20/12/2016 House of Commons

The former Speaker knew that already I think with the length of time but

not to worry. Thank you, I will not require the full ten minutes. It is

a pleasure to take part in this wide-ranging and popular debate and

I'm grateful to the backbench business committee for making the

opportunity possible. Among the many issues that have graced my casework

over recent months, one of the most interesting has been the protocol to

the -- illicit trade protocol. The problem on illicit tobacco was

thought to be so severe, a new treaty has been required, which is

the protocol aforementioned. It was concluded in 2012 and currently has

24 states parties plus the EU. 40 parties are for the protocol to come

into force. It was signed by the Government but so far has not been

ratified by the UK. The subject is one I have raised a number of times

through Parliamentary questions in both oral and written ages and I'm

grateful to the financial Secretary to the Treasury for her replies.

Those who have raised this issue with me feel the Government is

setting a poor example on dragging its feet and as a consequence

costing the Treasury millions of pounds in lost revenue. The latest

HMRC figures for 2015/16 estimates the illicit market share for

cigarettes is 32% for hand-rolling tobacco. There has been a

significant improvement over the last decade but it remains a key

public health concern. I say that not because illicit tobacco is more

harmful than that in the shops, but by passing through measures to

increase prices. I hope the answer is received go some way to

addressing these concerns and I look forward to the text of the protocol

being laid before Parliament as a command paper, and I would be

grateful to the ministers if we can have an indication of a likely

timescale. I press this point because I believe the ITP will be

helpful in tackling the illicit trade problems. There is a worldwide

tracking and tracing scheme for tobacco products. The ITP requires

governments to take responsibility for control measures and not rely on

industry self-regulation which has failed to deliver. This scheme is

intended to prevent the tobacco industry from participating in or

turning a blind eye to smuggling. This scheme is dependent on the

industry for it to be effective will stop earlier this year the big

Tobacco companies identified... It has been claimed the new owner is a

front company and the system is still under the effective control of

the tobacco firms. If so this would not fulfil the requirements of the

ITP for independence. Some industry insiders highlighted it could

identify ineffective as a track and trace system as it uses a

combination of unique encrypted codes along with other codes which

are easy to forge. I trust this is something ministers will have on

their radar. In conclusion, the protocol to eliminate the illicit

trade in tobacco products is a global problem. It's important we

play our full part in it, and I welcome that the Government is

committed to ratification. I am however impatient and keen to see

progress. At this time of Christmas and goodwill towards all, it seems a

bit churlish to bring to the attention of the House facade that

my constituents have had over the last few weeks travelling by rail

down from Chelmsford to Liverpool Street to work and back again. About

9000 of my constituents commute to London to work each day, others

during the day travel down to London and back to Chelmsford for a variety

of other reasons but we have been struck over the last three weeks by

one after another problem that has brought the network to a grinding

halt, which has caused so much disruption and frustration for those

travelling members. The fact is that in my part of six, the line is only

two lines, one down and one up from London so there is little scope if a

train breaks down or if there's problems with the track, except to

sort that problem out immediately to get the network morning. When a

problem occurs, you see all the trains behind banking up, waiting

for a solution to that problem. If that's during the rush hour, you can

imagine the frustration and the problems because people are wanting

to get to work. They don't want to be late, it causes problems with

their employers and they have to put up with that. It has happened too

much in the immediate recent past. We have seen a freight train

breakdown, which brought everything to a standstill, we have seen other

engines pulling the commuter trains breaking down with all the

disturbance and problems that causes. The fact is that in the

future, things will be considerably better. Firstly there has been, and

I give credit to the last government as well as to this one, and when I

say last government I mean the last Labour government, the investment

that has been poured in to improving and upgrading the track and

replacing the overhead cables from Liverpool Street up to Chelmsford

and then it will go beyond to Colchester and up to Norwich. That

is bringing some improvements when it is completely done it will bring

considerable improvements because we won't have so many faults occurring.

But it is investment that no one ever sees. If you get new carriages,

you immediately notice it obviously because they will be very different

and a vast improvement on the last ones. But the improvement on

infrastructure on the track people don't notice because it isn't in

their face, but it is going on. The franchise that was awarded in the

summer is extremely good news for my constituents insofar as the

commitment is there that in 2019/20, every single train will be replaced

by brand-new ones. The engines that we have at the moment, the carriages

we have our 30 years old. It is no wonder they will break down because

they are rather different generation, different technology,

they are old and susceptible to faults and the that causes. So when

we get the brand-new engines, we will see a significant improvement

in the performance. We also will see the investment. There is a new

station going to be built just the north-east of the city limits of

Chelmsford are the Park will help to unclog congestion in the town -- at

Bewley Park. By the mid 2020s, there will be a loop track to the north of

Witham which will allow them to be able to increase capacity of the

trains down to Liverpool Street because the fast trains will be able

to overtake the slower trains using the loop. Jam tomorrow is great, but

what we need is more jam today because my constituents are having

to put up with too much disruption to their lives. And without wanting

to rub it in, they are paying quite a lot of their taxed income for the

pleasure, if that is the right word, to travel down to London to work. I

want to see a number of things. Firstly, whenever there is

engineering works and there are considerable works at the moment

simply because they are investing in upgrading the infrastructure,

particularly at the weekends, I want an end to the practice or

inefficiencies of Network Rail that see engineering works over running

into the rush hour on a Monday morning which causes considerable

grief to people and is totally avoidable with better planning and

organisation. I want to see more information given by the provider of

the service when there is a breakdown, or when there is a

disruption so that customers know exactly what the problem is, why

they cannot get on the train or they are stuck on the train, and if it is

possible roughly how long it is going to take for them to have the

problem resolved so they can continue or start their journey.

That's not asking a lot. Better communications is quite

straightforward in this era of social media and other

communications systems. I would also like to see more work done to ensure

that the current engines of the trains are best maintained to

minimise the possibility of breakdowns and I would like to see

less freight trains operating during the rush hour when they might

breakdown and cause utter chaos during the rush hour. That is the

challenge for now. The challenge for the future as I've explained is

looking good and there is one thing this Government could do to help the

network, and that is my right honourable friend the Secretary of

State for Transport is shortly going to use a ?450 million fund to be

spent on trials of digital signalling for the railways and they

will need some pilot areas to test this. I know that Essex County

Council and myself and other honourable members are most anxious

that one of the sites where this digital signalling is tested is

Liverpool Street, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich line

and I would urge my honourable friend the Minister who will be

responding to this debate to make the Secretary of State for Transport

aware, as I have done, how important it would be and what a signal it

would be to the confidence in the system if the Department for

Transport were to be prepared to use that line and that rail network as

part of the trials for digital signalling because that is yet again

another investment that will improve rail travel in this country over the

coming years. The thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. By

now, honourable members will have seen my break into the music

industry with the National Living Rage, a Christmas song I recorded

with other members of the bench. I'm delighted it has had the desired

effect. Full stop it has got 40,000 hits on YouTube, and laugh that on

everything and getting a serious message out in the public domain by

humorous means. I want to take a moment to consider the tens of

thousands of workers who face a pay cut, and have to bear the pressure

of selling the house. Christmas should be a time of goodwill. A

disappointing amount are being Scrooge is, instead of delivering

presents they are... From B to Marks Spencer is, to Waitrose,

Cathy Nero, good employers are getting it wrong. Using the

introduction of a higher statutory introduction of a higher statutory

minimum wage to cut total staff pay. Nobody in this house should be under

any illusion that this is some sort of niche issue. This is affecting

residents in every single constituency right across the

country. At Marks Spencer is it was estimated 11,000 of their

workforce would be negatively impacted by pay cuts.

2700 workers will lose them. Approximately half a million people

in the retail, restaurant and manufacturing industry will receive

a pay cut. Around 13% of the workers in these industries. They've made

some terrible errors in judgment. It is not too late for them to change

their minds. I'm asking all these companies to reverse their decision

to cut staff pay. Should these companies not change their minds I

hope the government will step in and salvage the policy of a pay rise for

all workers. I've seen evidence that proves there are many other

companies planning the same sort of pay cuts in the coming year. Take

John Lewis for example. The chairman stated in a private meeting earlier

this year the intention to review the partnership's historic pay

arrangements. He said they were not arrangements. He said they were not

in keeping with the competitors. We know what they are doing so clearly

the review of legacy payments is just a euphemism. We have seen clear

evidence of this at Waitrose, with a decision to take away paid breaks

from staff. You can appreciate my frustration when Sir Charlie

e-mailed me to say he had no longer any intention of meeting with me

today. Me and Buster, the boxer from John Lewis's advert, are very sad to

not have the opportunity to discuss John Lewis's plans for pay cuts. Can

we assume it is an admission of guilt? I guess we will not know for

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

wrong I will happily apologise. I would be delighted to be wrong about

John Lewis, it is a great British business that got great by great

customer service from well treated staff. The sort of people the Prime

Minister describes as those giving up their best and putting in the

effort. I'm happy to apologise if I am wrong and I would like to

reiterate to Sir Charlie that I would be happy to meet with him and

to discuss this important issue wherever and whenever he would like.

