:00:09. > :00:14.Order, order. Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office and
:00:15. > :00:27.the Chancellor of the Duchy of us do. Thank you, may I answer this
:00:28. > :00:30.with question six together. The persistence and ingenuity of those
:00:31. > :00:35.means we need to work even harder to means we need to work even harder to
:00:36. > :00:39.keep pace with the threat which is why we launched a cyber security
:00:40. > :00:46.strategy supported by ?1.9 billion worth of investment in which we set
:00:47. > :00:54.up ambitious steps to respond to that threat. Many local firms
:00:55. > :01:00.struggle to afford the very best in cyber protection and I wonder if the
:01:01. > :01:05.minister could shear what they should do to benefit from the
:01:06. > :01:10.experience of MPs. My honourable friend raises an important point and
:01:11. > :01:14.it is regrettable that increasingly, cyber security is an essential part
:01:15. > :01:19.of normal business operations. That's why we're trying to make it
:01:20. > :01:23.easy. We have got a cyber essential scheme which helps businesses
:01:24. > :01:27.understand what they need to do to protect themselves. We have a cyber
:01:28. > :01:32.exchange which provides information about businesses and directories
:01:33. > :01:35.which can help small businesses, and we have action fraud which is the
:01:36. > :01:43.report malicious activity. Will my report malicious activity. Will my
:01:44. > :01:49.right honourable friend also reassure the host but as well as
:01:50. > :01:52.protecting the infrastructure, the government has taken appropriate
:01:53. > :01:59.steps to protect businesses and individuals from the threat of cyber
:02:00. > :02:02.attacks? I can reassure the house. My honourable friend raises the
:02:03. > :02:07.issue of wider threat to infrastructure. That was the purpose
:02:08. > :02:12.behind setting up the centre, where we bring together all the expertise
:02:13. > :02:21.across government. I'm confident we can do that to a capacity that is
:02:22. > :02:26.world leading. We know that Russian cyber attacks had an impact on the
:02:27. > :02:31.US election, what assessment has MI5 made of cyber attacks in relation to
:02:32. > :02:37.the Brexit output and the Scottish referendum? The honourable gentleman
:02:38. > :02:40.will know that I cannot comment on the operational details of the
:02:41. > :02:44.security agencies but he should be reassured that our agencies have
:02:45. > :02:48.some of the best capacities in the world, they are being funded
:02:49. > :02:56.appropriately and we are making sure that they are doing what they need
:02:57. > :03:01.to do. A cyber attack earlier this month affecting several Internet
:03:02. > :03:06.service providers resulted in over 100,000 people across the UK losing
:03:07. > :03:11.their connection. With the economy becoming ever more reliant on
:03:12. > :03:16.digital infrastructure, what further measures is the government putting
:03:17. > :03:27.in place to protect businesses and consumers? The honourable lady is
:03:28. > :03:31.right to point out the threat to not only businesses but individuals.
:03:32. > :03:37.That is why the National Security Centre has been set to engage with
:03:38. > :03:42.business as early but where there is a cyber attack, ensure that
:03:43. > :03:48.customers are alerted early something is done about it, and we
:03:49. > :03:59.are able to learn from those attacks and make sure they don't happen in
:04:00. > :04:04.other parts of the economy. MI5 for wind of a threat from eastern Europe
:04:05. > :04:08.of packages of measures to subvert the economic process. If
:04:09. > :04:16.government fully prepared to defend government fully prepared to defend
:04:17. > :04:20.the UK from such attacks? We are. It would not be for me to add to the
:04:21. > :04:23.words of the director of the security services but it is
:04:24. > :04:27.important we protect the integrity important we protect the integrity
:04:28. > :04:32.of our democracy and he can be sure that all agencies in this country
:04:33. > :04:41.are prized of the necessity of doing just that. In light of the Russian
:04:42. > :04:47.intervention in the US election and the credible threat to the German
:04:48. > :04:52.election recognised by Chancellor Merkel, will he give a guarantee
:04:53. > :04:57.that no cyber attacks have been carried out on the UK which could
:04:58. > :05:04.have impacted on our democracy, and assure the house of what measures
:05:05. > :05:15.his government will be implementing to defend the UK from such attacks
:05:16. > :05:23.in the future? I am gratified that we are told register is one of the
:05:24. > :05:25.secure but we need to protect the integrity of the democratic process
:05:26. > :05:31.which is why we will be making sure our systems are secure as possible.
