Party has produced on its future. It is an independent

:24:04. > :24:14.enquiry, chaired by the members of Ackerman. -- member for Dagenham.

:24:15. > :24:22.There you go. Again! Vote Labour. Let's see what Labour says about

:24:23. > :24:31.Labour. It says this. As an army of aspirin and voters sank Labour. -- a

:24:32. > :24:36.tsunami of aspirin voters. They believed Labour have no financial

:24:37. > :24:45.credibility. Labour supporters marching away. Labour is becoming a

:24:46. > :24:49.toxic brand. That is what the Labour Party's own verdict on the Labour

:24:50. > :24:57.Party is. I did conclude by saying,... Order. This is meant to

:24:58. > :24:59.be a debate about the screen speech, not about the Labour Party

:25:00. > :25:08.manifesto. I would have thought since it is his

:25:09. > :25:11.Queen's Speech, that maybe the focus would be on that, but it is up to

:25:12. > :25:23.him. The Chancellor of the Exchequer.

:25:24. > :25:31.This is what the Labour Party say about themselves. This, I have read

:25:32. > :25:33.it it is worth, reading it says the Labour Party is becoming

:25:34. > :25:44.increasingly irrelevant to the working people of this country.

:25:45. > :25:50.Here is what has happened they. The lead other the Labour Party has

:25:51. > :25:57.appointed someone called Andrew Fisher today. This is a man who

:25:58. > :26:02.campaigned against Labour Party candidates at the general election,

:26:03. > :26:08.in Croydon. This is a man who took part in the student riots in 2010

:26:09. > :26:14.and BoSSed about breaking through police lines, scaring the police. --

:26:15. > :26:20.boasted. This is what his economic policy consists of. Public ownership

:26:21. > :26:24.of all land in the country, nationalising all banks and

:26:25. > :26:31.returning to a three day week. This is the man who has just been the

:26:32. > :26:44.Labour Party's head of policy. Maybe he supports him. I would like to ask

:26:45. > :26:51.him on his own record, has debt gone up or down as a percentage of GDP?

:26:52. > :26:55.When you have an 11 percent budget deficit that means it is adding to

:26:56. > :26:58.the debt. Until you get the deficit down you can get the debt down, that

:26:59. > :27:05.is what we are doing. That is why you want to avoid an 11% budget

:27:06. > :27:09.deficit. And, in another sign of how the Labour Party is changing, there

:27:10. > :27:13.is the motion they are asking us to vote on tonight, because it does

:27:14. > :27:18.have an intriguing clause in it. It is about Scotland. It says this. It

:27:19. > :27:22.regrets the refusal of the Scottish Government to use its new tax powers

:27:23. > :27:26.to put an end to austerity in Scotland. What that is code for, is

:27:27. > :27:36.they want to put taxes up in Scotland. The man who sees Venezuela

:27:37. > :27:42.as a model for Britain's economic policy. If, if you don't want the

:27:43. > :27:47.Scottish Government to use its tax powers by putting them up, how do

:27:48. > :27:52.they propose to do it. They fought the election in Scotland proposing a

:27:53. > :27:56.1% increase, a 1 pence increase in the basic rate of income tax. That

:27:57. > :28:02.was the Scottish Labour Party's policy, that was so successful at

:28:03. > :28:05.that election, and here, the national Labour Party is putting it

:28:06. > :28:11.into a Parliamentary motion which it is asking the Labour to vote on

:28:12. > :28:14.tonight. So we have a report from the Labour Party, saying they are

:28:15. > :28:18.irrelevant to working people. You have a head of policy who wants to

:28:19. > :28:22.nationalise land and return to a three day week, and the

:28:23. > :28:27.Parliamentary Labour Party, is going to be voting tonight for higher

:28:28. > :28:30.rates of basic rate of income tax. That is the state of the Labour

:28:31. > :28:52.Party today. Can I ask him to say what has been

:28:53. > :28:55.said about him and his leader. He called the Prime Minister

:28:56. > :29:01.disingenuous and the Chancellor a liar. Where does that leave yourself

:29:02. > :29:05.Chancellor? We worked together, to bring Welfare Bills down, to make

:29:06. > :29:10.work pay, and I am working with my right honourable friend the new

:29:11. > :29:15.Secretary of State, to carry on that record in Government. We are going

:29:16. > :29:18.to go on building that strong economy, and the sound public

:29:19. > :29:25.finances that underpin a fair society. And we have got... Let me

:29:26. > :29:34.give way and make some progress. I thank him. He has been generous. I

:29:35. > :29:38.noted him as been reading from the report Labour's future, sorry.

:29:39. > :29:42.I wonder whether he has seen the executive summary. It says Labour

:29:43. > :29:47.lost because voters didn't believe it would cut the deficit. The Tories

:29:48. > :29:50.didn't win, despite their commitment to cut spending and the deficit.

:29:51. > :30:01.They won because of it. The Tories were trusted, to manage the

:30:02. > :30:08.country's finance, Labour was not. He is right. If the verdict of this

:30:09. > :30:10.report is that Labour is on life sup for, the policies of the Shadow

:30:11. > :30:16.Chancellor are do not resuscitate. If that is what he is condemning,

:30:17. > :30:31.that is what he is condemning the Labour Party, that is what... He is

:30:32. > :30:35.getting carried away. The honourable gentleman seeps more interested in

:30:36. > :30:39.talking about Labour's policies than his own Madame Deputy Speaker. I

:30:40. > :30:44.wonder if we could get on that. Can eremind him the Tory party lost

:30:45. > :30:52.every mayoral election in the cent election. -- can I remind him. Hay

:30:53. > :30:57.had the worst results for an opposition party in more than 30

:30:58. > :31:02.year, they were reduced to third place in Scotland, and they think it

:31:03. > :31:07.is a good set of results? As far as we are concerned if they want to

:31:08. > :31:11.carry on in this parallel universe that suits us just fine. Meanwhile

:31:12. > :31:15.we will get on with governing the country and improving the economy,

:31:16. > :31:21.and reforming our society. And we have made huge progress o over the

:31:22. > :31:24.last six year, we inherited one of the weakest economies the advanced

:31:25. > :31:29.worlds that had one of the biggest crashes. It is one of the fastest

:31:30. > :31:33.growing economies the world. We inherited a an economy where

:31:34. > :31:38.millions risked losing their job. Now we have a record number of

:31:39. > :31:41.people in work. We reduce that budget deficit, our commitment to

:31:42. > :31:48.the northern powerhouse has seen investment projects in the region

:31:49. > :31:55.increase by 120% in the last two years, and the verdict of the IMF

:31:56. > :32:00.was clear, the UK's recent economic performance has been strong, and

:32:01. > :32:03.consider rabble progress has been made in addressing underlying

:32:04. > :32:09.vulnerability. The unemployment rate has fallen, employment has reached a

:32:10. > :32:13.historic high. The fiscal deficit has been reduced and the financial

:32:14. > :32:18.sectors resilience has been increased. That is the verdict of

:32:19. > :32:21.the IMF. We know article four in the past they have been critical of the

:32:22. > :32:26.British economy. Now they celebrate what we have achieved. But, of

:32:27. > :32:30.course, of course, many challenges remain, and that is what the

:32:31. > :32:34.economic reforms have in Queen's Speech are all about addressing,

:32:35. > :32:37.there is the immediate crisis m the global steel industry and of course

:32:38. > :32:41.my right honourable friend the Business Secretary, I will give way

:32:42. > :32:46.in a moment, the Business Secretary has outlined to the House all our

:32:47. > :32:50.efforts to secure those jobs at home then there is the long-term

:32:51. > :32:54.challenge facing western societies of how we increase productivity

:32:55. > :32:56.growth. Its improvement in productivity that drive lasting

:32:57. > :33:01.improvement in living standards, it is challenge for all country, today,

:33:02. > :33:04.the latest figures from the United States, show that productivity is

:33:05. > :33:10.set to fall this year for the first time in 30 years. I give way to the

:33:11. > :33:13.honourable gentleman. I am great. . He mentioned the steel industry. The

:33:14. > :33:16.judgment of the people of tee Sid is not as favourable as he seems to

:33:17. > :33:24.think it might be. There is a proposal on the table from the

:33:25. > :33:29.metals process institute which would propel the steel industry by the

:33:30. > :33:33.creation of a capital centre would he encourage the Business Secretary

:33:34. > :33:38.to attend that the site and examine the proposal for himself? First of

:33:39. > :33:42.all, I of course it has been a difficult time for steelworkers and

:33:43. > :33:47.their families on Teesside. We have provided financial assistance to

:33:48. > :33:50.those family, we have worked with local Labour authorities there, to

:33:51. > :33:54.high pressure remediate the site and bring more jobs and opportunity into

:33:55. > :34:00.the area. I will of course take a close look at the proposal that has

:34:01. > :34:05.been put forward, and as part of the industrial patrol policy of this

:34:06. > :34:07.Government we are rt supported research and innovation through

:34:08. > :34:12.centres which have been a real success.

:34:13. > :34:18.I will give way. I thank the Chancellor. It is very important for

:34:19. > :34:24.improving productivity in the steel industry. On that basis will he look

:34:25. > :34:31.again at the case for business rates leaf, for the installation of new

:34:32. > :34:36.plant and machinery? Well, we have looked and I have looked at this

:34:37. > :34:41.proposal very closely, it would cost over 3 billion pounds a year, and,

:34:42. > :34:45.it is a very expensive tax reduction of which only a very small

:34:46. > :34:49.proportion would go to the steel industry, and of course, wouldn't go

:34:50. > :34:52.to the steel industry in Wales where rates are devolved to the Welsh

:34:53. > :34:56.Government. So that is why we have not taken that step, we have done

:34:57. > :35:01.other things to reduce business rates for small business, we have

:35:02. > :35:08.changed the up rating for all firm, to CPI which will be a massive

:35:09. > :35:12.saving over many year, but frankly, my judgment was that using the

:35:13. > :35:16.proposal she put forward to help the steel industry was really using a

:35:17. > :35:19.sledge hammer of which only a small amount would get to the steel

:35:20. > :35:23.industry and it is better to use other forms, that is why we took the

:35:24. > :35:28.decision we did in the budget. We thought there were better ways of

:35:29. > :35:32.helping. But, let me, let me make this point, that the reforms in

:35:33. > :35:35.this, in this Queen's Speech, on the economy, continue what we are try

:35:36. > :35:40.doing improve the productivity growth of the British economy so

:35:41. > :35:43.Britain, unlike many other advanced western economies does not see its

:35:44. > :35:49.living standards stall but continue to rise, that is why we have

:35:50. > :35:53.increased expenditure on transport infrastructure, even in straightened

:35:54. > :35:58.times and many of those projects like Crossrail are close to

:35:59. > :36:02.completion. That is why we introduced the apprenticeship Levy

:36:03. > :36:07.to drive upskills, accepting that low skills has been an deMick

:36:08. > :36:11.problem for many decades. That is why in part we introduced a national

:36:12. > :36:17.living wage. Not just as a measure of social justice but to tackle low

:36:18. > :36:20.pay and drive up productivity, in the workforce. We are not going to

:36:21. > :36:24.rest there, the Queen's Speech sets out a whole raft of other things

:36:25. > :36:30.that we plan to do, there are of course the measures in the Finance

:36:31. > :36:34.Bill to continue to make work pay brairksing tax threshold, helping 20

:36:35. > :36:38.million people with an income tax cut. Taking four million of the

:36:39. > :36:44.lowest paid out of the tax all together. There are the big changes

:36:45. > :36:48.in corporate tax, Superintendenting the diverting of profits but at the

:36:49. > :36:51.same time reducing the rates of business tax, so that this remains

:36:52. > :36:56.the most competitive place in the world to do business. There is the

:36:57. > :37:00.digital economy bill, to ensure that Britain remains at the forefront of

:37:01. > :37:03.the information revolution, providing that broadband network

:37:04. > :37:07.which is the equivalent of the canals and the railways and

:37:08. > :37:11.motorways of the past. The previous generations built for us, that is

:37:12. > :37:19.why we are introducing this new legal right, in the Queen's Speech,

:37:20. > :37:23.that anyone can request a 10 megabit per second connection and encourage

:37:24. > :37:28.more private competition. And making sure that Britain is at the

:37:29. > :37:31.forefront of the new revolution in driverless car, we are boosting

:37:32. > :37:34.competition with the better markets bill. We are putting new

:37:35. > :37:39.infrastructure commission on a permanent statutory footing. This

:37:40. > :37:44.has been called for, for decades by both political people in both

:37:45. > :37:49.parties. It will be part now of the permanent fixtures of our country.

:37:50. > :37:53.It has made recommendation under the excellent leadership of Lord Adonis

:37:54. > :37:56.to improve transport connections in London with Crossrail 2, to improve

:37:57. > :38:00.connection in the northern powerhouse across the Pennines and

:38:01. > :38:06.to make sure that we plan for the future of our energy supplies by

:38:07. > :38:08.being able to store energy, all of those recommendations accepted by

:38:09. > :38:13.the Government and in the Queen's Speech we will put this commission

:38:14. > :38:19.on a permanent footing, and I am delighted we have reached an

:38:20. > :38:23.agreement with Sadiq Khan the Mayor of London that Lord Adonis is going

:38:24. > :38:29.to help drop the Crossrail two project which is vital for the

:38:30. > :38:35.capital. He mentioned energy, and despite the welcome moves the

:38:36. > :38:39.Government has taken, we are seeing a further 475 jobs lost from Shell

:38:40. > :38:45.in Aberdeen. The moves are welcome but with that announcement it is

:38:46. > :38:49.clear more needs to be done. Will he engage was, with the industry, to

:38:50. > :38:53.particularly focus on exploration so we can get at the 20 billion barrels

:38:54. > :39:01.that remain in the knot sea, but only if we can find them.

:39:02. > :39:04.I saw the unwelcome news about the Shell job losses, and, we will do of

:39:05. > :39:07.course, working with the Scottish Government everything we can to both

:39:08. > :39:11.help the people who have lost their jobs but make sure that that vital

:39:12. > :39:17.industry for our country is protected at a time of low global

:39:18. > :39:20.oil prices, that is why we have worked with Aberdeen to do the new

:39:21. > :39:28.city deal and improve the harbour, that is why in the budget, we chose

:39:29. > :39:32.as the big tax measure, in this space, an abolition of the revenue

:39:33. > :39:36.taxation, a halving of the supplementary charge, so we have

:39:37. > :39:40.been ready, and stand will to help this industry, this difficult time

:39:41. > :39:44.because it is world class. We want to make sure we get as much oil out

:39:45. > :39:50.of the North Sea basin as we possibly can.

:39:51. > :39:56.We are also addressing in this queen's speech other challenges like

:39:57. > :40:01.the low savings rate which we have had many decades. We have already

:40:02. > :40:06.reformed pensions and made sure that pensioners can have access to their

:40:07. > :40:10.pension pots, a quarter of a million pensioners have made use of that

:40:11. > :40:26.innovation that we emit -- introduced as a government. I can

:40:27. > :40:31.tell the House that we ask to make a cap, low -- 1% cap, lower than what

:40:32. > :40:35.they were consulting on. In this Queen's Speech, there is a proposal

:40:36. > :40:43.for a lifetime I is that I and others in the budget, -- a lifetime

:40:44. > :40:48.acrid too, so young people do not have to choose between saving for

:40:49. > :40:51.their home and saving for the retirement. This is the biggest

:40:52. > :40:56.change in personal savings this country has ever seen, according to

:40:57. > :41:04.Martin Lewis, the savings go around. -- savings guru. Martin Lewis

:41:05. > :41:10.happens to come from Weaver Vale, a very good town. I would like to

:41:11. > :41:20.remind you to ask the House to -- ask you to remind the House that

:41:21. > :41:23.pensioners have gone up ?1000 and pensions have been protected by the

:41:24. > :41:29.triple lock, could he remind the House of the good work he has done?

:41:30. > :41:35.The triple lock on pensions has meant that we have made huge strides

:41:36. > :41:42.in in pensioner poverty in this country. -- is eliminating pensioner

:41:43. > :41:48.poverty. I am very proud that has happened under a Conservative

:41:49. > :41:51.government. Conscious of semi-people want to speak in this debate, I will

:41:52. > :41:59.end by saying, one of the biggest reforms we are making, and it

:42:00. > :42:03.features in this, is the radical devolution of power in the UK. We

:42:04. > :42:08.have devolved tax and spending powers to Scotland, a major piece of

:42:09. > :42:13.legislation for Wales, we are creating powerful new elected mayors

:42:14. > :42:16.which are proving an attractive opportunity for Shadow Cabinet

:42:17. > :42:22.members who think that their career is not going anywhere in this place.