Having concentrated on unscrupulous employment practices I know that

corporate executives are watching every move in Parliament. Through

you I would like to deliver a message to all those company CEOs.

The campaign to ensure nobody loses money will continue well into the

year until every worker gets the pay that they richly deserve. Myself and

my colleagues will be writing to chairman this week to ask for

contracts to be reversed. I would like to use these last few minutes

to express my deep concern for the Muslim community in Pakistan and

this country. I thank my honourable friend for giving way and I think we

all stand in solidarity with the community wherever they are in the

world. Does the honourable member agree that we should always speak

out against religious persecution wherever it occurs and whoever it

falls on? I would agree with the honourable lady, whatever the

religion, we must stand up for tolerance. There have been two very

worrying developments overseas, 16 armed policeman and 12 plain clothes

officers forced entry to an office officers forced entry to an office

without a warrant, wounding and arresting four innocent men. This

raid was unlawful and most likely ordered by the highest

officials in the province. The officials in the province. The

second was destruction of the mosque which was one week ago, stones were

pelted and the property was burned to bring it under the influence of

Islam. I need not remind honourable members that they are not allowed to

define themselves as Muslim in Pakistan. I hope all honourable

members will stand together to express this and to ask the Foreign

Secretary to do all he can to stand Secretary to do all he can to stand

with the oppressed. I would like to wish all honourable members are very

peaceful New Year. After this season of goodwill... I am going to relate

something important in this house and everywhere else. One part of

rural Somerset, there is a determined effort to hijack public

opinion and kill off local democracy. It is gerrymandering, and

strong suspicion of corruption. I am sorry the honourable man for Taunton

Deane is not here. It is a murder most foul. The real motive is money.

I am going to give you the background to this sorry saga.

Somerset District Council is the smallest authority in England,

35,000 people. It is a very beautiful part of the world. The

local council is perilously close to going bankrupt, unfortunately.

Partly because there are not enough people to pay the bills. The council

years and unfortunately it has years and unfortunately it has

failed. Three years ago, it was lowered, rather like a prostitute

into a strange house, to do a deal with Taunton Deane. For reasons I do

not totally understand. They will not consider taking help. One of

their labours is the best one counsel in the UK. It would have

a deal with Taunton and I really a deal with Taunton and I really

don't know why. Taunton Deane is desperately short of money. Why

would they want to bail out a bankrupt neighbour when the heading

to bankruptcy themselves? Dude to failing councils make a successful

council? You do the maths. I believe Taunton want to get its hand on the

business rate that will come from Hinkley point. You are getting the

point here. My little council may be on the verge of bankruptcy, 20 years

now, it will become seriously rich. There is nothing like the prospect

of gold, Judas would say, in bringing out the green streak of

counsel town halls. Taunton is consumed with envy. When the plans

were developing, they put in a formal objection. A bit of an irony

here, I know. They did it out of jealousy and on the orders of their

leader, I will come back to him. He is a builder by trade and sharp and

slightly interesting operator. John Williams is his name. Does look like

Santa Claus but please do not be fooled in this time of goodwill. He

is more like Rudolph who has been garrotted. I cannot see him

laughing. He rules Taunton Deane with the grip of irony and likes to

get his way mostly by foul means. His henchmen moved on by the Mafia

-- like the Mafia. They took over -- like the Mafia. They took over

the local council, pensioned off the staff and started running everything

from Taunton. Since West Somerset's 28 councillors have unfortunately,

and I say this against myself as anyone, become more like a glorified

talking shop. The good people of West Somerset realise the levers of

power are being manipulative elsewhere. You think Scotland has a

problem! It would make matters worse if Taunton Deane was a well oiled

machine. But it is run by an autocrat. The chief executive has

been off for six months. We think it's lit a bad back but we are not

entirely sure. She has a ?80,000 in sick pay and nobody knows what is

wrong. She will be coming back soon, seven months, is going to be phased

in in January. What is phased in? The penny has finally dropped. She

has a long and undisputed record forgetting the thing wrong. The

council worker undisputed supporters of Southwest one. It is an appalling

Project which cost the taxpayers ?80 million and saved nothing. Taunton

has nobody who knows what to do with the computers of the chances of

another expensive disaster, watch this space and my place in the

house. Taunton Deane has got clock up written all over it. One of the

latest, I must tell the house, I thank you for your support. The

committee was meant to be considering a highly controversial

building application but the planning officers in Taunton for

got, Fidel Castro style, to inform the house. The result was red faces

and anger. It was pulled. West Somerset is trapped in an unfair

partnership with a financially dodgy council. Chances are there will only

be nine or ten councillors left because of the changes in the

demographics. It will spell the end of local democracy. The plan sneaked

in under the radar using the Parliament act to get round the

involvement of the commission. You might think it was cunning stuff.

public opinion. They have gone public opinion. They have gone

through with a fine tooth comb but the sums don't add up. Emperor

Williams decided to put his plan through. In Taunton, they approved a

merger. It has led to legal challenge. They insist they were not

told the truth. The legal challenge... I'm not surprised but

it has gone too far. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against change, but

partnerships can work. Maybe there are too many overpaid senior

deserve a proper consultation but we deserve a proper consultation but we

have a confidence trickster. Through my door came a questionnaire. The

plan, the money was so tight something needed to be done and they

have ruled out the possibility of any partnerships. They look how

these work. There will be a high-level business transformation

document which is deliberately phased to convince everybody it was

a full-blown merger. The south-west 1 multi-million pound

scheme, you name t they've got it. Taunton Deane want to put the

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

Somerset where broadband is intermittent or nonexistent in most

cases the population doesn't have computers. We can't get them to

work. Pigeons are quicker. My constituents need to talk to real

human beings, not robots in Japan. The architect for the great schemes

never do their homework. The business plan is riddled with

guesswork and half truths and downright lies. The document was

never offered and the most sensible solution to go back to the drawing

board which is exactly what the Government told them to do to find

out a way of moving forward with imagination. That is what I want.

And I can tell you this, it is what the Government wants, but Emperor

Williams doesn't fancy working with top flight councils, he couldn't

cope with it. He is not that bright. He has done everything in his power

to prevent constructive talks taking place. In these questions, I was

asked believe it or not just about everything, my favourite colour, my

inside leg measurement and at no point have I been invited to provide

my name and address. So anybody can write in. Don't go for the merger in

west Somerset and Taunton Deane. These forms can be filled in by

Mickey Mouse or Emperor Williams. They set-up a new website with

similar questions. It is not doing the trick. People are not conned. We

should know that in this House, we have seen Brexit and Trump, but it

may not stop councillor Williams and his mates trying to skew the results

by making multiple entries on different computers on his own. Yep,

it happened before. It is a consultation sham designed to abuse

and was approved by a council that claims to be democratic. No wonder

the electorate of Taunton Deane voted out the Conservative

councillor after 42 years. It has always been blue, no longer, they

went and got a Liberal Democrat, that's how bad this council is.

People in Taunton Deane are sick of the way the council is working and

it is getting worse. It used to be the county town, but its market

moved to Bridgwater. The whole area is overrun with unpopular housing

schemes and there seems to be a determination to build just for

building's sake. Guess what Emperor Williams is a builder. He is is

photographed alongside prominent local developers. I leave that

hanging. And they look like a happy family on their ceremonial debuts.

Brother John was seen with the bosses of Somerfield who completed

Taunton Deane's direct Labour HQ. It sounds like something from the other

side! It is located in the business park and owned by Somerfield's, but

most of the workload is in Taunton and another town. The staff have to

go from one place to another, to do their work. Absolute madness. Why is

there no reference to the costs? One doesn't know, ask Brother John.

Guess what Taunton Deane let it slip through and I'm told the

construction work was subcontracted to a company owned by guess who?

