03/07/2017

:00:00. > :00:00.are no further points of order, if members have been satisfied at least

:00:00. > :00:00.without I suggest that the club will now proceed to read the orders of

:00:00. > :00:20.the day. I called the Minister of State to

:00:21. > :00:23.move the second reading of this bill and I warn new members and large

:00:24. > :00:27.members of new members are seeking to make their maiden speeches, that

:00:28. > :00:34.of course they must remain for the opening speeches and remaining for

:00:35. > :00:38.the speech of the Minister of State means that they will be about to

:00:39. > :00:46.learn a lot about air travel organisation and licensing, but

:00:47. > :00:49.probably will benefit from a fair number of philosophical references

:00:50. > :00:54.in the course of the oration of the Minister of State. I speak with some

:00:55. > :01:01.experience for the Minister of State John Hayes. I'm very grateful to

:01:02. > :01:06.you. I beg to move that the bill be read a second time. It is, as you

:01:07. > :01:10.will gladly acknowledge, both fitting and humbling that I should

:01:11. > :01:17.have been chosen to introduce the first piece of legislation of this

:01:18. > :01:23.new parliament. Fitting because of my status of popularity and humbling

:01:24. > :01:33.because it doesn't pay to draw attention to it either. Honourable

:01:34. > :01:41.members will recognise in taking a look at this bill, that it reflects

:01:42. > :01:45.that this government like others before it, recognise the value of

:01:46. > :01:50.providing UK businesses with the best possible opportunities to grow

:01:51. > :01:58.but also making sure that consumers are protected when and how they need

:01:59. > :02:08.to be in respect, in this case, of how and when they purchase their

:02:09. > :02:14.holiday. So, I introduce this bill on air, travel, licensing bill, so

:02:15. > :02:18.that we can make sure that protection of consumers can keep

:02:19. > :02:24.pace with changes in the travel market. This bill has a long genesis

:02:25. > :02:31.in two ways, firstly it builds on long established good practice. This

:02:32. > :02:37.arrangement of course is born of the arrangements that began in the

:02:38. > :02:44.1970s, that of a similar kind to protect the interests of travellers,

:02:45. > :02:49.and secondly agenesis because we have debated these issues already at

:02:50. > :02:53.some length. We had an earlier bill which I will refer to later, in

:02:54. > :02:57.which these measures were included. We were able to read that the second

:02:58. > :03:01.time and go to committee and debate it in some detail. And I have to say

:03:02. > :03:10.that was done with a convivial and consensual way. And I will refer to

:03:11. > :03:13.that later. There was a recommendation that the consumer

:03:14. > :03:16.protection measures in terms of holidays and holiday-makers need to

:03:17. > :03:23.keep pace with changing circumstances and conditions in the

:03:24. > :03:28.travel market. Now there may be in this chamber as I speak, there may

:03:29. > :03:35.be those who affected by the pernicious appeal of liberalism,

:03:36. > :03:38.because it doesn't appeal -- does appeal to some people who may

:03:39. > :03:42.believe that the free market can sort these things out for itself.

:03:43. > :03:47.That is not a view that I hold and I know there will be Wise heads across

:03:48. > :03:53.this chamber who recognise the role of government in intervening where

:03:54. > :03:58.the market files. It doesn't happen regularly in respect of holiday

:03:59. > :04:05.company stash market fails. Anyone who has looked at the area of this

:04:06. > :04:08.history of the government's work, it has been rare that the fund has been

:04:09. > :04:13.called upon, but nevertheless it is an important fund and an important

:04:14. > :04:16.protection and it provides assurance and confidence to holiday-makers as

:04:17. > :04:25.they go about their lawful and regular business. I'm sorry that I'm

:04:26. > :04:29.not able to continue to enjoy the retreat of the right honourable

:04:30. > :04:40.gentleman, but that particular pleasure is now to be enjoy it by

:04:41. > :04:45.the first-ever chairman of ways and Means -- to enjoy the oratory. New

:04:46. > :04:51.members are probably somewhat but for blood by this state of affairs

:04:52. > :05:00.-- somewhat confused by this state of affairs, but I think we can call

:05:01. > :05:05.him a one-off. Minister of State. I was about to move to John Ruskin,

:05:06. > :05:11.actually. As the speaker leaves the chamber. John Ruskin said that the

:05:12. > :05:19.first test of a truly great man is his humility and we move this

:05:20. > :05:23.legislation in the humble spirit, recognising that this is a changing

:05:24. > :05:25.market, that government must act to reflect that change but also

:05:26. > :05:30.recognising it will continue to change. And any government that

:05:31. > :05:39.believes this is the end of the story, I think would be disregarding

:05:40. > :05:42.the likely further changes that are likely to arise on technology, the

:05:43. > :05:47.way the internet operates and the way that technology will change the

:05:48. > :05:50.way we go about our business and there will be need for further

:05:51. > :05:55.provision at some point. But this is an important step at this stage to

:05:56. > :06:01.bring that up to date and up to speed. I happily give way. To a man

:06:02. > :06:06.who played a useful role in the committee which I referred to.

:06:07. > :06:14.I thank the Minister for giving way. The minister is aware that this

:06:15. > :06:16.legislation was part of the aviation technology bill. Can he explain what

:06:17. > :06:22.is going to happen with the other measures that were in the aviation

:06:23. > :06:28.technology Bill, particularly regarding fences and the use of

:06:29. > :06:34.lasers that affect pylons? I would not want to test your patience or

:06:35. > :06:38.indeed your largess in ranges widely across the provisions of those other

:06:39. > :06:42.aspects of that deal, but the honourable gentleman is right to

:06:43. > :06:47.point out these particular measures, as I said earlier, he had the

:06:48. > :06:52.Genesis in that bill and we will be bringing further measures to the

:06:53. > :06:56.house. The Queen 's speech makes it clear for example that we will

:06:57. > :06:59.address the issues of autonomous and electric vehicles which he debated

:07:00. > :07:03.alongside the honourable gentleman who speaks funny opposition and

:07:04. > :07:08.others on the committee that I mentioned. Further measures will be

:07:09. > :07:13.brought forward, I think not wishing to test your generosity any further

:07:14. > :07:20.I will leave it at that. In this new parliament many of the measures that

:07:21. > :07:26.I described as essential will be brought forward, as the ATOL measure

:07:27. > :07:32.is one of them. I hope the debate we have today will match that convivial

:07:33. > :07:37.spirit of the discussions on the bill committee to which the

:07:38. > :07:41.honourable gentleman referred, we did make progress there I think

:07:42. > :07:47.across the house and I hope that continues. I think it is courtesy

:07:48. > :07:49.those discussions demonstrated there is no difference in principle

:07:50. > :07:57.between the government and opposition on this matter. I use the

:07:58. > :07:59.words of the member from Northfield who also served and played a useful

:08:00. > :08:08.rule on that committee. I will give way. Thank you. And I say aye very

:08:09. > :08:10.much agree with his earlier philosophical point about the

:08:11. > :08:17.appropriateness of government regulation in such matters. There

:08:18. > :08:21.are many holiday-makers who will feel more secure, I am sure, when

:08:22. > :08:27.this bill is passed. Can I ask the Minister if he has consulted closely

:08:28. > :08:31.with the airlines? Particularly those airlines that fly from London

:08:32. > :08:36.Luton Airport with holiday packages. I will come to that in my remarks,

:08:37. > :08:41.actually, because the honourable gentleman is right to draw attention

:08:42. > :08:47.to the role of the airlines in all of this. He will know they are

:08:48. > :08:51.covered by other licensing arrangements, but I will address the

:08:52. > :08:55.specific point he has made had as ever he makes the case for his Luton

:08:56. > :09:02.constituents and particularly Luton airport which a noise in his in his

:09:03. > :09:10.constituency. -- which I know is in his constituency. The Cardiff

:09:11. > :09:13.International Airport is owed by the Welsh people through the government,

:09:14. > :09:18.what discussions has the honourable member had about this airport and

:09:19. > :09:23.operators working in Cardiff? We had discussions with devolved

:09:24. > :09:29.governments about its character and content, and I think there is wide

:09:30. > :09:33.agreement across the kingdom of the necessity of these measures. I

:09:34. > :09:40.always enjoy my discussions with the devolved governments, and will

:09:41. > :09:45.continue to do so in my role as Minister of State. He is right to

:09:46. > :09:49.say that this affects all the part of our kingdom not least because of

:09:50. > :09:52.the trouble -- the travelling that takes place to and from part of the

:09:53. > :09:57.kingdom by air and we will certainly want to continue to receive the

:09:58. > :10:02.representations as these matters roll out. Let me just before I go

:10:03. > :10:07.any further say something I should have said at the outset, there has

:10:08. > :10:13.been some debate in recent days in this chamber about sartorial

:10:14. > :10:16.standards as you go more. I ought to see as a matter of courtesy I will

:10:17. > :10:23.not be taking interventions by anyone who is not wearing at high.

:10:24. > :10:29.-- who is not wearing a high. No matter what side of the house they

:10:30. > :10:34.sit. As well as courtesy I believe in generosity and anyone that is

:10:35. > :10:37.sartorially challenged or inadequate, I will provide a tie

:10:38. > :10:42.for. I do have a tie here, which I have prepared to... And of course I

:10:43. > :10:50.excluded from that lady members of the house. I would hardly expect to

:10:51. > :10:58.dress in either my time, one of their own or anyone else's. Let's

:10:59. > :11:06.move to the origins of the UK holiday market. This week will see

:11:07. > :11:09.one of the UK and Wales leading travel brand celebrate hundreds and

:11:10. > :11:16.five years of leading travel. It was on the 5th of July 1841 that Thomas

:11:17. > :11:20.Cook arranged his first excursion. This was a one-day train journey

:11:21. > :11:23.from Leicester to a temperance meeting in Loughborough. The train

:11:24. > :11:28.carried out 500 passengers a distance of 12 miles and back for

:11:29. > :11:32.one shilling. Contrary to popular belief, I was not a transport

:11:33. > :11:34.minister at that time, and I certainly was not one of the

:11:35. > :11:39.passengers but these early excursions were significant. They

:11:40. > :11:44.help form the foundations of the travel to this sector in the UK, and

:11:45. > :11:47.it meant for the first time affordable travel could be combined

:11:48. > :11:51.with leisure activities and accommodation and offered to a

:11:52. > :11:54.growing population of consumers. Of course today's holidays, today's

:11:55. > :11:58.excursions, are quite different to those first once. Society has

:11:59. > :12:02.changed with the promise of Sun and sea and sand and holidays are more

:12:03. > :12:06.likely to be driven by temperature and temperance. I personally choose

:12:07. > :12:12.to have my holidays on the east coast of England, very largely going

:12:13. > :12:16.from Broadstairs Northumberland and those places in between. Not

:12:17. > :12:24.everyone does and those who want to travel further afield and those who

:12:25. > :12:28.wish to use technology to make those choices will want to know that they

:12:29. > :12:37.are protected in doing so. The advancement of technology as

:12:38. > :12:39.challenges continue to face the travel and hospitality sector.

:12:40. > :12:43.Aeroplanes or people to travel further and from longer. The growth

:12:44. > :12:47.of Internet and mobile phone technologies have revolutionised the

:12:48. > :12:51.way people can book holidays, breaking greater opportunities for

:12:52. > :12:54.consumers and businesses. In this respect as we discussed when we

:12:55. > :13:00.debated the issues on the committee to which the honourable gentleman

:13:01. > :13:05.referred a moment tackle it was clear to us then and I think clear

:13:06. > :13:09.to the whole house that the UK has continued to lead the way. We have

:13:10. > :13:11.one of the most innovative and advanced leisure travel sectors in

:13:12. > :13:16.the world and one of the biggest markets in Europe. Tourism

:13:17. > :13:21.contributes close to 121 billion to our economy annually, with outbound

:13:22. > :13:25.tourism contributing around 30 billion. The need for strong

:13:26. > :13:29.consumer protection is vital to underpin confidence in this

:13:30. > :13:34.important sector. By its very nature of number of risks in the holiday

:13:35. > :13:37.market which have existed ever since those first excursions. It is common

:13:38. > :13:43.for consumers to pay up front on the promise of a holiday, which may be

:13:44. > :13:47.many weeks or even months away. There can be a lack of awareness and

:13:48. > :13:50.financial stability in holiday providers, particularly as the

:13:51. > :13:57.services are often provided by third parties. In the rare event of a

:13:58. > :14:02.company failure, as I mentioned at the outset that it is a rare thing,

:14:03. > :14:05.consumers may experience financial loss from a cancelled holiday or

:14:06. > :14:10.significant difficulties from being stranded abroad. It was against that

:14:11. > :14:18.backdrop that the air travel organisers licence scheme, the ATOL

:14:19. > :14:22.scheme was first introduced in the 1970s for UK holiday-makers flying

:14:23. > :14:29.overseas. I will not target -- tire the house with a long and exhaustive

:14:30. > :14:33.history of the ATOL scheme but I see that is disappointing you Madam

:14:34. > :14:39.Deputy Speaker and is disappointing others but I will give all matters

:14:40. > :14:42.-- all members as much opportunity is possible to contribute to this

:14:43. > :14:46.debate but suffice to say the ATOL scheme has protected consumers of

:14:47. > :14:51.the travel company fails and it does so in two ways. Firstly, travel

:14:52. > :14:58.firms sell five packages in the UK, they must hold a ATOL licence issued

:14:59. > :15:03.by the Civil Aviation Authority. This helps regulate entry into the

:15:04. > :15:11.market and filter out companies that are not financially robust. The

:15:12. > :15:16.scheme also acts as a front -- at a fund to compensate consumers who may

:15:17. > :15:20.be caught up in a failure. The ATOL licence company must pay a small

:15:21. > :15:28.levy of ?2 50 per person protected by ATOL, this money is then held in

:15:29. > :15:31.the air travel trust fund and used by the CAA to ensure consumers are

:15:32. > :15:39.returned home refunded when a company fails. I will give way. The

:15:40. > :15:44.minister was delighted to be able to give me on that point I'm sure.

:15:45. > :15:47.First a correction, Luton airport is in the constituency of Luton South,

:15:48. > :15:51.and the member from the member for Luton North and I have many a

:15:52. > :16:00.competitive conversation about it. What the point of the ?2.5 charge,

:16:01. > :16:04.there is a significant surplus and that funds now, is the confident

:16:05. > :16:08.where in the new regions where a light meal and European member

:16:09. > :16:18.states the best regime in which to pay into that the 2.50 pounds figure

:16:19. > :16:23.is the right thing to charge? I first apologise for a scraping Luton

:16:24. > :16:26.airport to his constituency neighbour but not them, as you will

:16:27. > :16:30.know in my previous ministerial job I was able to visit Luton South and

:16:31. > :16:34.enjoy his hospitality alongside the local authority. Luton is playing a

:16:35. > :16:39.bigger part in this debate that we may have expected, given that both

:16:40. > :16:44.members have contributed to it. The fund as he will now is administered

:16:45. > :16:51.by the CAA with trustees appointed by the Secretary of State. It builds

:16:52. > :16:55.up over time and is invested accordingly, there are around

:16:56. > :17:00.hash-mac There is about 140 million in the fund as we speak and clearly

:17:01. > :17:06.if a major holiday company did collapse it would be essential with

:17:07. > :17:09.sufficient monies in that fund to cover any such collapse because it

:17:10. > :17:13.is not conceivable that could happen more than once in a short period of

:17:14. > :17:21.time. So the critical thing is that the fund is never short of money.

:17:22. > :17:24.The guarantee if you like is that we will protect consumers and get

:17:25. > :17:31.people home safely from perhaps far-flung destinations and that they

:17:32. > :17:37.will not lose out as a result of things that they could not have

:17:38. > :17:41.anticipated or have affected. So that is how the fund sets. But if it

:17:42. > :17:48.is helpful Madam Deputy Speaker I am more than happy to provide the whole

:17:49. > :17:53.house with a further note on how the fund has changed and grown over

:17:54. > :17:57.time. I mention how it is comprised, and it would be helpful for me to

:17:58. > :18:02.make available to the library and therefore to the house more details

:18:03. > :18:08.of the kind the honourable Dutchman has asked for as he moved from the

:18:09. > :18:14.second reading onwards. More than happy to do that of course. I will

:18:15. > :18:17.give way. I thank the Minister, and he is right to say that this

:18:18. > :18:22.cross-party support for greater protection of consumers but he also

:18:23. > :18:27.mentioned safety and I wonder if he would take this opportunity to tell

:18:28. > :18:31.us whether the transport ministers intend to bring forward legislation

:18:32. > :18:36.not just to deal with the dangers posed by laser pens but also as we

:18:37. > :18:42.have had again today, the dangers posed by drones. The honourable lady

:18:43. > :18:46.will know that that too has been raised in the course of discussions

:18:47. > :18:50.about what was originally known as the transport Bill or apocryphal

:18:51. > :18:55.lake known as such but then became the technology and aviation

:18:56. > :19:00.hash-mac Technology and aviation Bill. She will also know due to a

:19:01. > :19:06.keen interest in transport matters and enthusiasm to take those matters

:19:07. > :19:10.further with an election that I will not mention more than just to refer

:19:11. > :19:15.to it obliquely in the way I just have. We are currently consulting on

:19:16. > :19:20.just those matters, the consultation is finished and we will be bringing

:19:21. > :19:24.our conclusions to the house and elsewhere very shortly. She is right

:19:25. > :19:29.however to say and they have is on record, this is a matter of some

:19:30. > :19:34.concern, there is a system legislation which provide some

:19:35. > :19:40.protection, so for example from drones interfering with military

:19:41. > :19:43.aircraft and secure sites and so on and so forth, it is covered to some

:19:44. > :19:47.degree in that legislation but there is a case to do more which is widely

:19:48. > :19:51.consulted on the matter and I know that she will give the results of

:19:52. > :19:57.the consultation and her response to it are very close attention in the

:19:58. > :20:02.way she always does. Let me move on if I might, Madam Deputy Speaker, as

:20:03. > :20:09.I said I do not want to prolong this exciting speech too much. The scheme

:20:10. > :20:13.as I said also acts to save consumers who may be caught up in a

:20:14. > :20:17.failure, I have talked about the fund which is administered by the

:20:18. > :20:21.CAA to ensure consumers are returned home and since the 1990s the ATOL

:20:22. > :20:27.scheme has been the primary method by which the UK travel sector

:20:28. > :20:30.provided protection under the UK and Europe travel regimes. Today the

:20:31. > :20:35.scheme,... I will in a second I will finish this sentence. Today the

:20:36. > :20:38.scheme protects 20 million people per year, giving peace of mind to

:20:39. > :20:44.holiday-makers in Luton and elsewhere. I will give way. I thank

:20:45. > :20:52.him in his generosity. It is reported in the notes that between

:20:53. > :20:59.1998 and 2009 those covered by ATOL fell from 90% of leisure flights to

:21:00. > :21:04.50%. This is a substantial drop in 11 years. Could he see whether

:21:05. > :21:06.passengers, some passengers were affected by the not covered in that

:21:07. > :21:17.period? The purpose of this legislation as I

:21:18. > :21:20.said is to make sure that ATOL remains fit for purpose and he is

:21:21. > :21:23.right in saying that the way people travel and the means by which they

:21:24. > :21:29.book their holidays and the organisations they use, are

:21:30. > :21:35.changing, and that it is wide it is necessary to look again at ATOL, not

:21:36. > :21:41.because it hasn't worked and the principles are right, but it needs

:21:42. > :21:47.to reflect those changes. And so will we have before us is the first

:21:48. > :21:53.step in doing so and anticipating if I'm at, and I don't wish to do so

:21:54. > :21:56.impertinently, what the shadow Secretary of State may ask me, it is

:21:57. > :22:01.also true to say that this is just that, a first step, creating a

:22:02. > :22:07.framework which will allow us to update ATOL and there will be

:22:08. > :22:13.further steps required which might come through regulation and might

:22:14. > :22:18.come through further review. Of the appropriate aspects. That is

:22:19. > :22:21.something he raised when we debated these matters briefly before and

:22:22. > :22:28.I've no doubt he will want to press beyond this again but there is an

:22:29. > :22:32.Adonis note -- acknowledgement that this is a rapidly moving marketplace

:22:33. > :22:42.which will require rapidity in our response. Yes, of course. I'm very

:22:43. > :22:46.grateful. There's a sense of deja vu after also serving on the vehicle

:22:47. > :22:52.technology and aviation Bill committee. I agree with the general

:22:53. > :22:57.nature of the measures he wishes to introduce and he's right in saying a

:22:58. > :23:03.fast moving market. There's also some concern in industry which plans

:23:04. > :23:07.typically 12-18 months ahead that they will need the detailed the

:23:08. > :23:12.secondary legislation as soon as possible to allow them to prepare

:23:13. > :23:17.effectively for it. Yes, that's a point which you may have raised in

:23:18. > :23:22.that committee. My memory is good but not encyclopaedic. I do seems a

:23:23. > :23:27.call that this is a point that he has made previously and he is both

:23:28. > :23:32.authoritative when it comes to matter regarding transport having

:23:33. > :23:38.served on the select committee but also consistent. In his line of

:23:39. > :23:42.argument. That is a perfectly fair question. That is what the

:23:43. > :23:46.opposition would expect and what the house would expect, the more

:23:47. > :23:51.information we can provide about what further steps we might take in

:23:52. > :23:56.terms of regulation we will provide. There's nothing to be hidden. There

:23:57. > :24:00.is no unnecessary contention are associated with this and no desire

:24:01. > :24:05.to not get this right and the best way of getting it right is to listen

:24:06. > :24:10.and learn as is so often the case in politics, in government and in life.

:24:11. > :24:13.I've spoken about the diversification of the market and

:24:14. > :24:16.the growth of the internet smart technologies, that is not a bad

:24:17. > :24:24.thing, consumers have many options at their fingertips to buy holidays.

:24:25. > :24:28.Indeed a survey estimated 75% of UK consumers now booked their holidays

:24:29. > :24:33.over the internet. And as methods for selling holidays modernise, we

:24:34. > :24:39.must adapt the schemes and regulations that protect them.

:24:40. > :24:44.Quality is never an accident and is always the result of intelligent

:24:45. > :24:49.effort as John Ruskin also said. That is why we took steps in 2012 to

:24:50. > :24:53.update the ATOL scheme which introduced the certificate

:24:54. > :24:55.confirming the protection offered and broadening the scope of

:24:56. > :25:03.protection to include flight plus holidays. These interventions have

:25:04. > :25:07.had a positive impact, extending consumer protection and improving

:25:08. > :25:12.clarity for everyone. I think the key is that consumers know when and

:25:13. > :25:16.how they are protected, so making sure the system is comprehensible as

:25:17. > :25:24.well as comprehensive as possible, that seems to me the most important

:25:25. > :25:30.aim and we now need to build on the changes we made and make sure that

:25:31. > :25:37.ATOL keeps pace. In particular the new EU package travel directive was

:25:38. > :25:40.agreed in 2015 to bring similar but further reaching improvements to

:25:41. > :25:48.consumer protection across the whole of Europe, and I said earlier that

:25:49. > :25:53.the UK has led the way in this field. It is not unreasonable to say

:25:54. > :25:58.that Europe is now saying they want similar provisions across other

:25:59. > :26:04.countries to the ones we have had here for some time. So that travel

:26:05. > :26:13.directive I think is both reflective of and perhaps even inspired by the

:26:14. > :26:17.success of our arrangements. This will need to be implemented into the

:26:18. > :26:28.UK package travel regulations by the 1st of January, 2018. The government

:26:29. > :26:32.has supported this. It will help to harmonise across Europe and this

:26:33. > :26:37.will mean that protection across Europe is closer to the protection

:26:38. > :26:42.we have enjoyed from the beginning but most especially since the

:26:43. > :26:46.changes we put into place in 2012. To make sure the consistent approach

:26:47. > :26:51.to protection... I will give way. Thank you. This is a very

:26:52. > :27:01.interesting and full exploration. Can he clarify, at the moment it

:27:02. > :27:07.applies to the first leg if that is from the UK, but in the future the

:27:08. > :27:15.intention will be that if the UK team-1-macro regulated -- ATOL

:27:16. > :27:19.regulator sold a holiday anywhere, that would be covered by the

:27:20. > :27:22.potential levy? That is part of what we aim to do cover the aim is to

:27:23. > :27:29.make sure that if a holiday is bought here, where ever you go, you

:27:30. > :27:35.are protected inexact either way you describe -- in exactly the way. Part

:27:36. > :27:38.of the changes to the way people book and make their holiday plans,

:27:39. > :27:45.part of that is how you travel. The package holidays that people first

:27:46. > :27:50.enjoyed in the 1960s and 70s are less routine now and they are not

:27:51. > :27:56.the routine kind of way that people travel to the continent and further

:27:57. > :28:00.afield. ATOL was born of that period when things were simpler. Thus my

:28:01. > :28:07.point about the need for it to be keeping pace with those changes.