:42:23. > :42:27.And we have got radical reforms to business rates, something people

:42:28. > :42:33.have talked about the many decades. When this government first came into

:42:34. > :42:36.office in 2010, 80% of council revenues were handed down in central

:42:37. > :42:46.government grants, almost all of which were incensed. Now, by 2020,

:42:47. > :42:51.-- were ring fenced. Now, by 2020, 100% of revenue will stay with local

:42:52. > :42:54.communities, power back to the people in a devolution revolution.

:42:55. > :43:01.Let me conclude by saying this. With record employment, one of the

:43:02. > :43:07.fastest-growing economies in the Western world, it would be easy to

:43:08. > :43:12.think, job done, and take the foot of the accelerator. And we could do

:43:13. > :43:26.that, settle for a quiet life. We would be failing the lip -- British

:43:27. > :43:32.people and watch qualities decline. I do not want to watch other nations

:43:33. > :43:36.embrace the latest technology, power ahead, say to my children, that used

:43:37. > :43:40.to be asked, that used to be Great Britain. I want this country and the

:43:41. > :43:44.people living in it to be the great success story of the 21st century.

:43:45. > :43:50.And to make that happen, there will be controversy and battles ahead.

:43:51. > :43:53.Making change, confronted vested interest, is always difficult. This

:43:54. > :43:57.Queen's Speech demonstrates we are ready for that. It shows that when

:43:58. > :44:02.it comes to standing up for the hard-working people of Britain, we

:44:03. > :44:08.are out for the fight. Before I call the next speaker, I want to warn the

:44:09. > :44:14.House that there is going to be speech limit of four minutes after

:44:15. > :44:23.the SNP spokesperson sits down. That will include all 41 members speaking

:44:24. > :44:28.without intervention. If people could be aware of this I would be

:44:29. > :44:33.grateful. A pleasure to take part in this debate on the gracious speech.

:44:34. > :44:37.I am conscious of time so I will be as brief as I can. Before I talk

:44:38. > :44:43.about the measures contained within the speech, it might be worth

:44:44. > :44:50.reflecting on what is missing. Particularly in economic terms. And

:44:51. > :44:56.alternative on austerity, relaxation on exports, and addressing the need

:44:57. > :45:01.for genuine inclusive growth so that people do not fall further behind

:45:02. > :45:06.and the UK does not forego GDP growth as it has in the past over

:45:07. > :45:13.decades. As a result of rising inequality. All of that is absent.

:45:14. > :45:16.The most important steps which would be this programme the government,

:45:17. > :45:23.which the government could and should have taken to reverse the

:45:24. > :45:27.damaging impact of posterity, to stop cuts to our vital public

:45:28. > :45:34.services, which promote positive economic impact, are all missing. It

:45:35. > :45:40.is almost as if this is a Tory government so consumed with bitter

:45:41. > :45:42.infighting over Europe, on the EU referendum, they have pared back

:45:43. > :45:48.this legislative programme to a bare minimum to give even the vaguest

:45:49. > :45:56.impression of the government still functioning no matter how rotten and

:45:57. > :46:03.divided over Europe. Madam Deputy Speaker, we did not have announced

:46:04. > :46:07.in the gracious speech, an emergency budget in the summer putting an end

:46:08. > :46:09.to austerity which are strangled economic growth and seen the

:46:10. > :46:15.Chancellor failed to meet every single target across his key

:46:16. > :46:19.economic indicators. Debt, deficit, borrowing, trade and export, we

:46:20. > :46:24.could have had an economic plan, a series of economic measures, to

:46:25. > :46:28.usher in an inclusive, prosperous economy, through investment in

:46:29. > :46:33.infrastructure and key public services. We could have had

:46:34. > :46:37.signalled and flagged up provision for a modest increase in public

:46:38. > :46:41.expenditure. Half a percent, as we argued at the election, to release

:46:42. > :46:45.something in the order of ?150 billion, for investment in

:46:46. > :46:55.infrastructure and our public services. Spending to grow the

:46:56. > :46:58.economy while essentially insuring public-sector debt and deficit

:46:59. > :47:00.continued to fall over the parliament, something which would

:47:01. > :47:07.have been sustainable and fiscally responsible. Could the honourable

:47:08. > :47:12.gentleman in light in this house as to whether or not there are any

:47:13. > :47:16.plans in the Scottish Parliament to have an emergency budget to use the

:47:17. > :47:23.tax-raising powers they have? We are using every single power available

:47:24. > :47:26.to us and we will use all of the powers over taxation when they come.

:47:27. > :47:30.How we choose to do that will be a matter for the Scottish Government.

:47:31. > :47:35.What I suspect we are not going to do is impose a 5% increase on the

:47:36. > :47:40.poorest workers in Scotland which was a plan posited by others which

:47:41. > :47:48.led them to come third. We could have had, in this Queen 's speech,

:47:49. > :47:51.the delivery of vital and urgent aid to support trade and exports.

:47:52. > :47:58.Measures to stimulus investment and growth, the turnaround what is now

:47:59. > :48:01.recognised in the real world is this Chancellor's failed stewardship of

:48:02. > :48:07.the economy, which has seen the trade deficit widened to its worst

:48:08. > :48:13.levels since the crisis in 20 set -- 2008, and will see the Treasury miss

:48:14. > :48:17.its own target of doubling exports to ?1 trillion by ?300 billion by

:48:18. > :48:22.the end of this decade. We could have had a fair tax bill,

:48:23. > :48:26.simplifying the UK tax system and delivering greater tax transparency.

:48:27. > :48:31.And vitally, measures including a moratorium on this government's

:48:32. > :48:36.programme of HMRC office closures. We should have had the establishment

:48:37. > :48:49.of an independent commission to simplify the tax code, strengthen

:48:50. > :48:54.tax tax roti -- transparency, by ensuring that the ownership of

:48:55. > :48:58.trusts were fully public. We should have had a security and investment

:48:59. > :49:05.bill facilitating and exports laid sustainable energy sector. With

:49:06. > :49:08.measures including a combo offensive strategic review of tax rates and

:49:09. > :49:19.investment allowances in the North Sea, a review into securing the

:49:20. > :49:23.future energy supply of the UK, and an end to the failing Hinkley C

:49:24. > :49:27.nuclear project. We could have been directing investment into renewable

:49:28. > :49:31.energy and into carbon capture and storage. Those among other

:49:32. > :49:35.initiatives would have formed the basis of solid economic proposals to

:49:36. > :49:46.grow the economy. What we ended up with was an economic digital economy

:49:47. > :49:52.Bill, a better markets Bill, and I will turn to those. We understand

:49:53. > :49:55.the benefit of digital collectivity and we welcome the roll-out of

:49:56. > :50:01.superfast broadband because it has the potential to boost productivity.

:50:02. > :50:07.According to Deloitte 's, a report commissioned for the Scottish

:50:08. > :50:13.futures trust last year, in tries -- increase in digitalisation could

:50:14. > :50:19.increase the Scottish economy by ?13 billion. That would also have a

:50:20. > :50:22.direct input in improving productivity, business creation,

:50:23. > :50:25.jobs, earnings, exports and tax revenues. And many more positive

:50:26. > :50:32.outcomes in terms of public provision. The report suggested the

:50:33. > :50:38.Scotland to become a world leader, we could see significant increase in

:50:39. > :50:45.GDP, something in the order of 6000 small and home-based enterprises,

:50:46. > :50:51.and potentially 175,000 extra jobs by the end of the decade. We

:50:52. > :50:57.welcome, therefore, Muse by the UK Government to provide digital

:50:58. > :51:02.infrastructure. -- moves by the UK Government. We are unconvinced the

:51:03. > :51:08.bill will turn the persistently poor productivity levels in the UK as it

:51:09. > :51:10.could. We are unconvinced by the limitation of this plan,

:51:11. > :51:16.particularly the roll-out of broadband, will deliver, not least

:51:17. > :51:21.because by every evidence, they have failed in this regard before. As

:51:22. > :51:28.long ago as 2013, the NAO reported that the government's then roll-out

:51:29. > :51:32.of broadband was 22 months late. The Defra committee reported last year,

:51:33. > :51:37.they made the point that the target dates of broadband had been changed

:51:38. > :51:40.many times and they raised concerns that the target for delivering

:51:41. > :51:47.superfast broadband to even 95% of the UK was interpreted. -- was in

:51:48. > :51:52.jeopardy. They are not very good with targets. We welcome the UK

:51:53. > :51:56.Government's commitment to introducing universal service

:51:57. > :51:59.obligation, because it was in our manifesto and we believe it can be

:52:00. > :52:07.fulfilled, it would have particular benefit to rural communities. We

:52:08. > :52:10.also welcome the government moves to tackle corruption, money-laundering

:52:11. > :52:14.and tax evasion. But again, the criminal finances built does not go

:52:15. > :52:23.far enough to combat what is a systemic problem. Following the

:52:24. > :52:27.release of the Panama papers, the Prime Minister was called upon to go

:52:28. > :52:34.on with measures to crack down on tax evasion and aggressive tax

:52:35. > :52:42.avoidance, pointing out the elicit cross-border flows of money are now

:52:43. > :52:49.estimated at ?1 trillion a year, ten times the global foreign aid budgets

:52:50. > :52:54.to mind. We believe the Mint should be prioritising vital tax treaties

:52:55. > :52:58.not least his places like Panama and other tax havens, as part of global

:52:59. > :53:05.efforts to better coordinate against tax avoidance. Furthermore, we would

:53:06. > :53:12.call on the UK Government to involve in compliance by guaranteeing the

:53:13. > :53:19.beneficial ownership -- in bold in compliance to make sure that

:53:20. > :53:23.ownership of trusts is made public. The UK has one of the most

:53:24. > :53:32.complicated tax code in the world. That leads to a loss of tax yield

:53:33. > :53:37.and opportunities to exploit tax loopholes. We call upon the

:53:38. > :53:47.government to ring about the tax system to make sure it is a fair

:53:48. > :53:51.system. We believe there should be a conference of consultation on the

:53:52. > :54:00.simplification of the tax code. With a simplified, not a flat tax code,

:54:01. > :54:08.but with a similar fight system, the government could boost yields and

:54:09. > :54:16.avoid exploiting loopholes. We welcome efforts to tackle mine --

:54:17. > :54:22.money-laundering and tax evasion. Whatever good may come of this, the

:54:23. > :54:25.counter-productive decision to close 137 HMRC offices will strip local

:54:26. > :54:30.businesses and individuals throughout the UK of the support

:54:31. > :54:35.they need to ensure they comply with the law. In order to tackle tax

:54:36. > :54:40.avoidance at all levels, and to continue to provide local support

:54:41. > :54:49.when it is needed, the UK Government must but a moratorium on this

:54:50. > :54:54.closures. Individuals and businesses want to contribute to society by

:54:55. > :55:03.paying tax, but the high proportion of SME tax which is lost through

:55:04. > :55:07.error, not fraud, can be avoided by removing the threat to local

:55:08. > :55:11.offices. It is extraordinary in that context. While tax compliance is now

:55:12. > :55:17.at the heart of much of our economic debate, in a way it has not been for

:55:18. > :55:22.decades, HMRC has seen its workforce cuts by 20% since 2010.

:55:23. > :55:32.The final bill which comes under the broad heading of economy is the

:55:33. > :55:36.better markets bill. Now, many dell deputy speaker, the main purported

:55:37. > :55:39.benefits will be to give consumers more power and choice, through

:55:40. > :55:45.faster switching and more protection when things go wrong, that is to be

:55:46. > :55:48.worked. It would simplify the way economic regulator operating to make

:55:49. > :55:54.things more straight forward and straightforward for business, and to

:55:55. > :55:59.help cut red tape. It would speed up decision for the competition markets

:56:00. > :56:04.authority to the benefit of consumers and businesses alike. The

:56:05. > :56:07.intention is it will deliver a manifesto commitment to increase

:56:08. > :56:12.competition and consumer choice, particularly in the energy market.

:56:13. > :56:15.So while we work moves by the Government to challenge rising

:56:16. > :56:20.energy prices, through encouraging market choice, it does not go far

:56:21. > :56:25.enough, to combat the problem of fuel poverty, at a structural level.

:56:26. > :56:33.By that, Madame Deputy Speaker I mean this. According to the UK means

:56:34. > :56:38.of calculating fuel poverty, in 2014, some 2.5 million households

:56:39. > :56:41.were in fuel poverty. According to the methods use in Scotland, Wales

:56:42. > :56:49.and Northern Ireland, over the last three or four year, the figures have

:56:50. > :56:54.sat between 30 and 40% of households in fuel poverty. So the structure

:56:55. > :57:00.issue here isn't a short tackle of gas or electricity, it isn't even

:57:01. > :57:04.necessarily a shortage of competition, it isn't necessarily

:57:05. > :57:08.the ability to change supplier quickly, it is a shortage of money,

:57:09. > :57:15.to pay for the gas and electricity, coming into the house.

:57:16. > :57:21.I am sure there are good intentions behind many of the economic measures

:57:22. > :57:30.in this gracious speech, they are simply too little, too late. On the

:57:31. > :57:35.point about fuel poverty, the Chancellor mentioned Martin Lewis,

:57:36. > :57:43.in his speech. Does my friend know that I was at a conference with

:57:44. > :57:48.Martin Lewis this week, where Martin Lewis denounced Universal Credits as

:57:49. > :57:56.particularly hurting the poor and theirable to save and pay for

:57:57. > :58:02.energy, the Chancellor, is mentioned the person is I have said we have

:58:03. > :58:08.got very limited time for a very large number of members to get in.

:58:09. > :58:13.Stewart Hosie. He was with Mr Lewis. It doesn't surprise me in the

:58:14. > :58:17.slightest because for all the talk of an increase in the minimum wage,

:58:18. > :58:23.I think anyone on the progressive side of 308 ticks understands that a

:58:24. > :58:29.real living wage will be under mined with the undermining of the cuts to

:58:30. > :58:34.inwork benefits and tax credits being undertaken by this Government.

:58:35. > :58:40.I think the key aspect here is that this government was failing on

:58:41. > :58:46.almost every key economic indicator, they have missed almost every

:58:47. > :58:50.target. They set for themselves, the numbers demonstrate, the numbers

:58:51. > :58:55.demonstrate beyond doubt that their claim to economic credibility is in

:58:56. > :59:01.tatters. We are asking for a genuine comprehensive plan for trade exports

:59:02. > :59:05.innovation productivity, a genuinely rebalanced and fair economy. The

:59:06. > :59:10.Chancellor said trade and exports would underpin the strategy for

:59:11. > :59:16.growth, but the UK current account is at a record 96 billion. Its

:59:17. > :59:19.highest ever cash amount. On exports the Chancellor promised a doubling

:59:20. > :59:26.to a trillion by the end of the year, exports fell last year, to 511

:59:27. > :59:31.billion. They are going in the wrong direction. We continue to compare

:59:32. > :59:35.poorly with our competitors on innovation and the Chancellor's

:59:36. > :59:40.previous decision, no, I won't. To change innovation grants into loans

:59:41. > :59:46.sends out the wrong signals. On productivity we continue to lag

:59:47. > :59:51.behind other major economies, and productivity rise is barely half the

:59:52. > :59:59.level of growth of the precrisis period. All of these failures need a

:00:00. > :00:09.concrete plan to put them right. Instead, we simply have spin and

:00:10. > :00:14.slogans. The northern powerhouse,ing the long-term economic plans. Empty

:00:15. > :00:25.shallow words, from a rotten poll lowed out Government.

:00:26. > :00:28.The gracious speech tells us that legislation will be introduced to

:00:29. > :00:32.ensure Britain has the infrastructure that businesses need

:00:33. > :00:38.to grow, and in the next sentence we are promised measures to improve

:00:39. > :00:43.access to high speed broadband. Both these commitments are of huge

:00:44. > :00:51.importance to my constituency and to the wider Angeline region of which

:00:52. > :00:56.we form part. The region is badly served so far as transport

:00:57. > :01:01.infrastructure is involved. Two railway lines both of which are

:01:02. > :01:06.inadequate, my right honourable friend the member for Norwich North

:01:07. > :01:10.has chaired a taskforce for the great eastern line. I have been

:01:11. > :01:14.charged with chairing a taskforce for the west Anglian line, we have

:01:15. > :01:19.illustrated the weaknesses in the present system and how important

:01:20. > :01:23.this is, to the development of business in our areas.

