Browse content similar to 17/07/2017. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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dealing with the queries he raised. Canny Secretary of State tell me | :00:00. | :00:00. | |
what he will do to ensure that Bradford Council build on the | :00:00. | :00:08. | |
Brownfield sites it has identified before it starts concreting over and | :00:09. | :00:12. | |
building on greenfield sites in the green belt in my constituency? My | :00:13. | :00:18. | |
honourable friend makes a very important point, and as we have made | :00:19. | :00:24. | |
clear any Housing white paper, we expect Brownfield sites to always | :00:25. | :00:27. | |
been a priority to meet our housing need, and that is what I would | :00:28. | :00:33. | |
expect to see from Bradford. Is it entirely wisely minister of the | :00:34. | :00:36. | |
Northern Powerhouse to come across the Pennines from his Lancashire | :00:37. | :00:39. | |
constituency and tell the people of Yorkshire that they could not have | :00:40. | :00:45. | |
full Yorkshire demolition? Are these decisions are best made in God 's | :00:46. | :00:50. | |
own county, not in Whitehall, and not unlike a job and it's very | :00:51. | :01:01. | |
different geography. As a proud Lancastrian, it is not for me nor is | :01:02. | :01:05. | |
it for Government to tell Yorkshire what demolition deal it should have. | :01:06. | :01:11. | |
However, I would gently point out that in 2015, Bardsley, Doncaster, | :01:12. | :01:15. | |
rather and Sheffield asked for powers from Government, we gave them | :01:16. | :01:18. | |
to them. They asked the new money from Government, we gave it to them. | :01:19. | :01:22. | |
They also have an election next May, we gave it to them. When will the | :01:23. | :01:26. | |
people of South Yorkshire learn to take yes for an answer? Kettering | :01:27. | :01:35. | |
Borough Council, of which I am a member, provide specialist Housing | :01:36. | :01:38. | |
advice to those in financial difficulties, to prevent | :01:39. | :01:41. | |
homelessness in the first place and is working closely with local | :01:42. | :01:44. | |
housing associations to bring forward a recognisable of homes for | :01:45. | :01:48. | |
social rate. Isn't that exactly the right approach? I commend the work | :01:49. | :01:54. | |
that Kettering Borough Council are doing, in my experience where we are | :01:55. | :02:00. | |
seeing local authorities prevent homelessness, they are doing very | :02:01. | :02:02. | |
much those type of things, particularly in terms of helping | :02:03. | :02:07. | |
people deal with the financial challenges, things like budgeting, | :02:08. | :02:10. | |
and it is certainly good here that Kettering are also bringing forward | :02:11. | :02:12. | |
a significant number of affordable homes that residents can benefit | :02:13. | :02:19. | |
from. Goodes we heard from the minister earlier about causing | :02:20. | :02:26. | |
communities, Blackall and Horden in my constituency are also former | :02:27. | :02:31. | |
coalfield communities that have suffered terminal levels of | :02:32. | :02:33. | |
underinvestment says those bits where close. Under the previous Tory | :02:34. | :02:38. | |
Government. Will be missed the meet with me to see what can be done? It | :02:39. | :02:44. | |
isn't just for Government has bought our coastal communities, it would | :02:45. | :02:47. | |
encourage all members across this House to visit the fantastic great | :02:48. | :02:51. | |
British coastline. I will of course happily meet with the honourable | :02:52. | :02:54. | |
member and representatives from his constituency to work out what more | :02:55. | :03:01. | |
the fund can do for him. In magical constituency, they are drying up | :03:02. | :03:06. | |
their local plan, however there are concerns that the Greater Manchester | :03:07. | :03:08. | |
Police will override it. What assurances can he get neighbourhood | :03:09. | :03:14. | |
forums that their plans will be appropriately considered? As the | :03:15. | :03:22. | |
Secretary of State reiterated, we made a commitment to protecting the | :03:23. | :03:24. | |
green belt in the Housing white paper, and I cannot comment | :03:25. | :03:28. | |
specifically on the planet which he talks about, but I would emphasise | :03:29. | :03:32. | |
the PlanMaker is the consult with the community, especially | :03:33. | :03:35. | |
neighbourhood forums, and once that has been brought in force, it is | :03:36. | :03:38. | |
part of the statutory development plan of an area. I will come to | :03:39. | :03:45. | |
points of order, because I think there are a number today relating to | :03:46. | :03:49. | |
one matter, and it seems to me to contain a degree of urgency. I will | :03:50. | :03:55. | |
treat it very soon. Just before I do, I have a short statement myself | :03:56. | :04:01. | |
to make. On Thursday the 13th of July, the text colleagues of the | :04:02. | :04:05. | |
European Union withdrawal Bill was available through eight week, before | :04:06. | :04:13. | |
the Bill was presented in the House. Points of order will raised about | :04:14. | :04:17. | |
the Bill being available online for it was available to members. An | :04:18. | :04:20. | |
immediate investigation was carried out. A flaw in the publishing | :04:21. | :04:27. | |
process within the House of Commons service meant that the Bill text was | :04:28. | :04:34. | |
inadvertently available on a live Parliamentary web server before the | :04:35. | :04:38. | |
Bill was presented. A link to the text was circulated on social media, | :04:39. | :04:43. | |
just before 11am. Immediate action has been taken to amend the | :04:44. | :04:49. | |
publishing process, to ensure that this cannot happen again. No one | :04:50. | :04:53. | |
outside the House of Commons service and there's any responsibility for | :04:54. | :04:59. | |
this mistake. This was a serious incident, and I have been assured | :05:00. | :05:02. | |
that the required changes have been made to strengthen the Bill | :05:03. | :05:09. | |
publishing arrangements. I hope that that has -- as wages the concern of | :05:10. | :05:12. | |
honourable and Right Honourable members. -- as wages. The analysis | :05:13. | :05:24. | |
due to be made by the Transport Secretary today, which will affect | :05:25. | :05:28. | |
millions of people. He began back his consultation with an oral | :05:29. | :05:31. | |
statement last November and there had been an expectation that they | :05:32. | :05:35. | |
would announce his final decisions today with an oral statement, and | :05:36. | :05:39. | |
parts of the media were briefed to that effect. All the indicators are | :05:40. | :05:43. | |
now that the news will be sneaked out in a written statement any time | :05:44. | :05:49. | |
now. This is a gross discourtesy and add insult to injury for my | :05:50. | :05:52. | |
constituents, so I would seek your advice about how we can get the | :05:53. | :05:56. | |
Transport Secretary to come to the House and show some accountability | :05:57. | :06:04. | |
on this issue. As others relate the same subject, I think I will take | :06:05. | :06:12. | |
them or a number of them and then respond. I would seek your advice, | :06:13. | :06:17. | |
today the Government has announced and been all over the airwaves, a | :06:18. | :06:24. | |
?6.6 billion worth of contracts on HS two, and it would seem to me that | :06:25. | :06:30. | |
when such a large amount of taxpayers money is being spent, that | :06:31. | :06:33. | |
the minister should come to the House and make the statement. I | :06:34. | :06:36. | |
appreciate the urgent question and statement on business, that is | :06:37. | :06:40. | |
equally important, but I wonder whether you could extend the setting | :06:41. | :06:45. | |
of this House and allow others to have a statement from the minister, | :06:46. | :06:49. | |
because in the light of what has happened with contractors before, CH | :06:50. | :06:56. | |
do them, having withdrawn from a ?70 million contract, because of a lack | :06:57. | :06:59. | |
of due diligence, and conflict of interest, we need to look at these | :07:00. | :07:04. | |
contractors, because one contractor has major project overruns and has | :07:05. | :07:08. | |
written of millions of pounds, two contractors have pulled out of other | :07:09. | :07:13. | |
public service contracts, and one is having financial problems and | :07:14. | :07:15. | |
restructuring. I would seek a statement will stop a point of order | :07:16. | :07:26. | |
from Angela Smith. I would add that it is not just his constituents but | :07:27. | :07:32. | |
those across Yorkshire and beyond. We are impacted upon by the | :07:33. | :07:38. | |
decision. Not only that, this is the latest in a long line of actions by | :07:39. | :07:42. | |
the Government which are demonstrating an unwillingness to | :07:43. | :07:48. | |
make itself available to the scrutiny of the people. I wonder | :07:49. | :07:52. | |
what you can do to improve their situation and encourage the | :07:53. | :07:56. | |
Government to stand up to do its job properly. Further to that point, or | :07:57. | :08:02. | |
the order paper today, we have the high-speed rail West Midlands Bell, | :08:03. | :08:09. | |
and indeed faddy would in Staffordshire is in my constituency | :08:10. | :08:12. | |
which is written on the order paper. I have two farms on which there is | :08:13. | :08:16. | |
going to be quarrying, it was just announced, and this was even before | :08:17. | :08:21. | |
we have had first reading. I got elderly residents who are being told | :08:22. | :08:24. | |
that their homes I go to be taken away from them. We have already | :08:25. | :08:30. | |
heard from my right honourable friend about cost overruns. I too | :08:31. | :08:35. | |
sadly think it is outrageous that this major item of public | :08:36. | :08:39. | |
expenditure, which is affecting my constituents and those of many | :08:40. | :08:43. | |
others, is not being reflected by a statement here today. I am saving | :08:44. | :08:54. | |
the honourable gentleman, he is too precious to waste. I entirely | :08:55. | :08:58. | |
support the point of order raised by my right honourable friend from | :08:59. | :09:01. | |
Doncaster North. This is a major announcement affecting my | :09:02. | :09:06. | |
constituency and many others. It is not then HS two recommendation, it | :09:07. | :09:09. | |
is a Government decision on a previous recommendation. We can ask | :09:10. | :09:15. | |
for an urgent question tomorrow, by that time they will be a public | :09:16. | :09:19. | |
debate on it. This House should have the first opportunity to debate this | :09:20. | :09:27. | |
matter. Many of my constituents have taken part in the consultation in | :09:28. | :09:32. | |
relation to the re-routing of HS two over many months now. We do not know | :09:33. | :09:35. | |
if their voices have been heard. There has been no public publication | :09:36. | :09:42. | |
of the causal station. This may wreck over 100 homes are my | :09:43. | :09:47. | |
constituency as many jobs in different employers, and I think it | :09:48. | :09:50. | |
is outrageous that my constituents are being treated at with contempt | :09:51. | :09:54. | |
by ministers were not prepared to come into the House and tell us what | :09:55. | :09:58. | |
they have spent all this money on and took ontological decisions about | :09:59. | :10:03. | |
this as opposed to hiding behind a written statement we think at some | :10:04. | :10:12. | |
time today. As you know, because you have allocated a debate for my two | :10:13. | :10:16. | |
honourable and Right honourable friend is already, and you know | :10:17. | :10:21. | |
because you have heard say it and I have said and in particular, it is | :10:22. | :10:28. | |
possible ?80 billion scheme which it probably will be around that figure, | :10:29. | :10:34. | |
means that a lot of houses in my constituency I going to be | :10:35. | :10:40. | |
demolished and rose I going to go straight through a development that | :10:41. | :10:45. | |
is only just taken place, that in Derbyshire they will be a slow | :10:46. | :10:52. | |
track, dawdling its weight in Sheffield, and beyond, and then a | :10:53. | :10:58. | |
fast-track that goes to Meadowhall. This is a very important matter. It | :10:59. | :11:04. | |
should be debated at length. Because it is going to cost the taxpayer a | :11:05. | :11:12. | |
small fortune, and as you know, the Sheffield line could have | :11:13. | :11:16. | |
electrification all the way to London and get to London a lot | :11:17. | :11:21. | |
quicker for a lot less money. This is an outrage. That is why I raised | :11:22. | :11:26. | |
the matter along with my honourable friends today. | :11:27. | :11:30. | |
I am grateful for the points of order. What I say is my | :11:31. | :11:40. | |
understanding is that the written ministerial statement has now been | :11:41. | :11:45. | |
issued. There was speculation as to when it would be. I am advised that | :11:46. | :11:55. | |
it has been. Secondly, I am not in a position to require a minister to | :11:56. | :12:01. | |
come to the house today to make a statement, however, it is | :12:02. | :12:05. | |
comparatively unusual for members on both sides of the house in unison to | :12:06. | :12:15. | |
raise such a concern and to make to all intents and purposes and exactly | :12:16. | :12:22. | |
similar request that there should be. I will come to the honourable | :12:23. | :12:27. | |
gentleman. In the circumstances, the Secretary of State is bound to hear | :12:28. | :12:32. | |
of these concerns within a matter of minutes and, if the right honourable | :12:33. | :12:36. | |
gentleman wanted to come to the house today to make a statement, I | :12:37. | :12:42. | |
would certainly be very happy to facilitate him. My last observation | :12:43. | :12:47. | |
would be that I think the honourable gentleman for Sheffield South East, | :12:48. | :12:57. | |
former member for Sheffield, said that an urgent question could be | :12:58. | :13:01. | |
applied for tomorrow, but by then all sorts of briefing would have | :13:02. | :13:05. | |
taken place. I am afraid it is not within the power of the Speaker to | :13:06. | :13:14. | |
reverse time. I cannot do anything about that. I can only deal with | :13:15. | :13:21. | |
this situation as it evolves. But what I would say is that if no | :13:22. | :13:29. | |
statement is forthcoming from the minister it would be perfectly open | :13:30. | :13:34. | |
to members to do their best to secure Parliamentary time and | :13:35. | :13:40. | |
attention tomorrow and it may be that such an exploration would take | :13:41. | :13:49. | |
place at some length, at some length, that it may be that faced | :13:50. | :13:55. | |
with that scenario, a minister might think it prudent and judicious to | :13:56. | :13:58. | |
anticipate the difficulty and to offer the statement today instead. I | :13:59. | :14:04. | |
do not know, we shall have to C, but I am on the side of the house in | :14:05. | :14:11. | |
wanting ministers to be accountable to it. That seems pretty clear to | :14:12. | :14:21. | |
me. I beg your pardon. Further to that point of order, I am asking | :14:22. | :14:25. | |
whether there has been discussion between you and the Secretary of | :14:26. | :14:28. | |
State as to whether these further reports and documents, which are | :14:29. | :14:33. | |
scheduled to be published today, should have been delayed until the | :14:34. | :14:36. | |
Secretary of State was before the house tomorrow, if at all possible? | :14:37. | :14:43. | |
No, is the short answer. There has been no such discussions and it | :14:44. | :14:47. | |
would not automatically be expected that there should be, but I can | :14:48. | :14:52. | |
simply say to the honourable gentleman, I have not been advised | :14:53. | :14:57. | |
of any revised plans. So we will leave it there for now. Point of | :14:58. | :15:05. | |
order. On the 27th of June I put a Parliamentary question to the | :15:06. | :15:09. | |
government asking when they would release the report on product | :15:10. | :15:13. | |
safety. I'm sure you agree that given the situation we find | :15:14. | :15:16. | |
ourselves in particular after the Grenfell Tower disaster, it is | :15:17. | :15:19. | |
crucial that house is kept up-to-date with progress of the | :15:20. | :15:23. | |
report. I received a response and answer would be prepared and sent in | :15:24. | :15:28. | |
due course. By the 12th of July to put another Parliamentary question | :15:29. | :15:34. | |
for today. Can I ask you kindly to ensure the government make their | :15:35. | :15:37. | |
response known as a matter of urgency? What I would say is it is | :15:38. | :15:42. | |
highly undesirable for questions that have been tabled in good faith | :15:43. | :15:48. | |
and orderly manner, some time before the recess, not to receive an answer | :15:49. | :15:54. | |
by the time of the recess. This is not some new development articulated | :15:55. | :16:02. | |
at this moment by me from the chair, it is a long established and | :16:03. | :16:06. | |
respected practice that ministers to put it bluntly try to clear the | :16:07. | :16:12. | |
backlog, and it is customarily expected that the Leader of the | :16:13. | :16:17. | |
House would be a chaser after progress on such matters and I would | :16:18. | :16:22. | |
very much hope the honourable lady will have a reply, a substantive | :16:23. | :16:26. | |
reply, to her written question or questions, before this House rises | :16:27. | :16:31. | |
for the summer recess. It seems a matter of proper procedure and | :16:32. | :16:34. | |
courtesy from one colleague to another. Point of order. The report | :16:35. | :16:41. | |
referred to, a working group was set up following a serious fire in my | :16:42. | :16:47. | |
constituency. We were promised that report before Christmas last year | :16:48. | :16:50. | |
and that is what we are still waiting for. If we do not get that | :16:51. | :16:55. | |
this week and a clear statement from the government, we will be waiting | :16:56. | :16:59. | |
in the case of my constituents and grand full until the autumn and the | :17:00. | :17:03. | |
urgency cannot go on marked by the minister and anything you continue | :17:04. | :17:09. | |
to assist, I would be most grateful. The honourable gentleman has | :17:10. | :17:11. | |
transmitted his concerns through me to the government, which will | :17:12. | :17:16. | |
quickly get to hear the honourable gentleman is on the war path on the | :17:17. | :17:20. | |
matter and that might yield a positive outcome over the next 48, | :17:21. | :17:26. | |
72 hours and it is up to the honourable gentleman to judge | :17:27. | :17:30. | |
whether having heard or not heard anything from ministers, he wishes | :17:31. | :17:34. | |
to find ways of trying to secure attention to the issue on the floor | :17:35. | :17:37. | |
of the house before we rise for the summer recess. Point of order. I | :17:38. | :17:43. | |
would have given notice but I thought we were doing points of | :17:44. | :17:48. | |
order later. Last week after meeting with trade union representatives | :17:49. | :17:51. | |
from Rolls-Royce outside Bristol, I tried to table a written question | :17:52. | :17:55. | |
asking if the government was seeking to stay in the European Aviation | :17:56. | :18:03. | |
Safety Agency post Brexit. My question was rejected on the grounds | :18:04. | :18:07. | |
a similar question was asked in January and nothing has changed and | :18:08. | :18:11. | |
that questioned said that we cannot pre-empt negotiations. I would like | :18:12. | :18:17. | |
clarity today on whether and how will we know nothing has changed if | :18:18. | :18:21. | |
we are not allowed to table questions, but also I have been told | :18:22. | :18:24. | |
I cannot ask the question again until the end of the Brexit | :18:25. | :18:27. | |
negotiations, and that seems ludicrous. It strikes me as a rum | :18:28. | :18:35. | |
business and I would hope it would be possible for the honourable lady | :18:36. | :18:41. | |
to receive some satisfaction. My strong advice is she should take the | :18:42. | :18:47. | |
short journey from here to the table office and seek advice, because I am | :18:48. | :18:51. | |
sure it will be possible to achieve a satisfactory outcome and forgive | :18:52. | :18:55. | |
me making this point, again, but I do make it again, that the | :18:56. | :19:01. | |
honourable lady effectively refers to being denied on grounds of | :19:02. | :19:05. | |
repetition. Repetition is not a novel phenomenon in the House of | :19:06. | :19:10. | |
Commons. I think we will leave it there for now. We come to the urgent | :19:11. | :19:18. | |
question for which the honourable gentleman has been patiently | :19:19. | :19:27. | |
waiting. Mr Tom Brake. To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and | :19:28. | :19:29. | |
Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on what steps are being | :19:30. | :19:33. | |
taken to intervene in the anticipated execution of 14 people | :19:34. | :19:41. | |
in Saudi Arabia. Minister of State. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the | :19:42. | :19:47. | |
right honourable gentleman for his question. Media reporting has | :19:48. | :19:52. | |
suggested 14 men could face the death penalty in Saudi Arabia for | :19:53. | :19:57. | |
attending protests in an Eastern province in 2012. We are looking | :19:58. | :20:02. | |
into details and reports, including seeking urgent parity with the Saudi | :20:03. | :20:08. | |
authorities there and in London. I have been in contact with the | :20:09. | :20:13. | |
ambassador to for Saudi Arabia who will come back with information when | :20:14. | :20:17. | |
he has it. We regularly make this cover's opposition to the death | :20:18. | :20:20. | |
penalty clear, we are firmly opposed, and raise concerns at all | :20:21. | :20:25. | |
levels and all opportunities and they are aware of our stance over | :20:26. | :20:29. | |
their human rights in this position is a matter of public record. The | :20:30. | :20:33. | |
Prime Minister raise this during her visit in April this year. I thank | :20:34. | :20:40. | |
the minister. Evidence points to Saudi Arabia taking final steps | :20:41. | :20:45. | |
before executing up to 14 people, including at least two who were | :20:46. | :20:49. | |
juveniles at the time of the alleged offences and convicted on the | :20:50. | :20:54. | |
strength of confessions through the use of torture. Our Prime Minister | :20:55. | :20:58. | |
has highlighted the long-term relationship with Saudi Arabia and | :20:59. | :21:01. | |
has said rather than standing on the sidelines and sniping it is | :21:02. | :21:06. | |
important to talk about our interests and raise difficult issues | :21:07. | :21:12. | |
when we feel necessary. I am sure the Prime Minister and minister | :21:13. | :21:17. | |
would agree 14 executions are such a difficult issue and I am pleased it | :21:18. | :21:21. | |
has been raised urgently with the Saudi government. I would like to | :21:22. | :21:24. | |
ask, will the minister asked the Prime Minister to call on Saudi King | :21:25. | :21:31. | |
Salman and the crown prince to stop the executions, especially | :21:32. | :21:39. | |
juveniles? From going ahead. If the executions of juveniles and others | :21:40. | :21:42. | |
arrested in relation to allege protest activity go ahead, will be | :21:43. | :21:48. | |
UK commit to freezing and reviewing any criminal justice systems that | :21:49. | :21:51. | |
could contribute to the arrest of protesters and dissidents in Saudi | :21:52. | :21:55. | |
Arabia and what further steps will the government take to condemn Saudi | :21:56. | :21:59. | |
Arabia's use of the death penalty, especially in the case of people | :22:00. | :22:09. | |
with disabilities, and juveniles. Mr Speaker, our Prime Minister is | :22:10. | :22:13. | |
promoting the UK as a global nation, how she responds to the threat of | :22:14. | :22:18. | |
summary executions by a partner and close ally will determine what kind | :22:19. | :22:21. | |
of global nation she intends the United Kingdom to be, a global | :22:22. | :22:28. | |
champion of human rights or apologist for human rights abusers. | :22:29. | :22:33. | |
Thank you. Let me deal with some of the issues raised. In relation to | :22:34. | :22:40. | |
the death penalty and death penalty in relation to juveniles, the UK | :22:41. | :22:46. | |
Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every | :22:47. | :22:49. | |
country including Saudi Arabia, especially for crimes other than the | :22:50. | :22:54. | |
most serious, and the juveniles, in line with standards set out in the | :22:55. | :22:59. | |
EU guidelines on the death penalty. And the provisions of the | :23:00. | :23:03. | |
international covenant on civil and political rights and the Arab | :23:04. | :23:08. | |
Charter. A law has been proposed to King Salman that codify is the age | :23:09. | :23:12. | |
of majority at 18 and the death penalty should not be given to | :23:13. | :23:19. | |
minors. The cases he raised towards the end of his remarks, are cases | :23:20. | :23:23. | |
that have been raised specifically by the United Kingdom and in each | :23:24. | :23:27. | |
case we have received assurances that minors would not be executed. | :23:28. | :23:33. | |
In relation to the general relationship with Saudi Arabia, our | :23:34. | :23:38. | |
starting point for engagement on human rights with all countries is | :23:39. | :23:42. | |
based on what is practical realistic and achievable and we will always be | :23:43. | :23:47. | |
ready to speak out as a matter of principle. Ministers discuss human | :23:48. | :23:51. | |
rights and raise concerns with the Saudi Arabia government and we have | :23:52. | :23:54. | |
a balanced relationship with Saudi Arabia and using gauge meant to | :23:55. | :23:59. | |
encourage reform. This is a society going through a process of reform, | :24:00. | :24:05. | |
heading towards fish in 2030, which the new crown prince has laid out as | :24:06. | :24:11. | |
a pattern for Saudi Arabia. Women's rights of changing with the addition | :24:12. | :24:16. | |
of women to the council and it is a process that does not go at our pace | :24:17. | :24:22. | |
but at other places. We make sure human rights of a key part of every | :24:23. | :24:26. | |
conversation senior colleagues have and will certainly be the case | :24:27. | :24:31. | |
should it be necessary to intervene, should any minors be in the position | :24:32. | :24:37. | |
described. As indicated, we have sketchy reports of this and that is | :24:38. | :24:41. | |
why we are doing more and I will write to the right honourable | :24:42. | :24:44. | |
gentleman when I received more detailed information so he has it | :24:45. | :24:50. | |
available. The chair of the foreign affairs Select Committee. We have | :24:51. | :24:59. | |
heard over the years the government talk about the influence it has had | :25:00. | :25:04. | |
over the actions of the Saudi government in terms of capital | :25:05. | :25:07. | |
offences. I would be grateful if the minister could give examples of how | :25:08. | :25:13. | |
that has paid off because on days like this, it leaves questions to be | :25:14. | :25:20. | |
answered. Can I congratulate my honourable friend on his election to | :25:21. | :25:27. | |
the office of chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, it is | :25:28. | :25:31. | |
important office, well held by his predecessor, to whom we would pay | :25:32. | :25:36. | |
tribute. These are difficult job is done by colleagues at my right | :25:37. | :25:40. | |
honourable friend did it critically well. We are pleased to see the | :25:41. | :25:45. | |
honourable gentleman in his place. It is difficult to prove a negative. | :25:46. | :25:52. | |
The authorities with which we deal in Saudi Arabia are not necessarily | :25:53. | :25:56. | |
in a position to make their judicial decisions dependent on external | :25:57. | :26:02. | |
pressure. Nor would we be in their case. We know that a number of | :26:03. | :26:08. | |
allegations are made about possible executions of minors and then they | :26:09. | :26:12. | |
do not happen, but whether or not it would be specifically laid at the | :26:13. | :26:17. | |
door of any representation, we would not necessarily know. I can assure | :26:18. | :26:22. | |
him and the house that these representations are regularly made | :26:23. | :26:29. | |
into a changing society and judicial processes Saudi Arabia, which must | :26:30. | :26:30. | |
be theirs are not ours. Her thanks for granting this urgent | :26:31. | :26:43. | |
question today. I would also like to thank the honourable member for | :26:44. | :26:46. | |
Carshalton and Warrington for bringing such an important matter to | :26:47. | :26:50. | |
the House, and for speaking so eloquently on the subject. I am sure | :26:51. | :26:55. | |
that all members present here today share my concern about these | :26:56. | :26:59. | |
impending executions. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's prolific | :27:00. | :27:04. | |
executioners and the death penalty is increasingly being used as a | :27:05. | :27:09. | |
punishment for nonviolent acts. Indeed, in January 20 16th the Saudi | :27:10. | :27:15. | |
authorities executed 47 men in a single day for allegedly is | :27:16. | :27:19. | |
offences. And just last Monday, six men aware killed. It is becoming | :27:20. | :27:25. | |
clear that these executions are being used not only has a form of | :27:26. | :27:30. | |
draconian punishment, but as a tool to suppress political opposition. To | :27:31. | :27:37. | |
fight sectarian religious battles against the Shia minority, and | :27:38. | :27:40. | |
antagonise their religious rivals any process. It is just over six | :27:41. | :27:47. | |
years since the formal Foreign Secretary William Hague declared | :27:48. | :27:50. | |
that there would be no downgrading of human rights under this | :27:51. | :27:55. | |
Government. Pursuing the foreign policy with a conscience, was, he | :27:56. | :28:00. | |
argued, in our long-term and light in the national interest. It is | :28:01. | :28:05. | |
striking how far the party opposite have strayed from this commitment. | :28:06. | :28:09. | |
When it comes to our relationship with Saudi Arabia, it would appear | :28:10. | :28:13. | |
that human rights concerns are now of secondary importance to trade. | :28:14. | :28:20. | |
This Government has treated human rights as an inconvenient | :28:21. | :28:22. | |
embarrassment, rather than a cause for serious concern. Their | :28:23. | :28:28. | |
reluctance to champion the values of human rights, not only runs counter | :28:29. | :28:33. | |
to who we are as a country but risks everything our international | :28:34. | :28:37. | |
standing just when we need it most. My party's position on this matter | :28:38. | :28:42. | |
is clear. These 14 executions including two juveniles and one | :28:43. | :28:47. | |
disabled man, must not take place. I call upon the Government to use | :28:48. | :28:51. | |
their influence, to stand up and human rights, and unreservedly | :28:52. | :29:00. | |
condemn these planned executions. . The body minister response, I say | :29:01. | :29:04. | |
this and all kindness to the honourable lady, the fluency of her | :29:05. | :29:09. | |
delivery was unfortunately not matched by any conformity with the | :29:10. | :29:12. | |
expected procedure for the opposing of an urgent question. I allowed her | :29:13. | :29:17. | |
to continue, but for future reference, this is not directed only | :29:18. | :29:22. | |
at the honourable lady but wisely, with an urgent question, what is | :29:23. | :29:26. | |
required is a brief sentence or two, a response to what the minister has | :29:27. | :29:29. | |
said followed by a series of questions. It is not an occasion for | :29:30. | :29:34. | |
the setting howls of an alternative party position. It is not a debate. | :29:35. | :29:41. | |
It maybe well have been good if the honourable lady... Ever other | :29:42. | :29:48. | |
inappropriate way. It was very good. It may well have been, but | :29:49. | :29:52. | |
unfortunately it was not very good at complying with the procedure. So | :29:53. | :29:57. | |
I see it good-naturedly to the good that I honourable lady, we really | :29:58. | :30:03. | |
must encourage compliance with the required procedure in the future. I | :30:04. | :30:08. | |
would like the minister very briefly to respond, 30 seconds will suffice, | :30:09. | :30:14. | |
and then we'll move on questioning. I thank the honourable lady. I got | :30:15. | :30:17. | |
the gist of the points that you wanted to make. Saudi Arabia remains | :30:18. | :30:22. | |
a Commonwealth office human rights priority country particular because | :30:23. | :30:26. | |
the use of the death penalty, eight woman's right, restriction of | :30:27. | :30:31. | |
freedom of expression, no aspect of our commercial relationship prevents | :30:32. | :30:35. | |
ours from speaking frankly and openly to them about human rights, | :30:36. | :30:39. | |
we will not pursue trade to the exclusion of human rights, they can | :30:40. | :30:43. | |
be and they are complimentary. The UK will continue to adhere to that. | :30:44. | :30:54. | |
I know the minister will is depressing have regularly the death | :30:55. | :30:57. | |
penalty is carried out, not just in Saudi Arabia but in its nearby | :30:58. | :31:00. | |
neighbour Iran which has also carried out dozens this year, given | :31:01. | :31:06. | |
the small likelihood that you might persuade them to abolish it, would | :31:07. | :31:10. | |
agree it is best to focus on getting them to adopt the most basic of | :31:11. | :31:15. | |
standards, and not just estimating people for crimes committed whilst | :31:16. | :31:19. | |
juveniles. I think I concur with all the points he has made, we will just | :31:20. | :31:22. | |
leave it at that. The death penalty for the little | :31:23. | :31:37. | |
protest is something that horrifies any Democrat, with that in mind we | :31:38. | :31:42. | |
have serious concerns that would not the is using its powers. Can he | :31:43. | :31:47. | |
tells that the Prime Minister has raised this issue, and he confirmed | :31:48. | :31:51. | |
that with us, was she satisfied by the response, and if she was not, | :31:52. | :31:58. | |
what further action is being taken? The Prime Minister will continue to | :31:59. | :32:01. | |
raise concerns as long as the UK have them. If we want to move to a | :32:02. | :32:07. | |
position which would satisfy all about, I suspect that Saudi Arabia | :32:08. | :32:11. | |
has not yet in there, accordingly the primers were continue to raise | :32:12. | :32:15. | |
concerns if you believe that is justified. Can he confirm again that | :32:16. | :32:23. | |
the Government opposes and pop up or is the death penalty in all | :32:24. | :32:26. | |
circumstances, and in every country including Saudi Arabia? But does he | :32:27. | :32:31. | |
share my concern that the death penalty is enshrined in Islamic | :32:32. | :32:35. | |
sharia law, the law of Saudi Arabia? Can he share with and with what | :32:36. | :32:41. | |
force he is making his position known to his counterparts in Saudi | :32:42. | :32:47. | |
Arabia? I can only repeat what I have said before. The UK's | :32:48. | :32:52. | |
opposition to the death penalty, carrying it to buy votes in this | :32:53. | :32:56. | |
House, and here is to international conventions, makes that very clear. | :32:57. | :33:01. | |
But not everyone is the same. The UK cannot unilaterally change the law, | :33:02. | :33:06. | |
but we can and will stand up for the right we believe are correct and | :33:07. | :33:10. | |
make that clear no matter what country is involved from around the | :33:11. | :33:17. | |
United States to Saudi Arabia. We are constantly being told by the | :33:18. | :33:22. | |
party opposite that we share values in common with Saudi Arabia. What | :33:23. | :33:29. | |
are they? They are not value... Concerning human rights, they are | :33:30. | :33:32. | |
not values of international law, what are these values that we could | :33:33. | :33:37. | |
possibly share with Saudi Arabia, when they are prepared to crucify | :33:38. | :33:43. | |
someone and use the death penalty against minors? In response to the | :33:44. | :33:48. | |
honourable lady asking for things which we may share in common, we | :33:49. | :33:54. | |
should not ignore Saudi Arabia's important contribution to regional | :33:55. | :33:59. | |
stability. It has had its own people experience is as the victim of | :34:00. | :34:02. | |
numerous attacks, and the collaboration Saudi Arabia has | :34:03. | :34:08. | |
potentially saved British lives, so there are areas where our interests | :34:09. | :34:11. | |
work together in the interests of the UK. But it is not universal. | :34:12. | :34:19. | |
Giving the fact that maybe at last we are no longer in Imperial Parma | :34:20. | :34:23. | |
and able to send a gunboat to enforce other view of the world, | :34:24. | :34:27. | |
would he confirm that in his experience, and it is considerable | :34:28. | :34:33. | |
within the Foreign Office, the quiet conversation, making our case and | :34:34. | :34:37. | |
setting it out, is far more likely to be effective than shouting at | :34:38. | :34:44. | |
people across...? I thank him for his question. Different approaches | :34:45. | :34:49. | |
have different impact. It certainly would not be right for people to be | :34:50. | :34:54. | |
silent on things that they think are important and Reagan publicly, but | :34:55. | :34:57. | |
it is also true that some of the quiet conversations with state over | :34:58. | :35:03. | |
a period of time effect change. This is also due to consular cases as | :35:04. | :35:06. | |
well as the high profile death penalty cases. He is right, both | :35:07. | :35:10. | |
approaches can have an impact, but sometimes they don't. In his | :35:11. | :35:20. | |
communications with the Saudi authorities, will he establish if | :35:21. | :35:25. | |
the reports are correct that beyond this group there are others who are | :35:26. | :35:29. | |
currently facing similar charges, including juveniles again? I will | :35:30. | :35:38. | |
make what enquiries I can relation to this, certainly from the media | :35:39. | :35:40. | |
reports we have it would be important to find out whether any | :35:41. | :35:44. | |
juveniles are involved, normally NGOs in the west are quite good at | :35:45. | :35:48. | |
finding this out and reporting this information and the UK has acted | :35:49. | :35:52. | |
upon those in the past. Certainly we will look further information and | :35:53. | :36:00. | |
gather as much as I can. What impact does the minister believed the 38% | :36:01. | :36:04. | |
cut to the Foreign Office will present in a challenge in dealing | :36:05. | :36:09. | |
effectively with human rights, beat and Saudi Arabia or where ever it | :36:10. | :36:16. | |
is? All aspects of Government must pay attention to the need for | :36:17. | :36:22. | |
financial probity, but the Foreign Commonwealth Office has made sure | :36:23. | :36:24. | |
that you meant rights has been a key part of our work, certainly for as | :36:25. | :36:28. | |
many years as I had been there, which is now spanning a view, and | :36:29. | :36:32. | |
human rights will remain a key part of desk work here and the work | :36:33. | :36:41. | |
abroad. Among numerous others, my understanding of the two juveniles | :36:42. | :36:45. | |
at risk of execution where charter the Saudi Arabia's anti-cyber crime | :36:46. | :36:51. | |
laws, can he confirm or deny that and we assure the House that any | :36:52. | :36:54. | |
cyber security assistance provided by the UK to Saudi Arabia has not | :36:55. | :36:57. | |
been used to facilitate charges which lead to the death penalty? I | :36:58. | :37:03. | |
don't have the detailed information he is asking for, and I will see to | :37:04. | :37:10. | |
that. I'm also seek reassurances in relation to the collaborative work | :37:11. | :37:13. | |
done on cyber security, which is there to protect the UK and common | :37:14. | :37:16. | |
interest rather than anything else, but I will need further information | :37:17. | :37:20. | |
before I can apply, but I will write to him. Can the confirm to me that | :37:21. | :37:27. | |
I'm a relationship with Saudi Arabia enable us to raise our concerns | :37:28. | :37:31. | |
about human rights, but also that those others in this House should | :37:32. | :37:34. | |
appreciate that the Government of Saudi Arabia is taking steps to | :37:35. | :37:40. | |
improve its actions on human rights and particularly to improve the | :37:41. | :37:43. | |
opportunities and rights for women in the societies in Saudi Arabia? My | :37:44. | :37:53. | |
honourable friend is absolute right. There is a vision of Saudi Arabia as | :37:54. | :37:59. | |
with a number of states in the area, which is fixed in peoples minds | :38:00. | :38:04. | |
which does always confirm that I can form to reality. Progress on some of | :38:05. | :38:09. | |
these state is extremely slow, they are conservative, and sometimes | :38:10. | :38:14. | |
their leaders are ahead of where opinion and religious opinion is. It | :38:15. | :38:19. | |
is a difficult process, but she is right, and objectively it can be | :38:20. | :38:22. | |
seen that women's position has improved in relation to access to | :38:23. | :38:26. | |
the council and beyond, and is more to come. The 100,000 people educated | :38:27. | :38:32. | |
abroad by the previous King Solomon occluded women who were educated in | :38:33. | :38:36. | |
the west in the US, they were not intended to return to a Saudi Arabia | :38:37. | :38:47. | |
which is going to be unchanging. I'm sure the whips mean well when | :38:48. | :38:49. | |
advising on these matters, but they often get the timing a bit wrong. | :38:50. | :38:56. | |
You should remain in your seat instead of beating around the | :38:57. | :38:59. | |
chamber, because a weapon suddenly was to relate a piece of | :39:00. | :39:03. | |
information. No doubt it is very well-intentioned but misguided. In | :39:04. | :39:10. | |
response to the recent spate of executions, Amnesty International | :39:11. | :39:12. | |
has renewed used as calls on the Saudi Arabian authorities to | :39:13. | :39:16. | |
immediately establish a moratorium on all executions. A first step was | :39:17. | :39:22. | |