:28:08. > :28:13.That consistent protection for holidays across Europe will make

:28:14. > :28:18.sure that informal package holidays booked online will get the same

:28:19. > :28:23.protection as traditional package for those booked on the high street

:28:24. > :28:28.of the kind that have their beginnings very largely the most

:28:29. > :28:34.people at least in the 60s and 70s -- that had. There will also be

:28:35. > :28:40.protection to a new concept of linked travel arrangements. This is

:28:41. > :28:44.maybe what the gentleman meant. This concept is designed to bring

:28:45. > :28:49.protection to business models which are not packages which often compete

:28:50. > :28:52.closely with packages, and overall the directive can provide a greater

:28:53. > :28:56.level of protection to the UK consumer when they purchase from a

:28:57. > :28:59.company established in the UK or overseas and will also help to level

:29:00. > :29:03.the playing field for companies who are in the UK or overseas and

:29:04. > :29:07.whether they operate in the high street or online. That point

:29:08. > :29:12.matters, this is about protecting consumers and the clarity and

:29:13. > :29:17.comprehensibility that I described, and it's also important for those in

:29:18. > :29:22.the travel sector in the industry to know where they stand, we are

:29:23. > :29:26.creating a greater degree of consistency which matters for them,

:29:27. > :29:29.too, especially for the smaller businesses which need to know as

:29:30. > :29:34.well as to feel that the regulations apply across the board in a

:29:35. > :29:40.consistent and fair and reasonable and implementable way. In order to

:29:41. > :29:47.bring the new directive into force by July next year, the clauses allow

:29:48. > :29:53.for the ATOL scheme to be aligned will stop the clauses with

:29:54. > :29:57.established companies and they will enable to protect these are the days

:29:58. > :30:00.through ATOL and they don't need to apply for different schemes in each

:30:01. > :30:10.country, that is the essence of what we are trying to achieve today. The

:30:11. > :30:16.wood will also extend the aviation powers -- bill. Finally the bill

:30:17. > :30:21.will allow the scheme or able to adapt more effectively to changes in

:30:22. > :30:26.the travel market and I said I anticipated further change as time

:30:27. > :30:36.goes on, and the bill paves the way for that further change. Overall the

:30:37. > :30:40.updates will make to ATOL extended regulations and this will bring

:30:41. > :30:47.protection is provided traditional and online package holidays and it

:30:48. > :30:50.will also look at the way of travel which has been out of scope. We need

:30:51. > :30:55.to be mindful that the landscape needs to be able to adapt to future

:30:56. > :30:58.changes with our relationship with the European Union, and the changes

:30:59. > :31:04.are in keeping with this principle and they will help consumers is,

:31:05. > :31:11.businesses and regulators with minimal impact. They will also

:31:12. > :31:14.retain flexibility in the regulations of ATOL to adapt to

:31:15. > :31:17.future changes in our relationship with the European Union, make sure

:31:18. > :31:31.we have strong protections in place as we leave the EU. I hope that that

:31:32. > :31:39.has given a clear but reasonably concise picture of the bill we are

:31:40. > :31:43.introducing and why. As I said, UK has also been a lead in this field,

:31:44. > :31:49.and as we led in so many ways and in so many other areas. When it comes

:31:50. > :31:54.to providing protection for holiday-makers, this bill will make

:31:55. > :31:59.sure that the UK continues to lead whether we are inside or outside the

:32:00. > :32:03.EU, providing UK businesses with the opportunity to expand and grow and a

:32:04. > :32:08.framework for which ATOL is able to cope with future trends. This bill

:32:09. > :32:14.is indicative of a government willing to act to protect and

:32:15. > :32:23.preserve the interest of the people and I stand here as a minister ready

:32:24. > :32:32.to do so. A bill for the people and for the people. -- and a covenant

:32:33. > :32:40.for the people. -- government. Mr Andy McDonald. It was all going so

:32:41. > :32:46.well until that last comment, but I think the minister has it right,

:32:47. > :32:51.that this is a bill to be welcomed. The events are fairly rare but it is

:32:52. > :32:55.imperative that this market develop and the response to it developed so

:32:56. > :33:01.that those people who have those rare failures have recourse and he

:33:02. > :33:05.will find a great deal of support on this side of the house for what he

:33:06. > :33:12.says and for this bill. So I want to thank him for his summary and his

:33:13. > :33:16.account. He's quite right, the matters to date in the related bill

:33:17. > :33:22.were conducted with a great deal of conviviality and courtesy and indeed

:33:23. > :33:27.humility. And he is to be credited with making sure that that was so.

:33:28. > :33:33.But as has been said, it is with a certain sense of deja vu that we are

:33:34. > :33:38.here again debating the issue of changes to the air travel organisers

:33:39. > :33:43.licensing system. It is only four months since these very selfsame

:33:44. > :33:52.clauses received their second reading when they were made of part

:33:53. > :34:00.of the technology and aviation Bill, -- made a part of the technology and

:34:01. > :34:06.aviation Bill. The decision of the Prime Minister to call the early

:34:07. > :34:09.election meant that Bill and other legislation had to be dropped, and

:34:10. > :34:16.having wasted a great dinner Parliamentary time and effort it was

:34:17. > :34:19.then a surprise to see that there was no reference to it in the

:34:20. > :34:25.Queen's Speech, and instead the government has decided to fragment

:34:26. > :34:32.the legislation spitting it between this bill we are debating here

:34:33. > :34:36.today, and the automated and electric vehicles bill which will be

:34:37. > :34:42.debated later in the Parliament. 50% of the legislative programme

:34:43. > :34:44.relating to transport for the next two years of this parliament will

:34:45. > :34:48.merely be clauses that have been copied and pasted from the bill

:34:49. > :34:53.which should already have been passed into law. And this surely

:34:54. > :34:58.highlights how this minority government is out of ideas and has

:34:59. > :35:02.very little new to offer the country as it focuses its attention on a

:35:03. > :35:11.desperate attempt to cling on to power.

:35:12. > :35:16.I think with the greatest respect the honourable gentleman is

:35:17. > :35:22.underselling himself, the progress we made on that committee in that

:35:23. > :35:29.consideration meant that when the government came to look at the model

:35:30. > :35:33.of what good legislation looks like they look no further than the work

:35:34. > :35:37.that he and I did. I take most of the credit but he should take some,

:35:38. > :35:44.too. As ever the Minister is extremely generous in his praise but

:35:45. > :35:47.he is right, we did make a lot of progress. I just hope we don't have

:35:48. > :35:53.to do it all over again and that is the point, the government does not

:35:54. > :35:56.have a plan to bring forward the tab in its entirety and it should have

:35:57. > :36:02.been taken through but Madam Deputy Speaker you could be forgiven for

:36:03. > :36:05.asking why this government does not dare to pass legislation that has

:36:06. > :36:10.already passed through this place already and received support from

:36:11. > :36:14.both sides of the house. It is of some considerable concern that a

:36:15. > :36:20.number of very important clauses from the tab appear to have been

:36:21. > :36:22.left out of the forthcoming programme, namely clauses in part

:36:23. > :36:27.four of the bill that related to vehicle testing, the shining of

:36:28. > :36:34.lasers that the honourable member raised earlier and diversely driving

:36:35. > :36:41.courses but also those clauses in part three relating to air traffic

:36:42. > :36:44.services appear to have been axed. Perhaps the Minister can offer some

:36:45. > :36:48.explanation as to why they were deemed necessary to be the subject

:36:49. > :36:52.of legislation but they have not been brought forward now and

:36:53. > :36:57.moreover during the progression of that bill we on this side of the

:36:58. > :36:59.house raised concerns over the absence of legislation that would

:37:00. > :37:05.create a regular Tory framework to deal with drones with the

:37:06. > :37:09.proliferation of drones in recent years we have also seen a sharp

:37:10. > :37:13.increase in the number of near misses with planes, the latest

:37:14. > :37:19.figures showing there were 33 such incidents confirmed in the first

:37:20. > :37:25.five months of this year and 70 last year, whereas there are only 29 in

:37:26. > :37:28.2015 and just ten in the five years before. Those in the aviation

:37:29. > :37:32.industry have expressed their concern over the government's

:37:33. > :37:40.failure to bring in legislation to tackle this worrying trend and... I

:37:41. > :37:44.will. I am grateful to him for giving way and I enjoy the exchanges

:37:45. > :37:50.in committee. I may be wrong but given the intervention I made

:37:51. > :37:53.earlier, it is important to get this legislation on the statute book as

:37:54. > :37:58.early as possible so the subsequent row -- subsequent legislation can

:37:59. > :38:05.come into effect for an industry that has to plan 12-18 months ahead.

:38:06. > :38:08.The answer measures an important but they can be put into a different

:38:09. > :38:12.bill. Perhaps that is the reason. It is a reasonable point the honourable

:38:13. > :38:20.gentleman raises but I think this was raised last time as being an

:38:21. > :38:24.important part, as with this bill, the atoll bill was as well and tries

:38:25. > :38:28.to come this far and not deal with such an important matter I think is

:38:29. > :38:35.a gross omission and certainly had the roles been reversed we would be

:38:36. > :38:37.wanting to bring in legislation before one of these near misses

:38:38. > :38:43.turns into a catastrophic incident that could be avoided. We had in the

:38:44. > :38:47.last 24 hours did we not about the incident at Catterick airport and

:38:48. > :38:54.this should concern everyone in this house and I do make the offer to the

:38:55. > :38:59.Minister quite genuinely, that we on this side of the house will be

:39:00. > :39:05.nothing other than of the government wishes to bring forward legislation

:39:06. > :39:10.and regulations so that we can better protect our airports and

:39:11. > :39:15.other places of great sensitivity. This is a huge issue and the drone

:39:16. > :39:21.industry and others who are supportive think that the freedom

:39:22. > :39:25.for people to engage and indulge in this activity comes ahead of safety

:39:26. > :39:33.and I was just gently put it to colleagues that we should really be

:39:34. > :39:37.looking at this very closely. The honourable member does the house a

:39:38. > :39:40.service in raising this for, the honourable lady from Gosford both

:39:41. > :39:46.challenged merely and I made it clear that we have consulted and he

:39:47. > :39:50.will be familiar with the consultation exercise, because we

:39:51. > :39:53.agree that this is a matter that requires further consideration. I am

:39:54. > :40:00.very happy to engage directly in discussions with him so that we can

:40:01. > :40:06.find a way forward on drones, he is right that this is a changing and

:40:07. > :40:12.potentially difficult and challenging matter. We need to work

:40:13. > :40:16.as a government but also as a parliament to address it. Very happy

:40:17. > :40:20.to take up his offer of those discussions on the back of the

:40:21. > :40:28.consultation. I am very grateful again to the Minister. Again for his

:40:29. > :40:35.consistent collegiate attitude and cooperation in this area. And to

:40:36. > :40:38.this particular bill itself, he has approached it in exactly the same

:40:39. > :40:46.approach and that should be acknowledged. We certainly share his

:40:47. > :40:51.objective of making this bill and the forthcoming transport bills

:40:52. > :40:54.relating to automated and electric vehicles and also the space industry

:40:55. > :40:58.the best possible pieces of legislation as they passed the

:40:59. > :41:01.house. We only wish that the government was prepared to respond

:41:02. > :41:05.to the rapid technological advancements we have seen in recent

:41:06. > :41:11.years and bring forward legislation in those areas that have been

:41:12. > :41:14.previously outlined and touched upon, which are in urgent and

:41:15. > :41:17.vitally very regular Tory framework that has become quite clear in

:41:18. > :41:29.recent weeks. In action can risk lives. -- regular Tory framework.

:41:30. > :41:34.The broad substance of these changes to ATOL are necessary and are for

:41:35. > :41:40.the most part welcomed, the changes will harmonise UK law with the

:41:41. > :41:47.latest EU package travel directive, they will have many benefits for UK

:41:48. > :41:51.consumers and UK travel operators and a wide range of operators

:41:52. > :41:56.including more dynamic package providers will be likely covered

:41:57. > :42:00.under these changes. This will bring protection to many more UK

:42:01. > :42:06.holiday-makers not covered under existing ATOL provisions. The

:42:07. > :42:11.requirement for travel companies to be in line with standards at

:42:12. > :42:17.establishments instead of place at sale will now mean that UK companies

:42:18. > :42:25.can sell far more seamlessly across Europe by the -- by simply adhering

:42:26. > :42:32.to the widely respected ATOL flag. However, these changes at EU level

:42:33. > :42:36.to bring about one issue that could have adverse effects is in UK

:42:37. > :42:40.consumers purchasing from EU -based travel companies. The changes made

:42:41. > :42:47.to the directive will now mean that those EU -based company selling in

:42:48. > :42:50.the UK only have two at here to a ATOL equivalent insolvency

:42:51. > :42:55.protection laid out in the member state where that business is based.

:42:56. > :43:00.In practice, this could have unintended consequences and more

:43:01. > :43:08.significantly, costs for the UK consumers. Processes and timescales

:43:09. > :43:12.for recompense maybe this thing with different to what many travellers

:43:13. > :43:17.would expect under the gold standard of ATOL. The impact assessment

:43:18. > :43:21.warrants that if consumers purchase a trip from a business established

:43:22. > :43:28.elsewhere in the EU and the company becomes insolvent, there may be some

:43:29. > :43:34.cost to the consumer of processing a claim with a known the UK insolvency

:43:35. > :43:40.protector. Based on the latest civil aviation figures, this is not just a

:43:41. > :43:45.matter that will impact on a relatively small moment of

:43:46. > :43:49.holiday-makers but would currently compromise over 500,000 passengers.

:43:50. > :43:52.It is therefore important that the government takes appropriate steps

:43:53. > :43:58.to anticipate and prepare for any negative impacts this change could

:43:59. > :44:01.make. As was suggested by the side of the house and the committee stage

:44:02. > :44:06.of the vehicle technology and aviation Bill making it a

:44:07. > :44:12.requirement that the government monitor the impact for UK consumers

:44:13. > :44:17.using EU -based companies would help inform the UK Government whether it

:44:18. > :44:20.would further bash back as to whether it should consider further

:44:21. > :44:24.guidance or cooperation with consumers and EU member states to

:44:25. > :44:34.ensure that the protections in place adequate. Moving to the second

:44:35. > :44:38.clause of the Bill... Happily. The honourable member will know that

:44:39. > :44:44.under existing legislation there is an obligation to review this

:44:45. > :44:48.legislation after five years. But I know the argument that he makes is

:44:49. > :44:54.one that he has made previously, and it seems to me to have some weight.

:44:55. > :44:57.I am open-minded about the way in which we consider these things and I

:44:58. > :45:03.will certainly reflect on the point he has made about our need to

:45:04. > :45:07.consider the impact of the changes he has inscribed. I would be more

:45:08. > :45:11.than happy to include that in the discussions about drones. I am

:45:12. > :45:16.grateful to the Minister for clarification. Moving on, to the

:45:17. > :45:22.second clause of the Bill, which is not directly relevant to harmonising

:45:23. > :45:26.the UK with EU regulation, the cause is a dormant power that the

:45:27. > :45:32.government will retain, enabling it to make considerable changes to ATOL

:45:33. > :45:38.with regard to the travel trust. During the winter session at the

:45:39. > :45:41.committee stage of VTAB we heard from Richard Moriarty of the Civil

:45:42. > :45:45.Aviation Authority and a trustee of the current air travel trust, who

:45:46. > :45:50.recognised the possible merits of separating the trust to reflect the

:45:51. > :45:56.variation of products in the market. However, he explained that we are

:45:57. > :45:59.simply not there yet and it would be wrong for the government to use the

:46:00. > :46:04.Bill as a means of making wholesale changes without due consultation.

:46:05. > :46:08.The Minister of State has previously made it clear in a letter to me that

:46:09. > :46:13.changes would only be made through affirmative resolution if the bill

:46:14. > :46:19.does not account for any further consultation as part of this

:46:20. > :46:26.measure. So Labour will therefore be again seeking a commitment from the

:46:27. > :46:31.Right Honourable member from the south that he the committee stage of

:46:32. > :46:34.VTAB that the government will conduct a thorough impact assessment

:46:35. > :46:40.and consultation before in promoting the power. To quote Mr Moriarty at

:46:41. > :46:44.the CAA the evidence session, I hope that the government will follow the

:46:45. > :46:49.practice that the forward through the VTAB and consult with

:46:50. > :46:53.regulators, consult with industry, do the impact assessment and so on.

:46:54. > :46:59.Accordingly if the government would undertake a full impact assessment

:47:00. > :47:03.and consultation before bringing forward regulations to create any

:47:04. > :47:08.new air travel trust through an affirmative resolution, this would

:47:09. > :47:12.be fair, reasonable and guarantee scrutiny of any further changes to

:47:13. > :47:18.ATOL. To conclude, Madam Deputy Speaker, while we are frustrated

:47:19. > :47:25.that the general election meant that the VTAB was dropped and moreover we

:47:26. > :47:32.are concerned with the government decision to omit a large proportion

:47:33. > :47:34.of that legislation as it has been reintroduced in this Parliament,

:47:35. > :47:39.Labour is nonetheless broadly supportive of this bill. We welcome

:47:40. > :47:43.the changes that will harmonise UK law with the latest EU package

:47:44. > :47:50.travel directive, which will have many benefits for UK consumers and

:47:51. > :47:53.UK travel operators. But we have concerns about the levels of

:47:54. > :47:59.protection given by EU -based companies selling in the UK and

:48:00. > :48:03.whether UK consumers could lose out by this change. We will be pressing

:48:04. > :48:09.ministers for reassurances on this during the passage of the bill. As

:48:10. > :48:11.we did with the vehicle technology and aviation Bill, this side of the

:48:12. > :48:18.house will seek further details on the ministers on the assimilation of

:48:19. > :48:20.the directive, the impact of Brexit and government accountability as

:48:21. > :48:29.this bill progresses through this house. Thank you. Robert courts.

:48:30. > :48:33.Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker and may I say at the outset what or it

:48:34. > :48:37.is be called in this first piece of the patent legislation in this

:48:38. > :48:41.Parliament and indeed as the first backbencher to be able to speak in

:48:42. > :48:47.that debate. This bill in fact brings back some traces of memory

:48:48. > :48:50.lane for me, too, I declare that interest at the outset in the fact

:48:51. > :48:55.that the former election to Parliament I practised at the

:48:56. > :49:02.independent bar at one of the areas I practised in was that of consumer

:49:03. > :49:05.protection. And indeed I did do some lecturing, in some cases around this

:49:06. > :49:10.very area. Mother Debbie Speaker recall that rather I call that

:49:11. > :49:16.somewhat optimistically holiday law which makes it sound like rather

:49:17. > :49:21.good fun as I can hear one of my colleagues are saying. And I think

:49:22. > :49:25.really Madam Deputy Speaker that is what my thinking was, that having

:49:26. > :49:28.spent years prosecuting trading standards legislation and defending

:49:29. > :49:35.criminal law as well as working within the personal injury sphere, I

:49:36. > :49:39.must be in my way back from holiday and was looking for a new area to

:49:40. > :49:43.branch into and an opportunity came up and I decided that if I could not

:49:44. > :49:50.be on holiday then I may as well at least talk about being on holiday.

:49:51. > :49:53.And so I produced a lecture which I covered with lots of rather

:49:54. > :49:59.attractive pictures of happy people on holiday, of sun-dappled beaches,

:50:00. > :50:03.palm trees, but of course that rather missed the point because when

:50:04. > :50:08.one goes to see a lawyer one does not go to see a lawyer because they

:50:09. > :50:10.want to tell them how the holiday has been but rather because

:50:11. > :50:15.something has gone wrong and that is the important point that I was

:50:16. > :50:17.addressing within my career and of course that the government is

:50:18. > :50:22.seeking to address in the course of this bill. Of course Madam Deputy

:50:23. > :50:26.Speaker on many occasions some things do go terribly wrong while

:50:27. > :50:30.PayPal on holiday and it can certainly from the experience I have

:50:31. > :50:37.seen at the bar be anything from simply put quality through to

:50:38. > :50:41.catastrophic failure of holiday, or injury and in some cases even death

:50:42. > :50:45.and it is this of course that we are seeking to address in the course of

:50:46. > :50:52.this bill and hacked. I started off that lecture at the bar with the

:50:53. > :50:55.same study the Minister used, of the Templars campaign which was one of

:50:56. > :50:58.those anecdotes you throw away at the beginning of what can sometimes

:50:59. > :51:01.be quite detailed lectures and I thought for one moment that I was

:51:02. > :51:04.about you might my own lecture repeated back at me from the

:51:05. > :51:11.minister but I am very glad of course that he went on to the more

:51:12. > :51:15.substantive matters. I have in my constituency not only a great many

:51:16. > :51:19.places that people come to visit, and I will refer to some of those in

:51:20. > :51:24.a moment if I may, but of course many people as we all do look for

:51:25. > :51:27.places that they can go on tours abroad and of course it is for the

:51:28. > :51:31.constituents of Whitney and West Oxfordshire attire most strongly

:51:32. > :51:41.desire to see this legislation in due course brought into law.

:51:42. > :51:48.I would like to express my support for this bill at the outset.

:51:49. > :51:52.Protection is a critical part of the protection we can rely upon when we

:51:53. > :51:56.book a tour. It is only right we seek to extend this to a broader

:51:57. > :52:11.range of holidays. This is welcome and necessary. As members will

:52:12. > :52:16.realise, Atol protection started in 1973, a different world than we have

:52:17. > :52:21.now. There were very few airlines. There was British Caledonian and

:52:22. > :52:25.nationalised airlines. British European Airways and British

:52:26. > :52:33.overseas Airways Corporation. One would say it was an Iraq before the

:52:34. > :52:47.benefits -- and error -- and error before modern avionics. But back in

:52:48. > :52:52.1973, that was the days before the Internet. A day where going abroad

:52:53. > :52:58.was full of uncertainty. And sometimes even danger. It was into

:52:59. > :53:03.that world that the package tour regulations came into being and

:53:04. > :53:11.rightly so. I thank him for giving way. At that time it would have been

:53:12. > :53:15.unimaginable you could sit on your phone and book your holiday with an

:53:16. > :53:21.operator in other parts of Europe rather than walking into a travel

:53:22. > :53:24.agent on the high street? I am grateful indeed, he makes an

:53:25. > :53:30.absolutely outstanding point. We could sit here now in the chamber,

:53:31. > :53:40.if we weren't paying attention to the vote and the car sells -- book

:53:41. > :53:45.ourselves a holiday, that was something not envisaged. What we did

:53:46. > :53:48.have them, the advent of the package tour, British Airtours was a

:53:49. > :53:54.subsidiary of British airways, one of the leaders of this. This was a

:53:55. > :54:00.major innovation. The ability to have your package holiday protected

:54:01. > :54:05.via did you had a flight was a major innovation. That is something we

:54:06. > :54:09.have now lost. I can say that from personal looks periods. Having

:54:10. > :54:13.worked within this industry, I can give the House first-hand knowledge

:54:14. > :54:21.of how the package industry now works. We not only have dynamic

:54:22. > :54:26.packaging, members of the public with a vast choice available to them

:54:27. > :54:31.in terms of providers and destinations and activities. They

:54:32. > :54:36.can look and Taylor this book packages to themselves. We not only

:54:37. > :54:42.have that but we have the fact that those selling holidays can seek to

:54:43. > :54:46.step round some of the legislation. You might visit a website which

:54:47. > :54:51.purports to be offering a package but when one actually looks, it

:54:52. > :54:57.turns out the flight is offered by a subsidiary and the accommodation is

:54:58. > :55:00.offered by another company and other packages and excursions are dealt

:55:01. > :55:07.with by someone else. It is quite easy in this day and age to step

:55:08. > :55:12.around the regulations. It is for that reason that this bill is

:55:13. > :55:16.necessary. What we have seen in recent years is the travel market is

:55:17. > :55:28.significantly changing. Those days, the Romantic error -- romantic

:55:29. > :55:37.the honourable gentleman talked about the changing character of the

:55:38. > :55:42.regulations and reflecting on the remarks for the member who speaks

:55:43. > :55:48.for the opposition, let me reaffirm my commitment to consult further

:55:49. > :55:55.before any regulations are brought before us and draw his attention to

:55:56. > :56:03.section 71 B of the civil aviation 's act which already contains

:56:04. > :56:09.provision for the likes of the CAA. I am grateful to the Minister for

:56:10. > :56:12.making that point clear. The prospect of that amendment has been

:56:13. > :56:17.ongoing for some time and I am done lighted we are addressing it in the

:56:18. > :56:23.House today. That image we have all the high Street and flicking through

:56:24. > :56:31.a brochure and speaking to someone behind a tale, which still takes

:56:32. > :56:35.place and many people do avail themselves of the excellent services

:56:36. > :56:39.that exist in that regard. There are excellent travel agencies in my

:56:40. > :56:43.constituency but many people don't do that because it is so easy now to

:56:44. > :56:48.get on the Internet and choose a package here and to put together a

:56:49. > :56:55.perspective package for yourself. It is one of those areas where we have

:56:56. > :57:01.become our own travel agencies in a sense. But this brings some

:57:02. > :57:07.challenges as well as opportunities. We deal with a new generation of

:57:08. > :57:11.travellers. Those in the House embrace the opportunities that

:57:12. > :57:20.brought along with those challenges. I would go as far as to say that

:57:21. > :57:24.what we have seen in travel agencies and the expansion of providers and

:57:25. > :57:29.destinations and activities, we have seen the free market in action. We

:57:30. > :57:34.have seen so many advantages that a free market can bring in the

:57:35. > :57:42.interest of consumers. The online travel market has led to reduced

:57:43. > :57:46.costs and to increased choice for other day makers. We have to

:57:47. > :57:52.reinforce the protection at the same time as we reassess and benefit from

:57:53. > :57:56.those changes. The mix and match of lower prices and wider opportunities

:57:57. > :58:05.has to be put alongside the protection. Many holidays now fall

:58:06. > :58:11.outside the scope of Atol, the scope of 1973. If we look at 1998, 90% of

:58:12. > :58:17.all leisure flights were covered by the Atol and I understand today that

:58:18. > :58:22.the number has fallen to under 50% in recent years. I welcome the

:58:23. > :58:27.Minister's comment at the start of his speech that there are times,

:58:28. > :58:34.where as much as I have praised the free market and the benefits it can

:58:35. > :58:37.bring in terms of opportunities and choice and cost. We also have to

:58:38. > :58:44.understand there is a role for government. This is a case where

:58:45. > :58:48.consumer regulation, there is an appropriate role for government to

:58:49. > :58:52.step in and ensure the protection of consumers in this field. That is why

:58:53. > :58:57.Madam Deputy Speaker I welcome the measures in this bill that address

:58:58. > :59:04.these changes. This bill is one that will ensure the Atol scheme keeps

:59:05. > :59:08.pace with the innovations of the online travel market. Ensuring had

:59:09. > :59:12.the same time that your protections are in place regardless of whether

:59:13. > :59:17.you book online or on the high Street. We would ensure therefore

:59:18. > :59:21.that the over 20 million holiday-makers each year are

:59:22. > :59:30.protected and continue to be protected. I thank him for giving

:59:31. > :59:34.way, given the comments he has made, would he like to expand his thoughts

:59:35. > :59:41.on clause one that extends the provisions of Atol to sales made in

:59:42. > :59:45.the EEA, is that a worthwhile provision? And grateful for that

:59:46. > :59:49.intervention has I had turned from one page of my notes to the next

:59:50. > :59:59.page that dealt with that same clause one. Clause one at present,

:00:00. > :00:04.the Atol legislation deals only where the relevant flight bookings,

:00:05. > :00:11.the first leg departs from a UK airport. What the new directive

:00:12. > :00:16.looks to deal with is to introduce a single market approach to

:00:17. > :00:21.insolvency. Whereby EU established companies will be required solely

:00:22. > :00:25.with the insolvency protection rules of the state in which they are

:00:26. > :00:32.established as opposed to the place of sale which is the position at the

:00:33. > :00:38.moment. It is much wider and the company only now has to be

:00:39. > :00:45.established, assuming this bill is passed. Will he agree with me and

:00:46. > :00:50.several consumer groups that ?2 50 is a very low price to pay in the

:00:51. > :00:55.four Atol protection. Compared to standard travel insurance and in the

:00:56. > :01:02.longer term, we may see a decline in the cost of travel insurance as more

:01:03. > :01:06.holidays are covered by this enhanced Atol protection? I am

:01:07. > :01:12.grateful to him from a king that excellent point. He is quite right

:01:13. > :01:18.that the Atol scheme is funded by a levy which costs approximately ?2 50

:01:19. > :01:22.as a contribution per protected passenger. He is absolutely right it

:01:23. > :01:30.would be unwise of any holiday-maker to go abroad without adequate travel

:01:31. > :01:35.insurance. I would encourage everyone to do so. That can

:01:36. > :01:39.sometimes be pricey. Particular when one is protecting oneself against

:01:40. > :01:43.one than the more routine failures that are easily covered within the

:01:44. > :01:48.Atol scheme. There are other more serious misfortunes that can occur

:01:49. > :01:56.when one is on holiday for which travel insurance is still advisable.