Brother John himself! Such a relationship is a bit too close to

comfort and guess what? Nobody has said there is a conflict of

interest. Wouldn't get away it in most places. This is nothing to do

with Taunton Deane's constituents. This is not good. We need openness

in Local Government. I don't need to tell anybody that here Mr Speaker. I

have highlighted these things to give the House a prospective of what

is going on in my part of Somerset. My constituents can smell a rat and

they know what it is like. They want to keep their council and so they

should t thank you Mr Deputy Speaker.

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

Somerset, I shall make it my priority, to stay on the right side

of the honourable member for Bridgwater!

LAUGHTER 2016 has been a tumultuous year

culturally and politically and with an assassination of an as bass dor

and a terrorist attack yesterday, it seems we are finishing on a low. We

have more in common with our European partners than divides us.

And I feel that the current stand-off over Brexit and the

forthcoming negotiations will drive us further apart from our neighbours

when surely these are times when we must stick together and find common

ground rather than hunk irdown into a bunker focussed on the challenges

of Brexit while the big challenges and threats remain. The main debate

in the EU negotiations seem to be one of immigration versus free

movement and k access to the single market. I am not in free movement of

unemployment and the free movement of exploitation. Over a decade ago

as a trade union official I saw construction workers being brought

in from abroad and used on big construction projects named as

anyway Thorpe power station or Lindsey oil refinery spring to mind.

These immigration workers would be used by the prime and principle

subcontractors to drive down wages in a sector where skilled well paid

jobs provided a good standard of living. Wage rates were falling in a

race to the bottom that god employers, the majority of

employers, were forced to join in to stay competitive and the difference

was kept a bigger profits by the corporations and its bosses rather

than being shared out amongst the men and women doing the work. It is

unsurprising that so many working class people voted to leave the EU

when this was their most visible personal experience of it, albeit

wasn't the EU that was at fault, but the system of globalised capitalism

that we are seeing today. My solution would be simple, retain

free movement in a qualified manner. If you have got a job, you can come

and work here, but the job must be advertised in the UK in English and

must pay accepted UK pay rates. I suspect that the rest of the EU may

soon find itself moving towards such a system anyway. But the euro

referendum and it would seem events elsewhere brought into focus another

new state of politics. Exemplified by the year of the word, post truth.

In the UK there was no better example than the red vote Leave bus

with its promise of an extra ?350 million a week for the NHS. Members

of this House who associated themselves with the promise of never

apologising for this association. I have to say that I sought guidance

from Mr Speaker and advice how I may criticise the Foreign Secretary. I

would suggest that these members were deliberately and wilfully

mendacious. A practise which is known in Cheshire as being a

snollygoster. Post truth, politics is dangerous because it devalues our

political system and corrodes the quality of our democracy and

diminishes public trust in our institutions, but it has a broader

effect too. A cultural effect. As well as undermining honesty and

trust and celebrating deceit, post truth celebrates ignorance and

stupidity that learning is not to be valued and has nothing to

contribute. When the member for Surrey Heath said he had enough of

experts on Sky News, it was a breathtaking attack on progress. An

attack on scientific and cultural learning, a devaluation of the

intrinsic importance... THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: We are

mentioning members. Did you give notice that you were going to

mention members in the chamber? That's something I will bear in mind

and I will amend my comments suitably as a result. So when

members talk about the fact that they have had enough of experts, it

is an attack I believe on progress. A devaluation of the importance of

knowledge is a good thing. I say this clearly to the House please

reject the dishonesty of post truth politics, but reject its regressive

and reactionary message that ignorance and dishonesty are somehow

a god thing. Post truth didn't put a man on the moon or develop the

Hubble Space Telescope. And post truth will not find a cure for

cancer. And if we in this place cannot address an argument with fact

maybe it is time to reassess whether our views are correct and

sustainable. If I may Mr Deputy Speaker, I make one further plea to

the House as we look forward to the New Year. To reject the notion, the

52% vote to leave is somehow the will of the people. It is the will

of the majority of the people and it must be respected and we must

deliver the exit from the EU that the referendum agreed. But it cannot

be portrayed as the will of all the people. The views of the 48% must be

taken into account as to how we exit the EU. We cannoting ignored or

airbrushed away. I pay tribute to honourable members on my front bench

who are trying to make efforts to represent the 100%. In addition to

the perils of politics, I fear we face another threat which is one of

disunity. The referendum was brought about by this Government to halt

long running rifts in certain parts of the House, but the rifts have

been transferred to the whole country. They fed narrow nationalism

in certain parts of the country and I say to honourable members that

narrow petty nationalism cannot be the solution to any problem that we

face in the world today. I'm not imagining a nation where we all

agree and everything is fine and dandy, but a basic consensus about

how we do politics has been attacked as exemplified by attacks in the

media against High Court judges and their integrity. We are stronger

when we stick together and the at moment I have never known our

country to be so deeply and unpleasantly divided. We heard so

much about putting the great back into Great Britain, perhaps now with

the external threats and challenges we face, it is time to put the

united back into the United Kingdom. Today I wish to address two very

important constituency issues. One in relation to transport

infrastructure arrangements and the other the education improvements in

Filton and Bradley Stoke. Firstly the metro bus. This will provide a

dedicated bus route from the south of Bristol to my constituency in

order to provide an alternative to car journeys and should carry 6,000

passengers a year, which equates to 228,000 car journeys per year. It is

?100 million project funded by the Department for Transport, south

Gloucestershire council and Bristol City Council. I have always been a

keen supporter of the scheme and remain so. However the metro bus

works have caused major congestion disruption and delays for the

residents of Bradley Stoke and the surrounding areas. One of my

constituency team has a 10 to 15 minute drive through the rush hour,

she had a journey which took nearly three hours. I have experienced and

shared the frustrations of people stuck in the traffic jams during

commuting hours without much evidence at times it seems of work

actually taking place on the metro bus route. Constituents have

reported that whilst they are stuck in their cars, in traffic jams, they

have seen workmen asleep on the site. The work have taken too long.

Are over time and thinkingsly, were not done with understanding or

appreciation for people who have to get in and out of Bradley Stoke

every day to travel to school and work. The project suffered from a

lack of communication from the contractors and the council. I did

organise and chair a public meeting this year to get local people

face-to-face with the contractors and council and representatives from

the bus company. A few weeks ago I organised a meeting with road

contractors Allen Griffiths, metro bus and south Gloucestershire

council and including the lead councillor responsible for transport

in south Gloucestershire along with Bradley Stoke town councillors. I

met with the Secretary of State a week or so ago for transport to

bring this issue to his attention and to ask for his help. I

understand that major transport infrastructure projects and

improvement works will cause disruption and jams occasionally,

however right next door to the congestion is the M4, M5 managed

motorway scheme which was completed on time and on budget. Often the

contractors work through the night and all hours. One evening they

replaced a pedestrian bridge and replaced it in the same nimth night.

The works were completed with the minimum of disruption to residents.

I suggested to the contractors that these ought to be the methods which

they aspire to adopt. I was told they couldn't work longer hours

during to health and safety considerations.

Since the recent meeting I organised with the stakeholders, greater

efforts have been made to communicate to local residents and

progress has been made in assisting the flow of traffic to minimise the

impact on local road users at peak times.

The other local issue I'd like to raise is about the Academy in my

academies which runs this was issued academies which runs this was issued

a financial notice to improve and provide a plan to achieve a balanced

budget with a deficit of ?1 million. Winterbourne Academy has had issues

with leadership and management and needs to be re-brokered into a new

structure. During this process parents, teachers and pupils felt

they were not being kept informed. I was contacted by a large number of

constituents were very concerned about what was happening.

We met with the South regional schools Commissioner. It has enabled

us to get more background to the situation. Trying to reassure them

that everything possible was being done to secure a solution to the

difficulties. The Academy will be taken over by a new trust. They've

looked at their options. They've communicated it to the schools

Commissioner who has decided to take the recommendation to Lord Nash.