abolition of the death penalty. Can he led his support to Amnesty's | :39:23. | :39:30. | |
calls? As we have an absolute opposition to the death penalty in | :39:31. | :39:35. | |
any circumstances, a moratorium is essentially immaterial because we | :39:36. | :39:37. | |
want to see the death penalty stopped everywhere. I hear what he | :39:38. | :39:46. | |
is saying about talking and advising and asking questions of the Saudi | :39:47. | :39:50. | |
Government, but shouldn't the Government stop pussyfooting around | :39:51. | :39:53. | |
on this matter and the man that these executions do not go ahead, | :39:54. | :40:01. | |
for crimes which are just protesting, innocently, in a fair | :40:02. | :40:07. | |
society? I understand the force with which the honourable gentleman | :40:08. | :40:12. | |
speaks. It is difficult to convey it to colleagues in the House all the | :40:13. | :40:16. | |
time exactly what the ambassador dance or the Prime Minister would do | :40:17. | :40:20. | |
any conversations that they have two convey in a different form exactly | :40:21. | :40:24. | |
the same degree of force and concern which he does so eloquently. How far | :40:25. | :40:31. | |
does the Government really believe that the UK's influence extends | :40:32. | :40:36. | |
across Saudi Arabia? If the UK Governmented supposedly rich cannot | :40:37. | :40:39. | |
stop them from beheading its citizens, why does it leave it is | :40:40. | :40:42. | |
appropriate for the UK to give the sale of arms to that country? It is | :40:43. | :40:48. | |
impossible to get a simple answer to the question of how much influence | :40:49. | :40:53. | |
once they exert upon another. I would point a long-standing | :40:54. | :40:57. | |
relationship Saudi Arabia, long-standing relationship attempted | :40:58. | :40:59. | |
security and intelligence matters which has acted in our interest in | :41:00. | :41:24. | |
the safety of time. It is not the those outside to take credit for | :41:25. | :41:28. | |
internal changes. All I would say is I believe the continued dialogue | :41:29. | :41:30. | |
with the state that we've known for a long time, but is still relatively | :41:31. | :41:32. | |
new and coming to terms with the Is the execution in violation of not | :41:33. | :41:42. | |
only international law but Saudi domestic law? Whatever the longer | :41:43. | :41:52. | |
term relationship, minors have been executed and there are many on death | :41:53. | :41:56. | |
row. Could he say what representation he is making today or | :41:57. | :42:00. | |
tomorrow and if he is in doubt about who is at risk and he talked to | :42:01. | :42:09. | |
Reprieve about that? I reiterate the point made in relation to the death | :42:10. | :42:14. | |
penalty and particularly in the case of minors, and those cases we | :42:15. | :42:18. | |
reference specifically, as we have done in a number of cases raised by | :42:19. | :42:22. | |
the right honourable gentleman when he spoke. I am gaining more | :42:23. | :42:27. | |
information about the matters referred to today and if they | :42:28. | :42:32. | |
contain minors, specific representations will be made. Points | :42:33. | :42:42. | |
of order normally come after statements. I made an exception for | :42:43. | :42:46. | |
particular matters earlier. Is this because he wants to go off to | :42:47. | :42:50. | |
another commitment, or is it urgent for the house now? I would not | :42:51. | :42:56. | |
presume to judge its urgency, I will leave that to the chair. There | :42:57. | :43:00. | |
appears to be confusion which I would not want to have and I know my | :43:01. | :43:06. | |
honourable friend for mid Kent is of a like mind. Last week when we had | :43:07. | :43:12. | |
the opportunity to question a government earnest about Saudi | :43:13. | :43:15. | |
Arabia, I conferred with one of the clerks at the desk to find out | :43:16. | :43:20. | |
whether, having been on a visit to Saudi Arabia, this was an interest | :43:21. | :43:25. | |
to be declared. The advice given by the clerk was that it was up to the | :43:26. | :43:30. | |
individual member, but as it was raising a question, rather than | :43:31. | :43:34. | |
instigating an early day motion or debate or giving a long speech on | :43:35. | :43:37. | |
our relations with Saudi Arabia, there was no interest to declare. I | :43:38. | :43:43. | |
understand that might have changed today. I would not have wanted to | :43:44. | :43:49. | |
mislead their house in anyway. I would value a clarification on | :43:50. | :43:55. | |
whether we need to declare an interest when merely asking a | :43:56. | :44:00. | |
question of a government minister. As far as I'm aware, nothing has | :44:01. | :44:04. | |
changed today and although the honourable gentleman may find this | :44:05. | :44:12. | |
less than fully satisfactory, or even disquieting, I am afraid I must | :44:13. | :44:16. | |
give him the advice which the clerks tend to give. Namely that it is for | :44:17. | :44:22. | |
each member to judge whether something requires to be declared in | :44:23. | :44:30. | |
the course of any Parliamentary contribution. There is certainly a | :44:31. | :44:34. | |
relevant factor I would put to the honourable gentleman for him to | :44:35. | :44:40. | |
consider, which is whether such a visit was externally financed. I | :44:41. | :44:44. | |
would have thought that was a consideration. Members go on Select | :44:45. | :44:48. | |
Committee trips on a regular basis. As far as I'm aware members do not | :44:49. | :44:53. | |
always in the course of every question refer to the fact they have | :44:54. | :44:57. | |
been on a committee visit but if there is a question of outside | :44:58. | :45:01. | |
financing and an outside body, it might be thought to be prudent to | :45:02. | :45:06. | |
refer to it. I think that was the matter which the honourable lady had | :45:07. | :45:13. | |
in mind and if she wants now to make any declaration, very briefly, I am | :45:14. | :45:18. | |
happy for her to do so. Point of order, Mr Speaker. Thank you. It has | :45:19. | :45:24. | |
been brought to my attention that in asking a question a moment ago I | :45:25. | :45:27. | |
perhaps should have pointed the house towards my register of | :45:28. | :45:35. | |
interests. Well, I am grateful. The honourable gentleman always seem to | :45:36. | :45:39. | |
be an amiable fellow and I thought I would indulge him. Further to my | :45:40. | :45:45. | |
honourable friend's point of order, ditto. Well, we are very grateful. I | :45:46. | :45:52. | |
am sure the house feels better informed. We come now to the | :45:53. | :45:56. | |
statement by the Secretary of State for education. Thank you, Mr | :45:57. | :46:09. | |
Speaker. This government believes all children should have an | :46:10. | :46:13. | |
education that unlocks their potential and allows them to go as | :46:14. | :46:16. | |
far as their talent and hard work will take them. That is key to | :46:17. | :46:22. | |
improving social mobility. We made significant progress. Nine out of | :46:23. | :46:26. | |
ten schools are now good or outstanding and the attainment gap | :46:27. | :46:31. | |
is closing. We launched 12 opportunity areas to drive | :46:32. | :46:33. | |
improvements in parts of the country where we know they can do better. | :46:34. | :46:38. | |
All of this against a backdrop of unfair funding. We know the current | :46:39. | :46:45. | |
funding system is unfair and out of date. This means that whilst we hold | :46:46. | :46:49. | |
schools to the same accountability structure wherever they are, we find | :46:50. | :46:54. | |
them at different levels. In addition resources are not reaching | :46:55. | :46:59. | |
the schools that need them most. School funding is at a record high | :47:00. | :47:03. | |
because of the choices we have made to protect and increase school | :47:04. | :47:10. | |
funding. Even... Even as we face difficult decisions elsewhere to | :47:11. | :47:15. | |
restore our country's finances. We recognise that the election that | :47:16. | :47:19. | |
people were concerned about funding in schools as well as its | :47:20. | :47:23. | |
distribution and, as the Prime Minister said, we are determined to | :47:24. | :47:27. | |
listen. That is why I am confirming our plans to get on with introducing | :47:28. | :47:33. | |
a national funding formula in 2018-19, and I can announce this | :47:34. | :47:40. | |
will now be supported by significant extra investment into the core | :47:41. | :47:45. | |
schools budget over the next two years. The additional funding... | :47:46. | :47:58. | |
Detention! The additional funding I am setting out today together with | :47:59. | :48:03. | |
the introduction of a national funding formula will provide schools | :48:04. | :48:06. | |
with the investment they need to offer a world-class education to | :48:07. | :48:13. | |
every child. There will be an additional ?1.3 billion for schools | :48:14. | :48:20. | |
and high needs across 2018-19 and 2019-20, in addition to the schools | :48:21. | :48:26. | |
budget set at spending review 2015. This funding is across the next two | :48:27. | :48:31. | |
years as we transition to the national funding formula and of | :48:32. | :48:36. | |
course spending plans beyond will be set out in a future review. As a | :48:37. | :48:41. | |
result of this investment, core funding for schools and high knees | :48:42. | :48:45. | |
will rise from almost 41,000,000,020 17-18, up to -- high needs. In 1920, | :48:46. | :48:57. | |
this will rise to ?43.5 billion. This represents 1.3 William pounds | :48:58. | :49:04. | |
in additional investment. 416 million more than set aside at the | :49:05. | :49:12. | |
last spending review. And ?884 million more in 2019. It will mean | :49:13. | :49:17. | |
the total schools budget will increase by ?2.6 billion between | :49:18. | :49:27. | |
this year and 2019-20. And per pupil funding will be maintained in real | :49:28. | :49:33. | |
terms for the remaining two years after the spending review period up | :49:34. | :49:41. | |
to 2020. For this government, social mobility and education are a | :49:42. | :49:46. | |
priority. Introducing the national funding formula, something shied | :49:47. | :49:51. | |
away from by previous governments, backed by the additional investment | :49:52. | :49:55. | |
in schools confirmed today, will be the biggest improvement in school | :49:56. | :50:02. | |
funding for well over a decade. I said when I launched the | :50:03. | :50:06. | |
consultation in December that I was keen to hear as many views as | :50:07. | :50:10. | |
possible on this vital long-standing reform. I'm grateful for the | :50:11. | :50:17. | |
engagement of the issue of fairer funding and the national funding | :50:18. | :50:22. | |
formula. We received more than 25,000 responses. Including from | :50:23. | :50:25. | |
members from across the house. We listened carefully to feedback. We | :50:26. | :50:33. | |
will respond to the consultation in fall in September, but I can tell | :50:34. | :50:37. | |
the House the additional investment we are able to make in schools will | :50:38. | :50:43. | |
allow us to do several things. Including increasing the basic | :50:44. | :50:48. | |
amount every pew poll will attract in 2018-19, and 2019-20. For the | :50:49. | :50:56. | |
next two years it will provide for up to 3% gain per year per pupil for | :50:57. | :51:05. | |
underfunded schools, and also a zero -- a 0.5% per pupil cash increase. | :51:06. | :51:13. | |
We will protect funding for pupils with additional needs as proposed. | :51:14. | :51:17. | |
Given this additional investment we are able to increase the percentage | :51:18. | :51:22. | |
allocated to people lead factors and this formula settlement from 2019, | :51:23. | :51:31. | |
will provide ?4800 per pupil at least for every secondary school, | :51:32. | :51:35. | |
something I know members in a number of areas will welcome in particular. | :51:36. | :51:42. | |
The formula will deliver higher per-pupil funding in respect of | :51:43. | :51:46. | |
every school and in every local area. I believe these changes, | :51:47. | :51:51. | |
building on proposals set out in December, will provide a firm | :51:52. | :51:55. | |
foundation as we make historic reforms to the funding system. | :51:56. | :52:01. | |
Balancing fairness and stability. It remains our intention that a schools | :52:02. | :52:06. | |
budget should be set on the basis of a single mash and all formula. A | :52:07. | :52:13. | |
longer transition makes sense to provide stability for schools. In | :52:14. | :52:22. | |
2018 and 19 and 2019-20, the formula will set indicative budgets for each | :52:23. | :52:26. | |
school and the total funding received by each local authority | :52:27. | :52:31. | |
will be allocated according to the national fair funding formula and | :52:32. | :52:36. | |
transparently for the first time. Local authorities will set a local | :52:37. | :52:43. | |
formula to distribute the funding as now and for determining individual | :52:44. | :52:50. | |
schools budgets in 2018 onwards in consultation with schools in that | :52:51. | :52:54. | |
area and I will shortly publish the guidelines to allow them to begin | :52:55. | :52:59. | |
that process. To support their planning I confirm now that in | :53:00. | :53:05. | |
2018-19, all Mogul authorities will receive some increase over the | :53:06. | :53:08. | |
amount they plan to spend on schools and high needs and we will confirm | :53:09. | :53:15. | |
games for local authorities based on the final formula. The guide will | :53:16. | :53:20. | |
set out important areas that are fundamental to supporting a fairer | :53:21. | :53:24. | |
distribution through the national funding formula. We will ring-fence | :53:25. | :53:30. | |
the majority of funding provided for primary and secondary schools, | :53:31. | :53:34. | |
although local authorities in agreement with the schools forums | :53:35. | :53:37. | |
will be able to move limited amounts of funding to areas such as special | :53:38. | :53:42. | |
schools when it matches local needs. As well as this investment through | :53:43. | :53:47. | |
the national funding formula, I am confirming our commitment to double | :53:48. | :53:53. | |
PE and sport 's premium for primary schools. All primary schools will | :53:54. | :53:57. | |
receive an increase in sports premium funding in the next academic | :53:58. | :54:03. | |
year. The 1.3 billion additional investment in core schools funding I | :54:04. | :54:09. | |
am announcing will be funded from efficiencies and savings identified | :54:10. | :54:13. | |
within the existing budgets, rather than higher taxes, or more debt. | :54:14. | :54:20. | |
This requires difficult decisions but I believe it is right to | :54:21. | :54:26. | |
prioritise schools funding, even as we continue the task of repairing | :54:27. | :54:31. | |
the public finances. I am maximising the proportion of my department's | :54:32. | :54:36. | |
budget allocated directly to front-line headteachers, who can use | :54:37. | :54:40. | |
their expertise to ensure it is spent where it will have the | :54:41. | :54:44. | |
greatest possible impact and I have challenged my civil servants to find | :54:45. | :54:49. | |
efficiencies as schools have to do. I want to set out the savings and | :54:50. | :54:56. | |
efficiencies I intend to secure. Efficiencies and savings across the | :54:57. | :55:00. | |
capital budget I believe can release 420 million. The majority from | :55:01. | :55:09. | |
healthy pupils capita funding. This reflects reductions in forecast | :55:10. | :55:14. | |
revenue from the soft drinks industry levy and therefore the | :55:15. | :55:21. | |
planned budget which remains, I will channel to front-line schools, | :55:22. | :55:24. | |
whilst retaining a commitment that every pound of Ingham's share of | :55:25. | :55:28. | |
spending from the levy will be invested in improving children's | :55:29. | :55:35. | |
health, including 100 million in 2018-19 for healthy pupils capital. | :55:36. | :55:40. | |
We are committed to an ambitious free schools programme to deliver | :55:41. | :55:45. | |
choice, innovation and higher standards for parents. In delivering | :55:46. | :55:52. | |
the programme and plans for free schools announced at the last | :55:53. | :56:00. | |
budget, we will work efficiently to release ?280 million and this will | :56:01. | :56:05. | |
include delivering 30 of 140 schools through the local authority route | :56:06. | :56:08. | |
rather than the free schools rigged. Across the rest of the resource | :56:09. | :56:15. | |
budget, over ?60 billion per year, I will prioritise 250 million in 2018 | :56:16. | :56:25. | |
and 350 million in 2019-20, to fund the increase in the course schools | :56:26. | :56:31. | |
budget spending. I plan to redirect ?200 million from the department's | :56:32. | :56:36. | |
central programmes to front-line funding. Whilst these projects are | :56:37. | :56:41. | |
useful I believe this funding is most and more valuable in the hands | :56:42. | :56:42. | |
of headteachers. Alongside an extra investment in our | :56:43. | :56:52. | |
core schools budget, it is vital that school leaders strive alongside | :56:53. | :56:55. | |
an extra investment in our core schools budget, it is vital that | :56:56. | :56:57. | |
school leaders strive to maximise the efficient use of their | :56:58. | :57:03. | |
resources, to get the best outcomes for mobility. We will now go further | :57:04. | :57:07. | |
to ensure thatand increase mobility. We will now go further to ensure our | :57:08. | :57:14. | |
commitment to ensuring substantial efficiency gains over the coming | :57:15. | :57:18. | |
years. Good value so-called national deals that pick your better value | :57:19. | :57:24. | |
goods and services on areas that all schools spend money on an purchase | :57:25. | :57:28. | |
goods in can save significant amounts. They are available under | :57:29. | :57:33. | |
the deals based in our existing work, for example in insurance or | :57:34. | :57:37. | |
energy, and in the case of energy, skill that that schools can save if | :57:38. | :57:43. | |
they use a national deal. We will expect schools to be clear that they | :57:44. | :57:48. | |
do not make use of these deals and have consequently higher costs. | :57:49. | :57:52. | |
Across school spending as a whole, we will improve the transparency and | :57:53. | :57:56. | |
usability of data so that parents and governors can more easily see | :57:57. | :58:01. | |
the way that funding is being spent and understand not just educational | :58:02. | :58:06. | |
standards in schools but financial effectiveness, too. We just launched | :58:07. | :58:11. | |
a new online if it is the benchmarking service which will | :58:12. | :58:13. | |
enable schools to analyse their own performance and do so much more | :58:14. | :58:18. | |
effectively. We recognise that many schools have worked hard to this | :58:19. | :58:22. | |
point to manage cost -based pressures on their budgets, and will | :58:23. | :58:28. | |
take issue -- action this year to provide assistance to those schools | :58:29. | :58:33. | |
where health is at risk, giving direct support to those schools. The | :58:34. | :58:39. | |
significant investment we are making in schools and the reforms we are | :58:40. | :58:45. | |
introducing underpin our ambition for a world-class education system. | :58:46. | :58:49. | |
Together they will give schools a firm foundation that will enable | :58:50. | :58:54. | |
them to continue to raise standards, promote social mobility and to give | :58:55. | :58:57. | |
every child the best possible education and the best opportunities | :58:58. | :59:07. | |
for the future. I thank the Secretary of State for this slight | :59:08. | :59:11. | |
advance sight of her statement. Mr Speaker, I will always be the first | :59:12. | :59:16. | |
to welcome new money for schools, after all I have spent a year asking | :59:17. | :59:21. | |
the Secretary of State together, schools the funding they need, so it | :59:22. | :59:25. | |
is nice to know I am finally getting through to her. Mr Speaker, I would | :59:26. | :59:36. | |
like to thank parents, school leaders, and the teachers across the | :59:37. | :59:41. | |
country for all the work that they have done in pushing this issue up | :59:42. | :59:46. | |
the political agenda. I think both the Secretary of State and I know | :59:47. | :59:50. | |
that this would not have been happening today without them. But | :59:51. | :59:57. | |
sadly, Mr Speaker, today's statement raises more questions than it | :59:58. | :00:02. | |
answers. I welcome the ?1.3 billion announced today, but canny Secretary | :00:03. | :00:07. | |
of State confirm if it will be reputable budgets in real terms are | :00:08. | :00:12. | |
just the overall budget? Astoundingly, this has all been | :00:13. | :00:16. | |
funded without a penny of new money from the Treasury. I of each outlet | :00:17. | :00:21. | |
did not want to fund schools and thought that teachers and teaching | :00:22. | :00:27. | |
assistants are simply more overpaid public servants. I wonder if the | :00:28. | :00:32. | |
Secretary of State agrees with him. Does her decision to seek savings | :00:33. | :00:35. | |
from the free schools programme mean that she has finally agreed with | :00:36. | :00:41. | |
others on this side of the House that the programme has always been | :00:42. | :00:46. | |
inefficient? The free School programme has always been more | :00:47. | :00:50. | |
expensive than ministers hoped, so the idea that hundreds of millions | :00:51. | :00:54. | |
of pounds can now be saved seems to me like a bad joke. Will she simply | :00:55. | :00:59. | |
be honest with the House and tell us all exactly how much money will be | :01:00. | :01:04. | |
cut from its spending items and who will lose out as a result? I know | :01:05. | :01:11. | |
they are in full retreat from their own manifesto, but I do not see how | :01:12. | :01:16. | |
this ?1.3 billion can possibly fit in with it. We were promised ?4 | :01:17. | :01:23. | |
billion. A group hysteria takes over. You are usually a very | :01:24. | :01:31. | |
understated fellow. Rather a gentlemanly type, I had always | :01:32. | :01:36. | |
thought. Calm yourself. And you're sitting it's a very senior member. | :01:37. | :01:40. | |
Who normally behaves, Prince Andrew over there, as the very embodiment | :01:41. | :01:47. | |
of the dignity. I'm sure you will recover your composure in a minute. | :01:48. | :01:52. | |
You should watch a view Federer matches coming you alone to me about | :01:53. | :01:59. | |
composure. I know they are in full retreat from their manifesto, we | :02:00. | :02:03. | |
were promised ?4 billion at a view weeks ago, and now we are only | :02:04. | :02:08. | |
getting ?1.3 billion. Can schools expect anything else in future, or | :02:09. | :02:15. | |
is this just another broken promise? Their manifesto promise to give free | :02:16. | :02:20. | |
breakfast every primary school pupil, 30 said it would cost ?60 | :02:21. | :02:24. | |
million, leaving parents across the country wondering how you can | :02:25. | :02:29. | |
provide that under 7p per meal. Then she said it would be ?180 million. | :02:30. | :02:36. | |
But it would only go to the most disadvantaged pupils. She had plenty | :02:37. | :02:40. | |
of time to get her figure straight, so can she tell the House if this is | :02:41. | :02:46. | |
Bill her policy? How many pupils will benefit, and how much will it | :02:47. | :02:53. | |
cost? She said that the full funding formula has been delayed again, with | :02:54. | :02:58. | |
local authorities playing a role in setting budgets until 2020. Is this | :02:59. | :03:02. | |
because he is finally acknowledging the role local for it is have to | :03:03. | :03:06. | |
play? Or has she simply realised that to fully implement her plans, | :03:07. | :03:12. | |
she would need to pass primary legislation, and her Government is | :03:13. | :03:16. | |
so weak and wobbly that they cannot even get new money for schools | :03:17. | :03:22. | |
passed through this House? What the Secretary of State has announced | :03:23. | :03:28. | |
that they is nothing more than a sticking plaster, per-pupil funding | :03:29. | :03:31. | |
will still fall over the course of this Parliament unless further | :03:32. | :03:37. | |
action is taken urgently. I will welcome the opportunity to protect | :03:38. | :03:41. | |
budgets for our schools, but this statement alone will do nothing of | :03:42. | :03:50. | |
the kind. I think there is only one party that is in full retreat from | :03:51. | :03:56. | |
its manifesto, and it is... It is certainly not this one. We heard | :03:57. | :04:03. | |
over the weekend... The promise do is Judas was not worth the paper it | :04:04. | :04:06. | |
was written on, and I think it was one of the most dishonest beauties | :04:07. | :04:11. | |
of electioneering I have seen. In many, many years. Our young people | :04:12. | :04:15. | |
deserve better than to be peddled some snake oil propaganda. I should | :04:16. | :04:26. | |
say that I am pleased that she recognises this extra investment, I | :04:27. | :04:30. | |
am shocked to hear that the Labour Party has now turned its head or | :04:31. | :04:34. | |
unfair funding and suggested it might have voted against introducing | :04:35. | :04:40. | |
fair funding in favour of a hard formula. I think many councils will | :04:41. | :04:45. | |
be bleak concerned about that change of stance, another one. She talked | :04:46. | :04:50. | |
about getting through to the party opposite in relation to funding, we | :04:51. | :04:54. | |
have been funding schools. The message not getting through is | :04:55. | :04:58. | |
perhaps to the party opposite, that simply loading up more taxes on | :04:59. | :05:03. | |
people and more debts on our country for young people on the future is | :05:04. | :05:09. | |
simply not a racist amiable way to run the public finances. What our | :05:10. | :05:15. | |
response shows is that Labour have learned nothing in their time in | :05:16. | :05:18. | |
opposition, and in fact have gone backwards. She asked some questions. | :05:19. | :05:23. | |
I can confirm that we are indeed saying that we're going to have a | :05:24. | :05:28. | |
per-pupil real term protected for the next two years, in relation to | :05:29. | :05:32. | |
the free schools programme, what I was actually setting out, I don't | :05:33. | :05:37. | |
think she understood it, but that we are protecting that but we do think | :05:38. | :05:42. | |
we can finance it in a more cost-effective way, and indeed she | :05:43. | :05:46. | |
then talked about the ?4 million, not realising that that was ?4 | :05:47. | :05:52. | |
billion over four years and I have set out to billion pounds over two | :05:53. | :05:57. | |
years, so I think she will recognise that is actually bringing forward a | :05:58. | :06:01. | |
faster pace which is something to be welcomed. One of her a few | :06:02. | :06:10. | |
questions, in relation to local authorities, the approach that we | :06:11. | :06:13. | |
are taking, she may have known, I'm not sure from a question, that in | :06:14. | :06:19. | |
2018 we will always going to have local authorities used in a brooch | :06:20. | :06:25. | |
of using local formulae, it was bound to be a transition year | :06:26. | :06:29. | |
anyway, was simply saying that we want that to extend for a longer | :06:30. | :06:33. | |
time period. When we look at the historic nature of this change, it | :06:34. | :06:36. | |
is right that we take time to make sure that we work at a local level | :06:37. | :06:41. | |
to allow local authorities to adjust their funding and start matching the | :06:42. | :06:45. | |
funding formula. Schools locally will be able to see what amount they | :06:46. | :06:49. | |
should be getting and I have no doubt that teachers and parents and | :06:50. | :06:54. | |
governing bodies will raise questions local authorities that | :06:55. | :06:57. | |
deviates significantly away from the formula settlement that schools | :06:58. | :07:01. | |
think they are entitled to have. This is a strong announcement of | :07:02. | :07:05. | |
additional money combined with making sure that our schools budget | :07:06. | :07:11. | |
is for the fast time in a generation spread fairly across other schools | :07:12. | :07:14. | |
and our children are ever they are growing up, and I am hopeful that | :07:15. | :07:21. | |
the House will broadly welcome it. I call the chair of the education | :07:22. | :07:30. | |
select committee. The news will be welcomed by schools, teachers and | :07:31. | :07:34. | |
parents, especially given that it is more cost facing schools. In | :07:35. | :07:39. | |
addition to moving money from health to pupil programmes, she has said | :07:40. | :07:44. | |
that she is redirecting ?200 million from the Department on the front | :07:45. | :07:47. | |
line in schools, which programmes are included? We will now go through | :07:48. | :07:54. | |
a process of looking across those programmes to identify that ?200 | :07:55. | :07:59. | |
million, but I think across an entire department on resource budget | :08:00. | :08:04. | |
of ?60 billion, it is a reasonable request to make sure that my | :08:05. | :08:08. | |
department and civil servants in my department are making efficiency | :08:09. | :08:12. | |
savings in the same way I see is set out that we are expecting schools to | :08:13. | :08:17. | |
do. Aptly we should do that and he'll turn at a response, to simply | :08:18. | :08:21. | |
dip into taxpayers' pocket every time you want to look at how we | :08:22. | :08:25. | |
increase front line school spending, is not only unsustainable but it is | :08:26. | :08:29. | |
wrong when we could do a better job using the money we have got. While I | :08:30. | :08:38. | |
welcome this announcement of extra money today, isn't the fact that the | :08:39. | :08:42. | |
Government got themselves into such a mess over schools funding an | :08:43. | :08:46. | |
indication of the fact that they have not been straight with people | :08:47. | :08:50. | |
all along, and I'm not sure they really are being entirely straight | :08:51. | :08:53. | |
now. The Secretary of State talks about an increased in schools budget | :08:54. | :08:57. | |
but fails to mention that the number of pupils has increasing vividly. | :08:58. | :09:02. | |
Isn't it the case that even with this money today the truth is that | :09:03. | :09:08. | |
since 2015 the real terms cut pair pupil that schools have faced this | :09:09. | :09:17. | |
?2.8 billion, and will be further ?8.9 billion even when you take into | :09:18. | :09:21. | |
account this extra money today? There is still a massive shortfall. | :09:22. | :09:24. | |
I figured is about time the Government started been straight | :09:25. | :09:27. | |
with the figures of the reality of what schools on the front facing. I | :09:28. | :09:33. | |
think we are setting out our figures transparently. But I don't expect | :09:34. | :09:37. | |
that happen as a result of today's announcement is for the website that | :09:38. | :09:44. | |
has been worrying parents about school cuts... I don't expect any of | :09:45. | :09:50. | |
those numbers to be updated, because it is far easier to Sibley continue | :09:51. | :09:55. | |
to peddle out of date data. She asked me about the numbers of | :09:56. | :09:59. | |
pupils, she is of course quite right and that is why I'm sure she will | :10:00. | :10:03. | |
welcome that I am saying the real terms per-pupil spending will be | :10:04. | :10:13. | |
maintained. This is very good news for schools as they prepare to break | :10:14. | :10:17. | |
up for the summer holiday. Can affect her for engaging so | :10:18. | :10:20. | |
constructively with colleagues across the House to make this | :10:21. | :10:24. | |
progress? In particular, can I welcome her focus on the worst | :10:25. | :10:29. | |
funded schools and bringing them up, which has been so critically | :10:30. | :10:36. | |
important for so long. I think it is not a fundamental change in how we | :10:37. | :10:40. | |
fund our schools that it is extremely challenging to be able to | :10:41. | :10:44. | |
get this right, and I think the reason we held a very long | :10:45. | :10:48. | |
consultation and I have taken our time to do this is to make sure that | :10:49. | :10:52. | |
we can have this work on the ground as we fully intend. I do appreciate | :10:53. | :10:56. | |
that for colleagues in very different communities up and down | :10:57. | :11:00. | |
our country, a formula needs to work for all of them, not just some of | :11:01. | :11:03. | |
them, and that is why we be listening to what people are saying | :11:04. | :11:04. | |
and reflected that today. I was at Airedale Academy and it has | :11:05. | :11:18. | |
already had this year ?140,000 cut to its budget, ?190 per child. Can | :11:19. | :11:23. | |
you tell me if there is anything in the statement that tells me they | :11:24. | :11:27. | |
will get any of that money back? Our schools are heavily hit by her | :11:28. | :11:33. | |
formula, despite being in a deprived area. She said the schools will | :11:34. | :11:40. | |
still only get a 0.5% cash increase per-pupil. Can she confirm it means | :11:41. | :11:45. | |
a lot of kids will have a real funding cut? How many will still | :11:46. | :11:49. | |
face a real cut to funding next year? There are a number of things | :11:50. | :11:55. | |
in the statement that will be of welcome to her. As she pointed out, | :11:56. | :12:04. | |
we said we will introduce a 0.5% increase per-pupil for schools | :12:05. | :12:08. | |
currently above the formula and therefore not the ones that need to | :12:09. | :12:12. | |
catch up through additional funding. I would point out the position of | :12:13. | :12:18. | |
our party and her party was that there would be no cash users. We are | :12:19. | :12:24. | |
going beyond that today, in other words her school would receive more | :12:25. | :12:28. | |
than it would, had her party won the election. Clearly more money going | :12:29. | :12:38. | |
to the front line of schools is a very good thing. The devil will be | :12:39. | :12:43. | |
in the detail of the formula, which I know from having spent hours | :12:44. | :12:48. | |
poring over it. I want to pick her up onto things, the first about the | :12:49. | :12:53. | |
increased percentage allocated to people lead factors and many are | :12:54. | :12:58. | |
unhappy about the percentage the basic pupil funding. The second | :12:59. | :13:05. | |
about the ?4800. Many schools in Leicestershire and elsewhere have | :13:06. | :13:10. | |
been underfunded historically for many years. ?4800 does not get them | :13:11. | :13:16. | |
towards the ?6,000 per pupil which schools in other parts of the | :13:17. | :13:20. | |
country are getting. I appreciate she haps to operate with constraints | :13:21. | :13:26. | |
on public spending but on behalf of schools in Leicestershire, they need | :13:27. | :13:31. | |
historical underfunding corrected. She will no doubt welcome the fact | :13:32. | :13:35. | |
the announcement means there will be an increase in the extent of funding | :13:36. | :13:40. | |
through the core pupil led factors. I thought it was right to protect | :13:41. | :13:46. | |
the amount going into additional... Children with additional need | :13:47. | :13:48. | |
because we want to see them catch up. In relation to the overall | :13:49. | :13:54. | |
amount, I assure her the formula takes into account different cost | :13:55. | :13:59. | |
bases, different parts of the country have. This announcement will | :14:00. | :14:03. | |
mean that schools will get more funding, but also, schools will | :14:04. | :14:09. | |
catch up faster, because I have announced they will be a 3% increase | :14:10. | :14:14. | |
for the two years, rather than the previous proposal. It is unclear | :14:15. | :14:26. | |
whether the Secretary of State has dealt with the underlying problems | :14:27. | :14:30. | |
with funding formula. Nine schools in some of the most deprived parts | :14:31. | :14:34. | |
of Leicester West would have lost out. That is because the | :14:35. | :14:40. | |
government's initial proposals drastically reduced the amount of | :14:41. | :14:43. | |
money allocated according to deprivation. That is what happened. | :14:44. | :14:50. | |
She shakes her head, but that happened in my constituency. Can she | :14:51. | :14:55. | |
tell me, has the underlying basis of the funding for been changed, or are | :14:56. | :15:01. | |
schools in the most deprived areas still going to get a bigger cut, | :15:02. | :15:06. | |
harming, not helping social mobility? We will set out the detail | :15:07. | :15:11. | |
of the national funding formula but it is not true to say the | :15:12. | :15:16. | |
deprivation amounts were cut. I actively made sure they were | :15:17. | :15:23. | |
protected. In her community she will no doubt welcome the fact that | :15:24. | :15:26. | |
schools already well funded are being protected, indeed more as I | :15:27. | :15:31. | |
said to the right honourable lady across the chamber, more than they | :15:32. | :15:34. | |
would have been had her party won the election. Can I welcome the | :15:35. | :15:45. | |
Secretary of State's statement and applaud her for listening to | :15:46. | :15:50. | |
concerns many expressed about the funding formula for our local | :15:51. | :15:56. | |
schools. At the end of the day what matters to schools as the budget | :15:57. | :16:01. | |
they will get. When will schools be communicated with to be told exactly | :16:02. | :16:05. | |
what this will mean for individual school budgets? That is what | :16:06. | :16:09. | |
headteachers and governors and parents will want to know. Can she | :16:10. | :16:16. | |
confirm that the promise not to cut funding from any school also applies | :16:17. | :16:24. | |
to special schools? The local authorities will go through a | :16:25. | :16:28. | |
process of setting a local formula, but we will confirm what the | :16:29. | :16:33. | |
application is notionally to each school in September. That is a | :16:34. | :16:39. | |
significant process that involves confirming allocations for 24,000 | :16:40. | :16:46. | |
schools. What I set out today is not just funding for the course schools | :16:47. | :16:50. | |
budget, but also high need, which I hope is good news for him. Schools | :16:51. | :17:01. | |
in central Bedfordshire get ?4314 per pupil and will be grateful to | :17:02. | :17:06. | |
learn of 4800 per-pupil. What can she is due to spread best practice | :17:07. | :17:12. | |
across academies about covering lessons when teachers are not ill? | :17:13. | :17:18. | |
Some academies timetable extra time so staff can cover other staff. Can | :17:19. | :17:23. | |
she have a word to spread best practice across academies say | :17:24. | :17:29. | |
children do not miss out on lessons? I will. One of the biggest | :17:30. | :17:32. | |
challenges and also an opportunity in the system is to enable best | :17:33. | :17:37. | |
practice to spread more rapidly around the system which is one | :17:38. | :17:42. | |
reason I introduced research schools that can be hubs in their area to | :17:43. | :17:45. | |
make sure they disseminate best practice. By protecting per-pupil | :17:46. | :17:56. | |
funding from next year, it does nothing to cuts? What assessment has | :17:57. | :18:04. | |
she made the impact of raiding her own capital budget on the vital | :18:05. | :18:07. | |
improvements many schools in my constituency will now have to wait | :18:08. | :18:15. | |
longer for? The funding set out is for 2018-19, when the formula gets | :18:16. | :18:22. | |
introduced. In relation to capital, I believe we can make a better use | :18:23. | :18:29. | |
of our budget and there was significant funding set aside in | :18:30. | :18:34. | |
relation to the sugar drinks industry levy. We have been able to | :18:35. | :18:38. | |
retain that additional money in spite of the levy being at a | :18:39. | :18:43. | |
slightly lower level than originally is elected. I am therefore pushing | :18:44. | :18:47. | |
it to the front line which I hope you welcome. Mistakenly, because I | :18:48. | :18:54. | |
try to do two things at once, I called two government backbenchers | :18:55. | :18:59. | |
in succession. I would not want there to be a lingering sense of | :19:00. | :19:01. | |
resentment on the opposition backbenchers. I want to press the | :19:02. | :19:11. | |
Secretary of State on the point about where the money is coming from | :19:12. | :19:15. | |
within her department. It sounds like she will be robbing Peter to | :19:16. | :19:20. | |
pay Paul from within the central programmes. Can she set out more | :19:21. | :19:23. | |
clearly which of these programmes will be cut, or is she promising not | :19:24. | :19:28. | |
to cut any of them from the central programme? The teaching leadership | :19:29. | :19:34. | |
College, mentoring programme, longer school day programme, 16-19 budget, | :19:35. | :19:38. | |
all the apprenticeships programme will get cut? What is important is | :19:39. | :19:48. | |
to make sure we look across the piece to gain additional | :19:49. | :19:52. | |
efficiencies from the Department. I would say to him, he just talks | :19:53. | :19:57. | |
about cups. The reality is we have to ensure we take every pound of | :19:58. | :20:01. | |
taxpayers' money and get the most out of it. It has been something | :20:02. | :20:06. | |
that has struck me about how many different pots of money across the | :20:07. | :20:11. | |
department there are and we have to make them work more strategically | :20:12. | :20:15. | |
and in doing so, we can unlock funding that can go to the front | :20:16. | :20:21. | |
line of schools. Could I welcome the statement? Could I give the | :20:22. | :20:25. | |
Secretary of State ten out of ten for progress and a huge Goldstar | :20:26. | :20:30. | |
Ryan listening to concerns of members on the side and no doubt the | :20:31. | :20:36. | |
other side. -- a huge Goldstar for listening. I was at an outstanding | :20:37. | :20:43. | |
academy in my constituency, that is the Ofsted rating. They will not be | :20:44. | :20:47. | |
replacing eight teachers and a librarian because of difficulties | :20:48. | :20:52. | |
with their budget. I hope this announcement will go some way to | :20:53. | :20:55. | |
rectifying that. Their complaint is not the formula but the rise in | :20:56. | :21:03. | |