:01:57. > :02:03.The cost may indeed, come down over the course of time with this

:02:04. > :02:07.enhanced package. Returning to clause one, it would allow travel

:02:08. > :02:12.companies that are established in the UK and selling flight inclusive

:02:13. > :02:17.packages to use their Atol membership and protection to cover

:02:18. > :02:20.all EU wide sales without needing to comply with the insolvency

:02:21. > :02:28.protection and rules of any other member state. I will turn to clause

:02:29. > :02:33.to briefly if I may before I look through the rest of the regulations

:02:34. > :02:38.and make some concluding remarks if I may Madam Deputy Speaker. Clause

:02:39. > :02:44.two deals with funding. Qualifying trusts within the Atol trust

:02:45. > :02:50.management structure. The Department for Transport is a mind, because we

:02:51. > :02:58.have seen significant changes in the travel industry since 1973 but even

:02:59. > :03:03.since 2004 and more recent years, it may be necessary to enter into

:03:04. > :03:08.separate trust arrangements for the greater business model. Such is

:03:09. > :03:13.linked travel arrangements giving greater transparency to businesses

:03:14. > :03:17.and consumers. It may be necessary to introduce a new form of

:03:18. > :03:24.qualifying trust to ensure the Atol trust will still protect consumers

:03:25. > :03:27.in the all-important areas of flight accommodation. That it allows

:03:28. > :03:33.flexibility under trust arrangements for us to increase the funding

:03:34. > :03:38.arrangements and ensure that Atol is adequately funded as time goes on.

:03:39. > :03:44.Clause three addresses a slightly different point. This is where the

:03:45. > :03:49.Civil Aviation Authority, as the House will realise they are

:03:50. > :03:55.responsible for running the Atol scheme. It is able to require and

:03:56. > :04:03.request information from airlines selling Atol registered products

:04:04. > :04:08.within the UK and wider. Under this new bill, an important change would

:04:09. > :04:13.apply to European airlines that have an air service operation license

:04:14. > :04:17.from another EU member state and would therefore not need any of the

:04:18. > :04:21.licences that are granted by the civil aviation act. The House will

:04:22. > :04:27.be delighted that this is a short bill. It only has four clauses and I

:04:28. > :04:31.think I only need to deal with three in the way that I have so I don't

:04:32. > :04:38.need to go through any others, I am sure everyone will be delighted.

:04:39. > :04:42.Short in terms of clauses as the House realises. I thank him for

:04:43. > :04:46.giving way. He has referred to clause three but the fact those who

:04:47. > :04:51.have the license from other countries when the CAA license is

:04:52. > :04:59.something that will give consumers for protection? I am satisfied this

:05:00. > :05:04.will give full consumer protection. I say so because the government has

:05:05. > :05:07.consulted widely. And the honourable member has with extra impressions on

:05:08. > :05:11.his part has managed again to prompt me to move onto the next age of my

:05:12. > :05:17.speech which may have been the intention in fact. The government

:05:18. > :05:25.has consulted widely and the industry's response has been

:05:26. > :05:29.favourable. We have received broad support from the majority of

:05:30. > :05:31.respondents to the proposals to harmonise Atol, the scope of the EU

:05:32. > :05:42.package regulations. During the VTAB build the evidence

:05:43. > :05:46.given by the directors of consumers and markets of the CAA noted there

:05:47. > :05:51.were a number of important and welcome development from this bill

:05:52. > :05:55.that would be good for UK consumers. Firstly, it makes it much clearer

:05:56. > :05:59.what the definition of package is, and I hope the house will forget by

:06:00. > :06:03.mentioning that in detail but I do see it simply because I urge my

:06:04. > :06:08.experience of having argued the concept of what a package is in the

:06:09. > :06:15.course of this country throughout the course of my career at the bar.

:06:16. > :06:18.This is a case where the bill has something that has wide support in

:06:19. > :06:23.the industry. I will make one more point Madam Deputy Speaker if I may

:06:24. > :06:27.before I wind up in that assembly to note the effect if I may to this in

:06:28. > :06:34.the educating effect that to his hands. We are of course and I will

:06:35. > :06:38.not enter into more detailed comments, leaving the European Union

:06:39. > :06:42.but we're not turning our back on Europe, we are not ceasing to be a

:06:43. > :06:46.huge appeal country. Of course as all members I am sure will

:06:47. > :06:49.appreciate, travelling to a new country and appreciating a new

:06:50. > :06:55.culture is one of the most educating and enlightening things that can,

:06:56. > :06:59.that an individual can undertake and we will wish people from this

:07:00. > :07:04.country to be able to expand the rise and is throughout the European

:07:05. > :07:10.Union as indeed well we want European Union people, for Europeans

:07:11. > :07:15.to be able to come here. And I of course within West Oxfordshire have

:07:16. > :07:19.a plethora of tourist attractions such as Blenheim Palace, the great

:07:20. > :07:25.stately house, Cotswold wildlife Park, crocodiles of the world, which

:07:26. > :07:30.is an excellent attraction that I invite all honourable members to

:07:31. > :07:34.come to. I have been and it is excellent and many picturesque

:07:35. > :07:39.villages throughout West Oxfordshire including Bampton, which is very

:07:40. > :07:44.famous, of Denton happy fame. I have gone on at some length in the house

:07:45. > :07:49.will probably realise by now that this bill has my full support and I

:07:50. > :07:55.acknowledged to the house to vote and have its second reading at this

:07:56. > :07:59.stage. Patricia Gibson. I wish to take this opportunity to welcome you

:08:00. > :08:07.to your place my Deputy Speaker. And I want to thank the Minister for the

:08:08. > :08:11.summit of the provisions of the bill. The decision to update the air

:08:12. > :08:21.travel organising licensing scheme to provide more protection and align

:08:22. > :08:25.it with enhancements to EU package legislations do give them protection

:08:26. > :08:28.booking holidays in Internet is to be welcomed. We must ensure the

:08:29. > :08:31.public are protected by updating the UK's financial protection scheme for

:08:32. > :08:36.holiday-makers and it is important to keep pace with the innovation and

:08:37. > :08:38.online travel market, and that appropriate protection is in place

:08:39. > :08:44.regardless of whether producers choose to book online or on the high

:08:45. > :08:47.Street when choosing a holiday. And of course we want to make it easier

:08:48. > :08:52.for UK companies when selling holidays across Europe as it will be

:08:53. > :08:58.able to trade under the UK's air travel organising licensing scheme.

:08:59. > :09:02.As opposed to regimes in the countries they sell dear. The

:09:03. > :09:07.measures of this bill unimportant as we need the air travel organising

:09:08. > :09:12.licensing Bill to cover new digital business models and modern consuming

:09:13. > :09:17.purchasing models. We know that more than three quarters of consumers

:09:18. > :09:24.book the holidays last year online, the EU package travel directive of

:09:25. > :09:28.2015 applicable from the 1st of January 2018 extends the protections

:09:29. > :09:32.beyond traditional package holidays organist -- organised by tour

:09:33. > :09:36.operators and offers clear protections to 120 million consumers

:09:37. > :09:42.across the EU who broke other forms of combined travel. This directive

:09:43. > :09:47.is expected to reduce debt is to consumers by about 430 million euros

:09:48. > :09:52.per year, across the EU, and registered ministries of costs and

:09:53. > :09:56.burdens on business. Passengers rights have been enshrined in EU law

:09:57. > :10:01.and consumers and businesses deserve to know, they need to know in fact,

:10:02. > :10:08.the keen to know how Brexit will affect them. What is sought are

:10:09. > :10:11.cast-iron assurances that the rights and protections of travellers will

:10:12. > :10:17.not be diminished after the UK leave the EU and I know that he Minister

:10:18. > :10:21.understands that. Current EU directives mean that current UK

:10:22. > :10:24.passengers are entitled to a number of benefits is a journey is

:10:25. > :10:28.cancelled or delayed, which gives protections and it has to be said

:10:29. > :10:32.some peace of mind to consumers when the booking travel. And since the EU

:10:33. > :10:38.legislated to provide a comrade subsystem of the passenger rights in

:10:39. > :10:42.2004, increased awareness of these rights and the ability to complain

:10:43. > :10:46.and appeal has led to a significant increase in the number of people

:10:47. > :10:52.doing so. And that is a good thing, because it democratises the market

:10:53. > :10:56.and gives consumers proper writs of redress. As the Minister has already

:10:57. > :11:02.said today, the importance of intervening when the market has

:11:03. > :11:06.failed, it should also be noted that there has been examples of court

:11:07. > :11:08.cases which have ruled on the circumstances in which airlines must

:11:09. > :11:12.pay compensation and appeals against some of those judgments have

:11:13. > :11:16.demonstrated that some airlines have shown him a lot and to pay out

:11:17. > :11:21.compensation unless the legal position is made absolutely clear.

:11:22. > :11:25.The rights of passengers must be clear and upheld, otherwise this

:11:26. > :11:32.will have a detrimental impact on passenger numbers and ultimately put

:11:33. > :11:37.jobs at risk. Clearly, Brexit poses challenges with regards to passenger

:11:38. > :11:40.rights, and it is essential that the UK develops its own system of

:11:41. > :11:44.passenger rights and compensation in the aviation sector and there must

:11:45. > :11:51.be clarity around how this will impact upon non-UK airlines and

:11:52. > :11:57.passengers. We have such a system in the UK post Brexit? -- will we have

:11:58. > :12:00.such a system in the UK post Brexit? This'll be required but passengers

:12:01. > :12:05.need to know how similar the system will be to current arrangements.

:12:06. > :12:11.What is to becoming the post Brexit world of all the EU protections in

:12:12. > :12:17.place? Will they continue as protections under the UK Government?

:12:18. > :12:21.And what we assurances can be give to UK passengers? The minister today

:12:22. > :12:24.has spoken of minimal impact on consumers and business post Brexit,

:12:25. > :12:32.but obviously more detail is needed and more detail is keenly awaited.

:12:33. > :12:35.The collapse of low-cost holidays is a stark reminder that more than ever

:12:36. > :12:39.the importance of the EU package travel directive which offers

:12:40. > :12:44.consumers protection in case of insolvency must be remembered. And I

:12:45. > :12:48.ask the Minister to give due consideration to these points and

:12:49. > :12:52.update the house is on as it is practical to do so. He spoke of the

:12:53. > :12:57.need to revisit consumer protection in this area as technology advances,

:12:58. > :13:03.but of course the question at the forefront of everybody's mind is

:13:04. > :13:11.what will happen post Brexit? What we need... The honourable lady

:13:12. > :13:14.invited me, and I welcome -- madden equity bigger can I welcome you to

:13:15. > :13:20.the chair? The honourable lady invited me to respond as quickly as

:13:21. > :13:25.possible so I will respond now. The reform we making of ATOL at the

:13:26. > :13:30.package directive will bring the arrangements across Europe more into

:13:31. > :13:34.line that has ever been before. It is imperative that we protect to

:13:35. > :13:39.regulation consumers in the way that I have described. It is

:13:40. > :13:43.inconceivable therefore post Brexit that we will not want to reflect

:13:44. > :13:52.protections that exist already here and increasingly abroad. I thank the

:13:53. > :13:57.Minister for that response. The clear guarantees that business and

:13:58. > :14:03.consumers are looking for must not be eroded after Brexit. As long as

:14:04. > :14:08.we have guarantees and as long as the ministers can give us further

:14:09. > :14:14.detail of these guarantees then this will reassure both passengers and

:14:15. > :14:17.businesses. Close to in the Bill gives the Secretary of State the

:14:18. > :14:22.power to reform the air travel organisers licensing and air travel

:14:23. > :14:26.trust fund was only an affirmative resolution in each house of

:14:27. > :14:29.parliament. However we believe that any changes the Secretary of State

:14:30. > :14:33.wishes to introduce to the scheme is be preceded by a full consultation

:14:34. > :14:38.and an impact assessment that allows for proper scrutiny of these

:14:39. > :14:43.proposals. While we absolutely welcomed the move to update the

:14:44. > :14:45.travel organisers licenses to ensure that a maximum number of travellers

:14:46. > :14:50.are protected when they go on holiday and to align it to the EU

:14:51. > :14:55.travel directive 2015, passenger rights have been enshrined in EU law

:14:56. > :15:01.and consumers and businesses deserve to have that reassurance and clarity

:15:02. > :15:04.about how the exit will affect them. And the government needs to give us

:15:05. > :15:10.more flesh on the bones of absolutely how this will be written

:15:11. > :15:17.into law. The updating of the scheme is to be welcomed, but post Brexit

:15:18. > :15:20.poses a whole range of challenges which consumers an airline

:15:21. > :15:23.businesses require clarity upon and I look forward to more detail from

:15:24. > :15:32.the Secretary of State in due course. Maiden speech, Rachel

:15:33. > :15:39.Maclean. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. And it is a great pleasure

:15:40. > :15:42.to follow the honourable lady. It is a great privilege to make my maiden

:15:43. > :15:47.speech representing the constituency of Redditch County in this debate.

:15:48. > :15:51.Improving the rights of consumers is a priority for this government, as

:15:52. > :15:54.this bill is needed in response to the change in the way that people

:15:55. > :15:59.broke the holidays as one more people are using the flexibility of

:16:00. > :16:04.the Internet to book the brakes. And in hard-working people in Redditch

:16:05. > :16:10.will welcome the protections as they book the well aerosol holidays. --

:16:11. > :16:17.there are well errant summer holidays. The constituency I

:16:18. > :16:20.represent with a proud history of returning willing MPs to this place.

:16:21. > :16:28.Is there is one woman I was the greatest debt to it is my own

:16:29. > :16:34.daughter, Ruth. At the age of 40 she said to me why aren't there more

:16:35. > :16:38.women MPs? You ought to stand. I replied I will try to find a few

:16:39. > :16:41.moments between running my own business, taking three brothers to

:16:42. > :16:47.football and Scouts, washing your school uniform and supervising a

:16:48. > :16:51.hallmark. Nine years later, I am honoured to have been elected by the

:16:52. > :16:55.people of Redditch. Read it is a new town, originally built to

:16:56. > :17:00.accommodate people from a rapidly expanding Birmingham. So as another

:17:01. > :17:05.Brummie newcomer to read it I am following in the footsteps. Other

:17:06. > :17:08.honourable members have extolled the virtues of the wonderful

:17:09. > :17:14.constituencies, the natural wonders up and down the country, and I only

:17:15. > :17:18.wish I had time to visit them all. However, most people in our nation

:17:19. > :17:23.within towns, and we must remember that people need beauty analyse,

:17:24. > :17:29.whether they live in the countryside or in towns. So I am proud that in

:17:30. > :17:33.Redditch any student of town planning would find the best example

:17:34. > :17:40.in the country of a well laid out modern urban landscape, developments

:17:41. > :17:43.such as Churchill, much better, when Yates, Lodge Park and Woodrow are

:17:44. > :17:48.all designed to allow maximum amounts of green space, quiet

:17:49. > :17:53.streets and traffic free highways and at the heart of the town, you

:17:54. > :17:57.will find a lovely natural always this, the Arrow Valley Lake and

:17:58. > :18:04.country park comprising 900 acres of green space, packed with wildlife

:18:05. > :18:09.and unfortunately no crocodiles. Well a fluid -- rarely seen in an

:18:10. > :18:13.urban setting as well as providing a focal point for community events. To

:18:14. > :18:16.the West a modern shopping centre and the historical centre exist

:18:17. > :18:20.harmoniously and so you will understand why so any people wanted

:18:21. > :18:24.to move to Redditch to live work and bring up their families. And despite

:18:25. > :18:29.our excellence in town planning we are not without their own natural

:18:30. > :18:35.beauty, too. The constituency also include some beautiful areas of

:18:36. > :18:40.Brora Worcestershire, such as the villages of second, a barrel, and we

:18:41. > :18:44.and villages. Andrew Church as I visited this weekend with a local

:18:45. > :18:50.group and my dog is set to beware the bells of the archers radio show

:18:51. > :18:56.are wrong. So I am therefore mindful of the diverse challenges that face

:18:57. > :18:59.me in representing the issues across this whole constituency. Including a

:19:00. > :19:05.brown field first policy for new development, broadband provision and

:19:06. > :19:09.farming. Redditch is also a great centre of enterprise and business,

:19:10. > :19:14.with a wealth of manufacturing companies. The particularly famous

:19:15. > :19:19.for its needles. At one point Redditch made 90% of the world

:19:20. > :19:23.needles. The deal-making still occurs in Redditch today. Indeed in

:19:24. > :19:27.preparing for this speech I read the play this house that members may

:19:28. > :19:33.have seen in which my predecessor how Miller features. In one scene he

:19:34. > :19:38.complains that despite envisaging his seat to be one of medals,

:19:39. > :19:43.steeples, farmyards and haystacks, upon election he found a somewhat

:19:44. > :19:47.different reality. Angrily declaring to the whips that you can't find a

:19:48. > :19:55.haystack in Redditch because of all the needles. In fact, Redditch has

:19:56. > :20:00.been fortunate to have had a number of formidable MPs as its previous

:20:01. > :20:06.champion, first I pay tribute to my bread etc Karen Lumley. She sadly

:20:07. > :20:13.retired due to ill-health after several years of dedicated service.

:20:14. > :20:17.She fought on behalf of constituents for the Alex Hospital, for

:20:18. > :20:20.apprenticeships offer mental health and fairer funding in schools. And

:20:21. > :20:26.people will remember her not only for this but also with great

:20:27. > :20:28.affection for her ability to bring additional colour to these benches

:20:29. > :20:33.with her varied energy choices of hair colour. And one promise I make

:20:34. > :20:38.to members is that the next time you see me I will still at the same

:20:39. > :20:43.colour hair. And we could not say that about Karen. I would also like

:20:44. > :20:47.to recognise Jacqui Smith of the other side of the house, the member

:20:48. > :20:51.for Redditch before Karen, for her great service to this country. She

:20:52. > :20:59.was in a country's first female Home Secretary. One issue dominated my

:21:00. > :21:03.general election campaign. That of a local hospital, the Alexandra

:21:04. > :21:08.Hospital known as the Alex. I want to reassure my constituents that the

:21:09. > :21:12.Alex and its service to patients and their families is my number one

:21:13. > :21:23.priority as your member of Parliament.

:21:24. > :21:34.I will continue again and again to fight to protect and to strengthen

:21:35. > :21:39.local health services. So when I reflect on the challenges facing the

:21:40. > :21:44.Alex, it reminds me of why I tried to enter parliament for some years

:21:45. > :21:48.now. The Alex Hospital, like other public services, depends on a strong

:21:49. > :21:54.economy. It relies on the taxes ordinary people pay. We should never

:21:55. > :22:00.forget that. Or where those taxes come from. Because they come, Madam

:22:01. > :22:05.Deputy Speaker, from the wages earned by people in jobs created by

:22:06. > :22:12.their employers. The small business owners who have created 2.5 million

:22:13. > :22:20.jobs since 2010. And for the very first time in my life, my wages are

:22:21. > :22:23.paid for by the taxpayer. I do not take this lightly. I know the

:22:24. > :22:29.sacrifice that goes into creating this money. Before I entered

:22:30. > :22:34.Parliament, I spent my career in teams starting up and growing small

:22:35. > :22:39.businesses in the digital technology sector as a owner and employer. One

:22:40. > :22:45.of these businesses started small and is now medium-sized and is in

:22:46. > :22:49.fact Britain's leading publisher of technology content. Over the years I

:22:50. > :22:52.have created many jobs for people which enabled them to fulfil their

:22:53. > :22:59.potential and build a secure future for them and their families. And it

:23:00. > :23:03.has not been easy. I have been through the devastating failures

:23:04. > :23:05.that many entrepreneurs face. Losing my home and livelihood before

:23:06. > :23:10.picking myself up and starting again. And anyone who builds a

:23:11. > :23:15.business will recognise this journey. My four children learned at

:23:16. > :23:19.an early age not to ask their mum for pocket money. They learned we

:23:20. > :23:24.were not able to go on holiday and that their clothes came from charity

:23:25. > :23:28.shops and they couldn't have new toys, phones or trainers. And that

:23:29. > :23:34.mum and dad didn't sleep at night because they were worried how to pay

:23:35. > :23:39.the wages of their staff. Because businesses are not some abstract

:23:40. > :23:45.concept. Businesses are built by people. People from all walks of

:23:46. > :23:49.life up and down this great nation of ours. People who differ in many

:23:50. > :23:55.ways but have one thing in common. And that is the desire to work hard,

:23:56. > :24:02.take a risk and create a better life for their children than the one they

:24:03. > :24:07.had. And I want everyone in Redditch to have that opportunity. There are

:24:08. > :24:13.people who feel overlooked and left behind. Where deprivation and

:24:14. > :24:17.poverty exist and where communities struggle with issues of physical and

:24:18. > :24:21.mental health. I therefore welcome the commitment in the gracious

:24:22. > :24:27.speech to mental health to investment in our NHS and affordable

:24:28. > :24:30.housing. I look forward to working across our local community in

:24:31. > :24:34.Redditch to tackle mental health proactively and make sure the health

:24:35. > :24:38.on the ground is there where it is aided. I will work with

:24:39. > :24:42.organisations like the Sandy Cross centre who offer a wide range of

:24:43. > :24:48.services to help vulnerable families and many others in the town. Our

:24:49. > :24:51.Prime Minister said in this place that not every problem in society

:24:52. > :24:59.can be solved by an act of Parliament. Madam Deputy Speaker I

:25:00. > :25:03.agree. Many problems are solved by the diligent and commitment and

:25:04. > :25:08.sacrifice of ordinary citizens like the people behind the 275 new

:25:09. > :25:15.businesses that started in Redditch since 2010. It is our job in this

:25:16. > :25:19.place to provide a solid economic foundation so those people can do

:25:20. > :25:26.what they do best. Building businesses and creating jobs and

:25:27. > :25:32.changing our country. Thank you so much for the opportunity to make my

:25:33. > :25:36.maiden speech in this debate, I look forward greatly to supporting the

:25:37. > :25:39.second reading of this bill and other important pieces of

:25:40. > :25:43.legislation in the coming months. I will never forget the privilege of

:25:44. > :25:52.speaking up for the wonderful people of Redditch in this place. I am

:25:53. > :25:57.truly grateful and may I begin by commending the new honourable member

:25:58. > :26:03.for Redditch on what was an erudite and very passionate speech about the

:26:04. > :26:08.place which she now represents. I feel certain that if she finds her

:26:09. > :26:13.way to bring that passion to every issue we debate in this House,

:26:14. > :26:18.keeping in mind her constituents that she clearly cares about a great

:26:19. > :26:25.deal, that she will make a really quite impressive impact on this

:26:26. > :26:29.Parliament. I also noted the news about her predecessor Karen Lumley.