There should be full clarity about who will run it. Better

communication is needed. I understand the outcome they are

hoping for is that the school becomes part of a multi-Academy

trust managed jointly by the Olympic Academy trust. I welcome the recent

news that Dave Baker, CEO of Olympus Academy trust and Castle School

education trust will jointly provide interim leadership, and support for

the Academy, with a view to appointing a principal at the end of

January. After the Good Friday agreement, hundreds of terrorists

were let out of prison in the name of reconciliation. We have lots of

former terrorists walking the streets. Some of them have worked

their way into high positions of political life. There is an amnesty

for former terrorists and yet the full force of the law is being used

to prosecute those on the other side of the fence, former soldiers doing

their best and doing their duty. This is clearly wrong and smacks of

victors justice it cannot be right to let terrorists out of prison

whilst pursuing former British soldiers. If there is going to be

lasting peace there needs to be fairness on all sides. Not that I

think... My youngest son has passed out of his basic training a couple

of weeks ago and I'm immensely proud of him. When he is deployed on

operations in future and asks me for advice, I have done an operational

careful, because if mistakes are careful, because if mistakes are

made, if things go wrong and the politics change in the future, even

45 years later, he could be pursued through the courts in his retirement

in a witchhunt, politically motivated. I don't think so. My

advice would be the same advice I received. If you feel your life is

in danger or your comrades are in danger, do not hesitate to defend

support former service people from support former service people from

this injustice because what is this injustice because what is

happening is a stain on the honour of our country. We are letting down

so badly the people who risk their lives to keep us safe. I am grateful

and honoured to follow the gentleman opposite. I'm going to speak about

three issues that have come about in relation to community casework in my

the issue of how hysteroscopy is the issue of how hysteroscopy is

conducted in the NHS and drawn to the attention of the house the

serious pain and distress suffered by four too many women who are not

and empathy they receive from and empathy they receive from

clinicians and the NHS. As this house will be aware, in the

procedure, a small camera is passed through the cervix to examine and

take a sample from the lining of the womb. That means cutting out

of the lining of the womb. It is of the lining of the womb. It is

useful in the diagnosis of cancer and also to investigate fertility

issues and perform minor operations. For most women, this is a

significantly uncomfortable procedure. But for a sizeable number

it can be unbearably painful, leading to significant blood loss,

loss of consciousness and hospitalisation. Some procedure is

are carried out as an outpatient appointment and often without any

kind of anaesthesia. The NHS website helpfully says you may

some discomfort similar to period some discomfort similar to period

cramps when it is carried out. It should not be painful. To say this

advice is misleading is something of an understatement. It is

unacceptably painful for some women. It is estimated up to a quarter of

patients have reported severe pain. I know that you will agree with me

this is not acceptable to presume the worst that can happen is for

women to experience some discomfort. The reality for women is very

different. All women need to be offered proper anaesthesia at the

appropriate moment so the sizeable minority who experience significant

pain can be supported. This is the third time I've raised this in

debate and I've decided not to read out the individual cases that have

been mailed to me trusting that there are stories will get action.

leader of the house if he will raise leader of the house if he will raise

the matter for me with the Department of Health and get for us

a statement about the issue of pain management. We need better systems

triage. More information on what triage. More information on what

might happen needs to be made available to patients beforehand,

accompanied by the support needed to ensure women understand the risks.

You're begging for the procedure to stop. Given this is the third time

of raising this and I've had some warm words from ministers in the

past, I am failing to understand what's preventing action and I

wonder if it is money. The cost of having anaesthetic available to

women. I look forward to getting a written response from the Department

of Health. I don't think it's unreasonable to say that possibly by

mid-February, because I'm not unreasonable in the main, if I don't

get one then I'm going to seek a further debate in this house to

focus on the issue because I cannot believe other members in this house

that this remains acceptable. The that this remains acceptable. The

other issue like to focus on is that a couple of months ago we had our

first debate on arthritis for many years and given it affects 10

million people, one in six of our population, we might think it

deserves greater attention. In particular it is important to

understand the differences between parts of arthritis and how they

affect everyday life because too often we assume this is something

for the elderly. She got an arthritic condition in

her 20s and she was so exhausted by the condition that she was unable to

continue her work in law and has spent many years trying to get the

condition under control. She said to me it is not about having a creaky

knees. People do not understand how it can impact massively on

somebody's life. There are implications for employers and

carers and the government's welfare to work policy. People with

rheumatoid arthritis which occurs when the immune system targets

joints. It can be a fluctuating condition and it can make it so hard

for a person to sustain full-time work. When properly understood and

managed there is no reason why an individual cannot continue in their

working lives provided there is sufficient understanding and

flexibility not just to avoid and manage flare-ups but to accommodate

necessary medical appointments. One constituent has written to me to ask

house to consider a legal right to house to consider a legal right

flexible working for those with flexible working for those with

fluctuating health conditions. I spoke recently about my own

experience of arthritis and getting it under control and I would like to

place on record my thanks to the many constituents who got in touch

with their stories telling me about their similar experience. I'm

delighted to hear about the breakthroughs in medical science

that will allow others to live full lives. The UK is leading the way in

many potential solutions. I've read about the medical research carried

out in Glasgow for osteoporosis and I know that our European partners

are working in this area. The clinical trials are taking place in

the Netherlands to reverse the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

through and electronic implant. My concern is some of the critical

research collaborations in this area will be threatened by our departure

from the European Union. I know that it has been discussed but I would be

grateful if the Shadow Minister of the house would be able to discuss

with whoever he needs in order to confirm the specific areas of

research will be protected. Finally, I'd like to mention one of the more

troubling cases I've received in my constituency surgery concerning a

British national who was the husband British national who was the husband

of my constituent and was killed in Pakistan on a trip to visit family.

He'd been celebrating Eid. Gunmen opened fire and he and the driver of

the vehicle were killed instantly. The third who had been sat in the

back of the car managed to escape by jumping into the back of the ravine

and was able to raise alarm. My understanding is Mr Khan, who was

not the intended target, which is little consolation, my constituents

have struggled to make sure his death is fully investigated and

perpetrators brought to account. perpetrators brought to account.

Sadly they are struggling to the Sadly they are struggling to the

point of being asked for money by local investigating police

for example to transport files and for example to transport files and

take statements. I've written to the Minister concerned about the case

and he has been really helpful in the response. My purpose in raising

the case today is to draw attention to the plight of the family of my

late constituent. I want to get a greater understanding about how the

government can meet the safety concerns of British national is in

Pakistan. Assistance is afforded to them visiting the country and

perhaps when he winds up, the deputy leader of the house will indicate

whether he might consider pushing for Parliamentary time in order to

discuss this subject more likely. I want to thank the House for the

opportunity of raising these issues today and I would like to wish you

and to all our colleagues and to the amazing staff of this House, who are

so good with us every single day, the very, very best for Christmas

and for the New Year. Thank you mrrks Deputy Speaker.

Having served in Northern Ireland during the troubles there, I have

been asked by my old comrades of the Cheshire Regiment to highlight an

inI canitiy which has been referred to by good friend the honourable

member for Filton and Bradley Stoke. The inI can quite is that many

British soldiers could be re-investigated for their actions

during fatal shooting incidents. Apparently, the Police Service of

Northern Ireland has been instructed to look at about 230 fatal shooting

incidents during which some 302 people died.

Almost all terrorists. If so, it is my understanding that about 1,000

ex-soldiers could be hauled into account for their actions all those

years ago and they could be even charged with manslaughter and

murder. I'm appalled that such actions against our soldiers has

been taken when so many terrorists from all sides were granted full

pardons under the Good Friday Agreement. To me, this looks like a

highly political and vindictive move by Mr Barry McGrory, the Director of

Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland. As I understand it, McGrory

was a solicitor who in the past represented provisional Sinn Fein,

on the run terrorist schts and it was he who negotiated an effective

amnesty for many of them. His background hardly suggests

impartiality to me. Our soldiers were trained to apply strict rules

of engagement. The so-called yellow card. Technically, instructions by

the Director of Operations for opening fire in Northern Ireland

were both detailed and precise. They outlined exactly when soldiers could

use firearms and our troops spent a long time during pre-Northern

Ireland training sessions being instructed on them. Opening fire in

Northern Ireland was considered to be a very serious matter by the

Army. After every shooting incident, regardless of casualties, the Army

and the Royal Ulster Constabulary held an investigation. When such

events involved casualties or fatalities there were strict

procedures to be followed and they were too. Normally that involves

soldiers having to go to court to prove they had acted within the law.