:01:24. > :01:28.Understandably, in the short time available I will concentrate on the

:01:29. > :01:34.question of the west Angela task force. We are looking at the fact

:01:35. > :01:38.that with Cambridge, with Stansted, with greater Harlow and the up air

:01:39. > :01:44.Leigh valley area in Greater London there is a huge growth potential.

:01:45. > :01:50.Jobs and housing are going to multiply, over the next few years.

:01:51. > :01:53.Years. A stark contrast to some of the tales of woe we have been

:01:54. > :01:59.hearing so far in parts of this debate.

:02:00. > :02:04.Now, the one thing that is not mentioned in the gracious speech is

:02:05. > :02:09.the actual decision on where extra run away capacity will be provided

:02:10. > :02:17.in the London area. One suspects that will, decision will come to

:02:18. > :02:24.wait soon. But no choice will enable the capacity to be used other than

:02:25. > :02:30.in the interim, at Stansted, which brings in to focus the inadequacy of

:02:31. > :02:35.the rail loin that connected connects London with Stansted. It is

:02:36. > :02:38.not just a matter of getting passenger, it is getting the

:02:39. > :02:42.workforce there I am ploughed to say related to the policies of the

:02:43. > :02:47.Government I support, that the unemployment rate in my own

:02:48. > :02:51.constituency has fallen to 0.6%. Clearly, clearly therefore, if the

:02:52. > :02:55.jobs are to be filled people have to be conveyed there and the railways,

:02:56. > :03:00.is one of the most efficient ways of doing it. But we have got to press

:03:01. > :03:04.on with that, and now the Chancellor is taking the imaginative decision

:03:05. > :03:09.to back the project of Crossrail two. It is essential that the first

:03:10. > :03:16.work should begin in preparation for that, by the four tracking of the

:03:17. > :03:21.west Angela railway line. So, I hope, that we will soon have some

:03:22. > :03:27.decision that will ensure we are not waiting beyond 2025 for that railway

:03:28. > :03:33.line to improve, but for otherwise it may slip to 20033, which would be

:03:34. > :03:37.unthinkable. Broadband is offering new methods of working, which helps

:03:38. > :03:43.some people to travel less often than has been necessary for them up

:03:44. > :03:47.to now. The face of rural England is changing, people are dispersed,

:03:48. > :03:51.small businesses exist, sometimes at the high technology end. Superfast

:03:52. > :03:57.broadband eis essential to them. What we need to see however, is a

:03:58. > :04:02.clarity given to people as to what is available, whether from BT, or

:04:03. > :04:07.from the other commercial providers, and I hope that Local Authorities

:04:08. > :04:13.will be encouraged to show to everyone what is available so that

:04:14. > :04:17.there can be quicker implementation. There has dozen have to be equality

:04:18. > :04:24.of provision so everyone can accept the same standard. My constituencies

:04:25. > :04:34.commend the priority given to these matters in the greatest. Thank you,

:04:35. > :04:39.could I begin by thank the Chancellor for the five million

:04:40. > :04:43.pounds he earmarked in the budget force, the Shakespeare of the north

:04:44. > :04:48.and press him a little further and ask him to consider waiving the VAT

:04:49. > :04:53.on the construction costs. I want to talk today about the link between

:04:54. > :05:00.poverty, economic progress and education. Before doing so, I should

:05:01. > :05:10.say a word about my own position on the EU referendum. In 1975 in a

:05:11. > :05:17.previous referendum Madame Deputy Speaker, I chair the Huyton says no

:05:18. > :05:25.campaign. Our merry band of naysayers was an eclectic group.

:05:26. > :05:31.Consisting of Labour Party young socialist and the Communist part of

:05:32. > :05:36.Great Britain and two Tory dancers. The people of Huyton listened to our

:05:37. > :05:44.local MP at the time, haar roll Wilson and voted to stay in. The

:05:45. > :05:52.argument I want to advance takes inspiration fittingly in the sentry

:05:53. > :05:59.year from haar wold Wilson's white hot technology speech. 1963 we

:06:00. > :06:04.needed to don't to changing economic realities, and by embracing the

:06:05. > :06:12.challenges that we, confronted us with science and technology, but it

:06:13. > :06:16.also included an element about the importance of education, and as

:06:17. > :06:23.regards the path ways out of poverty. My argument is that we now

:06:24. > :06:30.face a similar challenge. How do we compete in a rapidly changing global

:06:31. > :06:36.economy, do we adopt zero hours contract and other insecure forms of

:06:37. > :06:40.employment? Or do we instead incentivise Nguyen investigation and

:06:41. > :06:43.educate and train a future workforce to take advantage of the

:06:44. > :06:48.opportunities that innovation creates. The first option, in my

:06:49. > :06:53.view, is ultimately a self defeating race to the bottom. What we do have

:06:54. > :07:00.to face up to some uncomfortable truths, one of which is the decline

:07:01. > :07:06.in manufacturing in the UK. In 1972, 32% of the UK's GDP came from

:07:07. > :07:19.manufacturing, and by 1997, that percentage was down to 14.5%, and by

:07:20. > :07:24.2013 dropped further, 0. Further, I want to conclude by saying that the,

:07:25. > :07:29.the economic levers that are available to the Chancellor and the

:07:30. > :07:34.Government need to be remorselessly focussed on creating incentives for

:07:35. > :07:38.innovation. Using not only the taxation system but the export

:07:39. > :07:44.guarantee system, and everything else they are available, to make

:07:45. > :07:49.sure those opportunities that exist in the world, are ones within the

:07:50. > :07:53.reach of our country, secondly we need to talk about education. In

:07:54. > :07:57.Knowsley we have serious problems with education, and I don't want to

:07:58. > :08:07.go into too much detail at that at the moment. We have a serious

:08:08. > :08:11.problem of underattainment at G7. I wonder how many secondary schools in

:08:12. > :08:16.Knowsley are academies? That is the point. Out of six secondary schools

:08:17. > :08:20.four are already academies so clearly that is not the solution to

:08:21. > :08:29.all of the problems that we confront. My own belief is that we

:08:30. > :08:35.need to rebuild completely, start from scratch the education system.

:08:36. > :08:41.Nothing should be protected from proper scrutiny and nothing should

:08:42. > :08:47.be protected from modernisation, the curriculum, the public examination

:08:48. > :08:50.system. Educational institution and the underlying philosophy behind

:08:51. > :08:54.education needs rigorous Commonwealth Games and radically

:08:55. > :09:00.redesigned, to meet the real challenges we face in the world and

:09:01. > :09:04.the we don't do that areas like Knowsley will continue to drag

:09:05. > :09:10.behind. We can make bigger choices that meet the challenges and harness

:09:11. > :09:16.the innovation and education as the twin engines of tackling inequality,

:09:17. > :09:20.deprivation and the random economic effects associated with where people

:09:21. > :09:28.live. Sure there there is only one choice and that must be progress.

:09:29. > :09:35.There is nothing wrong in being analogue if you term it with

:09:36. > :09:38.restraint and reason. I do conFoss I am an ideologue for lower taxes and

:09:39. > :09:43.for the supremacy of this Parliament. That is what I work for

:09:44. > :09:47.all my life. I judge every Queen's Speech by how it advances lower

:09:48. > :09:53.taxes, deregulation and more devolution. I think, however, we

:09:54. > :09:59.should be wary of imposing our ideas on other people, in a forced manner.

:10:00. > :10:03.We used to argue that it was, that the one-size-fits-all come hen sieve

:10:04. > :10:06.was wrong, educational standards were declining and therefore we have

:10:07. > :10:15.led the charge I do not believe we should force a

:10:16. > :10:20.county council, particularly rural ones with small private ones, to

:10:21. > :10:24.make all of these schools into academies so despite the

:10:25. > :10:31.announcement made in the budget, I know where the Chancellor is coming

:10:32. > :10:34.from, I agree with his long-term plans on education, I welcome the

:10:35. > :10:43.compromise in terms of small rural private schools. The same attitude,

:10:44. > :10:47.if I may say, I welcome the Chancellor still being here, apply

:10:48. > :10:51.to devolution and mayors. I am a strong advocate of devolution,

:10:52. > :10:56.central government has imposed too much control on local government for

:10:57. > :11:03.too long. But in Lincolnshire, we welcome devolution, we were prepared

:11:04. > :11:07.to have a simple system by which devolution was devolved onto a

:11:08. > :11:13.board, run by the leader of the district councils and there was no

:11:14. > :11:16.enthusiasm for I met elected in the larger role country. I am sure the

:11:17. > :11:21.Chancellor is listening to what I'm saying, and I hope he will listen to

:11:22. > :11:27.local people and will not impose the concept of an elected mayor, fine

:11:28. > :11:34.for cities but not necessarily appropriate for a large rural county

:11:35. > :11:37.like Lincolnshire. As somebody who represent a larger role community

:11:38. > :11:41.who has not got the benefit of being offered and there, do you not think

:11:42. > :11:47.it is worth having an opportunity to try a mayor for rural communities to

:11:48. > :11:51.see how they can enhance it? We can certainly try. The difficulty is, we

:11:52. > :11:54.will have parish councils, district councils, county councils which we

:11:55. > :11:59.have controlled for most of the last 100 years, an elected mayor, elected

:12:00. > :12:02.police commission, member of Parliament, member of European

:12:03. > :12:11.Parliament, it gets too much. Too many jobs for the boys. I just

:12:12. > :12:19.wondered if my right honourable friend Mike also suggest jobs for

:12:20. > :12:22.the girls as well. Absolutely. She has actually made some very

:12:23. > :12:26.important contributions to this debate in the last year. And I

:12:27. > :12:30.welcome what she says. May I say that in terms of welfare, I know she

:12:31. > :12:34.has taken in interest in tax credits, I think we have to make

:12:35. > :12:40.more progress in cutting the deficit and cutting welfare. Probably it is

:12:41. > :12:45.a mistake to cut the welfare benefit or tax credit of people who are

:12:46. > :12:49.already on small incomes and living and depending on the tax credits and

:12:50. > :12:54.benefits. We have to give plenty of warning. This is the lesson that we

:12:55. > :12:59.should learn from that debate on lowering or increasing the pension

:13:00. > :13:05.age for women. We should have given proper notice, we did give 20 years

:13:06. > :13:10.notice, but we did not write to every single woman saying, dear Mrs

:13:11. > :13:13.Jones, in 20 years' time, your pension age will be increased. That

:13:14. > :13:18.is we should have done and we should learn from that in the future. In

:13:19. > :13:25.terms of what the spokesman for the SNP, his points, again, as I said in

:13:26. > :13:30.the beginning of my speech, I and enthusiast for lower taxes. We have

:13:31. > :13:37.the longest tax code in the world. There is still so much progress we

:13:38. > :13:42.can make. The Chancellor knows, I have said this to him again and

:13:43. > :13:47.again, I hope with every budget that he introduces, he tries to simplify

:13:48. > :13:54.the tax and benefit system. Tries to strip away allowances, tries to

:13:55. > :13:58.converge taxes, so we do not need to employ armies of accountants, simply

:13:59. > :14:06.trying to advise people on how to avoid tax. We have made all too

:14:07. > :14:09.little progress in simplifying and converging our tax system. I know it

:14:10. > :14:15.is difficult and we cannot do it in one step. I know because of the top

:14:16. > :14:21.1% of earners paying 25% of all taxes, you cannot have a flat tax

:14:22. > :14:23.system, I know all that. Every year we should make more progress in

:14:24. > :14:28.simplifying and merging the tax system. Before I sit down, I should

:14:29. > :14:32.say that the Chancellor talked about announcements made today, but there

:14:33. > :14:37.was an important announcement today on the immigration figures. The fact

:14:38. > :14:40.is, we still have net migration of 300,000 people every year into this

:14:41. > :14:45.country. This is absolutely unsustainable. We welcome people

:14:46. > :14:52.from East Europe coming to work here. I more than any other welcome

:14:53. > :14:56.Polish people and their culture of hard work. But net migration,

:14:57. > :15:01.particularly in terms of London and the south-east, of 300,000 people a

:15:02. > :15:07.year, fuelled by the imposition on business of the living wage, and on

:15:08. > :15:13.and reformed tax credit system, is simply unsustainable. There is a

:15:14. > :15:18.vision of Britain leading the world towards free trade, controlling its

:15:19. > :15:24.own borders, but claiming supremacy of Parliament and that is why on

:15:25. > :15:30.June 23, I for one shall be voting to leave the European Union. A

:15:31. > :15:33.pleasure to follow the member for Gainsborough. The separation of

:15:34. > :15:39.Labour futures on the Tory benches is having some impact on some of the

:15:40. > :15:45.policy areas the honourable member outlined on the forced acadamisation

:15:46. > :15:50.of schools and the plight of the working poor. I will focus on tax

:15:51. > :15:53.transparency and prison reform. In the gracious speech, Her Majesty

:15:54. > :15:56.said, my government will use the opportunity of a strengthening

:15:57. > :16:00.economy to deliver security for working people, increase the life

:16:01. > :16:03.chances for the most disadvantaged and strengthen national defences. I

:16:04. > :16:06.do not disagree with those sentiments although I would question

:16:07. > :16:13.how strong our economy is. We are debating the Queens speech with a

:16:14. > :16:16.referendum on the EU looming, the outcome of which could affect the

:16:17. > :16:20.government's ability to turn those words into actions. It is my belief

:16:21. > :16:24.that our economy and security benefit enormously from our

:16:25. > :16:29.mentorship of the European Union and that is at risk should really. --

:16:30. > :16:34.membership. Whatever happens on the 23rd of June, it is important we

:16:35. > :16:38.recognise and acknowledge the power and responsibilities we have today

:16:39. > :16:43.is a national parliament to tackle the challenges our country faces and

:16:44. > :16:47.institute change. Unlike the defeatism and politics of despair

:16:48. > :16:52.expressed by politicians arguing to leave the EU, I proudly believe in

:16:53. > :16:54.British democracy that allows us to act independently of the EE you

:16:55. > :17:00.while strengthening Britain in the EU through our membership. We need a

:17:01. > :17:04.strong economy because it only works when everyone from the cleaner to

:17:05. > :17:10.the Chief Executive, from the corner shop to the corporate giant, are

:17:11. > :17:18.paying their fair share of tax. Chris -- prison reform is important

:17:19. > :17:22.because crime robs communities, and costs more and more every time a

:17:23. > :17:25.prisoner returns to a life of crime. Within the world of multinationals,

:17:26. > :17:28.it is aggressive tax avoidance hidden behind corporate laws which

:17:29. > :17:33.is the nine Britain and other countries the taxes they are due. --

:17:34. > :17:37.which is denying Britain. That is why tax transparency is the most

:17:38. > :17:40.important thing you can do. International European action is

:17:41. > :17:47.deserving of support but it should not paralyse the UK Government from

:17:48. > :17:50.taking the lead, especially if multilateral proposals are not good

:17:51. > :17:59.enough. We need country by country reporting so I seek to amend the

:18:00. > :18:05.bill to ensure that happens. I have cross-party support, of every member

:18:06. > :18:08.in the Public Accounts Committee, of organisations for tax fairness,

:18:09. > :18:12.supporting my endeavours. I hope the government will support as well. It

:18:13. > :18:19.is so important that not only do we know what we should be getting, we

:18:20. > :18:26.should also know what business activities in the developing world

:18:27. > :18:30.are doing, and how they are denied further tax rather than relying on

:18:31. > :18:33.international aid. Turning to prison reform, the government has announced

:18:34. > :18:38.prison governors will be given a precedent it freedom and allow

:18:39. > :18:42.prisoners to get education but the story is not encouraging. According

:18:43. > :18:46.to the last report, you are more likely to die in prison than five

:18:47. > :18:49.years ago. More prisoners murdered, killed themselves, self harm were

:18:50. > :18:56.victims of assault than five years ago. The salt on staff at 40% in the

:18:57. > :19:00.-- assaults on staff at 40% in the last government while is on staff

:19:01. > :19:07.numbers are cut. But she recognised the key role in legal highs,

:19:08. > :19:11.creating a volatile situation in prison, and she welcomed legislation

:19:12. > :19:16.introduced to outlaw them? Yes, and I was proud to introduce drug

:19:17. > :19:19.testing on a rest to ensure that we could get prisoners into drug

:19:20. > :19:25.testing before they entered the prison system. We have seen 24,000

:19:26. > :19:31.prison staff in 2010 being reduced to just over 14,000 by June 20 14.