:26:30. > :26:33.Having known Karen from when she first came to Parliament at the same

:26:34. > :26:39.time I did, I am certain the Best wishes of the whole House will be

:26:40. > :26:45.with her at this time. And if she carries on in the vein of her

:26:46. > :26:48.immediate predecessor and her predecessor before, Jacqui Smith,

:26:49. > :26:53.she will achieve great success in this House as well. I served in the

:26:54. > :26:56.last Parliament as a member of the women and equality is select

:26:57. > :27:02.committee, a fantastic institution that I note we are going to put on a

:27:03. > :27:06.statutory basis tomorrow. She may want to turn her attention to our

:27:07. > :27:11.most recent report, women in the Houses of Parliament after the 2020

:27:12. > :27:20.general election. Which I hope was not entirely redundant given the

:27:21. > :27:24.actions in 2017. Madam Deputy Speaker, if it is in order and I

:27:25. > :27:28.look forward to your guidance, I might also welcome you to your

:27:29. > :27:33.position in the chair. Those of us on these benches have benefited

:27:34. > :27:37.greatly from your wisdom, a friendly arm around the shoulder and

:27:38. > :27:43.occasional quite straightforward direction in your previous role as

:27:44. > :27:46.Chief Whip. And I note from those discussions that your leather whip

:27:47. > :27:52.has not made it into the chamber today as it did in the whip's

:27:53. > :27:56.office. I will be checking the chair to see if a new place has been

:27:57. > :28:01.installed for that but I wish you all of the success as well that I

:28:02. > :28:06.know you will bring to your new role. Madam Deputy Speaker, we are

:28:07. > :28:12.here to debate the regulations brought forward by the minister

:28:13. > :28:16.today. These changes are of course welcome. Even the rioting of

:28:17. > :28:23.different models for selling flights and other package holidays, the

:28:24. > :28:26.divergence the Internet has brought along and the new innovations in the

:28:27. > :28:30.market, it is right we should seek to comply with those changes and to

:28:31. > :28:38.bring about better consumer protections. The irony which we

:28:39. > :28:41.debated in the last Parliament is not something I would want to

:28:42. > :28:48.reflect on at length but there is a further great irony, as a member of

:28:49. > :28:53.Parliament who represents to FTSE 100 companies in direct relation to

:28:54. > :29:00.be travel and tourism industry, easyJet and also Luton airport in my

:29:01. > :29:04.constituency. It could easily be misunderstood as the legislation

:29:05. > :29:10.related to the future relationship under Brexit but it is giving

:29:11. > :29:15.ministers greater flexibility to handle that. But its genesis is a

:29:16. > :29:21.piece of legislation that seeks to comply with the EU directive. Namely

:29:22. > :29:26.that on the package travel objective, to give great consumer

:29:27. > :29:33.protections to the 5 million people who are brought up within the single

:29:34. > :29:40.market. This compliance is a welcome measure and I think it is right to

:29:41. > :29:47.make parliamentary time for. It must be complied by the 1st of January 20

:29:48. > :29:50.18. It will apply by the 1st of July 2018, the one the date not spoken

:29:51. > :29:56.about in this chamber which is the most important is the 31st of March

:29:57. > :30:02.2019. Just 15 months later because that is the date we will be leaving

:30:03. > :30:06.the European Union. And the minister, the Department and the

:30:07. > :30:11.government, at this date, despite their best intentions, cannot tell

:30:12. > :30:16.us the framework for this. From that date. Everything we debate today is

:30:17. > :30:21.essentially on a temporary footing. I have raised my concerns about this

:30:22. > :30:26.directly in the last Parliament. I was fortunate to be granted the

:30:27. > :30:30.adjournment debate put on record in Hansard the concerns of the whole

:30:31. > :30:36.industry in regards to aviation and leaving the European Union within

:30:37. > :30:40.the last year. The need to get a conference of air services agreement

:30:41. > :30:43.which allows for consumer protections and the most basic

:30:44. > :30:45.starting point for the industry in the first place which is an

:30:46. > :30:51.agreement which allows us to take off in one place and land in

:30:52. > :30:55.another. Not just within the EU but in our relationships with the United

:30:56. > :30:58.States is governed through the European Union. This is a

:30:59. > :31:04.significant piece of work. Written is leaving the EU and it is

:31:05. > :31:10.incumbent to bring forward a Brexit deal for approval in this House, I

:31:11. > :31:15.did believe -- I don't believe people voted to add complexity or to

:31:16. > :31:19.find themselves in a situation where they cannot get the flights they

:31:20. > :31:24.wished for. There are significant advantages to aviation and UK

:31:25. > :31:29.consumers from this directive and acted today. I very much hope we

:31:30. > :31:31.will take that spirit forward in seeking a conference of air services

:31:32. > :31:38.agreement that includes the messages in the package travel directive.

:31:39. > :31:43.There are other advantages that have been seen through this through our

:31:44. > :31:47.member ship in the European Union, including the most recent changes in

:31:48. > :31:52.the ability to roam with the mobile phone which will make a significant

:31:53. > :31:57.difference to many travellers over this summer period. The alternative

:31:58. > :32:04.of course is laid out for airlines and travel agents inside the single

:32:05. > :32:08.market. Businesses outside the EU, under this directive being enacted,

:32:09. > :32:15.will be required to comply with different rules of each member state

:32:16. > :32:20.in regard to which they sell. Our current situation recognises the

:32:21. > :32:27.jurisdiction of the others issued in this directive which reduces risk,

:32:28. > :32:33.complexity and costs. I ask the Minister to lay out the government's

:32:34. > :32:38.intentions in regard to the things the union enacted today. It would be

:32:39. > :32:43.a great disservice to UK operators if they were bound by all of these

:32:44. > :32:46.different regimes across 27 member states having only just bent 15

:32:47. > :32:52.months covered by the protections within the provisions of this bill.

:32:53. > :32:56.The Minister, in answer to the member for North Ayrshire, said it

:32:57. > :33:01.was inconceivable we would not want to uphold these consumer guarantees.

:33:02. > :33:04.But with respect, the reciprocal is not within our gift, any

:33:05. > :33:11.negotiations which go forward must try and seek this newly enacted

:33:12. > :33:20.settlement in what they do. Allow me to raise one further issue in this

:33:21. > :33:30.bill. Will we transpose the promises of EU 261 as they currently stand?

:33:31. > :33:33.Which provides compensation when flights are significantly delayed or

:33:34. > :33:36.cancelled. On the issue I started with on the conference of air

:33:37. > :33:42.services agreement, does he agree that as little change as possible is

:33:43. > :33:45.the most important thing to try and achieve given there are flights

:33:46. > :33:51.being planned and blocked at this stage by UK airlines that will take

:33:52. > :33:54.off or not take off dependent on this deal, to other European member

:33:55. > :34:01.states after the 31st of March 2000 19. We should be seeking to try and

:34:02. > :34:07.get as much stability into this industry as possible. I am grateful

:34:08. > :34:11.to him for giving way, he is making an extra from a powerful point about

:34:12. > :34:19.aviation and the importance to the economy. I represent Manchester

:34:20. > :34:22.Airport, does he agree with me that aviation is unique in that it does

:34:23. > :34:28.not have World Trade Organisation rules to fall back on and it is

:34:29. > :34:31.imperative government reaches a conclusion quickly. He pre-empts my

:34:32. > :34:37.point because I think we are working from the same page here. Because it

:34:38. > :34:42.is not covered by WTO rules, we would have a separate stand-alone

:34:43. > :34:47.air services agreement with the European Union and it is my view we

:34:48. > :34:51.should seek to bring that about now before the meat of the major deal to

:34:52. > :34:55.come. Not least because it is governed in a different way but it

:34:56. > :34:59.is viewed as a prerequisite to any future trade deal that you have

:35:00. > :35:04.those links established in the first place. In conclusion, let me say

:35:05. > :35:08.this, this is a very welcome bill that brings forward provisions we

:35:09. > :35:11.want for all of our constituents and consumers. But there must be more

:35:12. > :35:16.done and more said on this issue in this coming Parliament. The Minister

:35:17. > :35:19.will be acutely aware that he would be judged by the passage of this

:35:20. > :35:27.bill at the content of any future deal that covers these issues in the

:35:28. > :35:31.future. Thank you very much, it is a great pleasure to follow the member

:35:32. > :35:36.for Luton, who cares very passionately about Luton airport in

:35:37. > :35:40.his constituency but also what a great pleasure to follow the member

:35:41. > :35:48.for Redditch who has given an outstanding maiden speech. Thank you

:35:49. > :35:52.so much. In a modern outward looking Britain, it is very significant that

:35:53. > :35:57.the first piece of legislation this new House is going to look at is a

:35:58. > :36:03.piece of legislation making it easier for our consumers, our

:36:04. > :36:05.constituents, to travel overseas and for people from other countries to

:36:06. > :36:17.come and travel to Britain. It is also very significant that the

:36:18. > :36:19.first debate is about consumer protection because this is a

:36:20. > :36:25.government that believes we should put people first. The ATOL system

:36:26. > :36:30.offers protection to holiday-makers if the tour operator goes bust, and

:36:31. > :36:35.the UK is very proud having had the system in place since the 1970s.

:36:36. > :36:41.It's robust consumer protection gives confidence to people looking

:36:42. > :36:45.the holidays and therefore contributes to the very vibrant

:36:46. > :36:50.travel markets that we have. This supports the economy not just on the

:36:51. > :36:54.destinations to which people go but also our local tourist industry, and

:36:55. > :36:59.in particular I am thinking right now about the 800 residents of

:37:00. > :37:02.Chelmsford, who will go to work at Stansted Airport. It is important

:37:03. > :37:08.for the jobs that we continue to have a vibrant holiday market. But

:37:09. > :37:14.while holidays are always meant to be the happiest time of year if

:37:15. > :37:21.there is a problem with future operator that happiness so quickly

:37:22. > :37:26.turns into a nightmare. And last summer 27,000 British tour

:37:27. > :37:31.operators, British travellers, found themselves overseas when the company

:37:32. > :37:38.known as low-cost holidays collapsed. Another hundred and

:37:39. > :37:42.10,000 British consumers had booked the holidays through that operator

:37:43. > :37:47.did not know what the future would be. Low-cost holidays had of course

:37:48. > :37:53.moved its location from Britain to Spain and so was no longer ATOL

:37:54. > :37:57.protected. This reminds us just exactly how important it is that we

:37:58. > :38:02.look at the consumer protection that we offer for people buying from

:38:03. > :38:07.British-based companies but also for British consumers when they are

:38:08. > :38:12.buying from companies based in other countries. This is why in 2015 EU

:38:13. > :38:19.countries agreed new changes to the package travel directive. So that

:38:20. > :38:22.all European countries would require ATOL type of protection and the bit

:38:23. > :38:28.of all we are doing today is implemented in that decision. In the

:38:29. > :38:31.European Parliament the committee that looks at these issues is the

:38:32. > :38:37.committee of internal market and consumer protection. Because we

:38:38. > :38:43.believe that consumers are at the heart of the market, and as the

:38:44. > :38:48.person who chaired the committee I actually chaired the negotiations on

:38:49. > :38:53.the package travel directive. So it is important that when this is

:38:54. > :38:57.unfermented we make sure that it is permitted equally across all of

:38:58. > :39:01.Europe, otherwise we could find that some countries do go in -- to bring

:39:02. > :39:06.in a different system and there is an important difference that now the

:39:07. > :39:11.ATOL members will be based on whether or not you have your company

:39:12. > :39:15.based in Britain as opposed to if you were just selling into Britain.

:39:16. > :39:19.So we need to look at how this is a permitted in other countries as

:39:20. > :39:25.well. But a more important part of this legislation was as colleagues

:39:26. > :39:29.have said updating the guarantee system to be fit for purpose in the

:39:30. > :39:32.digital age because if today you go to buy your flight from the

:39:33. > :39:37.wonderful Stansted Airport you probably click on the airline

:39:38. > :39:41.operator and then you click through from the airline operator's sale and

:39:42. > :39:49.then to buy the hotel and then to buy your conscience. That would feel

:39:50. > :39:52.like buying a package but it was not covered under the old rules on

:39:53. > :39:57.package holidays directive, so the modernisation which I welcome the

:39:58. > :40:01.would-be ministers are doing on this, the modernisation ministers

:40:02. > :40:07.will make sure the clicks as are covered by the ATOL protection.

:40:08. > :40:10.There are many other discussions we had in the detailed negotiations,

:40:11. > :40:16.for example, should business travellers also get the same

:40:17. > :40:20.protection as consumer travellers? And this is where we tended to have

:40:21. > :40:23.a bit of a difference between those of us on the side of the house as

:40:24. > :40:28.opposed to those on the other side of the house. The excellent member

:40:29. > :40:33.from Redditch has just explained about challenges for small

:40:34. > :40:36.businesses when they put in place their own businesses and adding an

:40:37. > :40:42.extra cost burden onto this small type of business made at the

:40:43. > :40:46.unaffordable, so we were very concerned that they should not

:40:47. > :40:52.automatically have to pay the extra cost of the ATOL protection. This is

:40:53. > :40:54.the sort of discussion that I hope we will be able to look at in more

:40:55. > :41:00.detail. There were also discussions about whether or not the package

:41:01. > :41:04.should cover add-ons, so for example if you get to your holiday

:41:05. > :41:07.destination and decide to buy excursions or if you had bought

:41:08. > :41:10.those excursions before you go, should they be included in the

:41:11. > :41:13.package? We had a lot of representations from small

:41:14. > :41:17.businesses to say, please don't put these in the package, because if we

:41:18. > :41:24.do that it will add additional bureaucracy and it will reduce

:41:25. > :41:30.consumer choice. So while I am absolutely passionate about the need

:41:31. > :41:34.to provide consumer protection, we also need to from time to time take

:41:35. > :41:38.a step back and say on the side as well of consumer choice and not

:41:39. > :41:43.adding additional unnecessary cost to businesses. In a post-Brexit

:41:44. > :41:47.Britain I believe that consumers will still want to publish --

:41:48. > :41:51.purchase goods and services from those in other countries and it will

:41:52. > :41:56.be very important to continue to engage with other countries

:41:57. > :41:59.especially those across Europe who are our nearest neighbours, on

:42:00. > :42:03.issues such as consumer protection. It is important in the Brexit

:42:04. > :42:09.negotiations that we focus on getting a deal which works for

:42:10. > :42:14.consumers as well as businesses. Because a vast range of consumer

:42:15. > :42:19.rights are embedded in EU law. Not only on issues to do with

:42:20. > :42:25.holiday-makers, but issues like misleading advertising, unfair

:42:26. > :42:28.contract terms, right to seek redress and crucially important

:42:29. > :42:36.legislation about safety and quality for standards for food etc. The

:42:37. > :42:41.tragic fire at Grenfell Tower appears may have started from an

:42:42. > :42:51.electrical fault from a domestic good. It is a very brutal reminder

:42:52. > :42:56.of how important it is that we maintain high standards for consumer

:42:57. > :43:02.products. Today's consumer is however are changing, they embrace

:43:03. > :43:08.innovation, markets are evolving, we are constantly getting new products

:43:09. > :43:11.and standards and we need to constantly be working on making sure

:43:12. > :43:16.that the consumer protection and consumer laws and consumer standards

:43:17. > :43:21.are set for purpose. The excellent consumer organisation which has sent

:43:22. > :43:26.us all a briefing on what they would like for the Brexit negotiations,

:43:27. > :43:30.and they make a strong case that the UK should continue to work with our

:43:31. > :43:35.European neighbours on cooperating on consumer standards and other

:43:36. > :43:38.measures to counter fraud and to work to develop and share best

:43:39. > :43:42.practice. In particular they recommend that we should act in

:43:43. > :43:49.hilly stage reach agreement on continued cooperation with such

:43:50. > :43:51.agencies as the European food safety agency, European chemicals agency

:43:52. > :43:57.and the European aviation safety authority. I do think we should

:43:58. > :44:03.listen very carefully to what our consumer organisations are saying.

:44:04. > :44:08.There are as the member for Luton just mentioned, other issues which

:44:09. > :44:12.also affect holiday-makers such as the need to negotiate landing

:44:13. > :44:19.rights, there is an issue on making sure that any deals on how we use

:44:20. > :44:26.our mobile phones overseas will be covered. The UK was a great champion

:44:27. > :44:31.of removing that very, very expensive mobile phone roaming

:44:32. > :44:34.charge which outputs -- which put such a huge burden on consumers in

:44:35. > :44:39.the past but there are other issues like the motivations directive which

:44:40. > :44:43.have not been perfect for the UK and indeed the current situation with

:44:44. > :44:49.the motivations directive regarding how it affects watersports is

:44:50. > :44:53.causing great, great uncertainty in the motorsport industry in the UK,

:44:54. > :44:58.so we will need to continue to engage on that. I was very pleased

:44:59. > :45:03.to hear the Prime Minister and she was talking about our offer an EU

:45:04. > :45:08.citizens offering that we should keep the EP card, the card which

:45:09. > :45:12.makes it easier for people to go and get medical care when they travel

:45:13. > :45:17.across Europe. It seems to me that this is a very, very generous offer

:45:18. > :45:24.from the UK to the rest of Europe and we should welcome it. Just to

:45:25. > :45:31.wrap up, maintaining consumer confidence is key to a modern

:45:32. > :45:33.dynamic economy. As we seek to leave the EU and create a new deep

:45:34. > :45:42.economic partnership with those across the Channel it is important

:45:43. > :45:47.that we continue to stand on the side of consumers and find new ways

:45:48. > :45:57.to cooperate with our neighbours and those across the world who seek to

:45:58. > :46:02.make sure consumers are protected. Maiden speech Laura Smith. Thank you

:46:03. > :46:06.Matt and Deputy speaker, and may I offer my congratulations to you in

:46:07. > :46:10.your new role. I would like to acknowledge my immediate

:46:11. > :46:13.predecessor, Edward Timpson, it serves the previous government as

:46:14. > :46:17.Minister of State for Children and Families Bill. Edward was known for

:46:18. > :46:21.his desire to improve the care system for vulnerable children. I

:46:22. > :46:29.would also like to pay tribute to the late MP Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody who

:46:30. > :46:36.was and is to this day regarded as one of the greatest Palminteri and

:46:37. > :46:39.still sat in this house. I intend to serve the direct communities in my

:46:40. > :46:44.constituency with the same level of unwavering tenacity as Gwyneth did

:46:45. > :46:48.during her 25 year service. It is a source of great pride for me to have

:46:49. > :46:52.been elected to represent the constituency where I was born and

:46:53. > :46:58.raised and continue to live with my family today. As the granddaughter

:46:59. > :47:02.of the Scottish miner I was brought up on a diet of working-class

:47:03. > :47:07.values. During my childhood our family had real signs of struggle,

:47:08. > :47:12.but that have resilience and determination ingrained in my roots

:47:13. > :47:16.have always given us forward. I know what it is like to grow up within

:47:17. > :47:20.with loved ones who were plagued by mental illness. And I also know what

:47:21. > :47:27.it is like to be a single mother with a modest income struggling to

:47:28. > :47:32.make ends meet. I can promise today that I will never, ever forget when

:47:33. > :47:37.I have come from. As a teacher and updated my love for education will

:47:38. > :47:43.not come as a surprise. Before my journey into politics I was known

:47:44. > :47:48.for leading the fairer funding campaign in Nantwich which I'm still

:47:49. > :47:53.committed to, and I stand here today for the children are my constituency

:47:54. > :47:57.and I will continue to prioritise them and their education, my

:47:58. > :48:02.children's education, the future of this country's education for as long

:48:03. > :48:07.as I am in the house. Nantwich is a picturesque market town, home to the

:48:08. > :48:10.world's biggest cheese awards, and we will in fact be celebrating the

:48:11. > :48:16.best of cheese later this month. We are proud of annual jazz and blues

:48:17. > :48:20.Festival which attracts more than 40,000 revellers to the town. The

:48:21. > :48:27.little introduction, crew is anonymous with railways. At its

:48:28. > :48:32.height, crew works employs 20,000 workers but that number has now

:48:33. > :48:35.fallen to fewer than 1000. Crew deserves investment and I welcome

:48:36. > :48:40.the commitment and Queen's Speech to bring forward legislation to deliver

:48:41. > :48:46.the next phase of HS2. This will undoubtedly benefit crew. The

:48:47. > :48:50.surrounding areas of Crewe and Nantwich are scattered with

:48:51. > :48:53.villagers steeped in local tradition and it is important that the people

:48:54. > :48:58.of Sherrington, Williston, Westerton, Wembley and Haslingden

:48:59. > :49:02.now that I will work hard to support their communities. These places are

:49:03. > :49:07.all united by the hard-working community spirited salt of the earth

:49:08. > :49:13.proud of our fault that live and work there. It is the nature of my

:49:14. > :49:17.hard-working constituency that I want to focus on in this my first

:49:18. > :49:23.speech. I want to pay tribute to the British workforce. Every single one

:49:24. > :49:27.of Britain's's 31 million workers ought to be recognised and

:49:28. > :49:32.celebrated as the real wealth creators in this country. Without

:49:33. > :49:40.them this country would grind to a halt. Unemployment levels in Crewe

:49:41. > :49:45.and Nantwich are lower than average for the Northwest more than the UK

:49:46. > :49:50.average and yet food bags in my constituency provided more than

:49:51. > :49:56.50,000 meals last year and almost 4000 children are living in poverty.

:49:57. > :50:00.These are not mere statistics to me for me to be concerned about, but

:50:01. > :50:07.each and everyone is nothing less a travesty. This reflects the changing

:50:08. > :50:11.nature of poverty in the UK, there are no more people in working

:50:12. > :50:17.poverty than in out of poverty. It would seem that in 21st-century

:50:18. > :50:23.Britain works simply does not pay in many cases. Just a few more facts

:50:24. > :50:28.for you, more than one in five workers earn less than a living wage

:50:29. > :50:31.and more than half of working households have seen no improvement

:50:32. > :50:38.in their disposable income in more than a decade. Under 25 so not even

:50:39. > :50:41.entitled to the government's national living wage which is in

:50:42. > :50:46.itself inadequate and falls short of a real living wage. Full-time

:50:47. > :50:52.working lone parents are often the worst affected, having been a single

:50:53. > :51:03.mother myself I know how tough and isolating it can be.

:51:04. > :51:18.47 years after the equality pay act, the gender pay gap is still a huge

:51:19. > :51:22.problem. Instead of addressing this, the previous Chancellor prioritised

:51:23. > :51:27.changes to the state pension that have shattered the retirement plans

:51:28. > :51:31.of women born in the 1950s with devastating consequences. I stand

:51:32. > :51:36.with those women, fighting against this injustice. We should also

:51:37. > :51:41.celebrate the fact there are now a record number of female MPs in

:51:42. > :51:48.Parliament by acting to finally eradicate gender inequality in the

:51:49. > :51:54.workplace. We have a duty to address all forms of poverty as a priority.

:51:55. > :51:59.The fact that we have in work poverty in the fifth richest country

:52:00. > :52:04.in the world is shameful. It is a sad indictment of our economic

:52:05. > :52:09.policy. Work should be an escape route from poverty and it is wrong

:52:10. > :52:13.to claim we are all this -- in this together. CEOs can turn into and a

:52:14. > :52:21.half days what it takes the average worker and entire year to earn. I

:52:22. > :52:26.also can't help but wonder whether action on poverty pay might be

:52:27. > :52:32.addressed more urgently if we in this House had to do our jobs on a

:52:33. > :52:38.workers wage. Is it any wonder that so many people are infuriated by the

:52:39. > :52:44.hypocrisy of MPs receiving inflation busting pay rises themselves while

:52:45. > :52:49.voting to cap the pay of dedicated professionals who work in our public

:52:50. > :52:53.services. If this government wants to show the UK workforce that it

:52:54. > :52:59.values them, it can. It can start by giving them the pay rise and

:53:00. > :53:02.financial security they deserve. Actions speak louder than words and

:53:03. > :53:09.I will continue to hold the government to account on this issue.

:53:10. > :53:12.In the words of Nelson Mandela "As long as poverty, injustice and gross

:53:13. > :53:18.inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest. " And

:53:19. > :53:28.fellow members, I have no intention of resting. Maiden speech, Paul

:53:29. > :53:32.Masterton. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker for giving me the

:53:33. > :53:36.opportunity to speak in this debate. It is a pleasure to follow the

:53:37. > :53:44.member for Crewe and Nantwich after her powerful speech. A plane ride

:53:45. > :53:49.with a family trip is terrifying so it maybe a little while before I am

:53:50. > :53:54.in a position to benefit from the protections this bill will bring

:53:55. > :53:59.into force. Madam Deputy Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to be

:54:00. > :54:02.standing here as the member for East Renfrewshire. I committed the

:54:03. > :54:07.ultimate sin as a successful candidate at the cab, I forgot to

:54:08. > :54:11.thank my wife who was standing a mere six feet away. If I may endorse

:54:12. > :54:17.myself, I would like to but on record for evermore, my thanks and

:54:18. > :54:23.love to my wife Heather. I would also pay tribute to my predecessor,

:54:24. > :54:29.Kerstin Oswalt, a diligent and conscientious MP who did superb work

:54:30. > :54:33.as parties representative for veterans. I wish her and her

:54:34. > :54:37.beautiful family well for the future. I would also like to give

:54:38. > :54:41.special mention to the last Conservative member for the steed,

:54:42. > :54:46.balanced do it, who passed away in December. I know how much it would

:54:47. > :54:53.have meant that -- Medway and for his seat to turn blue again. Despite

:54:54. > :54:57.what other members may have led you to believe, it is East Renfrewshire

:54:58. > :55:03.that is the most beautiful constituency. Not only with its

:55:04. > :55:07.famous green spaces but its people. It is home to Scotland's largest

:55:08. > :55:11.Jewish community, a large Muslim community, a strong Christian

:55:12. > :55:14.committee and seek community and people of all faiths and none. The

:55:15. > :55:21.key thing is that none of that matters. The constituency is a fine

:55:22. > :55:25.example of everything that a modern, multicultural and tolerant Britain

:55:26. > :55:28.should see. A testament to that diversity is that the constituent

:55:29. > :55:36.will soon be home to the world's first-ever joint Catholic and Jewish

:55:37. > :55:40.school. There is an entrepreneurial spirit, from Busby to Clarkson, home

:55:41. > :55:44.businesses are thriving. Family businesses like an ice cream parlour

:55:45. > :55:49.and a plumpness in a street sit at the heart of the local community.