And the yellow card rules. In one incident where I myself played a

small part I recall having to tell two soldiers that having escaped

with their lives, by opening fire, they would nonetheless be charged

with manslaughter. Unsurprisingly, the two men still in some shock were

utterly appalled. They shouted at me. Saying they were abandoned by

the Army. As their superior officer, I totally understand, understood

their feelings and shared them. Nonetheless, the Royal Ulster

Constabulary informed me that the two soldiers had to be charged with

manslaughter. Personally, I was furious and I argued vociferously

that this was wrong and very unfair. Regardless, the soldiers appeared in

court. It was quickly proved that they had acted within the law and

their case was dismissed. It was difficult for me and especially the

soldiers at the time to understand the reason for that court

appearance, but it was explained to me that having had their case

dismissed, they could never be charged again. Perhaps if the

politically mat changed -- political climate changed. Guess what? It

seems to have done. I had difficulty seeing the logic of that at the

time. I can tell you. Then later, after the immediate drama was over,

I did. I believed the whole matter had been dealt with in court and it

was over forever. But maybe I was wrong. I presume my two men could be

among the 302 soldiers apparently under investigation by the Director

of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland. I don't maintain that our

servicemen and women are above the law, of course they're not, but

reopening all fatal shooting incidents against all soldiers is

hugely one-sided and that looks bad and that includes me and several

members of this House. I give way. A gallant gentleman for giving way. He

was a leader of the Cheshire Reasonablingment and many of my

constituents would have served with him in that excellent renlg: Does he

not agree with me that those former servicemen who served in Northern

Ireland and risked their lives in that respect, including my

constituents deserve to have that black cloud removed from them as

quickly as possible? I thank my good friend because he comes from Chester

and I commanded the Cheshire Regiment. I thank my good friend for

that intervention. Yes, yes, our soldiers should not be under this

cloud. They are not terrorists. Terrorists have been given amnesty

and pardons in the Good Friday Agreement. Why should our men, some

of them quite old now, not sleep soundly? Terrorists who have killed

do so. It's wrong. It's wrong. It is possibly even malicious and a huge

waste of public money while we are at it. Why is the Director of Public

Prosecutions not telling the Police Service of Northern Ireland to

direct its efforts into clearing up and charging so many unsolved

terrorist murders from the time of the troubles? Incidents involving

soldiers were investigated as I've explained at the time and if wrong

was done, our soldiers were taken to court at the time. Some even went to

prison. What sort of people are we that we give terrorists amnesty and

hound those who put their lives at risk for us? Hound those that put

their lives at risk for the rest of us. I demand that the legal

authorities in Northern Ireland desist from this clearly politically

inspired, blanket action against what could be almost one of

thousands of soldiers. They should concentrate their energies on

finding the unlocated remains of many innocent people massacred by

terrorists and bring those murderers to book. Thank you, Mr Deputy

Speaker. It is always a pleasure to follow the honourable gentleman. I

support his comments as I do the other gentleman who spoke earlier

on. I think everyone in this House resonates with his comments and I

think we all want to have those prosecutions and those

investigations to desist and stop from them. Can I first of all Mr

Deputy Speaker associate myself and my party, the DUP and offer sincere

sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones in the awfulness of

the unspeakable attack in Berlin? I think it is good that we remember at

this time of year those who grieve and for an attack that was so close

to a church as well. I would speak Mr Deputy Speaker in the short time

we have in making a difference, but I want to if heous on this time of

year. I'm one of those guys who loves Christmas. I love taking my

grandchildren to special church services and attending services in

different churches and just remembering the real reason for the

season. A chance to celebrate Jesus. We know in all reality 25th December

is not just a day when Jesus was born, but a time to focus our minds

on the greatest gift given to mankind, Lord Jesus. Last week I put

down an EDM referring to the real meaning of Christmas and many

members took the opportunity to sign that and endorse that comment as did

others who asked knee make comments on it as well. The Christmas message

is a celebration of Jesus who gave his life for those who would accept

him into his hearts. I love the celebration of his birth. It was a

time for faith and for family and for focus and a personal basis I

also want to thank the Lord Jesus for the personal faith that I have.

I thank God for the time that he will spend over Chris has with our

families, with my wife and my boys and indeed, with my mother. And

cherish the time to laugh and the time to be laughed at and just to be

in each other's company. I see it as a time where I refocus on what is

important and what I need to do. It is a time I think of my role and how

I can make a difference in my own family and my own constituency. The

honourable gentleman spoke about our soldiers and while we are in this

House, our soldiers, our Army, our RAF, naval service and the Fire

Service and the Ambulance Service are all doing their work for us and

protecting us and we want to put that on record as well. And as you

know freedom religious belief I speak out for them. I want to focus

and think for one minute and pray for those persecuted Christians

across world who can't worship their God as we will this Christmas and

think of the 100,000 Christians who will be killed for their faith. The

200 million who will be persecuted and the 200 million that live in an

endangered neighbourhood. That's are the facts of where we are. It is

Christmas time and we all enjoy a good Christmas movie. Many of us

think of It Is A Wonderful Life By James Stewart. A great film. Your

life affects everyone else. When I focus upon the issue of make ago

difference i want to focus on that. I want to quickly give an

illustration of it which I believe carries a lesson for us all Mr

Deputy Speaker. The story is told of an old man who used to go to the

ocean to do his writing. Early one morning he was walking along the

shore after a big storm passed and found the fast speech that. Often

the distance he noticed a small boy approaching wearing his Wellington

boots and carrying a bucket. As the boy walked, he paused every so often

as he grew closer, the man could see he was occasionally bending down to

pick up an object and put it into his bucket and take it into the sea.

The boy came closer and the man called out, "Good morning, may I ask

what it is you're doing?" The young boy paused and replied, "Taking

starfish into the ocean. The tide washed them up on to the beach and

they can't return. When the sun comes up, they will die." The old

man said there must be tens of thousands of starfish on the beach,

you won't be able to make a difference. The young boy turned and

smiled said, "Ah, yes, but I can make a difference to this one."

People may raise their eyebrows... I'm grateful to the honourable

gentleman forgiving way and for reading what is an inspiring story

and I would like to pay tribute to his comments on religious freedom --

for giving way. I think he's making a difference to people over the

world and I am grateful to him. I appreciate that. People highlight

individual cases, because where I believe I can make a difference

where I can. It is a time to figure out a benefits form to someone who

is deserving and contact the housing is -- executive to help someone, the

helpful someone to get an operation and to get further up the to get

their examination or investigation done. There is a time to register

concerns over Brexit and to highlight the concerns going

forward. I believe we have a duty to encourage others to do what we do,

and in my area, there was a post on Facebook, which said, instead of

looking into a house where the ambulance could not come to the

door, the family were able to contact others to let them in, and

the sense of community... We can but those issues -- we can member those

issues. There is more need for each other to take care of each other

where we can and to look after our elderly relatives and help were

began. It takes effort and time but we will all be the beneficiaries

from living in a community that cares in a place where you trust

your neighbour. It would be great that if it carries on all year

round. I'm one of 115 members of this place and I'm only one of an

eight strong DUP team in this place, a party which I think boxes above

its weight, let me say. The page to keep on making differences were

began. -- we pledge. Doing what we can for everyone. A lovely quotation

from every appeal. -- Everett heel. I'm only one but I am one, I can't

do everything but I can do something. This is the reason and

this is the lesson that we can all take on board in this place, the

mentality of doing what we can for those, that we can help. I want to

put on record and thank everyone, Mr Speaker, as well, for your

understanding and patience, giving a us the chance to speak in this

House. And for understanding my ulster Scots accent and making sure

that we can understand each other. The leader of the House says he

enjoys my accent and I hope he understood it well. For those who

are here and to keep us safe and for the staff who are very clearly

writing down the words, just when you think they are getting to

understand you, they say, what did you say again? It is a pleasure to

be a member and a pleasure to be a member of this House. I want to say

one thing to my friend. We may not understand you sometimes. But my God

you have one hell of a heart and we can see it. I thank you for that

intervention and he knows I think equally of him and we have a mutual

understanding of our service in Northern Ireland in uniform and also

our service in this House. Can I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and

a happy New Year. God bless in 2017. May I also states that the

honourable member makes a big difference in this House and is a

big asset in this chamber. I fully agree with my honourable friend, the

member for Chipping Barnet, with everything she said about the own

arrest nature of the tax returns and I hope the Minister will think about

her proposals -- she said about the owner Russ nature.

I want to talk about DW assessments -- DWP. In Twickenham where I am, we

have good employment figures, I'm happy to say, and since 2010 the

unemployment figures have decreased by 34%. I am grateful for that.

However, what concerns me, the nature and the attitude that happens

in DWP assessments. Many of us in this chamber have seen the Ken Loach

film, I Daniel Blake and the excellent acting in that film. It is

a very moving film, but what is more troubling for me, the people I have

met in my surgery, not actors, people who have lived through the

kind of scenes that have been portrayed by care much. I have seen

people who have been treated worse than the character in I Daniel

Blake. My concern, which I have mentioned, if someone has a terminal

condition, they must not go through an assessment if they have a

consultant report. I value the ministers saying they do not need to

have repeated assessments, but for other people who undergo the DWP

assessment, they must be treated with dignity. And it is shameful

that I have met people, gentleman, older than myself, who have been

shamed in these assessments and who have not been given the respect they

deserve. I believe that what is needed, a bit like having the police

wearing body cameras, we need these assessments to be recorded, with the

agreement of the people going through, so that if there is a

concern summer has not been treated with respect or shamed, the

assessors can at least be shown why and how they have given this

impression to people -- someone has not been treated with respect. There

needs to be recording and there needs to be better accountability.