costs. Huge rises in pensions and National Insurance contributions, | :21:04. | :21:06. | |
which nobody begrudges. It is a small part of the peace. Can I urge | :21:07. | :21:12. | |
her to look at why it is local authorities in particular are | :21:13. | :21:16. | |
putting on schools the apprenticeship levy. That cannot be | :21:17. | :21:21. | |
right. It is not a lot of money but meaningful for school budgets. I | :21:22. | :21:29. | |
recognise what she is saying. It is important we get on with making more | :21:30. | :21:34. | |
apprenticeships available for young people, including in sectors like | :21:35. | :21:39. | |
education. I recognise what she says and think it's important my | :21:40. | :21:42. | |
department does more to work with schools to help them deal with some | :21:43. | :21:46. | |
of the cost -based pressures they have faced. I feel best practice can | :21:47. | :21:52. | |
be spread more effectively through schools when they are working out | :21:53. | :21:58. | |
ways to do smart timetabling, smart deals in relation to procurement. We | :21:59. | :22:02. | |
need to do that systematically and if we can I believe we can get more | :22:03. | :22:07. | |
out of the budget than we already have. Pursuant to the points of | :22:08. | :22:13. | |
order I took immediately after questions on the subject of HS2, a | :22:14. | :22:19. | |
series of points of order from right honourable and honourable members on | :22:20. | :22:23. | |
both sides of a house, I can now inform the house that the secretary | :22:24. | :22:30. | |
is -- the Secretary of State for Transport would like to make a | :22:31. | :22:34. | |
statement at the moment of interruption, that is to say at 10pm | :22:35. | :22:39. | |
this evening. I have axed seed into that request on the basis -- I have | :22:40. | :22:48. | |
agreed to that request on the basis and have received that assurance. | :22:49. | :22:57. | |
There will be a statement, I believe entitled HS2 update, at the moment | :22:58. | :23:02. | |
of interruption tonight. I hope that is helpful to the house. In December | :23:03. | :23:11. | |
last year, the audit office said it was her department that expected 8% | :23:12. | :23:16. | |
cuts equivalent to ?3 billion in school budgets. No one else but her | :23:17. | :23:22. | |
department. 24 million across Greenwich schools, equivalent of 672 | :23:23. | :23:27. | |
teachers. She went into the last election saying my schools were | :23:28. | :23:31. | |
overfunded. Does she still believe that? I do not believe we said that | :23:32. | :23:36. | |
but what I can say to his schools, they will now get a better | :23:37. | :23:39. | |
settlement under the national funding formula than they would of | :23:40. | :23:44. | |
got under his party. I know the house will want to be well-informed. | :23:45. | :23:48. | |
The moment of interruption would be expected to be 10pm on Amond, but it | :23:49. | :23:55. | |
is not certain to be ten. It could be earlier, it could later. The | :23:56. | :24:01. | |
point colleagues need to have lodged in their little grey cells is that | :24:02. | :24:06. | |
statement will come at the moment of interruption. Keep an eye on the | :24:07. | :24:18. | |
annunciator. I know parents and pupils in my constituency will be | :24:19. | :24:21. | |
delighted with that minimum funding of secondary school education, which | :24:22. | :24:28. | |
will present a substantial increase in secondary school funding. But I | :24:29. | :24:33. | |
would be grateful if she could outline the minimum level of funding | :24:34. | :24:37. | |
for primary school pupils, which was not addressed in her statement. She | :24:38. | :24:43. | |
is right. We will set out more of those details in September but what | :24:44. | :24:47. | |
we are setting out today is we recognise there is an issue of | :24:48. | :24:51. | |
minimum funding levels in secondary and we would expect that to be | :24:52. | :25:01. | |
reflected in primary. Figures from her department showed 21 schools in | :25:02. | :25:05. | |
my constituency were going to lose out under her plans for the national | :25:06. | :25:08. | |
funding formula before the announcement today. I am concerned | :25:09. | :25:15. | |
they still will. Can she guarantee today those schools that were going | :25:16. | :25:20. | |
to lose out on the basis of the formula now no longer will and will | :25:21. | :25:28. | |
actually see games? -- a gain. I have been clear every school will | :25:29. | :25:32. | |
see a gain from the announcement made today, which I hope is good | :25:33. | :25:37. | |
news. It is a reflection of the need to strike a balance between bringing | :25:38. | :25:42. | |
up long-term underfunded schools and recognising schools that have been | :25:43. | :25:46. | |
at higher levels of funding needs to be helped to get on to the national | :25:47. | :25:58. | |
funding formula. May I welcome this announcement from my right | :25:59. | :26:02. | |
honourable friend? It is a real moment of celebration for those who | :26:03. | :26:08. | |
have campaigned for years for a proper fair funding formula. Could | :26:09. | :26:12. | |
she confirm to my governors and headteachers in Gloucestershire that | :26:13. | :26:18. | |
by 2020, all pupils currently receiving ?3800 per pupil will by | :26:19. | :26:20. | |
that time received 4800? We will have a minimum that is ?4800 | :26:21. | :26:34. | |
which will be transitioned in this two years, and I think it is good | :26:35. | :26:38. | |
news 11 like to pay tribute to him, because he has been a tireless | :26:39. | :26:42. | |
campaigner on fair funding, and he has done an outstanding job of being | :26:43. | :26:46. | |
clear with me about his local community concerns and also a desire | :26:47. | :26:50. | |
to see if their funding, and it is responding to colleagues like him | :26:51. | :26:53. | |
which has led us to the statement today. The National Audit Office at | :26:54. | :27:01. | |
a few months ago said that school budgets needed an extra ?3 billion | :27:02. | :27:07. | |
by 2020 to avoid cuts. How do she square that ?3 billion figure with | :27:08. | :27:10. | |
the ?1.3 billion he has announced today over two years? Was she also | :27:11. | :27:15. | |
tell the House that she knows the high needs budget, knees bending on | :27:16. | :27:20. | |
special education needs, is rising faster in inflating and faster than | :27:21. | :27:23. | |
pupil numbers, what in the statement will deal with that? In relation to | :27:24. | :27:31. | |
his original point, we are maintaining the real terms funding | :27:32. | :27:33. | |
per pupil, that is what I have set out today. That sits alongside the | :27:34. | :27:39. | |
other work we're doing with schools to enable them to unlock efficiency | :27:40. | :27:43. | |
strongly in investment which is ready there. In relation to high | :27:44. | :27:46. | |
needs, I have set out further additional funding for high needs | :27:47. | :27:50. | |
which I hope he will welcome, and I know and understand his long-term | :27:51. | :27:56. | |
interest in area. I hope she will accept that West Sussex MPs who have | :27:57. | :28:00. | |
been working with heads and parents will welcome the progress in her | :28:01. | :28:04. | |
statement, can I say about half of the backbenchers, perhaps the PPS | :28:05. | :28:08. | |
and the minister that we all work together and hope to go on doing so | :28:09. | :28:17. | |
to get more progress in future. It has indeed been a team effort in | :28:18. | :28:21. | |
order to work out how we can best bring forward what is a very | :28:22. | :28:24. | |
difficult thing, which is a national funding formula which broadly works | :28:25. | :28:30. | |
for many different schools across our country. Wherever they are. It | :28:31. | :28:35. | |
is fair. We have got more detail set out in the autumn, but I hope today | :28:36. | :28:39. | |
I have given a clear signal to the House that we are moving in the | :28:40. | :28:42. | |
right direction and I going to take this step forward and make sure we | :28:43. | :28:51. | |
do have their funding. The Secretary of State's partial U-turn is bound | :28:52. | :28:55. | |
to be welcomed. Can she give a guarantee, given the strawberry cost | :28:56. | :28:58. | |
pressures that many schools across the board already face, that no | :28:59. | :29:04. | |
school across Rochdale will be forced to cut teachers or teaching | :29:05. | :29:09. | |
assistant over this two period? There will be high up their pupils | :29:10. | :29:15. | |
funding in respect of every single school in every local area. What | :29:16. | :29:20. | |
we're saying is we want to be able to get more money to headteachers to | :29:21. | :29:23. | |
be able to take the decisions that they think are in the best interests | :29:24. | :29:26. | |
of their schools. I have spent many years as a school governor and I | :29:27. | :29:30. | |
know the work that goes on to try and make the most out of the budget, | :29:31. | :29:35. | |
but I am also setting out, I to challenge my own department, so that | :29:36. | :29:39. | |
we can put that money into the hands of headteachers to spend on the | :29:40. | :29:46. | |
front line of schools. In welcoming the additional funding for Stockport | :29:47. | :29:50. | |
schools, may I also welcome a very listening Secretary of State. We'll | :29:51. | :29:55. | |
see perhaps prove her metal further by taking on board the | :29:56. | :29:58. | |
recommendations on recruitment and retention contained in the last | :29:59. | :30:04. | |
Parliament's education committee report? This is a vital issue. I | :30:05. | :30:09. | |
think we have more teachers in our school system than ever before, but | :30:10. | :30:13. | |
we need them. We had to make sure that the teaching profession, and I | :30:14. | :30:17. | |
have always seen it as a profession, is one that is a strong career for | :30:18. | :30:21. | |
teachers, one that means that they see continued professional | :30:22. | :30:25. | |
development right the way through their careers and is competitive, | :30:26. | :30:30. | |
and frankly one of my old teachers is retiring today, opting for them, | :30:31. | :30:33. | |
I have written a note to thank him for 45 years of service to children | :30:34. | :30:37. | |
about them. It is an amazing vocation and one which I would | :30:38. | :30:41. | |
recommend to anyone who cares about developing our young people by the | :30:42. | :30:50. | |
future. As other members have highlighted, the National Audit | :30:51. | :30:52. | |
Office and the Secretary of State's own permanent secretary have | :30:53. | :30:58. | |
highlighted the ?3 billion of savings they will have to make their | :30:59. | :31:02. | |
2020. That includes ?1.7 billion what the department describes as | :31:03. | :31:05. | |
more efficient use of staff. Given that she is now trading the fact | :31:06. | :31:10. | |
that she is giving ?1.3 million in additional investment, can she tell | :31:11. | :31:15. | |
us, hand on heart, that she is giving more money are others | :31:16. | :31:18. | |
efficiency savings continuing as a wetland? This is very clearly an | :31:19. | :31:23. | |
announcement of more money, and think it is important as she will | :31:24. | :31:27. | |
recognise that we work with schools, not only on their non-staff budget, | :31:28. | :31:33. | |
but also on their staff budget, and indeed when I talk to headteachers, | :31:34. | :31:37. | |
they are very keen to make sure that they are able to use the stat that | :31:38. | :31:40. | |
they have got as well as they can, and we will work more proactively | :31:41. | :31:44. | |
with schools to make that might help them understand how to do that | :31:45. | :31:52. | |
better. Can I congratulate the Government for choosing to | :31:53. | :31:54. | |
prioritise school funding, which has been such a huge use you and right | :31:55. | :31:59. | |
across the country, had all the MPs in Cheshire have come to you, saying | :32:00. | :32:03. | |
what we need for our local schools, so I welcome today's announcement. | :32:04. | :32:08. | |
Everybody can be clear, canny Secretary of State just confirm that | :32:09. | :32:12. | |
what you are saying is that they will be a higher per pupil funding | :32:13. | :32:20. | |
for every pupil? Indeed, we will be making that funding available to | :32:21. | :32:23. | |
local authorities, I'm saying that any and local authorities will also | :32:24. | :32:26. | |
go through a process of setting their local formula, but the finding | :32:27. | :32:30. | |
that we're giving enables them to do that. It is fantastic to see her | :32:31. | :32:35. | |
back in the chamber, she made a rapid start to representing her | :32:36. | :32:39. | |
community in relation to this, after she came back into the House, and it | :32:40. | :32:43. | |
is great to see her. She was subject to some of the nappy campaigning | :32:44. | :32:46. | |
that I think will be debated later on in this chamber. On Friday, Raven | :32:47. | :32:55. | |
stone primary School in Bal said a letter to parents announcing that | :32:56. | :32:58. | |
they were making five essential support staff go. They have also | :32:59. | :33:03. | |
lost a deputy headteacher, it is still had not made these cuts the | :33:04. | :33:06. | |
school would have faced a budget deficit of over ?150,000. Can she | :33:07. | :33:12. | |
today pledged that schools in tooting body given the necessary | :33:13. | :33:15. | |
funding to maintain current staffing levels and will she meet with me and | :33:16. | :33:20. | |
a fantastic headteacher of Raven stone school to discuss this matter | :33:21. | :33:25. | |
in person? I pay tribute to the hard work of many teachers, many of them | :33:26. | :33:30. | |
I know, in our local borough of Wandsworth, I think we also need to | :33:31. | :33:35. | |
recognise that where that school a different part of the country, it | :33:36. | :33:41. | |
would get a very different funding settlement. We expect to deliver the | :33:42. | :33:45. | |
same results for its local children. What I am doing today is setting out | :33:46. | :33:49. | |
that we want to have furnace in our funding formula and what we have set | :33:50. | :33:53. | |
out will also mean that there is additional money going into schools. | :33:54. | :34:03. | |
I very much welcome my right honourable friend's announcement | :34:04. | :34:05. | |
today and I thank her for all her work, but can she confirm that areas | :34:06. | :34:10. | |
like mine in Medway will benefit from the new funding formula? We are | :34:11. | :34:15. | |
being charged with building historic numbers of homes in the Medway | :34:16. | :34:21. | |
towns, and we are seeing new schools coming online. We'll be get more? | :34:22. | :34:25. | |
Under Labour, we saw schools shut in the Medway towns. It was just great | :34:26. | :34:32. | |
inflation and poor standards we inherited from Labour, it was a | :34:33. | :34:36. | |
schools places crisis. Which is why we had to get on and build hundreds | :34:37. | :34:41. | |
and thousands of school places for children who needed them, and that | :34:42. | :34:46. | |
is precisely why we are doing this. The funding formula will indeed mean | :34:47. | :34:49. | |
that her schools get higher per pupil funding in respect of schools | :34:50. | :34:54. | |
in her local area. I can assure how we will not make this a mistake as | :34:55. | :34:58. | |
the party opposite end up planning ahead on having the school places | :34:59. | :35:03. | |
that children need in their local communities, making sure that they | :35:04. | :35:10. | |
do not end up without them. This statement does nothing to address | :35:11. | :35:16. | |
the serious underfunding and consistent underfunding of 16-18, | :35:17. | :35:22. | |
this was under spent over the last two years by ?267 million. But the | :35:23. | :35:27. | |
Government come it to the allocate those monies as soon as possible, | :35:28. | :35:31. | |
and also address the underfunding for 60-18 -year-olds going forward? | :35:32. | :35:37. | |
He raises an important point. -- 16-18. In respect of technical | :35:38. | :35:43. | |
education, it is something which has been put on one side for too many | :35:44. | :35:48. | |
years. It now needs to be focused on. That is why the centrepiece of | :35:49. | :35:54. | |
the budget from my perspective was the skills budget, which we | :35:55. | :35:57. | |
announced back in March, the CBI called it a breakthrough budget for | :35:58. | :36:02. | |
skills. We are now getting on with that reform, not just in terms of | :36:03. | :36:07. | |
continuing to bring forward more apprenticeships but also now working | :36:08. | :36:10. | |
with organisations like the CBI and Federation of Small Businesses to | :36:11. | :36:14. | |
look at how we can bring forward the reforms so that every single child | :36:15. | :36:18. | |
who chooses to continue their education but was to go down a | :36:19. | :36:21. | |
technical education route rather than a pure academic one can have | :36:22. | :36:25. | |
that route, every bit as gold standard as the academic one that we | :36:26. | :36:32. | |
have built. Can I thank the Secretary of State? This is great | :36:33. | :36:35. | |
news. I have been telling my constituents that she has listened | :36:36. | :36:39. | |
and indeed she has proven so. Can I just ask a couple of things? I | :36:40. | :36:43. | |
appreciate time is tight and September is the indicator, but my | :36:44. | :36:46. | |
skills are letting teachers go today. If there's any ties begin at | :36:47. | :36:50. | |
a heads up on the figures ahead of September, that would be helpful. We | :36:51. | :36:56. | |
can prove more efficient than many schools in the country, and can I | :36:57. | :36:59. | |
get to look at that apprenticeship leading? It doesn't really work | :37:00. | :37:03. | |
force rules. I take her point, and I can assure how we will be working | :37:04. | :37:07. | |
very proactively with schools, particularly trying to focus on the | :37:08. | :37:11. | |
ones that are saying that they face the biggest challenges. That is why | :37:12. | :37:14. | |
I put together a team of this is the advisers that will be able to go out | :37:15. | :37:18. | |
on the ground and work directly with schools. I think we can make a lot | :37:19. | :37:22. | |
of progress in this area, but we also need to, and I recognise the | :37:23. | :37:26. | |
point that she is making on cost basis, and figured as much right to | :37:27. | :37:29. | |
strike a balance between making sure that our apprenticeships, strategy | :37:30. | :37:35. | |
does give opportunity to young people everything sector. We also | :37:36. | :37:38. | |
need to make sure we get funding to the front line of schools, that is | :37:39. | :37:42. | |
what I have announced today. I welcome more funding, schools like | :37:43. | :37:50. | |
Derby high in my constituency cannot recruit teaching talent. They faced | :37:51. | :37:57. | |
rising costs. National insurance, ageing teaching population, the | :37:58. | :38:04. | |
apprenticeship levy, and they are facing increasing class sizes and | :38:05. | :38:06. | |
need a new school building. With this new money be enough to address | :38:07. | :38:14. | |
these complicated problems, and will it go far enough to address | :38:15. | :38:20. | |
enrichment activities that have all but disappeared in schools? With a | :38:21. | :38:27. | |
whole generation of children, from 2010, missing out on these | :38:28. | :38:30. | |
activities because of the imposition of posterity by your Government? -- | :38:31. | :38:33. | |
prosperity. I know he shares my concern around | :38:34. | :38:47. | |
improving education standards in Derby. This has been a challenge for | :38:48. | :38:58. | |
many... It is just a school called Derby. I should clarify, that had he | :38:59. | :39:04. | |
also been from the centre of Derby, I was going to talk about how | :39:05. | :39:10. | |
important to me the opportunity that we put an Derby is. I apologise for | :39:11. | :39:16. | |
not recognising him as the obviously new member representing Barry. But I | :39:17. | :39:24. | |
assure him that I take as great a standard, priorities and is in his | :39:25. | :39:29. | |
schools and at school in particular as any others. We have tried to set | :39:30. | :39:33. | |
out a way of making sure that funding is there for all schools | :39:34. | :39:36. | |
including the one that he is talking about. It will be complemented with | :39:37. | :39:40. | |
additional funding which I think is something that he should welcome. | :39:41. | :39:46. | |
This is a part of our strategy on improving standards, in education, | :39:47. | :39:50. | |
but by no means all of it, it is not just about the amount of money we | :39:51. | :39:53. | |
put into schools, it is about what we then do with it and the strategy | :39:54. | :39:56. | |
behind it, and as we have seen, Labour in Wales on education, has | :39:57. | :40:01. | |
been going backwards. That is because it has no strategy, and as a | :40:02. | :40:05. | |
result children are getting worse standards. We do have a strategy | :40:06. | :40:13. | |
that as bystanders going up. -- standards are going up. | :40:14. | :40:27. | |
I welcome the commitment to ensure no school loses out on the funding | :40:28. | :40:34. | |
formula. It is nice to see one party takes its election commitments at | :40:35. | :40:40. | |
election time seriously. For clarity, can she confirm to the | :40:41. | :40:44. | |
parents and teachers concerned about some of the scare stories kicking | :40:45. | :40:48. | |
around around March this year that no school will lose out because of | :40:49. | :40:53. | |
the changes in the funding formula? I believe I can in this sense we are | :40:54. | :40:59. | |
going beyond saying those schools will lose out as a result of the | :41:00. | :41:03. | |
formula, to say every school will gain at least 0.5% additional as | :41:04. | :41:09. | |
part of the introduction of the formula. It is important to be clear | :41:10. | :41:13. | |
that the way we are introducing it is to work with local authorities | :41:14. | :41:18. | |
and they will put their own formula and final allocation to schools but | :41:19. | :41:22. | |
what we are giving them means no school need to lose out and in fact | :41:23. | :41:25. | |
further than that, every school should be able to gain. Warrington | :41:26. | :41:35. | |
is one of the most funded authorities in the country and yet | :41:36. | :41:39. | |
schools in my constituency were still losing out under the funding | :41:40. | :41:43. | |
formula she proposed and preparing to sack teachers and teaching | :41:44. | :41:48. | |
assistants. Can she confirmed that she still does not regard these as | :41:49. | :41:55. | |
being underfunded schools, and that's the 0.5% increase will not | :41:56. | :42:00. | |
meet the costs imposed on them by staff pay rises, the apprenticeship | :42:01. | :42:04. | |
levy and general inflation and pupils in those schools. These out? | :42:05. | :42:12. | |
I think I would say at this stage she may be better off lobbying her | :42:13. | :42:17. | |
own front bench. What I set out today means her school will get a | :42:18. | :42:23. | |
better settlement than had her own party disastrously in my opinion | :42:24. | :42:29. | |
with macro that election. Can I thank my right honourable friend for | :42:30. | :42:35. | |
listening to the consultation. Dorset has been underfunded for many | :42:36. | :42:39. | |
years and we are extremely grateful at the announcement today. Two | :42:40. | :42:46. | |
points. Can she guarantee special needs will be properly funded and I | :42:47. | :42:50. | |
do not agree with the apprenticeship levy, which you look at that again? | :42:51. | :42:58. | |
In relation to high need, I have set out the additional funding will | :42:59. | :43:03. | |
impart flow into high needs, which is important, and the apprenticeship | :43:04. | :43:08. | |
levy, we are working with schools on teaching and apprenticeship that | :43:09. | :43:13. | |
will not only mean we can have more opportunity but will also enable | :43:14. | :43:16. | |
those schools to use that investment wisely. Does the Secretary of State | :43:17. | :43:27. | |
think it is right schools in my constituency are already having to | :43:28. | :43:31. | |
rely on donations from parents for books, stationery and other basic | :43:32. | :43:36. | |
resources? This is not scaremongering, this is actually | :43:37. | :43:45. | |
happening. First we recognise the most important thing for parents 's | :43:46. | :43:50. | |
standards are going up and they are and we saw that in the recent key | :43:51. | :43:57. | |
stage two results last week. I hope she will recognise that if there | :43:58. | :44:01. | |
have been concerns on funding this statement is a step in the right | :44:02. | :44:06. | |
direction because we are going to fund more into front-line schools | :44:07. | :44:10. | |
and I'm saying we will find it more fairly, something long overdue. Can | :44:11. | :44:18. | |
I mark my right honourable friend's home work with a resounding tick, | :44:19. | :44:25. | |
VG. And can we right in the margin a notes to the effect that under her | :44:26. | :44:29. | |
stewardship this government is spending more on schools than the | :44:30. | :44:36. | |
party opposite ever did. Can I ask for her reassurance on a point I | :44:37. | :44:41. | |
have lobbied her on and ministers for some time and that is Devon has | :44:42. | :44:46. | |
been historically underfunded. Can she assure me this welcome package | :44:47. | :44:52. | |
means that historic underfunding, which has existed under governments | :44:53. | :44:55. | |
of all colours, will be corrected and if she can do that I will | :44:56. | :45:03. | |
upgrade her to a gold star. I think I might be getting upgraded because | :45:04. | :45:08. | |
I can tell him this will mean additional funding for schools in | :45:09. | :45:13. | |
Devon. I know the debate that has happened in that part and it is | :45:14. | :45:17. | |
vital, if we have a country that works for everyone that regions like | :45:18. | :45:22. | |
the south-west are able to develop their talent in the same way as any | :45:23. | :45:27. | |
other part of our country and Devon will benefit from my announcement | :45:28. | :45:34. | |
today. I remain concerned about the position of the 28 schools in | :45:35. | :45:40. | |
Liverpool Riverside who were due to lose funding under the government | :45:41. | :45:44. | |
formula. Can she assure me they will not lose any funding from any source | :45:45. | :45:50. | |
and would she agreed the ?200 million cut to central projects, | :45:51. | :45:54. | |
which she announced today, is really cutting by the back door? I do not | :45:55. | :46:01. | |
agree. I can confirm we will be making available additional funding, | :46:02. | :46:05. | |
including to schools in her community. If any of them get less | :46:06. | :46:10. | |
that is a decision by her local authority, which I'm sure she would | :46:11. | :46:14. | |
want to follow up. I think we have to recognise over time there are a | :46:15. | :46:22. | |
number of different pools of money that quite rightly are directed to | :46:23. | :46:26. | |
improve schools across our country. I want to see those working more | :46:27. | :46:30. | |
efficiently but we should recognise there are broader parts of the | :46:31. | :46:34. | |
Department for Education where we need to make sure that parts of my | :46:35. | :46:40. | |
Department are run efficiently. The prize for doing that better is to | :46:41. | :46:43. | |
have more money to channel to the front line of schools which I plan | :46:44. | :46:53. | |
to do. Under the outgoing system introduced under a previous Labour | :46:54. | :46:56. | |
administration, schools in West Sussex were some of the lowest | :46:57. | :47:00. | |
funded in the country and I botched welcome the new formula being | :47:01. | :47:07. | |
introduced, which will see a significant enhancement for schools | :47:08. | :47:12. | |
in Crawley. Can I seek assurances however that capital funding will | :47:13. | :47:17. | |
not be affected as part of this new revenue coming forward? For example, | :47:18. | :47:23. | |
necessary rebuilding works of holy Trinity School in my constituency. I | :47:24. | :47:28. | |
can assure him there is a substantial capital budget that will | :47:29. | :47:33. | |
be there to not only deliver additional school places but also to | :47:34. | :47:37. | |
invest in improving our school estate. I can assure him of that and | :47:38. | :47:43. | |
what I have set out is that some of the additional money we expected | :47:44. | :47:47. | |
from the sugar drinks industry levy can be converted into, we can retain | :47:48. | :47:53. | |
the money and converted into revenue to go to front lines of schools but | :47:54. | :47:59. | |
on capital we will continue to invest in school estate. Can I offer | :48:00. | :48:05. | |
to help our in finding efficiencies in the budget because no school on | :48:06. | :48:10. | |
their own can take on the other fair rising PFI costs, but the Department | :48:11. | :48:17. | |
could lead a challenge, and will she help schools in my constituency do | :48:18. | :48:22. | |
that? One thing we have had to deal as part of the draft formula | :48:23. | :48:27. | |
consultation was to accept there are schools that are saddled with PFI | :48:28. | :48:33. | |
commitments from the party opposite. Rather than penalise them, what we | :48:34. | :48:38. | |
proposed was we would honour those commitments. She raises a genuine | :48:39. | :48:43. | |
point, which is we need to work with schools that have got these | :48:44. | :48:46. | |
liabilities to understand how we can manage them effectively. We need to | :48:47. | :48:50. | |
learn from those mistakes so looking ahead we do not saddle schools with | :48:51. | :48:55. | |
the debts and commitments they cannot afford as part of Labour's | :48:56. | :49:01. | |
failed PFI schemes. Schools in Corby in East Northamptonshire have been | :49:02. | :49:09. | |
underfunded far too long and I am pleased she putting that right but | :49:10. | :49:12. | |
will she continued to keep at the forefront of her mind to the | :49:13. | :49:17. | |
challenges rural schools have and the big challenges housing growth | :49:18. | :49:23. | |
presents? He will know that the original consultation formula looked | :49:24. | :49:29. | |
at how schools is more sparsely populated areas could cope | :49:30. | :49:34. | |
effectively and that we could cope with housing growth. I said I would | :49:35. | :49:39. | |
respond more fully to the consultation in September, which | :49:40. | :49:43. | |
will cover that but he is right to put those issues on the table and | :49:44. | :49:52. | |
they once we will carefully about. In my constituency many of the | :49:53. | :49:56. | |
primary schools are having or planning to cut staff. Under the new | :49:57. | :49:59. | |
formula, all but one of the secondary schools will have big cuts | :50:00. | :50:04. | |
in their budget. If this is such a good formula and settlement, will it | :50:05. | :50:11. | |
not happen? The amount of money his local authority will get over that | :50:12. | :50:16. | |
in the coming two years will not see cuts. It will mean there is a 0.5% | :50:17. | :50:23. | |
increase per pupil allocated to that community. I reiterate it is a | :50:24. | :50:27. | |
better settlement for those schools than they would have had had his | :50:28. | :50:33. | |
party won the election. I accept over the years I have been a pain to | :50:34. | :50:38. | |
both parties and I remember saying to the Prime Minister Tony Blair | :50:39. | :50:43. | |
many years ago that the funding, postcode lottery if you like, | :50:44. | :50:47. | |
between counties is unfair and his agreeing, but doing nothing about it | :50:48. | :50:53. | |
and I was a pain to the schools minister, who I gave a hard time to | :50:54. | :50:58. | |
a couple of months ago. Can I say how much I welcome the announcement | :50:59. | :51:04. | |
today? May I ask this in particular, she will know how much the National | :51:05. | :51:11. | |
Union of Teachers website alarmed students and parents over the last | :51:12. | :51:16. | |
few months. Can I ask when our school funding formula is announced, | :51:17. | :51:21. | |
it to be transparent and available on a website school by school? | :51:22. | :51:29. | |
Indeed it will be. I hope that the unions will choose to update their | :51:30. | :51:37. | |
websites with accurate data. As the questions have demonstrated today, | :51:38. | :51:41. | |
it is not easy taking this step to introduce fairer funding. There are | :51:42. | :51:45. | |
millions of reasons why it isn't difficult step for any government, | :51:46. | :51:49. | |
but we have done it because I do not think we can expect social mobility | :51:50. | :51:54. | |
to happen nor strong education outcomes in every part of our | :51:55. | :51:59. | |
country, when our children are funded in such different ways, | :52:00. | :52:01. | |
dependent on where they are growing up. Nobody can accept that if we | :52:02. | :52:06. | |
want to tackle inequality of opportunity and that is why we are | :52:07. | :52:15. | |
making new steps. It is not easy, it is complex, but we are doing it | :52:16. | :52:17. | |
because it is the right thing. I welcome any additional funding. | :52:18. | :52:23. | |
There is concern about the safety of schools following the Grenfell Tower | :52:24. | :52:28. | |
disaster. Could she update me on how many schools in my constituency will | :52:29. | :52:34. | |
be inspected and how that work will be coordinated and how any remedial | :52:35. | :52:41. | |
action identified will be funding? I hope you will be reassured that we | :52:42. | :52:46. | |
have done a survey across all of our schools to identify any that have or | :52:47. | :52:51. | |
think they might have this sort of cladding. We had a good response | :52:52. | :52:56. | |
from schools and we have been in contact with the handful of members | :52:57. | :53:00. | |
of this House who have had a school that has had cladding that has been | :53:01. | :53:05. | |
for testing. I can be reassuring in saying we were clear with schools | :53:06. | :53:10. | |
that where there was any sign they might have cladding, that this fire | :53:11. | :53:14. | |
inspection should go ahead of any cladding being tested and we have | :53:15. | :53:18. | |
gone through that process and for the two schools where we have | :53:19. | :53:23. | |
positive tests, the fire inspection results had show the schools were | :53:24. | :53:29. | |
safe to operate. He's right to identify how important this is and I | :53:30. | :53:35. | |
can assure the house it has been uppermost in our minds in recent | :53:36. | :53:40. | |
weeks. I welcome the extra funding for schools in my constituency | :53:41. | :53:44. | |
especially extra investment into core schools budget and a higher | :53:45. | :53:49. | |
per-pupil funding. Can she confirmed the formula will address the | :53:50. | :53:53. | |
unfairness that has seen some schools across East Sussex | :53:54. | :53:58. | |
underfunded for many years? Yes, it will do. She has spoken up for her | :53:59. | :54:05. | |
local community in this regard and this announcement will mean more | :54:06. | :54:10. | |
money for her local communities. I have no doubt her local authority | :54:11. | :54:14. | |
will want to make sure they spread that money fairly and indeed will be | :54:15. | :54:18. | |
setting out the notional allocations for schools in the autumn. Could I | :54:19. | :54:29. | |
suggest that with the ?1 billion in March in the budget for capital | :54:30. | :54:34. | |
funding to extend the free schools programme, combined with the | :54:35. | :54:36. | |
millions her department has written off, because of the chaotic funding | :54:37. | :54:41. | |
formula for free schools, would it be better to scrap the free schools | :54:42. | :54:46. | |
policy and put money into schools like mine in a deprived area, that | :54:47. | :54:50. | |
are seeing cuts to teachers and services? We need to get a balance | :54:51. | :54:57. | |
between investing in the existing school estate as she set out but | :54:58. | :55:02. | |
also planning ahead to ensure we have school places and schools for | :55:03. | :55:07. | |
children coming into our system, particularly the secondary school | :55:08. | :55:11. | |
system. All we say in relation to free schools is the long-standing | :55:12. | :55:18. | |
monopoly councils hard on being the only organisations that could | :55:19. | :55:21. | |
introduce a new school should change and we changed it so that | :55:22. | :55:24. | |
communities could set up very in schools. That is what many have done | :55:25. | :55:29. | |
and why we have seen so many free schools established and we will | :55:30. | :55:33. | |
bring forward the pipeline so more can happen in the future. Like many | :55:34. | :55:41. | |
I welcome the commitment to the national funding formula and I am | :55:42. | :55:44. | |
confident the schools in Carlisle will welcome the increase in | :55:45. | :55:47. | |
spending. Could the Secretary of State confirm the successful pupil | :55:48. | :55:56. | |
funding will continue as is and there are no plans for it to form | :55:57. | :56:00. | |
part of the national funding formula? I can confirm the premium | :56:01. | :56:05. | |
will be maintained. It is important and has been a significant driver of | :56:06. | :56:10. | |
how we have managed to steadily begin to reduce the attainment gap | :56:11. | :56:12. | |
between children in our country. In the previous Secretary of State | :56:13. | :56:24. | |
with only commit to two years of the funding formula and would give no | :56:25. | :56:28. | |
commitment posts 2020. In a statement today, we get reference to | :56:29. | :56:34. | |
a longer transition period. Can the Secretary of State now confirm how | :56:35. | :56:37. | |
long it is going to take to implement the full formula changes? | :56:38. | :56:43. | |
I will set out more fully our response to the consultation in the | :56:44. | :56:47. | |
art and I appreciate as she sets out that there are more details that we | :56:48. | :56:52. | |
need to come forward with. What I am doing today is being clear about the | :56:53. | :56:58. | |
overall funding whilst also giving colleagues some assurance of | :56:59. | :57:03. | |
specific elements before we set out the full plans in September. | :57:04. | :57:12. | |
Can I welcome the Secretary of State's statement. One teacher has | :57:13. | :57:15. | |
already e-mailed me saying it could be worth around ?300 per pupil. | :57:16. | :57:20. | |
Torpey has been underfunded due to the inequities in the funding | :57:21. | :57:23. | |
formula. Can she confirmed that those funding amounts will be | :57:24. | :57:26. | |
quickly available so they would have to rely on any dodgy websites? | :57:27. | :57:31. | |
Once we have done our analysis over the summer we will make those | :57:32. | :57:36. | |
schools spreadsheet available and I very much hope they will be the ones | :57:37. | :57:40. | |
that people look at because they will contain the actual reality of | :57:41. | :57:44. | |
what we are funding of schools rather than some of the falsehoods | :57:45. | :57:51. | |
that have been peddled. Does the Minster accept that with | :57:52. | :57:57. | |
schools having to pay ?525 million in contributions to teachers pension | :57:58. | :58:04. | |
scheme and ?625 million national insurance contributions and with | :58:05. | :58:09. | |
inflation at 2.9%, that the 1.3 billion announced will barely cover | :58:10. | :58:13. | |
these costs? I don't agree with that actually. | :58:14. | :58:18. | |
What is important is that we are able to maintain the rates of | :58:19. | :58:22. | |
per-pupil funding in our schools. That is what I set out today and we | :58:23. | :58:26. | |
can only do that because we have a strong economy that is creating jobs | :58:27. | :58:32. | |
and economy and taxes that fund are vital public services. What we can | :58:33. | :58:36. | |
do is fall into the trap of thinking that every time we want to increase | :58:37. | :58:40. | |
public spending that we have to reach in -- reach into the public's | :58:41. | :58:47. | |
pockets via taxes. It is not sustainable, nor is it sustainable | :58:48. | :58:53. | |
to increase debt when our debt interest is still bigger than the | :58:54. | :58:56. | |
amounts that we're talking about investing every year in our schools. | :58:57. | :59:03. | |
It is vital that we have a long-term strategy to deal with that debt and | :59:04. | :59:06. | |
what I'm setting out today is that I do believe that we can make our | :59:07. | :59:10. | |
department and budget work more effectively and in doing so get more | :59:11. | :59:14. | |
money the front line of schools. That has got to be the first port of | :59:15. | :59:19. | |
call rather than resorting to higher taxes or more debt. | :59:20. | :59:29. | |
As a parent and member of the rural constituency, I welcome the | :59:30. | :59:32. | |
statement this afternoon. On the point of plurality, as the finessing | :59:33. | :59:42. | |
of formula moves on, can you keep in mind the high cost of delivering | :59:43. | :59:48. | |
staffing and the running of a school in a rural area against an urban | :59:49. | :59:53. | |
setting. I would hope that was taken into account. | :59:54. | :59:59. | |
He has quite rightly set out his concerns for his area. This was part | :00:00. | :00:02. | |
of the consultation that we launched earlier in the year. We now have | :00:03. | :00:11. | |
25,000 responses back to it which we have just about gone through. We | :00:12. | :00:16. | |
will set out our full response in September but suffice to say I do | :00:17. | :00:19. | |
recognise these issues and they are precisely the issues that I am | :00:20. | :00:25. | |
trying to get right. I appreciate you don't yet have the | :00:26. | :00:32. | |
details of what you're proposing. Parents and headteachers from my | :00:33. | :00:35. | |
constituency will be listening and wondering, as I am, what this means | :00:36. | :00:41. | |
for our schools. We were expecting to have cuts of up to ?700 per | :00:42. | :00:46. | |
pupil. It is one of the most deprived schools in our constituency | :00:47. | :00:52. | |
under fair funding proposals. Can I know go back and assure them that | :00:53. | :01:01. | |
those cuts will not know go ahead. I think she will welcome the | :01:02. | :01:05. | |