:19:32. > :19:35.To tackle the illegal drug trade in prisons, we need the staff there to

:19:36. > :19:41.be able to do their job to make sure it doesn't happen. I have three

:19:42. > :19:47.prisons in my constituency. Two closed, and one open. I have met Tim

:19:48. > :19:53.Beeston, deep governor at HMP morning, and he is not even

:19:54. > :19:57.mentioned as the correct governor on the website, he is committed to do

:19:58. > :20:00.more but he cannot do it alone. I have spoken to the chair of the

:20:01. > :20:03.prison officer Association about the problems his members are facing at

:20:04. > :20:09.how they would like to do more. I commend the research produced by my

:20:10. > :20:13.own union and its charter is a safe operating procedures which I am

:20:14. > :20:17.pleased to support. We have two recognise the prison system is full

:20:18. > :20:25.of people the education system has failed and we'd need to do more.

:20:26. > :20:30.While there is mandatory assessment of literacy and numeracy, it is not

:20:31. > :20:35.mandatory to undertake education in prison to improve your literacy and

:20:36. > :20:45.numeracy. Sentences, if they are too short, require it to be a condition

:20:46. > :20:49.on release to continue in education. I look forward to the announcements

:20:50. > :20:57.by government that will achieve these actions. I welcome the

:20:58. > :21:01.reference in the gracious speech to improving Britain's competitiveness

:21:02. > :21:08.and making the United Kingdom a world leader in the Digital economy.

:21:09. > :21:11.Since 2010, the United Kingdom or I should say the people of the United

:21:12. > :21:17.Kingdom have created 2.9 million jobs. Jobs do not appear out of thin

:21:18. > :21:20.air, they are there because the entrepreneurship of the people of

:21:21. > :21:26.the United Kingdom. Our unemployment rate has gone from 8% to 5.1%. It is

:21:27. > :21:30.still too high, but it is an achievement. We need to maintain

:21:31. > :21:35.these high levels of employment while tackling the major risks to

:21:36. > :21:38.our economy, the twin deficits of the balance of payment and the

:21:39. > :21:44.budget, and also low productivity compared with other countries. They

:21:45. > :21:49.are interrelated, Madam Deputy Speaker. Higher productivity leads

:21:50. > :21:51.us to be more competitive, domestically and internationally,

:21:52. > :21:56.leads to improved export and lower imports, and greater growth with the

:21:57. > :21:59.corresponding tax revenues. Long-term analysis of our

:22:00. > :22:04.productivity shows that there are three main issues. Insufficient

:22:05. > :22:11.investment in R, not just over the last 16 years, over decades.

:22:12. > :22:15.Investment in R, latest technology and infrastructure. Secondly, weak

:22:16. > :22:19.management. We have some fantastically managed businesses but

:22:20. > :22:23.we also have some below average managed businesses. And inadequate

:22:24. > :22:26.education and training. The government is working on all three

:22:27. > :22:31.of these areas. They are linked because high quality research and

:22:32. > :22:35.management and good management depend substantially on a

:22:36. > :22:38.well-educated population. Weak management will prioritise the

:22:39. > :22:45.status quo over risky decisions to invest and train the future. The

:22:46. > :22:49.government had taken action through growth in apprenticeships, and if on

:22:50. > :22:53.quality of apprenticeships and standards in schools which is

:22:54. > :22:56.absolutely critical. -- an emphasis on quality. I would like to raise

:22:57. > :23:00.the issue of recruitment of teachers which are difficult in certain areas

:23:01. > :23:05.such as maths and science but I know the government is well aware of this

:23:06. > :23:08.and working on it. As far as investment in R and technology is

:23:09. > :23:11.concerned, this comes down to the availability of people, the

:23:12. > :23:16.willingness of companies to invest and incentives to do so. And given

:23:17. > :23:20.that incentives cost, I would urge the government to concentrate

:23:21. > :23:23.resources for investment in R on businesses which showed the greatest

:23:24. > :23:28.willingness to invest and are more likely to generate long-term growth

:23:29. > :23:31.and jobs. Much has already been said about infrastructure. I would just

:23:32. > :23:37.concentrate in my own area in Stafford, with the advent of it as

:23:38. > :23:43.too, the road network really need strengthening. I would ask the

:23:44. > :23:52.government to do that. -- the advent of HS2. Britain is a world leader in

:23:53. > :23:57.digital economy, which is also vital for competitiveness. In my own

:23:58. > :24:00.constituency, the largest private-sector employer is no

:24:01. > :24:04.general electric, which sees its future as a digital business. As its

:24:05. > :24:09.Chief Executive said, if you went to bed last night as an an industrial

:24:10. > :24:13.company, you wake up this morning as a software and analytics company. My

:24:14. > :24:17.ambition. It is to be a leader nationally in the digital economy.

:24:18. > :24:24.It is not just manufacturing companies which are taking them

:24:25. > :24:26.seriously, such as general Electric, we have a thriving community of

:24:27. > :24:36.software businesses which are growing steadily in financial

:24:37. > :24:42.services, Microsoft's 2015 partner in the year with the projects that

:24:43. > :24:45.support the NHS, digital marketing and forensics. We also have three

:24:46. > :24:49.signals Regiment which will provide a very good workforce for the future

:24:50. > :24:53.when the service men and women complete their services. So, Madam

:24:54. > :24:55.Deputy Speaker, the future is digital and this bill is a very

:24:56. > :25:08.strong part of that. This Queen's Speech did nothing for

:25:09. > :25:11.the people who I represent in the Jarrow constituency. ? Fact the

:25:12. > :25:18.Government shouldn't have wasted taxpayers' money on all that pomp

:25:19. > :25:22.and ceremony, when they could have sent 140 syllable tweet out telling

:25:23. > :25:27.people what was in the Queen's Speech. The Prime Minister's aim of

:25:28. > :25:29.course, was to stop the rest in the Tory party while they are pulling

:25:30. > :25:35.themselves apart over the referendum. He didn't even achieve

:25:36. > :25:41.that. Only days after the Queen's Speech, what did we have? Rebel Tory

:25:42. > :25:44.MPs joining us on this side, opposing the undemocratic

:25:45. > :25:48.transatlantic trade and investment partnership, and if the Prime

:25:49. > :25:55.Minister fetes a message from that, is to dump TTIP in its interty and

:25:56. > :26:00.defend our NHS. As I alluded to earlier there was more detail on the

:26:01. > :26:04.back of a bus ticket on that waste of vellum handed to the Queen. For

:26:05. > :26:10.example, what did they say, we are going to create a space port. What a

:26:11. > :26:14.laugh. We are still waiting for a decision on another runway in

:26:15. > :26:20.London, yet they are talking about sending tourist to the moon in a

:26:21. > :26:26.rocket. That is daft. We are talking about privatising the Land Registry.

:26:27. > :26:30.A destructive move that is opposed by the Competition and Markets

:26:31. > :26:36.Authority, only this Tory Government and only this Chancellor would

:26:37. > :26:39.contemplate gifting a valuable public service, a body responsible

:26:40. > :26:43.for registering the ownership of residential and commercial property,

:26:44. > :26:52.to a bunch of spivs and speck tailors. It is wrong and they should

:26:53. > :26:59.withdraw on that. The move to end a fair rating system, will enhance

:27:00. > :27:02.people in areas like Kensington and Mayfair, echoing the usual Tory

:27:03. > :27:08.motto. To them that will have most give more, to the lower paid in the

:27:09. > :27:13.middle earners give them nothing. The Queen's Speech taken together

:27:14. > :27:18.with the recent budget fell apart quicker than a badly assembled chest

:27:19. > :27:22.of drawers, and it just shows how the government is disints grated in

:27:23. > :27:27.front of us. -- disintegrating in front of us, when areas like mine

:27:28. > :27:31.are crying fourth a Queen's Speech which values peep, likes decency and

:27:32. > :27:35.fairness, what we needed was the creation of good jobs with better

:27:36. > :27:40.incomes, we need building moments weres which people can afford. We

:27:41. > :27:43.need to raise standards in school, not academies. We need to

:27:44. > :27:49.resuscitate the NHS from Tory neglect. The country deserved a

:27:50. > :27:53.Queen's Speech which fixes the problems and gives solutions, what

:27:54. > :27:58.we got was a second-rate mishmash intended to win a referendum. On

:27:59. > :28:01.behalf of the Jarrow constituency, and the people I represent, I will

:28:02. > :28:10.be proud to walk through and vote against this Queen's Speech. Thank

:28:11. > :28:14.you. I am very pleased to be part of the debate on this final day of the

:28:15. > :28:17.greatest speech, my second one. -- gracious speech. We speak on vital

:28:18. > :28:25.matters focussed round the economy and work. I am pleased to see action

:28:26. > :28:28.on sugar levels and tackling it is vital in my constituency, where

:28:29. > :28:34.diabetes and amputation stretch the NHS. The apprenticeship Levy is part

:28:35. > :28:39.of the speech and larger employer, will be introduced in 2017 and I

:28:40. > :28:43.truly welcome this. Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for young people

:28:44. > :28:50.or older people to change career or reskill. It was a real pleasure to

:28:51. > :28:54.meet Callum who is part of Airbus, as an apprentice on the day of the

:28:55. > :29:03.Queen's Speech, and we are lucky to have easterly college which puts

:29:04. > :29:10.apprenticeships at the heart of education, where. The Chancellor, we

:29:11. > :29:14.well knows we have B We also know in easterly we have a vital need for

:29:15. > :29:17.the link road. He is well aware of this as well. It is only this

:29:18. > :29:22.Conservative majority Government that has seen progress on bringing

:29:23. > :29:25.this forward, which will increase productivity and reduce queue, so I

:29:26. > :29:31.am delighted to see this in the budget book.

:29:32. > :29:35.Our rail infrastructure in Hampshire hasn't had any investment for 60

:29:36. > :29:39.years and we need some more investment, to improve our

:29:40. > :29:45.transport, which will help productivity in your, her

:29:46. > :29:49.constituency and also mine. Absolutely agree, an hour between

:29:50. > :29:56.Portsmouth and Southampton, it is untenable. We need an hour into

:29:57. > :29:59.Waterloo from Portsmouth. It will improve travel to Southampton

:30:00. > :30:06.Airport which will see positivity and will deal with the standing

:30:07. > :30:12.traffic coming in to the town where air quality is a problem. Last week

:30:13. > :30:17.I met with a company who are keen to make their bid for the large local

:30:18. > :30:21.major schemes. I thank the Chancellor for this support. I

:30:22. > :30:26.welcome the commitment to build 200,000 starter homes, and I would

:30:27. > :30:31.like to see women in refuges given hiring priority when it comes to

:30:32. > :30:35.housing lists. This will achieve more safety for the children, more

:30:36. > :30:39.stability in-of-in schools and will improve their life chances which is

:30:40. > :30:44.what we wish to see, in this Government's programme. In Eastleigh

:30:45. > :30:48.we have seen town centre land which would have been ideal for housing,

:30:49. > :30:52.given away and designated for a car showroom and two drive through,

:30:53. > :30:58.where there is a problem of air quality. This is the kind of

:30:59. > :31:03.unhealthy and unwanted town centre generation I am not keen to see. Now

:31:04. > :31:08.I pay tribute to the local campaigners who have seek to point

:31:09. > :31:13.out this perverse an care, it will not surprise honourable members to

:31:14. > :31:19.see I intend to discuss the last of a local plan in Eastleigh. There are

:31:20. > :31:24.no neighbourhood plans and planning to protect green space, affordable

:31:25. > :31:30.homes an more transparent planning rules are vital, in east three is a

:31:31. > :31:33.strategic vacuum. It is crucial the pace of progress here is making

:31:34. > :31:41.local authorities pick up the pace and deal with this issue, and sadly

:31:42. > :31:45.Eastleigh council continues to fail residents ignoring calls for local

:31:46. > :31:51.plan, I hope this they get on with it. I hope this bill can help and

:31:52. > :31:55.take full effect in our area. I want to protect our green infrastructure

:31:56. > :32:00.as well. This is important, to see the protection of our chalk stream,

:32:01. > :32:05.the river where you might see the honourable member for Broxbourne

:32:06. > :32:09.fly-fishing or angling, alongside local angler, very important to

:32:10. > :32:14.support this infrastructure, top the pollution of the vital rivers and

:32:15. > :32:19.this billion will promote green spaces over brownfield land that is

:32:20. > :32:27.not being distributed properly in my constituency. Residents in, see this

:32:28. > :32:36.where there is no localism and no local plan. She does a tremendous

:32:37. > :32:39.job four constituency. Does she agree a neighbourhood plan of giving

:32:40. > :32:45.locals a referendum is the way forward to plan for housing and

:32:46. > :32:50.infrastructure? Absolutely. Locking residents out of the planning

:32:51. > :32:53.process continues to make housing an adversarial issue where communities

:32:54. > :32:57.need to work together to bring forward the infrastructure we see

:32:58. > :33:00.and to bring in the tie in that residents need. I think my right

:33:01. > :33:06.honourable friend for this, because areas such as Botley are struggling

:33:07. > :33:10.when it comes to GP recruitment. Pause of ongoing issues and the fact

:33:11. > :33:17.they can't recruit the conditions they need. I thank my honourable

:33:18. > :33:21.friend for her work, in encouraging commissions -- clinicians and nurses

:33:22. > :33:25.to come forward and getting more women and having that opportunity

:33:26. > :33:35.will help the local communities to grow and thrive. If biggest decision

:33:36. > :33:39.of our generation will be made later this month, or indeed next month. It

:33:40. > :33:44.is clear, whatever the outcome it will have an effect on our economy.

:33:45. > :33:49.Clearly opinions are divided. Occasionally on the benches round

:33:50. > :33:55.this. Radio and if you read the Times in the tea room, but it is

:33:56. > :33:58.crucial that once we is votes, we come back together, this

:33:59. > :34:03.Conservative majority Government, and unify, so we can continue to

:34:04. > :34:11.deliver this strong economy and the services we need for our

:34:12. > :34:17.constituents. It is a pleasure to follow the honourable member. I echo

:34:18. > :34:24.many of the comments made by my front bench today. Latest figures

:34:25. > :34:29.show the largest quarter. I acknowledge that the Government has

:34:30. > :34:35.ebb shoed a a challenge to areas like mine, to play their part in

:34:36. > :34:39.tackling the productive gap and the economic growth gap by developing

:34:40. > :34:44.devolution. I for one accept that challenge. I accept than shields

:34:45. > :34:48.city region has to raise its game. We have to play our part, and we

:34:49. > :34:54.have to believe in ourself, which is something we haven't done for a very

:34:55. > :35:00.long time. We have simply, to believe as one employer said to me

:35:01. > :35:06.today, in an e-mail, that we have the skills, nothing and ability to

:35:07. > :35:09.go past London and become a generator of great wealth again. The

:35:10. > :35:12.Government needs to play its part too and at the moment it is not

:35:13. > :35:17.doing that. The announcement today about this and the staff moving from

:35:18. > :35:20.Sheffield to London belies everything the Government has said

:35:21. > :35:25.on this point. But it can remedy the situation. I will be watching

:35:26. > :35:30.carefully, if development of the infrastructure plan. And in

:35:31. > :35:34.particular I will be looking for confirmation that the new

:35:35. > :35:36.trans-Pennine links between Manchester and Sheffield will be

:35:37. > :35:40.given the green light. They are essential to the future of the

:35:41. > :35:44.northern economy. I will continue to keep the pressure on the Government

:35:45. > :35:53.to support a positive outcome to the steel crisis. In South Yorkshire the

:35:54. > :35:58.crisis has triggered a revival of the faith and the confidence that we

:35:59. > :36:04.have in ourself, or we used to have in yourselves as far as our

:36:05. > :36:09.engineering prowess is concerned. My plea is the Government is please do

:36:10. > :36:13.not let us down. We bereave that we are the best steel producers in the

:36:14. > :36:19.world. Believe in us and we will deliver. I just want to spend the

:36:20. > :36:23.second half of my comments by talking about what I think is the

:36:24. > :36:29.biggest threat facing the economy in the next few years, and that is the

:36:30. > :36:35.instability that is currently characterised in our system. Let us

:36:36. > :36:38.be clear, in the UK politics is poll rising, it is on our side of the

:36:39. > :36:45.house. We have shifted to the left. On your side of the house, the other

:36:46. > :36:51.side. Brexit is tearing the country -- Conservative Party apart and the

:36:52. > :36:57.centre ground is disappearing. So what happened to the politics of the

:36:58. > :37:02.art of the possible. This is happening globally and in other it

:37:03. > :37:08.is greater. One only has to look at Austria look week, in Holland where

:37:09. > :37:12.the three mainstream parties are set to secure just 40% between

:37:13. > :37:22.themselves in the elections next year. Even the US is not immune from

:37:23. > :37:26.this phenomenon as we have seen. I I echo Blair's comments today it is

:37:27. > :37:30.almost as though the centre ground are the managers of the status quo

:37:31. > :37:36.and not the changers of the stay to us Quo. It's a worrying trend and

:37:37. > :37:41.polarisation of the political sphere is creating a vacuum which could

:37:42. > :37:46.visit lasting damage on the social and economic fabric of this country.

