20/12/2016

:00:17. > :00:24.The former Speaker knew that already I think with the length of time but

:00:25. > :00:28.not to worry. Thank you, I will not require the full ten minutes. It is

:00:29. > :00:32.a pleasure to take part in this wide-ranging and popular debate and

:00:33. > :00:36.I'm grateful to the backbench business committee for making the

:00:37. > :00:40.opportunity possible. Among the many issues that have graced my casework

:00:41. > :00:59.over recent months, one of the most interesting has been the protocol to

:01:00. > :01:04.the -- illicit trade protocol. The problem on illicit tobacco was

:01:05. > :01:09.thought to be so severe, a new treaty has been required, which is

:01:10. > :01:15.the protocol aforementioned. It was concluded in 2012 and currently has

:01:16. > :01:22.24 states parties plus the EU. 40 parties are for the protocol to come

:01:23. > :01:27.into force. It was signed by the Government but so far has not been

:01:28. > :01:31.ratified by the UK. The subject is one I have raised a number of times

:01:32. > :01:37.through Parliamentary questions in both oral and written ages and I'm

:01:38. > :01:41.grateful to the financial Secretary to the Treasury for her replies.

:01:42. > :01:44.Those who have raised this issue with me feel the Government is

:01:45. > :01:52.setting a poor example on dragging its feet and as a consequence

:01:53. > :01:59.costing the Treasury millions of pounds in lost revenue. The latest

:02:00. > :02:09.HMRC figures for 2015/16 estimates the illicit market share for

:02:10. > :02:14.cigarettes is 32% for hand-rolling tobacco. There has been a

:02:15. > :02:19.significant improvement over the last decade but it remains a key

:02:20. > :02:23.public health concern. I say that not because illicit tobacco is more

:02:24. > :02:33.harmful than that in the shops, but by passing through measures to

:02:34. > :02:37.increase prices. I hope the answer is received go some way to

:02:38. > :02:41.addressing these concerns and I look forward to the text of the protocol

:02:42. > :02:45.being laid before Parliament as a command paper, and I would be

:02:46. > :02:49.grateful to the ministers if we can have an indication of a likely

:02:50. > :02:54.timescale. I press this point because I believe the ITP will be

:02:55. > :03:00.helpful in tackling the illicit trade problems. There is a worldwide

:03:01. > :03:05.tracking and tracing scheme for tobacco products. The ITP requires

:03:06. > :03:10.governments to take responsibility for control measures and not rely on

:03:11. > :03:14.industry self-regulation which has failed to deliver. This scheme is

:03:15. > :03:18.intended to prevent the tobacco industry from participating in or

:03:19. > :03:23.turning a blind eye to smuggling. This scheme is dependent on the

:03:24. > :03:37.industry for it to be effective will stop earlier this year the big

:03:38. > :03:42.Tobacco companies identified... It has been claimed the new owner is a

:03:43. > :03:46.front company and the system is still under the effective control of

:03:47. > :03:52.the tobacco firms. If so this would not fulfil the requirements of the

:03:53. > :03:56.ITP for independence. Some industry insiders highlighted it could

:03:57. > :04:00.identify ineffective as a track and trace system as it uses a

:04:01. > :04:05.combination of unique encrypted codes along with other codes which

:04:06. > :04:11.are easy to forge. I trust this is something ministers will have on

:04:12. > :04:15.their radar. In conclusion, the protocol to eliminate the illicit

:04:16. > :04:20.trade in tobacco products is a global problem. It's important we

:04:21. > :04:24.play our full part in it, and I welcome that the Government is

:04:25. > :04:39.committed to ratification. I am however impatient and keen to see

:04:40. > :04:43.progress. At this time of Christmas and goodwill towards all, it seems a

:04:44. > :04:49.bit churlish to bring to the attention of the House facade that

:04:50. > :04:54.my constituents have had over the last few weeks travelling by rail

:04:55. > :05:01.down from Chelmsford to Liverpool Street to work and back again. About

:05:02. > :05:07.9000 of my constituents commute to London to work each day, others

:05:08. > :05:10.during the day travel down to London and back to Chelmsford for a variety

:05:11. > :05:17.of other reasons but we have been struck over the last three weeks by

:05:18. > :05:22.one after another problem that has brought the network to a grinding

:05:23. > :05:29.halt, which has caused so much disruption and frustration for those

:05:30. > :05:35.travelling members. The fact is that in my part of six, the line is only

:05:36. > :05:40.two lines, one down and one up from London so there is little scope if a

:05:41. > :05:47.train breaks down or if there's problems with the track, except to

:05:48. > :05:51.sort that problem out immediately to get the network morning. When a

:05:52. > :05:56.problem occurs, you see all the trains behind banking up, waiting

:05:57. > :06:02.for a solution to that problem. If that's during the rush hour, you can

:06:03. > :06:07.imagine the frustration and the problems because people are wanting

:06:08. > :06:11.to get to work. They don't want to be late, it causes problems with

:06:12. > :06:20.their employers and they have to put up with that. It has happened too

:06:21. > :06:24.much in the immediate recent past. We have seen a freight train

:06:25. > :06:28.breakdown, which brought everything to a standstill, we have seen other

:06:29. > :06:33.engines pulling the commuter trains breaking down with all the

:06:34. > :06:41.disturbance and problems that causes. The fact is that in the

:06:42. > :06:45.future, things will be considerably better. Firstly there has been, and

:06:46. > :06:51.I give credit to the last government as well as to this one, and when I

:06:52. > :06:54.say last government I mean the last Labour government, the investment

:06:55. > :06:59.that has been poured in to improving and upgrading the track and

:07:00. > :07:03.replacing the overhead cables from Liverpool Street up to Chelmsford

:07:04. > :07:07.and then it will go beyond to Colchester and up to Norwich. That

:07:08. > :07:13.is bringing some improvements when it is completely done it will bring

:07:14. > :07:20.considerable improvements because we won't have so many faults occurring.

:07:21. > :07:26.But it is investment that no one ever sees. If you get new carriages,

:07:27. > :07:30.you immediately notice it obviously because they will be very different

:07:31. > :07:34.and a vast improvement on the last ones. But the improvement on

:07:35. > :07:40.infrastructure on the track people don't notice because it isn't in

:07:41. > :07:48.their face, but it is going on. The franchise that was awarded in the

:07:49. > :07:54.summer is extremely good news for my constituents insofar as the

:07:55. > :07:59.commitment is there that in 2019/20, every single train will be replaced

:08:00. > :08:05.by brand-new ones. The engines that we have at the moment, the carriages

:08:06. > :08:10.we have our 30 years old. It is no wonder they will break down because

:08:11. > :08:14.they are rather different generation, different technology,

:08:15. > :08:21.they are old and susceptible to faults and the that causes. So when

:08:22. > :08:26.we get the brand-new engines, we will see a significant improvement

:08:27. > :08:30.in the performance. We also will see the investment. There is a new

:08:31. > :08:39.station going to be built just the north-east of the city limits of

:08:40. > :08:53.Chelmsford are the Park will help to unclog congestion in the town -- at

:08:54. > :08:59.Bewley Park. By the mid 2020s, there will be a loop track to the north of

:09:00. > :09:02.Witham which will allow them to be able to increase capacity of the

:09:03. > :09:05.trains down to Liverpool Street because the fast trains will be able

:09:06. > :09:14.to overtake the slower trains using the loop. Jam tomorrow is great, but

:09:15. > :09:16.what we need is more jam today because my constituents are having

:09:17. > :09:24.to put up with too much disruption to their lives. And without wanting

:09:25. > :09:31.to rub it in, they are paying quite a lot of their taxed income for the

:09:32. > :09:39.pleasure, if that is the right word, to travel down to London to work. I

:09:40. > :09:43.want to see a number of things. Firstly, whenever there is

:09:44. > :09:49.engineering works and there are considerable works at the moment

:09:50. > :09:52.simply because they are investing in upgrading the infrastructure,

:09:53. > :09:57.particularly at the weekends, I want an end to the practice or

:09:58. > :10:01.inefficiencies of Network Rail that see engineering works over running

:10:02. > :10:05.into the rush hour on a Monday morning which causes considerable

:10:06. > :10:11.grief to people and is totally avoidable with better planning and

:10:12. > :10:19.organisation. I want to see more information given by the provider of

:10:20. > :10:23.the service when there is a breakdown, or when there is a

:10:24. > :10:28.disruption so that customers know exactly what the problem is, why

:10:29. > :10:32.they cannot get on the train or they are stuck on the train, and if it is

:10:33. > :10:38.possible roughly how long it is going to take for them to have the

:10:39. > :10:44.problem resolved so they can continue or start their journey.

:10:45. > :10:47.That's not asking a lot. Better communications is quite

:10:48. > :10:52.straightforward in this era of social media and other

:10:53. > :11:04.communications systems. I would also like to see more work done to ensure

:11:05. > :11:08.that the current engines of the trains are best maintained to

:11:09. > :11:12.minimise the possibility of breakdowns and I would like to see

:11:13. > :11:17.less freight trains operating during the rush hour when they might

:11:18. > :11:25.breakdown and cause utter chaos during the rush hour. That is the

:11:26. > :11:29.challenge for now. The challenge for the future as I've explained is

:11:30. > :11:37.looking good and there is one thing this Government could do to help the

:11:38. > :11:42.network, and that is my right honourable friend the Secretary of

:11:43. > :11:51.State for Transport is shortly going to use a ?450 million fund to be

:11:52. > :11:55.spent on trials of digital signalling for the railways and they

:11:56. > :12:00.will need some pilot areas to test this. I know that Essex County

:12:01. > :12:04.Council and myself and other honourable members are most anxious

:12:05. > :12:12.that one of the sites where this digital signalling is tested is

:12:13. > :12:15.Liverpool Street, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich line

:12:16. > :12:20.and I would urge my honourable friend the Minister who will be

:12:21. > :12:24.responding to this debate to make the Secretary of State for Transport

:12:25. > :12:29.aware, as I have done, how important it would be and what a signal it

:12:30. > :12:33.would be to the confidence in the system if the Department for

:12:34. > :12:42.Transport were to be prepared to use that line and that rail network as

:12:43. > :12:46.part of the trials for digital signalling because that is yet again

:12:47. > :12:49.another investment that will improve rail travel in this country over the

:12:50. > :13:05.coming years. The thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. By

:13:06. > :13:14.now, honourable members will have seen my break into the music

:13:15. > :13:19.industry with the National Living Rage, a Christmas song I recorded

:13:20. > :13:31.with other members of the bench. I'm delighted it has had the desired

:13:32. > :13:38.effect. Full stop it has got 40,000 hits on YouTube, and laugh that on

:13:39. > :13:49.everything and getting a serious message out in the public domain by

:13:50. > :13:57.humorous means. I want to take a moment to consider the tens of

:13:58. > :14:03.thousands of workers who face a pay cut, and have to bear the pressure

:14:04. > :14:10.of selling the house. Christmas should be a time of goodwill. A

:14:11. > :14:18.disappointing amount are being Scrooge is, instead of delivering

:14:19. > :14:23.presents they are... From B to Marks Spencer is, to Waitrose,

:14:24. > :14:28.Cathy Nero, good employers are getting it wrong. Using the

:14:29. > :14:33.introduction of a higher statutory introduction of a higher statutory

:14:34. > :14:36.minimum wage to cut total staff pay. Nobody in this house should be under

:14:37. > :14:42.any illusion that this is some sort of niche issue. This is affecting

:14:43. > :14:50.residents in every single constituency right across the

:14:51. > :14:56.country. At Marks Spencer is it was estimated 11,000 of their

:14:57. > :15:08.workforce would be negatively impacted by pay cuts.

:15:09. > :15:21.2700 workers will lose them. Approximately half a million people

:15:22. > :15:27.in the retail, restaurant and manufacturing industry will receive

:15:28. > :15:36.a pay cut. Around 13% of the workers in these industries. They've made

:15:37. > :15:42.some terrible errors in judgment. It is not too late for them to change

:15:43. > :15:50.their minds. I'm asking all these companies to reverse their decision

:15:51. > :15:54.to cut staff pay. Should these companies not change their minds I

:15:55. > :15:58.hope the government will step in and salvage the policy of a pay rise for

:15:59. > :16:02.all workers. I've seen evidence that proves there are many other

:16:03. > :16:09.companies planning the same sort of pay cuts in the coming year. Take

:16:10. > :16:14.John Lewis for example. The chairman stated in a private meeting earlier

:16:15. > :16:16.this year the intention to review the partnership's historic pay

:16:17. > :16:23.arrangements. He said they were not arrangements. He said they were not

:16:24. > :16:29.in keeping with the competitors. We know what they are doing so clearly

:16:30. > :16:38.the review of legacy payments is just a euphemism. We have seen clear

:16:39. > :16:47.evidence of this at Waitrose, with a decision to take away paid breaks

:16:48. > :16:50.from staff. You can appreciate my frustration when Sir Charlie

:16:51. > :16:58.e-mailed me to say he had no longer any intention of meeting with me

:16:59. > :17:04.today. Me and Buster, the boxer from John Lewis's advert, are very sad to

:17:05. > :17:10.not have the opportunity to discuss John Lewis's plans for pay cuts. Can

:17:11. > :17:16.we assume it is an admission of guilt? I guess we will not know for

:17:17. > :17:26.sure until those pay cuts are announced in the coming year. If I'm

:17:27. > :17:30.wrong I will happily apologise. I would be delighted to be wrong about

:17:31. > :17:35.John Lewis, it is a great British business that got great by great

:17:36. > :17:39.customer service from well treated staff. The sort of people the Prime

:17:40. > :17:46.Minister describes as those giving up their best and putting in the

:17:47. > :17:52.effort. I'm happy to apologise if I am wrong and I would like to

:17:53. > :17:59.reiterate to Sir Charlie that I would be happy to meet with him and

:18:00. > :18:04.to discuss this important issue wherever and whenever he would like.

:18:05. > :18:08.Having concentrated on unscrupulous employment practices I know that

:18:09. > :18:14.corporate executives are watching every move in Parliament. Through

:18:15. > :18:24.you I would like to deliver a message to all those company CEOs.

:18:25. > :18:29.The campaign to ensure nobody loses money will continue well into the

:18:30. > :18:36.year until every worker gets the pay that they richly deserve. Myself and

:18:37. > :18:42.my colleagues will be writing to chairman this week to ask for

:18:43. > :18:46.contracts to be reversed. I would like to use these last few minutes

:18:47. > :18:55.to express my deep concern for the Muslim community in Pakistan and

:18:56. > :19:00.this country. I thank my honourable friend for giving way and I think we

:19:01. > :19:03.all stand in solidarity with the community wherever they are in the

:19:04. > :19:07.world. Does the honourable member agree that we should always speak

:19:08. > :19:11.out against religious persecution wherever it occurs and whoever it

:19:12. > :19:17.falls on? I would agree with the honourable lady, whatever the

:19:18. > :19:28.religion, we must stand up for tolerance. There have been two very

:19:29. > :19:31.worrying developments overseas, 16 armed policeman and 12 plain clothes

:19:32. > :19:37.officers forced entry to an office officers forced entry to an office

:19:38. > :19:44.without a warrant, wounding and arresting four innocent men. This

:19:45. > :19:45.raid was unlawful and most likely ordered by the highest

:19:46. > :19:53.officials in the province. The officials in the province. The

:19:54. > :19:59.second was destruction of the mosque which was one week ago, stones were

:20:00. > :20:03.pelted and the property was burned to bring it under the influence of

:20:04. > :20:08.Islam. I need not remind honourable members that they are not allowed to

:20:09. > :20:14.define themselves as Muslim in Pakistan. I hope all honourable

:20:15. > :20:19.members will stand together to express this and to ask the Foreign

:20:20. > :20:30.Secretary to do all he can to stand Secretary to do all he can to stand

:20:31. > :20:42.with the oppressed. I would like to wish all honourable members are very

:20:43. > :20:48.peaceful New Year. After this season of goodwill... I am going to relate

:20:49. > :20:54.something important in this house and everywhere else. One part of

:20:55. > :20:57.rural Somerset, there is a determined effort to hijack public

:20:58. > :21:11.opinion and kill off local democracy. It is gerrymandering, and

:21:12. > :21:15.strong suspicion of corruption. I am sorry the honourable man for Taunton

:21:16. > :21:23.Deane is not here. It is a murder most foul. The real motive is money.

:21:24. > :21:28.I am going to give you the background to this sorry saga.

:21:29. > :21:32.Somerset District Council is the smallest authority in England,

:21:33. > :21:38.35,000 people. It is a very beautiful part of the world. The

:21:39. > :21:40.local council is perilously close to going bankrupt, unfortunately.

:21:41. > :21:45.Partly because there are not enough people to pay the bills. The council

:21:46. > :21:50.years and unfortunately it has years and unfortunately it has

:21:51. > :21:53.failed. Three years ago, it was lowered, rather like a prostitute

:21:54. > :22:01.into a strange house, to do a deal with Taunton Deane. For reasons I do

:22:02. > :22:07.not totally understand. They will not consider taking help. One of

:22:08. > :22:17.their labours is the best one counsel in the UK. It would have

:22:18. > :22:22.a deal with Taunton and I really a deal with Taunton and I really

:22:23. > :22:25.don't know why. Taunton Deane is desperately short of money. Why

:22:26. > :22:33.would they want to bail out a bankrupt neighbour when the heading

:22:34. > :22:37.to bankruptcy themselves? Dude to failing councils make a successful

:22:38. > :22:41.council? You do the maths. I believe Taunton want to get its hand on the

:22:42. > :22:47.business rate that will come from Hinkley point. You are getting the

:22:48. > :22:56.point here. My little council may be on the verge of bankruptcy, 20 years

:22:57. > :23:01.now, it will become seriously rich. There is nothing like the prospect

:23:02. > :23:05.of gold, Judas would say, in bringing out the green streak of

:23:06. > :23:12.counsel town halls. Taunton is consumed with envy. When the plans

:23:13. > :23:17.were developing, they put in a formal objection. A bit of an irony

:23:18. > :23:21.here, I know. They did it out of jealousy and on the orders of their

:23:22. > :23:27.leader, I will come back to him. He is a builder by trade and sharp and

:23:28. > :23:32.slightly interesting operator. John Williams is his name. Does look like

:23:33. > :23:36.Santa Claus but please do not be fooled in this time of goodwill. He

:23:37. > :23:41.is more like Rudolph who has been garrotted. I cannot see him

:23:42. > :23:49.laughing. He rules Taunton Deane with the grip of irony and likes to

:23:50. > :23:51.get his way mostly by foul means. His henchmen moved on by the Mafia

:23:52. > :23:56.-- like the Mafia. They took over -- like the Mafia. They took over

:23:57. > :24:02.the local council, pensioned off the staff and started running everything

:24:03. > :24:08.from Taunton. Since West Somerset's 28 councillors have unfortunately,

:24:09. > :24:14.and I say this against myself as anyone, become more like a glorified

:24:15. > :24:19.talking shop. The good people of West Somerset realise the levers of

:24:20. > :24:23.power are being manipulative elsewhere. You think Scotland has a

:24:24. > :24:29.problem! It would make matters worse if Taunton Deane was a well oiled

:24:30. > :24:33.machine. But it is run by an autocrat. The chief executive has

:24:34. > :24:39.been off for six months. We think it's lit a bad back but we are not

:24:40. > :24:46.entirely sure. She has a ?80,000 in sick pay and nobody knows what is

:24:47. > :24:54.wrong. She will be coming back soon, seven months, is going to be phased

:24:55. > :25:01.in in January. What is phased in? The penny has finally dropped. She

:25:02. > :25:07.has a long and undisputed record forgetting the thing wrong. The

:25:08. > :25:12.council worker undisputed supporters of Southwest one. It is an appalling

:25:13. > :25:19.Project which cost the taxpayers ?80 million and saved nothing. Taunton

:25:20. > :25:22.has nobody who knows what to do with the computers of the chances of

:25:23. > :25:30.another expensive disaster, watch this space and my place in the

:25:31. > :25:37.house. Taunton Deane has got clock up written all over it. One of the

:25:38. > :25:41.latest, I must tell the house, I thank you for your support. The

:25:42. > :25:46.committee was meant to be considering a highly controversial

:25:47. > :25:53.building application but the planning officers in Taunton for

:25:54. > :25:59.got, Fidel Castro style, to inform the house. The result was red faces

:26:00. > :26:04.and anger. It was pulled. West Somerset is trapped in an unfair

:26:05. > :26:12.partnership with a financially dodgy council. Chances are there will only

:26:13. > :26:18.be nine or ten councillors left because of the changes in the

:26:19. > :26:24.demographics. It will spell the end of local democracy. The plan sneaked

:26:25. > :26:28.in under the radar using the Parliament act to get round the

:26:29. > :26:36.involvement of the commission. You might think it was cunning stuff.