:05:32. > :05:35.Grateful to those people working in the centre for the work that they
:05:36. > :05:38.do. A lot of it is very difficult than technical and that is why we
:05:39. > :05:41.are better protected than most countries around the world and I
:05:42. > :05:52.intend to make sure that capability and capacity increases and improves.
:05:53. > :06:05.Single departmental plans represent this procedure. We track progress
:06:06. > :06:11.against manifesto commitments and encourage greater efficiency in
:06:12. > :06:15.government. The Cabinet Office is encouraged to oversee cross
:06:16. > :06:21.government implementation of its proposals. Can I ask my right
:06:22. > :06:25.honourable friend what steps he is taking to ensure it is a priority
:06:26. > :06:31.for each department? I am grateful for it to be raised. I know that it
:06:32. > :06:33.is close to her heart. It is very important that we coordinate this
:06:34. > :06:36.matter across government because it's not just a matter for the
:06:37. > :06:42.Department of Health although I should just say my right honourable
:06:43. > :06:51.friend is taking this as a personal issue. Our purpose is to make sure
:06:52. > :06:55.government so that this is a government so that this is a
:06:56. > :06:58.response across government by the whole of government to something
:06:59. > :07:10.which affects everyone in this country. In order that benefits are
:07:11. > :07:17.seen and enjoyed across the UK can he give a commitment to discussions
:07:18. > :07:22.with devolved legislature to ensure that best practice is enjoyed by
:07:23. > :07:38.everyone, irrespective of where they live in the UK. Special advisers are
:07:39. > :07:42.an important part of ministers. The government is committed to making
:07:43. > :07:50.the most of patient use of public money and will keep under review the
:07:51. > :07:54.cost of the service. While the Prime Minister has introduced a salary
:07:55. > :08:00.cap, the Times has reported the Prime Minister's own special
:08:01. > :08:10.advisers are not subjected to this. Oh can you reassure the public that
:08:11. > :08:13.the costs are being controlled? We are required to publish a number on
:08:14. > :08:21.the cost and we will publish one shortly. We will provide the total
:08:22. > :08:33.payment for special advisers and severance costs.
:08:34. > :08:38.The government is clear that the House of Lords cannot continue to
:08:39. > :08:42.grow indefinitely however comprehensive reform of the House of
:08:43. > :08:48.Lords is not a priority for this parliament. Given the number of
:08:49. > :08:52.pressing priorities elsewhere, where there are measures that can command
:08:53. > :08:55.consensus across the house the government welcome working with
:08:56. > :09:00.peers to look at how to take them forward. Even the House of Lords
:09:01. > :09:03.thinks the House of Lords is too big thinks the House of Lords is too big
:09:04. > :09:08.so how can it be the priority to reduce the elected house by 50
:09:09. > :09:16.members went under David Cameron it expanded by 260? I'm grateful for
:09:17. > :09:32.the honourable member raising the excellent debate which took place.
:09:33. > :09:43.I manifesto set out it would be a priority. It is absolutely critical
:09:44. > :09:50.to save money across Parliament and increase constituencies.
