:02:09. > :02:15.Good morning and welcome to BBC Parliament live coverage of the
:02:16. > :02:20.Commons. In half an hour, Theresa May will once again be facing the
:02:21. > :02:27.Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn plus an assortment of backbencher MPs. After
:02:28. > :02:30.that, there are two general labour lead debates, the first is on
:02:31. > :02:36.community pharmacies and thd second is on the safety of police officers.
:02:37. > :02:42.This afternoon at 2:45pm we go live to the Liaison Committee. So John
:02:43. > :02:46.Chilcot will be giving eviddnce on his report. You can continud to
:02:47. > :02:59.watch the Commons live on otr website. Let's class life ott of the
:03:00. > :03:10.Commons. Online registration to vote has made it easier. That is a very
:03:11. > :03:14.interesting and Sarah. How can it be building a democracy but it is
:03:15. > :03:18.excluding nearly 2 million voters allowed to vote in the referendum
:03:19. > :03:24.and is well affect young people in particular in universities. We are
:03:25. > :03:28.absolutely committed to enstring that when it comes to young people
:03:29. > :03:32.with that at the issues that mattered to them. When it comes to
:03:33. > :03:38.boundary changes, it is right that we ensure every seat is of value.
:03:39. > :03:43.Any situation where some sedds are 95,000 people and some seats out of
:03:44. > :03:48.8000 people. We want to enstre every vote is equal and that incltdes
:03:49. > :03:54.young people. Next week the youth Parliament sets in your place. Do
:03:55. > :03:58.18-year-olds, there growing interest 18-year-olds, there growing interest
:03:59. > :04:02.in public affairs and what we do in this place. Dewey agree that these
:04:03. > :04:09.initiatives would help youth registration. My right honotrable
:04:10. > :04:13.friend is right. The youth Parliament will be sitting hn this
:04:14. > :04:17.the 11th of November. And I am sure the 11th of November. And I am sure
:04:18. > :04:22.we look forward to listening to the issues that matter to young people.
:04:23. > :04:26.Young people are interested in issues of mental health, curriculum
:04:27. > :04:30.in the work and other issues being debated in this Chamber. We look
:04:31. > :04:35.forward to working with young people to make sure their voices are heard.
:04:36. > :04:42.I hope it will be undermining courage in chairmanship rather than
:04:43. > :04:53.my command. The minister will be aware that in Scotland 16-ydar-olds
:04:54. > :04:59.are able to vote and Wales has plans to change their system in this way
:05:00. > :05:04.also. Can you respond posithvely to 16-year-olds being able to vote for
:05:05. > :05:09.it MPs in this House and we have full democracy. We will not be
:05:10. > :05:13.lowing the parliamentary voting age. We have debated this question on a
:05:14. > :05:18.number of times and repeatedly voted against it. It is important to
:05:19. > :05:21.recognise that most democracies recognised eight years old `s the
:05:22. > :05:27.great age of some other reason is the agent had be the set on a jury.
:05:28. > :05:34.We referred to making sure dvery is equal earlier and in rate of the
:05:35. > :05:38.police commissioners, would you look again at first past the post being
:05:39. > :05:41.introduced by elections and England's? We need a clear `nd
:05:42. > :05:49.secure democracy in order to have confidence going for it. Around 8
:05:50. > :05:55.million people voted their work 300,000 spoiled ballot papers.
:05:56. > :06:02.Comparing that to the EU referendum, just 20,000 spoiled ballot papers.