Nobody should feel shame going through this assessment. Having said

that, this is Christmas and I wish Deputy Speaker and all speakers and

our excellent staff and all members a very very Merry and peaceful

break. Thank you. Before the House adjourns I want to say a number of

points which I wish to raise, we want to celebrate the birth of a new

life as we move to Christmas, but many colleagues will be reflecting

on treatments, and I've been in the chamber and I've listened to our

comments from colleagues who have lost babies. We think of the murder

of our colleague Jo Cox. I agree with honourable man was that I hope

that record will become number one and a bit of money will be made. My

own mother died early this year at the age of 104 and people would say

she had a good innings and she lived long enough to vote in the European

referendum. But obviously for so many people Christmas won't be quite

the same. That is when I wanted to spend a little moment on Brive

counselling services -- bereavement. Colleagues spoke about their

experiences ten, 15 years ago, and this is clearly an important area. I

praise the all party Parliamentary group for funerals and bereaved

months on what they do, especially Fairhaven 's Hospice, over 13 years

they have carried out the wishes and have allowed people to live rather

than to die. They play an absolutely vital role in supporting families in

their greatest time of need. Their bereaved month counselling services

are second to need -- Brive. Bereavement. Every ?3 out of ?4 go

to the Hospice as I hope that somewhere in the wider world there

is an individual who has lots of money who might help us as want to

kick-start the fund for our annual Hospice. Southend Hospital has a

number of challenges, and I was convinced by the Essex success

regime that we would see manifest changes but that hasn't happened

yet, but I hope we can get on with it and any alterations to accident

and emergency services can only happen if they are clinically led.

Underline did to to the House Southend alternative city of culture

will be launched -- I'm delighted to announce to the House. Our new town

crier will be welcoming BC -- the year celebrations, we will be

celebrating food and drink, music, fashion, architecture, the Armed

Forces, and I'm greatly heartened by the way the local community is

rallying around this event. Southend will be celebrating 125 years of the

founding of the borough, they will be events celebrating the historic

milestone. Including the Festival Southend-on-Sea led by the Mayor of

Southend and the leader of the council. It will be a wonderful

occasion. Moving to the leader of the Council, John Lamb, he is

concerned that authorities are struggling to meet the spiralling

costs of adult social care. I would be grateful if my friend the debited

leader of the House with ask the Secretary of State to the cut

funding for adult social care, especially for councils such as

Southend stash if my friend the debited leader. -- if my friends the

deputy leader. Seven years was spent producing the hill -- Duke

-- seven years were spent reducing the Chilcott inquiry. I hope that at

some stage the former Prime Minister Tony Blair will be called before one

of the select committees to give an account on how on earth he came to

those decisions which were clearly wrong. As far as Iran is concerned,

refugees from camp liberty were successfully airlifted to Albania in

September and I hope that the leader of the NCR will be able to speak

some time in the UK. School inspections is a worry for all

schools and I am appalled at the local inspection that took place at

our wonderful school, our Lady of Lourdes. I don't know if the

inspector had an agenda, but how on earth the inspector team could have

judged this school as failing beggars belief, poor judgment, and I

do think school inspections generally should be revisited when a

new chief inspector of schools is in place.

He had been incurred a stand, giving infantry and life-saving training to

the Peshmerga -- he had been in Kurdistan. This constituent has been

left with no money and no support and I intend on another occasion to

raise it in the dedicated adjournment debate. He is a

constituent together with his mother, and has lost his home and

everything, because of a boundary dispute about offence, which was

four inches out of place. The law in his case was an as, perversely, and

it needs looking at again. We launched a public appeal in

Southend, of the organisation, and it is wonderful, the valuable

artefacts that are being rescued from the Thames Estuary. Pulse

fishing is an issue which has been brought to my attention by Leigh on

Sea fishermen and I don't think fish enjoy terribly much having these

pulses sent through their bodies and I do hope the minister responsible

for fisheries when he comes to meet myself and others will look very

carefully at the issue. Eastwood academy is one of the

outstanding. It achieved magnificent progress in all levels and the

academy was selected to appear in the parliamentary review 2016 for

its efforts at raising standards in secondary education. I was delighted

to support gas safety week. There have been over 20 deaths and over

1,000 gas-related injuries in the past three years. I recently met

Jesuits from the Philippines who spoke to me about the inspiring work

their organisation SLB, it promotes sews I do political involvement and

has led to relieve operation. I commend them for their work. Angela

rusk incelebrates 25 years of status. I met with the Chancellor

who briefed me on their plans for the next 25 years, and degrees aimed

at increasing the number of doctors and nurses to fill vacancies in the

NHS. Marine protection zones are very important and the UK has a

reputation of being a leader in the ocean conservation. I do

congratulate them on the issues. And ending with a very few local issues.

I congratulate the third generation family owned manufacturing business

for sustaining their operation for 50 years. I was delighted to visit

pride and joy classic cars in my constituency. I congratulate the

walker witness for climate change local activist and congratulate

acting ageing event which was held in my constituency, it was a

privilege to also visit The Prince's Trust explore enterprise programme

and congratulate the young people on the wonderful work which they are

doing. I also visited Angloco, they are doing marvellous work in

delivering 45 new fire engines to Essex fire and rescue and I also had

the opportunity to visit pinewood studios, I am still waiting for a

casting, but they're going to help me with the alternative city of

culture. I finally had very good visits to the Philippines where one

of our colleagues took us to Smokey mountain. A humbling experience and

the Dominican Republic, who are very, very keen on doing further

trade with us. So, Brexit does mean Brexit and I hope that we will all

make a success of it. I wish the three deputies, all parliamentary

colleagues and everyone who works in the House of Commons a very happy

Christmas, good health and a wonderful new year.

Thank you. It's always a pleasure to follow my friend the honourable

member for Southend who represents probably arguably the second best

seaside resort on the east coast. Before I move on to the more mundane

issues by comparison to others spoken about, could I say how much I

agree with the comments made by the member for Beckenham. I think he

spoke for the feelings of the whole House on that particular matter.

Also the member from Strangford who reminded us of the real message of

Christmas, like many members I have attended a number of services of

nine lessons and Carols over the last couple of weeks and it includes

the opening passages from St John's gospel and something that I always

found profound is how Jesus came into the world, but the world knew

him not. It's often the case that we reflect on the more perverted

religious happenings in the news and we should remember the true meaning

and also the fact that faith is the driving force for so much good that

happens in the world and I commend the honourable member for that. I

want to reflect on some more mundane issues that affect my constituency

and highlight some of the changes and challenges facing it. In doing

so I am mindful I don't want to give the impression that I am here just

to put a begging bowl out to the Government for more money for this,

that and the other, of course it would be very welcome, the resort of

Cleethorpes has responded to the changing situation and it has on

offer I would argue that is unsurpassed amongst resorts on the

east coast. Only last week one of the three finalists in the British

high street awards was with the traders from Seaview Street in

Cleethorpes and that shows how dedicated small independent

retailers can be. Of course, my honourable friend from Southend

talked about the longest pier, we of course have the Pier of the Year. A

prize which was certainly not going to be giving up easily to Southend,

however cultured it may or may not be. My constituency also contains

the largest port complex in the country and has a rich rural

hinterland stretching north to the southern end of the Humber bridge.

So much for the advantages and how are we going to meet the challenges.

Regeneration is an essential ingredients of lifting morale and in

north-east Lincolnshire the council area we have put together a team

made up of the council leader, chief executive, myself and a number of

private sector partners who are putting together plans that I am

sure will attract private sector investors. That will need some

Government support. I discussed this with a number of ministers in recent

weeks and we do hope to receive that support when plans are finalised.