:26:37. > :26:43.public opinion. They have gone public opinion. They have gone

:26:44. > :26:52.through with a fine tooth comb but the sums don't add up. Emperor

:26:53. > :27:01.Williams decided to put his plan through. In Taunton, they approved a

:27:02. > :27:08.merger. It has led to legal challenge. They insist they were not

:27:09. > :27:17.told the truth. The legal challenge... I'm not surprised but

:27:18. > :27:23.it has gone too far. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against change, but

:27:24. > :27:31.partnerships can work. Maybe there are too many overpaid senior

:27:32. > :27:44.deserve a proper consultation but we deserve a proper consultation but we

:27:45. > :27:53.have a confidence trickster. Through my door came a questionnaire. The

:27:54. > :27:55.plan, the money was so tight something needed to be done and they

:27:56. > :28:05.have ruled out the possibility of any partnerships. They look how

:28:06. > :28:06.these work. There will be a high-level business transformation

:28:07. > :28:09.document which is deliberately phased to convince everybody it was

:28:10. > :28:20.a full-blown merger. The south-west 1 multi-million pound

:28:21. > :28:23.scheme, you name t they've got it. Taunton Deane want to put the

:28:24. > :28:28.services online and trim back the staff, but it doesn't work. West

:28:29. > :28:32.Somerset where broadband is intermittent or nonexistent in most

:28:33. > :28:37.cases the population doesn't have computers. We can't get them to

:28:38. > :28:41.work. Pigeons are quicker. My constituents need to talk to real

:28:42. > :28:47.human beings, not robots in Japan. The architect for the great schemes

:28:48. > :28:50.never do their homework. The business plan is riddled with

:28:51. > :28:54.guesswork and half truths and downright lies. The document was

:28:55. > :28:58.never offered and the most sensible solution to go back to the drawing

:28:59. > :29:02.board which is exactly what the Government told them to do to find

:29:03. > :29:07.out a way of moving forward with imagination. That is what I want.

:29:08. > :29:12.And I can tell you this, it is what the Government wants, but Emperor

:29:13. > :29:15.Williams doesn't fancy working with top flight councils, he couldn't

:29:16. > :29:21.cope with it. He is not that bright. He has done everything in his power

:29:22. > :29:30.to prevent constructive talks taking place. In these questions, I was

:29:31. > :29:35.asked believe it or not just about everything, my favourite colour, my

:29:36. > :29:40.inside leg measurement and at no point have I been invited to provide

:29:41. > :29:46.my name and address. So anybody can write in. Don't go for the merger in

:29:47. > :29:50.west Somerset and Taunton Deane. These forms can be filled in by

:29:51. > :29:54.Mickey Mouse or Emperor Williams. They set-up a new website with

:29:55. > :29:59.similar questions. It is not doing the trick. People are not conned. We

:30:00. > :30:04.should know that in this House, we have seen Brexit and Trump, but it

:30:05. > :30:09.may not stop councillor Williams and his mates trying to skew the results

:30:10. > :30:14.by making multiple entries on different computers on his own. Yep,

:30:15. > :30:17.it happened before. It is a consultation sham designed to abuse

:30:18. > :30:26.and was approved by a council that claims to be democratic. No wonder

:30:27. > :30:31.the electorate of Taunton Deane voted out the Conservative

:30:32. > :30:34.councillor after 42 years. It has always been blue, no longer, they

:30:35. > :30:38.went and got a Liberal Democrat, that's how bad this council is.

:30:39. > :30:45.People in Taunton Deane are sick of the way the council is working and

:30:46. > :30:49.it is getting worse. It used to be the county town, but its market

:30:50. > :30:54.moved to Bridgwater. The whole area is overrun with unpopular housing

:30:55. > :30:59.schemes and there seems to be a determination to build just for

:31:00. > :31:04.building's sake. Guess what Emperor Williams is a builder. He is is

:31:05. > :31:10.photographed alongside prominent local developers. I leave that

:31:11. > :31:17.hanging. And they look like a happy family on their ceremonial debuts.

:31:18. > :31:23.Brother John was seen with the bosses of Somerfield who completed

:31:24. > :31:28.Taunton Deane's direct Labour HQ. It sounds like something from the other

:31:29. > :31:32.side! It is located in the business park and owned by Somerfield's, but

:31:33. > :31:37.most of the workload is in Taunton and another town. The staff have to

:31:38. > :31:49.go from one place to another, to do their work. Absolute madness. Why is

:31:50. > :31:55.there no reference to the costs? One doesn't know, ask Brother John.

:31:56. > :32:00.Guess what Taunton Deane let it slip through and I'm told the

:32:01. > :32:04.construction work was subcontracted to a company owned by guess who?

:32:05. > :32:08.Brother John himself! Such a relationship is a bit too close to

:32:09. > :32:12.comfort and guess what? Nobody has said there is a conflict of

:32:13. > :32:21.interest. Wouldn't get away it in most places. This is nothing to do

:32:22. > :32:27.with Taunton Deane's constituents. This is not good. We need openness

:32:28. > :32:31.in Local Government. I don't need to tell anybody that here Mr Speaker. I

:32:32. > :32:38.have highlighted these things to give the House a prospective of what

:32:39. > :32:43.is going on in my part of Somerset. My constituents can smell a rat and

:32:44. > :32:47.they know what it is like. They want to keep their council and so they

:32:48. > :32:51.should t thank you Mr Deputy Speaker.

:32:52. > :32:56.THE SPEAKER: Thank you. Should I end up as a member of council, in

:32:57. > :33:00.Somerset, I shall make it my priority, to stay on the right side

:33:01. > :33:05.of the honourable member for Bridgwater!

:33:06. > :33:11.LAUGHTER 2016 has been a tumultuous year

:33:12. > :33:17.culturally and politically and with an assassination of an as bass dor

:33:18. > :33:20.and a terrorist attack yesterday, it seems we are finishing on a low. We

:33:21. > :33:24.have more in common with our European partners than divides us.

:33:25. > :33:28.And I feel that the current stand-off over Brexit and the

:33:29. > :33:34.forthcoming negotiations will drive us further apart from our neighbours

:33:35. > :33:41.when surely these are times when we must stick together and find common

:33:42. > :33:44.ground rather than hunk irdown into a bunker focussed on the challenges

:33:45. > :33:48.of Brexit while the big challenges and threats remain. The main debate

:33:49. > :33:53.in the EU negotiations seem to be one of immigration versus free

:33:54. > :33:57.movement and k access to the single market. I am not in free movement of

:33:58. > :34:01.unemployment and the free movement of exploitation. Over a decade ago

:34:02. > :34:05.as a trade union official I saw construction workers being brought

:34:06. > :34:10.in from abroad and used on big construction projects named as

:34:11. > :34:14.anyway Thorpe power station or Lindsey oil refinery spring to mind.

:34:15. > :34:20.These immigration workers would be used by the prime and principle

:34:21. > :34:25.subcontractors to drive down wages in a sector where skilled well paid

:34:26. > :34:31.jobs provided a good standard of living. Wage rates were falling in a

:34:32. > :34:34.race to the bottom that god employers, the majority of

:34:35. > :34:38.employers, were forced to join in to stay competitive and the difference

:34:39. > :34:43.was kept a bigger profits by the corporations and its bosses rather

:34:44. > :34:55.than being shared out amongst the men and women doing the work. It is

:34:56. > :35:00.unsurprising that so many working class people voted to leave the EU

:35:01. > :35:05.when this was their most visible personal experience of it, albeit

:35:06. > :35:08.wasn't the EU that was at fault, but the system of globalised capitalism

:35:09. > :35:12.that we are seeing today. My solution would be simple, retain

:35:13. > :35:15.free movement in a qualified manner. If you have got a job, you can come

:35:16. > :35:20.and work here, but the job must be advertised in the UK in English and

:35:21. > :35:25.must pay accepted UK pay rates. I suspect that the rest of the EU may

:35:26. > :35:31.soon find itself moving towards such a system anyway. But the euro

:35:32. > :35:37.referendum and it would seem events elsewhere brought into focus another

:35:38. > :35:41.new state of politics. Exemplified by the year of the word, post truth.

:35:42. > :35:52.In the UK there was no better example than the red vote Leave bus

:35:53. > :35:56.with its promise of an extra ?350 million a week for the NHS. Members

:35:57. > :36:02.of this House who associated themselves with the promise of never

:36:03. > :36:17.apologising for this association. I have to say that I sought guidance

:36:18. > :36:25.from Mr Speaker and advice how I may criticise the Foreign Secretary. I

:36:26. > :36:31.would suggest that these members were deliberately and wilfully

:36:32. > :36:39.mendacious. A practise which is known in Cheshire as being a

:36:40. > :36:43.snollygoster. Post truth, politics is dangerous because it devalues our

:36:44. > :36:47.political system and corrodes the quality of our democracy and

:36:48. > :36:51.diminishes public trust in our institutions, but it has a broader

:36:52. > :36:57.effect too. A cultural effect. As well as undermining honesty and

:36:58. > :37:00.trust and celebrating deceit, post truth celebrates ignorance and

:37:01. > :37:05.stupidity that learning is not to be valued and has nothing to

:37:06. > :37:09.contribute. When the member for Surrey Heath said he had enough of

:37:10. > :37:12.experts on Sky News, it was a breathtaking attack on progress. An

:37:13. > :37:19.attack on scientific and cultural learning, a devaluation of the

:37:20. > :37:23.intrinsic importance... THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: We are

:37:24. > :37:26.mentioning members. Did you give notice that you were going to

:37:27. > :37:30.mention members in the chamber? That's something I will bear in mind

:37:31. > :37:33.and I will amend my comments suitably as a result. So when

:37:34. > :37:41.members talk about the fact that they have had enough of experts, it

:37:42. > :37:48.is an attack I believe on progress. A devaluation of the importance of

:37:49. > :37:54.knowledge is a good thing. I say this clearly to the House please

:37:55. > :37:58.reject the dishonesty of post truth politics, but reject its regressive

:37:59. > :38:03.and reactionary message that ignorance and dishonesty are somehow

:38:04. > :38:08.a god thing. Post truth didn't put a man on the moon or develop the

:38:09. > :38:12.Hubble Space Telescope. And post truth will not find a cure for

:38:13. > :38:16.cancer. And if we in this place cannot address an argument with fact

:38:17. > :38:20.maybe it is time to reassess whether our views are correct and

:38:21. > :38:23.sustainable. If I may Mr Deputy Speaker, I make one further plea to

:38:24. > :38:28.the House as we look forward to the New Year. To reject the notion, the

:38:29. > :38:32.52% vote to leave is somehow the will of the people. It is the will

:38:33. > :38:37.of the majority of the people and it must be respected and we must

:38:38. > :38:40.deliver the exit from the EU that the referendum agreed. But it cannot

:38:41. > :38:47.be portrayed as the will of all the people. The views of the 48% must be

:38:48. > :38:54.taken into account as to how we exit the EU. We cannoting ignored or

:38:55. > :38:58.airbrushed away. I pay tribute to honourable members on my front bench

:38:59. > :39:05.who are trying to make efforts to represent the 100%. In addition to

:39:06. > :39:10.the perils of politics, I fear we face another threat which is one of

:39:11. > :39:14.disunity. The referendum was brought about by this Government to halt

:39:15. > :39:17.long running rifts in certain parts of the House, but the rifts have

:39:18. > :39:22.been transferred to the whole country. They fed narrow nationalism

:39:23. > :39:26.in certain parts of the country and I say to honourable members that

:39:27. > :39:31.narrow petty nationalism cannot be the solution to any problem that we

:39:32. > :39:35.face in the world today. I'm not imagining a nation where we all

:39:36. > :39:39.agree and everything is fine and dandy, but a basic consensus about

:39:40. > :39:43.how we do politics has been attacked as exemplified by attacks in the

:39:44. > :39:47.media against High Court judges and their integrity. We are stronger

:39:48. > :39:51.when we stick together and the at moment I have never known our

:39:52. > :39:55.country to be so deeply and unpleasantly divided. We heard so

:39:56. > :39:58.much about putting the great back into Great Britain, perhaps now with

:39:59. > :40:05.the external threats and challenges we face, it is time to put the

:40:06. > :40:10.united back into the United Kingdom. Today I wish to address two very

:40:11. > :40:15.important constituency issues. One in relation to transport

:40:16. > :40:19.infrastructure arrangements and the other the education improvements in

:40:20. > :40:25.Filton and Bradley Stoke. Firstly the metro bus. This will provide a

:40:26. > :40:30.dedicated bus route from the south of Bristol to my constituency in

:40:31. > :40:39.order to provide an alternative to car journeys and should carry 6,000

:40:40. > :40:45.passengers a year, which equates to 228,000 car journeys per year. It is

:40:46. > :40:48.?100 million project funded by the Department for Transport, south

:40:49. > :40:51.Gloucestershire council and Bristol City Council. I have always been a

:40:52. > :40:57.keen supporter of the scheme and remain so. However the metro bus

:40:58. > :41:01.works have caused major congestion disruption and delays for the

:41:02. > :41:08.residents of Bradley Stoke and the surrounding areas. One of my

:41:09. > :41:14.constituency team has a 10 to 15 minute drive through the rush hour,

:41:15. > :41:20.she had a journey which took nearly three hours. I have experienced and

:41:21. > :41:23.shared the frustrations of people stuck in the traffic jams during

:41:24. > :41:26.commuting hours without much evidence at times it seems of work

:41:27. > :41:30.actually taking place on the metro bus route. Constituents have

:41:31. > :41:33.reported that whilst they are stuck in their cars, in traffic jams, they

:41:34. > :41:39.have seen workmen asleep on the site. The work have taken too long.

:41:40. > :41:43.Are over time and thinkingsly, were not done with understanding or

:41:44. > :41:46.appreciation for people who have to get in and out of Bradley Stoke

:41:47. > :41:49.every day to travel to school and work. The project suffered from a

:41:50. > :41:54.lack of communication from the contractors and the council. I did

:41:55. > :41:57.organise and chair a public meeting this year to get local people

:41:58. > :42:01.face-to-face with the contractors and council and representatives from

:42:02. > :42:05.the bus company. A few weeks ago I organised a meeting with road

:42:06. > :42:10.contractors Allen Griffiths, metro bus and south Gloucestershire

:42:11. > :42:16.council and including the lead councillor responsible for transport

:42:17. > :42:19.in south Gloucestershire along with Bradley Stoke town councillors. I

:42:20. > :42:22.met with the Secretary of State a week or so ago for transport to

:42:23. > :42:27.bring this issue to his attention and to ask for his help. I

:42:28. > :42:31.understand that major transport infrastructure projects and

:42:32. > :42:35.improvement works will cause disruption and jams occasionally,

:42:36. > :42:40.however right next door to the congestion is the M4, M5 managed

:42:41. > :42:44.motorway scheme which was completed on time and on budget. Often the

:42:45. > :42:47.contractors work through the night and all hours. One evening they

:42:48. > :42:52.replaced a pedestrian bridge and replaced it in the same nimth night.

:42:53. > :42:56.The works were completed with the minimum of disruption to residents.

:42:57. > :43:01.I suggested to the contractors that these ought to be the methods which

:43:02. > :43:04.they aspire to adopt. I was told they couldn't work longer hours

:43:05. > :43:15.during to health and safety considerations.

:43:16. > :43:20.Since the recent meeting I organised with the stakeholders, greater

:43:21. > :43:24.efforts have been made to communicate to local residents and

:43:25. > :43:28.progress has been made in assisting the flow of traffic to minimise the

:43:29. > :43:36.impact on local road users at peak times.

:43:37. > :43:43.The other local issue I'd like to raise is about the Academy in my

:43:44. > :43:53.academies which runs this was issued academies which runs this was issued

:43:54. > :44:01.a financial notice to improve and provide a plan to achieve a balanced

:44:02. > :44:06.budget with a deficit of ?1 million. Winterbourne Academy has had issues

:44:07. > :44:10.with leadership and management and needs to be re-brokered into a new

:44:11. > :44:14.structure. During this process parents, teachers and pupils felt

:44:15. > :44:20.they were not being kept informed. I was contacted by a large number of

:44:21. > :44:33.constituents were very concerned about what was happening.

:44:34. > :44:42.We met with the South regional schools Commissioner. It has enabled

:44:43. > :44:52.us to get more background to the situation. Trying to reassure them

:44:53. > :44:56.that everything possible was being done to secure a solution to the

:44:57. > :45:03.difficulties. The Academy will be taken over by a new trust. They've

:45:04. > :45:06.looked at their options. They've communicated it to the schools

:45:07. > :45:13.Commissioner who has decided to take the recommendation to Lord Nash.

:45:14. > :45:20.There should be full clarity about who will run it. Better

:45:21. > :45:24.communication is needed. I understand the outcome they are

:45:25. > :45:29.hoping for is that the school becomes part of a multi-Academy

:45:30. > :45:42.trust managed jointly by the Olympic Academy trust. I welcome the recent

:45:43. > :45:50.news that Dave Baker, CEO of Olympus Academy trust and Castle School

:45:51. > :45:54.education trust will jointly provide interim leadership, and support for

:45:55. > :46:07.the Academy, with a view to appointing a principal at the end of

:46:08. > :46:10.January. After the Good Friday agreement, hundreds of terrorists

:46:11. > :46:15.were let out of prison in the name of reconciliation. We have lots of

:46:16. > :46:19.former terrorists walking the streets. Some of them have worked

:46:20. > :46:28.their way into high positions of political life. There is an amnesty

:46:29. > :46:33.for former terrorists and yet the full force of the law is being used

:46:34. > :46:36.to prosecute those on the other side of the fence, former soldiers doing

:46:37. > :46:44.their best and doing their duty. This is clearly wrong and smacks of

:46:45. > :46:50.victors justice it cannot be right to let terrorists out of prison

:46:51. > :46:54.whilst pursuing former British soldiers. If there is going to be

:46:55. > :47:10.lasting peace there needs to be fairness on all sides. Not that I

:47:11. > :47:13.think... My youngest son has passed out of his basic training a couple

:47:14. > :47:27.of weeks ago and I'm immensely proud of him. When he is deployed on

:47:28. > :47:36.operations in future and asks me for advice, I have done an operational

:47:37. > :47:39.careful, because if mistakes are careful, because if mistakes are

:47:40. > :47:45.made, if things go wrong and the politics change in the future, even

:47:46. > :47:49.45 years later, he could be pursued through the courts in his retirement

:47:50. > :47:56.in a witchhunt, politically motivated. I don't think so. My

:47:57. > :48:03.advice would be the same advice I received. If you feel your life is

:48:04. > :48:09.in danger or your comrades are in danger, do not hesitate to defend

:48:10. > :48:10.support former service people from support former service people from

:48:11. > :48:14.this injustice because what is this injustice because what is

:48:15. > :48:19.happening is a stain on the honour of our country. We are letting down

:48:20. > :48:29.so badly the people who risk their lives to keep us safe. I am grateful

:48:30. > :48:37.and honoured to follow the gentleman opposite. I'm going to speak about

:48:38. > :48:41.three issues that have come about in relation to community casework in my

:48:42. > :48:50.the issue of how hysteroscopy is the issue of how hysteroscopy is

:48:51. > :48:55.conducted in the NHS and drawn to the attention of the house the

:48:56. > :49:01.serious pain and distress suffered by four too many women who are not

:49:02. > :49:07.and empathy they receive from and empathy they receive from

:49:08. > :49:14.clinicians and the NHS. As this house will be aware, in the

:49:15. > :49:21.procedure, a small camera is passed through the cervix to examine and

:49:22. > :49:24.take a sample from the lining of the womb. That means cutting out

:49:25. > :49:32.of the lining of the womb. It is of the lining of the womb. It is

:49:33. > :49:36.useful in the diagnosis of cancer and also to investigate fertility

:49:37. > :49:42.issues and perform minor operations. For most women, this is a

:49:43. > :49:49.significantly uncomfortable procedure. But for a sizeable number

:49:50. > :49:53.it can be unbearably painful, leading to significant blood loss,

:49:54. > :50:04.loss of consciousness and hospitalisation. Some procedure is

:50:05. > :50:10.are carried out as an outpatient appointment and often without any

:50:11. > :50:11.kind of anaesthesia. The NHS website helpfully says you may

:50:12. > :50:15.some discomfort similar to period some discomfort similar to period

:50:16. > :50:24.cramps when it is carried out. It should not be painful. To say this

:50:25. > :50:33.advice is misleading is something of an understatement. It is

:50:34. > :50:38.unacceptably painful for some women. It is estimated up to a quarter of

:50:39. > :50:43.patients have reported severe pain. I know that you will agree with me

:50:44. > :50:50.this is not acceptable to presume the worst that can happen is for

:50:51. > :50:56.women to experience some discomfort. The reality for women is very

:50:57. > :51:01.different. All women need to be offered proper anaesthesia at the

:51:02. > :51:14.appropriate moment so the sizeable minority who experience significant

:51:15. > :51:20.pain can be supported. This is the third time I've raised this in

:51:21. > :51:23.debate and I've decided not to read out the individual cases that have

:51:24. > :51:31.been mailed to me trusting that there are stories will get action.