:09:51. > :09:55.I don't think anybody is concerned about the size of Lord spot the
:09:56. > :10:03.possibles. David Nuttall. Does my honourable
:10:04. > :10:07.friend agree with me that whilst reform of the House of Lords may not
:10:08. > :10:13.be a priority at the moment, if their lordships try to frustrate the
:10:14. > :10:20.will of the British people over Brexit, reform of the House of Lords
:10:21. > :10:28.should become a top priority. A debate took place last week in which
:10:29. > :10:37.there was an interesting consensus positing the solution, while
:10:38. > :10:40.ensuring we look for new expertise... It is importantly the
:10:41. > :10:48.House of Lords has a critical part in our constitution as a revising
:10:49. > :10:51.chamber. I hope that will continue. Last week, we witnessed the
:10:52. > :11:00.outrageous spectacle of Tory peers trying to filibuster plans which
:11:01. > :11:03.would have removed the archaic principle of the hereditary peer
:11:04. > :11:06.by-election that takes place in the House of Lords, where a small number
:11:07. > :11:10.of privileged lords decide which among their number will join the
:11:11. > :11:13.legislator. With the Minister not agree that makes a laughing stock of
:11:14. > :11:19.the House of Lords and underlines the need to engage in serious
:11:20. > :11:25.reform? It is a shame that there were no SNP members taking part in
:11:26. > :11:30.that debate. This party refuses to engage in the democratic process and
:11:31. > :11:37.let stand the people of Scotland by not allowing them adequate
:11:38. > :11:40.representation. There was a vote in 2014 where 2 million people voted to
:11:41. > :11:47.remain as part of the UK, and this party continues to frustrate the
:11:48. > :11:50.will of the Scottish people. I am sure that the minister will share my
:11:51. > :11:53.view that it was disappointing when there was an opportunity to reform
:11:54. > :11:58.the House of Lords on government time in this chamber, and the main
:11:59. > :12:02.opposition party decided to frustrate that. Would he agree that
:12:03. > :12:06.any reform needs to be linked to wider reform that delivers a whole
:12:07. > :12:10.package, not just setting a particular number on existing
:12:11. > :12:14.membership? What is important when it comes to the reform of the House
:12:15. > :12:21.of Lords is that it is led by the Lords themselves. There is clearly
:12:22. > :12:25.an appetite for that to take place. Around 50 peers have retired. I
:12:26. > :12:27.welcome the fact the Leader of the House of Lords suggested that she
:12:28. > :12:37.would like to consider whether setting up a more practical step of
:12:38. > :12:41.a consultative group overseen by the Speaker the House of Lords... I look
:12:42. > :12:44.forward to these plans. How can the government justify the idea of
:12:45. > :12:52.having more than 800 unelected members of the House of Lords, and
:12:53. > :12:58.they are reducing the elected House, the House of Commons, from 650 to
:12:59. > :13:03.600? There are that many people now in the House of Lords, they are
:13:04. > :13:07.running short of toilets! I'm not sure about the toilets is
:13:08. > :13:12.you, but I refer back to a comment made by the Labour peer, Baroness
:13:13. > :13:16.Taylor Bolton, one of his colleagues. She stated that while
:13:17. > :13:24.there are 845 members of the House of Lords, average attendances about
:13:25. > :13:28.497. Let's come back to the boundary changes. He knows that when you look
:13:29. > :13:34.at the constituencies in this House, you have some constituencies that
:13:35. > :13:40.have 95000 and some 30 8000. That discrepancy has been a discrepancy
:13:41. > :13:46.first picked up around the charter. 200 years ago we had the working
:13:47. > :13:53.class organisation demanding change and we will deliver that. I thank
:13:54. > :13:55.the Minister for his history lesson, which he is in a good position to
:13:56. > :14:03.provide. But we must move on. We have had
:14:04. > :14:07.lots of words from the Minister. Like can't he understand that it is
:14:08. > :14:11.just untenable to have a blunted a revising chamber with substantially
:14:12. > :14:18.more members than we have in this elected chamber, and this coming at
:14:19. > :14:23.a time when he is ploughing ahead with his plans to reduce the size of
:14:24. > :14:27.this place. He may not think reform of the House of Lords is a priority.
:14:28. > :14:35.Their Lordships do. So what is he going to do about it? It is up to
:14:36. > :14:40.the House of Lords to provide cross-party consensus across this
:14:41. > :14:44.House. There are Labour members willing to get involved. Let's talk
:14:45. > :14:48.about priorities. The language of priorities is the language of
:14:49. > :14:51.politics. Our priorities ensure we deliver the will of the British
:14:52. > :14:57.people in leaving the European Union. His seems to be frustrating
:14:58. > :15:01.the Brexit process and taking of our legislative time talking about the
:15:02. > :15:16.House of Lords. Mr Speaker, we are committed to
:15:17. > :15:20.ensure that digital systems -- assistance is always available to
:15:21. > :15:23.those not online. Also, since we will have the means of access for
:15:24. > :15:29.those not able to use the online service. Thank you. I am encouraged
:15:30. > :15:34.by my right honourable friend's answer. Whiley continues to improve
:15:35. > :15:41.access to service online, Willie ensure that is done in a way that