This is not just a begging bowl but a genuine attempt to inject

investment into the area. Cleethorpes has done incredibly well

as I presentationed. Can I draw attention to local Government

funding. I recognise that local Government was bloated and to some

extent inefficient. I spent 26 years as a local councillor. I have seen

many of its failings. But I think the Government do need to recognise

that council budgets can only be cut so far and I am not here referring

to adult social care, important though that is, but many of the

things that make our lives that little bit better, the libraries,

the parks, gardens, and so on, are actually being cut to the bone in

many respects. There is little things that do improve the quality

of life. We need those and we do enjoy them. I would urge the

Government to recognise that as we try and come to terms with balancing

the country's finances. House something rightly a priority for the

Government and they've introduced many new and innovative schemes but

too many homes are being built on green field sites. The main entrance

to a town like Cleethorpes could be greatly enhanced by investment in

what due to a change in shopping habits, redundant retail units being

given new life, it's a main arterial route into the resort and investment

in an area like that is very worthwhile. While on the subject of

housing, I note the section in the community Secretary's financial

statement last Thursday saying that consultation would be held on

whether or not to withhold new homes bonus payments from developments

that were granted only after appeal. I can give my response to that

consultation now. Forget it. Local democracy is important. The

Government has done a lot to bring about localism and this is something

that goes completely against that. I would really urge them to think

again and abandon even the consultation. Transport connections

are of course vitally important to any local economy and my

constituency is no exception. It's moderately well served by road, the

A180 and M1 link provides access to the national motorway network. There

is room for improvement and the A180 itself has stretches of the old

concrete surface which is extremely annoying to my constituents living

in some villages, it causes an unacceptable level of noise. I

welcome the almost complete ?100 million plus A160 upgrade that will

access access to the port. But the next part of the jigsaw, the network

of roads that give access to the ports is the A15 between Lincoln and

where it joins the A180 close to Scunthorpe is extremely dangerous

single carriageway road and it urgently needs dualing. I recognise

that it's a local road and therefore all the Government could get out of

saying it's nothing to do with us, guv. But the reality is it is an

important access to the Humber ports, that's a strategic Government

policy and therefore I think the Government do need to give some

consideration to that. Turning to rail services, and it's yet another

opportunity for me to highlight the urgent need for a direct rail

service between Grimsby and Cleethorpes and London King's Cross.

Businesses in the area regard it as vital. At every meeting I and

neighbouring MPs attend this issue is brought up. Immingham is the

largest port in the country, 25% of the rail freight in the country

comes and goes to Immingham but passengers can't. The area does need

that. The office of rail and road recently considered an application

from great north eastern, an open access operator, who wanted to

provide those services but because it was linked to additional services

into Yorkshire they had to reject it because they have to protect virgin

east coast market share. Now I can recognise how important that is from

the Treasury's point of view, they pay an enormous amount of money for

the privilege of running those trains but I would genuinely ask is

that actually more to do with the interests of the company and the

Treasury rather than the interests of the passengers? On regeneration,

I do myself chair the regeneration committee for Barton on Humber,

that's in the north Lincolnshire council part of my constituency and

I must congratulate the deputy leader of north Lincolnshire council

who sits alongside me at those meetings and does actually deliver

some of the minor improvements to the town which are essential and I

know that somewhat goes against what I was saying earlier but I question

how long even a well-run council such as north Lincolnshire will be

able to maintain those schemes. Turning to the rural areas I would

remind the House that the rural economy is not just about

agriculture but other rural pursuits and it's important that we recognise

that conservation does come naturally to those who work in the

countryside. Finally, can I just reflect on the education performance

in our area. Like many coastal communities we do have many high

performing schools but we also have overall poor standards. The argument

about selection is one that's going to run and run as it has for the

last 30-odd years. My own view is that if selection can provide young

people with more choice within the schools in the area, that actually

provide for them and we should focus on the areas where resorts demand

change. Grammar schools can be a force for good and for some it's an

opportunity that we should not deny them. In my own local area I would

also argue that bilaterial schools that are part-selected have a role

to play. I think I will conclude there, merely by following on from

the honourable member for Southend who spoke about Brexit. 70% of my

constituents voted for Brexit. I believe they were the right to do

so. I believe it will give our country more opportunities and in

our own particular area the common fisheries policy has long been a

cause for concern. Could I urge the Government as I have done on

previous occasions not to forget the fishing industry. It was forgotten

in those original negotiations in the 1970s. At a time when up to 600

deep sea trawlers at one time sailed out of Grimsby, providing thousands

of jobs to the Grimsby and Cleethorpes area, that's now down to

a handful of near water boats but there are still great opportunities

for those in the fishing industry and for the food and fish processing

industry that are absolutely vital to the Cleethorpes constituency.

With that I conclude by wishing you and all members and staff a happy

Christmas and a peaceful new year. Thank you.

James Berry. I start by thanking the work of all the emergency services

over the Christmas period, especially those who will be working

while we are enjoying time with our families, and since I propose to

speak on home affairs I pay tribute to the police. I was out on a walk

the Met session just last week and saw the excellent work they do for

us everyday. Kingston is the safest borough in London and I want to

thank Chief Superintendent who retires as the Kingston, borough

commander very soon. There was a campaign for more police officers in

Kingston town centre and ended with a campaign for more automatic number

plate recognition is on the 83 corridor, both of which is

delivering. I want to talk about a national problem for the police, the

rise of hate speech and extremism online, and I will refer to Twitter

and Facebook because they are the most famous social networks, and not

the only ones. Social media has revolutionised the way we

communicate and receive news and information and the way companies

advertise and undoubtedly it can be used as a force for good but social

media platforms are being abused by those who wish to do people greater

harm. These social media platforms are not established and maintained

out of a sense of altruism, but they are designed to make money for their

zone -- their owners, and the revenues from Facebook in particular

are enormous, although I don't criticise them for that. In less

than one minute any member of this House with a iPhone would be able to

find copious amounts of hate speech, racism, Islamophobia, homophobia,

many types of discrimination, and language which is downright abusive

and would not survive our criminal law. In the home affairs let

committees recent report we outlined how our Jewish colleague received

2500 abusive tweets over the course of a few days using the hashtag...

Using that hashtag is offensive, abusive and racist, but if you

search for the hashtag now as I did a few moments ago, you will find it

still on Twitter, not from two hours ago, but from two years ago. I say

that is a disgrace and especially a disgrace after the matter has been

raised by a committee of this House. Although hate speech makes up a very

small proportion of the overall traffic on social media, when we

live our lives more and more online, and this speech exists online in a

way it doesn't in the street and the way in which we speak to one

another, there's a risk it becomes normalised and it gives a licence to

others to repeat it and to do worse. I turned to the other issue which is

extremism. It doesn't stop hate speech, just as social media is used

by people who want to advertise holidays and beauty products, is

also used by those who want to advertise terrorism. It is knowing

said duration to say that -- it is no is a duration -- it is no

exaggeration to say that Daesh has run the greatest PR campaign since

Goebbels with the Nazis. It is a barbarous medieval regime. It has

committed atrocities like we have seen in France and what we appear to

have seen in Berlin, but I would not blame all of this on social media,

but I am going to say that young people in Britain are being

radicalised in their bedrooms and the gateway to much of the radical

material online is the common social media platforms like Twitter and

Facebook, and in addition to being a Condo it there which extremists are

being recruited -- Condo it. We have social media platforms being

used by millions of people, every minute of every day, being used or

abused by people who want to peddle extremism and hate. What do social

media companies do about this? The answer is far too little and I've

not heard one member of this House demur from that proposition. I'm not

sure that we as a society should accept the proposition that

organisations like social media companies can create something to

make money that has the potential to do or at least facilitate harm, but

it would be unreasonable to expect them to do more to prevent that

harm. I would say the polluter should pay. Who is left to pick up

the pieces? The police with the Home Affairs Select Committee, and the

member for Leicester East, we went to Scotland Yard, to see they unit,

dozens of officers who went through social networking sites to flag up

this material and not really for any law enforcement purpose. They are

not there to apply for a court order, but they are merely telling

Twitter that this violates their own in-house terms of use and often to

their credit Twitter will remove the material. Why should the police have

to do it? In the hay there is a similar unit for non-English

language material. -- in the Hague. Why should my constituents have to

have their taxes used to fund our police to do the work that social

media companies should be doing themselves? By father passed away

three years ago this week and he was fond of quoting Margaret Thatcher --

my father. She did not like people coming to her with problems without

coming to her with a solution. So I will present three solutions. The

first is to consider legislation, the most straightforward approach

will be to make social media companies liable for what they are

now or enabled to be published on their platforms, and father reasons

including libel and copyright law, this would be devastating the social

media companies, they do not want it to happen -- and for other reasons.