:55:50. > :55:53.From small enterprises like optimal physio and the enchanted Forest

:55:54. > :56:01.children's nursery and household names like Barrhead travel and

:56:02. > :56:06.aspiration, innovation and a desire to build a better future for those

:56:07. > :56:10.who follow the brand values that underpin that the people I

:56:11. > :56:15.represent. Today's entrepreneurs are following in a grand tradition. In

:56:16. > :56:21.1868, John Shanks opened a foundry, in the decades that followed, he

:56:22. > :56:34.developed the Bath and lavatory fittings for which he is famous.

:56:35. > :56:40.Nearby Milton was famous for cotton, textile mills dominated the area,

:56:41. > :56:45.powered by water, the mill reach the summit of Everest, used in the

:56:46. > :56:52.climbers of the boot of the expedition in 1975. We had one of

:56:53. > :56:56.the first smoke-free factories in the world, since replaced by a

:56:57. > :56:59.business park including a unit inhabited by two members of the

:57:00. > :57:05.Scottish parliament and now myself. I suspect there is far more hot air

:57:06. > :57:09.emanating from the site now than in previous years. East Renfrewshire's

:57:10. > :57:15.natural history is just a prevalent. We have a stunning landscape

:57:16. > :57:18.punctuated with hills amours and the community are rightly protective of

:57:19. > :57:27.this. It is little wonder the constituency boosted youth -- posted

:57:28. > :57:31.UK parts of the year. And the most desirable spots in the UK to live.

:57:32. > :57:36.It brings me back to this place, Gordon Brown was born in a maternity

:57:37. > :57:40.home near the site of the Orchard Park hotel and the former member for

:57:41. > :57:46.the constituency, Betty Harvey Anderson, the first Lady to sit on

:57:47. > :57:54.the Speaker 's chair as a deputy speaker was elected in 1959 along

:57:55. > :58:00.with another, Margaret Thatcher. For those who believe history repeated

:58:01. > :58:06.self, I am open to offers. Madam Deputy Speaker, while the result may

:58:07. > :58:07.not have been what these benches hoped, north of the board of the

:58:08. > :58:18.picture was brighter. Much I am proud to stand alongside

:58:19. > :58:22.Scottish Conservative faces, we will fight against the destructive

:58:23. > :58:26.politics of socialism and the divisive politics of nationalism. We

:58:27. > :58:29.will do so with an outstretched hand, not a clenched fist. When the

:58:30. > :58:34.UK Government and Scottish Government come together in common

:58:35. > :58:36.cause, that partnership is capable of truly transformational change.

:58:37. > :58:45.East Renfrewshire will receive 40 former limp ounce of investment in

:58:46. > :58:50.the Glasgow city deal. -- 40 ?4 million. I am not sure if wake

:58:51. > :58:57.boarding is high on your agenda but I will extend an invitation

:58:58. > :59:00.nonetheless. Turnout is a whiz amongst the highest in the UK in

:59:01. > :59:04.East Renfrewshire but after seven trip to the polls in just over three

:59:05. > :59:10.years, my constituents need stability and for their politicians

:59:11. > :59:13.to get on and do their jobs. It is the Scottish Government's inability

:59:14. > :59:19.to do that which is one of the reasons I stand here today. For my

:59:20. > :59:23.part, I will first and foremost dedicated myself to improve the

:59:24. > :59:28.lives of my constituents, when life gives them a difficult and when

:59:29. > :59:31.someone needs them to listen, the Leaf erectus and hides real pockets

:59:32. > :59:35.of deprivation and daily struggle. Those who feel left behind and

:59:36. > :59:40.forgotten. It is those people who do the -- who look to this place for

:59:41. > :59:44.the work we can do and we must not let them down. The Conservative

:59:45. > :59:48.Party must remember what it is for, extending the ladder of social

:59:49. > :59:52.mobility while providing a robust safety net for those struggling to

:59:53. > :59:56.make the climb. Just as we on these benches believe anyone from any

:59:57. > :00:00.background can reach as high and far as their talents would hurt them, we

:00:01. > :00:07.must acknowledge that anyone can fall on hard times. -- where it will

:00:08. > :00:12.take them. Teddy Taylor coined the phrase tenement Tories, it meant be

:00:13. > :00:17.at that conservatism must offer an aspirational vision to all and I am

:00:18. > :00:21.here to represent people who do not all live in big houses. The 2015

:00:22. > :00:25.general election was a point at which the Scottish National Party

:00:26. > :00:29.were at their peak, dominant and arrogant. They claimed ownership of

:00:30. > :00:34.my flag and my voice but they did not speak for me and they did not

:00:35. > :00:38.speak for Scotland. And so the day after that election, I joined the

:00:39. > :00:42.Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. In doing so, I made a promise

:00:43. > :00:45.to myself I would do everything in my power to ensure my children would

:00:46. > :00:49.grow up in Scotland where their opportunities are unrestrained and

:00:50. > :00:55.the ambition never frowned upon where their talents and Brent Edgell

:00:56. > :00:59.-- and potential would not go unnoticed. And where they would

:01:00. > :01:04.remain part of our wonderful United Kingdom. Standing here today may

:01:05. > :01:08.only be the first step to keeping that promise to myself and my

:01:09. > :01:11.children and families and individuals across East Renfrewshire

:01:12. > :01:20.and Scotland but I assure the House that it is a promise I have no

:01:21. > :01:24.intention of breaking. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like

:01:25. > :01:28.to welcome you to the chair, it is a pleasure to follow the honourable

:01:29. > :01:33.member from East Renfrewshire, it was great to hear other maiden

:01:34. > :01:39.speeches. It has brought a diversity to a one-sided debate. I would say

:01:40. > :01:45.to the members for East Renfrewshire, he talks about the

:01:46. > :01:48.vices of nationalism, the irony has not been missed, intends of the

:01:49. > :01:51.government getting on with the day job, the reason we are here debating

:01:52. > :01:56.this is because the government in question did not get on with their

:01:57. > :02:02.day job and chose to call an early general election which was not

:02:03. > :02:11.needed. Anyway, Madam Deputy Speaker, speaking, one frustrating

:02:12. > :02:14.thing is that we often have to apply time limits to cut short speeches,

:02:15. > :02:19.tonight, I think we have found with some speakers that time limits would

:02:20. > :02:23.be useful because it is amazing how long some honourable members have

:02:24. > :02:29.been able to speak about the bill that is only for clauses long. I

:02:30. > :02:33.will try to be brief. This is a small piece of legislation but a

:02:34. > :02:39.welcome piece. I would also suggest it is indicative of the strength of

:02:40. > :02:45.this government, this was part of the wider vehicle and technology and

:02:46. > :02:49.aviation Bill and now this four clause bill is one of the big bills

:02:50. > :02:58.hailed in the Queen's speech. A Queen's speech that we all know

:02:59. > :03:00.lacked ambition. Atol is a scheme that has provided protection for

:03:01. > :03:06.many over the years and it has rescued people financially and got

:03:07. > :03:12.them to come home in times of need so it is a fantastic scheme. As

:03:13. > :03:18.other members have said, it has changed over the years, so it is

:03:19. > :03:21.appropriate that the protections move likewise. The government

:03:22. > :03:28.minister was keen to say the UK has led the way in Europe with Atol am I

:03:29. > :03:34.would not dispute that. The EU has also extended passenger rights and

:03:35. > :03:37.it is imperative these rights are not weakened after Brexit. We need

:03:38. > :03:41.to provide assurances that the rights and protections of travellers

:03:42. > :03:48.will not be diminished after Britain leaves the EU. We note that the

:03:49. > :04:02.troubled eye rake to applicable from 1st of January 2018, is the first

:04:03. > :04:08.legislation change. It is welcome, the protections will now extend

:04:09. > :04:18.beyond the traditional path and will apply to three different sorts of

:04:19. > :04:22.travel combination. I also welcome the clear protection provided to 120

:04:23. > :04:23.million consumers across the EU who booked other forms of combined

:04:24. > :04:45.travel. Among the advantages, there compliance costs are inspected to

:04:46. > :04:50.reduce from 8 euros per package -- 28 euros per package from 11 euros.

:04:51. > :04:55.So once again we are grateful to the EU for taking on big businesses and

:04:56. > :05:00.extending consumer rights to meet modern travel needs. Since the EU

:05:01. > :05:05.legislated to provide a conference of system of air passenger rights in

:05:06. > :05:08.2004 and increased awareness in these rights and the ability to

:05:09. > :05:12.complain and appeal has led to a significant increase in the number

:05:13. > :05:18.of people doing so. These have been supplemented by a number of court

:05:19. > :05:21.cases where airlines must have paid compensation. Appeals against the

:05:22. > :05:24.judgments have meant some airlines have been reluctant to pay out

:05:25. > :05:29.compensation until the legal position is clear. Therefore we know

:05:30. > :05:32.that there is still industry resistance to some of the

:05:33. > :05:38.compensation schemes. That is why it is vital the UK does not weaken any

:05:39. > :05:43.legislation in the future. I thank him for giving way, I welcome you

:05:44. > :05:47.Madam Deputy Speaker and congratulate the member for East

:05:48. > :05:49.Renfrewshire for a fluent maiden speech which I am sure will not be

:05:50. > :05:59.the last in this House. Does my honourable friend agree that

:06:00. > :06:03.this is why we need assurances from this government about the impact of

:06:04. > :06:06.Brexit? So many aspects of consumer protection for dear life on

:06:07. > :06:10.individuals and we would have those assurances and clarity this time

:06:11. > :06:15.last year, perhaps he would not be in the situation we currently find

:06:16. > :06:20.ourselves. I thank the honourable member for his intervention. I

:06:21. > :06:23.agree. There seems to be a great reticence from the UK Government to

:06:24. > :06:27.give the guarantees needed. One year down the line since the vote and

:06:28. > :06:31.we're no further forward in many cases, and too often we keep hearing

:06:32. > :06:37.how everything will be OK going forward, but we need to start seeing

:06:38. > :06:42.some fresh voices as it were. On that theme we still do not know when

:06:43. > :06:46.the UK is going to develop its own system of passenger rights and

:06:47. > :06:51.conversations in the aviation sector both Brexit, a similar will this be

:06:52. > :06:56.for the current arrangements and more importantly how will that

:06:57. > :06:59.affect non-E -- non-UK later passengers? It comes to the point

:07:00. > :07:04.that we need a fair guarantee from the UK Government. Madam Deputy

:07:05. > :07:06.Speaker a slightly different theme, Scotland has a large number of

:07:07. > :07:12.regional airports and many of these regional airports are completely

:07:13. > :07:15.reliant on low-cost airlines and to listen to survive and be an economic

:07:16. > :07:20.success. In a neighbouring constituency of mine we have pressed

:07:21. > :07:22.the airport and recent reports have stated by the airport is vulnerable

:07:23. > :07:27.to Brexit given the number of low-cost airlines and passenger

:07:28. > :07:30.traffic which is mainly outbound. In actual fact Ryanair has confirmed

:07:31. > :07:34.that despite the fact the Scottish Government has voted to reduce air

:07:35. > :07:39.passenger duty by 50% which they were hoping to use as a mechanism to

:07:40. > :07:42.grow the number of routes operating from Prestwick, the cost of

:07:43. > :07:49.uncertainty of Brexit and the open skies agreement, Ryanair will not

:07:50. > :07:53.expand further at Prestwick airport. That is a real concern for local

:07:54. > :07:57.jobs in my area. The international air transport Association predicts

:07:58. > :08:01.that a 12% reduction in sterling would result in a 5% decline in

:08:02. > :08:07.outbound travel and outbound travel from airports. And yet since the EU

:08:08. > :08:11.referendum sterling has dropped 25% so it is more vital for Prestwick

:08:12. > :08:14.airport that we do continue with the open skies agreement to maintain

:08:15. > :08:20.outbound passengers and it is incumbent upon the UK Government to

:08:21. > :08:24.give a guarantee that the UK will stay in the civil aviation market

:08:25. > :08:28.after we are taken out of the EU. Remaining in the open skies

:08:29. > :08:32.agreement, the single aviation market is vital to insure our

:08:33. > :08:34.airports remain economically viable and that the low-cost airlines are

:08:35. > :08:40.vital for these regional airports for commercial success. And yet easy

:08:41. > :08:45.Jet setting up a separate operation outwith the UK to ensure it can

:08:46. > :08:49.continue to fly without restriction after the UK leads the EU, which is

:08:50. > :08:52.in no small part due to lack of clarity over what aviation agreement

:08:53. > :08:57.the UK will eventually come up with. It is clear that the matter that

:08:58. > :09:01.everything will be OK or even better in the current arrangements I

:09:02. > :09:06.relieve the EU that risks are materialise in front of us, airlines

:09:07. > :09:08.finding other EU member states are more attractive proposition is

:09:09. > :09:12.clearly a worrying prospect. The UK Government needs to find out how it

:09:13. > :09:17.will counteract this issue for regional airports. The UK Government

:09:18. > :09:24.really must provide clarity sooner rather than later. Madam Deputy

:09:25. > :09:28.Speaker just to finish, close to in this bill gives the secretary of

:09:29. > :09:32.state power to form an air travel trust fund with only an affirmative

:09:33. > :09:35.resolution by each house of parliament, I suggest the UK

:09:36. > :09:38.Government also needs to provide assurances that any changes the

:09:39. > :09:42.Secretary of State for Transport makes to the ATOL scheme through

:09:43. > :09:47.secondary legislation must be preceded by a proper consultation of

:09:48. > :09:51.members within the industry and celebrates to perform an impact

:09:52. > :09:54.assessment associated with that, so these comments apart, we do welcome

:09:55. > :09:58.the legislation and as I noted at the start in a intervention with the

:09:59. > :10:03.Minister we are concerned with what is going to happen with the proposed

:10:04. > :10:08.legislation and the honourable member the Transport Secretary said

:10:09. > :10:11.as well and it is imperative that the government was quickly and

:10:12. > :10:18.provide you assurances in these matters as well. Thank you very much

:10:19. > :10:21.Madam Deputy Speaker and it is a pleasure to be called by you to

:10:22. > :10:25.speak in this debate in your first session in the chair and

:10:26. > :10:30.congratulate you on your new role. That is a pleasure to follow the

:10:31. > :10:35.honourable member from the SNP from, and to congratulate the many members

:10:36. > :10:38.have made the maiden speeches today, there have been some excellent

:10:39. > :10:45.maiden speeches. One of Cornwall 's earliest tourists was the spirited

:10:46. > :10:51.and adventurous Mary Kelly, a Cornish is wife who in 1851 travel

:10:52. > :10:55.to London to visit the great exhibition. It took longer than some

:10:56. > :10:59.sage should have done, but then again she didn't walk the 600 miles

:11:00. > :11:05.there and back as she was 84 years old. At the time there were not many

:11:06. > :11:08.other options for Cornish travellers, and there are some who

:11:09. > :11:13.would seek to give the impression that much has not changed in

:11:14. > :11:15.Cornwall today. For those seeking to travel and leave Cornwall. But that

:11:16. > :11:20.would be to give a very wrong impression. A wrong impression of

:11:21. > :11:22.what is currently taking place in Coral because we are seeing thanks

:11:23. > :11:29.to the support of this government record levels of investment in our

:11:30. > :11:34.transport infrastructure. If Mary had been around today she could have

:11:35. > :11:39.taken another alternative ways of travelling. She can travel by road

:11:40. > :11:49.and she would have travelled up the a circuit had seen recently

:11:50. > :11:55.completed upgrade of the a 30 which will be completed in a few weeks'

:11:56. > :11:59.time. And with the good minister in his place I would like to

:12:00. > :12:01.acknowledge and welcome the government's commitment for their

:12:02. > :12:06.support for the next phase of the upgrade for the vital if the team in

:12:07. > :12:10.road through Cornwall. All Mary could have travelled on one of the

:12:11. > :12:18.new great Western Railways billet style Hitachi trains, the first of

:12:19. > :12:20.which we saw in Cornwall just over a week ago, a ?146 million investment

:12:21. > :12:26.in our Railways which will be fully rolled out next year. All of course

:12:27. > :12:32.she could have taken one of the three times daily aeroplane

:12:33. > :12:39.travelling from Newquay to London today. I will give a will stop the

:12:40. > :12:44.Mac riveting though this is, it is not anything to do with the bill. We

:12:45. > :12:50.have lots of people wanting to speak and I wonder if you might get to the

:12:51. > :12:52.relevancy of the statement. I am not sure I thank the honourable death

:12:53. > :12:58.and for that intervention but I am about to come onto the point because

:12:59. > :13:03.the airport is booming, we're seeing passenger numbers increase

:13:04. > :13:07.year-on-year and by some measures it is now regarded as the

:13:08. > :13:11.fastest-growing regional airport in the country. Only recently the

:13:12. > :13:14.independent -- the Independence declared Newquay to be the best

:13:15. > :13:21.regional airport in the country. And not only can you get regular flights

:13:22. > :13:25.to UK destinations but there is sewing an increasing number of

:13:26. > :13:29.holiday destinations such as places in Portugal and Spain. And that is

:13:30. > :13:36.why I welcome the bill that is before the house today. The way in

:13:37. > :13:39.which two lists book the holidays is changing with fewer and fewer

:13:40. > :13:44.picking the traditional package holiday by popping down into the

:13:45. > :13:52.town centre to visit the cartilage and office. In 2016, of the 20

:13:53. > :14:01.million UK holiday-makers, 76% of them but the holidays or travel

:14:02. > :14:07.online, a staggering increase even when compared to changes in recent

:14:08. > :14:12.years. There was the partial reform of the regulation in 2012 but I'm

:14:13. > :14:15.pleased that the Department for Transport firmly believes that more

:14:16. > :14:24.needs to be done to protect consumers and that is why I welcome

:14:25. > :14:26.this bill before the house today. As holiday providers market options and

:14:27. > :14:32.even more varied flighty packages change, so comes confusion of not

:14:33. > :14:37.knowing if there is ATOL cover according to where the holiday or

:14:38. > :14:41.travel provider is based at what terms and conditions apply in the

:14:42. > :14:48.event of a business failure. This bill seeks to rectify that. The

:14:49. > :14:51.government has said that it will harmonise ATOL with the scope and

:14:52. > :14:55.definition of the EU package travel directive. It was widely agreed that

:14:56. > :15:01.this will bring greater clarity and protection for consumers and help

:15:02. > :15:04.level the playing field for businesses selling similar holidays.

:15:05. > :15:10.I welcome this key development and note that the bill will also seek to

:15:11. > :15:15.build in future proofing so to the packages on offer and where and how

:15:16. > :15:21.they are sold will come under the new legislation. The travel industry

:15:22. > :15:27.is one that has seen enormous change in just a few years, and this bill

:15:28. > :15:33.seeks to reflect that and serve travellers and the industry more

:15:34. > :15:39.effectively. Many if not all of the changes that have taken place in the

:15:40. > :15:43.travel industry have been for the better of consumers. Providing

:15:44. > :15:47.greater connotation, more choice and greater flexibility, but it is

:15:48. > :15:55.important that legislation and protection keeps pace with those

:15:56. > :15:59.changes. It is essential that flexes packages of all types are covered

:16:00. > :16:01.with ATOL protection and that travellers are clear and confident

:16:02. > :16:05.that at the time of purchase which may be many months prior to the

:16:06. > :16:11.departure date, but the cover is in place. This bill serves to ensure

:16:12. > :16:18.that very purpose. Future proofing the legislation around ATOL

:16:19. > :16:22.protection is as I have said a needed and broadly welcomed moves by

:16:23. > :16:25.all parties across the industry. But I feel I would like to push the

:16:26. > :16:31.Minister a bit on this Ujah proofing point. I'm sure the ministers in the

:16:32. > :16:38.department would be disappointed if I did not take the opportunity to

:16:39. > :16:43.refer to the potential of the spaceport coming to Cornwall Newquay

:16:44. > :16:47.airport. I was delighted to see the legislation to enable that was in

:16:48. > :16:52.the gracious speech just shortly delivered. While this will

:16:53. > :16:56.essentially be focused on commercial satellite launches, there is also no

:16:57. > :17:02.doubt of the future potential for space tourism. I know some will

:17:03. > :17:09.scoff, but do not underestimate the Cornish. We give the world up in the

:17:10. > :17:14.esteem and steely transformed mining safety. The Cornish have it in the

:17:15. > :17:23.psyche, in the history, in the blood, to be pioneers. Surely the

:17:24. > :17:25.day will come when Newquay welcomes her first space travellers, with

:17:26. > :17:31.correlation there to visit her being, beam me up Denzel is surely

:17:32. > :17:35.only just around the corner. So the question must be asked of the

:17:36. > :17:38.Minister, with tongue only slightly in cheek, is whether the ATOL

:17:39. > :17:44.protection covered in this bill will be able to be extended to space

:17:45. > :17:47.tourism when the time comes. I believe the additional protection

:17:48. > :17:55.this bill offers to the Cornish travellers and I believe that it

:17:56. > :17:58.will only enhance further the opportunities for smaller regional

:17:59. > :18:05.airports like Newquay to continue to grow and expand it tourist flights.

:18:06. > :18:11.Thank you very much. It is a privilege to follow my comrade from

:18:12. > :18:17.coral. Thank you for calling this debate. I find myself in an

:18:18. > :18:20.opposition, having worked for Thomas Cook in a previous role to be sat on

:18:21. > :18:23.the other side of the fence now looking at the ATOL regulations that

:18:24. > :18:28.I was myself arguing for another reviewable. It is great to see that

:18:29. > :18:32.we are back in again. I was hoping that the first bill that we would be

:18:33. > :18:36.addressing would be about food banks in Ukraine mine to the far

:18:37. > :18:40.south-west but is ATOL reform is as good a place to start as any. First

:18:41. > :18:42.of all can I say that I welcome this bill, it is long overdue in terms of

:18:43. > :18:48.updating our consumer protection for holiday-makers and it comes on the

:18:49. > :18:52.back of a number of improvements in recent years in the way that

:18:53. > :18:59.holidays have been sold unprotected. -- sold and protected. I spent many

:19:00. > :19:01.years in Brussels working with another of colleagues looking at how

:19:02. > :19:05.we can strengthen protection for people buying holidays because that

:19:06. > :19:09.has been discussed widely, and we holidays have been soul has changed

:19:10. > :19:12.considerably in recent years. The travel industry operates under

:19:13. > :19:16.legislation that has not kept pace both in the UK and throughout the EU

:19:17. > :19:20.with the way that travel has been sold, partly because of the

:19:21. > :19:23.inventiveness and ingenuity of the innovators and entrepreneurs in the

:19:24. > :19:28.travel industry. We are really fortunate that the UK sector is

:19:29. > :19:30.second to none in how entrepreneurial we actually are

:19:31. > :19:34.clear. But my starting point for looking at the Bill in particular is

:19:35. > :19:39.to ask whether this gives certainty and confidence to consumers. The

:19:40. > :19:42.ATOL certificates are prejudiced another of years ago by the

:19:43. > :19:47.Coalition government made a step forward, but that is more that can

:19:48. > :19:49.be done. In particular there is often a confusion between the

:19:50. > :19:53.protection given when someone buys a package and the protection given

:19:54. > :19:56.when someone buys a flight plus arrangement and the protection given

:19:57. > :20:02.when people buy separate arrangements all at the same time

:20:03. > :20:05.ready data is transferred or travel arrangements. This bill does not say

:20:06. > :20:08.much about what second any legislation will accompany this

:20:09. > :20:12.piece of work in the detail of that is essential that we get that right,

:20:13. > :20:16.because this bill is something that the industry and consumers have been

:20:17. > :20:20.waiting quite some time for. It is important that there is no further

:20:21. > :20:23.delay in doing this. I think having sat through the debate and having

:20:24. > :20:26.worked on travel for a number of years I think it is a portent that

:20:27. > :20:30.the list is as clear distinction in -- that there is a clear distinction

:20:31. > :20:33.that is understood in this house between the protection afforded by

:20:34. > :20:38.ATOL and package sales and those afforded by buying a decent holiday

:20:39. > :20:41.insurance that included particular the scheduled airline failure

:20:42. > :20:45.insurance as well. But as the honourable member from Milton Keynes

:20:46. > :20:49.South Mark and his intervention earlier, time is running out here.