statement may today that means higher funding for every school in | :01:06. | :01:10. | |
her constituency and every local area. I hope she passes on -- the | :01:11. | :01:17. | |
local authority passes on those gains. | :01:18. | :01:23. | |
Can I welcome the statement on the fair funding formula? I am a proud | :01:24. | :01:27. | |
father of three children who will benefit as result of these | :01:28. | :01:32. | |
announcements. Can she confirm that every parent with children at | :01:33. | :01:39. | |
schools will benefit and no constituency will lose out as result | :01:40. | :01:48. | |
Western Mark I can confirm that what he has said is indeed the case. | :01:49. | :01:55. | |
That is why this is important. We need to have more investment in our | :01:56. | :01:59. | |
school system and that is precisely what we're doing but also make sure | :02:00. | :02:05. | |
that it is fairly funded. Know he represents a community that will | :02:06. | :02:08. | |
benefit from the fair funding system. | :02:09. | :02:20. | |
I welcome any attempts at a fair funding formula but I'm concerned | :02:21. | :02:26. | |
that funding doesn't reach schools with high proportions of high needs | :02:27. | :02:32. | |
students. Can the Secretary of State reassure me that in developing this | :02:33. | :02:37. | |
funding formula the exceptional needs of those Heiney children will | :02:38. | :02:44. | |
always be protected and not at the expense of try to even things up? | :02:45. | :02:49. | |
This statement will mean more money going into the high needs budget | :02:50. | :02:53. | |
which I'm sure she will welcome. It is also worth reflecting on the fact | :02:54. | :03:00. | |
more generally that there has been money made available to children | :03:01. | :03:03. | |
going into primary and secondary already behind to help them catch | :03:04. | :03:10. | |
up. We've looked at this a number of different ways to make sure that no | :03:11. | :03:14. | |
child was in getting the appropriate amount of investment. I concern in | :03:15. | :03:22. | |
doing all of this was the fact that a child growing up in her community | :03:23. | :03:24. | |
would get a very different amount invested in them than it had grown | :03:25. | :03:27. | |
up different part of the country and that is iniquitous and something we | :03:28. | :03:30. | |
need change and I'm delighted to be able to say we are introducing fair | :03:31. | :03:36. | |
funding so we will change that that for the better. | :03:37. | :03:40. | |
Can I congratulate her on the statement? Schools in my | :03:41. | :03:44. | |
constituency will be delighted that the per-pupil funding is being | :03:45. | :03:50. | |
protected. Taxpayers will be delighted to hear that it is being | :03:51. | :03:54. | |
done from departmental efficiencies. Which agree that doing it this way | :03:55. | :04:01. | |
rather than putting the cost on to future generations is correct? | :04:02. | :04:07. | |
I totally agree. None of these steps are easy. Easy thing is to put up | :04:08. | :04:13. | |
tax which is what the party opposite wants to do. I don't think that is | :04:14. | :04:17. | |
the right thing to do and never more so than with some of the challenges | :04:18. | :04:22. | |
our country faces. We need to make sure that the money we are already | :04:23. | :04:29. | |
getting is used efficiently. That means we can put more money to the | :04:30. | :04:35. | |
front line of schools. When the schools minister Heather to | :04:36. | :04:45. | |
left a cross-party delegation of Cumbria MPs in March, he was clear | :04:46. | :04:50. | |
that it was necessary and fear for the schools budget, after having | :04:51. | :05:00. | |
been protected to know players part in the government strategy of | :05:01. | :05:03. | |
deficit reduction. Was he right or wrong? | :05:04. | :05:09. | |
I think he has tried to get politics out of what is a sensible | :05:10. | :05:14. | |
announcement that I have made about more funding for schools. I'm | :05:15. | :05:18. | |
interested in what we're doing to practically improve education rather | :05:19. | :05:23. | |
than the politics around it. Can I thank her and her ministers | :05:24. | :05:28. | |
for taking time to listen to my concerns about Cheltenham schools | :05:29. | :05:33. | |
and schools up and down the country affected by historic unfairness? | :05:34. | :05:38. | |
This is a huge step forward. Can she confirm that every secondary school | :05:39. | :05:43. | |
in Cheltenham will receive at least ?4000 per-pupil regardless of which | :05:44. | :05:48. | |
pupils might be eligible? I set out today that we will indeed | :05:49. | :05:55. | |
be putting forward ?4800 amount. I should put on record my tribute to | :05:56. | :06:03. | |
him on the campaign setting it has local community's concerns in | :06:04. | :06:07. | |
Cheltenham. He has done a good job of being clear about what local | :06:08. | :06:12. | |
needs were and it has been helpful for the statement today. | :06:13. | :06:17. | |
Many young people in Bristol choose to go to college rather than stay in | :06:18. | :06:27. | |
their own school for sixth form. We'll be also benefit from fairer | :06:28. | :06:31. | |
funding because the choices at the moment are being restricted due to | :06:32. | :06:38. | |
cuts to sixth form colleges. The statement today is in relation | :06:39. | :06:44. | |
to the core schools budget and there will be higher funding in respect of | :06:45. | :06:48. | |
every school and local area. This will enable schools to do a better | :06:49. | :06:56. | |
job of the provision that they have. She sets out the broader challenges | :06:57. | :07:01. | |
about sex for funding but I want to reassure her and a house that we are | :07:02. | :07:04. | |
committed to making sure the children stay in a school system | :07:05. | :07:09. | |
that is well funded. I know that in Bristol it is one of those regions | :07:10. | :07:14. | |
that has focused on education in recent years with success and I | :07:15. | :07:18. | |
think it is important that we work together to see that success | :07:19. | :07:21. | |
continue. This statement will be welcomed by | :07:22. | :07:26. | |
parents across Nottingham and I and sure that people will be helping to | :07:27. | :07:34. | |
disseminate the good news. Can I press on the issue of free schools? | :07:35. | :07:39. | |
I'm glad she is still committed to them. We have seen the good effects | :07:40. | :07:47. | |
that free schools can have on communities. While she confirm that | :07:48. | :07:52. | |
all free schools due to open either this September or next September | :07:53. | :07:57. | |
will still open? Absolutely. There is a strong | :07:58. | :08:02. | |
pipeline of preschools. That is what we're getting on with. More than | :08:03. | :08:07. | |
that is that we are underwriting the next hundred and 14 beyond that. I | :08:08. | :08:12. | |
think we can deliver it more cost effectively and their award means | :08:13. | :08:16. | |
additional funding to the front line of schools and communities like his | :08:17. | :08:21. | |
own. I welcome the additional investment | :08:22. | :08:25. | |
announced today but the Secretary of State will know that previous | :08:26. | :08:28. | |
statements made in the last parliament by ministers in relation | :08:29. | :08:31. | |
to core funding and the National School funding formula will have | :08:32. | :08:36. | |
already been factored into schools' business plans. As a result, they | :08:37. | :08:40. | |
will have already started restructuring and laying off | :08:41. | :08:44. | |
teachers and support staff. Can she confirm there is nothing in the | :08:45. | :08:48. | |
statement today that hit will undo the damage already done by the | :08:49. | :08:52. | |
government? The direction of travel including in | :08:53. | :09:00. | |
schools in London has been positive and that direction of travel is the | :09:01. | :09:06. | |
real challenge to improve school standards across the country. I hope | :09:07. | :09:10. | |
that direction of travel will continue and having been a governor | :09:11. | :09:15. | |
myself I'm sure that the funding that I'm setting out today will be | :09:16. | :09:19. | |
spent by schools as and when they receive it. | :09:20. | :09:27. | |
Can I push the Secretary of State is to give a little bit more guidance | :09:28. | :09:31. | |
with respect to how the money will be allocated by local authorities? | :09:32. | :09:36. | |
In particular, will she allow honourable members who have got more | :09:37. | :09:41. | |
involved in schools spreadsheets than they would care to identify the | :09:42. | :09:52. | |
process where some schools are treated unfairly? | :09:53. | :09:59. | |
Local authorities will consult only formula over the money they will get | :10:00. | :10:02. | |
and then spread around the school system. What we've done is make sure | :10:03. | :10:09. | |
for the first time as of 2018/19, that amount will be fair I like how | :10:10. | :10:18. | |
we have seen in the past. I want them to be involved in the | :10:19. | :10:21. | |
consultation process to make sure the money is well spread that I will | :10:22. | :10:27. | |
make sure that it is available to every single school from 2018/ 19. | :10:28. | :10:33. | |
Schools who do not want to process that amount will be asked why they | :10:34. | :10:35. | |
are not doing so? . On Friday, my constituency said that | :10:36. | :10:49. | |
high needs was an issue raised to me so can I thank her for this | :10:50. | :10:54. | |
statement, in particular the focus in that area? As she has been so | :10:55. | :10:59. | |
bold, may I ask are also to look at nursery funding and also post 16? | :11:00. | :11:11. | |
Where standards can really make a difference to our children. | :11:12. | :11:16. | |
I can reassure her that we have and indeed she knows that there has | :11:17. | :11:19. | |
never been more investment going into early years and under this | :11:20. | :11:22. | |
government. The good news is that the quality of early years probation | :11:23. | :11:26. | |
is getting better and that is something that is really to be | :11:27. | :11:31. | |
welcomed. Over time, I think it can significantly shift the dial on | :11:32. | :11:32. | |
social mobility. We will come to the honourable lady | :11:33. | :11:47. | |
in a moment. We are saving her up. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Could I | :11:48. | :11:53. | |
warmly welcome the statement for the Secretary of State that will benefit | :11:54. | :11:58. | |
all the schools in my constituency, can I also welcome that it is from | :11:59. | :12:02. | |
efficiencies within the Department rather than borrowing, but can I | :12:03. | :12:07. | |
have the Secretary of State to concern that this measure is not | :12:08. | :12:12. | |
being funded on the excellent announcement of the extra half | :12:13. | :12:16. | |
billion she is investing in technical education, because that is | :12:17. | :12:18. | |
an important reform that she's making. | :12:19. | :12:25. | |
If I can take this opportunity to welcome him to the House and I would | :12:26. | :12:31. | |
say we are committed to pushing on with that budget announcement, I am | :12:32. | :12:35. | |
determined to make sure that this really will be the breakthrough | :12:36. | :12:38. | |
budget for skills, that the CBI described it as, and we have had | :12:39. | :12:44. | |
excellent engagement with envoy is on technical education since we set | :12:45. | :12:48. | |
out our strategy, the assessment will be coming in. | :12:49. | :13:03. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also join greet this announcement, and I have | :13:04. | :13:09. | |
just been hosting in Parliament will welcome it, but can she confirmed in | :13:10. | :13:13. | |
my constituency that we have a three tier education system, can she | :13:14. | :13:17. | |
confirm that the three tier system will also benefit from this | :13:18. | :13:22. | |
announcement but she has made as the two tier will as well. | :13:23. | :13:29. | |
I can confirm that it will mean higher per-pupil funding in respect | :13:30. | :13:32. | |
of every school in her local community, I think that is good news | :13:33. | :13:36. | |
for Redditch and I think it will see continued improvements and | :13:37. | :13:40. | |
standards. Thank you, Secretary of State. | :13:41. | :13:47. | |
Order. Point of order. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I seek your guidance. On | :13:48. | :13:54. | |
Friday I was meant to meet with the tribunal staff at Bennett house in | :13:55. | :13:57. | |
my constituency. Bennett houses a Ministry of Justice building | :13:58. | :14:01. | |
scheduled for closure and I was meeting stuff with concerns about | :14:02. | :14:06. | |
this plan in my capacity as a member of Parliament. The meeting had been | :14:07. | :14:09. | |
moved as officials informed stuff that I would be allowed on site and | :14:10. | :14:15. | |
should I try to get on side I would be prevented from doing so. I seek | :14:16. | :14:19. | |
your guidance on how best I could raise this matter with the Ministry | :14:20. | :14:22. | |
of Justice and seek from you to ensure that other members of | :14:23. | :14:27. | |
Parliament and scratch my art when inhibited and go along their duties. | :14:28. | :14:33. | |
What I would say to the honourable gentleman, if the honourable | :14:34. | :14:39. | |
gentleman, who is a new member of the house, or rather new, is | :14:40. | :14:48. | |
alleging that there is a breach of privilege, that is something that is | :14:49. | :14:55. | |
properly raised in writing with me. I would then address the matter in | :14:56. | :15:01. | |
turn in writing. However, as the honourable gentleman has not | :15:02. | :15:08. | |
specifically used that term or made that allegation, but complained of | :15:09. | :15:13. | |
what might be called, in his mind, certainly, and unreasonable | :15:14. | :15:20. | |
prevention or some sort of let or hindrance, what I would say to him | :15:21. | :15:26. | |
is as follows, it is not a point of order as mere chair of the house, | :15:27. | :15:33. | |
but said, I must say I am concerned to hear that a Government department | :15:34. | :15:37. | |
has prevented his access to a Government building in his own | :15:38. | :15:43. | |
constituency. This is ultimately a matter for ministers to determine, | :15:44. | :15:51. | |
but let me say that without fear of contradiction and very explicitly | :15:52. | :15:56. | |
that it strikes me as an unhelpful attitude. The honourable gentleman | :15:57. | :16:01. | |
has made his concern clear and it is on the record, but it does seem to | :16:02. | :16:04. | |
me that it is pretty obviously and on track unhelpful attitude on the | :16:05. | :16:11. | |
part of the Department and I would hope that a minister would direct | :16:12. | :16:19. | |
the Department not to obstruct member going about business in that | :16:20. | :16:26. | |
way. We will leave it there. Presentation of build, Chris | :16:27. | :16:32. | |
Grayling. Second reading, what day? | :16:33. | :16:40. | |
Tomorrow. Thank you. We now come to the emergency debate on scheduling | :16:41. | :16:46. | |
of Parliamentary business by the leader of the House. To move the | :16:47. | :16:49. | |
motion, I called the shadow leader of the House. | :16:50. | :16:56. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I beg to move the motion standing in that this | :16:57. | :17:02. | |
House has considered the shed relation of Parliamentary business | :17:03. | :17:06. | |
and the obligations of the two years engine for standing order | :17:07. | :17:09. | |
requirements. I want to thank you for agreeing that this debate should | :17:10. | :17:14. | |
take place. This is not a debate about a debate, but it is about an | :17:15. | :17:22. | |
important point of principle, our Parliamentary democracy and the role | :17:23. | :17:27. | |
of this House. It is about the opposition and other members holding | :17:28. | :17:31. | |
the Government to account, it is about the sovereignty of Parliament. | :17:32. | :17:38. | |
This house is not super iron, our constituents, the electorate expect | :17:39. | :17:41. | |
us to be here, they voted for us, in the official case, to setup the | :17:42. | :17:47. | |
programme for change, because Mr Speaker, this minority Government is | :17:48. | :17:53. | |
not working. Can I start by turning to standing order, these are set out | :17:54. | :17:57. | |
in the blue book, rules and procedures have to be certain and | :17:58. | :18:00. | |
clear, and what is it say about opposition days? Standing order 14, | :18:01. | :18:06. | |
20 days she'll be allotted in each session in proceedings on opposition | :18:07. | :18:10. | |
business. 17 for Leader of the Opposition, and three at the | :18:11. | :18:14. | |
disposal of the leader of the second largest opposition party. If you | :18:15. | :18:18. | |
hang on a second, giving the announcement by the Government of a | :18:19. | :18:22. | |
two-year session, references to session in standing orders should be | :18:23. | :18:25. | |
interpreted as per year, therefore with the dates allocated pro rata. | :18:26. | :18:33. | |
And so the Government announced by press release read to you | :18:34. | :18:39. | |
Parliamentary session, double the length of a normal Parliamentary | :18:40. | :18:48. | |
session. Therefore, using the plain words, the implication, the days | :18:49. | :18:53. | |
would be doubled. I give way. She does not realise how lucky she | :18:54. | :18:56. | |
is. When we were in opposition, we did not have the benefit of the | :18:57. | :19:03. | |
Speaker in the chair to call urgent questions with the frequency that he | :19:04. | :19:06. | |
does now to the huge advantage of the house. We have traded any | :19:07. | :19:13. | |
composition days for the wisdom of the current Speaker, and long may he | :19:14. | :19:21. | |
remain in the chair, because with an opposition Day debate, by the time | :19:22. | :19:26. | |
you actually get to the debate, the gallery is empty and the generalists | :19:27. | :19:29. | |
have all pushed off having written their copy. | :19:30. | :19:34. | |
I'm going to get very emotional in a moment! | :19:35. | :19:41. | |
I think that is not deserve any response whatsoever. Wait for this, | :19:42. | :19:48. | |
in need 2012 session, extra days where provided for business, won the | :19:49. | :19:55. | |
20 opposition days where provided for allocated, a further 14 on | :19:56. | :19:57. | |
allotted days provided. Mr Speaker, we need certainty, the Government is | :19:58. | :20:03. | |
not provided for in opposition day before the summer recess, making the | :20:04. | :20:08. | |
earliest opposition day in September 20 17. This means a staggering eight | :20:09. | :20:12. | |
months, nearly as long as the time it takes to have a baby, with every | :20:13. | :20:15. | |
single opposition day providing vital scrutiny. The last day was on | :20:16. | :20:23. | |
the 20th of January. At the same point in the Parliamentary session | :20:24. | :20:28. | |
in 2010-12, the opposition was granted three opposition days and | :20:29. | :20:33. | |
five any 2015 session. We need to be clear at business questions last | :20:34. | :20:36. | |
week, the Leader of the House that in response to a business question, | :20:37. | :20:41. | |
not to me, though I did ask, that a date was offered in September. Can I | :20:42. | :20:45. | |
say that I was not aware of this opposition day, whether it is to the | :20:46. | :20:49. | |
usual channels or suspects, so we do need to clarify what a session is. | :20:50. | :20:55. | |
It is now two years, but we would not expect one year's worth to be | :20:56. | :21:04. | |
allocated over those two years. Why is this important? Today is the 18th | :21:05. | :21:07. | |
day the new parliament has been setting, so far legislation has only | :21:08. | :21:13. | |
been discussed on foreign those days and foreign total of just 13 hours. | :21:14. | :21:19. | |
Decisions have to be made on important matters that affect our | :21:20. | :21:24. | |
country. I will give way. She says is sessions such last one | :21:25. | :21:30. | |
year. Why then in 1997 and 98 when it with 18 months whether only 20 | :21:31. | :21:37. | |
days? 2001, only 20 days. 2005, 18 months, where there are only 20 | :21:38. | :21:41. | |
days? Clearly the honourable member was | :21:42. | :21:44. | |
not listening, because it was not standing orders, and the comment has | :21:45. | :21:50. | |
extended it. Why is this important? Decisions have to be made on | :21:51. | :21:53. | |
important matters that affect our country. So far the Government has | :21:54. | :21:57. | |
been pushed to give us an answer. I will give an example who had to have | :21:58. | :22:04. | |
an amendment to the Queen's speech. It had to be secured an emergency | :22:05. | :22:08. | |
debate on contaminated blood to set up an enquiry that the Government | :22:09. | :22:13. | |
only conceded to just before the start of the debate. I have asked | :22:14. | :22:17. | |
the Leader of the House several times for a debate on the statutory | :22:18. | :22:20. | |
instrument which had been prayed against, Social Security personal | :22:21. | :22:26. | |
independence regulations and the higher education regulations, number | :22:27. | :22:32. | |
1025 and 1026. Time is given on the 19th of April, given the | :22:33. | :22:37. | |
interruption, no time has been given for the debate. Those continuing | :22:38. | :22:43. | |
best it is in the next academic year, the failure of this Government | :22:44. | :22:47. | |
to allow a debate and a vote on the regulations has created bring | :22:48. | :22:52. | |
uncertainty, so can be Leader of the House confirm that the regulations | :22:53. | :23:00. | |
have not been enacted and there will be no increase for students in | :23:01. | :23:04. | |
September, because in part five schedule two of the higher education | :23:05. | :23:08. | |
and research act, it states that for any increases in the high amount of | :23:09. | :23:12. | |
tuition fees, it would be necessary that each house of Parliament has | :23:13. | :23:15. | |
passed a resolution. That has not been enacted yet, so has the | :23:16. | :23:20. | |
Government sneaked this in under another act and betrayed our young | :23:21. | :23:25. | |
people? This Government is just not working, there has been no justice | :23:26. | :23:37. | |
for the 1950s women raised by those, many of MPs have raised this issue | :23:38. | :23:40. | |
and many on the other side because we need a debate and a vote about | :23:41. | :23:48. | |
motion on the health service, 22% fall in messing applications, where | :23:49. | :23:52. | |
is the third tree of health said today, with 12,000 surgical | :23:53. | :23:55. | |
procedures on children and young people have been cancelled last | :23:56. | :24:01. | |
year, an increase of 35%. And now GPs are charging for visits. That is | :24:02. | :24:07. | |
busily an end to the NHS as we know it. Mr Speaker, a decision has to be | :24:08. | :24:17. | |
made on the Swansea tidal lagoon before the end of July. I have a | :24:18. | :24:21. | |
letter that has been signed by 107 members on all sides asking backed | :24:22. | :24:27. | |
the Henry review should be put into effect. I did raise it at business | :24:28. | :24:33. | |
questions as well. Now that the EU bill has been published, a number of | :24:34. | :24:36. | |
statutory instruments will flow from that Bill. Section seven, eight and | :24:37. | :24:43. | |
nine all say that a minister of the Crown made by regulations make such | :24:44. | :24:48. | |
provision as the Minister considers appropriate. Ministers having the | :24:49. | :24:56. | |
power to do what they want. The Secretary of State for Exiting the | :24:57. | :24:58. | |
European Union deflects base. He said if it statutory instrument is | :24:59. | :25:00. | |
before the house, the House of Commons decides whether it is | :25:01. | :25:04. | |
debated and that smack he said it is a quality House of Commons will stop | :25:05. | :25:08. | |
patronisingly, he called it a statutory instrument which can be | :25:09. | :25:14. | |
debated and voted on. The Secretary of State thinks we should be | :25:15. | :25:18. | |
debating. When was the last time the Leader of the House spoke to the | :25:19. | :25:21. | |
user to staple leaving beat you. This is not working. You're going to | :25:22. | :25:28. | |
get the same answer, that the Speaker is going to get you that it | :25:29. | :25:32. | |
is up to me whether I give way or not. And I want to proceed. The | :25:33. | :25:36. | |
questions of days allocated for private members bills, 13 have been | :25:37. | :25:42. | |
allocated for one year up until November 20 18. That is over 18 | :25:43. | :25:49. | |
months. Even through the current session lasts for two years. Why | :25:50. | :25:54. | |
have they not been allocated? Unless the parliament is scared of the | :25:55. | :26:04. | |
opposition, baggage debates... Mr Speaker, I repeat the Prime Minister | :26:05. | :26:08. | |
's words through debate and discussion, these are the hallmarks | :26:09. | :26:13. | |
for democracy, but it seems the Cabinet are too busy trying to push | :26:14. | :26:18. | |
out. The Government needs to know that for a democracy to thrive, | :26:19. | :26:22. | |
citizens of this country needs to have faith in their MPs to represent | :26:23. | :26:28. | |
their views and not to be disenfranchised. It is vital for | :26:29. | :26:32. | |
democracy to have debates when required by convention and for the | :26:33. | :26:35. | |
opposition to set out what the opposition stands for. | :26:36. | :26:40. | |
The electrode leads to see us at work, see the rhetoric turned into | :26:41. | :26:47. | |
action. I'm going to proceed. If the government truly believe in the rule | :26:48. | :26:52. | |
of law, where the parliament, the executive and the judiciary all play | :26:53. | :26:56. | |
their part in upholding democracy, then the Leader of the House has to | :26:57. | :27:01. | |
honour the interpretation of standing orders, clarify them, grant | :27:02. | :27:04. | |
debates, uphold conventions in this session. Mr Speaker, the key | :27:05. | :27:11. | |
question, is this in the public interest? And the answer is a | :27:12. | :27:18. | |
resounding yes. The question is as on the order | :27:19. | :27:23. | |
paper. But the Leader of the House speak? | :27:24. | :27:28. | |
Thank you. I'm really pleased to have the opportunity to speak in | :27:29. | :27:31. | |
this debate and I know you have granted it with your usual focus on | :27:32. | :27:36. | |
ensuring that backbench voices can always be heard. And also in | :27:37. | :27:40. | |
handling the creative tension between backbenchers and the | :27:41. | :27:45. | |
government's right to schedule its own business and I'm sure the | :27:46. | :27:49. | |
temptation to be a bit teary after the example of Centre Court | :27:50. | :27:53. | |
yesterday will never overtake you. But we are all grateful to you for | :27:54. | :27:58. | |
granting this debate which really gives me the chance to see that the | :27:59. | :28:03. | |
business bought for word to this house since the general election is | :28:04. | :28:10. | |
quite simply business as usual. I will expand on that, as you would | :28:11. | :28:16. | |
expect. As always happens after a general election, the house is | :28:17. | :28:19. | |
getting itself in order so that business can run smoothly. Many | :28:20. | :28:24. | |
important debates have already taken place. Last week we had a vital | :28:25. | :28:28. | |
debate on the Grenfell Tower inquiry. Any powerful points from | :28:29. | :28:38. | |
eight -- many powerful points were made from members on all sides. This | :28:39. | :28:47. | |
week we have been debating about eradicating the evil of drug abuse. | :28:48. | :28:52. | |
And we are scheduled to have a debate on the intimidation of | :28:53. | :28:57. | |
candidates in the general election, abuse that attacks the democratic | :28:58. | :29:05. | |
process. These seem to me to be examples of the Parliamentary | :29:06. | :29:08. | |
process working well with lots of opportunities for debate. The | :29:09. | :29:12. | |
opposition would do well to explain to the house which of these debates | :29:13. | :29:16. | |
they consider to be unimportant to the millions in the country who are | :29:17. | :29:19. | |
relying on us to improve their lives. And delighted to. | :29:20. | :29:37. | |
Grateful. When I raise the issue that I did, the response at business | :29:38. | :29:50. | |
questions was we have to be innovative. If we have no backbench | :29:51. | :29:56. | |
time or opposition days. If there is a refusal to have a vote on a | :29:57. | :30:02. | |
motion, how can this important issue of concern not just to me and | :30:03. | :30:06. | |
honourable members on this site and that side, how on earth can we are | :30:07. | :30:15. | |
this issue and seek to have a result? | :30:16. | :30:18. | |
I'm delighted that they have already had five debates on this important | :30:19. | :30:24. | |
issue. During the Queen's Speech, there were six days of debate when | :30:25. | :30:27. | |
the opposition chose the subjects they to debate. They have been | :30:28. | :30:34. | |
plenty of opportunities to debate whatever the opposition wanted. In | :30:35. | :30:38. | |
addition, urging government legislation has been introduced, | :30:39. | :30:46. | |
including the atoll bill. There are further Queen's Speech debates to be | :30:47. | :30:52. | |
brought forward. The bottom line is that the | :30:53. | :30:56. | |
government has essentially half the number of days that the opposition | :30:57. | :31:01. | |
can choose Soho is that good for democracy? | :31:02. | :31:05. | |
That is simply not true and I will come onto that if he will just give | :31:06. | :31:11. | |
me the chance. Will she take no lectures from the | :31:12. | :31:16. | |
party opposite, the party that when in government reduced prime | :31:17. | :31:23. | |
ministers Question Time for twice a week and introduced the regular | :31:24. | :31:27. | |
guillotining of bills, thereby reducing debating time. | :31:28. | :31:34. | |
He is exactly right to raise these points. I want to be positive and | :31:35. | :31:39. | |
talk about what we are doing. We have been mindful of backbenchers | :31:40. | :31:45. | |
and as requested by the chair that the Backbench Business Committee we | :31:46. | :31:47. | |
have rescheduled some of the debates that were agreed before dissolution. | :31:48. | :31:52. | |
I'm pleased that we have already found the time for those debates, | :31:53. | :31:58. | |
some of them, including an Israel Palestine debate. | :31:59. | :32:08. | |
With regard to his intervention, isn't it the case that when Prime | :32:09. | :32:14. | |
Minister's Questions was changed, there was no change in time because | :32:15. | :32:20. | |
the 215 minute sessions were consolidated into 130 minute session | :32:21. | :32:24. | |
which no regularly lasts 45 minutes, so there is more time than ever. | :32:25. | :32:33. | |
I would agree that Prime Minister's Questions has become a lengthy | :32:34. | :32:36. | |
experience which is all the better for. Collections of the committees | :32:37. | :32:42. | |
themselves will take place as soon as possible. The house will also | :32:43. | :32:45. | |
know that setting phrases have been announced. Mr Speaker, given the | :32:46. | :32:52. | |
outbreak affected by the opposition, you'd be forgiven for thinking that | :32:53. | :32:57. | |
the Red Hat -- there had been no opportunities at all for them to | :32:58. | :33:02. | |
have their voices heard. In addition to the 60s given to the Queen's | :33:03. | :33:09. | |
Speech out of the 18 days in this term, so 40%, we're topics were of | :33:10. | :33:15. | |
course chosen by the opposition, there have been to debates | :33:16. | :33:19. | |
understanding order 24, six urging questions, 14 adjournment debates in | :33:20. | :33:25. | |
this chamber, 15 departmental oral question times, 16 oral statements, | :33:26. | :33:31. | |
dreadful debates in Westminster Hall and of course I'm sure the shadow | :33:32. | :33:37. | |
leader would not want to forget the feisty business session questions we | :33:38. | :33:42. | |
have had in this chamber. So it is certainly not the government's fault | :33:43. | :33:45. | |
of the opposition has failed to make good use of these many | :33:46. | :33:49. | |
opportunities. They will already be aware that an opposition Day debate | :33:50. | :33:54. | |
has been offered by the usual channels for after the summer recess | :33:55. | :33:57. | |
in September. I'm grateful for her giving way. She | :33:58. | :34:03. | |
says that the committees will be elected in due course. The main | :34:04. | :34:12. | |
opposition party have carried out their duties today, home of ten -- | :34:13. | :34:19. | |
housing can we expect the government to do so? | :34:20. | :34:24. | |
As soon as is a land within the normal time frame. Making comparison | :34:25. | :34:31. | |
with 20 and 15 -- 2015 general election, similar amount of | :34:32. | :34:43. | |
opposition days have been held. But the general election in 2015 was in | :34:44. | :34:48. | |
May, not in June. Between the Queen's Speech on the 8th of June | :34:49. | :34:52. | |
this year and the summer recess, there will only have been 18 sitting | :34:53. | :35:00. | |
days -- 18 sitting days. Let's look at our record versus when they were | :35:01. | :35:05. | |
in government. Let's use their assumptions that each session should | :35:06. | :35:09. | |
be one year and each year there should be 20 opposition days. On the | :35:10. | :35:15. | |
reckoning, opposition parties between 1987 and 2010, when Labour | :35:16. | :35:21. | |
were in office, where short by 45 opposition days. By the same | :35:22. | :35:26. | |
calculation using their assessment, between 2010 and today, the | :35:27. | :35:29. | |
opposition had one more day than their allocation. | :35:30. | :35:36. | |
It is a bit rich of the Leader of the House to see, to give us the | :35:37. | :35:42. | |
number of days between the Queen's Speech and the recess since they | :35:43. | :35:49. | |
give us the date of the recess and a delayed the Queen's Speech. In 2015, | :35:50. | :36:02. | |
there were five days. She is talking through a hole in her head. | :36:03. | :36:16. | |
What struck me... It may be a mistake case of mistaken identity | :36:17. | :36:27. | |
but I heard a Somerset voice saying order. Whether that was in good | :36:28. | :36:32. | |
taste is a matter for people's judgment. The Leader of the House is | :36:33. | :36:38. | |
a robust character and I think she is unfazed. | :36:39. | :36:46. | |
Just as a point of fact, the tears on my highs in Centre Court | :36:47. | :36:50. | |
yesterday were tears of joy for the greatest of all time. | :36:51. | :36:59. | |
And I felt sure that if you were to feel emotional today it would also | :37:00. | :37:03. | |
be tears of joy so I am not inconsistent. He may be technically | :37:04. | :37:16. | |
correct but he is extremely rude. In the extended Parliamentary session | :37:17. | :37:23. | |
of 2010 and 2012 we provided extra days for Private Members' Bills. The | :37:24. | :37:30. | |
standing orders set out that they were matters for parties to agree | :37:31. | :37:38. | |
on. They have been elected just as quickly as in previous | :37:39. | :37:39. | |
administrations. It seems that this debate is | :37:40. | :37:45. | |
depending descending into a pointless debate about what may or | :37:46. | :37:49. | |
may not have happened in the past. Surely it is possible to get to an | :37:50. | :37:54. | |
agreement. It is right that we get the opportunity to the opposition to | :37:55. | :37:59. | |
hold the government to account. We have got it to session rather than a | :38:00. | :38:03. | |
one-year session saw in broad equivalents they could get the same | :38:04. | :38:07. | |
amount of reply days. He is right. That is what we are | :38:08. | :38:12. | |
talking about which is why I opened my remarks by saying that this is | :38:13. | :38:17. | |
exactly what Mac absolutely business as usual. | :38:18. | :38:26. | |
Does she agree that this debate about debates is potentially eating | :38:27. | :38:31. | |
into the time to talk about the very serious issue of intimidation of | :38:32. | :38:37. | |
Parliamentary candidates in their selection? I see that members | :38:38. | :38:41. | |
opposite are sniggering but do they not take democracy as seriously as | :38:42. | :38:48. | |
me? I'm deterrent concerned that we are eating into the time for this | :38:49. | :38:53. | |
debate to talk about our diaries. She is exactly right. This is a | :38:54. | :39:00. | |
debate about processes, not material things or things our constituents | :39:01. | :39:07. | |
care about. In terms of respecting Parliamentary supremacy, something | :39:08. | :39:11. | |
that I know is dear to you, Mr Speaker, let's look at the | :39:12. | :39:15. | |
performance of my party versus the opposition. Who was at that created | :39:16. | :39:20. | |
the Backbench Business Committee in 2010? My party. Who was it that | :39:21. | :39:28. | |
brought in elections to select committees? My party. Who introduced | :39:29. | :39:45. | |
the eve edition system? My party. -- the e-petition system. My party has | :39:46. | :39:51. | |
done more. The government has formally responded to 264 petitions | :39:52. | :39:57. | |
and 20 of them have been scheduled for debate. The government has | :39:58. | :40:04. | |
responded to 162 urging questions in this house since 2015. The Sergeant | :40:05. | :40:10. | |
debate as a result of party politics at its worst. -- this urgent debate. | :40:11. | :40:18. | |
I don't believe people were voting for petty time wasting by a Labour | :40:19. | :40:25. | |
Party. All the opposition is doing is talking about process when what | :40:26. | :40:29. | |
is important is policy. The opposition say they want to talk | :40:30. | :40:34. | |
about tuition fees so let us talk about them. We are committed to | :40:35. | :40:38. | |
supporting all young people to reach their full potential, whether that | :40:39. | :40:43. | |
is going to university, starting an apprenticeship or taking a | :40:44. | :40:48. | |
qualification. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are now | :40:49. | :40:52. | |
going to university at a record rate, up 42% since 2009. But Labour | :40:53. | :40:57. | |
are in a mess over the pledge they made to students just seven days | :40:58. | :41:07. | |
before the general election, a pledge they have no admitted would | :41:08. | :41:12. | |
cost many billions and was just an invention according to the Shadow | :41:13. | :41:14. | |
Chancellor. These should be upfront about their plans. Is it still the | :41:15. | :41:18. | |
plan to cancel student debt or a pre-election scan? Perhaps he would | :41:19. | :41:23. | |
like to talk about the economy. On this site, we have shown | :41:24. | :41:25. | |
determination to live within our means so that the next generation | :41:26. | :41:31. | |
are not saddled with the debts of 30 years of Labour recklessness. We | :41:32. | :41:35. | |
inherited the largest peacetime deficit over from the party | :41:36. | :41:36. | |
opposite. It. This is deferred it is about | :41:37. | :41:47. | |
opposition days and the Government to account. If you want a debate, | :41:48. | :41:52. | |
why did she not allow them then actually diverging from what this | :41:53. | :41:57. | |
debate is today? The honourable gentleman is aware that the | :41:58. | :42:01. | |
frontbenchers are usually accorded a modest and latitude in developing | :42:02. | :42:04. | |
their arguments, hence I have allowed a modest latitude, but I | :42:05. | :42:08. | |
think the Leader of the House will shortly return to the thrust of the | :42:09. | :42:14. | |
matter of the debate, not what might have been under debate, but what is | :42:15. | :42:19. | |
under debate, and I know she will return to that. I do not think there | :42:20. | :42:26. | |
is a further. It is said that she believes that this debate we're | :42:27. | :42:29. | |
having now is completely irrelevant and a far more important one will be | :42:30. | :42:32. | |
later in the day I just wonder because the number of Conservative | :42:33. | :42:36. | |
members who stood to catch your eye earlier, whether you think they're a | :42:37. | :42:39. | |
conservative members who would like to take part in this debate the | :42:40. | :42:42. | |
debate they had scheduled on tonight? | :42:43. | :42:47. | |
There are lots of members who want to speak today and in this debate, | :42:48. | :42:53. | |
which can last for a maximum of three hours, there are lots of | :42:54. | :42:56. | |
Government backbenchers who wish to speak. Keen to accommodate both | :42:57. | :43:01. | |
backbenchers and opposition backbenchers and I am keen to | :43:02. | :43:04. | |
accommodate would-be maiden speakers, and if we could now | :43:05. | :43:11. | |
minimise points of frustration and focus on the debate, I think that | :43:12. | :43:14. | |
would be beneficial to all concerned. | :43:15. | :43:18. | |
Mr Speaker, I was going to continue to talk about the way we sought to | :43:19. | :43:23. | |
improve our ability to live within our means and the amazing employment | :43:24. | :43:26. | |
record of this Government as an effort to get the opposition to | :43:27. | :43:30. | |
focus on what really matters, but I will never the less not bother to | :43:31. | :43:35. | |
talk about employment, but I will continue to the opposition's desire | :43:36. | :43:42. | |
to consider process. Did she know it a glorious irony | :43:43. | :43:45. | |
that the opposition have called for an emergency debate is interesting, | :43:46. | :43:53. | |
if they wish it to be curtailed's I think my honourable friend speaks | :43:54. | :43:58. | |
for all of us in his observation. I have outlined the many | :43:59. | :44:03. | |
opportunities allowed to debate in this house. In four days, the house | :44:04. | :44:07. | |
rises for recess, but not before many opportunities to put their | :44:08. | :44:11. | |
views on the record. Today we are supposed to be debating the abuse | :44:12. | :44:16. | |
and intimidation of candidates during the general election. Members | :44:17. | :44:19. | |
on both sides of this house have been victims of violent abuse from | :44:20. | :44:25. | |