:15:42. > :15:45.avoids excluding those who are unable to access such services? I
:15:46. > :15:50.will be able to give my honourable friend the reassurance. We have
:15:51. > :15:54.travelled a great distance in the last six years. Online services are
:15:55. > :15:58.now immeasurably better in terms of access than they were in 2010. We
:15:59. > :16:01.want to make sure that everybody has the ability to gain access to
:16:02. > :16:07.government services and will provide alternative routes online to those
:16:08. > :16:11.who can't do so. The Minister will know that if we have online access,
:16:12. > :16:16.it has got to be of the highest quality. Some of the experienced
:16:17. > :16:19.government -- experiences, the Department have had has not been
:16:20. > :16:24.reassuring. Could you look at some very real talented people on the
:16:25. > :16:27.autism spectrum who are actually very good at this? And could he
:16:28. > :16:34.recruit many of them to get these online services better than they
:16:35. > :16:42.are? The honourable gentleman is right to point to former failures of
:16:43. > :16:52.accessibility in online services. We make sure that all services are
:16:53. > :16:59.accessible by design. How is progress on his excellent verify
:17:00. > :17:03.system preceding? It is proceeding well. It is not proceeding well
:17:04. > :17:10.enough fund I would like to see it go faster. It is most impossible to
:17:11. > :17:15.get a physical address to write two on the government website. Is this
:17:16. > :17:19.deliberate? It is not delivered but if he wants to show me the examples
:17:20. > :17:24.I will make sure I corrected. Would he agree that giving the skill base
:17:25. > :17:27.of the UK and our creativity in digital services, there is an
:17:28. > :17:33.opportunity for the government to be a world leader in the proviso --
:17:34. > :17:35.provision of services? We are already the world leader. We have
:17:36. > :17:41.the finest government digital service in the world. Comparable
:17:42. > :17:46.organisations have also said that. We can still do better. I look out
:17:47. > :17:51.for a forthcoming strategy on this important matter.
:17:52. > :18:00.Topical questions. Douglas Carswell. Number one, please. The purpose of
:18:01. > :18:02.the Cabinet office is to deliver democracy that works for everyone.
:18:03. > :18:08.Supporting the design and delivery of government policy and delivering
:18:09. > :18:15.efficiencies and reforms to make government work better. Since 2008,
:18:16. > :18:20.many select committees have held pre-appointment hearings. Would the
:18:21. > :18:23.minister consider making a routine for a select committees to hold a
:18:24. > :18:28.formal confirmation hearings, particularly when the position
:18:29. > :18:35.requires substantial control over tax payer money? I'm not -- I'm not
:18:36. > :18:41.sure why he has two phrase every question he asks with an insult. --
:18:42. > :18:47.to phrase. We will ensure that select committees have even more
:18:48. > :18:51.influence in scrutinising government policy and I will take is careful
:18:52. > :18:54.and wise comments on board. WoodMac right honourable friend please
:18:55. > :19:02.update the house as to what progress is being made to make a single point
:19:03. > :19:06.of complaint for users of public services? Last week I public --
:19:07. > :19:13.published the draft paper on this bill. The draft bill sets out how
:19:14. > :19:16.you will create a single point of contact, make the system simpler,
:19:17. > :19:28.more efficient and give the new ombudsman a wider role. The Minister
:19:29. > :19:31.will no doubt be aware of the 2014 Electoral Commission survey which
:19:32. > :19:36.found there were 7.4 million people are missing from the electoral
:19:37. > :19:39.register. And that young people were identified as being particularly
:19:40. > :19:42.underrepresented. When he committed to introducing a schools
:19:43. > :19:45.registration scheme along the lines of the initiative in Northern
:19:46. > :19:51.Ireland, which has resulted in the increase in the number of young
:19:52. > :19:55.people registered to vote? As part of our commitment to a democracy
:19:56. > :19:58.that works, I have been touring the country, I am investigating how we
:19:59. > :20:02.can ensure that we get more than people actively engaged in politics.
:20:03. > :20:07.I held a round table with youth organisations last week to discuss
:20:08. > :20:10.our strategy going forward. The Northern Ireland example is not
:20:11. > :20:14.something we wish to take forward. The idea of compulsion on schools
:20:15. > :20:17.doesn't work. There must be local ownership of schemes to ensure that
:20:18. > :20:21.civil society groups canning courage young people to join the register
:20:22. > :20:27.when they turn 18. Can I welcome the government's race
:20:28. > :20:35.disparities audit seeking to address the geographical disparities,
:20:36. > :20:40.including in some of the most deprived communities in the country.
:20:41. > :20:43.Can he update the House on progress? We are making very good progress
:20:44. > :20:48.with the audit. I thank my honourable friend for raising it. As
:20:49. > :20:51.the Prime Minister said, if you are a white working-class boy you are
:20:52. > :20:55.less likely than anybody macro else in Britain to go to university. That
:20:56. > :21:04.is why we are looking at these disparities so carefully.