:51:32. > :51:36.leader of the house if he will raise leader of the house if he will raise

:51:37. > :51:42.the matter for me with the Department of Health and get for us

:51:43. > :51:54.a statement about the issue of pain management. We need better systems

:51:55. > :51:57.triage. More information on what triage. More information on what

:51:58. > :52:02.might happen needs to be made available to patients beforehand,

:52:03. > :52:17.accompanied by the support needed to ensure women understand the risks.

:52:18. > :52:27.You're begging for the procedure to stop. Given this is the third time

:52:28. > :52:33.of raising this and I've had some warm words from ministers in the

:52:34. > :52:40.past, I am failing to understand what's preventing action and I

:52:41. > :52:48.wonder if it is money. The cost of having anaesthetic available to

:52:49. > :52:52.women. I look forward to getting a written response from the Department

:52:53. > :52:56.of Health. I don't think it's unreasonable to say that possibly by

:52:57. > :53:06.mid-February, because I'm not unreasonable in the main, if I don't

:53:07. > :53:11.get one then I'm going to seek a further debate in this house to

:53:12. > :53:16.focus on the issue because I cannot believe other members in this house

:53:17. > :53:24.that this remains acceptable. The that this remains acceptable. The

:53:25. > :53:29.other issue like to focus on is that a couple of months ago we had our

:53:30. > :53:34.first debate on arthritis for many years and given it affects 10

:53:35. > :53:38.million people, one in six of our population, we might think it

:53:39. > :53:41.deserves greater attention. In particular it is important to

:53:42. > :53:44.understand the differences between parts of arthritis and how they

:53:45. > :53:49.affect everyday life because too often we assume this is something

:53:50. > :54:03.for the elderly. She got an arthritic condition in

:54:04. > :54:11.her 20s and she was so exhausted by the condition that she was unable to

:54:12. > :54:14.continue her work in law and has spent many years trying to get the

:54:15. > :54:22.condition under control. She said to me it is not about having a creaky

:54:23. > :54:26.knees. People do not understand how it can impact massively on

:54:27. > :54:30.somebody's life. There are implications for employers and

:54:31. > :54:36.carers and the government's welfare to work policy. People with

:54:37. > :54:41.rheumatoid arthritis which occurs when the immune system targets

:54:42. > :54:46.joints. It can be a fluctuating condition and it can make it so hard

:54:47. > :54:50.for a person to sustain full-time work. When properly understood and

:54:51. > :54:54.managed there is no reason why an individual cannot continue in their

:54:55. > :54:57.working lives provided there is sufficient understanding and

:54:58. > :55:05.flexibility not just to avoid and manage flare-ups but to accommodate

:55:06. > :55:09.necessary medical appointments. One constituent has written to me to ask

:55:10. > :55:11.house to consider a legal right to house to consider a legal right

:55:12. > :55:17.flexible working for those with flexible working for those with

:55:18. > :55:25.fluctuating health conditions. I spoke recently about my own

:55:26. > :55:28.experience of arthritis and getting it under control and I would like to

:55:29. > :55:33.place on record my thanks to the many constituents who got in touch

:55:34. > :55:38.with their stories telling me about their similar experience. I'm

:55:39. > :55:41.delighted to hear about the breakthroughs in medical science

:55:42. > :55:48.that will allow others to live full lives. The UK is leading the way in

:55:49. > :55:51.many potential solutions. I've read about the medical research carried

:55:52. > :55:56.out in Glasgow for osteoporosis and I know that our European partners

:55:57. > :55:59.are working in this area. The clinical trials are taking place in

:56:00. > :56:07.the Netherlands to reverse the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

:56:08. > :56:11.through and electronic implant. My concern is some of the critical

:56:12. > :56:18.research collaborations in this area will be threatened by our departure

:56:19. > :56:22.from the European Union. I know that it has been discussed but I would be

:56:23. > :56:28.grateful if the Shadow Minister of the house would be able to discuss

:56:29. > :56:35.with whoever he needs in order to confirm the specific areas of

:56:36. > :56:41.research will be protected. Finally, I'd like to mention one of the more

:56:42. > :56:47.troubling cases I've received in my constituency surgery concerning a

:56:48. > :56:50.British national who was the husband British national who was the husband

:56:51. > :57:06.of my constituent and was killed in Pakistan on a trip to visit family.

:57:07. > :57:12.He'd been celebrating Eid. Gunmen opened fire and he and the driver of

:57:13. > :57:16.the vehicle were killed instantly. The third who had been sat in the

:57:17. > :57:22.back of the car managed to escape by jumping into the back of the ravine

:57:23. > :57:31.and was able to raise alarm. My understanding is Mr Khan, who was

:57:32. > :57:34.not the intended target, which is little consolation, my constituents

:57:35. > :57:37.have struggled to make sure his death is fully investigated and

:57:38. > :57:38.perpetrators brought to account. perpetrators brought to account.

:57:39. > :57:43.Sadly they are struggling to the Sadly they are struggling to the

:57:44. > :57:45.point of being asked for money by local investigating police

:57:46. > :57:51.for example to transport files and for example to transport files and

:57:52. > :57:53.take statements. I've written to the Minister concerned about the case

:57:54. > :57:59.and he has been really helpful in the response. My purpose in raising

:58:00. > :58:05.the case today is to draw attention to the plight of the family of my

:58:06. > :58:11.late constituent. I want to get a greater understanding about how the

:58:12. > :58:18.government can meet the safety concerns of British national is in

:58:19. > :58:23.Pakistan. Assistance is afforded to them visiting the country and

:58:24. > :58:26.perhaps when he winds up, the deputy leader of the house will indicate

:58:27. > :58:27.whether he might consider pushing for Parliamentary time in order to

:58:28. > :58:36.discuss this subject more likely. I want to thank the House for the

:58:37. > :58:43.opportunity of raising these issues today and I would like to wish you

:58:44. > :58:46.and to all our colleagues and to the amazing staff of this House, who are

:58:47. > :58:52.so good with us every single day, the very, very best for Christmas

:58:53. > :58:57.and for the New Year. Thank you mrrks Deputy Speaker.

:58:58. > :59:05.Having served in Northern Ireland during the troubles there, I have

:59:06. > :59:08.been asked by my old comrades of the Cheshire Regiment to highlight an

:59:09. > :59:14.inI canitiy which has been referred to by good friend the honourable

:59:15. > :59:20.member for Filton and Bradley Stoke. The inI can quite is that many

:59:21. > :59:25.British soldiers could be re-investigated for their actions

:59:26. > :59:29.during fatal shooting incidents. Apparently, the Police Service of

:59:30. > :59:36.Northern Ireland has been instructed to look at about 230 fatal shooting

:59:37. > :59:44.incidents during which some 302 people died.

:59:45. > :59:50.Almost all terrorists. If so, it is my understanding that about 1,000

:59:51. > :59:57.ex-soldiers could be hauled into account for their actions all those

:59:58. > :00:03.years ago and they could be even charged with manslaughter and

:00:04. > :00:08.murder. I'm appalled that such actions against our soldiers has

:00:09. > :00:12.been taken when so many terrorists from all sides were granted full

:00:13. > :00:20.pardons under the Good Friday Agreement. To me, this looks like a

:00:21. > :00:24.highly political and vindictive move by Mr Barry McGrory, the Director of

:00:25. > :00:32.Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland. As I understand it, McGrory

:00:33. > :00:36.was a solicitor who in the past represented provisional Sinn Fein,

:00:37. > :00:45.on the run terrorist schts and it was he who negotiated an effective

:00:46. > :00:50.amnesty for many of them. His background hardly suggests

:00:51. > :00:56.impartiality to me. Our soldiers were trained to apply strict rules

:00:57. > :01:02.of engagement. The so-called yellow card. Technically, instructions by

:01:03. > :01:09.the Director of Operations for opening fire in Northern Ireland

:01:10. > :01:15.were both detailed and precise. They outlined exactly when soldiers could

:01:16. > :01:19.use firearms and our troops spent a long time during pre-Northern

:01:20. > :01:25.Ireland training sessions being instructed on them. Opening fire in

:01:26. > :01:31.Northern Ireland was considered to be a very serious matter by the

:01:32. > :01:37.Army. After every shooting incident, regardless of casualties, the Army

:01:38. > :01:42.and the Royal Ulster Constabulary held an investigation. When such

:01:43. > :01:45.events involved casualties or fatalities there were strict

:01:46. > :01:51.procedures to be followed and they were too. Normally that involves

:01:52. > :01:57.soldiers having to go to court to prove they had acted within the law.

:01:58. > :02:04.And the yellow card rules. In one incident where I myself played a

:02:05. > :02:09.small part I recall having to tell two soldiers that having escaped

:02:10. > :02:16.with their lives, by opening fire, they would nonetheless be charged

:02:17. > :02:21.with manslaughter. Unsurprisingly, the two men still in some shock were

:02:22. > :02:30.utterly appalled. They shouted at me. Saying they were abandoned by

:02:31. > :02:38.the Army. As their superior officer, I totally understand, understood

:02:39. > :02:41.their feelings and shared them. Nonetheless, the Royal Ulster

:02:42. > :02:46.Constabulary informed me that the two soldiers had to be charged with

:02:47. > :02:51.manslaughter. Personally, I was furious and I argued vociferously

:02:52. > :02:55.that this was wrong and very unfair. Regardless, the soldiers appeared in

:02:56. > :03:01.court. It was quickly proved that they had acted within the law and

:03:02. > :03:06.their case was dismissed. It was difficult for me and especially the

:03:07. > :03:09.soldiers at the time to understand the reason for that court

:03:10. > :03:14.appearance, but it was explained to me that having had their case

:03:15. > :03:24.dismissed, they could never be charged again. Perhaps if the

:03:25. > :03:27.politically mat changed -- political climate changed. Guess what? It

:03:28. > :03:33.seems to have done. I had difficulty seeing the logic of that at the

:03:34. > :03:37.time. I can tell you. Then later, after the immediate drama was over,

:03:38. > :03:42.I did. I believed the whole matter had been dealt with in court and it

:03:43. > :03:50.was over forever. But maybe I was wrong. I presume my two men could be

:03:51. > :03:52.among the 302 soldiers apparently under investigation by the Director

:03:53. > :04:02.of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland. I don't maintain that our

:04:03. > :04:09.servicemen and women are above the law, of course they're not, but

:04:10. > :04:15.reopening all fatal shooting incidents against all soldiers is

:04:16. > :04:24.hugely one-sided and that looks bad and that includes me and several

:04:25. > :04:28.members of this House. I give way. A gallant gentleman for giving way. He

:04:29. > :04:31.was a leader of the Cheshire Reasonablingment and many of my

:04:32. > :04:35.constituents would have served with him in that excellent renlg: Does he

:04:36. > :04:39.not agree with me that those former servicemen who served in Northern

:04:40. > :04:44.Ireland and risked their lives in that respect, including my

:04:45. > :04:49.constituents deserve to have that black cloud removed from them as

:04:50. > :04:53.quickly as possible? I thank my good friend because he comes from Chester

:04:54. > :04:58.and I commanded the Cheshire Regiment. I thank my good friend for

:04:59. > :05:06.that intervention. Yes, yes, our soldiers should not be under this

:05:07. > :05:10.cloud. They are not terrorists. Terrorists have been given amnesty

:05:11. > :05:19.and pardons in the Good Friday Agreement. Why should our men, some

:05:20. > :05:32.of them quite old now, not sleep soundly? Terrorists who have killed

:05:33. > :05:36.do so. It's wrong. It's wrong. It is possibly even malicious and a huge

:05:37. > :05:44.waste of public money while we are at it. Why is the Director of Public

:05:45. > :05:47.Prosecutions not telling the Police Service of Northern Ireland to

:05:48. > :05:52.direct its efforts into clearing up and charging so many unsolved

:05:53. > :06:01.terrorist murders from the time of the troubles? Incidents involving

:06:02. > :06:08.soldiers were investigated as I've explained at the time and if wrong

:06:09. > :06:19.was done, our soldiers were taken to court at the time. Some even went to

:06:20. > :06:26.prison. What sort of people are we that we give terrorists amnesty and

:06:27. > :06:35.hound those who put their lives at risk for us? Hound those that put

:06:36. > :06:40.their lives at risk for the rest of us. I demand that the legal

:06:41. > :06:45.authorities in Northern Ireland desist from this clearly politically

:06:46. > :06:54.inspired, blanket action against what could be almost one of

:06:55. > :06:58.thousands of soldiers. They should concentrate their energies on

:06:59. > :07:01.finding the unlocated remains of many innocent people massacred by

:07:02. > :07:09.terrorists and bring those murderers to book. Thank you, Mr Deputy

:07:10. > :07:14.Speaker. It is always a pleasure to follow the honourable gentleman. I

:07:15. > :07:18.support his comments as I do the other gentleman who spoke earlier

:07:19. > :07:22.on. I think everyone in this House resonates with his comments and I

:07:23. > :07:25.think we all want to have those prosecutions and those

:07:26. > :07:30.investigations to desist and stop from them. Can I first of all Mr

:07:31. > :07:36.Deputy Speaker associate myself and my party, the DUP and offer sincere

:07:37. > :07:40.sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones in the awfulness of

:07:41. > :07:46.the unspeakable attack in Berlin? I think it is good that we remember at

:07:47. > :07:52.this time of year those who grieve and for an attack that was so close

:07:53. > :07:58.to a church as well. I would speak Mr Deputy Speaker in the short time

:07:59. > :08:03.we have in making a difference, but I want to if heous on this time of

:08:04. > :08:07.year. I'm one of those guys who loves Christmas. I love taking my

:08:08. > :08:11.grandchildren to special church services and attending services in

:08:12. > :08:15.different churches and just remembering the real reason for the

:08:16. > :08:20.season. A chance to celebrate Jesus. We know in all reality 25th December

:08:21. > :08:26.is not just a day when Jesus was born, but a time to focus our minds

:08:27. > :08:30.on the greatest gift given to mankind, Lord Jesus. Last week I put

:08:31. > :08:34.down an EDM referring to the real meaning of Christmas and many

:08:35. > :08:39.members took the opportunity to sign that and endorse that comment as did

:08:40. > :08:47.others who asked knee make comments on it as well. The Christmas message

:08:48. > :08:50.is a celebration of Jesus who gave his life for those who would accept

:08:51. > :08:53.him into his hearts. I love the celebration of his birth. It was a

:08:54. > :08:58.time for faith and for family and for focus and a personal basis I

:08:59. > :09:02.also want to thank the Lord Jesus for the personal faith that I have.

:09:03. > :09:06.I thank God for the time that he will spend over Chris has with our

:09:07. > :09:12.families, with my wife and my boys and indeed, with my mother. And

:09:13. > :09:17.cherish the time to laugh and the time to be laughed at and just to be

:09:18. > :09:22.in each other's company. I see it as a time where I refocus on what is

:09:23. > :09:27.important and what I need to do. It is a time I think of my role and how

:09:28. > :09:34.I can make a difference in my own family and my own constituency. The

:09:35. > :09:40.honourable gentleman spoke about our soldiers and while we are in this

:09:41. > :09:43.House, our soldiers, our Army, our RAF, naval service and the Fire

:09:44. > :09:47.Service and the Ambulance Service are all doing their work for us and

:09:48. > :09:57.protecting us and we want to put that on record as well. And as you

:09:58. > :10:04.know freedom religious belief I speak out for them. I want to focus

:10:05. > :10:09.and think for one minute and pray for those persecuted Christians

:10:10. > :10:13.across world who can't worship their God as we will this Christmas and

:10:14. > :10:18.think of the 100,000 Christians who will be killed for their faith. The

:10:19. > :10:22.200 million who will be persecuted and the 200 million that live in an

:10:23. > :10:26.endangered neighbourhood. That's are the facts of where we are. It is

:10:27. > :10:31.Christmas time and we all enjoy a good Christmas movie. Many of us

:10:32. > :10:40.think of It Is A Wonderful Life By James Stewart. A great film. Your

:10:41. > :10:44.life affects everyone else. When I focus upon the issue of make ago

:10:45. > :10:50.difference i want to focus on that. I want to quickly give an

:10:51. > :10:55.illustration of it which I believe carries a lesson for us all Mr

:10:56. > :10:58.Deputy Speaker. The story is told of an old man who used to go to the

:10:59. > :11:02.ocean to do his writing. Early one morning he was walking along the

:11:03. > :11:10.shore after a big storm passed and found the fast speech that. Often

:11:11. > :11:14.the distance he noticed a small boy approaching wearing his Wellington

:11:15. > :11:18.boots and carrying a bucket. As the boy walked, he paused every so often

:11:19. > :11:22.as he grew closer, the man could see he was occasionally bending down to

:11:23. > :11:26.pick up an object and put it into his bucket and take it into the sea.

:11:27. > :11:33.The boy came closer and the man called out, "Good morning, may I ask

:11:34. > :11:37.what it is you're doing?" The young boy paused and replied, "Taking

:11:38. > :11:44.starfish into the ocean. The tide washed them up on to the beach and

:11:45. > :11:50.they can't return. When the sun comes up, they will die." The old

:11:51. > :11:54.man said there must be tens of thousands of starfish on the beach,

:11:55. > :12:01.you won't be able to make a difference. The young boy turned and

:12:02. > :12:05.smiled said, "Ah, yes, but I can make a difference to this one."

:12:06. > :12:21.People may raise their eyebrows... I'm grateful to the honourable

:12:22. > :12:28.gentleman forgiving way and for reading what is an inspiring story

:12:29. > :12:34.and I would like to pay tribute to his comments on religious freedom --

:12:35. > :12:38.for giving way. I think he's making a difference to people over the

:12:39. > :12:46.world and I am grateful to him. I appreciate that. People highlight

:12:47. > :12:55.individual cases, because where I believe I can make a difference

:12:56. > :12:58.where I can. It is a time to figure out a benefits form to someone who

:12:59. > :13:11.is deserving and contact the housing is -- executive to help someone, the

:13:12. > :13:16.helpful someone to get an operation and to get further up the to get

:13:17. > :13:25.their examination or investigation done. There is a time to register

:13:26. > :13:35.concerns over Brexit and to highlight the concerns going

:13:36. > :13:42.forward. I believe we have a duty to encourage others to do what we do,

:13:43. > :13:47.and in my area, there was a post on Facebook, which said, instead of

:13:48. > :13:51.looking into a house where the ambulance could not come to the

:13:52. > :13:59.door, the family were able to contact others to let them in, and

:14:00. > :14:07.the sense of community... We can but those issues -- we can member those

:14:08. > :14:10.issues. There is more need for each other to take care of each other

:14:11. > :14:15.where we can and to look after our elderly relatives and help were

:14:16. > :14:23.began. It takes effort and time but we will all be the beneficiaries

:14:24. > :14:27.from living in a community that cares in a place where you trust

:14:28. > :14:34.your neighbour. It would be great that if it carries on all year

:14:35. > :14:40.round. I'm one of 115 members of this place and I'm only one of an

:14:41. > :14:48.eight strong DUP team in this place, a party which I think boxes above

:14:49. > :14:53.its weight, let me say. The page to keep on making differences were

:14:54. > :15:03.began. -- we pledge. Doing what we can for everyone. A lovely quotation

:15:04. > :15:08.from every appeal. -- Everett heel. I'm only one but I am one, I can't

:15:09. > :15:13.do everything but I can do something. This is the reason and

:15:14. > :15:17.this is the lesson that we can all take on board in this place, the

:15:18. > :15:22.mentality of doing what we can for those, that we can help. I want to

:15:23. > :15:30.put on record and thank everyone, Mr Speaker, as well, for your

:15:31. > :15:38.understanding and patience, giving a us the chance to speak in this

:15:39. > :15:48.House. And for understanding my ulster Scots accent and making sure

:15:49. > :15:50.that we can understand each other. The leader of the House says he

:15:51. > :15:56.enjoys my accent and I hope he understood it well. For those who

:15:57. > :15:59.are here and to keep us safe and for the staff who are very clearly

:16:00. > :16:05.writing down the words, just when you think they are getting to

:16:06. > :16:10.understand you, they say, what did you say again? It is a pleasure to

:16:11. > :16:20.be a member and a pleasure to be a member of this House. I want to say

:16:21. > :16:27.one thing to my friend. We may not understand you sometimes. But my God

:16:28. > :16:34.you have one hell of a heart and we can see it. I thank you for that

:16:35. > :16:41.intervention and he knows I think equally of him and we have a mutual

:16:42. > :16:46.understanding of our service in Northern Ireland in uniform and also

:16:47. > :16:54.our service in this House. Can I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and

:16:55. > :17:01.a happy New Year. God bless in 2017. May I also states that the

:17:02. > :17:06.honourable member makes a big difference in this House and is a

:17:07. > :17:10.big asset in this chamber. I fully agree with my honourable friend, the

:17:11. > :17:14.member for Chipping Barnet, with everything she said about the own

:17:15. > :17:19.arrest nature of the tax returns and I hope the Minister will think about

:17:20. > :17:25.her proposals -- she said about the owner Russ nature.