In Germany last week it was announced by the government they

would consider legislation for fines of up to half a million Euros if

social media companies failed to remove hate speech breaching German

laws within 24 hours, so our friends in Europe are considering

legislation. The second option is to encourage social action, social

media companies rely on people being members of them to see the

advertising they make money from, so if we voted with our feet the

companies would not be able to survive and if we made it clear as

users of social media companies as almost all of us are, that we are

not going to stand for eight speech and extremism, that would send a

very clear message. -- hate speech. The third option which I favour,

that social networking companies, social media companies, get their

own house in order and take responsibility and for once show

some real leadership. Social media companies could establish or at

least fund a not-for-profit organisation which employs people to

identify and remove offending posts, that uses their technological

brilliance to be able to filter out this material for manual checking

and which has police officers paid for by this organisation to gather

intelligence and to progress any cases that need legal input. There

is a model for this in the national centre for missing exploited

children which I had the fortune to visit in Washington, DC,

not-for-profit organisation funded by the technology centre and in

large part by Facebook and Google to tackle amongst other things online

child exploitation. Why can that not apply to hate speech online? I

suggest social media companies go away for Christmas and comeback in

the New Year with a proper proposal for an organisation of this kind so

they can tackle online extremism and hate speech and if they'd do so they

will know that they should expect to be scrutinised -- and if they do not

do so. And they will be concerted calls for legislation to make them

do so in 2017. On that note, Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Mr

Keith Vaz. It is a pleasure to follow the honourable man before

Kingston who gave an excellent speech and he's right you have

raised the which are occurring on the internet to do with extremism

and hate crime -- he's right to have raised. I was feeding my own debate

on the tragic death of the 15-year-old boy who committed

suicide because of the bullying he had experienced on the internet, the

cyber bullying that occurred, and I'm glad his parents are in the

chamber today as they were only in Westminster Hall. -- I was leading

my own debate. There have been a succession of reports by the Home

Affairs Select Committee and one of those co-authored by the deputy

leader of the House who has been promoted since. To his August

position. The tragedy, it is not followed up, there's always an

excuse given. His example of an organisation that is funded by these

companies and therefore able to monitor in a professional way what

is going on rather than people ringing up and try to find who in

California they should speak to in order to get something off the net

is a very good one and rather than serving the Home Affairs Select

Committee he should be giving evidence to it on this important

point and I hope he will put that forward to the committee when they

next meet. I want to raise a few of my passions at this traditional

debate, in a few moments, that I have to speak. I'm glad to see the

parents here of Brandon, and I hope this debate will lead to them being

able to pursue their important campaign on cyber bullying which

they launched a couple of weeks ago and that they will continue, when

you lose a child of 15 and some of us are parents in this House, and it

must be an unspeakable tragedy for them. This campaign will give hope

to other families who are on a similar position. The member for

Kingston and Surbiton mentioned the support for his local police service

and I hope that when the deputy leader comes to reply he will give

us good news about one issue which concerns me which is the failure of

the government to announce the police funding formula for not just

Leicestershire Constabulary and police services throughout the

country. The former policing minister said the review had been

paused until the national police chief counsel 's had completed their

investigation into the capabilities that they had as far as policing is

concerned. Sarah Thornton is the chair of the Council and she has

said there's nothing to stop the review proceeding. It will be good

to know when Constabulary is like Leicestershire and Kingston, and

indeed in Northern Ireland, although you might have a different formula,

that we are able to know precisely how much money the police have got

to spend in future. As is my custom, I want to mention diabetes again. I

would be missing this opportunity if I didn't, and there is a time of the

year when people eat a lot of sugar and mince pies and cakes and things

of that kind, as I have just done. I will compensate for that very

shortly. LAUGHTER It is important to look at the

variations of care in diabetes, UK diabetes published a very

interesting report with the all-party group which I'm very

honoured to check, launched by the Health Secretary, where we pointed

out that in certain parts of the country you can get structured

education and care but in other parts you are not. When I was

diagnosed with type two diabetes, if I were sent instead of the pharmacy,

to get my other tablets, I was sent to the gym, and maybe that would

have prevented the onset, which would have, eventually, because my

mother had diabetes, but it would have prevented out a bit longer

diabetes taking hold of my system. -- which would have come eventually.

We need to save in the long-term by spending more money now and that

through structured education. A number of my constituents will be

helding off to India because the Indian Government has decided to

recall the 1,000 rupee note which is about ?10 and the 5500 note as part

of a campaign to route out corruption in India. However, a

number of British Indians came back with rupees when they were last

visiting the country, I don't know about members of the House but when

you go abroad you change your money and sometimes you bring it back with

you. A lot of my constituents and indeed other members of the British

Indian community are in a position where they are having to change

their money by the 31st December, so a lot have decided to go back in

order to bag their money quickly before it ceases to be legal tender,

it's as if we have gone abroad with ?20 notes and suddenly the British

Government announcing ?20 are no longer legal tender, please come

back and bank them before 31st December. I wrote to the Governor of

the Bank of England, he wrote back to me and told me he was happy if

the Indian Government agreed that the rupees could be banked in an ind

yant bank in the United Kingdom to save British Indian constituents and

others having to go all the way back to India. A lot of cricket

supporters have gone to India for the cricket match, they've changed

their pounds into rupees, they can't change them back as it's going to

cease to be legal tender. This is a good way of proceeding. I wonder if

the deputy leader could speak to the Foreign Secretary, I did write to

him sometime ago suggesting to the Government that perhaps they could

contact the Indian Government and allow these coins and notes to be

banked in banks in the United Kingdom. I have eight Indian banks

in Leicester east, I am sure in Northampton north he may have one or

two but this is an opportunity to save a lot of money for people

having to go all the way over there to put their money in the bank. Two

final points, one of course about Yemen, the tragedy in Syria, the

tragedies that have occurred in Berlin, the assassination in Turkey

are terrible, terrible events which I think shocked the whole world but

the situation in Yemen has now been ongoing for 15 months. You kiently

granted an urgent question last week when we looked at the situation in

Yemen. The situation is not improving. The basic foods are not

available as I said to the Prime Minister when she came back from the

European Council on Monday and gave her statement. Citizens are eating

grass and drinking sea water. The ports are closed. The airport is

closed. So wheat cannot be brought into Yemen and without wheat people

are not going to be able to survive. It's not a lack of aid. Again I want

to thank you, MrSpeaker, you came to Yemen Day last week where we met

with aid agencies there, together with the Minister of State for the

department of international development and the Foreign Office

Minister, we heard from the UN deputy Secretary General. The fact

is unless you open the ports and the airport you can't get humanitarian

aid in. The disaster appeal launched last week by the joint committee on

emergencies on the BBC has raised a lot of money but there's no point in

having the money, it has to be spent on the people in Yemen and other

parts of that country and I hope very much that we will pursue the

cause of a ceasefire. MrSpeaker, finally, let me say I will remember

2016 as a good year, there are lots of reasons why I might not remember

it as a particularly riveting year, but one I will and that is the

victory of Leicester City football club as the English champions and

this is one of those great events. I am not going to say that will never

happen again because we know what happened to Gary Lineker and full

marks to him for wearing his underwear as he promised to do when

he lost his bet with the nation. My honourable friend the member from

Strangford is a Leicester City supporter. He is a Foxes supporter

and every time I go to a match at Kingpower stadium I bring him back a

programme and people wonder why am I taking two programmes, I always say

it's for him, so he has a collection if not better than mine. There are a

number of other members of the House who support Leicester City football

club, this was our year. A fantastic year. That's why I was so pleased

that MrRanieri only on Sunday was named as the coach of the year and

Leicester City football club was the team of the year. So this 2016 is an

historic year for us, a letter that we will never, ever forget. -- a

year that we will never, ever forget and probably never repeat.

Arsenal... I was going to say something about Arsenal. Because the

Speaker is a great supporter of Arsenal. Every time what unites us

is of course we don't really want to see Chelsea win the league, I don't

think. I think it's Arsenal's turn. Every time we see Arsenal getting to

the top of the Premier League something goes wrong. This year we

keep our fingers crossed, not just for MrSpeaker but for young Oliver

who can repeat the team backwards and forwards at a blink of an eye.

We would like to share it, of course we could carry on winning the

Premier League, but it's only fair we should give it to another team.

Of course we are in the Champions League and I will this week be

placing my bet on Leicester winning the Champions League because I am

quite hopeful that we will proceed and that's what 2017 will be all

about for me. Can I end by wishing you, Mr Speaker, the staff of the

House, the deputy leader, ministers, fellow colleagues, on all sides of

the House, a very happy Christmas. There was an old tradition, I

understand, I wonder if - whoever wound up the debate for the