anarchists and have left activists, but Labour are obviously not | :44:26. | :44:28. | |
interested. It is unlikely there will be any time for that critical | :44:29. | :44:32. | |
debate to take place today. I sincerely hope that the Leader of | :44:33. | :44:36. | |
the Opposition, having prevented this, all want to condemn in the | :44:37. | :44:40. | |
strongest language be frightening and intimidating abuse endured by | :44:41. | :44:45. | |
many on this side of the house as many as many on his own benches. | :44:46. | :44:49. | |
This Government is working towards a brighter future for our great | :44:50. | :44:53. | |
country, we are bringing forward the EU bill and negotiating our leading | :44:54. | :45:01. | |
of the union through the will of the British people, looking to make a | :45:02. | :45:04. | |
success of Brexit and putting a strong programme and putting strong | :45:05. | :45:08. | |
legislation embrace introducing measures that will improvement or | :45:09. | :45:14. | |
health provision, blobby industries of tomorrow and stamp out extremism | :45:15. | :45:21. | |
and terrorism. These are issues... Point of order. I had to take it on | :45:22. | :45:30. | |
trust. I note we were in deep in | :45:31. | :45:34. | |
conversation, but we are now turning back to issues... There is a long | :45:35. | :45:41. | |
list of what this Government has achieved, if she wants to have these | :45:42. | :45:46. | |
debates properly, why did she not give the opposition debates to do | :45:47. | :45:49. | |
them and be voted on. I get the point that the honourable | :45:50. | :45:53. | |
gentleman has made and as far as I can tell, I hope I sense correctly, | :45:54. | :46:00. | |
the Leader of the House is likely reaching this as there are many | :46:01. | :46:04. | |
members that wish to speak and there is none the labour of woodland | :46:05. | :46:09. | |
between the time taken by the opposition spokesperson and the | :46:10. | :46:11. | |
Government spokesperson. The honourable lady is in order, but as | :46:12. | :46:15. | |
they say, I imagine she is nearing the conclusion of her remarks. | :46:16. | :46:27. | |
Rather than gracious of the honourable gentleman to yell from a | :46:28. | :46:37. | |
sedentary position. He could always adopt a gentle Burl which seems more | :46:38. | :46:42. | |
seemly. Members of the opposition are | :46:43. | :46:45. | |
certainly not being very charming this evening. All I was saying is I | :46:46. | :46:51. | |
was trying to outline some of the issues that really matter to the | :46:52. | :46:55. | |
people of our great country and it is in the interest of our country | :46:56. | :47:01. | |
that this Government provides certainty, continuity and control as | :47:02. | :47:05. | |
we forge a new and successful future for the whole of the United Kingdom. | :47:06. | :47:10. | |
I hope colleagues agree that safety welfare and prosperity of this | :47:11. | :47:14. | |
country should be our priority and I will work with all willing | :47:15. | :47:17. | |
colleagues across the house to achieve this. | :47:18. | :47:24. | |
Thank you. We very much welcome this debate and | :47:25. | :47:28. | |
we share the concerns of this parliamentary session of the next | :47:29. | :47:32. | |
two years. We agree that we need priority about the scheduling, | :47:33. | :47:36. | |
particularly backbench business and opposition business. Since we have | :47:37. | :47:39. | |
come back, the pace of the normal arrangements have been put back into | :47:40. | :47:45. | |
place have been unsatisfactory. We now only have three full days of | :47:46. | :47:48. | |
this parliamentary session before the long summer recess and we still | :47:49. | :47:52. | |
do not have the select committees of this house up and running, nor do we | :47:53. | :47:55. | |
know the arrangements for the standing committees of the house and | :47:56. | :47:59. | |
the statutory instrument of it and given they will be particularly | :48:00. | :48:04. | |
burdened with the repeal Bill, we will need some clarity and certainty | :48:05. | :48:10. | |
about the committees. I think I heard earlier that neither | :48:11. | :48:14. | |
the SNP Labour Party had yet constituted their own members for | :48:15. | :48:15. | |
these select committee. They have only | :48:16. | :48:26. | |
just constituted. I would therefore not be possible to constitute... | :48:27. | :48:33. | |
Until very recently we about to go into recess. | :48:34. | :48:39. | |
I'm to the honourable lady because I can say that we are ready to supply | :48:40. | :48:45. | |
the best membership of the select committee and I believe the Labour | :48:46. | :48:50. | |
Party are in a position to do so. You may be generous offer images | :48:51. | :48:53. | |
that you would help facilitate any political party in this house but | :48:54. | :48:57. | |
seem to have any difficulty with arranging its membership for select | :48:58. | :49:00. | |
committees. I do not know if the Conservative Party have approached | :49:01. | :49:03. | |
you in order to make sure that promises have filled because what we | :49:04. | :49:09. | |
have seen is not the Labour Party or the SNP holding up the creation of | :49:10. | :49:13. | |
the select committee, it is the Conservative Party. Please, | :49:14. | :49:16. | |
Conservative Party, make use of this very kind offer from the Speaker of | :49:17. | :49:20. | |
the house. Could it be that so many honourable | :49:21. | :49:23. | |
members on this side of the house want to take part in the select | :49:24. | :49:27. | |
committees and therefore an election is quiet and perhaps not the same | :49:28. | :49:31. | |
interest on the other side. I say to the honourable gentleman | :49:32. | :49:38. | |
candidly, get on with it. You should have these committees up and running | :49:39. | :49:41. | |
before the summer recess in and give you cannot do it yourself, take the | :49:42. | :49:44. | |
offer from the Speaker and make sure this gets arranged. I will give way. | :49:45. | :49:53. | |
Can I say to my honourable friend that we have hard elections on the | :49:54. | :50:01. | |
election they besides, but if the honourable gentleman thinks that | :50:02. | :50:03. | |
they will have difficulty in arranging them, we could provide | :50:04. | :50:07. | |
election observers and tell us for the Conservative Party if necessary. | :50:08. | :50:11. | |
I'm grateful to the honourable gentleman because I think that is a | :50:12. | :50:15. | |
good suggestion. How about we take use of the advantage of the office | :50:16. | :50:19. | |
of the Speaker, we could send observers along, we could help | :50:20. | :50:23. | |
visibility the Conservatives to help facilitate this. Let's get on with | :50:24. | :50:26. | |
it. We have three days away from summer recess. | :50:27. | :50:41. | |
The SNP were granted the chairs of two select committees, but I cannot | :50:42. | :50:48. | |
understand when it comes to give the parties, all the members were | :50:49. | :50:54. | |
entitled to vote, but it seems the SMP which is given one candidate, | :50:55. | :50:58. | |
can explain why? Can I say to the honourable | :50:59. | :51:03. | |
gentleman that is because there were superb candidates. Particularly the | :51:04. | :51:09. | |
one that was nominated for the chair of the Scottish select committee, | :51:10. | :51:18. | |
that is why that has been the case. The honourable gentleman has left | :51:19. | :51:23. | |
out the amazing ability... It amazes made because how could I | :51:24. | :51:27. | |
forget my honourable friend and forever grateful of him for | :51:28. | :51:35. | |
reminding me of this. Just to say that the boats are still | :51:36. | :51:39. | |
being cast in the Labour Party for members of the Foreign Affairs | :51:40. | :51:42. | |
Committee, and if any members have not yet voted, they have until | :51:43. | :51:48. | |
8:30pm. I'm grateful for that intervention. | :51:49. | :51:56. | |
It must've been a particularly good intervention that they made. It is | :51:57. | :52:02. | |
not as if this Government has been over exercised and energised thus | :52:03. | :52:06. | |
far, and it is perhaps unfavourably, this Parliament has already been | :52:07. | :52:10. | |
daubed zombie parliament, but I think that comparison would give the | :52:11. | :52:19. | |
flesh eating undead a bad name. This is turbo-charged political zombie | :52:20. | :52:24. | |
is, that is to be curious type of zombie, because if you look at them, | :52:25. | :52:28. | |
it not only the caring of flesh, they are starting to consume | :52:29. | :52:33. | |
themselves. What passes for discourse, normal discourse on the | :52:34. | :52:39. | |
Secretary of State and Whitehall department is cowed briefing. When | :52:40. | :52:44. | |
you do nothing, bad stuff happens. This is a Government at war with | :52:45. | :52:52. | |
itself. They all jostle to be the next captain of the SS Tory Titanic. | :52:53. | :52:59. | |
They're trying to do this with Brexit, but before we get on with | :53:00. | :53:04. | |
it, you leave that the Brexiteers Perry bunch of pirates, what a great | :53:05. | :53:09. | |
smarmy pirate is. I have this image of a mixture of Captain Pugwash and | :53:10. | :53:15. | |
Jack Sparrow re-enacting the battle of the Thames with Nigel Farage and | :53:16. | :53:20. | |
Bob Geldof, but shiver my timbers and pieces about, I would not mind | :53:21. | :53:25. | |
being one myself. And then we have the member forward with Green who | :53:26. | :53:28. | |
believes the plot should just shut up for goodness' sake. That would | :53:29. | :53:34. | |
deprive the house of so much value. It was also said that members of the | :53:35. | :53:37. | |
Cabinet should drink less prosecco. He was me thinking cheap prosecco, | :53:38. | :53:43. | |
surely the only finest champagne would be good enough for my | :53:44. | :53:46. | |
Conservative friends opposite. But according to the Transport | :53:47. | :53:52. | |
Secretary, there is nothing to see here and we are not a bunch of | :53:53. | :53:56. | |
clones. Well, thank goodness for that. Mr Speaker, there is no wonder | :53:57. | :54:00. | |
that they do not want scrutiny when there is such a matter of chaos and | :54:01. | :54:07. | |
turmoil. I agree that the enthusiasm of so much of this on the public. I | :54:08. | :54:15. | |
was at my surgeries this weekend and I don't banners saying that what | :54:16. | :54:19. | |
they wanted was more opposition days for the Labour Party. But this is | :54:20. | :54:27. | |
the important, I think the constituents expect us to come down | :54:28. | :54:30. | |
here to ensure that we arrange the optimal conditions for debate and | :54:31. | :54:34. | |
scrutiny and we get on with the job and ensure the Government is held to | :54:35. | :54:39. | |
account. We are in a very different type of Parliament, maybe that will | :54:40. | :54:43. | |
in skis the behaviours are not getting this back in place. I do not | :54:44. | :54:48. | |
think since the 1970s there has been such an certainty. Not since the | :54:49. | :54:56. | |
days of Callaghan and Wilson have we had that belief. The Fixed-term | :54:57. | :54:59. | |
Parliaments Act has proven to be the biggest waste of Parliamentary time | :55:00. | :55:04. | |
possibly in Parliamentary history, supposed to give certainty, the | :55:05. | :55:07. | |
scheduling of debates, it was always going to fail when there was a | :55:08. | :55:10. | |
Government to want to have an early election who would... Who would not | :55:11. | :55:16. | |
be able to resist holding that particular condition. We therefore | :55:17. | :55:21. | |
have a parliament in Government on political life support, always | :55:22. | :55:23. | |
requiring emergency treatment and always honourable to the infection | :55:24. | :55:28. | |
of events as it tries to define some purpose and meaning. The condition | :55:29. | :55:34. | |
of this Government is all it's own fault. Hubris to quit and | :55:35. | :55:38. | |
unnecessarily calling an early election to try and take advantage | :55:39. | :55:42. | |
of what has happened is a crisis of chaos in the labour opposition which | :55:43. | :55:45. | |
has now returned home, embarrassed and diminished and chaotic and is | :55:46. | :55:53. | |
all their own fault. This is now almost definitely a house of | :55:54. | :55:58. | |
minorities and legislation in the way we construct our business in | :55:59. | :56:01. | |
this house must reflect this and we have too make sure we get | :56:02. | :56:04. | |
arrangements properly in place in order to ensure the new political | :56:05. | :56:09. | |
climate across this house is observed. That is why it is | :56:10. | :56:13. | |
disappointing the Government instead of rising properly to the challenges | :56:14. | :56:17. | |
has done everything to frustrate, delay and towards the creation of | :56:18. | :56:22. | |
all the arrangements are essential for proper scrutiny in these new | :56:23. | :56:25. | |
conditions. The main means of this and achieving it is to have a | :56:26. | :56:31. | |
programme that is as opaque and contentious as possible so we | :56:32. | :56:35. | |
possibly get bored and don't take any great concern and interest in | :56:36. | :56:39. | |
this and no votes go through Parliament. The only one that is | :56:40. | :56:44. | |
contentious and the big deal of this Parliamentary term will be Brexit. | :56:45. | :56:51. | |
What they have less labour opposition that practically agree | :56:52. | :56:55. | |
with everything the government want to secure and achieve with this hard | :56:56. | :57:01. | |
Brexit. When it comes to the main theme of this hard Brexit, with | :57:02. | :57:05. | |
leaving the single market, the customs union, ending the freedom of | :57:06. | :57:09. | |
movement, the Labour opposition practically agree with the | :57:10. | :57:12. | |
government on everything. What we have therefore is the difficulty for | :57:13. | :57:21. | |
this government to get to its Brexit business on top of a legislative | :57:22. | :57:25. | |
programme that is slow soul like it is practically all peak. What we | :57:26. | :57:38. | |
what we have is this appalling deal that the government struck with the | :57:39. | :57:48. | |
Democratic Unionist Party. This was agreed behind closed doors and the | :57:49. | :57:52. | |
house has not had the opportunity to debate this deal, scrutinise it, | :57:53. | :57:55. | |
have its consequences considered, not least in terms of how it turns | :57:56. | :58:00. | |
normal funding allocations on their head. This is a deal designed to by | :58:01. | :58:06. | |
the government its majority and has unfortunately set the tone for this | :58:07. | :58:11. | |
parliament and refined their contentious approach. Also the | :58:12. | :58:21. | |
appalling and divisive English votes for English laws procedure. It is | :58:22. | :58:26. | |
opposed and loathed by every other political party outside the Tories. | :58:27. | :58:32. | |
It no longer secures a Parliamentary majority. It is also ridiculous that | :58:33. | :58:37. | |
this government relies on a party that is subject to the constraints | :58:38. | :58:53. | |
of EVEL to get its policies through. Let's see if we can secure a | :58:54. | :58:58. | |
solution which can agree with consensus and debate. Let's get | :58:59. | :59:02. | |
something that brings property is -- proper scrutiny for all the United | :59:03. | :59:09. | |
Kingdom. We need to get down to business. It is simply unacceptable | :59:10. | :59:13. | |
that we won't have the select committee set up soon. We've had an | :59:14. | :59:18. | |
exchange on the logjam of securing these select committees and I hope | :59:19. | :59:22. | |
that the Leader of the House takes this seriously and we can get on and | :59:23. | :59:26. | |
do this. We have to have standing committees in place. Because we | :59:27. | :59:33. | |
don't, it means the committee stages of bills cannot be considered and | :59:34. | :59:39. | |
the government has to bring those stages to the whole house. The girls | :59:40. | :59:43. | |
have now been subject to that procedure. It is purely unacceptable | :59:44. | :59:50. | |
that this is going to go on. After this debate, we're looking at | :59:51. | :59:56. | |
another statutory committee. It is clearly unsatisfactory. | :59:57. | :00:04. | |
As we all know, we've been through the process of election where if a | :00:05. | :00:10. | |
prospective candidate doesn't get in on time then tough, the election | :00:11. | :00:16. | |
goes on without them. They don't postpone the election of the | :00:17. | :00:19. | |
candidates can sort themselves out. Is that something they could look at | :00:20. | :00:24. | |
in terms of select committees? That of the government don't put their | :00:25. | :00:26. | |
names on committees, the committees meet without them? | :00:27. | :00:32. | |
I think that is an elegant solution to a solvable problem and I'm | :00:33. | :00:35. | |
grateful to him for suggesting it. Maybe we will get some action over | :00:36. | :00:40. | |
the next few days to resolve this. Correct me if I'm wrong, the reason | :00:41. | :00:46. | |
why we haven't got the standing committees and running is that there | :00:47. | :00:50. | |
is a problem with arithmetic. My understanding is that the government | :00:51. | :00:54. | |
have nine places, the Labour opposition have seven places and we | :00:55. | :00:59. | |
have two places, which properly reflects the political arithmetic in | :01:00. | :01:03. | |
this house, reflecting that this house is a house of minority. That | :01:04. | :01:07. | |
means that the government would have to work a bit harder in order to get | :01:08. | :01:12. | |
business through. What would be clearly unacceptable and what seems | :01:13. | :01:16. | |
to be happening and I hope it stops soon, is that the government seem to | :01:17. | :01:24. | |
be subverting the committee stage of legislation and bringing it either | :01:25. | :01:27. | |
to the whole house here in the chamber and doing all its amendments | :01:28. | :01:32. | |
in the report stage. That would be unacceptable and stand against | :01:33. | :01:35. | |
everything that we understand that the normal business of Parliament. | :01:36. | :01:42. | |
He is making an interesting point because everybody knows that the | :01:43. | :01:46. | |
most inadequate part of the legislative process is report stage | :01:47. | :01:50. | |
with the government can put down amendments which are never even | :01:51. | :01:55. | |
debated. Absolutely right. She probably | :01:56. | :01:59. | |
shares my concerns about if that was to pass and how inadequate the | :02:00. | :02:11. | |
report stage can be. These types of intricate and important pieces of | :02:12. | :02:14. | |
legislation required to be scrutinised properly in proper | :02:15. | :02:17. | |
committees of this house and it is incumbent on this house to make sure | :02:18. | :02:22. | |
that is in place. Any attempt to subvert the normal arrangement of | :02:23. | :02:26. | |
bills going to committees is unacceptable and I hope house can | :02:27. | :02:39. | |
deal with this. I'm almost disappointed that the member for... | :02:40. | :02:50. | |
Chris Bryant isn't here. I think you were elected before me, Mr Speaker, | :02:51. | :02:55. | |
but I remember the election in 2001 and the response given that in 2001 | :02:56. | :03:06. | |
it was a June election. We had all the committees in place even though | :03:07. | :03:11. | |
it was a June election. It took place on 7th of June. The Queen's | :03:12. | :03:20. | |
Speech was held on 20th June and all the select committees were in place | :03:21. | :03:25. | |
and functioning by the 19th of July. The reason for that is in those days | :03:26. | :03:30. | |
it was a stitch up by the whips. Now we elect the members. That is the | :03:31. | :03:37. | |
key difference. I'm grateful because he reminds me | :03:38. | :03:40. | |
and I'm sure he will remember this as well of something that happened | :03:41. | :03:46. | |
during the establishment of committees in 2001. It was a stitch | :03:47. | :03:53. | |
up by the whips at that point and he will remember when they tried to | :03:54. | :03:57. | |
remove two people from the chair of select committees which actually | :03:58. | :04:00. | |
held at the creation of the select committees that year but we still | :04:01. | :04:04. | |
managed to get them in place. There is no reason whatsoever why this | :04:05. | :04:10. | |
can't happen. The example 2001 is a very good one. They were all in | :04:11. | :04:14. | |
place even though that year was a June election. Can we also see we | :04:15. | :04:19. | |
agree with the honourable lady in terms of opposition days and time | :04:20. | :04:25. | |
set aside for backbench business. It looks like backbench business and | :04:26. | :04:28. | |
private members business will probably be about the most | :04:29. | :04:31. | |
interesting features of this Parliamentary session, given that we | :04:32. | :04:37. | |
are unlikely... And I can hear my friend who has a particularly good | :04:38. | :04:39. | |
Private Members' Bill that you should come along and listen to. But | :04:40. | :04:45. | |
this is probably going to be the most interesting business given the | :04:46. | :04:49. | |
laxity that we are going to see from members so we have to have proper | :04:50. | :04:57. | |
time and members were back -- time given to this. | :04:58. | :05:06. | |
Is it not a pointless exercise unless the government reforms how | :05:07. | :05:12. | |
bills go through this house? And get their own members to stop stymieing | :05:13. | :05:18. | |
the private members' bills. He is spot on and I share his | :05:19. | :05:25. | |
frustration about the way private members' bills go through this | :05:26. | :05:30. | |
house. I remember the bill from John Nicholson was stopped by government. | :05:31. | :05:34. | |
We had the necessary numbers but it was still stymied by this | :05:35. | :05:37. | |
government. The way that certain members of this house do all they | :05:38. | :05:45. | |
can to filibuster Private Members' Bills does a disgrace on this house | :05:46. | :05:51. | |
because our constituents expect better. If you are lucky enough to | :05:52. | :05:56. | |
security Private Members' Bill, it is right and proper that they are | :05:57. | :06:00. | |
properly debated and I hope we can reform that. We support what the | :06:01. | :06:06. | |
honourable lady said about private members sitting and that should be | :06:07. | :06:09. | |
doubled and I hope the government does this. There have to be proper | :06:10. | :06:13. | |
arrangements and understandings about time allocated for opposition | :06:14. | :06:21. | |
days. We are entitled to three opposition days per Parliamentary | :06:22. | :06:26. | |
session. We expect 6/2 years and I hope the house will be able to | :06:27. | :06:30. | |
confirm this. We have to get all these things out because the | :06:31. | :06:33. | |
arrangements are unsatisfactory. I saw her usual channels is working | :06:34. | :06:52. | |
and seems to be misunderstanding about the expectations of | :06:53. | :06:55. | |
Parliament. I would encourage an open house as much as possible to | :06:56. | :06:59. | |
try and get a better grasp of the new reality of this house, this | :07:00. | :07:07. | |
house of minorities, the fact that nobody has a majority. This zombie | :07:08. | :07:14. | |
Parliament must get up and working. It must be allowed to do its work. | :07:15. | :07:23. | |
It must allow us to do the work that constituents sent us here today. For | :07:24. | :07:27. | |
goodness' sake, let's get on with it and do it. | :07:28. | :07:37. | |
Maiden speech. Thank you for calling me to speak in | :07:38. | :07:45. | |
this important debate but I am disappointed at the time not being | :07:46. | :07:52. | |
allowed in the intimidation debate but I will try to give my own | :07:53. | :08:03. | |
experiences. It is a great privilege to be delivering my maiden speech | :08:04. | :08:08. | |
representing my own constituency of Angus. I would like to take this | :08:09. | :08:14. | |
opportunity to pay tribute to my predecessor who serve the people of | :08:15. | :08:20. | |
Angus over his years in this house. He had a prominent campaign to save | :08:21. | :08:25. | |
the post office and took on the role of Chief Whip for his party. I wish | :08:26. | :08:29. | |
him all the best in his future endeavours. It would be remiss if I | :08:30. | :08:34. | |
also did not mention the previous Conservative and Unionist MP for | :08:35. | :08:43. | |
Angus. The late Lord was not just a great voice for his area but also | :08:44. | :08:51. | |
had a remarkable legal career. The diverse constituency of Angus | :08:52. | :08:54. | |
nestled North of Dundee and south of Aberdeen sure has the most dramatic | :08:55. | :09:00. | |
coastline and picturesque lens to the north-west. The five main | :09:01. | :09:11. | |
towns... There are a number of villages and communities throughout. | :09:12. | :09:20. | |
It is the residents who have suffered most significantly to the | :09:21. | :09:23. | |
lack of mobile and broadband coverage. With current roll-out | :09:24. | :09:29. | |
below the national average, it is unsurprising that this has come up | :09:30. | :09:37. | |
in every constituency surgery I have had to date. I will work to ensure | :09:38. | :09:46. | |
residents and businesses are not left behind because of where they | :09:47. | :09:53. | |
choose to reside and operate. From my agricultural roots, I understand | :09:54. | :10:02. | |
its importance to the area. We provide 30% of the country's | :10:03. | :10:10. | |
potatoes and 25% of soft fruit, so agriculture is a significant | :10:11. | :10:15. | |
contributor to the local economy. Angus is home to many successful | :10:16. | :10:18. | |
projects in the versification including renewables, to the first | :10:19. | :10:34. | |
potato -based vodka. It incorporates a famous residents, the childhood | :10:35. | :10:38. | |
home of the late Queen Mother. I recently attended one of the many | :10:39. | :10:47. | |
excellent Proms with thousands of people from across Scotland. | :10:48. | :10:52. | |
Attractions in Angus entice tourists from far and wide. People golf on | :10:53. | :11:01. | |
some of the best-known courses or take part in outdoor pursuits. | :11:02. | :11:06. | |
Montrose port will welcome its first cruise ship, due to dock next year, | :11:07. | :11:13. | |
a further boost for our industries. Nevertheless, I'm incredibly aware | :11:14. | :11:16. | |
that there is a power of work to be done to support the current offering | :11:17. | :11:22. | |
and to ensure that nobody slips into North Aberdeenshire without testing | :11:23. | :11:30. | |
it Forfar Brady en route. Businesses throughout Angus range from local to | :11:31. | :11:33. | |
global, from engineering to manufacturing, oil and gas as well | :11:34. | :11:37. | |
as textiles and are highly regarded food and drink offering. A host of | :11:38. | :11:43. | |
businesses work in key sectors including pharmaceuticals giant | :11:44. | :11:49. | |
GlaxoSmithKline, textiles manufacturable keys, Mackay 's in | :11:50. | :11:59. | |
Arbroath and a textile innovator and also design innovators. They are | :12:00. | :12:02. | |
also supported by strong networks of local businesses which are | :12:03. | :12:07. | |
collectively the lifeblood of our local economy, providing the jobs | :12:08. | :12:11. | |
that anger so desperately needs. As government, we must support wherever | :12:12. | :12:15. | |
possible, enabling with prosperity and longevity. Angus has much to be | :12:16. | :12:22. | |
proud of. However, like many places there are concerns with constituents | :12:23. | :12:26. | |
asked that I stand up to represent. The rate of unemployment especially | :12:27. | :12:29. | |
amongst youth lies above national average due to several factors. | :12:30. | :12:38. | |
There are so positivity with new oilfields emerging, but steady | :12:39. | :12:44. | |
decline in recent years has had a large impact on livelihoods of | :12:45. | :12:47. | |
residents and businesses throughout Angus. I along with my north-east | :12:48. | :12:52. | |
colleagues will work together for the industry wherever possible to | :12:53. | :12:57. | |
support them going forward. As we face the challenge of Brexit, I'm | :12:58. | :13:01. | |
confident the Scottish farming and fishing communities have the | :13:02. | :13:04. | |
resilience to remain one of the key pillars in our economy. One of the | :13:05. | :13:08. | |
greatest opportunities for Brexit is the chance to build a support system | :13:09. | :13:13. | |
that works for Angus and four works for all areas of our United Kingdom. | :13:14. | :13:19. | |
The political landscape in Angus has demonstrated a clear shift in recent | :13:20. | :13:27. | |
years. In 2014, the referendum on independence, we recorded an | :13:28. | :13:30. | |
above-average no vote and in the last three election, a votes went to | :13:31. | :13:36. | |
the Scottish Conservative and Unionist parties. Strong messages to | :13:37. | :13:39. | |
Nicola Sturgeon and the SMP that the time for constitution troublemaking | :13:40. | :13:47. | |
is over. Make no mistake, my Scottish my Scottish Conservatives, | :13:48. | :13:50. | |
Scottish Labour and Scottish Liberal Democrat colleagues RS patriot as my | :13:51. | :13:56. | |
Scottish National Party colleagues. But now we need to ask them to | :13:57. | :14:00. | |
remove that threat of uncertainty over Scotland's economy and people, | :14:01. | :14:06. | |
no ifs, no bugs, a second devices independence referendum should be | :14:07. | :14:14. | |
taken off the table. I remain optimistic... For the future of | :14:15. | :14:24. | |
Angers and the extensive deals which will support those who live and work | :14:25. | :14:30. | |
in Angus. As part of the 1.8 billion planned investment, there will be | :14:31. | :14:33. | |
key programmes for Angus such as the hospital fuelled future plan, | :14:34. | :14:41. | |
creating major decommissioning centre in Scotland and ambition | :14:42. | :14:46. | |
investment quarter form Montrose to the A90 to enable the delivery of an | :14:47. | :14:52. | |
infrastructure allowing major economic growth. I look forward to | :14:53. | :14:56. | |
working with the UK Government and all stakeholders to drive forward | :14:57. | :15:01. | |
the city deal and make sure delivers for Angus. As the member of | :15:02. | :15:05. | |
Parliament for Angus, my mission is to ensure I am the strands of local | :15:06. | :15:09. | |
champions, representing my home turf with the greatest of integrity and | :15:10. | :15:13. | |
never with complacency. As a staunch unionist, I will continue to fight | :15:14. | :15:18. | |
to keep Scotland as part of our wonderful United Kingdom. Quite | :15:19. | :15:23. | |
similar, we are stronger together and weaker apart. I would also like | :15:24. | :15:27. | |
to make clear that I am here to help all my constituents, no matter how | :15:28. | :15:33. | |
or if they voted. I look forward to standing up for Angus and for | :15:34. | :15:36. | |
Scotland in this chamber on many more occasions to come. | :15:37. | :15:43. | |
Thank you, and very warm congratulations to the honourable | :15:44. | :15:45. | |
lady. We look forward to hearing her and getting to know her in this | :15:46. | :15:51. | |
house. I think the honourable lady made | :15:52. | :15:59. | |
what could be termed a model maiden speech. She was robust when | :16:00. | :16:05. | |
necessary, she was fluent, humorous, generous to her predecessors and she | :16:06. | :16:09. | |
stood up for what she sees as the vital interests of her constituency. | :16:10. | :16:13. | |
I am sure we all look forward to hearing further contributions from | :16:14. | :16:16. | |
the honourable lady in the future. Can also thank my honourable friend | :16:17. | :16:22. | |
for Walsall for securing this debate because I think it is timely and | :16:23. | :16:31. | |
necessary. During my time in this House, the role of members of | :16:32. | :16:34. | |
Parliament has been seen as supporting or opposing the | :16:35. | :16:39. | |
Government of the day. People do not always slavishly follow the whip in | :16:40. | :16:48. | |
this house, and rightly so on occasions. Occasionally issues of | :16:49. | :16:51. | |
conscience have to be decided, for example an end of life decisions | :16:52. | :17:00. | |
cell research. We vote on issues like that. On other occasions, for | :17:01. | :17:08. | |
example in our relationship with the European Union, people's views are | :17:09. | :17:12. | |
perhaps too distinctive to be easily put within the confines of party | :17:13. | :17:19. | |
loyalty. As we know, the outcome of the last general election has | :17:20. | :17:27. | |
changed the political arithmetic of this house. Until such time there is | :17:28. | :17:34. | |
a further general election, the potential power that each of us | :17:35. | :17:38. | |
holds, including the honourable lady for Angus, is greatly than ever been | :17:39. | :17:45. | |
than I have sat in this House. The two questions I want to pose today | :17:46. | :17:50. | |
are, first, are we willing to use that power to bring about greater | :17:51. | :17:59. | |
fairness and address some social industries says which I shall refer | :18:00. | :18:04. | |
to shortly? Can we look not that what we might have been in the past | :18:05. | :18:09. | |
as a House but what we could become's? Before I go into some of | :18:10. | :18:16. | |
the issues, and I will be brief because I know you think we need to | :18:17. | :18:22. | |
stick to the issue at hand more closely, I want to say about party | :18:23. | :18:28. | |
allegiance and how that works in the context of this house. I have spent | :18:29. | :18:34. | |
all of my adult life in the Labour Party and I remain so because I | :18:35. | :18:40. | |
share the values of my party on equality and social justice. But | :18:41. | :18:47. | |
that is not to say that as a party we have a monopoly on virtue. I know | :18:48. | :18:53. | |
there are members in all parts of the House who to some degree share | :18:54. | :19:00. | |
those values. There is one further point I want to make of a political | :19:01. | :19:08. | |
nature, because the Government has no majority, the usual argument | :19:09. | :19:13. | |
about having a mandate concerned in their manifesto is weak to the point | :19:14. | :19:20. | |
of becoming irrelevant. I want to say a word about the honourable and | :19:21. | :19:26. | |
right Honourable members on the DUP bench. Since entering into a | :19:27. | :19:31. | |
supplying confidence arrangement with the Conservative Party, and | :19:32. | :19:35. | |
perhaps in some ways understandably they have been heavily criticised in | :19:36. | :19:41. | |
some quarters. But agreement does not cover every man measure that may | :19:42. | :19:49. | |
be brought forward, and knowing some of the DUP members as I do, I am | :19:50. | :19:57. | |
confident that on some issues we can gain cooperation with them and | :19:58. | :20:02. | |
certainly on some of the issues I feel Stanley about, I think they | :20:03. | :20:06. | |
will share a similar outlook. So it is not a given that on every | :20:07. | :20:10. | |
occasion the Government can rely on their support. I want to refer | :20:11. | :20:17. | |
briefly to two issues. One of which has been referred to already by my | :20:18. | :20:24. | |
honourable friend the shadow Leader of the House and that is the | :20:25. | :20:29. | |
injustice of women born in the 1950s and the aid at which they are | :20:30. | :20:36. | |
entitled to their state pension. Many others macro on all sides of | :20:37. | :20:40. | |
this House and amongst the DUP at as well support the women against state | :20:41. | :20:47. | |
pension and inequality campaign and I believe that if we are a House are | :20:48. | :20:53. | |
resolved on that subject, we could bring about a fair solution. | :20:54. | :21:01. | |
Secondly, I hope we can all agree that the growing level of inequality | :21:02. | :21:06. | |
in our country is both unfair and corrosive. Wherever we look, whether | :21:07. | :21:11. | |
it in access to housing, the life chances of young people or | :21:12. | :21:17. | |
insecurity of employment, we see the stark reality of those consequences, | :21:18. | :21:23. | |
reliance on food banks, growing homelessness, and unacceptable | :21:24. | :21:26. | |
regional disparities and income support for public services. It also | :21:27. | :21:32. | |
means we need to take a more generous approach to public sector | :21:33. | :21:37. | |
pay. This House of Commons, if we can adapt to the new realities of | :21:38. | :21:42. | |
our power and influence can try to resolve those problems, but in order | :21:43. | :21:48. | |
to realise that power and influence, we need to take more control over | :21:49. | :21:53. | |
our procedures and get more agency in the legislative process. That | :21:54. | :21:58. | |
means that in my view in power in select committees to provide white | :21:59. | :22:03. | |
papers and draft bills, it will mean giving the Brits reach a committee | :22:04. | :22:09. | |
control that by giving deepest reject committee -- to give the | :22:10. | :22:22. | |
siege committed more power. It will mean the Government are held | :22:23. | :22:25. | |
accountable by some motions carried by this House with cross-party | :22:26. | :22:29. | |
support. In other words, they should be bound by some decisions of this | :22:30. | :22:35. | |
house in some circumstances. Finally, I believe the will support | :22:36. | :22:49. | |
on taking the response of dummy financial -- it will be for them to | :22:50. | :22:53. | |
put the argument on each occasion and it will be for numbers of this | :22:54. | :22:58. | |
house to assume their own responsibility for the decisions | :22:59. | :23:06. | |
that they take. In the recent past, the reputation and standing of | :23:07. | :23:10. | |
politicians in western democracy, not least our own, have fallen | :23:11. | :23:14. | |
alarmingly. The consequences with which we see and the rejection of | :23:15. | :23:21. | |
long-standing political certainties. But the arithmetic of this | :23:22. | :23:25. | |
Parliament presents us with an opportunity to take our reputations | :23:26. | :23:28. | |
both collectively and individually into our own hands. Do we have the | :23:29. | :23:35. | |
confidence to realise what we could become? Surely we have a duty to at | :23:36. | :23:37. | |
least try. It is with great pleasure I pay | :23:38. | :23:47. | |
tribute to my honourable friend, the member for Angus in delivering what | :23:48. | :23:52. | |
was a superb maiden speech. It is a great pleasure to see sitting in her | :23:53. | :23:57. | |
place today and I look forward to further such contributions from her | :23:58. | :24:01. | |
in the months and years to come. It is a fantastic start to your | :24:02. | :24:09. | |
Parliamentary career. I fear today's debate has been somewhat of a missed | :24:10. | :24:15. | |
opportunity. No institution, let alone Parliament, should be set | :24:16. | :24:20. | |
in... We need to have a strong Parliamentary institution, and if it | :24:21. | :24:24. | |
is to be a strong Parliamentary institution, it should evolve, | :24:25. | :24:30. | |
should have adult conversations about the way it conducts itself. | :24:31. | :24:35. | |
There are very strong arguments for change in the way that the | :24:36. | :24:40. | |
Parliamentary business is scheduled, but I'm afraid that the honourable | :24:41. | :24:44. | |
lady force Scots pack for Walsall South, nor did the member for North | :24:45. | :24:51. | |
first shirt either. I think that is a great shame because the date of | :24:52. | :24:58. | |
the improvements in this place and around scheduling is what our | :24:59. | :25:02. | |
constituents would expect us to cover, unlike some of the honourable | :25:03. | :25:07. | |
members were implying earlier. It is what we should discuss and it should | :25:08. | :25:13. | |
focus on what would make us more productive and what would reduce the | :25:14. | :25:18. | |
costs of Parliament which are still considerable and not to be ignored. | :25:19. | :25:21. | |
Perhaps the opposition should have focused this position on real | :25:22. | :25:30. | |
change, change that is being recommended by publications such as | :25:31. | :25:33. | |
the good Parliament report and the work of the all-party Parliamentary | :25:34. | :25:39. | |
group women in Parliament. I will focus briefly on some of the changes | :25:40. | :25:42. | |
which I hope the opposition front brake should and the Leader of the | :25:43. | :25:49. | |
House can consider. The first is a division hour which would give all | :25:50. | :25:53. | |
of us as parliamentarians a lot more certainty about the way we can plan | :25:54. | :26:00. | |
our days. At the moment, we still suffer from a very archaic system of | :26:01. | :26:04. | |
voting at the end of debates which gives people a great deal of | :26:05. | :26:07. | |
uncertainty as to when the votes may come, particularly at the report | :26:08. | :26:12. | |
stage of a bill. If we have a division hour which is common in the | :26:13. | :26:17. | |
European Parliament, common in the Scottish parliament, that may give | :26:18. | :26:20. | |
us the productivity that we expect now on a regular basis from our own | :26:21. | :26:26. | |
constituents when they are going about their everyday work. I will | :26:27. | :26:27. | |
give way. She is making an excellent | :26:28. | :26:38. | |
suggestion. But she also agree about getting rid of an antiquated system | :26:39. | :26:41. | |
of working through the lobbies to vote and following other modern | :26:42. | :26:48. | |
system such as having a press button for members that are present? | :26:49. | :26:53. | |
I'm going to have to disagree on that. I think going through division | :26:54. | :26:57. | |
lobbies is one way that Parliament can talk to each other and become | :26:58. | :27:07. | |
cohesive. I would not support remote electronic voting, I think it | :27:08. | :27:11. | |
creates more of a team in Parliament. The idea that having a | :27:12. | :27:18. | |
vault at the end of the day sometimes in the wee small hours of | :27:19. | :27:24. | |
the morning that is going to get people and hedge. That does not give | :27:25. | :27:31. | |
anyone an edge. It feels like we are re-enacting the D-Day landings and | :27:32. | :27:35. | |