:20:50. > :20:52.We are now six months away from legislation needing to be in place,

:20:53. > :20:58.12 months from compliance and foreign industry already selling

:20:59. > :21:00.holidays 12-18 months ahead, that creates a difficulty in terms of

:21:01. > :21:06.understanding what protections will be in place for those holidays after

:21:07. > :21:07.being sold now. And for consumers to be understanding what protection

:21:08. > :21:19.goes along with that. The package travel system, which I

:21:20. > :21:22.have learnt a love and hate at the same time, it gets even more

:21:23. > :21:27.complicated when you start looking through it. For travel businesses to

:21:28. > :21:32.have sufficient time to prepare for the effective date of the 1st of

:21:33. > :21:37.July and then planning sales beyond 2018, that is already at an advanced

:21:38. > :21:40.age, we need the public to publish those quickly so they can be

:21:41. > :21:44.properly consulted on and industry can take the necessary steps to

:21:45. > :21:46.adapt to it by thinking in particular about small businesses

:21:47. > :21:51.that may be captured for the first time in the scope of this. Because

:21:52. > :21:56.travel is a complex fast paced industry full of fantastic people,

:21:57. > :21:59.these technical updates need to be fully understood and implemented

:22:00. > :22:03.over time for a variety of great many different booking systems both

:22:04. > :22:07.in UK companies and those that operate internationally. That is why

:22:08. > :22:11.these draft regulations can't come a moment soon. This bill will help

:22:12. > :22:16.clear up confusion about what holidays are protected and what are

:22:17. > :22:20.not. There was an interim stage when flight plusses, when you buy a

:22:21. > :22:22.flight plus another element, like holiday accommodation or car hire,

:22:23. > :22:26.this has been a positive step forward. I think wrapping them

:22:27. > :22:30.altogether is a positive step forward but I would like to ask the

:22:31. > :22:33.Minister to look again at howling travel arrangements in particular

:22:34. > :22:40.are treated within this bill because the Minister previously mentioned to

:22:41. > :22:43.bring LTAs into the scope of the protection I would like to see more

:22:44. > :22:46.detail on that because out they are treated is especially important

:22:47. > :22:49.because if they are not treated in the right way then those

:22:50. > :22:56.transactions can fall outside the scope of the protections. Mr Deputy

:22:57. > :22:59.Speaker, it'll should not need to look into the small print of their

:23:00. > :23:02.contracts or regulation to work out if they are protected or not and at

:23:03. > :23:06.the moment there are still too much detail people need to understand to

:23:07. > :23:10.see if they are fully protected. Given my newness in the place and

:23:11. > :23:14.the fact this is the first bill, I wonder if the Minister could do me a

:23:15. > :23:17.favour and add a feuding is into his summing up, in particular I wonder

:23:18. > :23:22.whether the Minister could clarify whether the implementation date for

:23:23. > :23:26.all bookings is from the point of sale or the point of departure? That

:23:27. > :23:29.is run important in terms of understanding with a holiday is

:23:30. > :23:37.being sold now that may be captured by this after the plantation date me

:23:38. > :23:41.to have rep from respected -- needs to have -- after the implementation

:23:42. > :23:45.date need to have representation added to them. And if the Minister

:23:46. > :23:49.could reaffirm that the protections afforded not only by the package

:23:50. > :23:54.travel regulations but also by the air passage regulator will be

:23:55. > :23:59.carried through in the event when we leave the European Union. And in

:24:00. > :24:03.particular I would now like to spend a moment on the air trust fund. For

:24:04. > :24:06.those who have not spent time looking at how that operates, it is

:24:07. > :24:11.a fund that provides back-up support that in the event of a holiday

:24:12. > :24:18.company during down, there are sufficient resources to bring Google

:24:19. > :24:23.Home. Perhaps the Minister could provide an update on how that is

:24:24. > :24:27.going. Now that there is ?140 million in the fund and provisions

:24:28. > :24:31.in this bill to create what I suspect is protected cells within

:24:32. > :24:34.the air travel trust fund, something the government has shied away from

:24:35. > :24:39.doing, I wonder if he can clarify how that will work in practice.

:24:40. > :24:43.Should a new entrant Selby exhausted by failure of a company in that

:24:44. > :24:47.cell, will the air travel trust fund for the remainders of the holiday

:24:48. > :24:54.industry need to top it up and vice versa if the company goes covered,

:24:55. > :25:01.will those APC contributions, the ?2 50 you pay for your protection, the

:25:02. > :25:07.paid into the trust fund to ensure people are brought home? It has been

:25:08. > :25:10.exhausted in the past. These technical questions could provide

:25:11. > :25:15.reassurance for consumers to know it was be there. Finally, can I ask

:25:16. > :25:19.about enforcement of this bill? I note the CAA and trading standards

:25:20. > :25:25.will take a large role in this. The CAA has done a good job in enforcing

:25:26. > :25:29.the atoll regulations. But I am concerned trading standards are

:25:30. > :25:31.already under a huge amount of pressure and stress to deliver the

:25:32. > :25:39.workload they currently have this could further add to that difficulty

:25:40. > :25:42.and complexity. It is great that there are simply people

:25:43. > :25:45.familiarising themselves with the intricacies of atoll protection than

:25:46. > :25:48.I hoped or honourable and right honourable members do so throughout

:25:49. > :25:55.this. I hope it is also the start of a greater focus on tourism. In

:25:56. > :25:59.particular outbound tourism, the kind that atoll protects, has fallen

:26:00. > :26:04.behind a number of government stalls were too long. We have spit -- split

:26:05. > :26:08.response abilities. It seems that sometimes this is a hot potato no

:26:09. > :26:11.government minister wants to touch, so I am grateful for this bill being

:26:12. > :26:16.brought forward because I think it is time we look at whether there is

:26:17. > :26:20.a single regulator for the travel industry and whether there can be a

:26:21. > :26:25.clear department responsible for bringing together all the elements

:26:26. > :26:30.of outbound production The Open protection for holiday-makers. I

:26:31. > :26:35.noticed that nearly everyone who has spoken to date has praised their

:26:36. > :26:41.airports. Plymouth's airports closed in 2010 and I would implore the

:26:42. > :26:45.Minister to help us to reopen it, so I can join the cohort of members who

:26:46. > :26:49.have praised their own airport. At the moment by airport is growing

:26:50. > :26:53.grass on the runway but I wish it would reopen soon, because then

:26:54. > :27:03.holiday-makers in Plymouth can enjoy the same protection as ATOL affords

:27:04. > :27:07.others. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, and for the opportunity to

:27:08. > :27:17.contribute for the first time in this place. It is an honour to

:27:18. > :27:21.follow the honourable member. I am also grateful for the opportunity to

:27:22. > :27:24.be to speak here and to be to speak in this bill, which I wholeheartedly

:27:25. > :27:30.support. It is another indication of when times change is a sometimes for

:27:31. > :27:36.regulation. Sometimes there is a need to know regulation but this

:27:37. > :27:40.time there is. I support that and look forward to the coming months in

:27:41. > :27:45.front of us. It is an honour and a privilege to represent the beautiful

:27:46. > :27:52.constituency of North East Derbyshire, a constituency of

:27:53. > :27:58.vibrant communities, rich ambition and proud, proud heritage. We sit

:27:59. > :28:02.nestled but two hours away from here between the steel city of Sheffield

:28:03. > :28:07.in the north, between the beauty of the Peak District in the West, and

:28:08. > :28:11.then in the east the market town of Chesterfield, which my constituency

:28:12. > :28:17.has been so happily and completely intertwined with 400s and hundreds

:28:18. > :28:21.of years. From that market town and rises the crooked spire, which some

:28:22. > :28:25.members may be aware of, a church which has been in place for over six

:28:26. > :28:30.centuries, and which is notable by its spire not quite being as

:28:31. > :28:32.straight as it should be, and which dominates the landscape of both

:28:33. > :28:38.Chesterfield and my constituency for miles around. I am a son of that

:28:39. > :28:41.crooked spire, and I was born only a few 100 metres away from where it

:28:42. > :28:46.has stood for those six and a half centuries. If honourable members

:28:47. > :28:49.will allow me, there is something unique about having the privilege to

:28:50. > :28:53.serve in this place, and I look forward in the coming months and

:28:54. > :28:56.years to doing so, but there is something particularly unique about

:28:57. > :28:59.having the opportunity to represent the place where you grew up, to be

:29:00. > :29:02.able to represent the people who gave you the very values that you

:29:03. > :29:06.will speak of in this place when you have the opportunity, and to be

:29:07. > :29:11.aborted talk about the area that made you, and I have that privilege,

:29:12. > :29:17.and it is something I am incredibly grateful for that opportunity to be

:29:18. > :29:22.to do that. Before I entered North East Derbyshire into the obligatory

:29:23. > :29:25.most beautiful constituency competition, which I should assure

:29:26. > :29:28.numbers of the house my constituency will win hands down, but before I do

:29:29. > :29:32.that I would like to spend a moment talking about my predecessors. I

:29:33. > :29:40.walk in huge and assured footsteps in my constituency, from the progeny

:29:41. > :29:42.of one of the founders of the Industrial Revolution, Francis

:29:43. > :29:46.Arkwright, the one of the people who opened up the Derbyshire coalfield,

:29:47. > :29:49.which my constituency has so much to thank and so much of its legacy

:29:50. > :29:54.recorded two, Alfred Barnes, and even to a Nobel peace prize winner,

:29:55. > :29:58.Arthur Henderson, the three-time leader of the party opposite, who

:29:59. > :30:04.did so much during the dark days of the 1930s of the courses of

:30:05. > :30:12.disarmament and peace. -- the causes. I would like to dwell on one

:30:13. > :30:16.particular who had, my immediate predecessor, Natasha angle. I have

:30:17. > :30:22.been here but a moment and I can receive the love and the respect

:30:23. > :30:27.that members across the house have for Natasha, and I am happy to

:30:28. > :30:32.report that love and respect is reciprocated in the constituency

:30:33. > :30:35.itself. In a time of fierce partisanship and in my view

:30:36. > :30:52.unnecessary rancour, I am happy to stand here despite having a

:30:53. > :30:56.different rosette to Natascha. I hope she returns to public life soon

:30:57. > :31:01.if she chooses to come out of this place. North East Derbyshire is a

:31:02. > :31:06.constituency of contrasts, from the beauty and the rich undulating hills

:31:07. > :31:11.of picture perfect postcard villages like ash over and the beauty of the

:31:12. > :31:15.Caldwell and the moss valleys in the north and the east to the fiercely

:31:16. > :31:18.independent market town of John Field, with its monument to Sir

:31:19. > :31:23.Robert Peel's repeal of the corn laws in the 1850s, an indication of

:31:24. > :31:29.my constituents to slack for unnecessary regulation. Something I

:31:30. > :31:34.will remember, which give way in the east to a landscape at once both

:31:35. > :31:39.scarred by the endeavours of man, and then rebuilt again over time as

:31:40. > :31:44.we return to our former glory in north-east are the show. My

:31:45. > :31:48.constituency came of age in service of its nation in the provision of

:31:49. > :31:54.energy, and at one point a century ago, a predecessor of mine stood in

:31:55. > :31:59.this place and talked of 40,000 men in my constituency that were mining

:32:00. > :32:03.under the ground every single day. Mining is in my constituency's

:32:04. > :32:09.blood, and like the honourable lady from Crewe and Nantwich, it is a

:32:10. > :32:12.trait I share in that both of my grandparents were minors, including

:32:13. > :32:19.one who mind for a time it was thought cholerae in the town which I

:32:20. > :32:23.now -- in a colliery in the town which I now represent. I am the son

:32:24. > :32:27.of a milkman who left school at 15 and went out to work every single

:32:28. > :32:33.day before dawn in order to provide for his children and his wife. I am

:32:34. > :32:36.the son of a lady who left school at 16, and through sheer force of will

:32:37. > :32:41.went back to university, actor school in her 30s, and whilst

:32:42. > :32:46.holding down a job, whilst ringing up two boisterous young boys, and

:32:47. > :32:49.ensured that she got 2 degrees so she could provide for her kids and

:32:50. > :32:55.make a life better. I am the great nephew of the lady who ran the post

:32:56. > :32:59.office in a constituency in my village, and I am the nephew of my

:33:00. > :33:04.aunt, who once went to work for the National union of Mineworkers during

:33:05. > :33:12.the minor stroke. North East Derbyshire -- the miner strike.

:33:13. > :33:19.It has changed, events that in the spirit of Parton 's own ship, nearly

:33:20. > :33:22.as fact. Cass partisanship. In the same way my constituency has

:33:23. > :33:27.changed, my family somehow reflect that change as well, from the

:33:28. > :33:31.descriptions that I have just given you, that I am stood here today a

:33:32. > :33:35.working-class boy, able to talk this place and represent the people I

:33:36. > :33:38.grew up from is something I will never forget, and I will always seek

:33:39. > :33:43.to do my best for my constituency as a result. But beautiful as my

:33:44. > :33:47.constituency is, and is honoured as it is to be the winner of that

:33:48. > :33:51.competition I have just spoken about, my constituency also suffers

:33:52. > :33:54.from unique challenges and from problems. We currently have the

:33:55. > :33:57.issue of inappropriate housing development and the beauties of the

:33:58. > :34:00.valleys that I have talked about, because the local council has not

:34:01. > :34:04.put in place the plans it should have done years ago in order to

:34:05. > :34:07.avoid that happening. We have a fracking proposal in the beautiful

:34:08. > :34:11.moss Valley, which my constituents neither want nor wish to see happen,

:34:12. > :34:15.in which I will support them in their opposition for as long as it

:34:16. > :34:18.is on the table. And we have the ever-growing burden of congestion

:34:19. > :34:21.across a constituency as disparate as mine, which stops people from

:34:22. > :34:26.getting around, stops businesses from doing their daily business, and

:34:27. > :34:30.which we have to tackle in these kinds of debates in these kind of

:34:31. > :34:36.places. But my constituency is more than just that and I pledge to them

:34:37. > :34:39.that for as long as I have the privilege, however long or short it

:34:40. > :34:42.is that I have the privilege of speaking in this place, I will work

:34:43. > :34:46.hard on their behalf and try my hardest every single day to make

:34:47. > :34:48.life better for them. Although I cannot guarantee I will solve the

:34:49. > :34:51.problems I have just described all the ones that will come in the

:34:52. > :34:55.future, I will try my hardest to mitigate the effects on them and try

:34:56. > :35:00.to resolve them where I can. But before I finish, if I have any time

:35:01. > :35:03.beyond that to dedicate beyond my constituents, I will seek to do so

:35:04. > :35:07.in this place. In trying to answer one of the questions and one of the

:35:08. > :35:11.big challenges of our time, a challenge which I, as someone new

:35:12. > :35:14.here, believes is growing and urgent and needs to be resolved, and that

:35:15. > :35:19.is the challenge at its most basic of providing healthy and happy and

:35:20. > :35:23.prosperous communities, which are bound together in tight union by

:35:24. > :35:27.energy, grit and determination. I was born in 1980, and according to

:35:28. > :35:32.some social commentators, I am in that ugly sense of the word, a

:35:33. > :35:36.millennial. And I sense something deeply amiss in my generation and

:35:37. > :35:40.the one that comes afterward, a grave uncertainty, not an

:35:41. > :35:43.uncertainty about the politics of today, or the policies which my

:35:44. > :35:47.government, which I wholeheartedly support are pushing forward,

:35:48. > :35:52.something that is more visceral, more structural, more underlying. I

:35:53. > :35:57.feel that my generation is unsure about its place in the world. I feel

:35:58. > :36:01.it is uncertain about where the world is going, hurtling, untethered

:36:02. > :36:05.into a place which is unknown, and has been the 20, 30 or 40 years. I

:36:06. > :36:09.fear that my generation believes that it may be the first generation

:36:10. > :36:12.to hand over the world in a worse state than it has found that,

:36:13. > :36:16.despite the best efforts of these benches and all benches in this

:36:17. > :36:20.place. And I think we have to consider that as parliamentarians.

:36:21. > :36:21.We have to realise that my generation and other generations are

:36:22. > :36:33.unsure, uncertain. I would also say to my generation,

:36:34. > :36:37.and frustrating as it is, the easy words, the anecdotes and emotions I

:36:38. > :36:42.have seen in recent months and years as a substitute to good governance

:36:43. > :36:49.is not. And whatever time I have in this place, I will stand up for cool

:36:50. > :36:53.thinking, for understanding, for articulating problems in a proper

:36:54. > :36:57.and clear way. But also I have to say that I will also stand up for

:36:58. > :37:02.the values that my constituency has. Values of compassion and emotion.

:37:03. > :37:08.But also those values of hard work, aspiration, ambition, that my

:37:09. > :37:12.constituency has given to me that I will seek for the time I have in

:37:13. > :37:15.place. But also I will stand up here for the creed of free markets,

:37:16. > :37:21.liberal economic, and of capitalist progress. Unfashionable may be in a

:37:22. > :37:25.field in Somerset, but the only engine in order that we can

:37:26. > :37:29.unshackle ourselves from the bonds of yesterday, that we can face the

:37:30. > :37:34.challenges of today, and we can look forward to the future of tomorrow.

:37:35. > :37:38.What I have the opportunity to serve here, there is a big things that I

:37:39. > :37:45.will put forward. Another maiden speech.

:37:46. > :37:51.Thank you, Deputy Speaker and congratulations on being elected.

:37:52. > :37:56.Very, very good choice. It's great to follow the honourable member

:37:57. > :38:02.opposite as well, and excellent maidens. As is customary in your

:38:03. > :38:06.maiden speech, firstly I want to acknowledge the work that my

:38:07. > :38:12.predecessor, Graham Evans, did for the constituents of Weaver Vale

:38:13. > :38:14.during his seven years in office. Graham's contribution to

:38:15. > :38:19.Parliamentary life was richly diverse. He both chaired the

:38:20. > :38:26.Parliamentary beer group and encouraged many honourable members

:38:27. > :38:31.to take up running. Although I'm short listed not involve running in

:38:32. > :38:35.the direction of the bar! Graham completed the London Marathon many

:38:36. > :38:39.times, raising a great deal of money for good causes, both local and

:38:40. > :38:43.national. And he encouraged many members from across this house, on

:38:44. > :38:49.all sides of this house, to do likewise. I wish Graham and his

:38:50. > :38:52.family well in the future. Mr Speaker, the House of Commons

:38:53. > :38:57.library and a plethora of MPs from all sides of the House advised me

:38:58. > :39:01.that it's important to research some notable historical facts and figures

:39:02. > :39:06.about the constituency. Its three major corporations of Northwich,

:39:07. > :39:11.Runcorn and fracture. Weaver Vale takes its way from the association

:39:12. > :39:18.with the river Weaver, in the heart of the Cheshire constituency. People

:39:19. > :39:25.and things of historical Association include Sir John Brennan, founding

:39:26. > :39:30.member of ICI and a former MP, like me, for the patch. Tim Burgess of

:39:31. > :39:33.the Charlatans. A band that is the favourite of mine and hails from

:39:34. > :39:37.Northridge. And the excellent commission John Bishop. He's a

:39:38. > :39:43.Runcorn and he has the early excellent political choices. -- a

:39:44. > :39:51.Runcorn lad. Weaver Vale is also a place where Daniel Craig served his

:39:52. > :39:56.James Bond apprenticeship, undoubtedly doing stunts across the

:39:57. > :40:02.pub bar. Deputy Speaker, another person of note associated with

:40:03. > :40:05.Runcorn is my wife, Amanda. Born in Runcorn, stuck with me through thick

:40:06. > :40:14.and thin. And I think it wise and necessary move to include Amanda in

:40:15. > :40:18.my maidens beach. -- my maiden speech. Members will know Britain is

:40:19. > :40:23.a diverse, rich and vibrant nation. Much of this can be said of my

:40:24. > :40:26.constituency. Weaver Vale has an array of industries and business

:40:27. > :40:35.sectors represented. With no one industry dominating the life of the

:40:36. > :40:38.entire constituency. Northridge, Weaver, Helmsley and the eastern

:40:39. > :40:46.part of Runcorn, comprise much of the urban life of the constituency.

:40:47. > :40:49.Woven around rural areas. Of course, I'm going to say it's one of the

:40:50. > :40:56.best places to live in the country, to visit and work. The thing that

:40:57. > :41:02.grabs me most about this diverse fabric of Weaver Vale is how it's

:41:03. > :41:09.changed over and decades. At Runcorn is Lawton Priory, the most excellent

:41:10. > :41:14.excavated monastic site. The remains of the 12th century abbey found

:41:15. > :41:18.alongside the urban estates from the 1970s, where I must now focus much

:41:19. > :41:24.of my attention assisting constituents. Weaver Vale has a

:41:25. > :41:29.proud industrial heritage spanning back to Roman Britain from the salt

:41:30. > :41:35.mines are Northridge, to its association with ICI. Historically

:41:36. > :41:40.employing thousands of workers to rock'n'roll Corner, Northwich, and

:41:41. > :41:43.surrounding areas. While many are still employed in the chemical

:41:44. > :41:50.industry, new high-tech industries have emerged and are thriving in the

:41:51. > :41:54.labs using nanotechnology and Robotics, providing high skilled,

:41:55. > :42:03.high knowledge jobs that our community and nation needs. During

:42:04. > :42:06.my tenure as a Labour MP for Weaver Vale, I will encourage new and

:42:07. > :42:14.emerging green industries to locate in my patch, and to my local people.

:42:15. > :42:19.I and these benches want an economy that works for everybody. A race to

:42:20. > :42:23.the top creative access to highly skilled, fulfilling and sustainable

:42:24. > :42:28.jobs will stop not a race to the bottom with insecure zero hours

:42:29. > :42:33.contracts, and fake self employment franchises. Like the nation else,

:42:34. > :42:37.Weaver Vale is a tale of two communities. It has some beautiful

:42:38. > :42:47.countryside, towns and villages. Just picture that rural idyll,

:42:48. > :42:53.thatched cottages and country pubs like the White Lie in which I

:42:54. > :42:55.visited only this Sunday. Some residents in my constituency

:42:56. > :43:01.fortunate enough to have incomes above the national average. At the

:43:02. > :43:04.same time, many of my constituents in places such as Palace Fields in

:43:05. > :43:09.Runcorn face real poverty in their daily lives. From childhood onwards.

:43:10. > :43:17.That is despite what the benches opposite claim, there is a real lack

:43:18. > :43:22.of work. Too much insecure part unemployment. A growth in zero hours

:43:23. > :43:26.contractss. And the welfare system that lacks compassion and common

:43:27. > :43:31.sense. One such person who experienced the shortcomings of our

:43:32. > :43:36.current welfare system is Sheila. Who very recently had an operation

:43:37. > :43:43.to remove a brain tumour. When I met Sheila, she could barely walk a

:43:44. > :43:47.metre across to the TV. This was the result of the operation, but also

:43:48. > :43:52.the side-effects of the steroid drugs she was taking to help prevent

:43:53. > :43:57.seizures. Sheila had worked hard. She played by the rules and she paid

:43:58. > :44:01.her taxes. But in her time of need when the welfare state should be

:44:02. > :44:08.there to care for her, instead she received a 1500 cut in her income,

:44:09. > :44:16.and was labelled a shirker by a system overseen by a callous, out of

:44:17. > :44:20.touch and now chaotic government. Deputy Speaker, the Prime Minister

:44:21. > :44:22.talked about a nation that works for everyone. It certainly isn't working

:44:23. > :44:29.for Sheila and many thousands like her is not let me also tell this

:44:30. > :44:34.chamber about another growth which is not a welcome sight in my

:44:35. > :44:39.constituency. The site of hard pressed residents and families

:44:40. > :44:45.having to use food banks. The use of food banks has gone up by 25% in the

:44:46. > :44:49.north which part of my constituency, alone, in the past year. And if you

:44:50. > :44:53.highlighted only recently by one of the local newspapers called the

:44:54. > :44:59.Northwich Guardian. It seems that those most in need in our society

:45:00. > :45:04.are paying the price for a sales austerity programme that is more to

:45:05. > :45:08.do with an ideological drive to strip the state, while living

:45:09. > :45:12.standards go in reverse gear stop -- drive to shrink the state. The

:45:13. > :45:22.national debt is now more than one point ?1 trillion. -- one 7p. This

:45:23. > :45:26.is not a society that works for a while. In conclusion, I wanted then

:45:27. > :45:30.be thousands of constituents need here, especially the young people

:45:31. > :45:34.who came up to vote for the first time, inspired by the politics of

:45:35. > :45:38.hope and opportunity. A manifesto that wants to put them first for

:45:39. > :45:43.investment, rather than cut. And a manifesto for the many, and not the

:45:44. > :45:47.few. This rather weak and unstable government needs to take note. I

:45:48. > :45:53.took my seat from one of the Roman because my constituents want more

:45:54. > :45:57.bobbies on the beat. -- from one of my own. They don't want to see

:45:58. > :46:02.individual school budgets cut by hundreds of thousands of pounds.

:46:03. > :46:05.They once all the class sizes. Teachers and support staff who are

:46:06. > :46:10.securing their jobs, and not fearful for the future. They also want to

:46:11. > :46:13.keep the local hospitals open. And yes, those with the broadest

:46:14. > :46:22.shoulders should pay their fair share in taxes and invest in our

:46:23. > :46:25.future. Deputy Speaker, as a lad born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, I

:46:26. > :46:30.never envisioned I would have the honour of sitting on these green

:46:31. > :46:34.benches to represent Weaver Vale. I was the first in my family to get a

:46:35. > :46:38.degree, and I gave back to society by becoming a careers adviser,

:46:39. > :46:44.helping young people get into work, training and employment. I was the

:46:45. > :46:47.first in my family to become a city councillor, serving the good people

:46:48. > :46:55.of Manchester for 11 years. And I am now the first Amesbury in my family

:46:56. > :46:59.to become an MP, a Labour MP. Unlike some in this house, I do not have a

:47:00. > :47:05.long line of ancestors who served this house and the other place next

:47:06. > :47:09.door. My family made me who I am. My dad, Barney, was a carpet fitter,

:47:10. > :47:14.then a publican. My late mother used to clean caravans and the school

:47:15. > :47:20.dinners. And my younger sister is a teaching assistant. Those are the

:47:21. > :47:24.people hit by the pay cap. All extraordinary people in their own

:47:25. > :47:30.right. Grafters, fighters and real people. I bring my real life the

:47:31. > :47:33.variances to this chamber as a check and balance on this government, as a

:47:34. > :47:39.champion for my constituents, as surely those most in need. To now

:47:40. > :47:45.represent the people of Weaver Vale is the greatest privilege of my

:47:46. > :47:52.life. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to

:47:53. > :48:00.introduce myself to this house. We have another maiden.