:17:26. > :17:35.I want to talk about DW assessments -- DWP. In Twickenham where I am, we

:17:36. > :17:40.have good employment figures, I'm happy to say, and since 2010 the

:17:41. > :17:48.unemployment figures have decreased by 34%. I am grateful for that.

:17:49. > :17:55.However, what concerns me, the nature and the attitude that happens

:17:56. > :18:06.in DWP assessments. Many of us in this chamber have seen the Ken Loach

:18:07. > :18:11.film, I Daniel Blake and the excellent acting in that film. It is

:18:12. > :18:19.a very moving film, but what is more troubling for me, the people I have

:18:20. > :18:22.met in my surgery, not actors, people who have lived through the

:18:23. > :18:27.kind of scenes that have been portrayed by care much. I have seen

:18:28. > :18:41.people who have been treated worse than the character in I Daniel

:18:42. > :18:45.Blake. My concern, which I have mentioned, if someone has a terminal

:18:46. > :18:51.condition, they must not go through an assessment if they have a

:18:52. > :18:56.consultant report. I value the ministers saying they do not need to

:18:57. > :19:00.have repeated assessments, but for other people who undergo the DWP

:19:01. > :19:09.assessment, they must be treated with dignity. And it is shameful

:19:10. > :19:17.that I have met people, gentleman, older than myself, who have been

:19:18. > :19:24.shamed in these assessments and who have not been given the respect they

:19:25. > :19:28.deserve. I believe that what is needed, a bit like having the police

:19:29. > :19:32.wearing body cameras, we need these assessments to be recorded, with the

:19:33. > :19:39.agreement of the people going through, so that if there is a

:19:40. > :19:45.concern summer has not been treated with respect or shamed, the

:19:46. > :19:49.assessors can at least be shown why and how they have given this

:19:50. > :19:57.impression to people -- someone has not been treated with respect. There

:19:58. > :20:03.needs to be recording and there needs to be better accountability.

:20:04. > :20:08.Nobody should feel shame going through this assessment. Having said

:20:09. > :20:14.that, this is Christmas and I wish Deputy Speaker and all speakers and

:20:15. > :20:22.our excellent staff and all members a very very Merry and peaceful

:20:23. > :20:29.break. Thank you. Before the House adjourns I want to say a number of

:20:30. > :20:33.points which I wish to raise, we want to celebrate the birth of a new

:20:34. > :20:37.life as we move to Christmas, but many colleagues will be reflecting

:20:38. > :20:41.on treatments, and I've been in the chamber and I've listened to our

:20:42. > :20:48.comments from colleagues who have lost babies. We think of the murder

:20:49. > :20:52.of our colleague Jo Cox. I agree with honourable man was that I hope

:20:53. > :20:56.that record will become number one and a bit of money will be made. My

:20:57. > :21:01.own mother died early this year at the age of 104 and people would say

:21:02. > :21:11.she had a good innings and she lived long enough to vote in the European

:21:12. > :21:16.referendum. But obviously for so many people Christmas won't be quite

:21:17. > :21:23.the same. That is when I wanted to spend a little moment on Brive

:21:24. > :21:29.counselling services -- bereavement. Colleagues spoke about their

:21:30. > :21:35.experiences ten, 15 years ago, and this is clearly an important area. I

:21:36. > :21:41.praise the all party Parliamentary group for funerals and bereaved

:21:42. > :21:49.months on what they do, especially Fairhaven 's Hospice, over 13 years

:21:50. > :21:56.they have carried out the wishes and have allowed people to live rather

:21:57. > :22:00.than to die. They play an absolutely vital role in supporting families in

:22:01. > :22:06.their greatest time of need. Their bereaved month counselling services

:22:07. > :22:17.are second to need -- Brive. Bereavement. Every ?3 out of ?4 go

:22:18. > :22:22.to the Hospice as I hope that somewhere in the wider world there

:22:23. > :22:26.is an individual who has lots of money who might help us as want to

:22:27. > :22:33.kick-start the fund for our annual Hospice. Southend Hospital has a

:22:34. > :22:41.number of challenges, and I was convinced by the Essex success

:22:42. > :22:46.regime that we would see manifest changes but that hasn't happened

:22:47. > :22:50.yet, but I hope we can get on with it and any alterations to accident

:22:51. > :22:58.and emergency services can only happen if they are clinically led.

:22:59. > :23:03.Underline did to to the House Southend alternative city of culture

:23:04. > :23:17.will be launched -- I'm delighted to announce to the House. Our new town

:23:18. > :23:23.crier will be welcoming BC -- the year celebrations, we will be

:23:24. > :23:29.celebrating food and drink, music, fashion, architecture, the Armed

:23:30. > :23:33.Forces, and I'm greatly heartened by the way the local community is

:23:34. > :23:40.rallying around this event. Southend will be celebrating 125 years of the

:23:41. > :23:46.founding of the borough, they will be events celebrating the historic

:23:47. > :23:49.milestone. Including the Festival Southend-on-Sea led by the Mayor of

:23:50. > :23:55.Southend and the leader of the council. It will be a wonderful

:23:56. > :23:59.occasion. Moving to the leader of the Council, John Lamb, he is

:24:00. > :24:08.concerned that authorities are struggling to meet the spiralling

:24:09. > :24:15.costs of adult social care. I would be grateful if my friend the debited

:24:16. > :24:18.leader of the House with ask the Secretary of State to the cut

:24:19. > :24:23.funding for adult social care, especially for councils such as

:24:24. > :24:34.Southend stash if my friend the debited leader. -- if my friends the

:24:35. > :24:44.deputy leader. Seven years was spent producing the hill -- Duke

:24:45. > :24:53.-- seven years were spent reducing the Chilcott inquiry. I hope that at

:24:54. > :24:57.some stage the former Prime Minister Tony Blair will be called before one

:24:58. > :25:01.of the select committees to give an account on how on earth he came to

:25:02. > :25:09.those decisions which were clearly wrong. As far as Iran is concerned,

:25:10. > :25:19.refugees from camp liberty were successfully airlifted to Albania in

:25:20. > :25:24.September and I hope that the leader of the NCR will be able to speak

:25:25. > :25:30.some time in the UK. School inspections is a worry for all

:25:31. > :25:35.schools and I am appalled at the local inspection that took place at

:25:36. > :25:40.our wonderful school, our Lady of Lourdes. I don't know if the

:25:41. > :25:48.inspector had an agenda, but how on earth the inspector team could have

:25:49. > :25:52.judged this school as failing beggars belief, poor judgment, and I

:25:53. > :25:59.do think school inspections generally should be revisited when a

:26:00. > :26:07.new chief inspector of schools is in place.

:26:08. > :26:17.He had been incurred a stand, giving infantry and life-saving training to

:26:18. > :26:22.the Peshmerga -- he had been in Kurdistan. This constituent has been

:26:23. > :26:27.left with no money and no support and I intend on another occasion to

:26:28. > :26:32.raise it in the dedicated adjournment debate. He is a

:26:33. > :26:38.constituent together with his mother, and has lost his home and

:26:39. > :26:43.everything, because of a boundary dispute about offence, which was

:26:44. > :26:52.four inches out of place. The law in his case was an as, perversely, and

:26:53. > :26:58.it needs looking at again. We launched a public appeal in

:26:59. > :27:01.Southend, of the organisation, and it is wonderful, the valuable

:27:02. > :27:06.artefacts that are being rescued from the Thames Estuary. Pulse

:27:07. > :27:13.fishing is an issue which has been brought to my attention by Leigh on

:27:14. > :27:16.Sea fishermen and I don't think fish enjoy terribly much having these

:27:17. > :27:21.pulses sent through their bodies and I do hope the minister responsible

:27:22. > :27:22.for fisheries when he comes to meet myself and others will look very

:27:23. > :27:31.carefully at the issue. Eastwood academy is one of the

:27:32. > :27:37.outstanding. It achieved magnificent progress in all levels and the

:27:38. > :27:41.academy was selected to appear in the parliamentary review 2016 for

:27:42. > :27:46.its efforts at raising standards in secondary education. I was delighted

:27:47. > :27:51.to support gas safety week. There have been over 20 deaths and over

:27:52. > :28:00.1,000 gas-related injuries in the past three years. I recently met

:28:01. > :28:08.Jesuits from the Philippines who spoke to me about the inspiring work

:28:09. > :28:12.their organisation SLB, it promotes sews I do political involvement and

:28:13. > :28:18.has led to relieve operation. I commend them for their work. Angela

:28:19. > :28:24.rusk incelebrates 25 years of status. I met with the Chancellor

:28:25. > :28:29.who briefed me on their plans for the next 25 years, and degrees aimed

:28:30. > :28:33.at increasing the number of doctors and nurses to fill vacancies in the

:28:34. > :28:38.NHS. Marine protection zones are very important and the UK has a

:28:39. > :28:44.reputation of being a leader in the ocean conservation. I do

:28:45. > :28:51.congratulate them on the issues. And ending with a very few local issues.

:28:52. > :28:54.I congratulate the third generation family owned manufacturing business

:28:55. > :28:59.for sustaining their operation for 50 years. I was delighted to visit

:29:00. > :29:06.pride and joy classic cars in my constituency. I congratulate the

:29:07. > :29:08.walker witness for climate change local activist and congratulate

:29:09. > :29:14.acting ageing event which was held in my constituency, it was a

:29:15. > :29:16.privilege to also visit The Prince's Trust explore enterprise programme

:29:17. > :29:27.and congratulate the young people on the wonderful work which they are

:29:28. > :29:31.doing. I also visited Angloco, they are doing marvellous work in

:29:32. > :29:35.delivering 45 new fire engines to Essex fire and rescue and I also had

:29:36. > :29:41.the opportunity to visit pinewood studios, I am still waiting for a

:29:42. > :29:47.casting, but they're going to help me with the alternative city of

:29:48. > :29:51.culture. I finally had very good visits to the Philippines where one

:29:52. > :29:57.of our colleagues took us to Smokey mountain. A humbling experience and

:29:58. > :30:03.the Dominican Republic, who are very, very keen on doing further

:30:04. > :30:10.trade with us. So, Brexit does mean Brexit and I hope that we will all

:30:11. > :30:13.make a success of it. I wish the three deputies, all parliamentary

:30:14. > :30:16.colleagues and everyone who works in the House of Commons a very happy

:30:17. > :30:25.Christmas, good health and a wonderful new year.

:30:26. > :30:31.Thank you. It's always a pleasure to follow my friend the honourable

:30:32. > :30:36.member for Southend who represents probably arguably the second best

:30:37. > :30:43.seaside resort on the east coast. Before I move on to the more mundane

:30:44. > :30:49.issues by comparison to others spoken about, could I say how much I

:30:50. > :30:54.agree with the comments made by the member for Beckenham. I think he

:30:55. > :31:00.spoke for the feelings of the whole House on that particular matter.

:31:01. > :31:07.Also the member from Strangford who reminded us of the real message of

:31:08. > :31:12.Christmas, like many members I have attended a number of services of

:31:13. > :31:17.nine lessons and Carols over the last couple of weeks and it includes

:31:18. > :31:21.the opening passages from St John's gospel and something that I always

:31:22. > :31:31.found profound is how Jesus came into the world, but the world knew

:31:32. > :31:37.him not. It's often the case that we reflect on the more perverted

:31:38. > :31:42.religious happenings in the news and we should remember the true meaning

:31:43. > :31:49.and also the fact that faith is the driving force for so much good that

:31:50. > :31:55.happens in the world and I commend the honourable member for that. I

:31:56. > :32:00.want to reflect on some more mundane issues that affect my constituency

:32:01. > :32:04.and highlight some of the changes and challenges facing it. In doing

:32:05. > :32:07.so I am mindful I don't want to give the impression that I am here just

:32:08. > :32:11.to put a begging bowl out to the Government for more money for this,

:32:12. > :32:17.that and the other, of course it would be very welcome, the resort of

:32:18. > :32:21.Cleethorpes has responded to the changing situation and it has on

:32:22. > :32:25.offer I would argue that is unsurpassed amongst resorts on the

:32:26. > :32:32.east coast. Only last week one of the three finalists in the British

:32:33. > :32:38.high street awards was with the traders from Seaview Street in

:32:39. > :32:42.Cleethorpes and that shows how dedicated small independent

:32:43. > :32:46.retailers can be. Of course, my honourable friend from Southend

:32:47. > :32:51.talked about the longest pier, we of course have the Pier of the Year. A

:32:52. > :32:56.prize which was certainly not going to be giving up easily to Southend,

:32:57. > :33:04.however cultured it may or may not be. My constituency also contains

:33:05. > :33:10.the largest port complex in the country and has a rich rural

:33:11. > :33:14.hinterland stretching north to the southern end of the Humber bridge.

:33:15. > :33:19.So much for the advantages and how are we going to meet the challenges.

:33:20. > :33:23.Regeneration is an essential ingredients of lifting morale and in

:33:24. > :33:27.north-east Lincolnshire the council area we have put together a team

:33:28. > :33:30.made up of the council leader, chief executive, myself and a number of

:33:31. > :33:35.private sector partners who are putting together plans that I am

:33:36. > :33:39.sure will attract private sector investors. That will need some

:33:40. > :33:45.Government support. I discussed this with a number of ministers in recent

:33:46. > :33:51.weeks and we do hope to receive that support when plans are finalised.

:33:52. > :33:53.This is not just a begging bowl but a genuine attempt to inject

:33:54. > :34:05.investment into the area. Cleethorpes has done incredibly well

:34:06. > :34:09.as I presentationed. Can I draw attention to local Government

:34:10. > :34:14.funding. I recognise that local Government was bloated and to some

:34:15. > :34:20.extent inefficient. I spent 26 years as a local councillor. I have seen

:34:21. > :34:24.many of its failings. But I think the Government do need to recognise

:34:25. > :34:30.that council budgets can only be cut so far and I am not here referring

:34:31. > :34:34.to adult social care, important though that is, but many of the

:34:35. > :34:44.things that make our lives that little bit better, the libraries,

:34:45. > :34:48.the parks, gardens, and so on, are actually being cut to the bone in

:34:49. > :34:53.many respects. There is little things that do improve the quality

:34:54. > :35:00.of life. We need those and we do enjoy them. I would urge the

:35:01. > :35:06.Government to recognise that as we try and come to terms with balancing

:35:07. > :35:09.the country's finances. House something rightly a priority for the

:35:10. > :35:13.Government and they've introduced many new and innovative schemes but

:35:14. > :35:19.too many homes are being built on green field sites. The main entrance

:35:20. > :35:24.to a town like Cleethorpes could be greatly enhanced by investment in

:35:25. > :35:30.what due to a change in shopping habits, redundant retail units being

:35:31. > :35:35.given new life, it's a main arterial route into the resort and investment

:35:36. > :35:42.in an area like that is very worthwhile. While on the subject of

:35:43. > :35:45.housing, I note the section in the community Secretary's financial

:35:46. > :35:49.statement last Thursday saying that consultation would be held on

:35:50. > :35:53.whether or not to withhold new homes bonus payments from developments

:35:54. > :36:00.that were granted only after appeal. I can give my response to that

:36:01. > :36:04.consultation now. Forget it. Local democracy is important. The

:36:05. > :36:09.Government has done a lot to bring about localism and this is something

:36:10. > :36:14.that goes completely against that. I would really urge them to think

:36:15. > :36:19.again and abandon even the consultation. Transport connections

:36:20. > :36:26.are of course vitally important to any local economy and my

:36:27. > :36:34.constituency is no exception. It's moderately well served by road, the

:36:35. > :36:38.A180 and M1 link provides access to the national motorway network. There

:36:39. > :36:47.is room for improvement and the A180 itself has stretches of the old

:36:48. > :36:52.concrete surface which is extremely annoying to my constituents living

:36:53. > :37:00.in some villages, it causes an unacceptable level of noise. I

:37:01. > :37:04.welcome the almost complete ?100 million plus A160 upgrade that will

:37:05. > :37:11.access access to the port. But the next part of the jigsaw, the network

:37:12. > :37:17.of roads that give access to the ports is the A15 between Lincoln and

:37:18. > :37:20.where it joins the A180 close to Scunthorpe is extremely dangerous

:37:21. > :37:24.single carriageway road and it urgently needs dualing. I recognise

:37:25. > :37:28.that it's a local road and therefore all the Government could get out of

:37:29. > :37:37.saying it's nothing to do with us, guv. But the reality is it is an

:37:38. > :37:40.important access to the Humber ports, that's a strategic Government

:37:41. > :37:46.policy and therefore I think the Government do need to give some

:37:47. > :37:52.consideration to that. Turning to rail services, and it's yet another

:37:53. > :37:56.opportunity for me to highlight the urgent need for a direct rail

:37:57. > :38:01.service between Grimsby and Cleethorpes and London King's Cross.

:38:02. > :38:05.Businesses in the area regard it as vital. At every meeting I and

:38:06. > :38:11.neighbouring MPs attend this issue is brought up. Immingham is the

:38:12. > :38:16.largest port in the country, 25% of the rail freight in the country

:38:17. > :38:23.comes and goes to Immingham but passengers can't. The area does need

:38:24. > :38:27.that. The office of rail and road recently considered an application

:38:28. > :38:31.from great north eastern, an open access operator, who wanted to

:38:32. > :38:35.provide those services but because it was linked to additional services

:38:36. > :38:40.into Yorkshire they had to reject it because they have to protect virgin

:38:41. > :38:44.east coast market share. Now I can recognise how important that is from

:38:45. > :38:47.the Treasury's point of view, they pay an enormous amount of money for

:38:48. > :38:51.the privilege of running those trains but I would genuinely ask is

:38:52. > :38:56.that actually more to do with the interests of the company and the

:38:57. > :39:04.Treasury rather than the interests of the passengers? On regeneration,

:39:05. > :39:09.I do myself chair the regeneration committee for Barton on Humber,

:39:10. > :39:16.that's in the north Lincolnshire council part of my constituency and

:39:17. > :39:20.I must congratulate the deputy leader of north Lincolnshire council

:39:21. > :39:27.who sits alongside me at those meetings and does actually deliver

:39:28. > :39:32.some of the minor improvements to the town which are essential and I

:39:33. > :39:36.know that somewhat goes against what I was saying earlier but I question

:39:37. > :39:41.how long even a well-run council such as north Lincolnshire will be

:39:42. > :39:46.able to maintain those schemes. Turning to the rural areas I would

:39:47. > :39:50.remind the House that the rural economy is not just about

:39:51. > :39:56.agriculture but other rural pursuits and it's important that we recognise

:39:57. > :40:02.that conservation does come naturally to those who work in the

:40:03. > :40:08.countryside. Finally, can I just reflect on the education performance

:40:09. > :40:17.in our area. Like many coastal communities we do have many high

:40:18. > :40:22.performing schools but we also have overall poor standards. The argument

:40:23. > :40:29.about selection is one that's going to run and run as it has for the

:40:30. > :40:36.last 30-odd years. My own view is that if selection can provide young

:40:37. > :40:41.people with more choice within the schools in the area, that actually

:40:42. > :40:46.provide for them and we should focus on the areas where resorts demand

:40:47. > :40:50.change. Grammar schools can be a force for good and for some it's an

:40:51. > :41:00.opportunity that we should not deny them. In my own local area I would

:41:01. > :41:08.also argue that bilaterial schools that are part-selected have a role

:41:09. > :41:11.to play. I think I will conclude there, merely by following on from

:41:12. > :41:18.the honourable member for Southend who spoke about Brexit. 70% of my

:41:19. > :41:24.constituents voted for Brexit. I believe they were the right to do

:41:25. > :41:30.so. I believe it will give our country more opportunities and in

:41:31. > :41:34.our own particular area the common fisheries policy has long been a

:41:35. > :41:37.cause for concern. Could I urge the Government as I have done on

:41:38. > :41:42.previous occasions not to forget the fishing industry. It was forgotten

:41:43. > :41:50.in those original negotiations in the 1970s. At a time when up to 600

:41:51. > :41:54.deep sea trawlers at one time sailed out of Grimsby, providing thousands

:41:55. > :41:58.of jobs to the Grimsby and Cleethorpes area, that's now down to

:41:59. > :42:02.a handful of near water boats but there are still great opportunities

:42:03. > :42:08.for those in the fishing industry and for the food and fish processing

:42:09. > :42:11.industry that are absolutely vital to the Cleethorpes constituency.