:06:03. > :06:04.There is clearly an issue. Has the Minister considered that thd
:06:05. > :06:08.Government weren't so aggressively making it so difficult for lillions
:06:09. > :06:12.of people to be on the register ended the previous Prime Minister
:06:13. > :06:16.hasn't arrogantly dismissed the case for in franchising 16 and 17 old
:06:17. > :06:24.Sony referendum result would be different and you would still be
:06:25. > :06:28.Minister glove LAUGHTER It is important to recognisd that
:06:29. > :06:31.when it came to the referendum we had erected number of peopld voting
:06:32. > :06:38.on one side. We also had a record 46.5 mhllion
:06:39. > :06:42.people registered to vote of which 3 million people registered using the
:06:43. > :06:48.online system, which shows people have full confidence in our new
:06:49. > :06:51.system going forward. Does the Minister agree with me that more
:06:52. > :06:56.young people might register to vote if those are the positive dhfference
:06:57. > :07:01.it made in their lives and ` decision such as travelling tuition
:07:02. > :07:04.fees and restricting housing benefits for young people only acts
:07:05. > :07:09.as a disincentive for young people to get involved in politics? She is
:07:10. > :07:15.correct that there is an issue with registration when it comes to young
:07:16. > :07:21.people. We allow registered to vote and only 37% of them choose to do
:07:22. > :07:24.full. We need to look at issues that matter to young people. Nond of
:07:25. > :07:36.agenda. I shall have this qtestion agenda. I shall have this
:07:37. > :07:43.in question ten together. On October in question ten together. On October
:07:44. > :07:47.the 7th, the Government published detailed proposals for your votes
:07:48. > :07:52.for life. It states how we plan to scrap the 15 year time-limit on
:07:53. > :07:59.voting for overseas. We intdnd to be in place ahead of the next general
:08:00. > :08:05.election. 24 that reply which is encouraging. Can we go back to when
:08:06. > :08:07.the Government can say when they will equalise the size
:08:08. > :08:13.constituencies? We are determined constituencies? We are determined
:08:14. > :08:20.that by the time of the next 20 0 general election, we will in syrup
:08:21. > :08:23.that the historic principle of equal seats is put in place. If wd do not
:08:24. > :08:30.have this reform, we will ensure that we fight our seats and it is
:08:31. > :08:36.completely unacceptable and that is why we must press forward whth
:08:37. > :08:41.boundary reform. Thank you. Will you also agree that by enabling British
:08:42. > :08:46.citizens who live abroad to vote who have previously been a resident and
:08:47. > :08:49.have been registered previotsly this Government is enabling more
:08:50. > :08:54.people to participate in our politics and living a democracy that
:08:55. > :09:02.really works for everyone. H entirely agree. Our proposal to
:09:03. > :09:08.scrap the end proposal, it will mean even more Brits abroad can vote if
:09:09. > :09:13.they so choose. How the Minhster ensure that UK citizens livhng
:09:14. > :09:20.overseas in the EU have not only the right to vote, but also the right to
:09:21. > :09:24.remain in EU countries? We will ensure that when it comes to our
:09:25. > :09:28.democracy, we have a democr`cy that works for everyone, which is why we
:09:29. > :09:31.are determined to ensure th`t when it comes to Britain's living abroad
:09:32. > :09:35.regardless of which country, they will be able to participate in our
:09:36. > :09:40.democracy, particulars lead those who have lived abroad for more than
:09:41. > :09:48.15 years. Let a Labour voters who fought in World War II who hs unable
:09:49. > :09:53.to vote right now. Alongsidd extending suffrage to UK citizens
:09:54. > :09:58.living abroad, what consideration of the Cabinet office given to
:09:59. > :10:02.extending suffrage in gener`l elections to all EU and
:10:03. > :10:07.non-Commonwealth immigrants permanently living in Great Britain
:10:08. > :10:12.and Northern Ireland? We know that when it comes to the local
:10:13. > :10:15.government, EU citizens can already vote. When it comes to the
:10:16. > :10:20.parliamentary suffrage, we `re extending the franchise as ly
:10:21. > :10:24.honourable friend rightly s`ys to an extra 3.7 million Brits abroad. When
:10:25. > :10:30.it comes to looking at thosd living in this country that is subject to
:10:31. > :10:40.future negotiations. At a thme when the improvement or failure to
:10:41. > :10:45.improve the democracy in thd UK the plans to remove the 15 year
:10:46. > :10:49.time-limit for overseas votdrs handing able to relate to an
:10:50. > :10:54.estimated 1 million expats, will the Minister expert in how this might
:10:55. > :10:57.guidelines on permissible donors and guidelines on permissible donors and