are having gorilla tactics that in my time in Parliament has never | :27:36. | :27:41. | |
changed the outcome of the debate. I think we should look to modernise | :27:42. | :27:47. | |
that way of working. That goes on to my next point which is late sittings | :27:48. | :27:54. | |
in this place. Again, I'm reliably told by people who have been here | :27:55. | :27:57. | |
longer than I have that late sittings are a part of parliamentary | :27:58. | :28:04. | |
life. Not as much as they used to be but still regularly we are here to | :28:05. | :28:11. | |
ten o'clock at night. We might not mind that but there are | :28:12. | :28:15. | |
consequences. Delete votes that we decide to have in this place cost | :28:16. | :28:20. | |
the taxpayer ?5 million over the last five years and that is in staff | :28:21. | :28:26. | |
costs alone. The additional costs of policing and security must double | :28:27. | :28:30. | |
that at least. At what point will be as a Parliament realise that sitting | :28:31. | :28:38. | |
until 10pm or voting at 10p on a Monday night is not an integral part | :28:39. | :28:43. | |
of the work that we do and that we could save money. | :28:44. | :28:54. | |
I will give way. This is a matter that has been | :28:55. | :29:02. | |
considered many times over the years but does she accept that one need | :29:03. | :29:08. | |
for a Monday is the need for members to travel from far corners of the | :29:09. | :29:13. | |
kingdom, many of which are further away from London than the honourable | :29:14. | :29:18. | |
Lady's constituency? He is right. I don't have the long | :29:19. | :29:22. | |
commute that he might have but ultimately what I'm saying is that | :29:23. | :29:27. | |
we could decide to continue to have debates in the evening but have the | :29:28. | :29:31. | |
votes earlier in the day and that would mean that Parliamentary staff | :29:32. | :29:39. | |
wouldn't need to be on stand-by and receive compensation for being here | :29:40. | :29:46. | |
in the late evening. I'm not sure I heard her properly | :29:47. | :29:51. | |
but was she suggesting we should have the vote before the debate is | :29:52. | :29:55. | |
finished? You may do that in your party but | :29:56. | :30:02. | |
not in our party. He will be familiar with the concept of a | :30:03. | :30:05. | |
deferred division and look at what has happened in Europe and Scotland. | :30:06. | :30:20. | |
The final point is that I'm disappointed the lady on the front | :30:21. | :30:27. | |
bench did not talk about the select committees. As each ear of a select | :30:28. | :30:30. | |
committee, as I have been for the last five years and pleased to be | :30:31. | :30:36. | |
re-elected to it, a great deal of the work that we do can come to | :30:37. | :30:39. | |
nothing as result of scheduling business in this house. My | :30:40. | :30:48. | |
committee's trip to the UN Convention on the rights of women | :30:49. | :30:56. | |
was completely scrapped as result of a 40 year -- as result of a vote | :30:57. | :31:08. | |
because we don't have a proxy vote. Can we talk about Parliamentary | :31:09. | :31:14. | |
procedure is. It is not done in the way this parliament operates in the | :31:15. | :31:18. | |
debate today risks obscuring that. I think it is a shame that some | :31:19. | :31:25. | |
members have failed to focus on these issues and I hope that the | :31:26. | :31:30. | |
Labour front bench whirl support some of the important changes I have | :31:31. | :31:38. | |
listed so that we can put forward a more modernised face for this house | :31:39. | :31:45. | |
and perhaps in doing that bring a wider cross-section here in the | :31:46. | :31:49. | |
future. We now come to a maiden speech. | :31:50. | :31:58. | |
Thank you for the opportunity to make my maiden speech during today's | :31:59. | :32:04. | |
debate. It is an important one that gets straight to the heart of the | :32:05. | :32:07. | |
kind of Parliament we are going to be. Is it going to be one that | :32:08. | :32:13. | |
stifles debate and scrutiny or one that will be accountable to its | :32:14. | :32:17. | |
opposition and openly democratic? I know which one constituents will | :32:18. | :32:24. | |
like. When I was elected 11 weeks ago, many believed I would not or | :32:25. | :32:29. | |
could not win. This is why it falls me with great pleasure that the | :32:30. | :32:32. | |
people of Battersea chose me to be the member of Parliament. It is a | :32:33. | :32:38. | |
huge honour and I will serve my constituents to the best of my | :32:39. | :32:43. | |
ability. My family played a vital role in supporting me during the | :32:44. | :32:47. | |
campaign and I will forever be grateful for the sacrifices they | :32:48. | :32:52. | |
made to help me get elected. Before I go on, I would like to pay tribute | :32:53. | :32:57. | |
to my predecessor, Jane Ellison, for the work that she did in halting the | :32:58. | :33:06. | |
practice of female genital mutilation. I don't share her | :33:07. | :33:13. | |
policies but admire her work in this area. We have both had the privilege | :33:14. | :33:17. | |
of representing Battersea, the vibrant and important part of south | :33:18. | :33:23. | |
London with a strong history. Battersea is growing and has so much | :33:24. | :33:29. | |
to offer. The iconic Battersea Power Station, that symbol of municipal | :33:30. | :33:37. | |
pride, is reopening along the River. Our train station has more trains | :33:38. | :33:40. | |
running through it than any in Western Europe. From the kids of | :33:41. | :33:48. | |
Battersea Park to the sunbathers of Clapham Common. But it is the people | :33:49. | :33:52. | |
themselves that make this such a wonderful place and to whom I almost | :33:53. | :33:58. | |
thanks. No one should be more surprised that we in Battersea are | :33:59. | :34:07. | |
one of the most well-educated constituencies and take our policies | :34:08. | :34:13. | |
seriously. I want to make sure that these changes benefit everyone. | :34:14. | :34:19. | |
There was not only an increase in the number of young voters but in | :34:20. | :34:24. | |
people turning out for the first time. With good reason. In housing, | :34:25. | :34:33. | |
private rents have soared. The cost of housing is it beyond reach of | :34:34. | :34:40. | |
most people. It is a scandal that people under the age of 35 have been | :34:41. | :34:46. | |
frozen out of homeownership. Too many people are confronted with | :34:47. | :34:49. | |
housing pressures that are getting worse. It does not have to be this | :34:50. | :34:54. | |
way. In Battersea, we have some of the oldest council housing. They | :34:55. | :35:05. | |
sought to provide homes for decent working people. This spirit needs to | :35:06. | :35:10. | |
be brought back. I'm standing on the shoulder of Giants. Politicians who | :35:11. | :35:15. | |
are radical and we're ahead of their times. In 1906, the first | :35:16. | :35:23. | |
working-class MP in Battersea became a government minister. It was the | :35:24. | :35:31. | |
ferocious John Burns. We give rise to London's first black mayor. In | :35:32. | :35:41. | |
1922, Battersea became the first constituency to elect an Asian | :35:42. | :35:48. | |
labour member of Parliament, an Indian radical. And of course we | :35:49. | :35:59. | |
have the heroic Anglo Irish suffragette who championed the | :36:00. | :36:02. | |
rights of the poor and his statue you can find in the central square | :36:03. | :36:09. | |
of Dodington estate. At the age of 89, her last public activity was to | :36:10. | :36:13. | |
address the crowd at an antifascist rally in Trafalgar Square in 1933. I | :36:14. | :36:21. | |
hope I have as much fire in me when I am that age. I would also like to | :36:22. | :36:28. | |
pay tribute to more recent Labour MPs who came before me. The | :36:29. | :36:34. | |
wonderful Lord Alf Dobbs, whose fight on behalf of Syrian refugees | :36:35. | :36:40. | |
has been an example to us all. Martin, who has championed the | :36:41. | :36:47. | |
rights of the Palestinian people since leaving office. We are outward | :36:48. | :36:52. | |
looking and internationalist. It is this spirit that I will attempt to | :36:53. | :37:01. | |
bring to Parliament. We face serious challenges. This was a decision my | :37:02. | :37:09. | |
constituents care deeply about and voted overwhelmingly against. I will | :37:10. | :37:14. | |
stand up for them. I will draw on that outward looking Battersea | :37:15. | :37:20. | |
tradition, one that values tolerance, social justice and | :37:21. | :37:27. | |
corporation. I was born with an involuntary movement of the eye | :37:28. | :37:30. | |
which has left me with a sight impairment. I have had to overcome | :37:31. | :37:37. | |
many barriers but I want to give a special thanks to my mum who is here | :37:38. | :37:44. | |
today. She made sure I had a brilliant education, a brilliant | :37:45. | :37:50. | |
state education. At primary school, and a headteacher thought I should | :37:51. | :37:55. | |
be sent to a speciality school but my mother fought to keep me in | :37:56. | :38:00. | |
mainstream education and I would not be the women I am today nor an | :38:01. | :38:03. | |
elected member of Parliament had it not been for her and, mum, I am | :38:04. | :38:10. | |
truly grateful. I had been a disability rights campaigner and it | :38:11. | :38:13. | |
believed that people with disabilities like myself should have | :38:14. | :38:17. | |
the right to participate in society equally. The right to a good | :38:18. | :38:23. | |
education, the right to travel, the right access to public transport. An | :38:24. | :38:34. | |
important issue close to my heart is the employment access to those with | :38:35. | :38:42. | |
disability. The disparity is not good enough and we need to change | :38:43. | :38:48. | |
that. Over the last seven years, policies on Social Security and | :38:49. | :38:52. | |
social care have disproportionately affected disabled people. When we | :38:53. | :38:57. | |
discuss all these matters in this house, it is important that we | :38:58. | :39:00. | |
understand and empathise with the real people who will be affected by | :39:01. | :39:05. | |
our decisions. I am proud to be here in this chamber and I am proud to be | :39:06. | :39:18. | |
representing the people Battersea. Congratulations to the new member | :39:19. | :39:22. | |
for Battersea on her maiden speech and may I also welcome her to her | :39:23. | :39:30. | |
place. I also congratulate the member for Angus on her excellent | :39:31. | :39:36. | |
speech and for its wit and wisdom and including its focus on | :39:37. | :39:44. | |
connectivity to her constituency. Democracy is the system of | :39:45. | :39:47. | |
processing conflict and in this house that lies at the heart of our | :39:48. | :39:53. | |
debates. This is truly what we have come to this place to do. The mother | :39:54. | :39:58. | |
of all parliaments. It is absolutely right that MPs of all colours are | :39:59. | :40:07. | |
able to hold the government to account. I have found since I | :40:08. | :40:12. | |
arrived in 2015 that there has been plentiful opportunity to do this. | :40:13. | :40:18. | |
The calling of this debate by the official opposition has had very | :40:19. | :40:22. | |
little to do with representing constituencies and I think it is to | :40:23. | :40:28. | |
do with political point scoring. This is truly a case of navel-gazing | :40:29. | :40:34. | |
by the opposition and using pressures Parliamentary time to do | :40:35. | :40:39. | |
this. A debate on debates, exactly what my constituents and bears will | :40:40. | :40:46. | |
feel angry and aggrieved about. The reality is that standing orders do | :40:47. | :40:50. | |
state that there are 20 opposition days in any one session and 17 of | :40:51. | :40:58. | |
them for the main opposition party. In this case the Labour Party, as I | :40:59. | :41:05. | |
see emptying opposition benches. They have been offered the usual | :41:06. | :41:10. | |
opposition database through the usual channels. I did agree with the | :41:11. | :41:20. | |
member opposite from the SNP front bench about the voters simply not | :41:21. | :41:25. | |
wanting this type of debate. They do want to hear us discuss what matters | :41:26. | :41:32. | |
and that is jobs and opportunities, schools and the impact of Brexit | :41:33. | :41:34. | |
nationwide and so much more. However, it was interesting that the | :41:35. | :41:44. | |
honourable gentleman mentioned the frustration of this, so it is the | :41:45. | :41:48. | |
greatest shame that we are not able to possibly fulfil the need to | :41:49. | :41:56. | |
discuss the shocking incidences of nationwide abuse of candidates | :41:57. | :41:59. | |
during the general election. Something I raised to the Leader of | :42:00. | :42:04. | |
the House to a positive reception in backbench business debates. So, to | :42:05. | :42:10. | |
this point, it is to the wit and the wheel of members of this house to | :42:11. | :42:15. | |
use all the 12 at their disposal to make sure back their points and | :42:16. | :42:18. | |
their issues from their constituents get heard by a quarter range in and | :42:19. | :42:27. | |
their own persistence. Honourable and right Honourable members and | :42:28. | :42:31. | |
colleagues I am sure will be aware that have already been plentiful | :42:32. | :42:34. | |
opportunities for opposition members to make their representations in the | :42:35. | :42:38. | |
chamber on the of their constituents during the Queen's Speech debates | :42:39. | :42:44. | |
which the Labour Party had six days to choose those topics. Therefore I | :42:45. | :42:50. | |
join with colleagues on this side of the house and their disappointment | :42:51. | :42:54. | |
at the complaints about this being made to the Government. I agree with | :42:55. | :42:59. | |
the right honourable member from Basingstoke that this is a queue of | :43:00. | :43:03. | |
the great opportunity for the opposition to look at process | :43:04. | :43:10. | |
Radovan complains. I'm enjoying the remarks of the | :43:11. | :43:14. | |
honourable lady who does debate very openly, but would she not agree with | :43:15. | :43:18. | |
her other honourable friend, the member for Gainsborough, who pointed | :43:19. | :43:22. | |
out that given a two-year session was announced, anybody can see that | :43:23. | :43:27. | |
it is only fair play to consider getting some extra opposition days | :43:28. | :43:32. | |
to the opposition so it can do its constitutional job as Her Majesty 's | :43:33. | :43:36. | |
loyal opposition of holding the Government to account? | :43:37. | :43:42. | |
I think there is absolutely two points to be made. The wit and the | :43:43. | :43:46. | |
wisdom of members to use all the tools, and I agree, the position are | :43:47. | :43:49. | |
going to play every game and trick of the book and why would they not? | :43:50. | :43:55. | |
I have found myself in a multiplicity of debates with myself, | :43:56. | :43:59. | |
so I wonder how opposition members can feel so disagreed. I have been | :44:00. | :44:06. | |
in debates from new towns to was beat it Grenfell Tower to travel | :44:07. | :44:09. | |
infrastructure, school, funding and so much more since my return to this | :44:10. | :44:14. | |
House and I'm sorry the opposition have not found the opportunity and | :44:15. | :44:21. | |
brevity that my colleagues have. She makes an important point about | :44:22. | :44:25. | |
the attendance of some honourable members opposite. Perhaps she saw | :44:26. | :44:28. | |
the coverage of the Westminster debate on managing public finance | :44:29. | :44:32. | |
weather was almost no attendance from Riverside and great many from | :44:33. | :44:38. | |
this side the bench. I agree with my honourable friend. | :44:39. | :44:43. | |
Far from weakening our democracy, Conservatives have can strengthened | :44:44. | :44:46. | |
it because we have given out constituents more voices and turned | :44:47. | :44:49. | |
up at the debates that are there to be had. I will give way. | :44:50. | :44:54. | |
You refer to the Waspy issue. What we want is a veritable motion so | :44:55. | :44:59. | |
that she can prove she is with us and with the Waspy women. How will | :45:00. | :45:03. | |
she bowed when there is it double motion? | :45:04. | :45:09. | |
As all-party women in Parliament for nature, I feel very much sympathy | :45:10. | :45:13. | |
when it comes to the Waspy women, but also as we heard, Government | :45:14. | :45:17. | |
finances are difficult and I would like to see us finding a way to help | :45:18. | :45:23. | |
those most affected. I have been to make those points at every debate | :45:24. | :45:29. | |
when possible. We have given our constituents a chance to have a | :45:30. | :45:35. | |
voice. One particular area is on EE petitions, and I know that has | :45:36. | :45:39. | |
happened because I have found the voice of my constituents in my | :45:40. | :45:44. | |
inbox. I think that the ten years of operations of this has given the | :45:45. | :45:48. | |
chance for parliaments to reach into peoples homes and lives. Where 10 | :45:49. | :45:52. | |
million people signing a petition and no less than 20 petitions being | :45:53. | :45:57. | |
scheduled for debate. This has engaged subject in this debating | :45:58. | :46:01. | |
chamber and I have been delighted to have that, particularly when I think | :46:02. | :46:07. | |
back to my time in the and equality select committee on trans-dent the | :46:08. | :46:10. | |
issues, and I think this Parliament is more diverse and out reaching | :46:11. | :46:15. | |
them people will know. The problem debates like this is we look more | :46:16. | :46:20. | |
enclosed. The Government has looked to ensure that the most talented MPs | :46:21. | :46:24. | |
from across the house get a chance to feed into in-depth quality | :46:25. | :46:29. | |
discussions and I congratulate all of those members who have been | :46:30. | :46:32. | |
elected to the select committee chairs as of this month, and indeed | :46:33. | :46:37. | |
by contrast, during Labour's time, we know that Government PM queues | :46:38. | :46:42. | |
was reduced and although the complaints were so... In fact, the | :46:43. | :46:50. | |
complaint was always the media was told first and the chamber second | :46:51. | :46:56. | |
are you do not see that from this Government. I will start to conclude | :46:57. | :47:01. | |
my remarks because I know we are pushed for time. Her Majesty 's | :47:02. | :47:05. | |
opposition today has tried to make out there is one rule for us and one | :47:06. | :47:12. | |
for everyone else, but we are all in this chamber defenders of democracy | :47:13. | :47:17. | |
and we can see that if we use all the tools and instruments that we | :47:18. | :47:22. | |
will have a voice for our community. So I think members opposite would do | :47:23. | :47:27. | |
well to listen to us on strengthening in democracy and look | :47:28. | :47:32. | |
to the side of the House who I think should take a very serious look at | :47:33. | :47:37. | |
taking a leaf out of our book and hearing from our constituents and | :47:38. | :47:43. | |
seeing what matters to them. I would like to start my | :47:44. | :47:47. | |
contribution by paying tribute to the two maiden speeches made this | :47:48. | :47:51. | |
evening. First of all, to the new member for Angus and just to put on | :47:52. | :47:58. | |
the record my agreement with her very strong comments about the need | :47:59. | :48:03. | |
to keep the UK together. Secondly, to my honourable friend the member | :48:04. | :48:10. | |
for Battersea. A very moving speech and her determination that her | :48:11. | :48:13. | |
mother shared and she shared in making sure that she made access to | :48:14. | :48:17. | |
mainstream education. I think that is a tribute to the strength of a | :48:18. | :48:26. | |
lovable mother, but also the disability rights movement and the | :48:27. | :48:29. | |
need to make sure that people with disabilities in joyful access to all | :48:30. | :48:37. | |
areas, so I paid review to my honourable friend. For me, this | :48:38. | :48:43. | |
debate is not just about the technicalities, it is about the | :48:44. | :48:47. | |
national interest and I think it would be so for all members of this | :48:48. | :48:53. | |
house to remember that on June the 8th this country decided it did not | :48:54. | :48:57. | |
want to give any one party the majority position and the strength | :48:58. | :49:02. | |
to form a majority Government. It gave Parliament the power to shape | :49:03. | :49:10. | |
Government policy, potentially, and hold the Government to account. It | :49:11. | :49:16. | |
is clear that the electorate expects this Parliament to act in the | :49:17. | :49:21. | |
national interest and not to behave in a way that is in any way deeply | :49:22. | :49:27. | |
tribal puts the interests of the other party before the interests of | :49:28. | :49:32. | |
the country. In that respect, I found the leader of the howls's | :49:33. | :49:38. | |
speech deeply disappointing. I thought the Leader of the House was | :49:39. | :49:43. | |
deeply tribal in her comments and was losing the House about point and | :49:44. | :49:48. | |
that the two points of order had to be made to get the Leader of the | :49:49. | :49:52. | |
House back on track. But surely it is detrimental to the interest of | :49:53. | :49:56. | |
this house and we have a debate about Parliamentary democracy itself | :49:57. | :50:01. | |
and descend into a tribal slamming match between the frontbenchers on | :50:02. | :50:06. | |
different aspects of Government policy or opposition policy full | :50:07. | :50:09. | |
stop that is not what this debate is about. It is not about a | :50:10. | :50:14. | |
Parliamentary game that we are playing. This is about democracy and | :50:15. | :50:21. | |
the ability of Parliament to hold Government to account. I to make | :50:22. | :50:23. | |
make a quick comment about the debate that was to have been held | :50:24. | :50:30. | |
tonight, the general debate on abuse of candidates in the general | :50:31. | :50:34. | |
election. Let me make this clear, I did make a short contribution to the | :50:35. | :50:37. | |
debate in Westminster Hall last week, I do believe that all it takes | :50:38. | :50:42. | |
for evil to prosper is for good people to do nothing. I am quite | :50:43. | :50:50. | |
ready to have a debate in the chamber on abuse generally in | :50:51. | :50:54. | |
society and abuse of politicians within political parties and outside | :50:55. | :50:57. | |
of them, but between them, but wouldn't not be a good idea that | :50:58. | :51:02. | |
members on the opposite benches would join with us on these benches | :51:03. | :51:07. | |
and develop a proper application to the Backbench Business Committee so | :51:08. | :51:10. | |
we can have that debate here which is truly based on the support on | :51:11. | :51:15. | |
both sides of the house such a topic to be discussed. The technicalities | :51:16. | :51:23. | |
that this debate is based upon are quite clear. It is about the number | :51:24. | :51:29. | |
of opposition day debates and backbench business debates and | :51:30. | :51:31. | |
Private Members Bills days which has been barely mentioned tonight | :51:32. | :51:39. | |
and it is also about the timeliness of the first opposition day debates. | :51:40. | :51:43. | |
I have looked at the House of Commons library research on this and | :51:44. | :51:49. | |
it is quite clear that this has a strong case. The records are | :51:50. | :51:53. | |
absolutely clear. The first session of the 1997 - 1998 Government which | :51:54. | :52:01. | |
lasted 18 months, there were 38 opposition day debates, 38. And the | :52:02. | :52:08. | |
average in terms of the first opposition day debates after a | :52:09. | :52:12. | |
general election in the last 7-8 years has been 22 days, 22 days, 14 | :52:13. | :52:18. | |
days. On that basis, we should have had that debate. | :52:19. | :52:25. | |
Following what she was saying closely, however strong the case the | :52:26. | :52:29. | |
opposition has made, does the honourable lady think it is wise to | :52:30. | :52:33. | |
ask for an emergency debate on a debate rather than on a specific and | :52:34. | :52:39. | |
urgent topic? I thank the honourable member for | :52:40. | :52:42. | |
the intervention at point has already been made this evening, but | :52:43. | :52:46. | |
the point is we are not getting the space necessary for us to raise | :52:47. | :52:51. | |
those important topics. Point of order. For the honourable | :52:52. | :52:58. | |
gentleman to question the ruling back nights debate is taking place a | :52:59. | :53:05. | |
urgent specific that is is that I do not think we need to worry about | :53:06. | :53:07. | |
that. Thank you Deputy Speaker. The | :53:08. | :53:14. | |
intervention fed into my next comment is that opposition days, | :53:15. | :53:20. | |
backbench committee days and Private Members Bills days are all very | :53:21. | :53:29. | |
important and the key means in this house of raising issues of concern | :53:30. | :53:34. | |
to our voters. And up is icily answers the members points. These | :53:35. | :53:41. | |
days give us a chance to affect real change to Government policy and yet | :53:42. | :53:46. | |
we only have 13 days allocated. The Backbench Business Committee is | :53:47. | :53:50. | |
crucial and will be crucial in this minority period, a period of | :53:51. | :53:56. | |
minority Government to develop relationships across party, | :53:57. | :53:59. | |
cross-party relationships, and the arguments necessary if we are going | :54:00. | :54:03. | |
to be effective as a parliament in affecting real change to Government | :54:04. | :54:10. | |
policy. Isn't the real reason for the | :54:11. | :54:13. | |
Government doing this is because these debates are though to bowl on. | :54:14. | :54:20. | |
What they are scared of is the number of individuals on the | :54:21. | :54:25. | |
backbenches doing what the member of Knowsley did quite a visit. | :54:26. | :54:31. | |
I quite agree with my honourable friend and I wanted to make that | :54:32. | :54:37. | |
point. The premise to said only two weeks ago that she wanted | :54:38. | :54:45. | |
cross-party working, a national consensus, consensus between the | :54:46. | :54:48. | |
parties in order to serve the national interest. The Government | :54:49. | :54:55. | |
has made a very poor start and the Government needs to show that it is | :54:56. | :55:00. | |
ready to use the mechanisms of the House to make that consensus if the | :55:01. | :55:05. | |
Government wants consensus, I am more than happy to play my part, but | :55:06. | :55:09. | |
you have to show that you mean business and the Government has to | :55:10. | :55:16. | |
show that it is ready to make it possible for a consensus to develop | :55:17. | :55:23. | |
and actually materialise in real meaningful terms in this chamber, | :55:24. | :55:26. | |
and we have seen very little evidence of that so far. I will | :55:27. | :55:31. | |
finish perhaps on a more controversial point, which is that I | :55:32. | :55:35. | |
believe that the Beale reason why we are seeing so little action from the | :55:36. | :55:41. | |
Government in terms of meaningful debate, opposition day debate and | :55:42. | :55:47. | |
legislation, no committee of selection, remember, so far. The | :55:48. | :55:50. | |
bill is coming to the floor of the house, it should not be on the floor | :55:51. | :55:53. | |
of the house. The reason we have got this is because the benches opposite | :55:54. | :56:00. | |
are absolutely desperate to avoid any kind of backbench instability in | :56:01. | :56:06. | |
the Commons and they do that because they are so worried about a future | :56:07. | :56:10. | |
of their own Prime Minister. The truth is you want the Government | :56:11. | :56:16. | |
frontbenchers to get beyond the conferences and gets beyond October | :56:17. | :56:20. | |
to be sure that they still have the Prime Minister in number ten and | :56:21. | :56:26. | |
they are absolutely desperate to avoid meaningful debates in this | :56:27. | :56:31. | |
house in order to shore up the position of the Government as it | :56:32. | :56:35. | |
stands now. That is an appalling abuse of Parliamentary democracy. It | :56:36. | :56:42. | |
is not in the national interest. When is this parliament going to | :56:43. | :56:44. | |
end? It is a pleasure to follow the | :56:45. | :56:58. | |
honourable member but I might refer back to one of the comments that she | :56:59. | :57:04. | |
made later but as she knows I very much respect, having sat on the | :57:05. | :57:08. | |
Council of Europe together. I would also like to compliment the | :57:09. | :57:16. | |
honourable member of Battersea for her maiden speech and also my | :57:17. | :57:21. | |
honourable friend from Angus who gave an absolutely wonderful speech. | :57:22. | :57:27. | |
It is so lovely to see another lovely young lady, a Scottish young | :57:28. | :57:31. | |
lady, in the House of Commons today so thank you for your contribution. | :57:32. | :57:38. | |
I find it surprising that I am speaking in this debate because I | :57:39. | :57:43. | |
wasn't going to but I read request come through and I thought I cannot | :57:44. | :57:48. | |
stop myself, I really must contribute. I am disappointed that | :57:49. | :57:56. | |
this debate is going to reduce the time or sadly we're not going to get | :57:57. | :58:02. | |
the debate to follow after this so I am quite sad about that. But I am | :58:03. | :58:07. | |
very surprised that the opposition brought this debate today. I will | :58:08. | :58:14. | |
make progress, thank you. Complaining about the time in which | :58:15. | :58:17. | |
the opposition has had to debate in the chamber, debate issues that are | :58:18. | :58:25. | |
important to them. Since the election, we have had six days of | :58:26. | :58:29. | |
Queen 's speech debate, which I know that many opposition members took | :58:30. | :58:33. | |
part in. So they have had a lot of opportunity to have their say. And | :58:34. | :58:39. | |
we have had numerous urgent questions involving current issues | :58:40. | :58:43. | |
or relevant matters to our constituents. Whilst I cannot speak | :58:44. | :58:49. | |
for prior to 2015, because that is when I was elected, I have looked | :58:50. | :58:52. | |
over the last two years and there have been a number of times when | :58:53. | :58:57. | |
have been debates surrounding government businesses around | :58:58. | :59:00. | |
important legislation with the business has not gone to school | :59:01. | :59:04. | |
debating time because there has been little appetite from the opposition | :59:05. | :59:13. | |
to join in. One time in particular takes me back. We had the children | :59:14. | :59:20. | |
in social work Bill, one of the biggest pieces of legislation around | :59:21. | :59:23. | |
children and social work in the Commons for a number of years. | :59:24. | :59:29. | |
Interestingly enough, again it was a piece of legislation that did not go | :59:30. | :59:35. | |
to its fool debating time. In its second or third readings. | :59:36. | :59:40. | |
Interestingly enough, when debating an amendment that was picked to gain | :59:41. | :59:47. | |
headlines in regards to unaccompanied minors, the chamber | :59:48. | :59:53. | |
was packed. As soon as the amendment was passed, the chamber emptied. In | :59:54. | :00:00. | |
fact, there was only one opposition member that spoke in the children | :00:01. | :00:10. | |
and social work Bill, that was covering advisers for care leavers, | :00:11. | :00:15. | |
adoption. Is it that the opposition didn't feel that those really key, | :00:16. | :00:20. | |
important issues in a massive piece of legislation in this house wasn't | :00:21. | :00:26. | |
going to quite grab the headlines? I do agree with my honourable friend | :00:27. | :00:33. | |
from Eastleigh that this is about political point scoring or trying to | :00:34. | :00:37. | |
grab headlines with a think it will matter. We have two years ahead of | :00:38. | :00:48. | |
us debating the biggest piece of legislation we've probably seen in | :00:49. | :00:51. | |
this Parliament for many, many years. Something that my | :00:52. | :00:57. | |
constituents are extremely concerned about, they are concerned about us | :00:58. | :01:02. | |
debating these issues properly and concerned that we get the right | :01:03. | :01:08. | |
legislation through this house. So it is absolutely correct that on | :01:09. | :01:12. | |
both sides of the house that must be the focus and we must have enough | :01:13. | :01:19. | |
time to debate that issue. The issues of Brexit, the laws that will | :01:20. | :01:24. | |
come through, the intricacies of what happens when we leave the | :01:25. | :01:30. | |
European Union. Really, I do think the opposition should get over | :01:31. | :01:43. | |
themselves a bit. As we have heard, there are 20 opposition days put | :01:44. | :01:53. | |
aside for the opposition, meaning 17 for the opposition to take part in. | :01:54. | :01:59. | |
I look forward to joining in those opposition debates when they occur. | :02:00. | :02:07. | |
But I will mention one thing. The honourable gentleman at the back who | :02:08. | :02:10. | |
has spent the whole of the debate being quite routes to not only the | :02:11. | :02:20. | |
Leader of the House but myself so what a shame... I give way. | :02:21. | :02:28. | |
I would just give some advice which is to look at the subject before you | :02:29. | :02:34. | |
speak. She says she is disappointing when back disappointed that this | :02:35. | :02:37. | |
debate is taking time away from the next debate but if she hadn't | :02:38. | :02:41. | |
actually given into the whips when asked to speak at this debate, | :02:42. | :02:44. | |
surely we would have had more time to speak in the next debate. | :02:45. | :02:59. | |
I'm very grateful for her giving away because I think she might like | :03:00. | :03:10. | |
to remember the honourable gentleman speaking for an hour to filibuster a | :03:11. | :03:14. | |
previous debate. I thank him that I would like to go | :03:15. | :03:18. | |
back to the intervention of the honourable gentleman. I am fully | :03:19. | :03:23. | |
aware of what this debate is about and that is why wanted to highlight | :03:24. | :03:27. | |
the poor performance of the opposition in the children and | :03:28. | :03:31. | |
social work Bill in this chamber. It was three debates in a subject I | :03:32. | :03:42. | |
very much care about. What was really depressing was that I had to | :03:43. | :03:46. | |
go back to those looked after children and say I am very sorry but | :03:47. | :03:50. | |
the Labour Party who say they represent you were not speaking up | :03:51. | :03:54. | |
for you in the chamber but it was the Conservatives. So I will make | :03:55. | :04:05. | |
that point. I shall carry on. I am looking forward to the next two | :04:06. | :04:11. | |
years and we will do what the British people want and that is | :04:12. | :04:16. | |
making sure that we deliver on Brexit. I suggest the Labour Party | :04:17. | :04:23. | |
should again get over themselves and recognise that they do have many | :04:24. | :04:27. | |
opportunities in this house to debate and contribute and really | :04:28. | :04:32. | |
should just get on with it and work with us to deliver what the British | :04:33. | :04:39. | |
people want. Can I first of all congratulate the | :04:40. | :04:46. | |
member for Angus, who I thought made a sterling, brilliant union speech | :04:47. | :04:50. | |
and I concurred with nearly everything she said in it, apart | :04:51. | :04:55. | |
from the political stuff, well, the party political stuff. And she is | :04:56. | :05:01. | |
not in her seat at the moment but the member for Battersea made an | :05:02. | :05:04. | |
exemplary speech and it is nice to hear a tribute to one's mother and I | :05:05. | :05:10. | |
think she did that very beautifully and elegantly. It is a shame to | :05:11. | :05:15. | |
follow the honourable lady for Rochester and Stroud because I am | :05:16. | :05:20. | |
rather fond of her, having spent some time there to contribute to the | :05:21. | :05:23. | |
Labour Party coming third in the by-election. She says Labour Party | :05:24. | :05:29. | |
have to get over themselves and get on with it. Yes, we would like to | :05:30. | :05:35. | |
get on with the business of opposition but we're not given the | :05:36. | :05:40. | |
days to do that. I do apologise to the Leader of the House. I was rude | :05:41. | :05:49. | |
to her earlier. I actually like the Leader of the House and there are | :05:50. | :05:52. | |
some things I want from her so I will be nice to her. I do apologise | :05:53. | :05:56. | |
but there are things I feel strongly about. You just need to bear in mind | :05:57. | :06:06. | |
that the power of Parliament in her executive is quite phenomenal. It is | :06:07. | :06:12. | |
said the government has complete control of the timetable. It gets to | :06:13. | :06:17. | |
control the day is given to opposition for Private Members' | :06:18. | :06:22. | |
Bills. Government business always takes precedence. Another amendment | :06:23. | :06:30. | |
says only the government can table motions on tax. We have no mechanism | :06:31. | :06:39. | |
for allocating money in this house. Another says we can only have the | :06:40. | :06:47. | |
government setting the programme motion. Even down to the | :06:48. | :06:51. | |
nitty-gritty of the Welsh grand committee, although the government | :06:52. | :06:55. | |
can table a motion understanding order 108 saying we can have a Welsh | :06:56. | :07:00. | |
grand committee and what it will debate. | :07:01. | :07:05. | |
I'm grateful to him who is also speaking through a hole in his head, | :07:06. | :07:11. | |
which is just a biological fact, and I don't think he -- I hope he | :07:12. | :07:18. | |
doesn't think I am being rude. The fundamental point of this debate is | :07:19. | :07:21. | |
the point of principle that the government has its way but the | :07:22. | :07:28. | |
opposition has its say. By denying the ratio of opposition days whilst | :07:29. | :07:34. | |
having its way about extending the length of the session to two years, | :07:35. | :07:39. | |
the government is breaching that fundamental principle. | :07:40. | :07:43. | |
We have had several sessions because of early general elections are | :07:44. | :07:50. | |
because of different start times. We didn't suddenly have 17 days because | :07:51. | :07:54. | |
that's the fixed number of days you have any session. Quite clearly, | :07:55. | :08:00. | |
since Richard Crossman introduced it in 1967, the whole ideas of the | :08:01. | :08:08. | |
change in supply days to opposition days was that the opposition have a | :08:09. | :08:11. | |
guaranteed fair amount of time throughout the year. It is not just | :08:12. | :08:15. | |
in standing orders. The government has absolute power to decide how | :08:16. | :08:23. | |
long a session is going to be. It is only in government hands, not in our | :08:24. | :08:28. | |
hands or the house's hands. He gets to decide when we will adjourn and | :08:29. | :08:34. | |
go into recess. Only its amendments will be considered when it comes to | :08:35. | :08:37. | |
report stage of the bill or are guaranteed to be considered. And | :08:38. | :08:44. | |
only it can table an amendment to standing orders and be certain they | :08:45. | :08:49. | |
are going to be debated. That is a phenomenal tying up of power in the | :08:50. | :08:53. | |
executive and the only thing we have in return for that is the | :08:54. | :08:58. | |
expectation that the Leader of the House and the government will | :08:59. | :09:00. | |
exercise fair play in relation to that. | :09:01. | :09:10. | |
Apologies for forgetting his constituency earlier. How could I | :09:11. | :09:14. | |
forget? One solution is that one way round this is that they could give | :09:15. | :09:22. | |
an allotted days. This is what they did in 2015 and 2017. It is also | :09:23. | :09:29. | |
what they did ten 2001. Could the ghettos and see how many they are | :09:30. | :09:35. | |
going to give? They could do that but the problem | :09:36. | :09:40. | |
with previous session is that we didn't know it was going to be a | :09:41. | :09:44. | |
two-year session until the session moved are long. -- along. I do think | :09:45. | :09:52. | |
it is an exact match for what we have now. I think any ordinary | :09:53. | :10:01. | |
member of the public would say that is what everybody would genuinely | :10:02. | :10:07. | |
expect and ice to the honourable member for Eastleigh and for | :10:08. | :10:11. | |
Rochester and Stroud is that they see all this stuff does not matter | :10:12. | :10:17. | |
and it is not about democracy. Remember in 1939 the back row in | :10:18. | :10:20. | |
this house was about whether the house shoot -- should adjourn in | :10:21. | :10:32. | |
August. That was the row, not whether -- about some grand piece of | :10:33. | :10:38. | |
legislation. One of the members who was killed very bravely in the | :10:39. | :10:42. | |
Second World War and has a shield up on the wall, he accused Chamberlain | :10:43. | :10:48. | |
of having ideas of dictatorship because he was using the undoubted | :10:49. | :10:53. | |
power that government had to decide when the adjournment was | :10:54. | :10:56. | |
anti-thought that was wrong, especially in the house, as it then | :10:57. | :11:05. | |
was, that was constituted largely of Conservative members. The move to | :11:06. | :11:08. | |
lots of secondary legislation might be OK if what the Brexit secretary | :11:09. | :11:14. | |
has regularly said in a house, namely that if a secondary piece of | :11:15. | :11:19. | |
legislation is prayed against, it will always come to the house, where | :11:20. | :11:26. | |
true but it is not. Since 2010 and 2016, there were 69 second pieces of | :11:27. | :11:32. | |
legislation tabled by the government that were prayed against by the | :11:33. | :11:37. | |
opposition and according to the David Davis rules should be | :11:38. | :11:40. | |
guaranteed there for a debate on the flood of the house. How many of | :11:41. | :11:46. | |
those got a debate and the house? Three out of 69. Just three in the | :11:47. | :11:54. | |
chamber. There were eight in committee. The debate in committee | :11:55. | :11:57. | |
was not on the merits. It was whether the matter had been | :11:58. | :11:59. | |