:37:47. > :37:51.So we bear responsibility Madame Deputy Speaker, to resurrect the

:37:52. > :37:55.relevance of pragmatic politics. We need to demonstrate that centre

:37:56. > :37:57.ground politics can deliver a progressive, prosperous secure

:37:58. > :38:01.future for the people of this country. If we do not do that, the

:38:02. > :38:09.future of this country and its economy is very much in danger.

:38:10. > :38:13.Thank you. And it is a great mesh -- pleasure to follow the honourable

:38:14. > :38:20.lady, who is an excellent member of the EFRA Select Committee. Can I

:38:21. > :38:25.take this unusual step in offering congratulations to the honourable

:38:26. > :38:28.member for Islington North Leader of the Opposition. Haye birthday

:38:29. > :38:34.because we share the same birthday date. I am trying to work out what

:38:35. > :38:41.else we share but with we do share the same date. Can I welcome the

:38:42. > :38:46.gracious speech and the continuation of these good economic policies

:38:47. > :38:52.which are enabling businesses and our economies to create more jobs,

:38:53. > :38:54.we are reducing taxes to lower paid workers and we are generally

:38:55. > :39:00.stimulating this economy and reducing debt at the same time. I

:39:01. > :39:06.particularly welcome more emphasis again on the digital economy, and

:39:07. > :39:10.also delivering the legal right to force fast broadband to every house

:39:11. > :39:17.in the country. This is going to be a challenge. I will give way. I am

:39:18. > :39:21.sure he welcomes the government's announcement of the universal

:39:22. > :39:25.service obligation onboard band, but will he join me in asked the

:39:26. > :39:31.Government to consider extending this. To business properties that in

:39:32. > :39:37.places like Devon sand Cornwall it is crucial, businesses get supper

:39:38. > :39:42.viewed as well. I couldn't agree more. It is business, individual,

:39:43. > :39:46.out in the rural areas in particular we have good business, Farrells but

:39:47. > :39:50.we have got other businesses, as well as individuals that need

:39:51. > :40:03.broadband and superfast broadband. It is not only the money we put into

:40:04. > :40:16.getting broadband into this area, it is using every technology available.

:40:17. > :40:24.There will be areas where there will not be fibre cable able to beat put

:40:25. > :40:30.in, we need to put pressure on Beattie and others because sometimes

:40:31. > :40:36.there is not enough competition out there delivering broadband to all of

:40:37. > :40:40.our constituents. I very much welcome the modern transport bill. I

:40:41. > :40:47.also welcome the fact that we will need to change our taxation on cars.

:40:48. > :40:53.We have spent too many years concentrating on reducing the tax on

:40:54. > :40:59.diesel cars, only to find now that nitric oxide appears to be the

:41:00. > :41:04.killer, and we actually need to re-educate people to buy actual

:41:05. > :41:10.hybrid cars and electric cars. We need to do a great deal in order to

:41:11. > :41:14.be able change people's cars and their attitudes towards what they

:41:15. > :41:17.buy. There has been too much concentration in the past about the

:41:18. > :41:21.amount of carbon coming from a car, and not dealing with the magic

:41:22. > :41:26.oxide. This is what is really causing many -- nitric oxide. This

:41:27. > :41:32.is what is causing many of the hotspot in our cities. I also

:41:33. > :41:34.welcome the education Bill, and also stepping back slightly of the idea

:41:35. > :41:39.that we are going to impose academies all across the eye

:41:40. > :41:45.country. I believe the Conservative policy is much more about revolution

:41:46. > :41:49.rather than revolution. So after a grid evolution rather than

:41:50. > :41:55.revolution. So we have got to give people a chance to get there. The

:41:56. > :42:02.idea of bringing 5000 children together, it could be 50 or 100

:42:03. > :42:07.schools in order to create a number of pupils in rural areas. We have to

:42:08. > :42:11.be careful how we deliver it. I also think different local authorities,

:42:12. > :42:17.some local authority to have better education prospects than others, and

:42:18. > :42:20.this needs to be taken into account. I also very much welcome the

:42:21. > :42:25.lifetime savings bill because I think the idea that we can help

:42:26. > :42:29.people, young people and people on lower wages, to be able to actually

:42:30. > :42:35.get some help with savings, I think it's absolutely essential. Not only

:42:36. > :42:39.in the past did the last Labour government spent too much of tax

:42:40. > :42:43.payers money, I think perhaps sometimes, it is difficult when

:42:44. > :42:47.talking about social policy, but probably as a nation, we spent too

:42:48. > :42:54.much as individuals and we do not actually save enough. I know

:42:55. > :42:57.government loves spending so it boosts consumers and boost the

:42:58. > :43:01.amount spent in the economy, but I also think sometimes there is a

:43:02. > :43:09.great need to get greater savings. I think that is what we want to see

:43:10. > :43:13.happen. I welcome the fact that this is very much, like I said, a

:43:14. > :43:21.continuation of the government's policies. In order to keep going. I

:43:22. > :43:25.think the one thing we must not do is turn course and keep getting down

:43:26. > :43:32.the deficit and growing it. The one great thing we need to do on the

:43:33. > :43:35.23rd of June is make sure we keep this country in the European Union

:43:36. > :43:46.so that we can prosper and grow our economy. The sugar tax is quite an

:43:47. > :43:49.interesting proposal but the government has left some carelessly

:43:50. > :43:54.polled in their plans. I am not sure if you drink milk shakes, but they

:43:55. > :44:01.are not particularly healthy. -- left some careless loopholes. One

:44:02. > :44:08.brand has more sugar than the RDA for a six-year-old. Another one has

:44:09. > :44:13.36 grams of sugar in one bottle, exceeding the RDA for ten-year-olds.

:44:14. > :44:19.Finally, another popular milkshake has 50 grams of sugar in one bottle

:44:20. > :44:24.which exceeds the RDA for adults. None of these products are covered

:44:25. > :44:28.by the sugar tax. This is a serious loophole because people might infer

:44:29. > :44:34.from the exemption that these drinks are healthier. The response is that

:44:35. > :44:40.milk contains calcium and other unique trim is -- nutrients which

:44:41. > :44:43.are good for children but if you are built a rated with plenty of sugar,

:44:44. > :44:53.then the health benefits are negated. Another loophole affect us

:44:54. > :45:09.as grew -- naps. Remixed alcohol drinks do not, under the loops. They

:45:10. > :45:11.need to be brought under the -- remixed alcoholic drinks do not come

:45:12. > :45:24.under the bill. Experts from Sheffield hallow

:45:25. > :45:36.University has made a report about the

:45:37. > :45:55.The report finds that the welfare reforms hit most deprived

:45:56. > :45:58.communities hardest. The departing Secretary of State contested Andrew

:45:59. > :46:07.Marr said the Tories were attacking benefits to people who do not vote

:46:08. > :46:13.for them. And another suggested the loss to claimants would be ?190 per

:46:14. > :46:18.year in one area, but in a poor area, it will be much worse. In

:46:19. > :46:22.Scotland we have made a difference. Scots will still lose out to the

:46:23. > :46:28.tune of ?320 per adult per year. We have been able to take the edge off,

:46:29. > :46:34.we have mitigated the bedroom tax, restored council tax benefit and we

:46:35. > :46:37.will not bring in pay to stay. We are committed to everyone in

:46:38. > :46:42.Scotland, not just those who happen to vote for us. In Glasgow,

:46:43. > :46:46.claimants will lose ?420 per year. Money which is not ringing in the

:46:47. > :46:50.tills in the communities I represent, it is money that ordinary

:46:51. > :46:55.people desperately need to put food on the table. My constituents need

:46:56. > :46:57.the money to heat their homes, it is wickedness to punish people for the

:46:58. > :47:01.second is that if they are in and worse because they are people who

:47:02. > :47:05.did not vote Tory. I reject the economic model which condemns people

:47:06. > :47:15.to a lifetime of poverty. The lasting effects of social policy, a

:47:16. > :47:20.hangover of the loss of heavy industry, clumsy policy which left

:47:21. > :47:31.so many people in new towns in poor quality housing. I commend the

:47:32. > :47:37.report explaining why Glaswegians continue to die younger than they

:47:38. > :47:40.should. This government and previous governments has a lot to answer for

:47:41. > :47:45.and we must not make the same mistakes of policy now. I write to

:47:46. > :47:49.congratulate the government on including the measure in the Queens

:47:50. > :47:56.speech to introduce a levy on sugar drinks. I do so because it cannot be

:47:57. > :48:00.acceptable in our society that we continue to allow 25% of the most

:48:01. > :48:05.disadvantaged children to be leaving primary school not just overweight

:48:06. > :48:08.but the piece. I congratulate the Chancellor on looking at the

:48:09. > :48:11.evidence that the gap between the most advantaged and disadvantaged

:48:12. > :48:15.children around childhood obesity that has been increasing based on

:48:16. > :48:20.data from the chartered measurement programme. It is important to tackle

:48:21. > :48:28.it, not a flicker obesity but the on children's teeth. -- not just on the

:48:29. > :48:35.beastie. On children's teeth. -- on a big city.

:48:36. > :48:43.these are empty calories with no nutritional value whatsoever. When

:48:44. > :48:50.we see that a third of teenage calorie intake is from sugary

:48:51. > :48:53.drinks, we should do everything we can. This is a progressive measure.

:48:54. > :48:57.I particularly welcome the contribution that this remains part

:48:58. > :49:03.of a wider strategy to tackle childhood obesity. It will encourage

:49:04. > :49:07.manufacturers to perform their products, to bring in lower levels

:49:08. > :49:13.of sugar. -- reform their products. I would like the Chancellor to set

:49:14. > :49:18.out what he is doing alongside manufacturers to encourage them to

:49:19. > :49:24.introduce a price differential based on these levies, so we can guide

:49:25. > :49:28.people to make healthier choices. I welcome the fact that this is going

:49:29. > :49:35.to be hypothecated. We are going to see a doubling in the school sports

:49:36. > :49:42.premium for primary schools, and an expansion of the programme breakfast

:49:43. > :49:46.clubs the most disadvantaged areas. The accusation that is often made

:49:47. > :49:49.that this is not a progressive measure, it is regressive, is

:49:50. > :49:55.counted simply because it is the most disadvantaged communities that

:49:56. > :50:04.will be benefited by the hypothesis and of the levy rate. I would urge

:50:05. > :50:07.the Chancellor to go further and extend this to those milky drinks

:50:08. > :50:12.which have very high levels of added sugar. Milk is very good with

:50:13. > :50:16.children, we should be let sending a clear message that milk is good,

:50:17. > :50:22.milk and 90s beamed sugar is not good for children's health or peace.

:50:23. > :50:35.-- nine teaspoons of sugar is not good for children's health or peace.

:50:36. > :50:41.-- their teeth. On other nations in the Queen's Speech, I would like to

:50:42. > :50:46.thank the Chancellor on the measures around broadband. As a member for

:50:47. > :50:49.rural communities where businesses and local residents are

:50:50. > :50:53.disadvantaged by not having access to high-speed broadband, I think

:50:54. > :50:58.this will be a welcome measure. And likewise, the commitment in the

:50:59. > :51:01.Queens speech to bring forward fair funding formula for those schools

:51:02. > :51:06.such as in the West Country that are being severely disadvantaged up to

:51:07. > :51:09.now. In closing, Madam Deputy Speaker, as I know there are many

:51:10. > :51:13.other members who would like to speak, I welcome the measures in

:51:14. > :51:20.this, this is bold and brave, that is what we called for as the health

:51:21. > :51:27.select committee, bold and brave measures to tackle childhood

:51:28. > :51:33.obesity. I hope you will stiffen his sinews, resist the efforts from the

:51:34. > :51:36.drinks manufacturers and encourage them to actually look at how they

:51:37. > :51:41.can improve the nation's health by going ahead and supporting the

:51:42. > :51:48.reformulation and our children's health. I would like to concentrate

:51:49. > :51:55.my remarks on the help to save scheme, or the reinvigorated savings

:51:56. > :51:57.gateway. It is welcome that the government has recognised the

:51:58. > :52:01.importance of saving and the importance that matched saving, one

:52:02. > :52:09.of the best ways of encouraging people to save. The step change

:52:10. > :52:15.analysis says 44 percent of people in low income have a lower chance of

:52:16. > :52:19.getting into debt if they have savings of ?1000, half a million

:52:20. > :52:22.people who could be prevented from getting into debt. I have some

:52:23. > :52:25.problems with the design of the scheme. Two years is a very long

:52:26. > :52:30.time in which to have to save regularly. 14 million people

:52:31. > :52:36.experienced at least one income shot in the last 12 months. That is an

:52:37. > :52:41.income shock of a job loss, a cut in hours, illness, a new baby, if money

:52:42. > :52:46.is withdrawn, then people will lose the bonus that they feel that they

:52:47. > :52:49.have already gained. People know on a low income that they are going to

:52:50. > :52:54.experience some income shocks and that could discourage them from

:52:55. > :52:59.saving. We all know it is good to save. It is very worthy. We all

:53:00. > :53:04.start off with good intentions. For example, we join a gym. We intend to

:53:05. > :53:08.go every week. Of course we do. Imagine if we had to have a two-year

:53:09. > :53:14.contract where we had to go every week. So crucially, I think there

:53:15. > :53:18.should be some measures in this for irregular savings, to allow these

:53:19. > :53:23.irregular savings where people, one month, cannot afford to put the

:53:24. > :53:28.money into that scheme. And after all, we have all missed the odd week

:53:29. > :53:34.at the gym. Things do crop up. We all to allow as well couple of

:53:35. > :53:38.withdrawals. We also need to look at the behavioural economics of people

:53:39. > :53:41.on this scheme. And maybe some encouragements and incentives to

:53:42. > :53:47.join. For example, prize draws. We all know people spend the odd pound

:53:48. > :53:52.on the lottery in hope of winning something. Encouraging people to

:53:53. > :53:56.save by encouraging them also to perhaps, the incentive of a price,

:53:57. > :54:02.would be important. I would like to spend a quick word of financial

:54:03. > :54:06.education, that is really important. I am pleased that acadamisation,

:54:07. > :54:09.with the lack of financial education in the curriculum, has been taken

:54:10. > :54:13.out of the speech, but it should start earlier. In my experience,

:54:14. > :54:22.primary situation is really important. -- priming education.

:54:23. > :54:25.There is a wonderful course for primary student over ten years ago,

:54:26. > :54:34.I would love to see how they are getting on now. Will she join me in

:54:35. > :54:42.congratulating the launch of a report this week, of which I was the

:54:43. > :54:45.chair, calling for more government support for financial education for

:54:46. > :54:48.primary school children? Children from their money habits at the age

:54:49. > :54:55.of seven. Will she join me in marking that?

:54:56. > :55:01.I have read that report with interest but it is not a silver

:55:02. > :55:05.bullet. All efforts need to be made to keep people out of the hands of

:55:06. > :55:11.the payday lenders and we need to make sure there is support given to

:55:12. > :55:17.the alternatives, for example, fair for you, the alternatives to look

:55:18. > :55:22.for finance and we need to ensure a level playing field. Real-time data

:55:23. > :55:26.from everyone, including the banks needs to be available to new

:55:27. > :55:30.entrants to the market so they can make their assessments of lending.