:10:58. > :11:00.will he assure the house th`t under no circumstances will the proposed
:11:01. > :11:05.changes allowed unlimited political changes allowed unlimited political
:11:06. > :11:09.financial donations from non-UK taxpayers are brought to be
:11:10. > :11:15.political party? I would like to political party? I would like to
:11:16. > :11:18.start by welcoming the honotrable member to his place, it is great to
:11:19. > :11:22.see him across the dispatch box When it comes to the issue of
:11:23. > :11:25.overseas collectors and instring that those living abroad for more
:11:26. > :11:29.than 15 years have able votd for life, the principle is clear. We
:11:30. > :11:31.must ensure that those people who were born in those countries who
:11:32. > :11:35.have paid tax in this country and have paid tax in this country and
:11:36. > :11:39.moved abroad are given a right to participate in our democracx. These
:11:40. > :11:43.are people such as the Labotr voter who has fought in World War II. We
:11:44. > :11:47.want to ensure that these pdople who have given something to our country
:11:48. > :12:00.are allowed to participate hn our democracy. I shall add to this
:12:01. > :12:04.question and question five together. The has a virus can grow
:12:05. > :12:08.indefinitely, however comprdhensive reform is not a priority in this
:12:09. > :12:12.Parliament given a growing number of pressing parodies elsewhere. Where
:12:13. > :12:18.there are measures that can command consensus, we would welcome working
:12:19. > :12:25.with peers to take them forward A simpler answer would have bden no,
:12:26. > :12:28.we will kick that in the long grass. The House of Lords needs radical
:12:29. > :12:32.reform and we should listen to the new Speaker who said only l`st week,
:12:33. > :12:36.I don't think we can justifx a situation. We have over 800 peers at
:12:37. > :12:43.the same time as you're bringing down the comments to 600 MPs. Does
:12:44. > :12:47.the Minister agree? This was raised at an important debate on the 2 th
:12:48. > :12:50.of October in which the has agreed with the Government that actually
:12:51. > :12:55.this is not a priority. The Government agrees when it comes to
:12:56. > :12:59.the priorities of the British people has a voice reform is not one of
:13:00. > :13:03.those. The recent study by xou got shows that does 18% of the public
:13:04. > :13:04.think the house of Lords reform is a priority and I am amazed th`t the
:13:05. > :13:10.SNP think this is the easy that they SNP think this is the easy that they
:13:11. > :13:16.want to campaign on. When a campaign on education, health, the issues
:13:17. > :13:22.that matter to the Scottish people? What an outrage for a democracy was
:13:23. > :13:26.that answer. We have the ridiculous situation that there are more
:13:27. > :13:31.unelected members from the has a florid living in the Highlands of
:13:32. > :13:34.Scotland and there are MPs, yet this Government wants to cut the
:13:35. > :13:41.Democratic representation. We will be left with three Members of
:13:42. > :13:47.Parliament in the Highlands, that is not democratic accountability. Cut
:13:48. > :13:50.the Lords, not MPs. Difficult to detect a questionnaire. The
:13:51. > :13:55.intellectual dexterity of the Minister will allow him to `nswer
:13:56. > :13:59.it. We currently have proposals on boundary changes in hot Scotland
:14:00. > :14:02.consultation and encouraging all consultation and encouraging all
:14:03. > :14:07.members to consider. There `re a few than Scotland out twice the size of
:14:08. > :14:13.another and historic injusthce must be rectified.
:14:14. > :14:18.The minister is absolutely right that it's not a priority to reduce
:14:19. > :14:22.the House of Lords, but neither is it a priority to reduce the size of
:14:23. > :14:26.the House of Commons. As we are abolishing goodness knows
:14:27. > :14:30.how many MEPs and taking on they will appeal should we not look again
:14:31. > :14:35.at equalising seats and keeping the same number of members of
:14:36. > :14:39.Parliament? The law was passed by the previous
:14:40. > :14:44.Parliament to ensure the reduce seats from 652 600. The del`y
:14:45. > :14:48.occurred because members op. Cit. Decided to kick the can Darnley
:14:49. > :14:52.Road. The reduction in seats will save ?66 million across the course
:14:53. > :14:58.of a parliament. It is right that going forward we make savings and
:14:59. > :15:01.keep our own house order. Mr Speaker, while it's absolutely
:15:02. > :15:04.right that they should be epual votes and they should cut the cost
:15:05. > :15:08.of politics in the House of Commons, do you not agree that it is absurd
:15:09. > :15:13.that there are no SMTP is a House of Lords. There are hundreds of Liberal
:15:14. > :15:16.Democrat peers who have no representation here. We need to
:15:17. > :15:21.balance representation in the House of Lords.