:42:12. > :42:14.With that I conclude by wishing you and all members and staff a happy

:42:15. > :42:19.Christmas and a peaceful new year. Thank you.

:42:20. > :42:27.James Berry. I start by thanking the work of all the emergency services

:42:28. > :42:32.over the Christmas period, especially those who will be working

:42:33. > :42:35.while we are enjoying time with our families, and since I propose to

:42:36. > :42:41.speak on home affairs I pay tribute to the police. I was out on a walk

:42:42. > :42:47.the Met session just last week and saw the excellent work they do for

:42:48. > :42:52.us everyday. Kingston is the safest borough in London and I want to

:42:53. > :43:01.thank Chief Superintendent who retires as the Kingston, borough

:43:02. > :43:04.commander very soon. There was a campaign for more police officers in

:43:05. > :43:12.Kingston town centre and ended with a campaign for more automatic number

:43:13. > :43:16.plate recognition is on the 83 corridor, both of which is

:43:17. > :43:26.delivering. I want to talk about a national problem for the police, the

:43:27. > :43:29.rise of hate speech and extremism online, and I will refer to Twitter

:43:30. > :43:36.and Facebook because they are the most famous social networks, and not

:43:37. > :43:38.the only ones. Social media has revolutionised the way we

:43:39. > :43:44.communicate and receive news and information and the way companies

:43:45. > :43:50.advertise and undoubtedly it can be used as a force for good but social

:43:51. > :43:58.media platforms are being abused by those who wish to do people greater

:43:59. > :44:02.harm. These social media platforms are not established and maintained

:44:03. > :44:10.out of a sense of altruism, but they are designed to make money for their

:44:11. > :44:13.zone -- their owners, and the revenues from Facebook in particular

:44:14. > :44:17.are enormous, although I don't criticise them for that. In less

:44:18. > :44:27.than one minute any member of this House with a iPhone would be able to

:44:28. > :44:33.find copious amounts of hate speech, racism, Islamophobia, homophobia,

:44:34. > :44:36.many types of discrimination, and language which is downright abusive

:44:37. > :44:45.and would not survive our criminal law. In the home affairs let

:44:46. > :44:50.committees recent report we outlined how our Jewish colleague received

:44:51. > :45:06.2500 abusive tweets over the course of a few days using the hashtag...

:45:07. > :45:09.Using that hashtag is offensive, abusive and racist, but if you

:45:10. > :45:15.search for the hashtag now as I did a few moments ago, you will find it

:45:16. > :45:22.still on Twitter, not from two hours ago, but from two years ago. I say

:45:23. > :45:27.that is a disgrace and especially a disgrace after the matter has been

:45:28. > :45:30.raised by a committee of this House. Although hate speech makes up a very

:45:31. > :45:38.small proportion of the overall traffic on social media, when we

:45:39. > :45:43.live our lives more and more online, and this speech exists online in a

:45:44. > :45:48.way it doesn't in the street and the way in which we speak to one

:45:49. > :45:54.another, there's a risk it becomes normalised and it gives a licence to

:45:55. > :46:00.others to repeat it and to do worse. I turned to the other issue which is

:46:01. > :46:04.extremism. It doesn't stop hate speech, just as social media is used

:46:05. > :46:08.by people who want to advertise holidays and beauty products, is

:46:09. > :46:15.also used by those who want to advertise terrorism. It is knowing

:46:16. > :46:23.said duration to say that -- it is no is a duration -- it is no

:46:24. > :46:36.exaggeration to say that Daesh has run the greatest PR campaign since

:46:37. > :46:41.Goebbels with the Nazis. It is a barbarous medieval regime. It has

:46:42. > :46:47.committed atrocities like we have seen in France and what we appear to

:46:48. > :46:50.have seen in Berlin, but I would not blame all of this on social media,

:46:51. > :46:54.but I am going to say that young people in Britain are being

:46:55. > :46:59.radicalised in their bedrooms and the gateway to much of the radical

:47:00. > :47:04.material online is the common social media platforms like Twitter and

:47:05. > :47:06.Facebook, and in addition to being a Condo it there which extremists are

:47:07. > :47:18.being recruited -- Condo it. We have social media platforms being

:47:19. > :47:23.used by millions of people, every minute of every day, being used or

:47:24. > :47:30.abused by people who want to peddle extremism and hate. What do social

:47:31. > :47:34.media companies do about this? The answer is far too little and I've

:47:35. > :47:41.not heard one member of this House demur from that proposition. I'm not

:47:42. > :47:45.sure that we as a society should accept the proposition that

:47:46. > :47:51.organisations like social media companies can create something to

:47:52. > :47:55.make money that has the potential to do or at least facilitate harm, but

:47:56. > :47:59.it would be unreasonable to expect them to do more to prevent that

:48:00. > :48:05.harm. I would say the polluter should pay. Who is left to pick up

:48:06. > :48:11.the pieces? The police with the Home Affairs Select Committee, and the

:48:12. > :48:18.member for Leicester East, we went to Scotland Yard, to see they unit,

:48:19. > :48:22.dozens of officers who went through social networking sites to flag up

:48:23. > :48:26.this material and not really for any law enforcement purpose. They are

:48:27. > :48:32.not there to apply for a court order, but they are merely telling

:48:33. > :48:36.Twitter that this violates their own in-house terms of use and often to

:48:37. > :48:43.their credit Twitter will remove the material. Why should the police have

:48:44. > :48:48.to do it? In the hay there is a similar unit for non-English

:48:49. > :48:52.language material. -- in the Hague. Why should my constituents have to

:48:53. > :48:55.have their taxes used to fund our police to do the work that social

:48:56. > :49:00.media companies should be doing themselves? By father passed away

:49:01. > :49:06.three years ago this week and he was fond of quoting Margaret Thatcher --

:49:07. > :49:10.my father. She did not like people coming to her with problems without

:49:11. > :49:16.coming to her with a solution. So I will present three solutions. The

:49:17. > :49:19.first is to consider legislation, the most straightforward approach

:49:20. > :49:24.will be to make social media companies liable for what they are

:49:25. > :49:26.now or enabled to be published on their platforms, and father reasons

:49:27. > :49:31.including libel and copyright law, this would be devastating the social

:49:32. > :49:36.media companies, they do not want it to happen -- and for other reasons.

:49:37. > :49:39.In Germany last week it was announced by the government they

:49:40. > :49:46.would consider legislation for fines of up to half a million Euros if

:49:47. > :49:52.social media companies failed to remove hate speech breaching German

:49:53. > :49:56.laws within 24 hours, so our friends in Europe are considering

:49:57. > :50:02.legislation. The second option is to encourage social action, social

:50:03. > :50:05.media companies rely on people being members of them to see the

:50:06. > :50:09.advertising they make money from, so if we voted with our feet the

:50:10. > :50:15.companies would not be able to survive and if we made it clear as

:50:16. > :50:19.users of social media companies as almost all of us are, that we are

:50:20. > :50:24.not going to stand for eight speech and extremism, that would send a

:50:25. > :50:28.very clear message. -- hate speech. The third option which I favour,

:50:29. > :50:32.that social networking companies, social media companies, get their

:50:33. > :50:38.own house in order and take responsibility and for once show

:50:39. > :50:43.some real leadership. Social media companies could establish or at

:50:44. > :50:47.least fund a not-for-profit organisation which employs people to

:50:48. > :50:51.identify and remove offending posts, that uses their technological

:50:52. > :50:56.brilliance to be able to filter out this material for manual checking

:50:57. > :50:59.and which has police officers paid for by this organisation to gather

:51:00. > :51:06.intelligence and to progress any cases that need legal input. There

:51:07. > :51:09.is a model for this in the national centre for missing exploited

:51:10. > :51:14.children which I had the fortune to visit in Washington, DC,

:51:15. > :51:19.not-for-profit organisation funded by the technology centre and in

:51:20. > :51:24.large part by Facebook and Google to tackle amongst other things online

:51:25. > :51:31.child exploitation. Why can that not apply to hate speech online? I

:51:32. > :51:34.suggest social media companies go away for Christmas and comeback in

:51:35. > :51:40.the New Year with a proper proposal for an organisation of this kind so

:51:41. > :51:45.they can tackle online extremism and hate speech and if they'd do so they

:51:46. > :51:51.will know that they should expect to be scrutinised -- and if they do not

:51:52. > :51:56.do so. And they will be concerted calls for legislation to make them

:51:57. > :52:04.do so in 2017. On that note, Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Mr

:52:05. > :52:12.Keith Vaz. It is a pleasure to follow the honourable man before

:52:13. > :52:15.Kingston who gave an excellent speech and he's right you have

:52:16. > :52:21.raised the which are occurring on the internet to do with extremism

:52:22. > :52:29.and hate crime -- he's right to have raised. I was feeding my own debate

:52:30. > :52:34.on the tragic death of the 15-year-old boy who committed

:52:35. > :52:39.suicide because of the bullying he had experienced on the internet, the

:52:40. > :52:46.cyber bullying that occurred, and I'm glad his parents are in the

:52:47. > :52:52.chamber today as they were only in Westminster Hall. -- I was leading

:52:53. > :52:56.my own debate. There have been a succession of reports by the Home

:52:57. > :52:59.Affairs Select Committee and one of those co-authored by the deputy

:53:00. > :53:06.leader of the House who has been promoted since. To his August

:53:07. > :53:11.position. The tragedy, it is not followed up, there's always an

:53:12. > :53:16.excuse given. His example of an organisation that is funded by these

:53:17. > :53:19.companies and therefore able to monitor in a professional way what

:53:20. > :53:23.is going on rather than people ringing up and try to find who in

:53:24. > :53:26.California they should speak to in order to get something off the net

:53:27. > :53:29.is a very good one and rather than serving the Home Affairs Select

:53:30. > :53:33.Committee he should be giving evidence to it on this important

:53:34. > :53:38.point and I hope he will put that forward to the committee when they

:53:39. > :53:44.next meet. I want to raise a few of my passions at this traditional

:53:45. > :53:52.debate, in a few moments, that I have to speak. I'm glad to see the

:53:53. > :54:01.parents here of Brandon, and I hope this debate will lead to them being

:54:02. > :54:03.able to pursue their important campaign on cyber bullying which

:54:04. > :54:10.they launched a couple of weeks ago and that they will continue, when

:54:11. > :54:14.you lose a child of 15 and some of us are parents in this House, and it

:54:15. > :54:21.must be an unspeakable tragedy for them. This campaign will give hope

:54:22. > :54:28.to other families who are on a similar position. The member for

:54:29. > :54:32.Kingston and Surbiton mentioned the support for his local police service

:54:33. > :54:37.and I hope that when the deputy leader comes to reply he will give

:54:38. > :54:40.us good news about one issue which concerns me which is the failure of

:54:41. > :54:46.the government to announce the police funding formula for not just

:54:47. > :54:50.Leicestershire Constabulary and police services throughout the

:54:51. > :54:56.country. The former policing minister said the review had been

:54:57. > :55:05.paused until the national police chief counsel 's had completed their

:55:06. > :55:12.investigation into the capabilities that they had as far as policing is

:55:13. > :55:14.concerned. Sarah Thornton is the chair of the Council and she has

:55:15. > :55:24.said there's nothing to stop the review proceeding. It will be good

:55:25. > :55:30.to know when Constabulary is like Leicestershire and Kingston, and

:55:31. > :55:35.indeed in Northern Ireland, although you might have a different formula,

:55:36. > :55:41.that we are able to know precisely how much money the police have got

:55:42. > :55:48.to spend in future. As is my custom, I want to mention diabetes again. I

:55:49. > :55:56.would be missing this opportunity if I didn't, and there is a time of the

:55:57. > :56:07.year when people eat a lot of sugar and mince pies and cakes and things

:56:08. > :56:13.of that kind, as I have just done. I will compensate for that very

:56:14. > :56:17.shortly. LAUGHTER It is important to look at the

:56:18. > :56:20.variations of care in diabetes, UK diabetes published a very

:56:21. > :56:25.interesting report with the all-party group which I'm very

:56:26. > :56:30.honoured to check, launched by the Health Secretary, where we pointed

:56:31. > :56:32.out that in certain parts of the country you can get structured

:56:33. > :56:38.education and care but in other parts you are not. When I was

:56:39. > :56:44.diagnosed with type two diabetes, if I were sent instead of the pharmacy,

:56:45. > :56:50.to get my other tablets, I was sent to the gym, and maybe that would

:56:51. > :56:55.have prevented the onset, which would have, eventually, because my

:56:56. > :56:59.mother had diabetes, but it would have prevented out a bit longer

:57:00. > :57:03.diabetes taking hold of my system. -- which would have come eventually.

:57:04. > :57:05.We need to save in the long-term by spending more money now and that

:57:06. > :57:15.through structured education. A number of my constituents will be

:57:16. > :57:20.helding off to India because the Indian Government has decided to

:57:21. > :57:24.recall the 1,000 rupee note which is about ?10 and the 5500 note as part

:57:25. > :57:30.of a campaign to route out corruption in India. However, a

:57:31. > :57:33.number of British Indians came back with rupees when they were last

:57:34. > :57:36.visiting the country, I don't know about members of the House but when

:57:37. > :57:40.you go abroad you change your money and sometimes you bring it back with

:57:41. > :57:49.you. A lot of my constituents and indeed other members of the British

:57:50. > :57:55.Indian community are in a position where they are having to change

:57:56. > :57:59.their money by the 31st December, so a lot have decided to go back in

:58:00. > :58:04.order to bag their money quickly before it ceases to be legal tender,

:58:05. > :58:08.it's as if we have gone abroad with ?20 notes and suddenly the British

:58:09. > :58:13.Government announcing ?20 are no longer legal tender, please come

:58:14. > :58:16.back and bank them before 31st December. I wrote to the Governor of

:58:17. > :58:22.the Bank of England, he wrote back to me and told me he was happy if

:58:23. > :58:27.the Indian Government agreed that the rupees could be banked in an ind

:58:28. > :58:30.yant bank in the United Kingdom to save British Indian constituents and

:58:31. > :58:33.others having to go all the way back to India. A lot of cricket

:58:34. > :58:38.supporters have gone to India for the cricket match, they've changed

:58:39. > :58:42.their pounds into rupees, they can't change them back as it's going to

:58:43. > :58:49.cease to be legal tender. This is a good way of proceeding. I wonder if

:58:50. > :58:52.the deputy leader could speak to the Foreign Secretary, I did write to

:58:53. > :58:57.him sometime ago suggesting to the Government that perhaps they could

:58:58. > :59:03.contact the Indian Government and allow these coins and notes to be

:59:04. > :59:08.banked in banks in the United Kingdom. I have eight Indian banks

:59:09. > :59:11.in Leicester east, I am sure in Northampton north he may have one or

:59:12. > :59:15.two but this is an opportunity to save a lot of money for people

:59:16. > :59:22.having to go all the way over there to put their money in the bank. Two

:59:23. > :59:29.final points, one of course about Yemen, the tragedy in Syria, the

:59:30. > :59:34.tragedies that have occurred in Berlin, the assassination in Turkey

:59:35. > :59:41.are terrible, terrible events which I think shocked the whole world but

:59:42. > :59:46.the situation in Yemen has now been ongoing for 15 months. You kiently

:59:47. > :59:52.granted an urgent question last week when we looked at the situation in

:59:53. > :59:57.Yemen. The situation is not improving. The basic foods are not

:59:58. > :00:02.available as I said to the Prime Minister when she came back from the

:00:03. > :00:08.European Council on Monday and gave her statement. Citizens are eating

:00:09. > :00:15.grass and drinking sea water. The ports are closed. The airport is

:00:16. > :00:20.closed. So wheat cannot be brought into Yemen and without wheat people

:00:21. > :00:27.are not going to be able to survive. It's not a lack of aid. Again I want

:00:28. > :00:31.to thank you, MrSpeaker, you came to Yemen Day last week where we met

:00:32. > :00:34.with aid agencies there, together with the Minister of State for the

:00:35. > :00:39.department of international development and the Foreign Office

:00:40. > :00:45.Minister, we heard from the UN deputy Secretary General. The fact

:00:46. > :00:51.is unless you open the ports and the airport you can't get humanitarian

:00:52. > :00:56.aid in. The disaster appeal launched last week by the joint committee on

:00:57. > :01:01.emergencies on the BBC has raised a lot of money but there's no point in

:01:02. > :01:08.having the money, it has to be spent on the people in Yemen and other

:01:09. > :01:16.parts of that country and I hope very much that we will pursue the

:01:17. > :01:20.cause of a ceasefire. MrSpeaker, finally, let me say I will remember

:01:21. > :01:24.2016 as a good year, there are lots of reasons why I might not remember

:01:25. > :01:33.it as a particularly riveting year, but one I will and that is the

:01:34. > :01:39.victory of Leicester City football club as the English champions and

:01:40. > :01:43.this is one of those great events. I am not going to say that will never

:01:44. > :01:47.happen again because we know what happened to Gary Lineker and full

:01:48. > :01:55.marks to him for wearing his underwear as he promised to do when

:01:56. > :01:58.he lost his bet with the nation. My honourable friend the member from

:01:59. > :02:07.Strangford is a Leicester City supporter. He is a Foxes supporter

:02:08. > :02:11.and every time I go to a match at Kingpower stadium I bring him back a

:02:12. > :02:14.programme and people wonder why am I taking two programmes, I always say

:02:15. > :02:18.it's for him, so he has a collection if not better than mine. There are a

:02:19. > :02:21.number of other members of the House who support Leicester City football

:02:22. > :02:28.club, this was our year. A fantastic year. That's why I was so pleased

:02:29. > :02:32.that MrRanieri only on Sunday was named as the coach of the year and

:02:33. > :02:39.Leicester City football club was the team of the year. So this 2016 is an

:02:40. > :02:46.historic year for us, a letter that we will never, ever forget. -- a

:02:47. > :02:49.year that we will never, ever forget and probably never repeat.

:02:50. > :02:54.Arsenal... I was going to say something about Arsenal. Because the

:02:55. > :02:59.Speaker is a great supporter of Arsenal. Every time what unites us

:03:00. > :03:03.is of course we don't really want to see Chelsea win the league, I don't

:03:04. > :03:08.think. I think it's Arsenal's turn. Every time we see Arsenal getting to

:03:09. > :03:16.the top of the Premier League something goes wrong. This year we

:03:17. > :03:20.keep our fingers crossed, not just for MrSpeaker but for young Oliver

:03:21. > :03:26.who can repeat the team backwards and forwards at a blink of an eye.

:03:27. > :03:29.We would like to share it, of course we could carry on winning the

:03:30. > :03:34.Premier League, but it's only fair we should give it to another team.