:55:31. > :55:34.We also need to make sure that data is accurate as I have had reports of

:55:35. > :55:43.inaccurate data from various companies. I would also like as an

:55:44. > :55:47.aside talking of fairness to support the cause for transitional

:55:48. > :55:50.arrangements to help the women at adversity affected by the

:55:51. > :55:56.mishandling of the state pension age. Perhaps I should declare an

:55:57. > :56:01.interest in this as a woman born in the 50s but I would urge the

:56:02. > :56:05.Minister to revisit this. In conclusion, I would like to say I

:56:06. > :56:09.welcome the saving scheme but I would like to see it designed to

:56:10. > :56:16.reflect the real lives of people on a low income. That real life that

:56:17. > :56:20.has bumps in the road on quite a few occasions. That real life were

:56:21. > :56:26.sometimes buying a new pair of shoes or going out for a day is more

:56:27. > :56:29.important than putting away for a rainy day. I do hope the Government

:56:30. > :56:38.will recognise this in the design of the scheme. I congratulate the

:56:39. > :56:44.honourable member for hire typically thoughtful speech, but I

:56:45. > :56:47.congratulate my right honourable friend the Chancellor for continuing

:56:48. > :56:54.the march of the makers which stood in contrast to the march of the

:56:55. > :57:00.Marxists which characterise the speech of the Shadow Chancellor. We

:57:01. > :57:07.make things in the Midlands and in Tamworth. We make great cars, great

:57:08. > :57:15.engines at BMW, while classed circuit boards braking systems. We

:57:16. > :57:21.are making the jobs that people want to do and we need to make the homes

:57:22. > :57:23.that people want to live in in the West Midlands. I congratulate the

:57:24. > :57:30.Government for its work with the help to buy scheme which has been

:57:31. > :57:36.seminal in getting people onto the property ladder. We need to do more

:57:37. > :57:42.to get S M Es back into the supply chain, those that left the industry

:57:43. > :57:50.due to mergers and acquisitions and the crash of the housing market. I

:57:51. > :57:55.hope that my honourable friend will use all his eloquence and all of his

:57:56. > :57:59.influence to prevail upon the Communities Secretary to encourage

:58:00. > :58:08.firms, big firms to franchise out part of their land bank to S M Es,

:58:09. > :58:14.that the risks big developers because it takes some of the costs

:58:15. > :58:18.away from them but it helps them get into the industry again because it

:58:19. > :58:23.removes some of the upfront costs of planning and I hope the Government

:58:24. > :58:28.will consider that thought. Whilst it is at it, I hope the Government

:58:29. > :58:33.will also look at the planning Inspectorate in Bristol. One of the

:58:34. > :58:39.things that developers tell me is the length of time it takes for the

:58:40. > :58:42.inspectorate in Bristol to conclude its appeal decision process.

:58:43. > :58:49.Sometimes very straightforward decisions can take up to six months.

:58:50. > :58:54.If we can speed that up, possibly by up staffing the resources there we

:58:55. > :59:01.can take some of the weight off of those. We need to build homes but

:59:02. > :59:04.also the infrastructure around them. In welcoming and congratulating the

:59:05. > :59:12.Government for the infrastructure plan and the work of Lord Adonis and

:59:13. > :59:18.the infrastructure commission. Can I encourage the Government to look at

:59:19. > :59:22.the A5 corridor which ones through Leicestershire, through Warwickshire

:59:23. > :59:26.and up into Staffordshire. I can assure the Chancellor he will have a

:59:27. > :59:31.lot of support from me, the honourable member from North

:59:32. > :59:36.Warwickshire, the honourable member for Bosworth, all of whom want to

:59:37. > :59:40.see that road upgraded and jewelled so we can build the homes around it

:59:41. > :59:47.to do with the jobs that are developing in the Midlands. This was

:59:48. > :59:53.a speech for us, aspirational people who want to do the right thing and

:59:54. > :59:58.get on that is why we made gains in the local elections just a few weeks

:59:59. > :00:04.ago. In a town which 16 years ago had nearly 30 Labour councillors,

:00:05. > :00:11.there are now just seven. The member for Dagenham was quite right when he

:00:12. > :00:16.wrote the words of the last election in his non-ironic document Labour's

:00:17. > :00:20.future, where he said Labour lost because of voters didn't believe it.

:00:21. > :00:28.Let me assure you, they didn't believe Labour in 2015, they didn't

:00:29. > :00:32.believe them last month. One of the measures in the Queen's speech is

:00:33. > :00:37.the local growth and jobs bill which is intended to localise business

:00:38. > :00:41.rates but councils fear the Government's approach in doing that

:00:42. > :00:46.will be unfair. Since ministers have given no indication of how they

:00:47. > :00:52.intend to go about achieving that, we can only use past behaviour as a

:00:53. > :00:56.guide and that is worrying. The Government's council funding cuts

:00:57. > :01:02.club the poorest ten councils with cuts 23 times bigger than the ten

:01:03. > :01:06.richest and this year 's 300 million cuts relief fund was Jerry Monday to

:01:07. > :01:11.ease the pain in Tory voting areas that had suffered the least while

:01:12. > :01:17.offering nothing to areas that had suffered the most. It is no wonder

:01:18. > :01:21.the National Audit Office is today investigating that perverse

:01:22. > :01:25.decision. If business rates localisation is gerrymandered in the

:01:26. > :01:31.same way, it will stay for growth in those parts that need growth the

:01:32. > :01:36.most, creating more poverty, fear, insecurity and alienation. All of

:01:37. > :01:40.this is part of the Government's refusal to challenge inequalities of

:01:41. > :01:44.power and wealth right across society. The social contract that

:01:45. > :01:49.underpinned our society has been shattered. It was a promise that if

:01:50. > :01:59.you work hard, you will get on and if you can't work, you will be

:02:00. > :02:02.looked after by today, even if you work hard, you might not be able to

:02:03. > :02:07.pay the bills or put over a secure roof over your head. There are parts

:02:08. > :02:11.of my constituency in Croydon North were too many people feel left

:02:12. > :02:17.behind because work is insecure and income stone covered the basic

:02:18. > :02:22.household bills. Globalisation is certainly creating great wealth and

:02:23. > :02:30.opportunity but it is being allowed to leave too many people behind. It

:02:31. > :02:34.is sharpening inequality, moving populations on an unprecedented

:02:35. > :02:38.scale, threatening the environment and stoking political and religious

:02:39. > :02:41.fundamentalism. Alongside strengthening regulation at the

:02:42. > :02:48.centre, devolution should be being used to put real power in people's

:02:49. > :02:52.hands to challenge the unfairness of the system and to build communities

:02:53. > :02:57.capacity to manage these great changes on their own terms. Across

:02:58. > :03:04.the river from this parliament stands a newly built towel full of

:03:05. > :03:07.luxury apartments, kept empty by foreign investors while on the

:03:08. > :03:13.streets below there is a housing crisis. What a powerful symbol of

:03:14. > :03:19.how far we have gone wrong. Anger is rising across the industrial eyes

:03:20. > :03:23.wild. If people don't have faith is -- in a system working for them,

:03:24. > :03:29.they will kick back. Where legitimate concerns to not get hurt

:03:30. > :03:34.by the political mainstream, they push towards the margins. Politics

:03:35. > :03:40.is polarising in a dangerous way. People are angry about the political

:03:41. > :03:43.system failing them, about elites that are exploiting them, about

:03:44. > :03:47.wealth and opportunity that is bypassing them but instead of

:03:48. > :03:51.addressing all of this, the Government is fuelling forces that

:03:52. > :03:55.are pushing inequality to breaking point and the consequences of that

:03:56. > :04:03.will be as dangerous as they are unpredictable. In the most gracious

:04:04. > :04:08.speech, Her Majesty spoke of the Government's intention to support

:04:09. > :04:14.the Northern powerhouse. A welcome support for the regions and the

:04:15. > :04:16.regeneration of local economies but particularly the importance of

:04:17. > :04:24.manufacturing in that regeneration. My constituency and indeed the

:04:25. > :04:28.Midlands as a whole has strong manufacturing traditions and I look

:04:29. > :04:33.forward to hearing more details about the Midlands engine, not least

:04:34. > :04:38.the 250 million investment fund. Our region has been significant in the

:04:39. > :04:47.economic recovery with 96,000 more businesses than we had in 2010. Well

:04:48. > :04:50.the economy has moved in a positive direction in recent years,

:04:51. > :04:54.particularly in terms of falling unemployment, we should not be

:04:55. > :04:58.complacent about the manufacturing sector and it is in this spirit that

:04:59. > :05:05.I call for the creation of an industrial strategy. There is a

:05:06. > :05:10.clear need to boost exports and the Government's target to reach 1

:05:11. > :05:15.trillion worth of exports by 2020 is ambitious. An industrial strategy

:05:16. > :05:18.would boost confidence for investors through greater stability in a

:05:19. > :05:22.system and clear direction from the Government as well as allowing for

:05:23. > :05:27.the Government to be held to account over the period to which the

:05:28. > :05:33.strategy applies. For a minister to come to the House on an annual

:05:34. > :05:38.basis, being scrutinised on cost departmental support for such a

:05:39. > :05:43.vital part of our economy can only be to everyone's benefit. In terms

:05:44. > :05:46.of its maker, a central, cohesive and comprehensive document could

:05:47. > :05:52.shape cleared objectives for the sector outlining steps the

:05:53. > :05:57.Government intends to take to provide the framework for industry

:05:58. > :06:02.to grow. In addition, a clear statement from the Cabinet Office

:06:03. > :06:07.acting across departments along with annual reports to Parliament

:06:08. > :06:12.detailing supported measures in the interests of manufacturing. I would

:06:13. > :06:16.argue that this Government perhaps any government typically responds

:06:17. > :06:22.well to objectives and targets giving a clear focus and

:06:23. > :06:27.consistency. For example, a target of 3 million new apprenticeship

:06:28. > :06:33.starts by 2020. An industrial strategy would encompass a wide

:06:34. > :06:34.range of policy areas, apprenticeships, higher education,

:06:35. > :06:41.catapult centres, innovation, the supply chain. We need to ensure the

:06:42. > :06:47.departments do not operate inside this and the whole system is working

:06:48. > :06:52.in harmony. I would add energy policy, smarter procurement, access

:06:53. > :06:56.to finance and infrastructure. Implementing a strategy would be a

:06:57. > :07:02.major step forward considering the manufacturing sector is less able to

:07:03. > :07:06.quickly respond to circumstances. A long-term vision is essential and

:07:07. > :07:10.would encourage investment in the UK. Looking ahead we need to compete

:07:11. > :07:15.internationally in terms of innovation, the reassuring of

:07:16. > :07:22.production has to be a key aspect and I see innovation as a kid to

:07:23. > :07:28.this aim. We can help innovation to flourish in the UK by supporting

:07:29. > :07:31.through life engineering service, improving availability,

:07:32. > :07:34.predictability and reliability of complex engineering products to

:07:35. > :07:42.deliver the lowest possible life-cycle costs. Whether it is the

:07:43. > :07:50.high-value manufacturing sectors, industry, such initiatives were not

:07:51. > :07:54.even on the table in 2010. But I would add that however attractive

:07:55. > :08:01.and industrial strategy would be, we first need to make sure we start

:08:02. > :08:06.with a long-term economic plan. It's a pleasure to follow the honourable

:08:07. > :08:11.gentleman who made a thoughtful speech with which I concur about the

:08:12. > :08:15.importance of an industrial strategy. The Chancellor spoke of

:08:16. > :08:19.the governments plans for devolution. I want to focus on that

:08:20. > :08:26.and the importance of devolution for the economy and jobs in Liverpool.

:08:27. > :08:30.The number of young people not in education, employment and training

:08:31. > :08:37.is significantly above the national average in Liverpool. Among 16-18

:08:38. > :08:44.-year-olds, the national figure is 4.7% but the Liverpool figure is

:08:45. > :08:48.6.3%, one in 16 of those young people. The agreement between the

:08:49. > :08:53.combined authorities and the Government do a number of things,

:08:54. > :08:57.devolves the adult skills budget, moves responsibility to work

:08:58. > :09:02.unemployment support for hard to help claimants sued the city will

:09:03. > :09:09.work with the DWP, devolves the apprenticeship grant for employers

:09:10. > :09:12.and in situ is a review for post-16 education and training. There is

:09:13. > :09:16.potential here to provide more quality and apprenticeship

:09:17. > :09:20.opportunities and I hope the combined authority and the newly

:09:21. > :09:24.elected mayor will work with the Government both to use these powers

:09:25. > :09:29.but also to explore what further devolution is needed. The challenge

:09:30. > :09:34.of youth unemployment is enormous. I welcome the fact it has fallen

:09:35. > :09:39.though shared the concerns about the quality about some of the jobs

:09:40. > :09:44.created, particularly the large numbers of young people on 0-hours

:09:45. > :09:48.contracts but even with this fall in youth unemployment, our rate is

:09:49. > :09:53.double that of Germany and part of the reason is the quality of

:09:54. > :09:58.technical and vocational education we provide in contrast to Germany. I

:09:59. > :10:01.welcome the fact we will have a review in Liverpool and I recognise

:10:02. > :10:06.that the failure to address fully the issue of occasional education is

:10:07. > :10:10.a long-standing failure by governments of both parties.

:10:11. > :10:17.I would like to seek assurances that the Liverpool region will have the

:10:18. > :10:21.powers that they need to reshape and restructure local skills to meet the

:10:22. > :10:25.demands of a changing economy. I welcome the powers that are being

:10:26. > :10:31.devolved, that I would like us to go further. I don't think it's if it if

:10:32. > :10:36.to read on skills 19 plus, I want them to lead on skills 16 plus. In

:10:37. > :10:42.fact, I'm not them to lead on skills 14 plus and address the issue on 14

:10:43. > :10:46.to 18 education. Last week, I urge the Education Secretary to look at

:10:47. > :10:50.the potential for devolution of powers held by her department. I

:10:51. > :10:54.think there is a very strong case for the powers of the regional

:10:55. > :10:58.schools commissioner to be devolved. Liverpool city region could then

:10:59. > :11:03.take the lead in the planning and commissioning of school and other

:11:04. > :11:06.education places. There will be an opportunity for local communities,

:11:07. > :11:10.employers, young people and others to reshape the education and skills

:11:11. > :11:17.programmes that we need. But of course, devolution is not just about

:11:18. > :11:20.power, it's also about funding. Liverpool city region has been hit

:11:21. > :11:28.hard by cuts in central Government funding since 2010. I support and

:11:29. > :11:31.devolution but this must not be a way to shift the blame for cuts. I

:11:32. > :11:37.urge the Government to look again at the scale of cuts being put on

:11:38. > :11:42.governments like Liverpool. The Jasper spoke about localisation and

:11:43. > :11:45.I recognise as my honourable friend just set out eloquently, the strong

:11:46. > :11:51.advantages of localisation, but for the poorest parts of the country

:11:52. > :11:54.like the city of Liverpool, there is a big downside. We stand potentially

:11:55. > :11:58.to lose potential resources from this and I as the Government to

:11:59. > :12:03.think very carefully about how they implement this. I do think if we get

:12:04. > :12:06.this right, devolution can make a real and lasting difference,

:12:07. > :12:12.creating the properly plate, high-quality jobs for the future but

:12:13. > :12:15.Liverpool city region needs. It is a pleasure to follow my colleague on

:12:16. > :12:19.the International Development Select Committee and a chair of that

:12:20. > :12:26.committee, then member for Liverpool West Derby. To have a strong desire

:12:27. > :12:33.economy we need a strong committee. I welcome the points made for the

:12:34. > :12:37.young and disadvantage. The children and social work Bill and the prisons

:12:38. > :12:41.and reform Bill Art particular welcome to give those a second

:12:42. > :12:45.chance who in some many cases never had a chance. Lastly, the review of

:12:46. > :12:50.prison education, unlocking potential, proposed that doing proof

:12:51. > :12:54.the life chances of prisoners, holistic vision of education is

:12:55. > :12:58.needed for them to include family and leadership learning and

:12:59. > :13:01.practical advice on parenting and finance skills. It is heartening to

:13:02. > :13:06.note the Government has agreed to Inverness this review in full.