:15:22. > :15:24.My honourable friend is absolutely right. When it comes to resolution
:15:25. > :15:29.of seeds this has been a historic campaign called for by the Chartist
:15:30. > :15:33.and the people's manifesto back in 1830. This government is determined
:15:34. > :15:40.to deliver to ensure that wd have that historical wrong rightdd.
:15:41. > :15:49.There has been much speculation that a certain Nigel Farage will be
:15:50. > :15:53.joining a House of Lords. H`s the Government not done enough damage
:15:54. > :15:56.already? When it comes to appointments to the
:15:57. > :15:59.House of Lords everything is scrutinised by an independent
:16:00. > :16:04.committee. It is right that that process is followed. Will mx
:16:05. > :16:07.honourable friend recall thd words of Sir Winston Churchill talking
:16:08. > :16:12.about democracy when he said not a particularly good system, btt the
:16:13. > :16:16.best one we've got. Perhaps, just perhaps, until someone comes up with
:16:17. > :16:21.a bad idea of a House of Lords is not that bad.
:16:22. > :16:24.As I've said before this is not a priority for House of Lords reform.
:16:25. > :16:28.It's a priority for the gendral public. We want to ensure going
:16:29. > :16:31.forward we work to establish a consensus with the House of Lords
:16:32. > :16:34.and it must be for the Housd of Lords to come up with that
:16:35. > :16:38.consensus. Couldn't we at least get it off the
:16:39. > :16:43.by-elections for hereditary peers? After all, when the House of Lords,
:16:44. > :16:46.earlier this year, decided to remove the second Baron Bridges because he
:16:47. > :16:51.hadn't turned up for five ydars without permission there was a
:16:52. > :16:57.by-election and the 15th Earl of Cork defeated the trust Lord of
:16:58. > :17:02.Harrington and the eighth Vhscount heard. Bottom of the list, `nd
:17:03. > :17:07.alternative vote system was the Earl of Limerick. Doesn't this jtst bring
:17:08. > :17:11.the whole system into disrepute Is this Blackadder or Gilbert `nd
:17:12. > :17:15.Sullivan? When it comes to Blackadder this was
:17:16. > :17:23.a Labour policy introduced by a Labour government. Yet another
:17:24. > :17:27.U-turn from their Corbyn supporters. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I can
:17:28. > :17:35.scarcely hear the honourabld gentleman. He must be heard. Thank
:17:36. > :17:39.you Mr Speaker. I think people watching will be terrified le the
:17:40. > :17:43.complacency of this governmdnt. Does the Minister not realise th`t the
:17:44. > :17:47.twin actions of increasing the limit of elected members of Parli`ment
:17:48. > :17:51.whilst at the same time redtcing the number of elected lawmakers is
:17:52. > :17:55.seriously damaging this institution in the eyes of our own electorate,
:17:56. > :18:02.and also law was the esteem with which we are held abroad. The
:18:03. > :18:07.Government agrees with the privacy of the House of Commons. He made
:18:08. > :18:11.those points on the 26th of October. The house agreed with the Government
:18:12. > :18:15.that this is not a priority going forward. Our priority must be
:18:16. > :18:19.equalising seats and ensuring that historic principle of bound`ry
:18:20. > :18:26.reform occurs. Number four, please Mr Speaker. The
:18:27. > :18:30.Government is striving towards its manifesto commitment to achheve ?20
:18:31. > :18:35.billion of annual efficiencx savings by 2020, cutting functions by
:18:36. > :18:39.providing expert support and advice in all areas in commercial property,
:18:40. > :18:43.infrastructure and debt. In addition I shall be leading a review with the
:18:44. > :18:47.Chief Secretary of the Treasury to see a further savings are possible.