:21:05. > :21:07.A victim of a cyber attack in my Wrexham constituency went to North
:21:08. > :21:14.Wales police for help and was referred to me to speak to a human
:21:15. > :21:18.being to get information about the case. Can the City of London police,
:21:19. > :21:23.who have control of these matters, that human beings at the end of the
:21:24. > :21:28.line to assist people who are, after all, victims of crime. --? I regret
:21:29. > :21:34.the experienced the honourable gentleman's constituent had. We have
:21:35. > :21:39.said up a group to look after victims of cybercrime. He and his
:21:40. > :21:43.constituents should attend to them first. We have ensured the National
:21:44. > :21:48.cyber centre is providing a personal security to business. I will take up
:21:49. > :21:55.this issue personally to make sure it is corrected.
:21:56. > :21:58.Is my right honourable friend aware that sometimes a cyber attack is
:21:59. > :22:03.inadvertent? Is he aware that the register and other magazines are
:22:04. > :22:09.reporting that a Microsoft download and update has massed disconnection
:22:10. > :22:13.of computers to the Internet, particularly those running Windows
:22:14. > :22:17.eight and Windows ten? Does the government have a role to advise
:22:18. > :22:25.people about how that sort of thing can be corrected? My honourable
:22:26. > :22:28.friend is a far more astute reader of IT journals than I am. I can say
:22:29. > :22:33.that we are aware of responsibilities. Have set up the
:22:34. > :22:38.cyber essentials website. I will relay his Commons back to the people
:22:39. > :22:48.who know more about it than I do, to reflect on them. For what specific
:22:49. > :22:53.reason, for what specific reason is the government blocking the bill to
:22:54. > :23:01.end the ludicrous situation of elections to her registry peerages?
:23:02. > :23:04.-- hereditary. As I have stated already, the government is
:23:05. > :23:08.absolutely committed to ensuring we go forward with a consensus in the
:23:09. > :23:13.House of Lords on Lords reform and the size of the House of Lords. The
:23:14. > :23:16.debate demonstrated there is a consensus and the Leader of the
:23:17. > :23:18.House of Lords is working to establish that committee. That is
:23:19. > :23:24.the approach the government is taking.
:23:25. > :23:28.Mr Speaker, the ministers have talked about creating a democracy
:23:29. > :23:31.that works for everyone. With a look further at making sure that first
:23:32. > :23:37.past the post is rolled out for mayoral and police Commissioner
:23:38. > :23:41.elections? I sat in on the ten minute rule Bill last week, which I
:23:42. > :23:44.listened to with good intent. I have to say that while this government is
:23:45. > :23:49.absolutely committed to first past the post as an electoral system, we
:23:50. > :23:52.need to ensure that we had -- when we have elections that are set out
:23:53. > :24:00.by legislation, we ensure the conduct of those elections is
:24:01. > :24:08.carefully managed. Where is John Cryer? Dear, oh dear. Danny King. I
:24:09. > :24:13.appreciate this is a devolved matter. Surely there has to be a
:24:14. > :24:17.process that the Cabinet office can hold of the Northern Ireland
:24:18. > :24:24.executive over 400 million being wasted of all of our money on the
:24:25. > :24:28.renewable heat initiative? The honourable gentleman does say it is
:24:29. > :24:35.a devolved matter. And it is. It would not be right for me to
:24:36. > :24:38.comment. Tomorrow, this House will debate the Broadband universal
:24:39. > :24:42.service obligation. Does the Minister agree that we must
:24:43. > :24:45.complement the excellent work of the government digital service with a
:24:46. > :24:51.real commitment to superfast broadband wherever we can take it?
:24:52. > :24:56.Is right and that is why our manifesto was the most ambitious of
:24:57. > :24:59.all the main parties in terms of the roll-out of superfast broadband.
:25:00. > :25:01.He will be hearing more about it in the weeks to come. Order, questions
:25:02. > :25:17.to the Prime Minister. This I had the ministerial
:25:18. > :25:19.colleagues and others in addition to my duties in this House, and I shall
:25:20. > :25:25.have further such meetings later today to talk can I take the
:25:26. > :25:33.opportunity to wish you, Mr Speaker, and all members of the House a merry
:25:34. > :25:34.Christmas. In the light of the