:13:07. > :13:13.Another excellent report also just published is the in care out of

:13:14. > :13:16.trouble report in which it is said remedial work and work is required

:13:17. > :13:22.but prevention is so much more rewarding and fruitful for the young

:13:23. > :13:26.person and wider society. He continues, whose parenting creates

:13:27. > :13:29.the solid foundation to give the child the best start. Essential

:13:30. > :13:34.ingredients are security and stability. In this context, young

:13:35. > :13:39.children develop self-confidence, trust, personal and social values

:13:40. > :13:44.and optimism. Loss, neglect or trauma at this early stage in life

:13:45. > :13:48.often at creates long and enduring consequences. That is why the

:13:49. > :13:54.commitment in the grossest beach to increase life chances for the most

:13:55. > :13:59.disadvantage to tackle poverty in the causes of deprivation, including

:14:00. > :14:03.family instability are so welcome. Addressing this challenge is urgent.

:14:04. > :14:08.The needs are widespread and not just for those at risk of entering

:14:09. > :14:11.the care or criminal justice system. Years of evidence -based research by

:14:12. > :14:17.the Centre for Social Justice has shown it to be demonstrably the case

:14:18. > :14:21.that growing up in a family where relationships are dysfunctional,

:14:22. > :14:29.chaotic or insecure is not only a key driver of poverty in itself, but

:14:30. > :14:32.a driver of other causes of poverty. Addiction, mental health problems,

:14:33. > :14:35.behavioural problems, poor educational attainment,

:14:36. > :14:41.worklessness, depression and debt. Teachers and mental health charity

:14:42. > :14:46.workers in my constituency tell me that disturbingly increasing levels

:14:47. > :14:48.of parental health amongst children, including very young children,

:14:49. > :14:56.frequently result from insecure family relationships. Will only do

:14:57. > :15:00.giveaway? I certainly will. The will she agree with me that the recent

:15:01. > :15:06.announcement and changes in the measurement of life chances from an

:15:07. > :15:11.arbitrary relative income to taking into account worklessness and

:15:12. > :15:16.households and education attainment reflects the multifaceted nature of

:15:17. > :15:19.poverty and achievement? I do indeed. I also think that we should

:15:20. > :15:27.put on a statutory footing, family instability as well. Yesterday,

:15:28. > :15:32.Relate published a report on couple relationship to stress in the UK. It

:15:33. > :15:36.states, good-quality couple and family and social relationships are

:15:37. > :15:39.the basis for a thriving society, central to our health and

:15:40. > :15:44.well-being. Poor quality relationships have far reaching

:15:45. > :15:48.consequences. Into parental relationships have been recognised

:15:49. > :15:52.as a major determinant of children's' life chances. But their

:15:53. > :15:57.analysis estimates that almost one in five of Gallup 's couple

:15:58. > :16:01.relationships in the UK could be characterised as distressed. That

:16:02. > :16:04.means with a severe level of relationship problems which have a

:16:05. > :16:09.clinically significant negative effect on the partner's well-being.

:16:10. > :16:15.The figure of partners with children under 16 is even higher. But

:16:16. > :16:19.encouragingly, Relate also say that a broad range of relationship

:16:20. > :16:23.support services are effected but improving relationship quality. I

:16:24. > :16:27.hope ministers will rid the report and note the recommendation in it

:16:28. > :16:32.which says that we need to expand access to a spectrum of support for

:16:33. > :16:35.good quality relationships, overcoming barriers of

:16:36. > :16:38.accessibility, availability and affordability and ensure that anyone

:16:39. > :16:43.who needs it can benefit from such support. I look forward to the

:16:44. > :16:46.publication of the Government's life strategy and hope that it will

:16:47. > :16:52.recognise that quality of relationship is a severe limit of

:16:53. > :16:56.life chances and that in every local community, substantially increased

:16:57. > :16:59.support for stronger family relationships is needed. Providing

:17:00. > :17:04.somewhere in every locality where people can go for such support and

:17:05. > :17:08.advice at any stage in their family life is much needed, whether

:17:09. > :17:11.starting a family, bringing up toddlers or teenagers or coping with

:17:12. > :17:15.supporting an elderly parent or even if couples are going through a rocky

:17:16. > :17:18.patch. The troubled families initiative has been successful in

:17:19. > :17:24.providing intervention and support at a crisis page. Let's learn from

:17:25. > :17:27.that but begin it at a much earlier stage when families feel they need

:17:28. > :17:31.help and that's normalise asking for help and providing for it. There

:17:32. > :17:36.cannot be a family in the land that would not benefit from this. Thank

:17:37. > :17:42.you for calling me in this debate. I must confess that I thought the

:17:43. > :17:50.Queen's speech was fairly awful. Not full in its individual ideas such as

:17:51. > :17:53.prison reform and surely not fall in the delivery of Her Majesty The

:17:54. > :17:56.Queen who even sounded vaguely excited by a forthcoming state visit

:17:57. > :18:01.from the Colombians, something we can all get behind. But awful

:18:02. > :18:07.because it lacks any luck sense of big thinking or grand design for the

:18:08. > :18:10.state of the nation. As a MP, icy silly things I want to change

:18:11. > :18:15.listening to the modest list we heard last week, only leaves me

:18:16. > :18:19.frustrated. What makes me so impatient about the shortcomings is

:18:20. > :18:22.that I believe with better leadership, Government, we could do

:18:23. > :18:25.so much better. We are a country with a divide between the very

:18:26. > :18:31.affluent and everyone else is too great. Were running a home, having a

:18:32. > :18:34.decent job, having a good family life is increasingly unattainable

:18:35. > :18:39.for too many people. We have an economy each years after the

:18:40. > :18:43.financial crisis far too reliant on house prices and insurers spend and

:18:44. > :18:46.which is too reliant on London and the south-east. We have seen level

:18:47. > :18:52.of extreme postie and destitution and we have homelessness almost back

:18:53. > :18:54.to 1980s level. We have poorer public services like the NHS and

:18:55. > :18:59.social care with an ageing population do not have enough money.

:19:00. > :19:03.Well for status is not fit for purpose. It gives too little support

:19:04. > :19:07.for too many people but also creating welfare dependency in a

:19:08. > :19:10.small group. We have chronic skill shortages in several major

:19:11. > :19:14.industries which fuels record immigration levels and our lack of

:19:15. > :19:19.any kind of industrial policy leaves several sectors such as steel facing

:19:20. > :19:22.the abyss. Part of our economy are overtaxed while other parts of our

:19:23. > :19:27.economy don't pay the tax that they should and I could go on. Nothing in

:19:28. > :19:30.this Queen 's's speech makes me feel that this Government is looking at

:19:31. > :19:33.these problems. Nothing in it made me feel that the Government has any

:19:34. > :19:39.desire to do more than to hold the Conservative Party together over the

:19:40. > :19:45.next of months. Will he give way? Happily. I not his criticism of the

:19:46. > :19:49.Queen's speech. Does he share the same opinion of Labour's future

:19:50. > :19:54.written by a member of his own party would step that his party lacks

:19:55. > :19:59.credibility on the economy? Grateful for the extra time and I will come

:20:00. > :20:03.on to the wider criticisms. In some respect the Queen's speech was rapid

:20:04. > :20:06.justice on us. Whatever your view on the mendacity of austerity or the

:20:07. > :20:11.success of the Government posture deficit reduction programme, it is

:20:12. > :20:14.simple enough sure to say that reform is affecting the hardest to

:20:15. > :20:17.reach. The truth is they are being reform to remove them from the

:20:18. > :20:20.hardest to reach. It is not true to say that some of the deeper social

:20:21. > :20:24.problems in our society are being tackled when some, such as

:20:25. > :20:29.homelessness, hardly getting worse. In greater Manchester, one of the

:20:30. > :20:34.most NMA parts of England, there is now an entire community of people

:20:35. > :20:38.living in tents in Manchester city centre. That is not what success

:20:39. > :20:41.looks like. I am all for a better measures of life chances but if you

:20:42. > :20:44.get this, you do not need a new set of indicators to understand that

:20:45. > :20:47.taking money from people with serious disabilities as this

:20:48. > :20:51.Government has repeatedly tried to do, will make their lives harder not

:20:52. > :20:55.better. If I were writing it, I would ask for just three things to

:20:56. > :21:03.be in a real Queen's speech. First of all, as echoed by my honourable

:21:04. > :21:05.friend, the introduction of a formal industrial strategy in the UK,

:21:06. > :21:10.focused on making British industry as globally competitive as it can

:21:11. > :21:15.be. Secondly, a Royal commission on the welfare state to see what will

:21:16. > :21:19.be required a state of digital stuff implement and rapid change. And

:21:20. > :21:23.thirdly, some serious democratic reports that future Queen speeches

:21:24. > :21:27.can be better than this one. There was a mild reference to this frenzy

:21:28. > :21:30.of the Commons at the tail end of the speech. At this Government does

:21:31. > :21:33.not want to do so much legislation in the Lords, then it should try to

:21:34. > :21:37.make better legislation. I do not believe the board 's overall to be

:21:38. > :21:44.the hotbed of Democratic socialism that the ministers try to betray it

:21:45. > :21:47.to be. This Queen's speech was not a programme to tackle our biggest

:21:48. > :21:53.problems. It was all filler, no killer. It was a pick and mix of pet

:21:54. > :21:56.projects, if holding card until the next Conservative leadership contest

:21:57. > :22:01.reveals the true direction. We need some entering gauge the public, it

:22:02. > :22:06.might be economy, inspire the future. Britain deserves better than

:22:07. > :22:12.this. It is a great pleasure to speak to the Queen's gracious speech

:22:13. > :22:17.that puts the opportunity and life chances at the heart of our society.

:22:18. > :22:21.A one nation Queen's speech. Britain is forecast to grow faster than any

:22:22. > :22:29.other advanced economy in 2016, with growth forecast to exceed every

:22:30. > :22:35.year. In ten to 15 years, we could be the biggest economy in Europe,

:22:36. > :22:39.and in the German economy. Average weekly wages have risen by 2.1%

:22:40. > :22:43.since last year and it will be our forecast that 2.9 million workers

:22:44. > :22:46.will benefit directly from the introduction of the national living

:22:47. > :22:49.wage and estimates that a further 6 billion could see a pay rise as a

:22:50. > :22:53.result of the ripple effect. This Government was elected to back

:22:54. > :22:57.working people the best way to help working people was to let them keep

:22:58. > :23:04.more of the money they earn. The personal allowance will rise further

:23:05. > :23:08.to 11 point ?5,000 by 2017 or 18, giving several people across the

:23:09. > :23:15.country a tax cut. This Queen's speech mix it easier for companies

:23:16. > :23:19.that be my people on low earnings to get the tax bonus of up to ?50

:23:20. > :23:23.monthly savings helping 3 million of the lowest paid owners to put money

:23:24. > :23:29.aside. Over the last week the year, we have got on with delivering our

:23:30. > :23:32.manifesto commitments to get people security and opportunity at every

:23:33. > :23:37.stage of their lives. 16% of working age people in the UK are disabled.

:23:38. > :23:42.Or have a health condition. The Government is determined to half the

:23:43. > :23:46.rates of difference between an implement in disabled and

:23:47. > :23:50.non-disabled people so that the disabled can meet their aspirations.

:23:51. > :23:54.We spent 50 billion a year to support people with this vote is a

:23:55. > :23:59.health conditions, 6% of all Government spending. This represents

:24:00. > :24:02.2.5% of GDP and is significantly above spending in countries such as

:24:03. > :24:08.France or Germany and the OCD average of 2.2%. In a last few

:24:09. > :24:12.years, many disabled people have moved on to work with over 3.3

:24:13. > :24:17.million disabled people now in employment. Halving the disability

:24:18. > :24:20.employment gap, around 1 million more disabled people to find and

:24:21. > :24:26.vision of finding work. Later this, I will hold my first noticeable to

:24:27. > :24:30.confidence in there and I thank the Government from bringing for this

:24:31. > :24:37.fantastic scheme to truly challenge attitudes to employing those with

:24:38. > :24:42.this boat is. I really had a meeting in this House with Ginny remotely at

:24:43. > :24:46.the CEO of IBM to talk about cognitive technology, artificial

:24:47. > :24:51.intelligence and technologies are the future for this country.

:24:52. > :24:59.Energy intensive injures streets are almost exclusively located out of

:25:00. > :25:05.London and other high school jobs and form a vital part of the

:25:06. > :25:08.Northern powerhouse. I am committed to closing the North-South divide

:25:09. > :25:15.and other great northern cities can be greater than the sum of our

:25:16. > :25:19.parts. The Northern powerhouse is underpinned by world-class transport

:25:20. > :25:24.linking our regions to drive up productivity. I have been

:25:25. > :25:35.campaigning to reinstate the Holton Cove and I am delighted to say it

:25:36. > :25:40.was examined and approved. That is a significance. It enables travel into

:25:41. > :25:45.North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside and greater Manchester. This is a

:25:46. > :25:49.one nation Queen 's speech to a one nation government. To someone who

:25:50. > :25:58.grew up on a council estate, this side of the House is the party of

:25:59. > :26:03.aspiration. Over the last number of days, we have heard from these

:26:04. > :26:07.benches that this Queen's speech has been thin on the ground in terms of

:26:08. > :26:14.new ideas or new legislation and unlike the previous honourable

:26:15. > :26:19.member, I do not see this Queen's speech in terms of being able to

:26:20. > :26:24.address poverty or able to address those who have been hit hard by

:26:25. > :26:29.welfare cuts and particularly the pernicious nature of those cuts

:26:30. > :26:33.which has caused deep up poverty in my constituency, something I don't

:26:34. > :26:38.particularly like because I want to see greater wealth creation and

:26:39. > :26:43.greater income creation, but it is clear the coming referendum has had

:26:44. > :26:48.that effect on this Queen's speech and the Government's ambitions.

:26:49. > :26:53.Whether in Hibbert in the Government is good or bad can be debated at

:26:54. > :26:59.length. I can only say I am disappointed this Government has not

:27:00. > :27:02.done more to address the widening social, economic and infrastructural

:27:03. > :27:09.inequalities that are opening up across these islands and are leaving

:27:10. > :27:13.too many behind, particularly in the constituency I represent in Northern

:27:14. > :27:17.Ireland and if I look at the issue of full broadband. The widening

:27:18. > :27:23.divide between winners and losers is well embodied by the ongoing failure

:27:24. > :27:27.to provide rural communities access to reliable high-speed broadband.

:27:28. > :27:31.New technology gives the potential for more communities to be more

:27:32. > :27:37.closely connected to the wider world of commerce, culture and government,

:27:38. > :27:42.but despite this, a report from the European Commission has found over

:27:43. > :27:46.half of rural areas still do not have access to high-speed

:27:47. > :27:50.connections and I suppose in fairness to the Government, I

:27:51. > :27:55.welcome their commitment contained in the speech to provide households

:27:56. > :27:59.with the right to high-speed connections, but I am concerned over

:28:00. > :28:05.what this really means, who will be responsible for delivering this and

:28:06. > :28:10.who -- how can rural communities do and who they can turn to when they

:28:11. > :28:16.have been let down? I hope the Government is sincere in its

:28:17. > :28:22.intentions but must remain sceptical until further proposals are brought

:28:23. > :28:26.forward hopefully in time to meet the Prime Minister's broadband

:28:27. > :28:31.targets. If I can address those areas where there has been a

:28:32. > :28:36.deficit. There has been no attempt in spite of the letter is signed to

:28:37. > :28:42.address the need to reduced VAT on tourism, a fiscal measure and fiscal

:28:43. > :28:46.flexibility that would aid tourism particularly in an area where we

:28:47. > :28:52.have to compete with visitors from the South of Ireland and today, a

:28:53. > :28:58.report said we have the lowest level of disposable income and the highest

:28:59. > :29:04.level of visitors. Those issues of air passenger taxes have to be

:29:05. > :29:11.addressed. The regional inequalities that exist for Northern Island

:29:12. > :29:17.farmers and place them at a severe disadvantage when compared to their

:29:18. > :29:21.counterparts here in Britain. I would also say that in the coming

:29:22. > :29:27.weeks up until the referendum, there is no doubt that a vote to remain

:29:28. > :29:31.for us in Northern Ireland is the best possible benefit for our local

:29:32. > :29:37.economy and in that respect, I would urge the Government to ensure that

:29:38. > :29:41.the issues of poverty, deprivation and the needs of our tourism

:29:42. > :29:49.industry and broadband connection properly and equitably addressed.