:18:48. > :18:51.The house will want to join me in congratulating the Minister on the
:18:52. > :19:00.recent arrival of his second child, a brother for Wilfred. Can H add my
:19:01. > :19:04.congratulations as wrong. I thank him for his answer. Can I ask how
:19:05. > :19:08.the Government has delivered efficiency savings in the l`st term,
:19:09. > :19:14.and how much is to come? Thank you to my honourable friend.
:19:15. > :19:18.We saved ?18.6 billion in the last Parliament, we hope to do bdtter
:19:19. > :19:23.than that in this Parliament. We've made a good start with over ?1.
:19:24. > :19:28.billion saved in transforming our government works. There is lore to
:19:29. > :19:31.do. We wish to completed. Mr Speaker, can I congratul`te you
:19:32. > :19:39.for your energy efficiency saving this morning on the bicycle in
:19:40. > :19:44.portcullis house. Can I ask the Minister if there is a posshbility
:19:45. > :19:49.of tracking what honourable members can do to track savings in various
:19:50. > :19:52.departments and the public, the wider public as well can sed the
:19:53. > :19:56.practical benefits of the s`vings in each department was macro the
:19:57. > :20:02.honourable gentleman makes ` sensible suggestion.
:20:03. > :20:06.I hope will be able to give more transparency to the savings being
:20:07. > :20:12.made in individual departments. He is right to touch on it. Thank
:20:13. > :20:16.you, Mr Speaker. Efficiency savings can be achieved by new technology.
:20:17. > :20:22.With the Minister in Couragd greater use of them by other departlents?
:20:23. > :20:26.I will. There are excellent products and we are putting more mondy into
:20:27. > :20:29.the GDS. We are using it across government and I hope that will be
:20:30. > :20:35.one of many applications brought forward as a result of this success.
:20:36. > :20:39.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given the cost of the use of special `dvisers
:20:40. > :20:42.has doubled in ten years and the Tory government spends more on
:20:43. > :20:45.special advisers than the ndw Labour government is that not a silple
:20:46. > :20:51.cost-cutting measure that could be implemented? To the contrarx
:20:52. > :20:56.actually. We've kept the cost of special advisers under revidw. The
:20:57. > :21:00.responsibilities being recently he'll see that the cost is being
:21:01. > :21:06.kept down. Number six, Mr Speaker. The
:21:07. > :21:14.Government is committed to tackling fraud in UK DW cables. We'vd already
:21:15. > :21:17.introduced latter registrathon, we are currently considering the
:21:18. > :21:22.findings set out in a report by the Sir Eric pickles review into
:21:23. > :21:26.electoral fraud. We will publish a response in due course.
:21:27. > :21:30.We want to get as many people to vote and dredged as possibld, but in
:21:31. > :21:34.some constituencies there are still too much fraud. What more c`n be
:21:35. > :21:38.Minister and government do `bout this?
:21:39. > :21:42.In order to ensure a democr`cy that works for everyone we need ` clear,
:21:43. > :21:49.secure democracy. We are determined to ensure the electoral reghster is
:21:50. > :21:53.as complete and Abbott as possible. We have called for recommendations
:21:54. > :22:00.for ID in polling stations. We will report back in due course. Does the
:22:01. > :22:03.Minister believe that there are any lessons to be learned from the
:22:04. > :22:12.additional measures in placd in Northern Ireland to tackle voter
:22:13. > :22:15.fraud? The electoral system in Northern Ireland is separatd and has
:22:16. > :22:19.advances when it comes to looking at security around polling stations and
:22:20. > :22:24.electoral process. The Government is interested in looking at all
:22:25. > :22:28.processes. We look at all examples and are happy to report back in due
:22:29. > :22:38.course when we publish findhngs Topical questions. Topical one, Mr
:22:39. > :22:41.Speaker. The Cabinet Office is responsible for delivering `
:22:42. > :22:44.democracy that works for evdryone, supporting the design and ddlivery
:22:45. > :22:49.of government policy on driving efficiencies and reforms to make
:22:50. > :22:53.government work better. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will my right
:22:54. > :22:57.honourable friend join me to welcome the Minister of constitutions to
:22:58. > :23:01.work with my constituents and be domestic violence charity strvives
:23:02. > :23:05.to reform an anonymous registration to ensure that women's silenced by
:23:06. > :23:10.current registration process were no longer be denied the chance to
:23:11. > :23:14.express their democratic will. I will indeed join with my
:23:15. > :23:18.honourable friend. His commhtment to this cause is well known as is the
:23:19. > :23:21.commitment to my honourable friend who has taken this as one of the
:23:22. > :23:25.things he wants to achieve hn his post. The survivors of domestic
:23:26. > :23:29.abuse, being able to vote is more than just a cross on a ballot paper.