:03:35. > :03:40.Of course we are in the Champions League and I will this week be

:03:41. > :03:45.placing my bet on Leicester winning the Champions League because I am

:03:46. > :03:50.quite hopeful that we will proceed and that's what 2017 will be all

:03:51. > :03:55.about for me. Can I end by wishing you, Mr Speaker, the staff of the

:03:56. > :04:00.House, the deputy leader, ministers, fellow colleagues, on all sides of

:04:01. > :04:04.the House, a very happy Christmas. There was an old tradition, I

:04:05. > :04:08.understand, I wonder if - whoever wound up the debate for the

:04:09. > :04:12.Government always ensured that every member still in the House when the

:04:13. > :04:19.House rose for the Christmas recess would get a mince pie. I don't know

:04:20. > :04:23.whether you have heard of that particular story but one of the

:04:24. > :04:26.door-keepers mentioned it to me so I am very much looking forward to

:04:27. > :04:32.visiting the rooms of the deputy leader of the House and getting the

:04:33. > :04:38.mince pie at the end but let's hope we get a great new 2017 where all

:04:39. > :04:45.our ambitions and our dreams can be fulfilled. Thank you very much, Mr

:04:46. > :04:49.Speaker. It's a pleasure to follow the right honourable gentleman,

:04:50. > :04:54.although I speak as an Arsenal supporter like you, Mr Speaker, but

:04:55. > :04:57.congratulate Leicester City on their fine achievement this year. At the

:04:58. > :05:08.beginning of last week I was with the parliament choir in Berlin and

:05:09. > :05:13.it was a great honour to sing in the building of the Bundestag and it's

:05:14. > :05:18.with great sadness we hear of this terrible event last night and I know

:05:19. > :05:22.my honourable friend was there with a committee and will wish to pass on

:05:23. > :05:30.condolences to the people of Germany. Stafford this year has seen

:05:31. > :05:34.some great developments, economically, General Electric that

:05:35. > :05:41.took over one business in Stafford and other places have almost

:05:42. > :05:45.completed the construction of their first new factory which contains

:05:46. > :05:49.autoation and after the referendum they decided to go ahead with the

:05:50. > :05:56.construction of their second new factory in Stafford on the Redhill

:05:57. > :06:00.business park which deals with high voltage direct current business in

:06:01. > :06:06.which Stafford is a world leader and I very much welcome that. I also

:06:07. > :06:11.very much welcome the investment by a Chinese institution into the

:06:12. > :06:16.Stafford, former university campus which they vacated to go to

:06:17. > :06:21.Stoke-on-Trent earlier this year. A new university will be established

:06:22. > :06:27.in Stafford alongside an international school and I very much

:06:28. > :06:31.welcome that, the continuance of higher education in Stafford which

:06:32. > :06:33.is also continued through the medical school and Staffordshire

:06:34. > :06:38.University who maintain another campus in the town. It was also

:06:39. > :06:45.announced this year that the Ministry of Defence would further

:06:46. > :06:48.expand their site in Stafford to welcome more servicemen and women in

:06:49. > :06:53.the coming years and I very much welcome that. Stafford has a great

:06:54. > :06:59.tradition of hosting the Armed Forces, both the RAF and the Army

:07:00. > :07:03.and the arrival last year of two new regiments, one signals and 16

:07:04. > :07:10.signals to join 22 signals, has made a great and positive difference to

:07:11. > :07:14.our town. We are also seeing the expansion of our IT sector in

:07:15. > :07:18.Stafford and indeed of a lot of other small and medium businesses

:07:19. > :07:22.and I want to pay particular tribute to small and medium businesses now

:07:23. > :07:29.at Christmas time because these are the people who year in, year out

:07:30. > :07:31.often work 60, 70, 80 hours a week, running businesses, employing

:07:32. > :07:35.people, paying their taxes, they don't get much sung about, they

:07:36. > :07:44.often have to deal with a lot of hassle but they get on with the job

:07:45. > :07:48.of providing jobs and of keeping this country going to a large

:07:49. > :07:50.extent, jobs are created and sustained through the small and

:07:51. > :07:55.medium businesses in all our constituencies. I want to say a

:07:56. > :07:57.little bit about the sustainability and transformation programme for

:07:58. > :08:02.Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. I have already raised this in the

:08:03. > :08:08.House on a couple of occasions. I want to say that I approach this in

:08:09. > :08:13.a positive spirit. We do need a transformation of our care. There

:08:14. > :08:16.are many good ideas in it. I do wish that the programme to leadership had

:08:17. > :08:22.engaged more with Members of Parliament. We had one or two

:08:23. > :08:26.meetings but, sadly, the suggestions certainly that I put forward were

:08:27. > :08:30.not taken up and I believe that they need to listen much more to Members

:08:31. > :08:33.of Parliament as they take this further forward. I have already

:08:34. > :08:37.raised the question of the suggestion that one of the accident

:08:38. > :08:44.and emergency departments in Stoke and Staffordshire should close, I

:08:45. > :08:48.believe that's absolutely wrong and will not benefit my constituents nor

:08:49. > :08:50.indeed those of the other Members of Parliament in Stoke-on-Trent and

:08:51. > :08:54.Staffordshire and I will be taking that up as I did with the Secretary

:08:55. > :08:57.of State this morning at every opportunity but I do believe there

:08:58. > :09:02.are very positive things that we continue with and I urge them to

:09:03. > :09:06.engage with local Members of Parliament. But the issue that

:09:07. > :09:10.really concerns me, as indeed it does a lot of members, is social

:09:11. > :09:16.care. Staffordshire this week has had a warning that it is seeing

:09:17. > :09:20.closures of social care homes across the County in the private sector,

:09:21. > :09:24.because it's simply unaffordable for them to continue. What we have to

:09:25. > :09:29.remember is that some of this is a consequence of matters that have

:09:30. > :09:32.been going on for quite a long time. But some is also the consequence of

:09:33. > :09:37.the introduction of the minimum living wage. We are to bear in mind

:09:38. > :09:44.that most of those who work in the care sector are on or about levels

:09:45. > :09:49.of pay which are the minimum wage. They have received, rightly, a pay

:09:50. > :09:53.rise through the minimum living wage but there has not been the core

:09:54. > :09:59.respondent increase in the amount that is paid to care homes for the

:10:00. > :10:02.provision of services. We have also seen in Staffordshire this year the

:10:03. > :10:07.better care fund not working as it should have done. ?15 million was

:10:08. > :10:11.supposed to go into improvement in care. It has been retained within

:10:12. > :10:16.the health service for understandable reasons, but this has

:10:17. > :10:20.caused a great shortfall to the County Council. I hope that this

:10:21. > :10:24.will be to some extent recommend teed, certainly for the coming year,

:10:25. > :10:28.but we are facing a crisis in the funding of social care, indeed in

:10:29. > :10:32.the funding of health and social care and we need a long-term

:10:33. > :10:35.solution. Many members on all sides have raised this on a number of

:10:36. > :10:43.occasions, I certainly have over the last two or three years but the time

:10:44. > :10:46.has come for action. We can not have more sticking plaster recommend di.

:10:47. > :10:50.The announcements made by the Secretary of State were welcome and

:10:51. > :10:58.I support them but they are sticking plasters in the face of the sums of

:10:59. > :11:02.money which are required. I want to mention briefly transport in my

:11:03. > :11:06.area. I have asked in the past for the Secretary of State for transport

:11:07. > :11:09.to meet with me to discuss the road system in Staffordshire and

:11:10. > :11:14.particularly in Stafford and I do it for a couple of reasons. One is that

:11:15. > :11:19.we are shortly to have the improvements to the M6 between

:11:20. > :11:22.junction 13 and 15 which I welcome but inevitably those improvements

:11:23. > :11:26.which take at least two years will take at least two years will have a

:11:27. > :11:31.knock-on impact upon other roads in the area and we need to ensure that

:11:32. > :11:34.they are carried out in the most efishent and effective way with the

:11:35. > :11:41.least disruption but much more serious is the potential disruption

:11:42. > :11:46.to be caused by the construction of HS2, phase two-A if that passes

:11:47. > :11:53.these Houses of parliament in the coming 12 or 15 months. The route

:11:54. > :11:55.cuts across all the major transport, north-south transport routes in

:11:56. > :12:00.Staffordshire which are the national north-south routes in the west of

:12:01. > :12:04.the country. Unless we think about this well in advance, how it is

:12:05. > :12:10.going to be planned, when road closures are happening, when work is

:12:11. > :12:13.to be done and alternatives are planned well in advance, we will see

:12:14. > :12:18.chaos, not just for a couple of years, but for many years and I urge

:12:19. > :12:22.the Government to think about that in advance. I know they may say it

:12:23. > :12:25.hasn't passed parliament yet, we can't do anything about it until

:12:26. > :12:30.then, that is absolutely not the approach. We must think about it now

:12:31. > :12:33.because the consequences, not just for Staffordshire and Stoke but

:12:34. > :12:34.indeed for the entire West Midlands and north-west economy could be

:12:35. > :12:44.quite serious. Other matters in the House which I

:12:45. > :12:53.have raised, the issue of hoists border -- for disabled people. It

:12:54. > :12:57.was a surprise when a constituent of mine so it was not a requirement for

:12:58. > :13:03.major change of HS2 have hoists in a couple of rooms so disabled people

:13:04. > :13:11.could enjoy the benefits of staying in those hotels -- major chains of

:13:12. > :13:15.hotels. I would like to see a standard that in every hotel that is

:13:16. > :13:20.constructed in this country and indeed those that have already been

:13:21. > :13:25.built, above a certain size, that it is standard that some rooms would

:13:26. > :13:31.have those hoists available. I've also raised the issue of fireworks

:13:32. > :13:36.after the tragic loss of two lives in Staffordshire and the facilities

:13:37. > :13:43.that contain fireworks. It is extraordinary that the

:13:44. > :13:48.responsibility for inspecting facilities which can contain almost

:13:49. > :13:56.as much explosives or gunpowder as Guy Fawkes had when he wanted to

:13:57. > :14:00.blow up this place, they are regulated by local authorities, who

:14:01. > :14:05.might be very good at other things but simply do not have the expertise

:14:06. > :14:09.and I would like to see any major and by major I mean upwards of a few

:14:10. > :14:15.hundred kilos, possibly a few tens of kilos of explosives, to be

:14:16. > :14:17.regulated to the Health and Safety Executive who have the experience,

:14:18. > :14:23.possibly through the Fire and rescue authorities who have the experience

:14:24. > :14:28.to make judgments on these matters. We have a couple of weeks ago an

:14:29. > :14:35.excellent debate which I was privileged to lead on the ivory

:14:36. > :14:41.trade -- we had. And the request that the United Kingdom should and

:14:42. > :14:44.trade in ivory, having spent many years of my life in Tanzania which

:14:45. > :14:49.is now suffering huge depletion in its elephants this is a matter which

:14:50. > :14:54.is the request for me and I'd add the government is looking at this

:14:55. > :15:05.and we will have a consultation -- and I know the government. I hope we

:15:06. > :15:09.can see all I've -- ivory trade stopped in the UK with a few

:15:10. > :15:14.sensible exceptions. Finally, a couple of other issues, I want to

:15:15. > :15:19.raise the question of employment and support allowance for the

:15:20. > :15:23.work-related activity group, this is a matter that many colleagues on all

:15:24. > :15:28.sides have some concerns about, the government promised to come up with

:15:29. > :15:33.measures that would compensate the loss of the additional money coming

:15:34. > :15:38.in to people who start on that group from next April, and we have yet to

:15:39. > :15:40.hear concrete measures that I believe are satisfactory and I hope

:15:41. > :15:46.the government will take another look at this. I very pretty want to

:15:47. > :15:55.mention matters to do with international development and around

:15:56. > :15:58.Syria. -- I very quickly. I have seen the work UK Government is doing

:15:59. > :16:03.with the incredibly generous governments of the people of Lebanon

:16:04. > :16:11.and Jordan as well as Turkey and Egypt and Iraq. In hosting millions

:16:12. > :16:14.of refugees and providing education for their children, so much so that

:16:15. > :16:19.in Lebanon there are shortly to be more serene refugee children in

:16:20. > :16:22.their state schools and there are Lebanese children, this is an

:16:23. > :16:27.example of the excellent work which is done to the international

:16:28. > :16:30.development budget which has received criticism in the press in

:16:31. > :16:35.recent days and is quite right we should investigate all those issues,

:16:36. > :16:40.but we should never forget the great work that is done through that and

:16:41. > :16:45.the support that is given to these marvellous people who help people in

:16:46. > :16:49.the most difficult of circumstances, and with that I wish you and

:16:50. > :17:02.everyone a Merry Christmas and a placid year. Mike Wood. -- blessed

:17:03. > :17:07.New Year. I would like to add my agreement to the item is put forward

:17:08. > :17:13.by my friend from Stoke and my gallant friend for Beckenham. About

:17:14. > :17:18.the concerns that some of our servicemen seem to be treated more

:17:19. > :17:24.adversely than some suspected and indeed convicted terrorists. I hope

:17:25. > :17:28.those concerns are heard not only by the government but also by the

:17:29. > :17:35.devolved administrations in Northern Ireland. One of the joys of our

:17:36. > :17:38.roles as members of Parliament is being able to work with so many

:17:39. > :17:46.community organisations. All year round. Who do so much valuable work.

:17:47. > :17:54.For often the most vulnerable people in our society. During the

:17:55. > :17:59.volunteering week in the autumn I have the pleasure of spending some

:18:00. > :18:05.time with a range of organisations including age UK and the springboard

:18:06. > :18:20.centre, Black Country food bank, and a dimension unit at A -- dementia

:18:21. > :18:22.unit. In Christmas we value the role that our community organisations

:18:23. > :18:31.play but they do this work all year round. It is very difficult to pick

:18:32. > :18:36.out any individual examples above any others but it would be remiss of

:18:37. > :18:40.me not to highlight the work of Worsley community centre in my

:18:41. > :18:45.constituency, led by the formidable Janet Blakeway. And the work they

:18:46. > :18:53.have done to improve accessibility into the centre. I was able to

:18:54. > :19:00.launch their new stair lift which was made possible by the work Janet

:19:01. > :19:07.had done, bringing in local firms, solutions and handy care, to do the

:19:08. > :19:13.work for the local community, really transformed the services that were

:19:14. > :19:19.on offer. The buzzword of the big society might have passed into

:19:20. > :19:27.political history, but of course the work that so many unheralded

:19:28. > :19:30.volunteers and community organisations do every day of the

:19:31. > :19:37.week, every week of the year, continues, regardless of passing

:19:38. > :19:42.fads in our political lexicon. There are some who argue that in our self

:19:43. > :19:46.is age in which we are supposed to live that people are no longer

:19:47. > :19:53.interested in working for community -- selfish age. Or supporting good

:19:54. > :19:59.causes, but that is not the spirits I have had myself with the support

:20:00. > :20:06.for the Macmillan coffee morning or the community clean-ups we have had

:20:07. > :20:13.in Dudley South -- that is not the experience I have had. I hope the

:20:14. > :20:16.debited leader will make sure the government continues to look at how

:20:17. > :20:23.the government can make it easy for people to give up their time -- I

:20:24. > :20:34.hope the deputy leader. They can donate their resources and skills to

:20:35. > :20:39.help the communities around them. It is pleasing to see a growing number

:20:40. > :20:45.of friends groups, supporting local parks in green spaces, at a time

:20:46. > :20:50.when local authorities are having to look at how and where they are able

:20:51. > :20:54.to dedicate resources. Being able to see community is saying that these

:20:55. > :20:58.things are important to us, and going out and taking practical

:20:59. > :21:07.action with our societies. Most recently in Dudley South the friends

:21:08. > :21:13.of Cockbain park group was formed a month or so ago on a wet Wednesday

:21:14. > :21:17.evening, and still attracted 60 people from local estates, and that

:21:18. > :21:25.was in response to damage and disruption caused following an

:21:26. > :21:30.unauthorised traveller camp. The Black Country has seen an unusual

:21:31. > :21:36.number of unauthorised traveller camps over the summer and into the

:21:37. > :21:40.early autumn and many of these have been responsible and considerate to

:21:41. > :21:45.the local neighbours, but sadly there are some who have behaved

:21:46. > :21:51.criminally with disruption and criminal damage and police reports

:21:52. > :21:57.of robberies and indeed violent crimes as well. Whilst our local

:21:58. > :22:03.authorities in my own borough Dudley and also neighbouring boroughs have

:22:04. > :22:11.pursued successive magistrate court orders, but of course those who seek

:22:12. > :22:14.to take advantage of the system is known that means they have at least

:22:15. > :22:21.seven days before they need to worry about it. And so the effect has been

:22:22. > :22:28.that some of the less responsible and less considerate groups have

:22:29. > :22:33.just gone from one park or play area to the next, still causing the same

:22:34. > :22:40.damage and disruption at each. I would hope that the government would

:22:41. > :22:49.look again at both practical questions such as can a provision of

:22:50. > :22:55.land for traveller camps, authorised traveller camps, can that be work so

:22:56. > :22:59.that local authorities can come together to make sure there is

:23:00. > :23:05.adequate provision over a wide area rather than a single authority area.

:23:06. > :23:10.And also whether it is time to look at local authorities being able to

:23:11. > :23:22.designate particular land or categories of land as designated

:23:23. > :23:26.sites where I unauthorised camps would attract criminal penalties and

:23:27. > :23:31.the reality is that go with it, but we must always considered the

:23:32. > :23:36.genuine human rights of travelling communities. But they must be

:23:37. > :23:46.balanced with the legitimate rights of settled communities as well. This

:23:47. > :23:51.year I was really pleased that the former Chancellor of the Exchequer

:23:52. > :23:57.was able to announce the enterprise zone in my constituency had been

:23:58. > :24:02.approved. He announced that at the budget in March. We are still

:24:03. > :24:07.waiting for the final approval of the business case and I hope the

:24:08. > :24:15.deputy leader will make enquiries so that we can expect final approval

:24:16. > :24:20.very soon so that the new jobs and investment and hopefully the

:24:21. > :24:25.increased prosperity can come into my constituency and benefit not only

:24:26. > :24:33.those I represent but also those in neighbouring constituencies will

:24:34. > :24:40.stop the extension to the Metro network in the West Midlands, which

:24:41. > :24:44.the government has signed off on between Wednesbury and Brad hill in

:24:45. > :24:50.my constituency, that is now going ahead. It is being underwritten by

:24:51. > :24:55.the new West Midlands combined authority, meaning it can go ahead

:24:56. > :24:59.sooner than was expected and I hope the government will give serious

:25:00. > :25:06.consideration to extending that further onto Stourbridge so that the

:25:07. > :25:14.tram link can connect back with mainline rail networks and enjoy

:25:15. > :25:18.benefits, just to connectivity. The final thing I would like to raise

:25:19. > :25:24.before the House adjourns for the Christmas recess, working to make

:25:25. > :25:29.sure that everyone in our communities has the skills and

:25:30. > :25:33.knowledge they need to succeed. I've been lucky enough to be able to

:25:34. > :25:41.visit every school in my constituency since I was elected

:25:42. > :25:45.last May. And clearly there is much excellent teaching and school

:25:46. > :25:49.management around Dudley and the wider Black Country, and it is

:25:50. > :25:52.important I make that point, because my wife has returned to the

:25:53. > :25:57.classroom recently and I know she is listening. It could be a cold

:25:58. > :26:03.Christmas if I forget to emphasise that. As far as my own

:26:04. > :26:12.constituencies are concerned, the victors trust and one of the trust

:26:13. > :26:18.show how powerful schools working in partnership to drive up standards

:26:19. > :26:23.can be -- Invictus Games and one other trust. But in the wider Black

:26:24. > :26:32.Country wider concerns have been raised by Ofsted to the four Black

:26:33. > :26:36.Country authorities and children start below the national average in

:26:37. > :26:44.those authorities, and in general they slip further behind, sadly,

:26:45. > :26:50.across the Key stages 1-4. The performance is less good than

:26:51. > :26:52.similar local authorities with similar levels of deprivation

:26:53. > :26:59.elsewhere in the country, and we really need to look at how we can

:27:00. > :27:06.make sure that no child is left behind where ever they are in the

:27:07. > :27:09.country. Part of this must be that high performing schools and

:27:10. > :27:13.academies trust is our able to innovate so we have more diversity

:27:14. > :27:21.and tailored education provision within states cools. -- state

:27:22. > :27:27.schools. The victors trust which has one school in my constituency has

:27:28. > :27:33.plans for a specialist school which incorporates almost a military style

:27:34. > :27:37.curriculum along with core subjects, targeting those in danger of

:27:38. > :27:41.becoming disengaged with the education system. And I hope the

:27:42. > :27:45.government will give this serious consideration when that application

:27:46. > :27:58.is submitted. We do have a lot of talent within

:27:59. > :28:02.our local schools and I saw it recently when I received a letter

:28:03. > :28:05.from some about the scourge of modern slavery, this is an issue

:28:06. > :28:10.that I have taken up with ministers, it's an issue that I know the deputy

:28:11. > :28:16.leader himself has done a lot of work on in the past but the quality

:28:17. > :28:19.of that letter and the depth of understanding that they

:28:20. > :28:23.demonstrated, not only of the slave trade, of the early 19th century,

:28:24. > :28:27.the abolition of slavery in the United States and also how that

:28:28. > :28:32.affects our communities now was remarkable for primary school

:28:33. > :28:35.children. Finally, you will be aware of some of the talent in my

:28:36. > :28:42.constituency, I hope in the Christmas card that you will have

:28:43. > :28:52.received showcasing the artistic talents in particular of some

:28:53. > :29:01.finalists, Alex and Lucy, William and Millie and Tia, Thomas and

:29:02. > :29:06.Reggie, I am delighted that not only were those seven excellent entries

:29:07. > :29:10.able to go on the Christmas card, but into a large shopping centre in

:29:11. > :29:16.my constituency who was so impressed with the standard of all the entries

:29:17. > :29:19.they've put them on display so that people doing their last-minute

:29:20. > :29:23.Christmas shopping can see how many talented artists we have in Dudley

:29:24. > :29:30.South so I think that's a good point at which to finish and to wish you

:29:31. > :29:35.again a very merry Christmas, Mr Speaker and best wishes for the new

:29:36. > :29:39.year. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I want to speak today about one issue of

:29:40. > :29:44.great concern which is how negatively the proposed new national

:29:45. > :29:48.funding formula for schools will impact on schools in my Congleton

:29:49. > :29:53.constituency if it is not revised and it is critical for the children

:29:54. > :29:57.of my constituency that it is. Prior to the announcement last week my

:29:58. > :30:02.constituency schools were already amongst the poorest funded in the

:30:03. > :30:07.country. So we expected a good funding increase. But after that

:30:08. > :30:13.announcement head teachers tell me theirs will be the very worst funded

:30:14. > :30:21.schools in the country. The most poorly funded local authority used

:30:22. > :30:27.to be ?4158 per head but this will now be Cheshire east at ?4122.