:29:50. > :29:54.It's a pleasure to follow the honourable member and I must say I

:29:55. > :30:00.did not agree with everything she had to say, but I enjoyed her

:30:01. > :30:06.contribution. I feel there are so many encouraging bills to be brought

:30:07. > :30:10.forward. The first I would welcome is a small charitable donations

:30:11. > :30:15.bill. Their Iraq innumerable sports clubs who welcome this bill with

:30:16. > :30:22.open arms. For too long they have been hampered by the lack of gift

:30:23. > :30:25.aid on their collections and I am pleased this will now be addressed.

:30:26. > :30:31.The Government wants to allow local sports clubs gift aid on their

:30:32. > :30:38.donations may be a saving grace on local sports teams. For some, gift

:30:39. > :30:42.aid made more -- may go as far as to give them yet another season. One of

:30:43. > :30:47.the other groups who may benefit are the Young farmers clubs. Young

:30:48. > :30:52.farmers clubs are groups of young people who will get together and

:30:53. > :30:56.organise a wide range of events throughout the year, encompassing

:30:57. > :31:08.everything from barn dances to rule skills to debate on current affairs.

:31:09. > :31:13.For me, the Queen's speech isn't all plain sailing. I have concerns over

:31:14. > :31:18.the economic consequences for the wealthy bill. Further devolution to

:31:19. > :31:23.Cardiff Bay is not what Wales needs. At a time when the UK economy is

:31:24. > :31:28.brought back to life and is on track to further prosperity due to the

:31:29. > :31:31.hard work of the Westminster government giving further powers to

:31:32. > :31:37.the Welsh assembly will slam the brakes on for Wales. We have to

:31:38. > :31:41.ensure the powers over tax and other economic measures are held by the

:31:42. > :31:47.people of Wales want them to be held. With a commitment to abolish

:31:48. > :31:51.the need for a referendum on giving the assembly tax raising powers, I

:31:52. > :31:58.am concerned the constituents will not get a voice over whether they

:31:59. > :32:04.want this power. It is not just my constituents who are worried. Many

:32:05. > :32:08.local businesses are concerned over the assembly having tax-raising

:32:09. > :32:13.powers. I believe the future of Wales would be for the people of

:32:14. > :32:18.Wales to decide and this commitment does not give the people a voice.

:32:19. > :32:22.The voice is important. I hear a great deal about the importance of

:32:23. > :32:27.the Northern powerhouse and the Southern powerhouse, but where is

:32:28. > :32:32.the rural powerhouse? I'm sure many are fully aware farming is one of

:32:33. > :32:38.the staple industries of the UK. In my area it is also the main driver

:32:39. > :32:45.behind the local economy. The food sector employs more than 10% of the

:32:46. > :32:50.UK workforce and the food and farming sector is worth over 100

:32:51. > :33:01.billion to the economy. Farming is a great job creator. When livestock

:33:02. > :33:06.are taken to market, there is an auctioneer. I was one of those

:33:07. > :33:11.before and they need clerks and staff and when livestock are taken

:33:12. > :33:15.to slaughter, the abattoirs nude pictures and high-tech machinery

:33:16. > :33:19.which is all to be designed by someone and the jobs list goes on

:33:20. > :33:26.and on. Farming is facing hard times, milk prices are falling, land

:33:27. > :33:31.prices are falling, farms are facing great difficulties and we must do

:33:32. > :33:36.all they can to support this vital industry. I hope the better markets

:33:37. > :33:41.Bill may include assistance for farmers in cutting the red tape for

:33:42. > :33:47.the farming community and for that other vital role industry, tourism.

:33:48. > :33:53.I would like to briefly touch on the Digital economy Bill and how this

:33:54. > :34:01.with the great benefit. I will have to leave that to somebody else

:34:02. > :34:07.because I have run out of time. I intend to address in the few minutes

:34:08. > :34:11.I have issues around the criminal finance bill and I think in

:34:12. > :34:17.introducing it, I can do no better then to recognise the contribution

:34:18. > :34:22.on Tuesday of the honourable member for Rush Cliff in his thoughtful

:34:23. > :34:27.contribution to the debate. He commented thus in referring to this

:34:28. > :34:32.bill and I quote, we in this country are very bad at dealing with white

:34:33. > :34:40.collar crime and there is a growing awareness of that. If someone wishes

:34:41. > :34:45.to rob a bank, they go to the live market, they do not put on a

:34:46. > :34:51.balaclava and put -- pick up a shot gun. I hope I can be reassured that

:34:52. > :34:55.the bill will tackle not just tax evasion, which is quite widely high

:34:56. > :35:00.on the public agenda, but money-laundering, and he concluded

:35:01. > :35:08.in this part of his speech, London is still the money-laundering

:35:09. > :35:11.capital of the world. The right honourable member pointed out the

:35:12. > :35:17.nature of the challenge that is faced. Many of the biggest crooks

:35:18. > :35:21.are working in the City of London. This is a major challenge that we

:35:22. > :35:24.should all be willing to address. It would be commendable if the

:35:25. > :35:34.Government eventually produces a very strong bill but sometimes as is

:35:35. > :35:42.said, I have my doubts. A further matter of concern in this regard is

:35:43. > :35:46.this behaviour is so important, if motivation of people is so

:35:47. > :35:51.important, it raises a fundamental concern in my mind about the flawed

:35:52. > :35:56.approach to economics that seems to dominate much of current thinking.

:35:57. > :36:03.We find Treasury civil servants and central bankers have presided over

:36:04. > :36:10.not only corrupt practices and economic failure, but intellectual

:36:11. > :36:15.failure also. Their devotion to what most people know as neoclassical

:36:16. > :36:22.economics has led to their failure to anticipate the largest recession

:36:23. > :36:27.since the 1930s. And refilled their powerlessness as policymakers in the

:36:28. > :36:34.face of the subsequent stagnation of output. The neoclassical is a

:36:35. > :36:39.penchant for putting the regs in the basket of simple mathematics is

:36:40. > :36:43.based on remarkably few variables that leads them to ignore economic

:36:44. > :36:50.problems that are not easy to measure, whether legal or illegal.

:36:51. > :36:55.Even Mervyn King in his book the end of alchemy hinted at this critique

:36:56. > :37:00.when pointing out the failures of existing models to take into account

:37:01. > :37:07.critical changes such as the political reforms in China that led

:37:08. > :37:15.to its rapid growth. I might add the inability to see how attractive the

:37:16. > :37:21.City of London has become. He has mentioned London on several

:37:22. > :37:26.occasions. Are there issues with Edinburgh but Sir Fred Goodwin was a

:37:27. > :37:33.Scotsman in Royal Bank of Scotland so don't insinuate crooks and up in

:37:34. > :37:40.London. I thank the honourable member. I did not infer that at all.

:37:41. > :37:45.If he was here for the beginning of my speech and listening, he might

:37:46. > :37:51.realise what I was doing was quoting the right honourable gentleman

:37:52. > :37:56.sitting in the very place he were sitting in Tuesday who raised this

:37:57. > :38:01.very issue, so if he wants to take issue with this castigation with the

:38:02. > :38:06.City of London, I suggest he looks to his own colleagues rather than

:38:07. > :38:12.myself. If we want to look at what might be done, time does not permit

:38:13. > :38:17.to go into a more detailed analysis, let me suggest a few things. One

:38:18. > :38:22.thing that might be useful is too vast to strengthen support for

:38:23. > :38:26.whistle-blowing, to give employees within the banks and financial

:38:27. > :38:30.institutions greater confidence in raising issues such as suspected

:38:31. > :38:36.money-laundering and the management of illegal assets. As I reflect on

:38:37. > :38:41.my honourable friend from Dundee East, it would be wise for the

:38:42. > :38:47.Treasury to convene a commission into the acidification of the tax

:38:48. > :38:53.code. The more complicated you construct a tax code, the easier it

:38:54. > :38:57.is with those with our intention is to find their ways into securing

:38:58. > :39:05.games for themselves at the expense of others. -- gains. I hope we get a

:39:06. > :39:10.bill of some substance. I hope the Government truly wishes to address

:39:11. > :39:19.those vested interests that do us all harm.

:39:20. > :39:26.It is as ever a pleasure to follow the honourable gentleman. As a

:39:27. > :39:31.neoclassicism myself, I now know I need to keep an eye on my variables.

:39:32. > :39:34.I am grateful for his advice. It is a pleasure to follow the honourable

:39:35. > :39:39.gentleman. I hope you will forgive me for saying its own even greater

:39:40. > :39:42.pleasure for those of us on the side to know there is now an effective

:39:43. > :39:46.opposition in the Scottish parliament is keeping an eye on his

:39:47. > :39:50.colleagues up north. I listen to every word, not only to his speech

:39:51. > :39:54.but also to the proposal by the Shadow Chancellor. I don't know if

:39:55. > :40:02.the Shadow Chancellor rehearses his speeches in front of his colleagues.

:40:03. > :40:07.If so, I don't know a wry smile if equal state, the need to replace

:40:08. > :40:12.all, worn out infrastructure with something more effective. Having

:40:13. > :40:21.read Labour's at my future, and very little red book, I can only imagine

:40:22. > :40:27.that they have their work cut out in the years ahead. But I will say some

:40:28. > :40:36.positive things, if I may. -- Labour's Future. I remain for a

:40:37. > :40:40.short period of time to say if you positive things about this positive

:40:41. > :40:44.speech. I serve on the financial inclusion commission. I share that

:40:45. > :40:48.with the honourable member for East Lothian, and I am particularly

:40:49. > :40:52.interested in how this Government is setting out to improve financial

:40:53. > :40:56.inclusion and resilience. The scale of this problem, highlighted by a

:40:57. > :41:01.paper by the act see a published earlier this week, as the honourable

:41:02. > :41:06.gentleman knows, is immense. The Government is taking positive steps.

:41:07. > :41:10.I welcome a fee free basic bank accounts, the lifetime I and the

:41:11. > :41:16.continuing successful roll-out of total enrolment. I welcome in

:41:17. > :41:20.particular the cell to this save scheme. Over half a million low-paid

:41:21. > :41:24.workers could benefit. I do not one minute underestimate the difficulty

:41:25. > :41:28.for many families in saving ?50 per month, but from my experience with

:41:29. > :41:34.credit unions, I know some do. If they do it through this scheme, they

:41:35. > :41:40.will be better off to the chain of ?1200. I welcome this for its direct

:41:41. > :41:43.impact but even more Eibar commit for the culture that it could

:41:44. > :41:48.provide in terms of financial resilience. Curbs on the supply of

:41:49. > :41:50.payday lending will only get a sofa. Any step that outburst as audience

:41:51. > :41:55.and therefore reduce demand for those crippling services is to be

:41:56. > :42:00.welcomed. Our main focus must be to encourage resilience by promoting

:42:01. > :42:05.our national economic growth. The gracious speech is imbued with

:42:06. > :42:08.policies that will enhance productivity, establishing a legal

:42:09. > :42:12.right to broadband connections has been mentioned a couple of times in

:42:13. > :42:16.this debate. It will enhance productivity and eight financial and

:42:17. > :42:22.social inclusion. The Government's into transport is well founded. The

:42:23. > :42:33.performance of Horsham's local real clinical rail infrastructure has

:42:34. > :42:40.benefited from this. On transport, a great thing was made for Heathrow.

:42:41. > :42:43.Gatwick would have economic benefit as Britain requires a hub airport.

:42:44. > :42:47.The particular national productivity, let's get on with

:42:48. > :42:50.expansion at Heathrow. Lastly, I welcome fair funding for schools

:42:51. > :42:55.which will help the recruitment of maths and other STEM teachers in

:42:56. > :42:58.West Sussex, helping to drive future productivity and ensure we created

:42:59. > :43:02.generation across the country better equipped to seize the opportunities

:43:03. > :43:08.that are being created by this Government and boost financial

:43:09. > :43:12.inclusion and resilience. There are measures to like in this Queen's

:43:13. > :43:16.speech. The soft rings industry levy is something I argued for 15 years

:43:17. > :43:22.ago. But I wonder the Government that it makes no sense to tax sugar

:43:23. > :43:26.but simultaneously cut funding forced sport in schools. You tackle

:43:27. > :43:31.beastie first and foremost to exercise, not by stand-alone

:43:32. > :43:40.measurements. -- obesity. The prison reform Bill, if it is a genuine

:43:41. > :43:44.attempt to change a penal facility into a rehabilitation system will be

:43:45. > :43:48.a much-needed transformation. Measures to like. But the wear.

:43:49. > :43:53.Nothing shows the weakness of an administration more than when it

:43:54. > :43:57.feels to have big, controversial bills in the gracious speech. This

:43:58. > :44:02.Queen's speech is one that certainly can policies that are wrong. The

:44:03. > :44:06.education bill for example with its academisation programme and its

:44:07. > :44:09.national funding for cramp is an appalling return to the old

:44:10. > :44:14.obsession with structures rather than standards and the formula,

:44:15. > :44:21.well, it will take ?18 million from schools in Brent and college fair. I

:44:22. > :44:25.am talking of reception classes where we have 29 children who are

:44:26. > :44:33.speaking 21 different mother tongues. 8.6 per pupil spending cuts

:44:34. > :44:36.through them is not fair. It is wrong. But my point is that the

:44:37. > :44:40.Government has essentially run out of steam or is too insecure of the

:44:41. > :44:45.support of its own members to risk big, controversial met... Measures

:44:46. > :44:50.so perhaps in the spirit of assistance, I would set out the bill

:44:51. > :44:54.that the Government could and should have place at the heart of the

:44:55. > :45:00.address. I Green growth bill that would set a clear trajectory for the

:45:01. > :45:04.UK to lead the world in today's low-carbon industrial resolution

:45:05. > :45:08.just addicted to 50 years ago in the coal powered Industrial Revolution.

:45:09. > :45:12.I've bill that would deal with energy, with land use, with water

:45:13. > :45:15.resources, transport, green city infrastructure in an integrated and

:45:16. > :45:20.sustainable way and that would transform the Treasury model from

:45:21. > :45:25.its current excision upon GDP growth on one that is focused on what

:45:26. > :45:29.maximisation. To understand that GDP and wealth are not the same, one

:45:30. > :45:35.only needs to recall that the 2013-14 floods were the single

:45:36. > :45:41.biggest contributor to GDP in 2014, while simultaneously ruining

:45:42. > :45:44.thousands of people's lives. GDP measures productivity, not wealth. A

:45:45. > :45:49.green growth bill would make our country focus on what really

:45:50. > :45:51.matters. Currently, businesses extract an estimated 7 trillion

:45:52. > :45:56.globally from the environment each year. This is in the free

:45:57. > :46:01.knowledgeable goods and the equally new pupil services that they occupy.

:46:02. > :46:07.But that does not appear on balance sheets. They are externalities. No

:46:08. > :46:10.Government account exists that charts their Konta beast into the

:46:11. > :46:15.national boss, yet they represent the annual income from an asset base

:46:16. > :46:19.that is quite simply the precondition of all other economic

:46:20. > :46:24.activity. What sort of economic managers do we have who fail to

:46:25. > :46:28.quantify an asset base of this magnitude and this importance? A

:46:29. > :46:33.green growth bill would establish national capital accountants of the

:46:34. > :46:35.by measuring nature we can make its contribution to our economy

:46:36. > :46:40.measurable and affect decision-making. I green growth bill

:46:41. > :46:47.would elect as treasurer for the sexes of the Treasury which would

:46:48. > :46:53.affect budgets, but services depletion as well. Our national debt

:46:54. > :46:56.is arguably a much more urgent issue then our financial debt, yet our

:46:57. > :47:04.Government is feeling sick tag yearly to rid first the decline in

:47:05. > :47:08.net acid -based -- natural debts. . It is a pleasure to follow the

:47:09. > :47:13.member for Brent North but I am pleased to rise in support of the

:47:14. > :47:18.gracious speech. I do so for three main reasons. First because it

:47:19. > :47:21.recognises that businesses create jobs because we recognise on the

:47:22. > :47:27.side that we want to make sure that people keep more of what they earn