:48:01. > :48:05.Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It's a great honour to follow the

:48:06. > :48:13.honourable member for Weaver Vale, very impassioned speech there, and a

:48:14. > :48:17.great honour to find my honourable friend from Derbyshire who did it

:48:18. > :48:24.without notes. I intend to do no such thing. -- to follow my

:48:25. > :48:29.honourable friend from Derbyshire. Axel equals peace of mind. If it is

:48:30. > :48:37.protected by Apple, you are safe to go on holiday. -- Atol equals peace

:48:38. > :48:44.of mind. -- if you are protected by Atol. It is also an honour to be

:48:45. > :48:49.here at all. I stood for the by-election in Clacton in 2014. I

:48:50. > :48:54.was on tour with Jason Donovan in a production of Priscilla Queen Of The

:48:55. > :49:02.Desert. I played on many stages across the world in 45 years. But

:49:03. > :49:07.this has to be the finest. Thank you residents of Clacton, I will do my

:49:08. > :49:10.very best for you. Mr Deputy Speaker, I was honoured and humbled

:49:11. > :49:14.when the residents of club gave me the overwhelming what they did at

:49:15. > :49:20.the last election. -- residents of Clacton. But there is one other

:49:21. > :49:22.overwhelming sensation which I'm sure many others when they first

:49:23. > :49:28.take their seat in this house have. And that is, what on earth am I let

:49:29. > :49:34.myself in for? When I relayed my concerns to my wife, she gets a name

:49:35. > :49:38.check as well, she said, it's a stage and an audience. What could

:49:39. > :49:42.possibly go wrong? What a stage and what an audience. In preparation I

:49:43. > :49:48.looked up the advice on maiden speeches. It is instantly typical

:49:49. > :49:53.maiden speech is divided into three parts. Part one consists about being

:49:54. > :50:03.nice about the previous incumbent of the seats. I remind you that my seat

:50:04. > :50:06.is Clacton. Part two involves a glittering description of the

:50:07. > :50:13.constituency, outlining its fabulous acid and its wonderful potential. --

:50:14. > :50:17.fabulous assets. Part three, one is advised to lay out some of the plans

:50:18. > :50:21.one has is to enhance the wonderful area one that events. Left even more

:50:22. > :50:27.wonderful by the end of previous incumbent. So, to part one. My

:50:28. > :50:32.immediate predecessor was the notable Douglas Carswell. Against

:50:33. > :50:35.whom I fought two previous Parliamentary elections. It must be

:50:36. > :50:40.said that we didn't always see eye to eye, but I will read this.

:50:41. > :50:46.Douglas was an extremely good constituency MP. I was regularly

:50:47. > :50:49.contact with him as a district councillor, and I saw him first-hand

:50:50. > :50:54.in his competent dealings with his constituency. You send him a note,

:50:55. > :51:00.and he always gave you a considered reply. Even after she moved gently

:51:01. > :51:04.on from our party, he always behave like a gentleman and it's largely to

:51:05. > :51:13.his credit that we fought those two elections without any mudslinging.

:51:14. > :51:19.We fought on the issues and not on the personalities. I had respect for

:51:20. > :51:23.him holding his views, even if I didn't agree, and I frequently

:51:24. > :51:28.didn't. When I made my speech on being elected, I touched on the

:51:29. > :51:31.subject of respect. I paid tribute to my fellow candidates. I respect

:51:32. > :51:34.them for going on the sometimes gruelling journey that we all know

:51:35. > :51:40.about in this place, pacing the streets, taking some flak, but

:51:41. > :51:43.meeting some wonderful people. I may have stoutly disagreed with my

:51:44. > :51:47.fellow candidates on many issues, but I never once attacked them

:51:48. > :51:51.personally. You can check Facebook or Twitter or any of the other

:51:52. > :51:55.social media problems, and you will see I never didn't -- never

:51:56. > :52:00.denigrated them. It seems to me a pity that we have reached a Nadir

:52:01. > :52:04.Ciftci a social media where a loss of plain nasty and this is regular.

:52:05. > :52:10.If we all had a little more respect, the world would be a far happier

:52:11. > :52:16.place. Mr Deputy Speaker, to part two, over the last ten years I have

:52:17. > :52:18.been fortunate to represent my residents at Tendring District

:52:19. > :52:23.Council, my ward Frinton on Sea has aways been at the forefront of my

:52:24. > :52:27.mind when dealing at district level, and from now on Clacton, my

:52:28. > :52:33.constituency, and its views, and my residents's views will always be at

:52:34. > :52:38.the centre of all I do here. Now the Clacton constituency is roughly half

:52:39. > :52:43.of tendering district, a stunning peninsula with the cold to the

:52:44. > :52:46.south-west, the store to the north and the North Sea to the east. I

:52:47. > :52:52.think you can see where I am going with this. As a result, we have 36

:52:53. > :52:58.miles of the most stunning coastline pretty much anywhere in the country.

:52:59. > :53:02.We have the sandy beaches of Walton, Frinton, Clacton and probably the

:53:03. > :53:07.best beaches of a wall at Jaywick sounds. We have the Walton

:53:08. > :53:12.backwaters, a mysterious area of tidal creeks, mudflats, islands,

:53:13. > :53:16.salt marshes, Marsh grasslands, which in the late 30s gave Arthur

:53:17. > :53:19.Ransome the inspiration to write his book, secret water. It is called

:53:20. > :53:22.secret water because when you approach from the sea it is

:53:23. > :53:27.difficult to see that there is an entrance there. So we have the buzz

:53:28. > :53:30.of Clacton, the quieter Frinton, the rustic charm, the beautiful village

:53:31. > :53:35.and Priory at Joseph, and the bucolic hinterland of gorgeous

:53:36. > :53:41.villages and countryside. It is no wonder that we have a fast reviving

:53:42. > :53:48.tourist industry. We are the Sunshine Coast. Which brings me

:53:49. > :53:51.neatly to part three. I find it absolutely incomprehensible that

:53:52. > :53:57.this extraordinarily special place so dear to my heart, lying as it

:53:58. > :54:01.does a mere 70 miles from London, has historically been constantly

:54:02. > :54:06.overlooked. That 70 mile journey takes the best part of one hour 40

:54:07. > :54:11.minutes by train. Which, in my view, is simply not good enough. A journey

:54:12. > :54:17.by car is an adventure only for the very brave during peak times. The

:54:18. > :54:23.812 is known to be one of the worst roads in the country. It is often

:54:24. > :54:30.argued -- the A12. But there is the old adage, down good roads wealth

:54:31. > :54:38.flows. Imagine if we could bring that journey closer to an hour. 17

:54:39. > :54:42.miles in an hour, not unthinkable. Not even illegal. -- 70 miles in an

:54:43. > :54:47.hour. We would suddenly get the wealth of London on our doorstep and

:54:48. > :54:51.we would regenerate. Now, Clacton faces many challenges, most of which

:54:52. > :54:55.we have been tackling head-on at District Council and we have had

:54:56. > :54:59.some success. The long awaited regeneration of Jaywick has begun.

:55:00. > :55:04.It has new roads, new buildings and a great sense of community. It is on

:55:05. > :55:09.the up. Walton on the Naas, new development is, and quality shops

:55:10. > :55:13.arriving. It is on the up. In the last five years at District Council

:55:14. > :55:21.we have managed to obtain ?50 million worth of investment into the

:55:22. > :55:28.area, ?36 million of which spelt -- spent on Holland on Sea and Clacton.

:55:29. > :55:34.You have to go and see them. We are on the up. But we need that

:55:35. > :55:39.infrastructure, and that, Mr Deputy Speaker, is just one of my

:55:40. > :55:44.hierarchies for a much overlooked constituencies. I just want you to

:55:45. > :55:48.remind you that we do existing Clacton and we are happy to have you

:55:49. > :55:54.come and see us. I will take pleasure in taking you to the Naze

:55:55. > :55:58.Tower, a landmark for Mariners. It stands on the highest point in the

:55:59. > :56:01.constituency and gives breathtaking views across the Suffolk, over the

:56:02. > :56:07.beaches and looks down on those treasured backwaters. We are a jewel

:56:08. > :56:14.of a place with many facets. It is well worth that one hour 40 minute

:56:15. > :56:22.journey, do come, thank you. We now come to another maiden, Bob Seely.

:56:23. > :56:27.Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I wanted to say what a great privilege

:56:28. > :56:30.it is to follow the honourable member for Clacton, but such was the

:56:31. > :56:34.brilliance of his speech that frankly my heart rather sank. I also

:56:35. > :56:39.want to say actually that I am genuinely humbled by listening to

:56:40. > :56:43.some of the wonderful speeches, the lady from Crewe and Nantwich, from

:56:44. > :56:46.Ayrshire, from Redditch, perhaps most movingly from North East

:56:47. > :56:52.Derbyshire, who I really brought home why we are in this place, and

:56:53. > :56:57.our silence was actually listening, listening to you, so thank you. I

:56:58. > :57:06.think I am going to be supporting this bill, Mr Speaker. LAUGHTER

:57:07. > :57:10.Although, I have to say, any bill related to tourism, which encourages

:57:11. > :57:14.anyone to go anywhere apart from the Isle of Wight seems to suffer from

:57:15. > :57:20.what our philosophical front bench would call a Priory floor. My

:57:21. > :57:23.constituents are as generous as they are understanding and I am sure they

:57:24. > :57:28.will allow me to support this otherwise very sensible bill. Let me

:57:29. > :57:32.also paid tribute to my predecessor. Andrew Turner was a kind man, a good

:57:33. > :57:36.listener, a tentative to his constituents and held in very high

:57:37. > :57:41.regard by many of them. He worked hard for our island for 16 years and

:57:42. > :57:48.I wish him a long and contented and happy retirement. Representing the

:57:49. > :57:54.Isle of Wight, we call it the island, and I apologise if we refer

:57:55. > :57:57.to it as that, it is my patch of England, I have loved it ever since

:57:58. > :58:02.I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and it is close to my heart. Indeed

:58:03. > :58:09.Mr Speaker it is a special place in the nation's are as as a source of

:58:10. > :58:14.inspiration for islanders, visitors and for our nation's greatest

:58:15. > :58:18.artists. Turn's first great work for the Royal Academy was a fisherman in

:58:19. > :58:22.the Solent, with the needles on the back run. Alfred Lord Tennyson

:58:23. > :58:27.settled here, and you hear our sounds and understand our sense of

:58:28. > :58:29.place in his work. Listen to the sea water rushing off the stones at

:58:30. > :58:34.Allen Bailey and you will understand the line in Maud, now to the scream

:58:35. > :58:39.of a mad and beach dragged down by the way. Swinburn and Keats wrote

:58:40. > :58:45.here, a thing of beauty is a joy forever. One of Keith's greatest

:58:46. > :58:51.lines inspired by visits to Shanklin and Carisbrook, the wonderful

:58:52. > :58:54.eccentric Edward Leigh, the watercolourist, Julia Margaret

:58:55. > :59:00.Cameron, wonderful feminist who pioneered portrait photography, and

:59:01. > :59:04.the Pre-Raphaelites hung out in freshwater. Today we remain a home

:59:05. > :59:09.for many island artists as well as Cotterell and sporting events of

:59:10. > :59:14.world renown. We have a special place in science. We have the

:59:15. > :59:19.world's first telegraph station, the hovercraft and the seaplane built

:59:20. > :59:31.here, and the blue streak missile system, -- it was test fired from

:59:32. > :59:36.the needles. The honourable member for Spelthorne eloquently assured us

:59:37. > :59:41.a fortnight ago that he was still thrusting, I'm sure of it, but let

:59:42. > :59:44.me remind -- remind the house that our first to jet engine supercar

:59:45. > :59:50.built largely on the island one and tell the world land speed record for

:59:51. > :59:55.our nation for over a decade at some 633 mph, so on the Isle of Wight,

:59:56. > :00:00.even our thrusting is world-class. LAUGHTER

:00:01. > :00:05.From science to pseudoscience, Carl Marx was a regular visitor, a point

:00:06. > :00:12.I may have to make sure do the right honourable member for Islington

:00:13. > :00:16.North ever come to power, although if the victory last month was any

:00:17. > :00:24.harbinger of the future, let us wish the honourable friends opposite many

:00:25. > :00:27.more such victories to come. On a more serious note, I mention our

:00:28. > :00:30.arts and science not to provide a potted history lesson or trucks

:00:31. > :00:33.press my love for my constituency which I hope is self evident, but

:00:34. > :00:38.because that is what we need for our future. We need to brace art and

:00:39. > :00:43.science and innovation and technology to inspire and in rich

:00:44. > :00:49.and employee. Our island is special in many ways, but our wealth has not

:00:50. > :00:54.always been of a financial kind. And there is a perception that sometimes

:00:55. > :00:57.Whitehall overlooks us. In the 1990s, the government commerce to

:00:58. > :01:01.the Isle of Wight and to the Scilly Isles to study the extra cost of

:01:02. > :01:06.being an island. Sadly that promise came to nothing but those costs are

:01:07. > :01:09.recognised in Scotland, through the special islands needs allowance

:01:10. > :01:13.which provides an uplift in funding for some half a dozen councillors

:01:14. > :01:17.with Scottish island seats. Mr Speaker, I believe we need a better

:01:18. > :01:22.deal for our island, and it is not just a question of money, although

:01:23. > :01:27.every little helps, and I will fight for extra spending on health and

:01:28. > :01:30.education. But it is about islanders working with government to generate

:01:31. > :01:33.ideas for the public good and government working with us and being

:01:34. > :01:38.keen to listen, and I know there are good examples of when it is doing it

:01:39. > :01:41.and I wish to encourage more. We need to embrace the knowledge

:01:42. > :01:45.economy and higher education. I look forward to working with the DoE and

:01:46. > :01:48.universities to provide with opportunities for such engagement.

:01:49. > :01:52.We need to continue to drive all education standards on the island

:01:53. > :01:54.and I will continue to fight for the future of the Sandown Bay school and

:01:55. > :01:59.I look forward to government's continuing support. Second, our

:02:00. > :02:02.cultural offer is getting stronger, we have the wonderful Isle of Wight

:02:03. > :02:08.Festival, I think it was Rod Stewart to top the bill this year, clearly

:02:09. > :02:15.in politics as well. A tartan revival. We have the literary

:02:16. > :02:24.festival as well, the cutting edge than enough fringe Festival, Lookout

:02:25. > :02:26.Edinburgh. -- Ventnor. I would work with cultural institutions to see

:02:27. > :02:30.how they can possibly attract a major gallery to the island to help

:02:31. > :02:35.with the year-round cultural tourism. I look to engaging with

:02:36. > :02:37.sport England, trade and investment departments to work with our

:02:38. > :02:48.high-tech sailing industry and sailing clubs of cows and others to

:02:49. > :02:56.ensure that the town of Cowes remains the sailing capital of the

:02:57. > :03:00.world and the disabled sailing captain of the world. I was proud to

:03:01. > :03:04.meet the captain of the National Blind sailing team and I wish Lucy

:03:05. > :03:09.and her inspiring team all the very best. Fourth, we need to work with

:03:10. > :03:13.the DWP, an organisation such as hope the aged and our wonderful

:03:14. > :03:19.Mountbatten Hospice for the island to become a national leader in

:03:20. > :03:23.ensuring quality-of-life of those in later life, combining health and

:03:24. > :03:27.social care, voluntary and state support, to enrich life. On

:03:28. > :03:31.transport, we need to ensure the future of the island railway line,

:03:32. > :03:34.to improve our cycling routes, making us Britain's leading cycling

:03:35. > :03:39.destination and to continue to engage with the ferry firms to

:03:40. > :03:42.provide a better ferry service, and let me be clear, while

:03:43. > :03:47.nationalisation did great good in the 80s and 90s nationally, the

:03:48. > :03:52.privatisation of our ferries was not such a success. I don't have all the

:03:53. > :03:55.answers, but I know that we should not have started from this point,

:03:56. > :04:08.and I am uncomfortable with the levels of debt that Red Funnel and

:04:09. > :04:12.Wightlink have, debt which islanders have to help subsidise in order to

:04:13. > :04:16.cross the Solent. Finally, I welcome this government's commitment to

:04:17. > :04:21.social housing and staffing housing from the bottom of my heart. I find

:04:22. > :04:24.it difficult to explain to my fellow islanders why rich property delivers

:04:25. > :04:30.were able to build houses that most of my constituents could not afford.

:04:31. > :04:35.We do not need large-scale projects which are hard to leader like --

:04:36. > :04:38.disliked by many islanders and which through cumulative effect do

:04:39. > :04:41.significant damage to our precious landscape, on which much of our

:04:42. > :04:47.tourism, which accounts for half of our economy, depend. We do need and

:04:48. > :04:50.we will absolutely support and work with government to build affordable,

:04:51. > :04:56.genuinely affordable projects to provide homes for islanders. Our

:04:57. > :05:00.island plan should reflect this. For my islanders, Mr Speaker, housing is

:05:01. > :05:05.home, especially for younger ones. Working with many others, our

:05:06. > :05:10.Chamber of Commerce, our council and excellent tourism team, we will

:05:11. > :05:13.present opportunities for a brighter idea for our island and nationally I

:05:14. > :05:18.want this government, with its laudable aims of social justice, of

:05:19. > :05:23.hope, of meritocracy, of opportunity for all, values which were inherent

:05:24. > :05:27.in our manifestos, and are absolutely inherent in our hearts,

:05:28. > :05:32.but we sadly failed to translate during the campaign. I want those

:05:33. > :05:37.principles and those aims and values, those aspirations, for my

:05:38. > :05:44.fellow islanders and for our nation, and let us deliver real change and

:05:45. > :05:46.real hope in the next few years, and set an example, whether economic or

:05:47. > :05:53.moral or political, that we are the natural party of government.

:05:54. > :05:59.I will finish very shortly and thank you for your patience. My fellow

:06:00. > :06:03.islanders deserve nothing but the best, and I will do my best to give

:06:04. > :06:07.them the voice that they deserve. Some people, like the member for

:06:08. > :06:11.North East Derbyshire, have explained far more eloquently than I

:06:12. > :06:14.do why we are here. But I will battle for my island. I can't

:06:15. > :06:18.promise to win every battle, but I will fight every battle on their

:06:19. > :06:21.behalf for as long as I have the honour of serving in our Parliament,

:06:22. > :06:30.what will this was called, that delightful island.

:06:31. > :06:39.Another maiden. To much acclaim from my honourable

:06:40. > :06:43.friend! Who I'm delighted to follow. Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for

:06:44. > :06:48.calling on me to speak. Friends and family have asked me what it feels

:06:49. > :06:52.like to finally be here, and I simply say surreal. But in the best

:06:53. > :06:57.possible meaning of the word. I could add overwhelming, in that

:06:58. > :07:00.sense -- and that sense has multiplied today as I speak for the

:07:01. > :07:06.first time in the chamber as the new member. The length. -- as the new

:07:07. > :07:11.member for sterling. I am acutely aware that so many people have

:07:12. > :07:15.placed in me a sacred trust to serve all of the people of Stirling, and

:07:16. > :07:20.do what is right for my constituents in the national interest. Mr Deputy

:07:21. > :07:26.Speaker, I am proud to call Stirling my home. It is situated at the heart

:07:27. > :07:31.of Scotland and its story is long and dramatic. The famed legend of

:07:32. > :07:36.sterling's Vaulks comes from the ninth century. The Anglo-Saxon

:07:37. > :07:42.defenders of the cattle were roused from their sleep by the holding of a

:07:43. > :07:50.Wolves, warning them of an impending Viking attack. To this day, wolf is

:07:51. > :07:54.still celebrated. Stirling remains steadfast as the rock upon which its

:07:55. > :07:58.castle sits. I had the privilege last week of marching with the

:07:59. > :08:07.people on the annual march of the Gillies. An annual event to

:08:08. > :08:11.commemorate the battle of Bannockburn. The folk come over the

:08:12. > :08:19.hill making such a dim, causing the English to flee. -- causing such a

:08:20. > :08:24.din. We Scots have always had an eye for the! This March now focuses on

:08:25. > :08:32.saving this historic site from the threat of quarrying. The Stirling

:08:33. > :08:40.constituency is more than the city. Stretching from Strathblane in the

:08:41. > :08:47.west, to the east. From Tyndrum in the North, to the whims of Milton in

:08:48. > :08:50.the south. Stirling hosts through the good offices of our auction

:08:51. > :08:56.houses the Premier bull sales in Scotland. Dairy, meat, production

:08:57. > :09:04.and some of the best shortbread in the country are all mainstays of my

:09:05. > :09:07.constituency. Not to mention two whiskey distilleries, making great

:09:08. > :09:12.use of our prodigious rainfall and fertile soils. Our financial

:09:13. > :09:16.services sector, as well as high-tech businesses in the Digital

:09:17. > :09:22.economy, all make are diverse, high-value economy that contributes

:09:23. > :09:27.to the of Stirling, as well as the Scottish and UK economies. And I'm

:09:28. > :09:31.proud graduate of the University of Stirling, now in its 15th year with

:09:32. > :09:38.a reputation second to none in research and teaching. -- now in its

:09:39. > :09:46.50th year. Stirling pastes the oldest and second oldest charitable

:09:47. > :09:51.trusts in Scotland. -- Stirling now hosts the oldest of second oldest

:09:52. > :09:54.charitable trusts in Scotland, providing relief for the needy

:09:55. > :09:58.members of guilt and their relatives. Social enterprise is

:09:59. > :10:01.alive and well in Stirling, whether it be the encouragement given to

:10:02. > :10:09.local food and environmental initiatives, such as the fourth

:10:10. > :10:16.environment link, the work of Break in helping those with dementia, or

:10:17. > :10:21.the mobility group, ensuring those with disabilities can access our

:10:22. > :10:26.magnificent landscape from Calendar. Today we are debating the travel

:10:27. > :10:29.industry, and sterling has a unique connection to the things that make

:10:30. > :10:36.up the modern travel industry. Because Stirling proudly owns it's

:10:37. > :10:45.and say to the Wright brothers. Frank and Howard Barnwell,

:10:46. > :10:49.originally from Lewisham, came from a family business of shipbuilding.

:10:50. > :10:54.But they were great innovators, and they got their first full-sized

:10:55. > :11:00.biplane in 1908. Unfortunately it failed to take flight. But

:11:01. > :11:04.undeterred they produced a second design from their works. The

:11:05. > :11:09.Grampian motor and engineering company, under the shadows of the

:11:10. > :11:14.Wallace Monument in Causeway Head. And then on Wednesday 28th of July

:11:15. > :11:18.1909, they were responsible for the first powered flight in Scotland

:11:19. > :11:26.when their aircraft flew to an altitude of 13 feet, travelled for

:11:27. > :11:35.80 yards, before a somewhat abrupt crash landing. Mr Deputy Speaker, it

:11:36. > :11:40.is down to the great innovators like stairwell's own Barnwell brothers

:11:41. > :11:45.and the pioneering path they formed but today we have the aviation

:11:46. > :11:50.industry we have. -- Stirling's own Barnwell Brothers. Bank and Harold

:11:51. > :11:54.Barnwell represent the great thing is that Britain has achieved. Two

:11:55. > :11:58.English entrepreneurs moving their business to Scotland to create the

:11:59. > :12:05.inventions and businesses that have made the modern world. Mr Deputy

:12:06. > :12:10.Speaker, I said you innovators across the globe, Stirling is

:12:11. > :12:15.evidently be. Just as I say to all honourable and right Honourable

:12:16. > :12:19.members of this house, although Scotland, England and the other

:12:20. > :12:23.nations of the United Kingdom work together, they have achieved and can

:12:24. > :12:30.yet achieve remarkable things which in turn make this world a better

:12:31. > :12:40.race. Mr Deputy Speaker, -- a better place. Stirling's best days lie

:12:41. > :12:45.ahead. Her Majesty's expert support for the city region deal is most

:12:46. > :12:48.welcome and I will make it my top priority to work with my right

:12:49. > :12:52.honourable friend, the member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and the

:12:53. > :12:59.Dell, to secure and delivered the Stirling city region deal. This bill

:13:00. > :13:03.that we are debating is especially important in the way that regulation

:13:04. > :13:07.works for innovative companies, who have revolutionised the travel

:13:08. > :13:14.industry in the digital space. The new digital district at the heart of

:13:15. > :13:17.the Stirling city region deal will encourage the birth, survival and

:13:18. > :13:27.success of many more such innovative digital companies. Mr Deputy

:13:28. > :13:29.Speaker, the pace of technological change is staggering. We want travel

:13:30. > :13:34.and transport in completely different ways to how we did it only

:13:35. > :13:40.a few years ago. Gone are the days of flicking through teletext to snap

:13:41. > :13:48.up package deals to the sun. The Internet revolution has empowered

:13:49. > :13:52.consumers and inspired new companies to turn market models inside out.

:13:53. > :13:57.The provisions of this bill is very important. It is for a consumer

:13:58. > :14:01.protection rights keep up with the pace of technological change. We

:14:02. > :14:04.must shape future measures in a way that adapts to the new market

:14:05. > :14:09.conditions being created by the entrepreneurial skills and talents

:14:10. > :14:14.of our Challenger digital businesses. And not stifle

:14:15. > :14:19.creativity by holding on to outdated and outmoded regulation. Mr Speaker,

:14:20. > :14:25.I'd also like to take this opportunity to play tribute to my

:14:26. > :14:29.predecessor, Stephen Patterson. His tenure was short and I can make no

:14:30. > :14:34.apology for that. That said, he was an honourable and worthy opponent,

:14:35. > :14:40.his passion for Stirling and Scotland cannot be doubted. And I

:14:41. > :14:44.wish him well for the future. His predecessor was Dame Ann Maguire.

:14:45. > :14:49.She was Stirling's member of Parliament for 18 years and her

:14:50. > :14:52.public service was especially remembered for her tireless work to

:14:53. > :14:55.promote and extend the rights of disabled people. Hers was a

:14:56. > :15:01.wonderful personal legacy and one in which we should all take pride. I

:15:02. > :15:08.pay tribute to her. And I should also like to make a special mention

:15:09. > :15:12.of my friend Lord Forsyth. The last Conservative member for Stirling.