considered. So even if every single member of the committee had voted | :12:00. | :12:03. | |
no, it would have still gone through and gone onto the statute books. So | :12:04. | :12:08. | |
I say to the government, when you come forward the bill for the | :12:09. | :12:12. | |
European Union withdrawal bill, which was to give massive amounts of | :12:13. | :12:17. | |
secondary legislative power to the government, we are very sceptical. | :12:18. | :12:23. | |
That's when it starts to look like ideas of dictatorship, not because | :12:24. | :12:30. | |
of any of the individual members of government think of themselves as | :12:31. | :12:33. | |
dictators but because of the power this house is given to the | :12:34. | :12:36. | |
government over the years of every element of the agenda is so | :12:37. | :12:38. | |
important. I think severable people have made | :12:39. | :12:49. | |
their point about the opposition days, I say it is a vital difference | :12:50. | :12:54. | |
between hot air debate, which ends with a vote on whether or not we are | :12:55. | :12:59. | |
going to adjourn, as we had at the end of the was be debate, whether a | :13:00. | :13:04. | |
substantive motion on the order paper which has effect. Either | :13:05. | :13:08. | |
whether it is because it is legislation because it is in | :13:09. | :13:15. | |
opposition day debate. I remember having a majority losing it on the | :13:16. | :13:18. | |
Gurkhas. And that is what happened in relation to the Gurkhas. Several | :13:19. | :13:23. | |
other us who have scars from that debate. But in the end, Government | :13:24. | :13:28. | |
cannot always run away from those kind of debates and I'd just say to | :13:29. | :13:31. | |
the honourable members opposite that there has to come a point where the | :13:32. | :13:36. | |
whole house has to consider the long-term future of the way we do | :13:37. | :13:40. | |
our business, not just the partisan advantage up today. I do not doubt | :13:41. | :13:45. | |
that the Government but a smack I will not if she does not mind. She | :13:46. | :13:56. | |
says she has a very good point, so I will give way. | :13:57. | :14:01. | |
He is very kind. As a father frontbenchers Leader of the | :14:02. | :14:03. | |
Opposition to the leader of the hives, if I have got that title | :14:04. | :14:09. | |
right, I enjoyed his speeches. I was just wondering whether his | :14:10. | :14:13. | |
constituents in Rhondda really think that the time that this house is | :14:14. | :14:16. | |
debating Parliamentary business is what we should be discussing in our | :14:17. | :14:23. | |
last week of session when I also mentioned that jobs, opportunities, | :14:24. | :14:28. | |
schools are what really matters. There are lots and lots of things we | :14:29. | :14:34. | |
should debate. I would like a debate in Government time opposition time, | :14:35. | :14:37. | |
I do not mind, but with a convertible issue on was before stop | :14:38. | :14:43. | |
I hope to persuade her in that division lobby because I say to her | :14:44. | :14:47. | |
that you can have as many warm words as you'd want, but if you do not | :14:48. | :14:53. | |
vote in the end, our constituents will feel fundamentally lets down. I | :14:54. | :14:57. | |
would say to honourable members opposite you are better having that | :14:58. | :15:00. | |
debate sooner rather than later otherwise you will have lots of | :15:01. | :15:05. | |
upsets people. If the Government had a programme, I would be happy for us | :15:06. | :15:11. | |
to debates about, but there is no legislation. The Leader of the House | :15:12. | :15:15. | |
refers to the air travel organisers licensing bill. That is not a bell. | :15:16. | :15:22. | |
That is barely a clause in a bill. As my honourable friend said, we | :15:23. | :15:25. | |
have debated on the floor of the house because they have not set of | :15:26. | :15:28. | |
the committee of selection so we can have a proper debate to debate the | :15:29. | :15:34. | |
thing. I say to the members, I do not doubt that the Government has | :15:35. | :15:37. | |
the power to do these things, but I do not longer fear it has the | :15:38. | :15:41. | |
authority to do these things will stop every day it abuses the power, | :15:42. | :15:47. | |
it diminishes its own authority and every day that it stretches the gap | :15:48. | :15:52. | |
between its power and authority, it abandons Government by consent and | :15:53. | :15:57. | |
lapses into ideas of dictatorship. That is why the Government is wrong. | :15:58. | :16:05. | |
In some ways I feel that Christmas has come early because here we are | :16:06. | :16:09. | |
with three hours to debate Parliamentary procedure, one of my | :16:10. | :16:14. | |
favourite activities indeed. I look forward to estimating in Somerset | :16:15. | :16:17. | |
and talking with my family about all the intricacies of standing orders, | :16:18. | :16:22. | |
so I feel in many ways fortunate and I has been a happy and fortunate | :16:23. | :16:28. | |
debate with two brilliant maiden speeches. My honourable friend, the | :16:29. | :16:33. | |
member for Angus, constituency I have had the privilege of visiting | :16:34. | :16:38. | |
and know its beauties, and the case that the union perfectly and should | :16:39. | :16:44. | |
be hired by her tourist boards doing further visits. The honourable lady, | :16:45. | :16:48. | |
the member for Battersea was so generous to her predecessor, which I | :16:49. | :16:52. | |
think is one of the great charms of maiden speeches that we do recognise | :16:53. | :16:59. | |
in them, if only briefly, that people on the other side and all | :17:00. | :17:02. | |
barred, and it is very charming that that is done and I think the | :17:03. | :17:06. | |
honourable lady did it well particularly well. I want to move on | :17:07. | :17:13. | |
to this important subject of standing order 14 and I have much | :17:14. | :17:20. | |
sympathy that the member for Rhondda said in a very well considered | :17:21. | :17:24. | |
speech that it is the job of those of us on the backbenches to hold the | :17:25. | :17:28. | |
Government to account, and the job of holding the executive to account | :17:29. | :17:32. | |
is not just one of the opposition benches, it is one for Government | :17:33. | :17:36. | |
benches as well, our Constitution works if it is balanced and if the | :17:37. | :17:42. | |
Government has to make its case and its arguments. But and why I think | :17:43. | :17:52. | |
this debate here misfires is the opposition has come to this too | :17:53. | :17:57. | |
early, too soon in the Parliament and has given an urgency to it but | :17:58. | :18:03. | |
it does not deserve. In an intervention I made earlier, I | :18:04. | :18:06. | |
questioned whether it was wise to have asked for this debate. Not | :18:07. | :18:14. | |
whether it was wise to give it. I believe that standing orders, | :18:15. | :18:21. | |
Standing Order No. 24 is an exceptionally valuable tool, and I'm | :18:22. | :18:24. | |
glad the Mr Speaker is back in the chair because the more it is used, | :18:25. | :18:31. | |
the better. It allows this House... Hansard will show that is not what | :18:32. | :18:36. | |
he said earlier on. Standing Order No. 24 puts the onus completely in | :18:37. | :18:41. | |
the hands of the Speaker to decide whether or not the matter is an | :18:42. | :18:45. | |
urgent matter and the motion does not proceed if the Speaker does not | :18:46. | :18:52. | |
believe it is an urgent matter. Requesting the debate, not of | :18:53. | :18:57. | |
granting it, and that is a very different distinction, because I | :18:58. | :19:00. | |
believe it is of the greatest importance that the Speaker, if | :19:01. | :19:05. | |
asked for an emergency debate by the formal opposition, should in almost | :19:06. | :19:11. | |
all circumstances granted. The reason I think that is because that | :19:12. | :19:15. | |
is an important way for holding the Government to account and in | :19:16. | :19:21. | |
convincing the Government. As it was said earlier, Standing Order No. 14 | :19:22. | :19:25. | |
gives enormous power to the Government to set out the business | :19:26. | :19:29. | |
of this house, but there will be opportunities and their need to be | :19:30. | :19:32. | |
opportunities when urgent matters are brought before it, but there, | :19:33. | :19:36. | |
the opposition must be wise in what it asks for. I give way. | :19:37. | :19:43. | |
Give you has put on record that he thinks the Speaker should in almost | :19:44. | :19:46. | |
all circumstances give way to a Standing Order No. 24 request from | :19:47. | :19:50. | |
the opposition, I look forward to his support for the future | :19:51. | :19:53. | |
applications that the opposition will have to make because of the | :19:54. | :19:55. | |
lack of time for opposition day debates. | :19:56. | :19:59. | |
But that is where I think the opposition has misfired to | :20:00. | :20:05. | |
everything there is, a season and a time to any time, but this is not | :20:06. | :20:13. | |
the season, not the time. There is so much that is going on of general | :20:14. | :20:20. | |
urgency, and this strikes me as fiddling whilst Brussels burns. We | :20:21. | :20:26. | |
have this massive Brexit debates to consider, we have still a huge | :20:27. | :20:31. | |
deficit to be debated, we have that great housing crisis that has been | :20:32. | :20:35. | |
so starkly board to our attention because of what happened at the | :20:36. | :20:39. | |
Grenfell Tower, and what is Her Majesty 's loyal opposition ask for? | :20:40. | :20:43. | |
It asks for a debate on standing orders, a debate on a debate on a | :20:44. | :20:52. | |
debate a debate on conversation. Can this be what is what is most urgency | :20:53. | :20:58. | |
to us today? It is a question of proportionality, and the honourable | :20:59. | :21:02. | |
gentleman for the Rhondda made so many important points about how this | :21:03. | :21:07. | |
house has limited powers to hold a strong Government to account and how | :21:08. | :21:14. | |
it should do that. But to do it a few days into the beginning of a | :21:15. | :21:18. | |
session, before there has been any real opportunity to discover whether | :21:19. | :21:23. | |
there will be opposition days well before it is decided whether there | :21:24. | :21:26. | |
will be conditional days give them because it is a two-year session, I | :21:27. | :21:31. | |
have no doubt that the days will be given, and indeed, if we get a year | :21:32. | :21:37. | |
from now and the 20 days have been used up and the Government said that | :21:38. | :21:41. | |
and stands there and comes to the box and says there will be no days, | :21:42. | :21:45. | |
I will be on the side of the opposition, I will support the | :21:46. | :21:48. | |
opposition in asking for a proportional share juror in the | :21:49. | :21:52. | |
second year of the session. That would be only right. I would also be | :21:53. | :21:57. | |
in favour of the extra three days for the Scottish National Party | :21:58. | :21:59. | |
because that is what this Parliament ought to do. But that is where the | :22:00. | :22:04. | |
honourable lady, the shadow leader has misfired. This is too soon, too | :22:05. | :22:11. | |
early, it is not genuinely urgent, that the opportunity... | :22:12. | :22:22. | |
Maybe it is too early, but he will know that with previous parliaments | :22:23. | :22:26. | |
how ensuring the select amenities and standing committees up and | :22:27. | :22:30. | |
running and opposition debates were clap since. This is unusual after 18 | :22:31. | :22:34. | |
days and after four weeks. He must have some concerns about that. | :22:35. | :22:41. | |
I thank the honourable gentleman is being premature. The issue is the | :22:42. | :22:49. | |
month lost between May and June that we have got to a Fixed-term | :22:50. | :22:52. | |
Parliaments Act, we have got to having elections in May, therefore | :22:53. | :22:56. | |
we expect these things to be up in running in running in time for the | :22:57. | :23:00. | |
summer recess. I accept that. But that misses the point that the | :23:01. | :23:05. | |
election was not on a Fixed-term Parliaments Act normal procedure. It | :23:06. | :23:08. | |
was under the extraordinary procedure. We've assembled a month | :23:09. | :23:12. | |
later, therefore closer to the summer recess and the presence of | :23:13. | :23:17. | |
electing select committee members takes a little time and I think the | :23:18. | :23:22. | |
opposition is simply being unreasonable. People were having | :23:23. | :23:26. | |
this debate in our session in September, they would have a fair | :23:27. | :23:30. | |
point. It would having it in October, they would have an | :23:31. | :23:33. | |
outrageous point if they had not got any opposition day debates by then. | :23:34. | :23:41. | |
But this has hardly begun, it is in its infancy, it is like my newborn | :23:42. | :23:46. | |
son, it is like the mewling and peaking stage, it is not reached the | :23:47. | :23:50. | |
stage of toggling and walking and taking bold steps,... I will give | :23:51. | :23:57. | |
way. Busy not agree that when you raise a | :23:58. | :24:02. | |
child, one must try an instruction that child is on good behaviour from | :24:03. | :24:06. | |
the very beginning and not let it this behave early on and therefore | :24:07. | :24:12. | |
our role is to make sure that the Government does not misbehave early | :24:13. | :24:18. | |
run. He is a harsher authoritarian than I | :24:19. | :24:22. | |
am! I think that strict discipline of a child, yes a fortnight low old, | :24:23. | :24:27. | |
maybe unreasonable by any standards, I'm just glad I am not in his | :24:28. | :24:32. | |
household as an infant. But this isn't too early that might this is | :24:33. | :24:40. | |
too early and the problem is that it stops looking at the things of real | :24:41. | :24:43. | |
gravity. We are looking at them in certain time as I can think of. | :24:44. | :24:47. | |
There is so much of gravity that we need to grapple with. When I said | :24:48. | :24:52. | |
that I think that I hope that he will grant any reasonable request by | :24:53. | :24:56. | |
the opposition Standing Order No. 24 debate, there are so many things | :24:57. | :25:00. | |
they could have asked for. The honourable lady in her opening | :25:01. | :25:03. | |
speech listed about a dozen things that could have been debated, and in | :25:04. | :25:09. | |
one of those had been the request for a Standing Order No. 24, it | :25:10. | :25:12. | |
would have been an absolutely sensible thing and added distinction | :25:13. | :25:22. | |
and backtrack into this Parliament. Discussing the intricacies of | :25:23. | :25:29. | |
procedure when so much is going on is not in June with the nation, is | :25:30. | :25:37. | |
not opportunism, and if they can, withdraw the motion. I am delighted | :25:38. | :25:47. | |
to be able to speak what I believe is an important debate I would like | :25:48. | :25:51. | |
to thank you for granting it and thank my member for was of South for | :25:52. | :25:55. | |
bringing it. I would like to follow everyone else in congratulating the | :25:56. | :25:59. | |
new burgers for Angus South and my honourable friend for Battersea who | :26:00. | :26:06. | |
have made superb and notable maiden speeches, but I would like to | :26:07. | :26:10. | |
confine my remarks to the procedural debate and the arguments in that we | :26:11. | :26:16. | |
are putting forward which I think are solid and sound, and I would | :26:17. | :26:21. | |
like to start by pointing out that the result of this general election | :26:22. | :26:27. | |
has changed the role of this chamber, power has shifted from the | :26:28. | :26:33. | |
executive to Parliament, there have been few times when we as | :26:34. | :26:39. | |
backbenchers have had a greater ability to influence and shape | :26:40. | :26:40. | |
Government policy. It all very well members suggesting | :26:41. | :26:48. | |
that this is a needless debate, I don't think that's true, you can | :26:49. | :26:52. | |
stretch the truth thin enough but when you do that people can see | :26:53. | :26:56. | |
through it. It is true that there has been a lack of time allocated to | :26:57. | :27:03. | |
Private Members' Bills and to opposition bids. People can see that | :27:04. | :27:11. | |
that is an attempt to stifle the rule and influences chamber. I | :27:12. | :27:16. | |
sincerely hope that backbench MPs of all parties can see that. At the | :27:17. | :27:23. | |
Prime Minister 's recent relaunch, she reached out to the Labour Party | :27:24. | :27:28. | |
asking us to contribute and not just criticised. That is a worthy | :27:29. | :27:38. | |
sentiment, and while a way disagree the Prime Minister 's attempt was an | :27:39. | :27:45. | |
attempt to try and stifle the backbench voice in this chamber. I'm | :27:46. | :27:52. | |
willing to work with parliamentary I would never vote to cut workers | :27:53. | :27:56. | |
right or privatise even more of our public services, however, and I | :27:57. | :28:03. | |
accept that I will be unable to convert many in the Conservative | :28:04. | :28:08. | |
Party of the benefits of re-nationalising our Railways, | :28:09. | :28:14. | |
abolishing university tuition fees, although I think there are many | :28:15. | :28:17. | |
sound ordinance are doing such, or increasing spending on social care | :28:18. | :28:25. | |
or another public services. However, there are areas of consensus and | :28:26. | :28:33. | |
issues which can bridge politics. I had rather hope that the public | :28:34. | :28:37. | |
sector pay cap would be searching issue. I had hoped that some members | :28:38. | :28:41. | |
opposite would be equally as outraged at the cat Chancellor's | :28:42. | :28:47. | |
comment, or alleged comments, widely reported about public sector workers | :28:48. | :28:55. | |
being overpaid and receiving a premium. I would like the Chancellor | :28:56. | :29:01. | |
to tell that to the student nurse who contacted me over the weekend | :29:02. | :29:07. | |
facing the prospect of sleeping in a colleague's card because the Renaud | :29:08. | :29:11. | |
trains following the end of her night shift. I do hope eventually we | :29:12. | :29:19. | |
will get there and we will see a lifting of the pay cap. If not from | :29:20. | :29:27. | |
members opposite, maybe members of the DUP tint exert their influence | :29:28. | :29:33. | |
and give the public sector workers the pay rise that they deserve. In | :29:34. | :29:40. | |
all honesty, I think there is little prospect of the Prime Minister ever | :29:41. | :29:45. | |
listening to a lowly backbencher, particularly of the socialist, | :29:46. | :29:52. | |
trading in supporting backbench Labour MP like myself. But maybe | :29:53. | :29:55. | |
there is more chance of reaching other Bath and shows, not just did | :29:56. | :30:05. | |
criticise, members and right honourable member have made | :30:06. | :30:08. | |
reference to the West Mr Hall debate on the 5th of July about the women's | :30:09. | :30:14. | |
state pension age and the Waspy campaign. It was well intended bat | :30:15. | :30:22. | |
attended the chamber was packed and it was dominated by members of the | :30:23. | :30:29. | |
opposition party and the SNP, but there were a sizeable number of | :30:30. | :30:33. | |
Conservative members president, too. There are excellent contribution by | :30:34. | :30:39. | |
members from every party, who recognised that there was a clear in | :30:40. | :30:44. | |
justice have occurred and that the government should take steps to put | :30:45. | :30:49. | |
things right. The government's response range from reticent to | :30:50. | :30:58. | |
ridiculous. I would urge members to listen to the Parliament three | :30:59. | :31:09. | |
comments of the... He's a decent individual, that really is quite an | :31:10. | :31:16. | |
outrageous suggestion that women be forced to wait longer for their | :31:17. | :31:20. | |
state pensions and the suggestion that they should be offered | :31:21. | :31:26. | |
apprenticeships. The members who weren't here, I've never heard | :31:27. | :31:29. | |
anything like the gasps and cries that I heard from the gallery. He | :31:30. | :31:37. | |
did a disservice to the women and I think he did a disservice to the | :31:38. | :31:40. | |
Conservative Party and the government. To be candid I don't | :31:41. | :31:46. | |
have a great deal of interest in the reputation and popularity of the | :31:47. | :31:50. | |
Conservative Party, I don't think you are like many of us in labour | :31:51. | :31:55. | |
to. I would hope that privately many may disagree with the government's | :31:56. | :31:59. | |
position in relation to this, and strongly believe that action should | :32:00. | :32:04. | |
be taken to right that wrong. As backbenchers, we don't have a voice | :32:05. | :32:08. | |
in this Parliament -- we don't only have a Parliament -- a voice in this | :32:09. | :32:13. | |
Parliament we have an ability to share in policy, and in this case, | :32:14. | :32:19. | |
improve the rights of millions of constituents up and down this | :32:20. | :32:25. | |
country. I don't want to have a rehash of the debate, but I'm trying | :32:26. | :32:28. | |
to illustrate that the Member for North East Somerset and his | :32:29. | :32:38. | |
contribution about the fact that we could be addressing important | :32:39. | :32:40. | |
issues. This is critical we seem to be getting involved, in this | :32:41. | :32:45. | |
session, with all due respect to the leader and the government who | :32:46. | :32:51. | |
determine the business, it often seems to be a displacement activity. | :32:52. | :32:54. | |
We're debating the same things over and over again when we don't have a | :32:55. | :33:00. | |
resolution, we simply can't move forward. I think we need to demand | :33:01. | :33:14. | |
that they do something and that where there is consensus, where | :33:15. | :33:18. | |
there are sensible policies are built raised by honourable members | :33:19. | :33:22. | |
from any party, I would like to give an assurance that I will give them | :33:23. | :33:26. | |
my full consideration and I do hope that others would do the same. So, I | :33:27. | :33:30. | |
would ask members opposite to recognise that they have the power | :33:31. | :33:35. | |
to change the demand, they have the power to demand change for the Waspy | :33:36. | :33:46. | |
woman. We will have two demand and obtain a meaningful vote on the | :33:47. | :33:49. | |
floor of this House. I know that the changes we can achieve will be | :33:50. | :33:54. | |
determined by the those who bring the Conservative whip, but as | :33:55. | :33:58. | |
backbench MPs, in the last Parliament, we only had a voice. The | :33:59. | :34:03. | |
arithmetic is changed. In this Parliament we have the power, if we | :34:04. | :34:08. | |
choose to exercise it, that this is one campaign where I'm there we have | :34:09. | :34:14. | |
the numbers. We'll be honourable members be able to identify other | :34:15. | :34:18. | |
issues are concerns, I know I've got a whole bagful in relation to homes | :34:19. | :34:24. | |
and communities, regeneration trust and so on, but there may be a basis | :34:25. | :34:29. | |
for consensus where we can achieve policy changes. If, as I suspect, we | :34:30. | :34:36. | |
have a government, we have a legislature, that does not wish to | :34:37. | :34:39. | |
legislate I would like to urge by employing all members to make this | :34:40. | :34:49. | |
Parliament the backbench Parliament. Two thank you Mr Speaker calling me | :34:50. | :34:53. | |
to take part in this debate. I love processing procedure I don't think | :34:54. | :34:58. | |
it is something to be derided or criticised. No apologies from Mr | :34:59. | :35:10. | |
Speaker I am delighted that we have such experts in this place an | :35:11. | :35:14. | |
processing procedure. Of course, I know very little about it, but my | :35:15. | :35:18. | |
honour roll friend from North East Somerset is an expert, as are you Mr | :35:19. | :35:22. | |
Speaker, in the Joe debate. So, I don't want to sound like a crashing | :35:23. | :35:29. | |
bore, in much of my maiden speech in my fourth Parliament, which is quite | :35:30. | :35:35. | |
impressive that I think. For Parliament, I'm leaving in the right | :35:36. | :35:40. | |
direction. -- four Parliament I'm moving in the right direction. I'm | :35:41. | :35:51. | |
wished to make it clear that a maiden speech is only a maiden | :35:52. | :35:53. | |
speech in your first parliament and therefore you're allowed to be | :35:54. | :35:58. | |
interrupted in further parliaments. My honourable friend has made that | :35:59. | :36:06. | |
point as only he can. The speech was a Unionist speech and she touched on | :36:07. | :36:15. | |
a project the world that I love, it's a brutal country. My honourable | :36:16. | :36:18. | |
friend will be a fantastic representative for the constituency, | :36:19. | :36:20. | |
and though not in place, the honourable agent -- member from | :36:21. | :36:30. | |
Battersea made a wonderful speech as well. I was a councillor in | :36:31. | :36:36. | |
Battersea for four years, it seemed longer than that, I was a councillor | :36:37. | :36:39. | |
for the most famous and celebrated water balance -- water Battersea, | :36:40. | :36:47. | |
and that was Balham. I would just like to say this to conclude my | :36:48. | :36:51. | |
brief remarks, is a better government of whatever colour to be | :36:52. | :36:58. | |
generous. To be magnanimous. Now, generosity in this place, as you | :36:59. | :37:03. | |
will know, Mr Speaker, is often abused but it is never despised. So, | :37:04. | :37:08. | |
my plea to government is as we go forward, please be generous in your | :37:09. | :37:14. | |
approach to the opposition benches. You will be on the side of the | :37:15. | :37:22. | |
angels if you are. Thank you Mr Speaker for calling me Mr Speaker. I | :37:23. | :37:30. | |
would like to commend the members for Angus in Battersea for their | :37:31. | :37:38. | |
speeches. I also would like to share with the member Battersea lab is one | :37:39. | :37:44. | |
of the unexpected winners. I have sometimes been a bit disappointed by | :37:45. | :37:49. | |
my experiences as a new member of Parliament. The first I commented | :37:50. | :37:56. | |
on, indeed, was the lack of answers to questions and the inability to | :37:57. | :37:58. | |
hear either in Prime Minister's Questions. In the eight-week that I | :37:59. | :38:02. | |
made on that subject was viewed over half a million times and retweeted | :38:03. | :38:11. | |
by the public. I had to take part in this new memory that the ability to | :38:12. | :38:19. | |
do anything substantive interlocutor is adding to that does apartment. | :38:20. | :38:25. | |
Because, I Mr Speaker have always looked in politics since childhood | :38:26. | :38:28. | |
is as a route to achieving change in this country. And I, like many other | :38:29. | :38:32. | |
members in this House, have worked hard election after election four | :38:33. | :38:36. | |
years and years to be in the fortunate position to have been | :38:37. | :38:41. | |
elected to this chamber to try and achieve that change. Like the | :38:42. | :38:45. | |
children's novel, the wonderful Wizard of Oz, I always assumed that | :38:46. | :38:51. | |
if I made it to the end of that yellow Brick road, to displace, that | :38:52. | :38:56. | |
I might find the wonderful wizard of government. Instead, Mr Speaker, | :38:57. | :39:00. | |
much like Dorothy and her obviously disappointed dog, Todo, toe I have | :39:01. | :39:09. | |
found no leadership mandate or stature but instead behind the | :39:10. | :39:12. | |
curtain have found a group of middle aged men protecting their egos in a | :39:13. | :39:15. | |
bid to take over from a lame-duck Prime Minister. Blue macro may I | :39:16. | :39:25. | |
just challenged whether the did the middle honourable gentleman just | :39:26. | :39:31. | |
gone a middle-aged man just then? I have not, that would be a serious | :39:32. | :39:36. | |
error. Although I'm sure the honourable gentleman is not the | :39:37. | :39:41. | |
accusing the Leader of the House of being a middle-aged man and if he | :39:42. | :39:44. | |
can confirm consists confirm order will be served. Blue macro I would | :39:45. | :39:51. | |
not pass the Leader of the House I would not last the Leader of the | :39:52. | :39:59. | |
House in that category. At a time, Mr Speaker, when Britain faces | :40:00. | :40:03. | |
arguably the most challenging of times since the Second World War, | :40:04. | :40:07. | |
with decisions taken here in this Parliament is deciding what type of | :40:08. | :40:10. | |
country Britain will be for the next generation, it seems to me that this | :40:11. | :40:13. | |
government needs to step up to allow cat ability and opposition. As my | :40:14. | :40:19. | |
honourable colleague said this debate is about the lack of time | :40:20. | :40:23. | |
given to us with Opposition Day motions and backbench business | :40:24. | :40:28. | |
debate singing in very short supply on the basis of simple parliamentary | :40:29. | :40:33. | |
mathematics. And for many members opposite, who no doubt campaigned to | :40:34. | :40:39. | |
take back control and to argue for parliamentary sovereignty in this | :40:40. | :40:42. | |
place, they will no doubt share my concern that people such as the | :40:43. | :40:49. | |
father parliamentary constitutional theory would be turning in his grave | :40:50. | :40:54. | |
that the idea and the theories from which he built on Montesquieu about | :40:55. | :40:59. | |
the separation from powers, the balance of power, is that between | :41:00. | :41:07. | |
the executive and legislature, by not allowing for this ability for | :41:08. | :41:14. | |
this legislation to hold the government to account that that | :41:15. | :41:16. | |
balance is not allowed for and therefore the dating back control to | :41:17. | :41:23. | |
this Parliament is indeed in failure. The government is entirely | :41:24. | :41:27. | |
consumed with its chaotic management the Brexit, seemingly more | :41:28. | :41:30. | |
interested in self-preservation than the national interest. It seems to | :41:31. | :41:37. | |
me that must be left to the accident that matter opposition to act as a | :41:38. | :41:39. | |
Parliament with a mandate from government in its manifesto to | :41:40. | :41:44. | |
ensure proper debate about the issues that my constituents are | :41:45. | :41:47. | |
concerned about. There I say that it is no longer acceptable for a minute | :41:48. | :41:51. | |
is just to stand up and say everything will be fine, we are a | :41:52. | :41:57. | |
great nation, because bind... Brian Patrick isn't attaching the world | :41:58. | :42:00. | |
will only show us as a country that is out of touch and out of control. | :42:01. | :42:05. | |
That is why we must allow proper time and proper types to debate in | :42:06. | :42:09. | |
this House, to help the government understand the reality of it in | :42:10. | :42:13. | |
action. My frustration at the news yesterday was a prime example. | :42:14. | :42:19. | |
That frustration may have been calmed, Mr Speaker, by the knowledge | :42:20. | :42:24. | |
that I would have the opportunity to debate the issues of the day in a | :42:25. | :42:29. | |
grown up, professional and respectful fashion in this House. In | :42:30. | :42:33. | |
the way that my constituents expect of us and for the reasons they | :42:34. | :42:37. | |
elected us to this House in the first place. But that very normal of | :42:38. | :42:43. | |
asks seems to be being thwarted by the Government and so it is with | :42:44. | :42:46. | |
great disappointment that I find myself having to make this speech in | :42:47. | :42:50. | |
support of the motion from my honourable friend, arguing for what | :42:51. | :42:54. | |
should be normal Parliamentary debate in this Parliament. So, | :42:55. | :42:58. | |
whilst you may not be able to resolve my disappointment, Mr | :42:59. | :43:01. | |
Speaker, at what I found behind the curtain of power, I would hope this | :43:02. | :43:06. | |
House puts national interest above power games and party political | :43:07. | :43:09. | |
concerns and allows the proper time for debate and scrutiny. Thank you, | :43:10. | :43:18. | |
Mr Speaker. It's a pleasure to follow the honourable gentleman. I'm | :43:19. | :43:23. | |
also, like other honourable members in this House, disappointed that | :43:24. | :43:27. | |
this debate has eaten into time we might have used for the debate on | :43:28. | :43:33. | |
abuse and intimidation of candidates in the public during the election | :43:34. | :43:36. | |
campaign. Particularly at the weekend, I was trying tone joy quiet | :43:37. | :43:40. | |
time my family, a member of the public went to the extent of getting | :43:41. | :43:43. | |
my private number to phone me up to tell me she disliked me so much and | :43:44. | :43:47. | |
what I stood for that she wasn't surprised I got death threats that. | :43:48. | :43:51. | |
Was a charming start to the weekend with my family. Mr Speaker, this is | :43:52. | :43:56. | |
also an important debate and it's also an important matter that we | :43:57. | :44:01. | |
look at the scheduling of Parliamentary business or rather the | :44:02. | :44:06. | |
lack of scheduling of Parliamentary business before the recess. During | :44:07. | :44:10. | |
the debate, we've had two excellent maiden speeches one from the | :44:11. | :44:15. | |
honourable lady, the new member for Angus, an accomplished speech and | :44:16. | :44:20. | |
I'd like to thank her for the gracious comments she made about our | :44:21. | :44:25. | |
friend and colleague, our previous Chief Whip. I respect her Unionist | :44:26. | :44:29. | |
views and I hope she will respect my wishes for our country to be | :44:30. | :44:32. | |
independent in due course. She's keen for the SNP to take | :44:33. | :44:34. | |
independence off the table, according to what she says were the | :44:35. | :44:38. | |
wishes of her constituents in 2014. But I would remind her that last | :44:39. | :44:42. | |
year, her constituents voted by a significant majority to remain part | :44:43. | :44:45. | |
of the European Union so she might also like to ask the Government to | :44:46. | :44:49. | |
take Brexit off the table if she's so keen on her constituents' wishes. | :44:50. | :44:57. | |
We also had a fantastic maiden speech from the honourable member | :44:58. | :45:04. | |
from Battersea. I find a fascinating history of her admirably diverse | :45:05. | :45:07. | |
constituency of Battersea and a moving tribute to her mother for | :45:08. | :45:10. | |
assisting her in the battle with her disability. I'm sure she will be a | :45:11. | :45:17. | |
fantastic advocate in this House for those of our constituents who have | :45:18. | :45:19. | |
to deal with disability in their life. Mr Speaker, there can be no | :45:20. | :45:25. | |
doubt that as other honourable members have already said, this | :45:26. | :45:29. | |
Government seems to be running scared of scrutiny and indeed, the | :45:30. | :45:34. | |
very reason why we had an unnecessary general election, four | :45:35. | :45:39. | |
or five weeks ago, was because the prm wanted to a-- Prime Minister | :45:40. | :45:42. | |
wanted to avoid execute any by getting an enormous majority so this | :45:43. | :45:46. | |
House wouldn't work effectively to scrutinise her. She didn't get her | :45:47. | :45:49. | |
wishes. Now we have a hung Parliament, where there is the | :45:50. | :45:53. | |
possibility of true scrutiny. But she need not despair. Because she | :45:54. | :46:03. | |
need only Look North to Holyrood for a minority Government bringing | :46:04. | :46:08. | |
forward a full programme in its first year, including ground | :46:09. | :46:21. | |
breaking on child poverty. It seems that the Prime Minister is running | :46:22. | :46:26. | |
rather short of ideas and indeed, those of us who fought Tory | :46:27. | :46:29. | |
candidates, as I did, successfully I'm glad to say, in the general | :46:30. | :46:32. | |
election in Scotland will be aware that the Tories in Scotland had only | :46:33. | :46:37. | |
one policy and people are beginning to wonder what the Tory Party stands | :46:38. | :46:42. | |
for? What are they here to do? What is this Government existing to do | :46:43. | :46:47. | |
other than to take Britain out of the European Union, in the most | :46:48. | :46:55. | |
inane and hapless fashion possible. A particular question is - what are | :46:56. | :46:58. | |
the new Scottish Conservative members of Parliament going to do in | :46:59. | :47:02. | |
this Parliament to scrutinise the Government? What are they going to | :47:03. | :47:06. | |
do with their time here? Clearly, the Prime Minister's estimation of | :47:07. | :47:11. | |
their abilities is such that she's had to ennoble one of their | :47:12. | :47:15. | |
colleagues, defeated by my honourable friend, the member for | :47:16. | :47:19. | |
Perth, and shove him into the House of Lords to be a minister because | :47:20. | :47:23. | |
she doesn't think the Tory MPs are up to it. I do wonder if she's right | :47:24. | :47:30. | |
as they have shown a remarkable ignorance of the difference between | :47:31. | :47:33. | |
devolved and reserved powers, rather like the drafters of the EU | :47:34. | :47:36. | |
withdrawal bill, it seems. I'd like to make a generous offer that I | :47:37. | :47:43. | |
would be very happy to recommend an undergraduate law student from my | :47:44. | :47:48. | |
alma mater to give a ewe tore on the difference between -- ewe tore on | :47:49. | :47:53. | |
the difference between the two powers -- tutorial. It's quite | :47:54. | :47:58. | |
possible we can inflict a Government defeat if that what we chose to do. | :47:59. | :48:01. | |
They said they would work for Scotland's interest. Does she recall | :48:02. | :48:05. | |
and remember exactly what they did in response to the appalling deal | :48:06. | :48:12. | |
put forward to this Democratic Unionist Party? I do. And somebody | :48:13. | :48:18. | |
who is LGBT, I find the deal with the DUP particularly obnoxious. It's | :48:19. | :48:25. | |
everyone's human rights, women's reproductive rights generally, the | :48:26. | :48:28. | |
honourable gentleman shouts at me to give over, but human rights are | :48:29. | :48:31. | |
important to some of us in this House. I'm happy to tell him I'm not | :48:32. | :48:35. | |
going to give over about human rights. My honourable friend raised | :48:36. | :48:38. | |
the issue what have are the Conservative MPs going to do to | :48:39. | :48:43. | |
represent the interests of voters in Scotland. One of the issues that | :48:44. | :48:48. | |
should be coming before this Parliament, we're promised an | :48:49. | :48:51. | |
immigration bill to be scheduled at some time in the Parliamentary | :48:52. | :48:54. | |
business. No sign of it yet, Mr Speaker. But one thing that the | :48:55. | :49:01. | |
Conservative MPs could do is to respect the wishes of business in | :49:02. | :49:07. | |
Scotland, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, and the Institute of | :49:08. | :49:15. | |
Directors - A point of order. Is it right and appropriate at the point | :49:16. | :49:18. | |
when my honourable friend is making the speech the Tory hies come here, | :49:19. | :49:22. | |
stand at the bar at the House and heckle when they're not part of this | :49:23. | :49:24. | |
debate? THE SPEAKER: I hadn't heard the | :49:25. | :49:33. | |
alleged chundering. It is unseemly, I say. They shouldn't do that. The | :49:34. | :49:38. | |
honourable and learned lady is a very robust individual and she is | :49:39. | :49:43. | |
well able to fend for herself. They shouldn't stand in an aggressive, | :49:44. | :49:50. | |
mafioso posture, it's disagreement and quite unnecessary. I'm grateful | :49:51. | :49:53. | |
to my honourable friend - THE SPEAKER: Point of order, Mr Mark | :49:54. | :50:03. | |
Pritchard. Can I confess, it was not the whips chundering, it was my good | :50:04. | :50:06. | |
self, Sir. THE SPEAKER: That is both candid of | :50:07. | :50:12. | |
the honourable gentleman and arguably a first. | :50:13. | :50:18. | |
LAUGHTER Mr Honourable friend and some | :50:19. | :50:21. | |
honourable gentleman in the House and the Speaker are very gallant, | :50:22. | :50:26. | |
but I can assure them I have no difficulty with the chundering going | :50:27. | :50:30. | |
on to my left. It's not going to put me off my stride. I was suggesting | :50:31. | :50:33. | |
that perhaps one of the things that this Government needs to do is to | :50:34. | :50:38. | |
bring forward a debate on the floor of this House about the basis of its | :50:39. | :50:42. | |
immigration policy going forward. Because we heard during the general | :50:43. | :50:45. | |
election campaign that the Prime Minister wants to stick with the | :50:46. | :50:49. | |
unrealistic targets which she's previously missed for seven years. | :50:50. | :50:54. | |
The reason that these targets are unrealistic is that they're based on | :50:55. | :50:59. | |
ideology and not on evidence. Mr Speaker, we need an evidence-based | :51:00. | :51:04. | |
debate on the floor of this House about the immigration policy for the | :51:05. | :51:08. | |
whole of the UK going forward and if we have that, we will see that | :51:09. | :51:12. | |
immigrants are, on average, more likely to be in work, more likely to | :51:13. | :51:17. | |
be better educated and younger than the indigenous population. And that | :51:18. | :51:22. | |
Scotland's demographic needs are such that we require a progressive | :51:23. | :51:26. | |
immigration policy. As I said earlier, business in Scotland wants | :51:27. | :51:31. | |
this: The Chambers of Commerce and the Institute of Directors in | :51:32. | :51:34. | |
Scotland say they want the post student work visa brought back and | :51:35. | :51:37. | |
that they want a different immigration policy for Scotland for | :51:38. | :51:41. | |
its unique demographic needs. Let's have a debate about that, rather | :51:42. | :51:46. | |
than a debate about process. Other countries, like Canada and | :51:47. | :51:51. | |
Australia, manage to operate differential immigration procedures | :51:52. | :51:59. | |
within their federation. Professor Christina Boswell has produced a | :52:00. | :52:04. | |
report evaluated this different approach. There's cross-party | :52:05. | :52:07. | |