:23:30. > :23:35.It is a renewed statement of the Freedom that is rightfully theirs.
:23:36. > :23:38.Let's take the Minister back to the boundary review. It's interdsting
:23:39. > :23:43.that the Government payroll isn t being kept in this process. They
:23:44. > :23:47.should listen to the members sitting behind them like the honour`ble
:23:48. > :23:51.member for Shipley when he says we are talking about reducing the
:23:52. > :23:55.number of people we are left at the ballot box, while stuffing the House
:23:56. > :24:01.of Lords with yet more people. If this isn't a partisan process, and
:24:02. > :24:07.given Brexit and the fact that we are removing 73 MEPs, isn't it now
:24:08. > :24:14.time to have a fresh review based on 650 seats in this place.
:24:15. > :24:18.I wonder whether the honour`ble gentleman would start as he means to
:24:19. > :24:22.go on. He has five members of the opposition front bench to vdry
:24:23. > :24:29.modest two. That shows how we can cut the cost of politics just by
:24:30. > :24:32.being in power. After the referendum the public
:24:33. > :24:38.administration select committee wrote to the Government suggesting
:24:39. > :24:42.that the Government should conduct a review of civil service cap`city in
:24:43. > :24:46.view of the extra workload being piled on Whitehall. Can my right
:24:47. > :24:51.honourable friend give any indication as to whether such a
:24:52. > :24:56.review is being conducted, `nd would he give consideration to conducting
:24:57. > :25:01.such a review? It is going on at the moment. I am leading the review
:25:02. > :25:05.myself and we have started with looking at senior civil service
:25:06. > :25:10.capacity. It will go through the entire civil service. I'm m`king
:25:11. > :25:12.sure I'm talking to all the ministers leading Brexit effective
:25:13. > :25:18.departments to make sure thdy are happy with the capacity of their
:25:19. > :25:21.officers. Thank you, Mr Spe`ker I don't disagree with the Minhster on
:25:22. > :25:25.equalisation of constituenches but if we want equal constituencies
:25:26. > :25:30.based on proper data, surelx the 2 million registered voters should be
:25:31. > :25:37.taken into account in that equalisation. He talks about data.
:25:38. > :25:41.Let's go back to the fact that if we delay bound to reform even further
:25:42. > :25:46.we will be drying up a seat on data England and Wales from the xear
:25:47. > :25:51.2000. 20 years ago. That is clearly unacceptable which is why wd must
:25:52. > :25:56.assure boundary reform takes place. There are four are too many noisy
:25:57. > :26:00.Private conversations taking place. It's very unfair on members who want
:26:01. > :26:08.to ask questions and ministdrs who want to answer them. Let's hear the
:26:09. > :26:13.voice of the Vale of Clwyd. One of the benefits of devolution was that
:26:14. > :26:16.it was meant to allow the comparison of different policy approaches.
:26:17. > :26:22.Would the Minister look at legislation to allow compathble data
:26:23. > :26:26.across the United Kingdom? Ly honourable friend makes a sdnsible
:26:27. > :26:30.point. We are learning a lot from devolved administrations as they
:26:31. > :26:33.learn from us. His point is well made. We signed a concordat of
:26:34. > :26:43.statistical evidence a few lonths ago. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Instead
:26:44. > :26:51.of using a single example of how an ex-war veteran could justifx
:26:52. > :26:57.extending the franchise abroad, could we not include those who live
:26:58. > :27:04.here and pay their taxes, ET citizens. 16 and 17-year-olds. When
:27:05. > :27:07.it comes to votes for life for Britons who've lived abroad more
:27:08. > :27:10.than 15 years this is a manhfesto commitment that will be delhvered
:27:11. > :27:13.for this government. We are determined to ensure that those
:27:14. > :27:17.people who live abroad who `re British are given the right to
:27:18. > :27:25.participate in our democracx. That is absolutely the right thing to do.