:15:13. > :15:16.His record of service for this house on behalf of the people of Stirling,

:15:17. > :15:22.Scotland and the United Kingdom is remarkable. At his maiden speech in

:15:23. > :15:26.1983, he spoke of the problems facing global Stirling in the field

:15:27. > :15:33.of telecommunications. This, I am sad to report to the House, remains

:15:34. > :15:36.an issue. Although it is now broadband and mobile telephony,

:15:37. > :15:42.rather than phone connections. Digital connectivity is a subject I

:15:43. > :15:48.assure the House I will keep coming back to. Mr Deputy Speaker, public

:15:49. > :15:53.services often cited as a reason for members taking seats in this house.

:15:54. > :15:57.And I add myself to their number. A body politic that exists to serve

:15:58. > :16:06.its citizens is one worth aspiring to. I was raised on politics.

:16:07. > :16:08.Listening is a small boy as my grandfather held forth the merits of

:16:09. > :16:16.the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson. He wasn't a fan. But his

:16:17. > :16:21.trenchant view was always that the Government of the day should govern

:16:22. > :16:25.in the national interest. Henry Campbell Bannerman, a former member

:16:26. > :16:30.of Parliament for ten two and a former Prime Minister said good

:16:31. > :16:37.government could never be a substitute for government by the

:16:38. > :16:42.people themselves. This is also the perfect encapsulation of my personal

:16:43. > :16:49.political cradle. I believe in liberty, in freedom, and choice. I

:16:50. > :16:52.enlisted the moral argument for free enterprise and free trade is the

:16:53. > :16:57.most powerful means of lifting people, whole nations and regions,

:16:58. > :17:02.out of poverty. I believe in law and order. Equality for all before the

:17:03. > :17:07.law, and in the good that government can do. I believe the family in all

:17:08. > :17:12.its forms is the basic unit of society. Driving and successful

:17:13. > :17:17.families make for a thriving and successful society. And social

:17:18. > :17:25.policy is always best seen through the filter of what strengthens the

:17:26. > :17:30.family. I believe in fair dealing, competition which advantages

:17:31. > :17:35.consumers and justice in all its realms. And I believe in getting

:17:36. > :17:39.power to the people, and respecting local democracy. And in the

:17:40. > :17:41.constructive tension of public accountability and listening

:17:42. > :17:45.carefully to the voice of the people. Whether honourable and right

:17:46. > :17:52.honourable members reflect on these last words in the implementation of

:17:53. > :17:55.a Brexit sanctioned by the people, all on the results of the referendum

:17:56. > :18:03.in Scotland to confirm its place within the United Kingdom. Respect

:18:04. > :18:05.for the voice of the people and followed to the democratically

:18:06. > :18:09.delivered instruction is now the business of this house. And so it is

:18:10. > :18:16.that we must be ready to implement the will of the British people, and

:18:17. > :18:19.I make it my part to do so. The British people have spoken and we

:18:20. > :18:23.leave the European Union. Then much of the work of the Parliament is now

:18:24. > :18:27.focused on the job at hand. And much of our work as members must be

:18:28. > :18:32.focused on working together to get the best deal for our constituents

:18:33. > :18:36.and our country. May I just say in closing, in doing so I believe we

:18:37. > :18:41.have a duty as parliamentarians to personify civility. We should have

:18:42. > :18:46.resist trading and misrepresentations. We should

:18:47. > :18:50.demonstrate respect for all people. Become good listeners and shape,

:18:51. > :18:59.then for the sincere beliefs of others. Mr Deputy Speaker, I am here

:19:00. > :19:06.on a mission to restore civility in politics. A mission to represent and

:19:07. > :19:09.defend the interests of Stirling. A mission to promote and be an

:19:10. > :19:11.advocate for my home constituency. And above all to serve the people

:19:12. > :19:20.and national interests of this United Kingdom.

:19:21. > :19:26.Another maiden, Eddie Hughes. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. It is

:19:27. > :19:31.difficult to follow the honourable member. Stirling as I stumble my way

:19:32. > :19:35.through my maiden speech. The best thing is that he and I are going to

:19:36. > :19:39.be sharing an office for the next five years. So I will have the

:19:40. > :19:44.opportunity to polish their public speaking with the benefit of his

:19:45. > :19:49.advice. In getting to my feet this evening I just wanted to say

:19:50. > :19:51.interesting that this bill should be the first thing we discussed because

:19:52. > :19:59.people are talking about the problems that air travellers might

:20:00. > :20:03.have. In my constituency, according to the 2011 census information,

:20:04. > :20:11.nearly one in four of my constituents don't even own a

:20:12. > :20:14.passport. So it is clearly very important for those that do have a

:20:15. > :20:21.passport and do manage to take overseas travel that their money is

:20:22. > :20:24.protected. For some people, air travel is something that they do

:20:25. > :20:28.every week or every year. It represents one of opportunity, and

:20:29. > :20:35.clearly the worst thing that could happen to them would be that their

:20:36. > :20:39.phones were in any way threatened by companies going out of business. --

:20:40. > :20:44.that their plans were in any way threatened. I think this legislation

:20:45. > :20:47.is incredibly important. I would like to make one point - for those

:20:48. > :20:52.who weren't here when the minister was introducing this legislation, I

:20:53. > :20:55.firmly endorse his sartorial some point you not take interventions

:20:56. > :21:02.from male members who are not taking ties. -- not wearing ties. I bought

:21:03. > :21:09.this suitably we can specifically for making my first speech in this

:21:10. > :21:13.chamber. And although obviously I will be wearing exactly the same

:21:14. > :21:20.suit for the rest of the week, at least for today I will be looking my

:21:21. > :21:23.best. So, anyway, moving on. The good people, thank you for calling

:21:24. > :21:32.me today, because the good people of Walsall North have had to wait 41

:21:33. > :21:35.years to hear a maiden speech from their member of Parliament. So you

:21:36. > :21:41.can only imagine how disappointed they will be when they will see that

:21:42. > :21:47.the seven people who made speeches immediately before me were funny,

:21:48. > :21:48.erudite, clever, interesting, and then they think, what the hell did

:21:49. > :21:59.we wait for? LAUGHTER

:22:00. > :22:05.But there you go. Now, in making all in preparing for my maiden speech, I

:22:06. > :22:09.sought advice from experienced or raters on both sides of this

:22:10. > :22:12.chamber, but the best advice that I think I received came from Brendan

:22:13. > :22:21.Fisher, one of our ever present, ever helpful woman. Brendan 's --

:22:22. > :22:25.helpful doormen. I have made a parachute with my wife and two

:22:26. > :22:30.children, Brendan suggested that it was like doing a freefall parachute

:22:31. > :22:34.jump, there is the nervous anticipation as you board the plane

:22:35. > :22:39.and ascend to the required altitude before leaping screaming through the

:22:40. > :22:42.doors, only to find that the sensation of racing towards the

:22:43. > :22:48.ground at 100 mph is actually a pleasurable one. Something that you

:22:49. > :22:54.will want to repeat as soon as your feet hit the ground. And that the

:22:55. > :22:59.ground running was what I needed to do, in order to stand any chance of

:23:00. > :23:06.beating my entrenched predecessor, David Winick. Many in this chamber

:23:07. > :23:10.will be familiar with David as a tenacious parliamentarian. Indeed if

:23:11. > :23:14.I am remembering correctly it was David's amendment to legislation

:23:15. > :23:19.concerning the detention of terror suspects that led to the then Prime

:23:20. > :23:25.Minister Tony Blair losing his first whipped vote in this chamber in

:23:26. > :23:29.2005. So when I knocked doors during the campaign, I realise just how

:23:30. > :23:34.assiduously David had also worked on behalf of his constituents. I found

:23:35. > :23:38.many people who weren't minded to vote for the Labour Party, given

:23:39. > :23:41.their present leadership at least, but were prepared to vote for David

:23:42. > :23:48.because of good deeds he had done for either them or their friends or

:23:49. > :23:51.their family. It was David's 84th birthday last Monday, so I would

:23:52. > :23:57.like to extend my best wishes to him for his birthday and for his

:23:58. > :24:03.retirement. Although, for me, growing up in a house with six

:24:04. > :24:07.brothers, my dad was an Irish bus driver, we didn't have a lots of

:24:08. > :24:10.money to celebrate birthdays, so not much money for presents, but with

:24:11. > :24:17.six lads, quite a lot of fun and quite a lot of fighting. LAUGHTER

:24:18. > :24:21.My parents were, however, delighted and I guess relieved that I went to

:24:22. > :24:27.grammar school and then on to university, the first in my family

:24:28. > :24:30.to do so. And it was at university that I developed an interest in

:24:31. > :24:36.politics, so as soon as I graduated, I went back to night school to do

:24:37. > :24:40.A-levels in politics and economics to give me a bit of a basic

:24:41. > :24:44.grounding. And unfortunately, although I had voted Labour the

:24:45. > :24:55.first time I voted, I realised then... JEERING. I know, I know, I

:24:56. > :25:01.realise I was actually a closet Conservative, so it was then a quick

:25:02. > :25:04.journey to joining the party and standing the council and I have been

:25:05. > :25:10.a councillor on Walsall council for the past 18 years, but what a

:25:11. > :25:15.privilege now to be the MP for Walsall North, and I will be

:25:16. > :25:22.building on some busting work that is going on in my constituency

:25:23. > :25:28.already. So, for example, I recently met with Peter Shirley, the

:25:29. > :25:32.irrepressible Peter, who started the Midland food group in 1976 on his

:25:33. > :25:37.own and today that business turns over in excess of ?50 million a year

:25:38. > :25:43.and employs over 250 people. They source quality meats and cheeses

:25:44. > :25:47.locally and the export market includes the Falkland Islands.

:25:48. > :25:50.Similarly, Walsall Housing group where I am proud to be the chair of

:25:51. > :25:56.the board, have recently signed a deal for a joint venture to build

:25:57. > :26:01.400 new houses in the Guscott Lane corridor. According to the recent

:26:02. > :26:07.edition of inside Housing, within the next two years Warsaw housing

:26:08. > :26:12.will be completing just over 1100 new houses, that is what is going on

:26:13. > :26:14.under this government, creating high-quality affordable houses and

:26:15. > :26:21.the jobs that go with their construction. But in order to get a

:26:22. > :26:27.job, you need a good education, so what better place to start education

:26:28. > :26:33.than Beacon primary school. Two years ago, that school was rated by

:26:34. > :26:37.Ofsted as requiring improvement. Well, did that improvement come in

:26:38. > :26:40.the shape of Paul Drew, the innovative headmaster, who has

:26:41. > :26:44.raised standards not just for staff but the students, and now recently

:26:45. > :26:51.Ofsted have graded it is a good school. It doesn't take many to

:26:52. > :26:57.persuade the admin staff at the school that they should be trained

:26:58. > :27:00.to help children with reading practice, that just takes future

:27:01. > :27:07.thinking, forward-thinking, the type that we need to see. That education

:27:08. > :27:15.is not always about throwing money at it, it is about employing

:27:16. > :27:21.inspirational leaders. And so, Mr Tebbit is bigger, to my inevitable

:27:22. > :27:27.Brexit preparation. 68% of people in Walsall North who voted in the

:27:28. > :27:31.referendum voted to leave the EU. But they want, obviously, a good

:27:32. > :27:37.deal for them and for the country, but they don't want a deal that is

:27:38. > :27:42.just good for the 68%, they want a deal that is good for the 100%. They

:27:43. > :27:48.want to know they have local entrepreneurs that will create jobs,

:27:49. > :27:51.and find new and exciting export markets around the world, they want

:27:52. > :27:59.to control immigration, whilst ensuring that we have the skills to

:28:00. > :28:05.make sure we have a strong economy and public sector. They want

:28:06. > :28:09.low-cost housing, and they want inspirational teachers to give their

:28:10. > :28:12.children the best start in life. It is a privilege to speak this

:28:13. > :28:17.evening, and I hope you will call me many times in the future to advocate

:28:18. > :28:28.on behalf of my constituents. Thank you. CHEERING

:28:29. > :28:32.We have another maiden, Bill Grant. Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker.

:28:33. > :28:37.Can I complement the right honourable member for the Walsall

:28:38. > :28:42.North, both in his note free speech, I might add, and colleagues around

:28:43. > :28:48.the world will be admiring his choice of suit as well. Now I

:28:49. > :28:55.remember, the bill that was here today, is the ATOL for package

:28:56. > :28:59.holidays if you choose to go by air. Like my colleagues I am minded to

:29:00. > :29:02.support it for three reasons, it is modernising, harmonising and it is

:29:03. > :29:08.good consumer protection, so I welcome the bill. To my maiden

:29:09. > :29:12.speech, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am indeed honoured and humbled to be in

:29:13. > :29:19.this chamber today. Having been elected by the people of they're

:29:20. > :29:24.Carrick and come in, it is a privilege and a fact that they

:29:25. > :29:31.trusted me with their vote, and I value that and I will do all I can

:29:32. > :29:36.as a constituency. May I share with members of the house I live journey

:29:37. > :29:42.because it would be terribly boring if I gave it all. My ward was in the

:29:43. > :29:50.town of Ayr, on the coast, and many good things about Ayr, we have Ayr

:29:51. > :29:55.racecourse, one of the UK's premier racecourse is, you might even make

:29:56. > :30:00.money. Odds-on you maybe we'll loose money. In addition, we have hosted

:30:01. > :30:03.the Scottish International airshow for the last three years. For the

:30:04. > :30:08.moment it is a wonderful event, it is not for the moment a threat to to

:30:09. > :30:15.Farnborough, but in years to come you never know, you never know. The

:30:16. > :30:19.time in the council was preceded by 31 years in Strathclyde Fire and

:30:20. > :30:23.Rescue Service, having served throughout Ayrshire, through the

:30:24. > :30:25.central belt, based in headquarters for ten years, member of the

:30:26. > :30:31.technical support team for ten years and finally a senior officer

:30:32. > :30:34.covering Argyll and Bute, too many islands to name but a very complex

:30:35. > :30:42.and diverse Fire Service it was with the city of Glasgow sadly remembered

:30:43. > :30:46.for being a tinderbox city many years ago, so well aware. Given my

:30:47. > :30:50.background it is particularly poignant for me to be delivering my

:30:51. > :30:56.maiden speech so close in time to the tragic Grenfell incident.

:30:57. > :31:01.Members, which must surely have been hell on earth for all concerned. I

:31:02. > :31:07.will await with interest the outcome of what must be a thorough and

:31:08. > :31:13.effective public enquiry. Members, may I pay tribute to my predecessor,

:31:14. > :31:18.Corey Nelson, for the good work she did in this chamber and in the

:31:19. > :31:23.constituency during her period in office, and my thanks and may I wish

:31:24. > :31:34.Corey well for the future. Some further thank yous. Joanna Freeman

:31:35. > :31:39.who guided me as a lost soul is one of the new MPs to describe the

:31:40. > :31:42.wonders of Westminster. And my long-suffering wife, Agnes, and my

:31:43. > :31:49.two daughters and family, Angela and Karen. They have been helpful to me

:31:50. > :31:55.in this journey that gets me here to this chamber. Proceeding Cory Wilson

:31:56. > :31:58.as an MP, we had Sandra Osborne, Phil Ghali, George Younger, all

:31:59. > :32:05.excellent parliamentarians and they will be remembered by some in this

:32:06. > :32:13.house. But let me take you back to the dark days of the Second World

:32:14. > :32:17.War, 1939 to 1945, when the Labour MP for South Ayrshire was Alexander

:32:18. > :32:23.Slone, better known locally as Sani Slone, a former miner, he was a

:32:24. > :32:29.work' champion, served his community well, but regrettably, like so many

:32:30. > :32:34.miners, he was dogged by ill-health. He died in 1945. Soon after his

:32:35. > :32:39.second election victory to this house. Members, Deputy Speaker, the

:32:40. > :32:45.commonality is that we were both born to mining families and the

:32:46. > :32:46.small Ayrshire mining village of Frankenstein, albeit we were born

:32:47. > :32:55.some 72 years apart. Many proud British institutions but

:32:56. > :32:59.I will choose two. This parliament and the National Health Service. One

:33:00. > :33:03.wonders, and there I say it, members, if there was a referendum

:33:04. > :33:12.as to which one should be closed, what with the outcome be? I suspect

:33:13. > :33:16.this chamber would be empty. May I thank the National Health Service

:33:17. > :33:21.and the doctor and his team at the Golden Jubilee hospital Clydebank,

:33:22. > :33:27.near Glasgow, for the successful double bypass surgery I successfully

:33:28. > :33:33.underwent in 2014. Myself and my family are eternally grateful to

:33:34. > :33:41.them. However, members, I have two apologise to my constituents in a

:33:42. > :33:45.town just south of Ayr. Whilst I waited three months for my bypass,

:33:46. > :33:58.they have waited nearly 30 years for their bypass. LAUGHTER

:33:59. > :34:04.It is severed by the a 77, and excuse the pun, but the a 77 is

:34:05. > :34:10.indeed a main artery from the central belt of Scotland. To my

:34:11. > :34:13.colleagues in Dumfries and Galloway for the very important ferry ports

:34:14. > :34:19.that serve the ferry traffic from our neighbours in the Highlands, it

:34:20. > :34:22.is an economic driver and the a 77 is an essential link and the

:34:23. > :34:26.punishment with the 30-40 tonne trucks through the villages on that

:34:27. > :34:34.journey, it needs to be rectified. I am sure it will. Ayr, Carrick and

:34:35. > :34:40.come that is a rural community, the breadbasket of Britain, with

:34:41. > :34:51.potatoes, bread and cheese and not forgetting albeit smaller fishing

:34:52. > :34:58.communities along our coat -- coast. But the good food and a good

:34:59. > :35:06.eateries we have, considerably more reasonably priced than London, I

:35:07. > :35:07.might add. Having consumed the lovely food you may want to toasted

:35:08. > :35:31.with a fine whiskey, or a delicately distilled Hendrick's gin. And

:35:32. > :35:42.Grant's whiskey is global. President Eisenhower who was gifted the

:35:43. > :35:46.castle, and more recently another president, President Trump, known as

:35:47. > :35:49.Donald when he secured the hotel and golf course facilities and may I

:35:50. > :35:55.thank his son Eric for the investment in this world-class

:35:56. > :36:06.investment in this facility. And the associated employment.

:36:07. > :36:20.House in Ayr was more recently a children's hospital.

:36:21. > :36:30.The gantries at Harland and Wolff in Belfast, where the infamous, famous

:36:31. > :36:35.ship, the Titanic was built. And he was responsible for the construction

:36:36. > :36:43.of Tower Bridge in London. It would be remiss of me not to mention

:36:44. > :36:49.Scotland's bard, Robert Burns, whose fondness for women is renowned. The

:36:50. > :37:00.women who are far more fertile than the fields he ploughed! And produce

:37:01. > :37:03.numerous offspring. Whereby I'm sure he would have faced immense

:37:04. > :37:08.challenges from the Child support agency. But his passion went far

:37:09. > :37:22.beyond the fairer sex. He penned many poems and songs. From its

:37:23. > :37:33.source and the Ayr, the water winds its way violated Firth of Clyde. --

:37:34. > :37:39.finally to the Firth of Clyde. The water gently winds its way past

:37:40. > :37:48.Cumnock. Pause for a moment, to mention the local football team,

:37:49. > :37:52.better known as the Glens, who recently won the Scottish Junior cup

:37:53. > :37:59.by beating nearby rock wool Starbucks. Decked the team covers --

:38:00. > :38:03.detonating colours of red and white, virtually every home displayed them

:38:04. > :38:07.and adorned the House with bunting. It was a credit to the strength and

:38:08. > :38:19.community spirit of Cumnock. I commend them for that. As we move

:38:20. > :38:30.onwards towards Cumnock, it plays host to Emergency One UK. The spec

:38:31. > :38:34.folders -- bespoke builders for the emergency services. I would use the

:38:35. > :38:38.word export. The Xbox Cumnock in Scotland to all over the United

:38:39. > :38:42.Kingdom. As we move on, I'm going to stop for a minute at Dumfries house.

:38:43. > :38:46.May I give immense thanks to his Royal Highness, Prince Charles, for

:38:47. > :38:51.his involvement and indeed his vision. Not only saving Dumfries

:38:52. > :38:55.House for the nation, but for securing job opportunities and

:38:56. > :39:00.catering and tourism within and indeed beyond the constituency.

:39:01. > :39:06.Members, Deputy Speaker, Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock has a proud past

:39:07. > :39:08.as a member of Parliament for my constituency I will endeavour to do

:39:09. > :39:17.my best to secure a promising future. Finally, members, an extract

:39:18. > :39:21.from Robert Burns' poem which may be reflected upon by many

:39:22. > :39:25.parliamentarians from all parties, whether from the past, present or

:39:26. > :39:35.future. It reads simply as follows. The best laid schemes of mice and

:39:36. > :39:40.men give promised joy. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

:39:41. > :39:46.Mr Deputy Speaker, it's a pleasure to follow the honourable member for

:39:47. > :39:51.Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock. I have to say that before we go, he promised

:39:52. > :39:56.me that he would make me look good by speaking so powerfully, so

:39:57. > :39:59.poetically and so brilliantly. I have to say you've already broken

:40:00. > :40:04.your first political promise. So thanks a bunch for that. It is

:40:05. > :40:10.pleasure to follow you. It's also a pleasure to follow my Sir Edward

:40:11. > :40:17.Garnier. He was a brilliant constituency MP for 25 years. He is

:40:18. > :40:22.independent minded, and he is brave. But above all, he is just an

:40:23. > :40:26.exceptionally nice man. You'll be missed on all sides of this house,

:40:27. > :40:33.and he will be massively missed in our constituency. It's an honour to

:40:34. > :40:38.represent the people of Harborough, Oadby and Wigston in this house. And

:40:39. > :40:43.I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for sending me

:40:44. > :40:48.here. There are four really striking things about my constituency. The

:40:49. > :41:00.first is the staggering amount of community and voluntary work.

:41:01. > :41:04.Whether its local charities like Rainbows, Loros, Val, whether it's

:41:05. > :41:07.the award-winning work of Market Harborough in Bloom, which is

:41:08. > :41:11.visible all over the town makes it beautiful. Whether it's the strength

:41:12. > :41:18.of our local army, sea and Air Cadets, with whom I celebrated Armed

:41:19. > :41:23.Forces Week just the other day. Or whether its community campaigns,

:41:24. > :41:27.like that to Save the Children's heart unit at Glenfield Hospital,

:41:28. > :41:37.which I support. The strength of our civic life is visible from the

:41:38. > :41:41.Leicester Mercury, or tuning into a document he radio station,

:41:42. > :41:44.Harborough FM. A huge number of people in my constituency dedicate

:41:45. > :41:49.themselves to improving the lot of our fellow citizens. And it is

:41:50. > :41:52.absolutely inspiring. The second striking thing about the

:41:53. > :42:03.constituency is the strong culture of enterprise. There are now nearly

:42:04. > :42:10.4500 businesses in the constituency. A quarter more than in 2010. We

:42:11. > :42:14.nothing but the people in my constituency cannot do well. The

:42:15. > :42:19.Mill close to jet engines, we have made everything. Although we have

:42:20. > :42:22.heard about the invention of jet engines of Scotland, you will be

:42:23. > :42:27.relieved to hear that we never tried to combine a jet engine and milk

:42:28. > :42:32.float. I constituency is a famous country for farming and food. And

:42:33. > :42:34.also famous for textiles. One of its most famous family businesses,

:42:35. > :42:40.defining terms, managed to combine both of those things because one

:42:41. > :42:44.brother made soups which fat and muscle up. The other brother made

:42:45. > :42:48.corsets, with which to constrain our bulging waistline. You'll agree, Mr

:42:49. > :42:56.Speaker, that is a cunning business model. Given the culture of small

:42:57. > :42:59.business, given the habit of culture and the culture of enterprise, I

:43:00. > :43:01.will work to make sure that important initiatives by the

:43:02. > :43:09.Midlands engine and the new industrial strategy work for small

:43:10. > :43:12.business, as well as big. The third really important thing about my

:43:13. > :43:17.constituency is the open and welcoming nature of the people.

:43:18. > :43:21.Perhaps it's because we've plugged the global economy ever since the

:43:22. > :43:26.Romans came and built the road which now forms the eastern boundary of

:43:27. > :43:31.the constituency. Mr Speaker, I have to tell you that not all that road

:43:32. > :43:35.is now possible by car due to several centuries of disgraceful

:43:36. > :43:39.underinvestment by the Vikings, Normans and Saxons. But nonetheless,

:43:40. > :43:45.Mr Speaker, later on the canals came and they put the constituency back

:43:46. > :43:51.on the map. And the fantastic staircase of Foxton Lochs is a

:43:52. > :43:56.testament to the time when it was the spaghetti junction of the M1 of

:43:57. > :43:59.its day. In more recent decades, the constituency has welcomed people

:44:00. > :44:03.from all over the world. Sometimes they have come with absolutely

:44:04. > :44:06.nothing but the clothes on their backs. Particularly the Ugandan

:44:07. > :44:12.Asians who came and settled when they were fleeing from Idi Amin. But

:44:13. > :44:15.wherever they come from, often they have started brilliant businesses

:44:16. > :44:19.and powered our economy forwards. In our constituency we have very good

:44:20. > :44:25.relationships between all the different communities, and I will

:44:26. > :44:29.work to keep it that way. The fourth and final thing, and you will

:44:30. > :44:33.perhaps it was coming, is that my constituency is strikingly

:44:34. > :44:36.beautiful. And the well-kept gardens of Oadby, Wigston and Market

:44:37. > :44:40.Harborough, to be gently rolling countryside, it is a lovely place to