:30:28. > :30:31.Imagine my heads consternation last week when they discovered their

:30:32. > :30:36.funding will not actually increase, but drop. I use the word

:30:37. > :30:41.consternation, they have used the word outrage. No wonder that within

:30:42. > :30:45.48 hours of the announcement no less than five head teachers came to my

:30:46. > :30:49.constituency office to express their utter dismay. A year ago, I took a

:30:50. > :30:52.group of head teachers to meet the former Education Minister to ensure

:30:53. > :30:57.that he heard their concerns directly on poor funding for

:30:58. > :31:00.Cheshire East schools and to implore him that the new formula must

:31:01. > :31:05.address this and this was after a similar meeting in the previous

:31:06. > :31:09.parliament when the local authority officers met his predecessor with me

:31:10. > :31:14.for the same purpose. Hundreds of my constituents signed a petition for

:31:15. > :31:17.fairer funding. This issue is far from new which is why the

:31:18. > :31:21.announcement was so shocking. My head teachers are now asking how

:31:22. > :31:24.Cheshire East has become the most poorly funded area after a

:31:25. > :31:31.convincing case to the Minister was made by them at their meeting and

:31:32. > :31:34.they thought that had been heard. I too find it difficult to understand.

:31:35. > :31:38.What is particularly concerning is that these are some of the highest

:31:39. > :31:43.performing schools in the country but there is a point at which this

:31:44. > :31:47.laudable level of achievement cannot be maintained. The Secretary of

:31:48. > :31:51.State last week in this place - sorry yesterday in this place said

:31:52. > :31:57.we have been able to ensure that the areas that have been underfunded

:31:58. > :32:02.will be able to gain up to 3% over 2018-19 and 2019-20. My schools are

:32:03. > :32:08.facing exactly the opposite, not a rise of 3%, but the majority of my

:32:09. > :32:13.high schools face a reduction of 2. 9%. Before I relay some of the

:32:14. > :32:16.unpalable options facing head teachers in my constituency let me

:32:17. > :32:20.set in context last week's announcement because a number of

:32:21. > :32:25.other factors actually make the funding reductions for my schools

:32:26. > :32:31.far worse. Firstly, it's said that schools face a reduction of 8% in

:32:32. > :32:35.funding in real terms by 2020, due chiefly to unfunded increase in

:32:36. > :32:41.employer costs. So that makes the average savings to be found, not

:32:42. > :32:44.over 2%, but over 10%. In addition, the reduction in the educational

:32:45. > :32:49.services grant will mean an additional hit for academies in my

:32:50. > :32:52.constituency which means all seven high schools and even graver in

:32:53. > :32:58.Cheshire East there is still no local plan which has led to hundreds

:32:59. > :33:01.of new houses without additional funding for the proportionate

:33:02. > :33:05.increase in the number of children attending the schools. This effect

:33:06. > :33:09.of so-called lagging means schools are required to educate additional

:33:10. > :33:13.children with no additional funding. So what do head teachers tell me

:33:14. > :33:18.will be the effect of this new formula on their schools? With

:33:19. > :33:23.reference to the primary schools one head teacher says they will be

:33:24. > :33:27.forced into significant reductions including reducing support staff to

:33:28. > :33:34.help SEN children. At the high schools which will lose ?800,000 a

:33:35. > :33:40.year between them, one alone will face losses of ?300,000 over three

:33:41. > :33:44.years. Head teacher Ed O'Neill says this will be deeply damaging and the

:33:45. > :33:48.removal of the of the grant and the calculator pressures mean total

:33:49. > :33:54.savings of 12% will have to be found. Richard Middlebrook nominated

:33:55. > :33:58.for Head teacher of the Year is a national leader of education. He

:33:59. > :34:04.says the only way to survive would be to either open for only four days

:34:05. > :34:09.a week, narrow the curriculum or close the 6th form, all completely

:34:10. > :34:12.implausible. Dennis Oliver, one head teacher also a national leader of

:34:13. > :34:17.education, is loo looking at either the removal of all teaching

:34:18. > :34:21.assistant posts, loss of all technicians, or eight non-viable

:34:22. > :34:27.sixth form groups or removing heating and lighting for a year or

:34:28. > :34:33.general resources for children such as paper and books. Another head, a

:34:34. > :34:38.long established Ofsted inspector tells me he risks losing his

:34:39. > :34:42.school's outstanding status. He has a ?200,000 deficit as a result of

:34:43. > :34:47.lagged funding now to -- due to new housing. He believes the only

:34:48. > :34:51.feasible way to run the school would be to remove the programme of extra

:34:52. > :34:55.curriculum activities and or reduce the number of 6th form classes. He

:34:56. > :35:01.himself is already teaching 12 hours of maths a week to help balance the

:35:02. > :35:05.budget. Another head teacher at a boys school has calculated that

:35:06. > :35:08.losing the entire music, art, business studies or geography

:35:09. > :35:13.departments could achieve the reductions. Simply not possible for

:35:14. > :35:17.a school which is a regional leader in music and the creativity arts.

:35:18. > :35:20.She's concerned about the recruitment and retention of key

:35:21. > :35:27.staff whilst managing a reduction of 2. 9% which she calculates will

:35:28. > :35:31.actually be 5% taking into account other factors. The chief executive

:35:32. > :35:39.officer at one academy trust of which I am a patron, is facing a

:35:40. > :35:44.reduction of 2. 4% but tells me that in addition he has been educating

:35:45. > :35:50.over 50 children every year free for the last three years due to the

:35:51. > :35:56.increased housing nearby. Equating to over ?200,000 per year of missing

:35:57. > :36:00.funding in each of the last three years. This has depleted healthy

:36:01. > :36:05.reserves. The school he says has made every cut it can to ensure it

:36:06. > :36:10.has a balanced budget. He says, we have increased average class sizes,

:36:11. > :36:14.removed some subjects from our post-16 provision, increased contact

:36:15. > :36:17.time for teachers and reduced the amount spent on books and computer

:36:18. > :36:21.equipment. As I say, I am proud to be patron for this well-run

:36:22. > :36:26.multiacademy trust, already helping to drive down back office costs for

:36:27. > :36:33.the three schools in the trust by providing central services of

:36:34. > :36:36.finance and human resources. Another faces deeper reduction as a result

:36:37. > :36:39.of the change in funding with children with special needs and

:36:40. > :36:43.disabilities for which it has a dedicated unit. The school is a lead

:36:44. > :36:49.school for emotional health and members may recall that I

:36:50. > :36:54.highlighted recently its outstanding work with the most vulnerable

:36:55. > :36:57.students and families but the head teacher says, as head, I have no

:36:58. > :37:01.option but to reduce staffing from this area in order to meet a minimum

:37:02. > :37:07.number of teachers to provide a curriculum. He continues, this is

:37:08. > :37:12.alongside a shortfall in funding for schools that maintain a truly

:37:13. > :37:17.inclusive intake. The shortterm view will store up problems for society

:37:18. > :37:20.and other services in the long-term. I feel that the holistic support for

:37:21. > :37:25.children and families is being sacrificed and has no educational

:37:26. > :37:30.value in raising standards for our most vulnerable students. Now these

:37:31. > :37:34.head teachers who I know well are utterly dedicated and professional

:37:35. > :37:37.but the concerns I express on their behalf have been increasing for

:37:38. > :37:42.several years. Their conclusion is that the proposed national fairer

:37:43. > :37:45.funding formula is not fit for purpose, certainly not in Cheshire

:37:46. > :37:49.East. They are asking the Government to go back to the drawing board

:37:50. > :37:53.after listening to the outcome of the current consultation and I am

:37:54. > :37:56.asking for the concerns I have expressed today to be included in

:37:57. > :38:01.that consultation. I hope the deputy leader of the House will refer these

:38:02. > :38:05.concerns to the school Minister and convey my request to him for an

:38:06. > :38:08.early meeting which I have in fact already asked for, to which these

:38:09. > :38:13.head teachers will travel at short notice. I hope then that the schools

:38:14. > :38:18.Minister will not just hear but also act by reviewing the impact of the

:38:19. > :38:23.new funding formula on the schools in my constituency. Without it,

:38:24. > :38:27.there will be grave implications for the education and life chances of

:38:28. > :38:32.the children these head teachers so deeply care about. And with that,

:38:33. > :38:34.may I wish you and all colleagues within the chamber a happy and

:38:35. > :38:45.restful Christmas. Thank you. It's an absolute pleasure

:38:46. > :38:49.to make my debut appearance as the Shadow deputy leader of the House in

:38:50. > :38:54.this adjournment debate where I believe we are at our best raising a

:38:55. > :38:57.huge number of issues but I am conscious that other than the deputy

:38:58. > :39:01.leader of the House I am the only thing standing between members and

:39:02. > :39:05.their Christmas recess. So I will be as brief as I can as I run through

:39:06. > :39:10.my thoughts on the debate we have enjoyed this afternoon. The member

:39:11. > :39:13.for Harrow East opened the debate remembering those less fortunate

:39:14. > :39:19.than ourselves. A very important message at Christmas and the plight

:39:20. > :39:23.of those who are homeless. Add my thanks to Crisis who do amazing work

:39:24. > :39:27.all year round but particularly at Christmas and pay credit to the last

:39:28. > :39:31.Labour Government who did so much work in tackling rough sleeping. My

:39:32. > :39:36.honourable friend for north Tyneside raised important issues of drug

:39:37. > :39:40.addiction and the hugely important issue of sprinklers in schools and

:39:41. > :39:44.raised issues of jobs in her constituency for whom she is a

:39:45. > :39:48.tireless advocate for the people of north Tyneside. The member for

:39:49. > :39:51.Chelmsford raised something that interested myself about the plight

:39:52. > :39:57.of his constituents and their rail journeys into London. He told me

:39:58. > :40:04.their trains are now 30 years old. I see his challenge of 30 years old

:40:05. > :40:08.and I raise him the class 37s which are 1960s locos which many commuters

:40:09. > :40:14.between Barrow and Preston use and frequently break down. They are a

:40:15. > :40:25.magnificent engine, last time I raised this in the House many train

:40:26. > :40:29.enthusiasts said to me on Twitter. My honourable friend raised the

:40:30. > :40:33.issue of workers receiving a pay cut this Christmas. She is an advocate

:40:34. > :40:38.for them and raises the issue of retail workers who often, Christmas

:40:39. > :40:41.is bittersweet, the hours and money they can earn is great but often

:40:42. > :40:45.January comes with a reduction in hours and a pay cut. The member for

:40:46. > :40:50.Bridgwater and west Somerset informed the House of the drama

:40:51. > :40:53.unfolding in his constituency and called it the end of local

:40:54. > :41:00.democracy. Many of my constituents perhaps would argue that's already

:41:01. > :41:08.happened given that fracking is being forced upon the people of

:41:09. > :41:12.Lancashire. The issue of call for the rejection of post-truth politics

:41:13. > :41:18.is one I concur. And we should all commit to putting the united back

:41:19. > :41:22.into the United Kingdom. The member for Bradley Stoke talked

:41:23. > :41:26.about road transport infrastructure issues in his constituency and since

:41:27. > :41:32.we are making our Christmas list, I would like to add the A585 to my

:41:33. > :41:48.wish list for the road into Fleetwood. There was the

:41:49. > :41:54.The gallant member for Beckenham raised the inequity faced by the

:41:55. > :41:58.ex-service personnel who served in Northern Ireland and I am sure the

:41:59. > :42:03.deputy leader will be expanding on that in his remarks. The member for

:42:04. > :42:06.Strangford reminded the House of the real reason for Christmas, the

:42:07. > :42:09.greatest gift ever given, the birth of Jesus Christ and he remembered

:42:10. > :42:16.all the persecuted Christians around the world which is an issue he feels

:42:17. > :42:20.strongly about. Sometimes one - probably finds overwhelming to deal

:42:21. > :42:23.with, my Christmas gift to the member for Strangford is one John

:42:24. > :42:27.verse four, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who

:42:28. > :42:28.is in the world and I hope that offers him some comfort this

:42:29. > :42:37.Christmas. The member for Twickenham spoke

:42:38. > :42:44.about the shamefaced by our constituents, the assessments, and

:42:45. > :42:48.the great Ken Loach film I Daniel Blake, which if anyone has any time

:42:49. > :42:53.over Christmas, I think they will be off to hire that from Amazon videos

:42:54. > :42:57.or something. The member for Southend West reflected on

:42:58. > :43:02.bereavement which is felt more acutely at Christmas than any time

:43:03. > :43:05.of year and I'm pleased he raised the issue with his local hospice and

:43:06. > :43:11.the work they do, and if I was not at this debate I would have been at

:43:12. > :43:16.St John's Hospice in Lancaster where students from a college were doing a

:43:17. > :43:20.Christmas performance, but instead I will be visiting a children's

:43:21. > :43:24.hospital in Blackpool tomorrow. The member for Cleethorpes raised the

:43:25. > :43:26.issue of Seaview Street in his constituency which was a win at the

:43:27. > :43:33.British high street awards last week. His constituency might be the

:43:34. > :43:37.number one result on the East Coast, and he knows he could not possibly

:43:38. > :43:46.compete with the result of Fleetwood and indeed my constituency which was

:43:47. > :43:50.the winner at the same awards, but he raised the issue of the fishing

:43:51. > :43:54.industry and that must be looked at very seriously when it comes to

:43:55. > :43:57.Brexit negotiations and we must support the British fishing

:43:58. > :44:10.industry. The member for Kingston and suburb that -- Surbiton spoke

:44:11. > :44:14.about hate speech on social media and also races, Islamophobia,

:44:15. > :44:21.homophobia, sexism, racism, and all forms of hate. If I might indulge

:44:22. > :44:27.you, last week I reported a comment on Facebook which was made about the

:44:28. > :44:37.person who is a democratically elected politician in this country,

:44:38. > :44:46.and the quote was, shoot the EXPLETIVE between the eyes, but I

:44:47. > :44:56.heard from Facebook that that did not exceed their rules. I heard from

:44:57. > :45:02.our friend about diabetes, and Leicester City, 2016 has been a fine

:45:03. > :45:09.year for Leicester City, but also for the mighty Barrow who beat a

:45:10. > :45:14.league side away from home for the first time in many years, it was

:45:15. > :45:21.clearly a Barras in defeat for Blackburn in the FA Cup -- clearly

:45:22. > :45:25.an embarrassing defeat. May I join members who remembered our Kholi Jo

:45:26. > :45:34.Cox and she reminded us that we have more in common than which divides us

:45:35. > :45:36.-- remembered our colleague. All those members of the House who come

:45:37. > :45:43.from many different fate and cultural backgrounds but all in the

:45:44. > :45:47.same way British, so may I take this opportunity to wish you a happy

:45:48. > :45:51.Christmas, but to which the debited leader of the house is a happy

:45:52. > :46:00.Hanika and in my household we will be celebrating both festivals and

:46:01. > :46:05.anyone who has ever seen the OC will know about the merger of both

:46:06. > :46:08.festivals. What ever members of this House are celebrating, may I wish

:46:09. > :46:13.them a very happy Christmas and every peaceful New Year and extend

:46:14. > :46:16.that to the staff that work for us and the staff at the House and

:46:17. > :46:23.everyone who works here and all of our constituents. Michael Ellis.

:46:24. > :46:29.Thank you very much indeed. It is a pleasure to appear before you and

:46:30. > :46:35.opposite the shadow debited leader of the House, a commensurate

:46:36. > :46:39.performance if I may say so. Although the shadow leader of the

:46:40. > :46:46.House called me suave on a recent occasion, in the chamber last week,

:46:47. > :46:49.the impressive skills of the member for Walsall South is now in evidence

:46:50. > :46:54.for everyone to see and I was rather disappointed at first that she was

:46:55. > :47:01.not in the chamber today, but I welcome her to her place and she

:47:02. > :47:07.only need follow the example of her shadow leader, her leader, in my

:47:08. > :47:13.opinion, and she will do very well. This is an excellent opportunity to

:47:14. > :47:17.have a look at a Panorama of subjects without being checked for a

:47:18. > :47:23.want of relevance, and in the spirit of Christmas, I would want to say

:47:24. > :47:27.and referred to Mr Speaker in his absence and his awesome memory and

:47:28. > :47:32.attention to detail which I think does this House proud. The member

:47:33. > :47:38.for Harrow East spoke about those less fortunate than ourselves and if

:47:39. > :47:43.I may say so the work he has done and is doing on the homelessness

:47:44. > :47:48.reduction Bill which I understand is making very good progress, I'm told

:47:49. > :47:53.it is the longest private members Bill ever, quite an achievement. But

:47:54. > :48:00.he has clearly done tremendous work in this area. Also it is well known

:48:01. > :48:02.that his work with faith groups across our communities is very much

:48:03. > :48:08.appreciated and extremely impressive. The member for North

:48:09. > :48:15.Tyneside spoke about drug deaths being at record levels, and the

:48:16. > :48:21.importance of treatment for those who have become addicted to illegal

:48:22. > :48:25.narcotic substances. She made powerful point in that regard, as

:48:26. > :48:32.she did about the issue of fire safety in schools. The member for

:48:33. > :48:39.Chipping Barnet spoke about the digitisation of the tax system and

:48:40. > :48:42.the estimate as given by the Federation of Small Businesses that

:48:43. > :48:52.there will be cost issues regarding that advancement. And cost, she

:48:53. > :48:57.spoke of, for entrepreneurs as well, but this is a voluntary system and a

:48:58. > :49:01.pilot system and I know the points she made with her usual customary

:49:02. > :49:05.eloquence, elegance, they will actually be very much listened to

:49:06. > :49:11.and this is something she has raised some trigger points. She's looking

:49:12. > :49:15.at the issue with the same scale as she did as Secretary of State for

:49:16. > :49:19.Northern Ireland and no doubt she will keep pursuing her thing, but it

:49:20. > :49:25.is a pilot scheme and therefore these contributions will be very

:49:26. > :49:29.useful going forward. The member for Linlithgow and is Falkirk spoke

:49:30. > :49:36.about illicit tobacco being a danger, which we know that it is,

:49:37. > :49:42.and not only is it a danger to the Treasury as a loss of revenue, but

:49:43. > :49:45.actually more importantly it is very harmful, harmful in so many ways,

:49:46. > :49:50.harmful to young people because it might be distributed in an illicit

:49:51. > :49:55.way so that young people can gain access to it. It might contain

:49:56. > :50:02.content which is unwholesome. And not wholly related. And he made some

:50:03. > :50:13.good points in that regard -- regulated. My friend for Chelmsford

:50:14. > :50:16.is a senior member from whom I have occasionally sought advice and have

:50:17. > :50:22.been happy to do so, and he raised the trains problem. In his area, no

:50:23. > :50:27.doubt the same issues arise elsewhere, the infrastructure

:50:28. > :50:35.failures. A major investment from Liverpool Street up the line to his

:50:36. > :50:38.part of the world, is underway, of course, and there has been a

:50:39. > :50:45.commitment for new trains in the next couple of years, 2019-2020. He

:50:46. > :50:50.made the valid point that there is a need for jam today as well as jam

:50:51. > :50:56.tomorrow. We would all like jam perhaps every day. As a member of

:50:57. > :51:03.the breakfast club here in the House of Commons, he partakes of that.