:27:26. > :27:28.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can H welcome the Minister for the Cabinet Office.
:27:29. > :27:32.He made a powerful case for public service reform to make it more
:27:33. > :27:36.tailored to individual needs. Can I urge my right arm of friends to be
:27:37. > :27:39.careful when delivering it that he doesn't end up exposing or
:27:40. > :27:45.misplacing personal data whhch is something we've seen in the past. I
:27:46. > :27:48.will. I thank my honourable friend for his comments. It is important
:27:49. > :27:51.that we take people with less onerous. We need to remember that
:27:52. > :27:55.the state is to serve peopld and not the other way around. This hs why
:27:56. > :27:59.this administration is putthng itself at the service of thd British
:28:00. > :28:06.people. I intend public services to reflect fact. It is estimatdd that
:28:07. > :28:13.cutting the number of MPs to 60 will save ?30 million a year. The
:28:14. > :28:17.House of Lords allowances alone cost ?20 million a year. Does he not
:28:18. > :28:21.accept that the cuts and savings to be made should be applied to the
:28:22. > :28:29.unelected house is not the dlected chamber? This government is proud of
:28:30. > :28:35.the fact that when it comes to the cost of the House of Lords ht has
:28:36. > :28:40.been reduced by 14% since 2010. Mr Speaker, it's good to see the
:28:41. > :28:49.Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in his place. Perhaps he can set out
:28:50. > :28:52.what his priorities will be? Mr Speaker, as the Chancellor of the
:28:53. > :28:55.Duchy of land and asked I rdceive the administration of the estate in
:28:56. > :28:59.the rents of the Duchy of L`ncaster. I also contribute to the
:29:00. > :29:02.Government's policy of decision-making process for
:29:03. > :29:06.attending cabinet and attending and cheering government committdes. This
:29:07. > :29:11.role is not without precedent under both Labour and Conservativd
:29:12. > :29:17.governments. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm pleased that the Governlent
:29:18. > :29:20.plans to ordered racial disparity in public service outcomes, but can I
:29:21. > :29:25.ask ministers, in doing so, to ensure that every government
:29:26. > :29:26.department and agency uses the 011 census classifications which
:29:27. > :29:33.distinguished gypsies and travellers. It's a very helpful
:29:34. > :29:41.contribution. I will indeed ensure that. The annual campus is dxtremely
:29:42. > :29:47.expensive. What is this govdrnment doing to reduce its costs? Ht is
:29:48. > :29:51.right that we make the systdm less expensive. To address these aims are
:29:52. > :30:03.taking sleep I assist you to test new explosive. There will bd 18 more
:30:04. > :30:07.pilots in England and Wales in 017. Mr Speaker, only 51% of 16 to
:30:08. > :30:12.17-year-olds registered to vote compared with 85% of adults. In
:30:13. > :30:16.Neath we've had successful voter registration awareness events to
:30:17. > :30:19.encourage and a deans to register. Willie Minister please expl`in the
:30:20. > :30:26.Government's plans to encourage young people to vote? As part of a
:30:27. > :30:30.democracy that works for evdryone we are determined that young pdople's
:30:31. > :30:34.voices will be heard. That leans going around the country as I am
:30:35. > :30:37.doing to talk with young people about their priorities and how we
:30:38. > :30:47.can ensure they are fully involved in the democratic process. Puestions
:30:48. > :30:56.to the Prime Minister. Mr Stephen Dowty. Thank you, Mr Speaker. This
:30:57. > :30:57.morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues. I whll have
:30:58. > :31:10.further meetings later todax. Foreign steel is being used in our
:31:11. > :31:13.key defence projects. We know the Prime Minister likes to channel the
:31:14. > :31:20.iron Lady, but when will shd show some metal in standing up for some
:31:21. > :31:25.British made steel? This government has stood up for British made steel
:31:26. > :31:27.and we have made a number of measures for the steel industry But
:31:28. > :31:28.the honourable