:51:04. > :51:09.Frankly, his constituents are very well served by him if I may say so,

:51:10. > :51:12.and he made some very valid points about about the engineering work

:51:13. > :51:16.that sometimes overruns from the weekend and goes into a Monday

:51:17. > :51:18.morning. The fact that freight trains can be using the line in the

:51:19. > :51:27.rush hour and other very sensible points. He talked about the trials

:51:28. > :51:31.of digital signalling, that are being planned by Her Majesty 's

:51:32. > :51:39.government, and he has suggested that his area be a part of the

:51:40. > :51:42.experiment area. That is something I know will grow through to the

:51:43. > :51:47.Transport Secretary because I will make sure that it does. -- go

:51:48. > :51:52.through. We will see of that community to apply. The member for

:51:53. > :52:00.Mitcham and Morden, I was not aware that she had made a music video, but

:52:01. > :52:03.I know now, and I obviously in an minority because I understand

:52:04. > :52:10.thousands have already watched it. She also spoke about our businesses

:52:11. > :52:13.and companies in this country, and of course our businesses are the

:52:14. > :52:17.engine and the lifeblood of the economy and it is appropriate to

:52:18. > :52:22.thank them for the work they do in employing people and contributing in

:52:23. > :52:27.the highly valuable way that they do to the economy. Full-time work makes

:52:28. > :52:34.up nearly 75% of the growth in employment since 2010 and I would

:52:35. > :52:39.like to say John Lewis is a very good company with a very good

:52:40. > :52:43.reputation. I would gently encourage all chief executive is to find time

:52:44. > :52:47.to meet members of Parliament when such requests are made wherever

:52:48. > :52:49.possible. She mentioned it was appreciated across the House the

:52:50. > :53:02.Acme -- Academy community. We would like to show support to

:53:03. > :53:10.them, a very smoky minty but a great asset to our society -- a very small

:53:11. > :53:16.community. I had to think long and hard about what to say next. He

:53:17. > :53:21.referred to a merger most foul and I'm sorry to hear about the local

:53:22. > :53:27.difficulties in his area. It was a subtle speech for those members who

:53:28. > :53:34.were not present. He really is a ferociously as for his constituents.

:53:35. > :53:37.-- ferocious voice. Those in his district must think twice before

:53:38. > :53:45.crossing him. I will say no more about that. The honourable member

:53:46. > :53:51.for Chester mentioned the fact that the European Union is a source of

:53:52. > :53:58.concern to him in terms of where we go from here. I can assure him that

:53:59. > :54:01.Her Majesty 's government is not going to be introspective and it is

:54:02. > :54:08.not introspective and will not be and has not been. I said to him that

:54:09. > :54:11.the UK has always been an outward looking country and we will continue

:54:12. > :54:17.to be. We should have faith and he should have faith in the people of

:54:18. > :54:24.this country moving forward. The honourable man but for that the

:54:25. > :54:30.spoke -- the member for Bradley Stoke spoke about the alternative to

:54:31. > :54:35.private car journeys, when it is up and running. There have been

:54:36. > :54:39.consequent congestion and delays and he has clearly been working hard and

:54:40. > :54:44.he mentioned the meetings he has been having on the subject. He has

:54:45. > :54:47.been working hard on behalf of his constituency meetings here and in

:54:48. > :54:53.his constituency and progress has been made. I was pleased to hear

:54:54. > :55:00.about that, but I was also struck by what he said about his son and the

:55:01. > :55:04.excellent advice that he gave to his excellent son, he is rightly proud

:55:05. > :55:08.of him. I don't think he's in his place will stop forgive me, he is in

:55:09. > :55:13.a different place from where he was earlier. He is rightly proud of his

:55:14. > :55:18.son, and although I have never met him, may I say that I'm proud of

:55:19. > :55:25.him, as well. Someone who has joined Her Majesty 's Armed Forces very

:55:26. > :55:32.recently. The member for West Ham made some very powerful arguments

:55:33. > :55:37.that have the House in close attention, and the patient she spoke

:55:38. > :55:42.about undergoing pain during these procedures is palpable. I have

:55:43. > :55:46.already instructed the matter be raised with the Department for

:55:47. > :55:52.health, this is an issue which clearly needs a response. I will

:55:53. > :55:56.certainly transmit that message to the right quarters. She also

:55:57. > :56:03.mentioned research into arthritis and I will also undertake to look

:56:04. > :56:10.into that. My honourable and gallant friend for Beckenham spoke very

:56:11. > :56:15.powerfully in his remarks to this House, and can I say this, I have

:56:16. > :56:20.discussed the matter very briefly on the front bench with the Secretary

:56:21. > :56:25.of State for Northern Ireland. The matter of the UK soldiers being

:56:26. > :56:32.investigated. Firstly I want to say that Her Majesty 's Armed Forces

:56:33. > :56:36.have made and continue to make such a contribution to peace and

:56:37. > :56:39.stability in Northern Ireland and they will be provided where

:56:40. > :56:45.necessary with as much taxpayer funded legal support as is

:56:46. > :56:51.necessary. Her Majesty 's government is aware of an imbalance in the

:56:52. > :56:56.system, and as part of addressing the legacy of the past, is looking

:56:57. > :57:01.to create a more balanced and proportionate system going forward.

:57:02. > :57:06.I want to thank him again for his powerful contribution and the way in

:57:07. > :57:10.which he speaks and the subject matter on which he speaks, is always

:57:11. > :57:16.one that commands the respect and attention of this House.

:57:17. > :57:22.The honourable member for Strangford and this House is so much richer for

:57:23. > :57:27.his presence, he has the true affection of this House. He spoke of

:57:28. > :57:31.his love for Christmas and I think of his grandchildren and how he

:57:32. > :57:37.enjoys spending Christmas with them and the true meaning of Christmas.

:57:38. > :57:43.The powerful religion us invocation he gave was one that struck me and I

:57:44. > :57:47.commend him for that and for all the work of his career in this chamber

:57:48. > :57:52.over the past year, but in fact throughout his time as a member of

:57:53. > :57:59.parliament. I know that he does a great deal of work about freedom of

:58:00. > :58:03.religion generally and that he works powerfully, not only for those

:58:04. > :58:07.Christians persecuted around the world, and sadly they're ever

:58:08. > :58:10.increasing in number, not only are they remembered by him, but his work

:58:11. > :58:17.on freedom of religion throughout the year is something that should be

:58:18. > :58:22.commended in this House. The honourable member for Twickenham

:58:23. > :58:27.spoke of the Department for Work and Pensions assessments and she is a

:58:28. > :58:34.fiercely independent voice throughout the year and I mean that

:58:35. > :58:38.as a compliment. Some behind me who assume it was not. But I do mean it

:58:39. > :58:41.as a compliment. She is a fiercely independent voice throughout the

:58:42. > :58:50.year and she continued to show that independent today. The honourable

:58:51. > :58:54.member for Southend West who very much clearly enjoys these prerecess

:58:55. > :59:01.adjournment debates and we enjoy hearing him, the points he raises is

:59:02. > :59:04.too much for the short few hours of the time remaining but one thing

:59:05. > :59:11.that did strike me in particular about his remarks, he lost his

:59:12. > :59:16.mother this year at the age of 104. One is never old enough to lose

:59:17. > :59:21.one's mother and can I say to him that my heart goes out to him for

:59:22. > :59:27.his loss. The fact of the matter is I know that he has raised his

:59:28. > :59:31.mother's birthdays as they have come along each yoer -- each year and I

:59:32. > :59:37.think I have been pleased to offer my good wishes on those occasions, I

:59:38. > :59:42.do commiser ate with him for his loss. He also mentioned The Prince's

:59:43. > :59:47.Trust and that was one of the things he spoke about amongst many. Can I

:59:48. > :59:52.just take this opportunity to say that, he spoke about how effective

:59:53. > :59:57.The Prince's Trust was in his area and one particular division, but I

:59:58. > :00:01.would like to commend the work of His Royal Highness the Prince of

:00:02. > :00:07.Wales. Many achievements, the superb work in many areas and The Prince's

:00:08. > :00:11.Trust is one of them. It's the 40th anniversary of The Prince's Trust

:00:12. > :00:17.this year and it's clearly transformed many young lives, not

:00:18. > :00:20.only in my honourable friend for Southend West's constituency but

:00:21. > :00:25.across the country. We are very lucky to have the Prince of Wales,

:00:26. > :00:36.in my opinion, I have to get that in, as clearly the House expects it

:00:37. > :00:40.off me. The honourable member for Cleethorpes spoke affectionately of

:00:41. > :00:45.his constituency. He spoke of the Pier of the Year winner. I thought

:00:46. > :00:53.for one minute he was talking of the other place, but it's the pier that

:00:54. > :00:58.goes out into the sea. The private sector investment that is coming the

:00:59. > :01:02.way of Cleethorpes, he spoke of Government support needed in that

:01:03. > :01:06.quarter. He spoke a lot about a request for lots of money from the

:01:07. > :01:11.Government for Cleethorpes while reiterating he wasn't actually

:01:12. > :01:16.asking for money but he made an attractive case. My honourable

:01:17. > :01:20.friend for Kingston and Surbiton, as well as giving a charming retirement

:01:21. > :01:28.message to the chief superintendent of his area, whom we all wish well

:01:29. > :01:34.in his retirement, spoke very keenly about social media abuse. And the

:01:35. > :01:39.prolific amount of hate speech that we see and that the social media

:01:40. > :01:45.companies have a responsibility, a moral responsibility to do more. I

:01:46. > :01:47.would like to take this opportunity to commend the cross-party Home

:01:48. > :01:50.Affairs Select Committee for its report on anti-Semitism. He spoke

:01:51. > :01:57.about that and he is on that committee. He referred to the 2500

:01:58. > :02:04.deeply offensive messages received in a short period of time by one

:02:05. > :02:10.member of this House, anti-Semitic messages. I would like to commend

:02:11. > :02:17.the committee for its work and perhaps mention also when referring

:02:18. > :02:22.to this issue that I think today we lost Rabbi Blue or his death was

:02:23. > :02:28.announced today, he was a wonderful voice of reason on the airways and

:02:29. > :02:32.it's a marked contrast to the anti-Semitism that we are receiving

:02:33. > :02:41.- hearing about from social media in many quarters. He spoke of - he

:02:42. > :02:49.heard that the late Lady Thatcher made a remark about people, I think

:02:50. > :02:55.what he was referring to was Lord Young where Laid Thatcher apparently

:02:56. > :02:57.said most people bring me their problems, he brings solutions, I

:02:58. > :03:03.think that's the what he was referring to. I have come on now to

:03:04. > :03:09.the honourable gentleman for Leicester east, I haven't forgotten

:03:10. > :03:17.him. He spoke of the campaign against cyber bullying and the loss

:03:18. > :03:21.of a boy of 15, the tragedy of the loss is something I wanted to

:03:22. > :03:26.mention. The member does so much to raise individual cases like that in

:03:27. > :03:32.this place and I commend him for that. The whole House offers its

:03:33. > :03:40.sympathy to the parents of Brandon who have been in the Palace of

:03:41. > :03:44.Westminster today, I know, and we certainly send our commiserations

:03:45. > :03:47.for his loss and it reiterates, and the points he made reiterates the

:03:48. > :03:52.issue of the damage done to young people in particular but also to

:03:53. > :04:02.people of all ages by cyber bullying. The member for Leicester

:04:03. > :04:07.east has tremendous history of good work in the quarters of diabetes and

:04:08. > :04:11.in Yemen. He has focussed on Yemen to my certain knowledge for years,

:04:12. > :04:16.for as long as I have been in this House and now it's a cause that many

:04:17. > :04:21.are exercised by, rightly, but he Haas been a beacon of support for

:04:22. > :04:28.Yemen for many years. His support for Leicester football club is also

:04:29. > :04:33.widely known and he did say something about mince pies, but I

:04:34. > :04:40.will have to consult the clerk about that. We will see whether that

:04:41. > :04:46.applies. The honourable member for Stafford spoke of his affection for

:04:47. > :04:52.his constituency and the unsung heros of small and medium sized

:04:53. > :04:59.enterprises and it's right we talk about them because so much work goes

:05:00. > :05:04.in by small business owners and managers who often work all hours of

:05:05. > :05:09.the day and night and are the lifeblood of our economy. He made

:05:10. > :05:14.very valuable points about the ivory trade as well and his knowledge of

:05:15. > :05:20.African affairs is very impressive. I remember speaking to him a few

:05:21. > :05:26.weeks ago and I was bowled over by his knowledge of African affairs so

:05:27. > :05:31.when he speaks on the subject he speaks with some experience and

:05:32. > :05:35.persuasion. The honourable member for Dudley South spoke of the

:05:36. > :05:41.valuable work done by volunteers, the good work that they do. And what

:05:42. > :05:46.can we do to encourage companies to encourage volunteers? I think I am

:05:47. > :05:50.right in saying that one example from my own constituency, the

:05:51. > :05:56.Nationwide building society which I think has three of - three days a

:05:57. > :06:00.year for each of its employees to do voluntary work in their communities

:06:01. > :06:05.and they're paid still by the company for those three days but the

:06:06. > :06:08.company - it's part of the company's social action project and I think if

:06:09. > :06:12.more companies can do that sort of thing that will clearly form an

:06:13. > :06:16.encouragement for those who wish to support their communities. He said

:06:17. > :06:21.he visited every school in his constituency, as someone asked if he

:06:22. > :06:29.passed all the exams, I have no doubt that he would, if he could, or

:06:30. > :06:32.if he needed to. The honourable member for Congleton spoke about

:06:33. > :06:37.schools funding and she is a powerful force for her area and I

:06:38. > :06:41.know she will continue to fight, she made some powerful points there,

:06:42. > :06:48.continue to fight on that subject and she certainly knows how to make

:06:49. > :06:54.her voice heard in this place. So I take this opportunity, if I may, to

:06:55. > :07:00.wish everyone a happy Christmas. In particular, the staff of the House,

:07:01. > :07:05.Members of Parliament staff, the police here who look after us and

:07:06. > :07:11.security, and Mr Speaker and the deputy Speakers, including you, of

:07:12. > :07:17.course, we have had a year in 2016 to remember, one which will go down

:07:18. > :07:22.in history for many reasons and with historic developments, not least of

:07:23. > :07:29.course this country's second female Prime Minister and many other causes

:07:30. > :07:35.of celebration but the House lost a member in the prime of her life in

:07:36. > :07:42.Jo Cox. An explempar of public service. Her family f I may say so,

:07:43. > :07:47.have shown extraordinary dignity in their bearing and we remember that

:07:48. > :07:52.family at Christmas and we wish them and all those of our constituents,

:07:53. > :07:56.especially those like the Cox family who have suffered a bereavement, all

:07:57. > :08:02.the very best this Christmas and in the new year.

:08:03. > :08:07.The question is that this House has considered matters to be raised

:08:08. > :08:13.before the forthcoming adjournment. As many of that opinion say aye the

:08:14. > :08:21.contrary no. I think the ayes have it. I beg to move the House do now

:08:22. > :08:25.adjourn. The question is this House do now adjourn. Thank you. I am

:08:26. > :08:31.grateful to you for selecting this topic as the last to be debated

:08:32. > :08:35.before the Christmas recess. In so doing providing me with an

:08:36. > :08:40.opportunity to put my objection to the closure of Woolwich barracks on

:08:41. > :08:45.the record. As I may not get another chance, can I take the opportunity

:08:46. > :08:49.to wish you and the staff of the House a very merry Christmas. I am

:08:50. > :08:54.also pleased to see the Minister in his place. He knows Woolwich station

:08:55. > :08:57.well and I know for reasons he may touch upon in his response is

:08:58. > :09:01.extremely fond of it. Can I take this opportunity to say to him that

:09:02. > :09:06.the extremely courtups manner in which he has engaged with me over

:09:07. > :09:14.recent weeks on this issue has been appreciated. There has been an

:09:15. > :09:20.unbroken military presence in Woolwich since the 26th May 1716

:09:21. > :09:25.when a Royal warrant in the name of King George I authorised the

:09:26. > :09:33.formation of two permanent companies of Royal Artillery in the town. The

:09:34. > :09:39.gunners regimental motto is everywhere and it could just as

:09:40. > :09:45.equally serve as a metaphor for the military's imprint on Woolwich, seen

:09:46. > :09:50.in everything from its architecture so street names. The kings Royal

:09:51. > :09:54.troop, Royal Horse Artillery are quartered in Woolwich today,

:09:55. > :10:00.maintaining a bond between our community and our Armed Forces that

:10:01. > :10:04.spans three centuries. In determining, as it has, to sell off

:10:05. > :10:08.Woolwich barracks by 2028, it is that bond that the Government intend

:10:09. > :10:12.to break. Now there will of course be those

:10:13. > :10:16.who argue that the disposal of the barracks has been a long time

:10:17. > :10:19.coming, that we should just accept that Woolwich's days as a garrison

:10:20. > :10:25.town are numbered, and that therefore the focus of this debate

:10:26. > :10:30.should be on the future use of the site and how we secure the optimal

:10:31. > :10:34.outcome for those affected. Not whether the decision itself is the

:10:35. > :10:38.right one. If I were convinced that the department's case for disposing

:10:39. > :10:41.of the site was irrefutable, that would be the debate I would have

:10:42. > :10:46.called for and would be leading today. But I do not. I believe that

:10:47. > :10:50.the case for disposing of Woolwich barracks has not yet been made

:10:51. > :10:55.convincingly and I hope in the time available to probe the rationale

:10:56. > :10:59.that underpins the decision and in so doing to hopefully convince the

:11:00. > :11:02.Minister to ask his officials to revisit the decision. In objecting

:11:03. > :11:08.to the closure of Woolwich barracks I want to make clear to the House

:11:09. > :11:10.that I do not seek to undermine the department's defence of state

:11:11. > :11:15.strategy in its entirety. In his statement to the House on 7th

:11:16. > :11:21.November, the Defence Secretary was correct when he asserted that the

:11:22. > :11:25.current estate is too big, too expensive and too inefficient. He

:11:26. > :11:29.was therefore also right in my view to argue it too often fails to meet

:11:30. > :11:33.the needs of our Armed Forces and their families. Just as the size and

:11:34. > :11:37.structure of our Armed Forces have changed to meet different threats

:11:38. > :11:41.over recent decades, so it is right that the defensive state is

:11:42. > :11:44.modernised and rationalised, both for reasons of affordability and

:11:45. > :11:48.efficiency. I fear it will be extremely

:11:49. > :11:52.challenging to execute in practice, but I take no issue with the

:11:53. > :11:56.strategy itself. The issue I want to raise tonight is not whether the

:11:57. > :12:00.strategy to reduce the MoD's built estate is the right one, but whether

:12:01. > :12:07.it is right that the disposal of Woolwich barracks should form part

:12:08. > :12:11.of it. I believe that it is not for three - The question is that this

:12:12. > :12:13.House do now adjourn. I believe it is not for three main

:12:14. > :12:23.reasons.