support for that in Scotland, even the Scottish Tory Party supports the | :52:08. | :52:12. | |
return of the post study work visa. What are they going to do about | :52:13. | :52:16. | |
that? And when are we going to have a debate on the floor of the House? | :52:17. | :52:20. | |
Another very important issue from last Parliament was the plight of | :52:21. | :52:25. | |
child refugees in Europe. Many of us, including members on the | :52:26. | :52:29. | |
Conservative benches, fought for the rights ever those children. We got | :52:30. | :52:33. | |
an amendment to the Immigration Act, the Dubbs amendment. Last week, I | :52:34. | :52:37. | |
attended the launch of a report by the human trafficking foundation, | :52:38. | :52:41. | |
following an independent inquiry about the situation of separated and | :52:42. | :52:45. | |
unaccompanied minors in Europe. It has revealed that the United Kingdom | :52:46. | :52:49. | |
Government has woefully failed those children and that ministers have | :52:50. | :52:55. | |
done and I quote "as little as legally possible to help | :52:56. | :52:59. | |
unaccompanied children in Europe". The report says they've turned from | :53:00. | :53:03. | |
a humanitarian crisis that would not be tolerable to the British public | :53:04. | :53:06. | |
if they could see the truth of what's happening in France at the | :53:07. | :53:08. | |
moment. So when are we going to have a debate about that? When are we | :53:09. | :53:12. | |
going to be able to hold the Government to account for the | :53:13. | :53:15. | |
promises they made when the amendment was passed and the fact | :53:16. | :53:18. | |
that they've only brought 480 minors to the United Kingdom when the | :53:19. | :53:23. | |
understanding was that they would bring 3,000? When are we going to | :53:24. | :53:26. | |
have a debate about that important issue? We must find time in this | :53:27. | :53:34. | |
Parliament to force the Government to rectify the dereliction of duty. | :53:35. | :53:43. | |
Other honourable members have mentioned the EU withdrawal bill, | :53:44. | :53:46. | |
brought forward last week. And clause five of that makes it clear | :53:47. | :53:52. | |
that the Government do not intent the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights | :53:53. | :53:56. | |
to become part what have they call domestic law after Brexit. Now Mr | :53:57. | :54:00. | |
Speaker, this is an issue which must be challenged and debated | :54:01. | :54:03. | |
immediately. There was a time, not so long ago, when the Secretary of | :54:04. | :54:07. | |
State for exiting the EU was a great fan of the EU Charter of Fundamental | :54:08. | :54:10. | |
Rights. He liked it so much, he used it to take up a legal challenge | :54:11. | :54:15. | |
against the snoopers' charter, which ended up in the European Court of | :54:16. | :54:18. | |
Justice. Now he's changed his mind and he's brought forward a draft | :54:19. | :54:22. | |
bill which means a whole swathe of rights and protections enjoyed by | :54:23. | :54:26. | |
our constituents are going to go if this bill goes through unamended. | :54:27. | :54:31. | |
Where's the debate about that? The EU charter... I will give way. The | :54:32. | :54:39. | |
Charter of Fundamental Rights only applies to citizens in the United | :54:40. | :54:43. | |
Kingdom insofar as it applies to EU law. Therefore it cannot have | :54:44. | :54:55. | |
applicablity when we are no longer under European law. But if as the | :54:56. | :55:00. | |
Government have promised, this EU withdrawal bill is going to | :55:01. | :55:04. | |
guarantee all the rights that we already enjoy by virtue of EU | :55:05. | :55:08. | |
citizenship, then the charter on fundamental rights should not be | :55:09. | :55:14. | |
going. The charter defends all sorts of rights, such as data protection, | :55:15. | :55:19. | |
children's rights and the free standing right to equality, which | :55:20. | :55:23. | |
are not protected by the ECHR. I'm grateful for the honourable member | :55:24. | :55:27. | |
giving way. Would those rights not be protected, as incorporated into | :55:28. | :55:31. | |
our laws, as British laws, notwithstanding that their source is | :55:32. | :55:32. | |
in the EU? The honourable lady has very ably | :55:33. | :55:44. | |
illustrated why we need to debate this. She thinks that despite the | :55:45. | :55:48. | |
fact that the you Charter of fundamental rights are not going to | :55:49. | :55:53. | |
be part of the Britain this December look. Let's have a debate about why | :55:54. | :55:59. | |
were going to do that. -- how were going to do that. These rights are | :56:00. | :56:02. | |
going to be real. Because just last week in the Supreme Court we saw | :56:03. | :56:06. | |
that a gentleman, John Walker, was able to ensure equal pension rights | :56:07. | :56:11. | |
for his husband thanks to EU law. That was a timely reminder of the | :56:12. | :56:15. | |
value of EU law to our constituents. Very important rights. What is more | :56:16. | :56:21. | |
important then for a married couple two men ought to win in that they | :56:22. | :56:24. | |
have the same pension rights as a straight couple? Personally I find | :56:25. | :56:29. | |
that very important and I'm sure many the members of the House would | :56:30. | :56:33. | |
as well. Mr Speaker we cannot afford to fall behind the standards set by | :56:34. | :56:38. | |
the European Union on human rights. On the face of it, the EU withdrawal | :56:39. | :56:42. | |
Bill seems to be about to do that. We must insist on parliamentary time | :56:43. | :56:47. | |
to debate these issues properly, so like all upon the government to get | :56:48. | :56:50. | |
their act together, have the courage of its convictions bring the | :56:51. | :56:55. | |
business to the Florida house so that we can debate some of the | :56:56. | :56:58. | |
issues that I have mentioned and that other honourable members have | :56:59. | :57:03. | |
mentioned, in a full and frank fashion, rather than running scared | :57:04. | :57:07. | |
from the policies for which you are so keys to espouse, when you | :57:08. | :57:14. | |
thought, -- when they thought they began to have a whopping majority. | :57:15. | :57:22. | |
They are not OK now. Thank you Mr Speaker, and of course it is a | :57:23. | :57:27. | |
pleasure to follow the many speeches of the member of Angus South and of | :57:28. | :57:35. | |
Battersea. I'd do you reflect a little bit on a debate that we may | :57:36. | :57:42. | |
get to later on today, if we get time, on the youth Parliament. I | :57:43. | :57:49. | |
think I'm probably one of the only MPs that was a member of the youth | :57:50. | :57:54. | |
Parliament when it was set up in 2000 2001 -- 2000-1. And I'm am a | :57:55. | :58:02. | |
member pile in Parliament. What I reflect upon this is the kind of | :58:03. | :58:07. | |
behaviour that we have from that side of the House cutting down the | :58:08. | :58:10. | |
opportunity to have debate and discussion would be something that | :58:11. | :58:15. | |
would have been unheard of in the Youth Parliament. And here in the | :58:16. | :58:22. | |
Parliament that is meant to be the mother of Parliaments playing | :58:23. | :58:26. | |
jiggery-pokery with the timetable seems to be perfectly acceptable. | :58:27. | :58:33. | |
So, I do wonder about the responsibility of the government and | :58:34. | :58:40. | |
what it looks like for constituents out in the wider world. Today, Mr | :58:41. | :58:46. | |
Speaker, my constituents were queueing up around the block, not | :58:47. | :58:54. | |
for a gig or a music activity, but to see a doctor. Queueing up for | :58:55. | :59:00. | |
over a one-hour TC the local doctor in Peacehaven. -- to see the local | :59:01. | :59:07. | |
doctor in Peacehaven. It is a regular thing that my constituents | :59:08. | :59:16. | |
do. But why customer because Iraqi doctors have to do has doubled while | :59:17. | :59:22. | |
resources to our NHS has been cut. Equally, with housing, we have | :59:23. | :59:29. | |
houses -- we do not have enough houses, and of course we all know | :59:30. | :59:36. | |
that teachers's pay has reduced by ?3 an hour in real terms since the | :59:37. | :59:44. | |
party opposite took power. And their workloads have also increased. And | :59:45. | :59:47. | |
it is independent research that shows that, so you may wish to chant | :59:48. | :59:54. | |
across the other side of the chamber about it, but I suggest you go and | :59:55. | :00:01. | |
read the research. So, my constituents would be absolutely | :00:02. | :00:04. | |
flabbergasted to think that we were effectively reducing our workload to | :00:05. | :00:12. | |
cover the same amount of time over two years then we were over a | :00:13. | :00:18. | |
one-year and saying oh, it is all because that is what it says in | :00:19. | :00:23. | |
standing orders. I'm afraid, Mr Speaker, I think that is a weak | :00:24. | :00:28. | |
response. We need to take the moral high ground, not just the letter | :00:29. | :00:33. | |
what is in standing orders. Yes, I will give way. Can I suggest that | :00:34. | :00:41. | |
the facts contradict the gentleman giving away's opening remarks. We | :00:42. | :00:48. | |
have had debate and therefore that is democracy whether the honourable | :00:49. | :00:55. | |
Antman likes it or not. This he not agree that the gap there are strong | :00:56. | :00:58. | |
economy to have a strong NHS. Is the British model or the Venezuelan | :00:59. | :01:04. | |
model the best way to form a strong NHS? I think we can take them the | :01:05. | :01:11. | |
best around all of the world, Scandinavia, Germany, etc etc, well | :01:12. | :01:17. | |
they are able, Germany for example to have a strong economy and a | :01:18. | :01:21. | |
fairer society. Unlike, under this government, where we actually have | :01:22. | :01:28. | |
seen a bigger divide them between rich and poor and people who have | :01:29. | :01:31. | |
not been able to access vital services. Last week, Mr Speaker, a | :01:32. | :01:37. | |
woman came into my surgery and said that she had been on the waiting | :01:38. | :01:40. | |
list for a council house for two years. I had to tell her that she | :01:41. | :01:46. | |
was likely to remain on the waiting list for another 3-4 years. The | :01:47. | :01:51. | |
reality is, not enough houses are being built under this government, | :01:52. | :01:59. | |
under previous governments and for a generation. And what we need to talk | :02:00. | :02:04. | |
about, surely, is making sure that we can hold the government's policy | :02:05. | :02:11. | |
to account. She asked me to make sure that her voice was being heard | :02:12. | :02:17. | |
in this chamber. Mr Speaker, if I go back to her and say, well, I'm | :02:18. | :02:24. | |
terribly sorry, we didn't quite get enough opposition days to raise your | :02:25. | :02:29. | |
urgent need, she would feel like her voice, through me, had been taken | :02:30. | :02:34. | |
away and she would feel like that, quite rightly, because it has been | :02:35. | :02:38. | |
taken away. Because they lack of debate and a lack of opposition time | :02:39. | :02:44. | |
takes the voice away from constituents, from all | :02:45. | :02:48. | |
constituencies, from across this country. And this has happened, | :02:49. | :02:55. | |
without a vote in Parliament, but just with an announcement that was | :02:56. | :02:59. | |
made in the papers that now we will be having a two year period rather | :03:00. | :03:08. | |
than a one-year period. Whenever you wish to call it, I think this | :03:09. | :03:13. | |
constituents will not really care, they will care that you are denying | :03:14. | :03:19. | |
a voice for them in Parliament and not the petty name politics that you | :03:20. | :03:26. | |
wish to pay. -- wish to play. I am a relatively new member, only a few | :03:27. | :03:32. | |
weeks here, but if I were an employee, and I suddenly said, well, | :03:33. | :03:39. | |
I'm not going to do that work in the year I'm going to take two years to | :03:40. | :03:45. | |
do it, I would be put on capability and I probably would not have a job. | :03:46. | :03:50. | |
Well, I suggest this government is put on capability and this job | :03:51. | :03:53. | |
should not have a job, because extending the amount of time that | :03:54. | :03:56. | |
you do the same amount of work is not only will workplace -- is not | :03:57. | :04:01. | |
done in the workplace and it should not be done in our Parliament. It is | :04:02. | :04:07. | |
very simple, Mr Speaker, what the government can do. They can come | :04:08. | :04:13. | |
here and make a pledge to DD things. -- three things. They can say this | :04:14. | :04:17. | |
to a number of days an opposition for backbench per year will be | :04:18. | :04:24. | |
offered as there are in the standing orders procession. Easy PC. Say it. | :04:25. | :04:32. | |
Make a pledge, make a commitment and then we won't need to shoot our 's | :04:33. | :04:35. | |
early. We will be able to sit down and relax. -- Chicagoans early. The | :04:36. | :04:44. | |
second thing they can say is that there will be the same number of | :04:45. | :04:47. | |
days in this Parliament for all of that overall as there were in | :04:48. | :04:54. | |
previous parliaments. Nice and easy, easy to do, make that statement now | :04:55. | :05:00. | |
and again we could relax. And finally, the party opposite could | :05:01. | :05:03. | |
get on with selecting their select committee representatives. They | :05:04. | :05:09. | |
could get on with allowing us to scrutinise legislation. They could | :05:10. | :05:14. | |
get on with the work. It easy. We've managed to hold an election today. | :05:15. | :05:21. | |
Our elections shut today and our party, ten minutes ago, we will be | :05:22. | :05:26. | |
announcing our representatives. You could have been busy doing the same. | :05:27. | :05:32. | |
Why haven't you? Instead, you been fiddling while democracy burns. Get | :05:33. | :05:39. | |
on with!. That is what members of the public want, they wanted to get | :05:40. | :05:44. | |
on with it. They want but this side of the House wants, they were really | :05:45. | :05:50. | |
get on with it. Agree The Times, a greedy days and make that statement | :05:51. | :05:54. | |
and allow us to debate the issues that matter and stop wasting our | :05:55. | :05:58. | |
time by your prevarication. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The question is | :05:59. | :06:05. | |
that this House is considered the scheduling of parliamentary business | :06:06. | :06:09. | |
by the Leader of the House and the implications of a two-year session | :06:10. | :06:12. | |
for standing orders requirements. Those in favour say iron -- I. On | :06:13. | :06:28. | |
the contrary know. I think you have to try again. The question is, I'll | :06:29. | :06:34. | |
say it slowly that this House has considered the scheduling of | :06:35. | :06:37. | |
parliamentary business by the Leader of the House and the insipid impetus | :06:38. | :06:46. | |
in a two-year gree bull as many other opinion say I. On the | :06:47. | :06:58. | |
contrary, no. I had a solitary I, so I think the ayes have it. -- I think | :06:59. | :07:10. | |
we are due two I think we are due to have much number three on the. The | :07:11. | :07:22. | |
question is as on the Oder paper, those of you in favour. Say ayes. | :07:23. | :07:37. | |
Motion of the House, Private Members' Bills. I call the Leader of | :07:38. | :07:43. | |
the House to move. Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom. Putt I picked | :07:44. | :07:52. | |
to move the motion standing in my name. The purpose of this motion is | :07:53. | :07:55. | |
to allow 13 days were private member 's business in line was required | :07:56. | :08:02. | |
under standard order the macro Standing Order number 14. We will | :08:03. | :08:04. | |
expect to provide additional days in due course. Only extended | :08:05. | :08:11. | |
parliamentary session of 2010-12 the government provided extra days were | :08:12. | :08:13. | |
Private Members' Bills and these were approved at a later date. The | :08:14. | :08:17. | |
emotion we are dealing with the day covers days for a Private Members' | :08:18. | :08:22. | |
Bills between now and the 23rd of November 20 18. We will, therefore, | :08:23. | :08:27. | |
bring forward a motion to provide additional data Private Members' | :08:28. | :08:30. | |
Bills in due course, which will allow us to take into account the | :08:31. | :08:33. | |
progressive business and any new recess dates and are allowed in | :08:34. | :08:38. | |
future. This will balance the needs of members to proceed with private | :08:39. | :08:41. | |
members business with members of the priorities. Members value time spent | :08:42. | :08:48. | |
in their constituencies on Fridays and scheduling additional sitting | :08:49. | :08:51. | |
Fridays were Private Members' Bills in 2019, with no regard to what | :08:52. | :08:55. | |
pressures might exist at that time, could cause avoidable inconvenience. | :08:56. | :08:59. | |
This is a proportionate way to deal with this being a longer session and | :09:00. | :09:03. | |
I encourage their house to support this motion. Thank you the question | :09:04. | :09:12. | |
is as on the order paper. I should notify the House that I selected | :09:13. | :09:17. | |
both of the amendments on the order paper, if memory serves me | :09:18. | :09:20. | |
correctly, the amendment and the name of the Leader of the Opposition | :09:21. | :09:27. | |
and the amendment in the name of the honourable gentleman, the Member for | :09:28. | :09:35. | |
Rhondda. On the other. White thank you Mr Speaker and can I think the | :09:36. | :09:40. | |
Leader of the House removing her motion. I'd like to move the motion | :09:41. | :09:47. | |
under half of the Leader of the Opposition, but subject to the House | :09:48. | :09:52. | |
agreeing before Thursday, the 30th of September 2017 to a motion | :09:53. | :09:57. | |
providing for an additional sitting Fridays, Private Members' Bills | :09:58. | :10:00. | |
together at the necessary adjustments to Standing Order and | :10:01. | :10:05. | |
14. Mrs Peter I won't go over some of the items that I made previously, | :10:06. | :10:13. | |
-- Mr Speaker... These are very important process, along with the | :10:14. | :10:18. | |
parliamentary business and so therefore given to them said | :10:19. | :10:21. | |
previously, we don't have any confidence that the government are | :10:22. | :10:25. | |
actually going to provide us with those extra dates as the Leader of | :10:26. | :10:28. | |
the House has said and so that is why we are moving our motion for | :10:29. | :10:33. | |
those extra days. 13 sitting Fridays. Mr Speaker, many | :10:34. | :10:46. | |
organisations... I'm sorry to cut off so early in her remarks but | :10:47. | :10:49. | |
would could you just clarify that she is wanting 13 extra days but she | :10:50. | :10:52. | |
also campaigning for another ballot to be held in a year's time? Is it | :10:53. | :10:59. | |
the 26 days in this session on the existing ballot, that would would | :11:00. | :11:04. | |
give Private Members' Bills in this session twice as much chance of | :11:05. | :11:08. | |
being successful in this session as they would in an ordinary session. | :11:09. | :11:12. | |
Sarah selection would only work if there was another ballot in a year's | :11:13. | :11:17. | |
time. Mr Speaker I really would like that ballot and the top of the | :11:18. | :11:18. | |
ballot would be Mr Speaker, Private Members' Bills | :11:19. | :11:30. | |
are important. It's an important measure for backbenchers to try and | :11:31. | :11:39. | |
raise issues before Parliament. Many outside organisations and charities | :11:40. | :11:41. | |
also wish to see the Private Members' Bills moved. Obviously I'm | :11:42. | :11:47. | |
deeply concerned because I understand also that it's been very | :11:48. | :11:52. | |
difficult for members of the public to table petitions, partly because | :11:53. | :11:56. | |
some of the select committees, particularly the commissions | :11:57. | :11:58. | |
committee, haven't been organised yet. As I said previously, we have | :11:59. | :12:05. | |
already picked our selection committees and the leader of the | :12:06. | :12:09. | |
House has said that the select committees won't even be sitting and | :12:10. | :12:12. | |
organised until September. But that's why, Mr Speaker, it's | :12:13. | :12:18. | |
important for the confidence of Parliament and for democracy and in | :12:19. | :12:23. | |
the interests of all our constituents that Private Members' | :12:24. | :12:26. | |
Bills are allocated along the same lines as I mentioned earlier about | :12:27. | :12:31. | |
standing order 14, that we do get, Government has said in their press | :12:32. | :12:35. | |
release that the session is double the length of a normal Parliamentary | :12:36. | :12:41. | |
session. Therefore, Mr Speaker, we would expect and accept the extra 13 | :12:42. | :12:46. | |
days. I so move. THE SPEAKER: Thank you. Mr Fip ill | :12:47. | :12:53. | |
Davis. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I rise, I wasn't actually | :12:54. | :12:56. | |
intending to speak in this particular debate, but given that | :12:57. | :13:00. | |
the honourable lady opposite failed to answer my very simple question, | :13:01. | :13:04. | |
it seems that we need to explore this subject a bit more deeply. | :13:05. | :13:10. | |
Because the honourable lady's amendment merely asks for another 13 | :13:11. | :13:19. | |
sitting Fridays, the honourable gentleman for rounda has gone | :13:20. | :13:23. | |
further and named an additional Fridays. None have addressed the | :13:24. | :13:26. | |
issue about whether or not they want, as part of that, an extra | :13:27. | :13:31. | |
ballot to take place in a year's time. Yes of course. Surely the | :13:32. | :13:40. | |
important point here is that of the 14 bills, in the last two | :13:41. | :13:43. | |
Parliamentary sessions that actually made it onto the statute book, three | :13:44. | :13:48. | |
of them came from ten-minute rule bills. There are other routes to | :13:49. | :13:52. | |
getting Private Members' Bills on the statute. I'm very grateful to | :13:53. | :13:57. | |
the honourable lady for her comment, but that doesn't - the problem with | :13:58. | :14:01. | |
ten minute rule bills is that they go to the back of the queue in | :14:02. | :14:05. | |
effect. The ones that get the precedence are the ones who come out | :14:06. | :14:09. | |
of the ballot. They're the ones who are going to get the best slice of | :14:10. | :14:12. | |
it. Of course, I understand the honourable member for Rhonda, I | :14:13. | :14:21. | |
would be arguing the same. He wants 26 rather than 13, because it will | :14:22. | :14:25. | |
enhance the chances of his being top of the bill getting his bill | :14:26. | :14:31. | |
through. So he's arguing out of a natural self-interest. I don't blame | :14:32. | :14:36. | |
him for doing so. If I was top of the ballot, he tells us he's not | :14:37. | :14:42. | |
arguing out of self-interest. No, I'm arguing out of his interest | :14:43. | :14:46. | |
actually because he's going to support my Private Members' Bills. | :14:47. | :14:51. | |
It's an ugly rumour, but it happens to be true, I am supporting his | :14:52. | :14:56. | |
Private Members' Bill. Therefore, as a result of that, Mr Speaker, it | :14:57. | :15:00. | |
seems to me he doesn't need his 26 days in order to get his bill | :15:01. | :15:06. | |
through. But he might think, this might be just a reserve, a tactic he | :15:07. | :15:11. | |
has in reserve in case things don't go so well on the first particular | :15:12. | :15:15. | |
day, that it gives him more days. I hope he will declare his interests | :15:16. | :15:18. | |
when he gets up to move his amendment. The honourable lady | :15:19. | :15:22. | |
opposite hasn't managed to explain the standing orders in the House are | :15:23. | :15:26. | |
quite clear that there shall be 13 days for Private Members' Bills in a | :15:27. | :15:31. | |
session. Not that there will be a minimum of 13 days or a maximum of | :15:32. | :15:35. | |
13 days, just that there will be 13 days. That's it. That's what's in | :15:36. | :15:39. | |
the standing orders. It seems to me, if people want to meddle with the | :15:40. | :15:42. | |
standing orders they have to meddle with all of it. It's just not | :15:43. | :15:47. | |
acceptable to say, we'll have one ballot in the session of Parliament | :15:48. | :15:52. | |
and we will have 26 sessions for that one particular ballot. That, | :15:53. | :15:56. | |
I'm afraid, just does not wash. It does not work. If the honourable | :15:57. | :16:00. | |
lady had come along with her amendment, and the honourable | :16:01. | :16:04. | |
gentleman, to say that over this two-year period, we need to have a | :16:05. | :16:09. | |
second ballot in a year's time and a 13 extra days for that particular | :16:10. | :16:13. | |
ballot, that would be a perfectly respectable position for her to | :16:14. | :16:15. | |
hold. I would have a bit more sympathy. I would have a bit more | :16:16. | :16:20. | |
sympathy with that argument. I'm not saying I would support it, but I | :16:21. | :16:23. | |
would have more sympathy for that argument. Her argument and the | :16:24. | :16:28. | |
honourable lady's argument that we should have 26 sessions for Private | :16:29. | :16:32. | |
Members' Bills for one ballot is completely and utterly unreasonable. | :16:33. | :16:36. | |
I'll give way. I'm grateful. I understand what he says about the | :16:37. | :16:40. | |
standing orders, but the leader of the House just announced that | :16:41. | :16:44. | |
Government may potentially come forward with additional private | :16:45. | :16:47. | |
members sitting days throughout this session. So would he oppose those | :16:48. | :16:54. | |
and for what purpose would he suggest they should be used? Yes, I | :16:55. | :16:58. | |
think the standing orders are perfectly adequate that there should | :16:59. | :17:01. | |
be 13 days for Private Members' Bills in a session. That seems to me | :17:02. | :17:06. | |
a perfectly reasonable number. I don't really see any justification | :17:07. | :17:12. | |
for in effect saying that this particular ballot of Private | :17:13. | :17:16. | |
Members' Bills in this session, for some reason this particular ballot | :17:17. | :17:19. | |
deserves a better chance of getting their bills through than any other | :17:20. | :17:22. | |
previous session of Parliament. I'll give way. The honourable member is | :17:23. | :17:28. | |
being very generous. But if I remember, recall correctly, there | :17:29. | :17:33. | |
was a motion in the 2010-12 Parliament to extend the number of | :17:34. | :17:37. | |
private members days on the basis of the session being extra long. I | :17:38. | :17:41. | |
can't recall the honourable member calling for an extra ballot then, | :17:42. | :17:45. | |
when the motion was passed. Just because something happened in the | :17:46. | :17:49. | |
past, doesn't mean to say it was a good thing to happen, Madam Deputy | :17:50. | :17:52. | |
Speaker. That falls into that particular category. If the | :17:53. | :17:57. | |
honourable lady looks at my voting record, she would notice that a lot | :17:58. | :18:00. | |
of things that happen during the coalition years were not | :18:01. | :18:03. | |
particularly to my taste and I used to vote accordingly. As the record | :18:04. | :18:10. | |
will confirm. So praying in aid something that happened during the | :18:11. | :18:14. | |
coalition years is not necessarily the best way to win over my support. | :18:15. | :18:19. | |
My point is that this is a matter of fairness and everybody enters a | :18:20. | :18:23. | |
ballot, in each session of Parliament, they enter knowing they | :18:24. | :18:26. | |
will have 13 sessions of Parliament in which, 13 days in that session of | :18:27. | :18:29. | |
Parliament for those Private Members' Bills to proceed. What | :18:30. | :18:34. | |
we're being asked to do today is agree that this particular ballot, | :18:35. | :18:37. | |
this particular ballot from this particular session means that some | :18:38. | :18:41. | |
MPs will have a better chance of getting their Private Members' Bills | :18:42. | :18:44. | |
through than would happen in any previous session. I'll give way. I | :18:45. | :18:49. | |
understand what he's saying, but surely, if this was a normal session | :18:50. | :18:54. | |
in terms of a year long, the chances of getting a Private Members' Bill | :18:55. | :18:59. | |
would be less than it is going to be even with the 13 extra days. Do you | :19:00. | :19:05. | |
think it's really fair, I have sympathy about another ballot, is it | :19:06. | :19:09. | |
really fair that the number of days should be limited when the actual | :19:10. | :19:13. | |
length of the session has been increased over a year? Well, as I | :19:14. | :19:20. | |
said, I think there's an argument to say that there should be 13 | :19:21. | :19:25. | |
sessions, 13 days for this particular ballot and that in a | :19:26. | :19:29. | |
year's time, we should hold another ballot and that there should be | :19:30. | :19:32. | |
another 13 sessions for that particular ballot and that would | :19:33. | :19:36. | |
give people the 26 sessions, the 26 days within the session. That would | :19:37. | :19:40. | |
be a perfectly reasonable thing to request. I'd have a great deal of | :19:41. | :19:45. | |
sympathy for that. It appears to me nobody is making that case on the | :19:46. | :19:50. | |
Opposition benches. Why can we not have another ballot in a year's | :19:51. | :19:54. | |
time, if we're going to have double the number of sessions? The | :19:55. | :19:58. | |
honourable lady opposite hasn't been able to answer that question. No | :19:59. | :20:02. | |
doubt the honourable member will have a crack at answering that | :20:03. | :20:06. | |
question, but I don't think there is much of an answer to it. If we are | :20:07. | :20:12. | |
trying to replicate, it seems to me, point that the honourable lady was | :20:13. | :20:16. | |
making was that we should be trying to replicate what would normally | :20:17. | :20:20. | |
happen over the course of two years. Well, what would normally happen | :20:21. | :20:23. | |
over the course of two years is we'd have two ballots. So why is the | :20:24. | :20:29. | |
honourable lady not actually bringing forward part of her | :20:30. | :20:32. | |
amendment the extra ballot that would have normally happened in that | :20:33. | :20:36. | |
two-year period. She seems to be cherry-picking the bit she wants out | :20:37. | :20:41. | |
of the two years. So I would say to my honourable friend on the | :20:42. | :20:47. | |
frontbench that she should beware of these requests for supposed fairness | :20:48. | :20:51. | |
when they're going to isht deuce a very unfair system -- introduce a | :20:52. | :20:54. | |
very unfair system, stick to his guns and say for each ballot of the | :20:55. | :20:59. | |
Private Members' Bills there should be 13 days and that's plenty of | :21:00. | :21:03. | |
opportunity to get their legislation through and if people want another | :21:04. | :21:08. | |
13 days, then there must be another ballot, something that nobody yet | :21:09. | :21:13. | |
seems to have called for. Thank you very much. I wish I could say it was | :21:14. | :21:17. | |
a pleasure to follow the honourable gentleman. I'm very fond of the | :21:18. | :21:24. | |
honourable gentleman. Can I say to the honourable gentleman, in all | :21:25. | :21:28. | |
candidness, he is everything that is wrong currently with the Private | :21:29. | :21:31. | |
Members' Bills system as it currently is constituted. His fill | :21:32. | :21:36. | |
bustering, his attempt to destroy really honest attempts by members of | :21:37. | :21:39. | |
Parliament to bring legislation forward is a thing that our | :21:40. | :21:43. | |
constituents hate most about the sitting Fridays. I do wish at some | :21:44. | :21:47. | |
point he would just stop. Yes, I'll give way. Perhaps what he ought to | :21:48. | :21:51. | |
reflect on, Madam Deputy Speaker, is that for the first bill that appears | :21:52. | :21:54. | |
on a Friday, it just needs 100 people to turn up to support him. | :21:55. | :21:59. | |
He's as guilty as many people are in this House of complaining that a | :22:00. | :22:03. | |
bill didn't get passed when they couldn't be bothered to turn up and | :22:04. | :22:07. | |
support it in the first place. If the honourable gentleman bothered to | :22:08. | :22:10. | |
turn up, some of these bills he claims are so important would | :22:11. | :22:13. | |
actually get through. Why doesn't he tell that to his constituents. Can I | :22:14. | :22:16. | |
say in response to the honourable gentleman, yes, of course, it's a | :22:17. | :22:20. | |
matter of 100 members turning up. We've had members here thwarted not | :22:21. | :22:23. | |
by the honourable gentleman, to be fair to him, thwarted by Government. | :22:24. | :22:27. | |
There is something wrong and rotten with the way we do our Private | :22:28. | :22:32. | |
Members' Bills in this House that wastes our time coming down from | :22:33. | :22:35. | |
Scotland to participate and take part in these debates only for the | :22:36. | :22:38. | |
honourable gentleman to drone on sometimes for two hours to ensure | :22:39. | :22:43. | |
that this isn't taken. I hope - yes I will give way. I thank my | :22:44. | :22:47. | |
honourable friend for giving way. First of all, the procedure | :22:48. | :22:51. | |
committee has produced dozens or at least two reports in the last couple | :22:52. | :22:55. | |
of years, outlining sensible reforms and over the years, has produced | :22:56. | :23:02. | |
dozens of reports many reflects the system in the Scottish Parliament, | :23:03. | :23:06. | |
where a bill that continues to have support on a cross-party basis | :23:07. | :23:10. | |
should continue to make progress. Shouldn't that be adopted here? My | :23:11. | :23:14. | |
honourable friend is utterly right. The procedure committee has looked | :23:15. | :23:18. | |
to this for several occasions, that I can recall and remember. Each | :23:19. | :23:21. | |
recommending strong and sensible proposals and suggestions and | :23:22. | :23:23. | |
recommendations about how we actually address this. Now I think | :23:24. | :23:27. | |
the time is absolutely right and prime, given that we've got this | :23:28. | :23:33. | |
two-year session, let's vow to resolve the issues, outstabbeding | :23:34. | :23:36. | |
issues about Private Members' Bills and assure that we have something | :23:37. | :23:39. | |
that is fit for purpose, something that would ensure that we have the | :23:40. | :23:43. | |
respect of constituents and that we can work cross-party, I'd love to | :23:44. | :23:45. | |
work with the honourable gentleman on a horse racing issue, something | :23:46. | :23:49. | |
that him and I share an interest in. We can't do this, because he would | :23:50. | :23:53. | |
be filibustering me not to get it through. I'm more surprised that | :23:54. | :23:59. | |
he's a sponsor of the honourable member for Rhondda's bill. Maybe | :24:00. | :24:04. | |
suggest a change in attitude and approach by the honourable | :24:05. | :24:06. | |
gentleman, a mellowing over the years that he may be constructively | :24:07. | :24:11. | |
engaged in some of these issues. I'm hearing, "Don't hold your breath." | :24:12. | :24:15. | |
From a colleague. I will not be holding my breath. I give way. It | :24:16. | :24:20. | |
might help the honourable gentleman when he's passing accusations to my | :24:21. | :24:23. | |
honourable friend that he did indeed speak for over an hour when I | :24:24. | :24:27. | |
brought my Private Members' Bill forward and he made constructive | :24:28. | :24:31. | |
points, even though he opposed it. He didn't oppose for opposition's | :24:32. | :24:36. | |
sake. I'm a great fan of the honourable gentleman's speeches, | :24:37. | :24:40. | |
he's a unique and rare talent for fill bustering. I wish he wouldn't | :24:41. | :24:44. | |
do it in Private Members' Bills. He has an ability that seems to be able | :24:45. | :24:47. | |
to speak for hours and hours on these things. It's something that | :24:48. | :24:51. | |
new members of the House might actually have to have a look at. | :24:52. | :24:54. | |
I'll give way. I'm sorry to the honourable gentleman. It comes to | :24:55. | :24:59. | |
this particular motion, Madam Deputy Speaker and to the two amendments in | :25:00. | :25:04. | |
place, we will support both amendments. Because we | :25:05. | :25:09. | |
fundamentally, profoundly agree if we have a two-year session of | :25:10. | :25:13. | |
Parliament we must have a system and a routine of Private Members' Bills | :25:14. | :25:16. | |
time that respects the fact that this is a two-year session of | :25:17. | :25:20. | |
Parliament, to have 13 days associated for a Private Members' | :25:21. | :25:26. | |
Bills is insuffer. I accept the honourable gentleman's point, the | :25:27. | :25:29. | |
Rolls Royce solution is to have another ballot next year. That is | :25:30. | :25:31. | |
something the Government is not going to do. So what do we do in the | :25:32. | :25:35. | |
place of Government's refusal to do that. Surely the sensible way to do | :25:36. | :25:40. | |
it is ensure we get sufficient time for the Private Members' Bills that | :25:41. | :25:44. | |
we have in place, which will possibly allow a number of bills to | :25:45. | :25:48. | |
progress and get through this House that we would normally expect. Yes. | :25:49. | :25:52. | |
I will give way. The honourable gentleman said it would be the Rolls | :25:53. | :25:56. | |
Royce solution to have had the second ballot, which I think my | :25:57. | :26:00. | |
honourable member made a good point on. But nobody's asked for it. That | :26:01. | :26:02. | |
is the point. player-macro is not in the | :26:03. | :26:12. | |
amendment, so it's not a case of being a Rolls-Royce is not something | :26:13. | :26:20. | |
England's asked for. Other honourable friends look like they | :26:21. | :26:23. | |
might be in a position to agree, let's do it, because that surely is | :26:24. | :26:27. | |
the solution that we need in place. We're not going to get that, the | :26:28. | :26:31. | |
government has made that clear, said that we need to put in place is an | :26:32. | :26:37. | |
arrangement so that we can properly reflect this to session to | :26:38. | :26:40. | |
Parliament from Private Members' Bills in front of us. We got a | :26:41. | :26:44. | |
affectionate Private Members' Bills in these particular ventures. We got | :26:45. | :26:48. | |
the first SNP private members Bill through this House before the I | :26:49. | :26:57. | |
might a friend for a bucking the private members Bill through. Last | :26:58. | :27:03. | |
year, we had for a Private Members' Bills in the top ten, some fantastic | :27:04. | :27:07. | |
Private Members' Bills that we are pleased and proud of. We've got to | :27:08. | :27:15. | |
on this particular order paper and I'm looking forward to hearing | :27:16. | :27:20. | |
Private Members' Bills may an honourable friend who's no longer | :27:21. | :27:23. | |
his place in my other honourable friend is no longer in its place. We | :27:24. | :27:26. | |
will them and I look forward to hearing them and supporting them | :27:27. | :27:31. | |
when they come to this House. We do need certainty about Private | :27:32. | :27:35. | |
Members' Bills, because while it easy for some of the honourable | :27:36. | :27:40. | |
colleagues across the chamber to get back to the House of Commons on | :27:41. | :27:46. | |
Friday. It's not easy for us from Scotland, it involves us getting on | :27:47. | :27:49. | |
a plane travelling performer Ivan seven hours to get here to take part | :27:50. | :27:56. | |
in these debates so we need certainty. Were grateful to the | :27:57. | :27:59. | |
leader of the houses listen to the seven sessions we to secure... I | :28:00. | :28:07. | |
declaring interest as someone who has come fifth place in the private | :28:08. | :28:11. | |
members Bill ballot, the IS on this site, but by his logic he is arguing | :28:12. | :28:15. | |
for more sitting Fridays when it would be even harder for people from | :28:16. | :28:18. | |
Scotland to come down here and nowhere in his argument does he | :28:19. | :28:21. | |
ignore list the fact that the most important part of a Bill stage is in | :28:22. | :28:26. | |
committee, and that committee can go on for weeks and weeks and weeks, | :28:27. | :28:30. | |
not subject to any of the criticisms of what may happen on a Friday and | :28:31. | :28:33. | |
that is the important part of the Bill. Is he making their proposals | :28:34. | :28:37. | |
about that and it has not been to a town. Are honourable gentleman makes | :28:38. | :28:41. | |
a very good point about the committee stage. NIO to be a member | :28:42. | :28:48. | |
that committee. If not they have daddies abandoned, but this has | :28:49. | :28:51. | |
certainty about when these data going to be available. We are | :28:52. | :28:54. | |
grateful that the first one to have been lifted listed but if we are | :28:55. | :29:03. | |
going to have extra days considered it only right and proper that they | :29:04. | :29:06. | |
be listed now so that we get this certainty. We have to make a massive | :29:07. | :29:13. | |
effort to get to this House, it's not so easy when you come from | :29:14. | :29:17. | |
private to get down here on a Friday to get back. So it is all about | :29:18. | :29:21. | |
ensuring that the certainty about the dates on the leader that are | :29:22. | :29:25. | |
suggested. I will end my contribution, Madam Deputy Speaker, | :29:26. | :29:31. | |
just as a little bit about Private Members' Bills and the importance | :29:32. | :29:34. | |
that they have to be house. Our constituents like Private Members' | :29:35. | :29:36. | |
Bills. They will take only members of the House that they are going to | :29:37. | :29:41. | |
get lobbied on Private Members' Bills more than any other piece of | :29:42. | :29:46. | |
legislation in the course of their time as members of parliament | :29:47. | :29:49. | |
because people like the way that we do this. They like the way that it | :29:50. | :29:53. | |
is usually cross-party, these usually consensus, and it's an issue | :29:54. | :29:57. | |
that -- issues that the iPod to them. It has to be said, given the | :29:58. | :30:06. | |
vacuousness of this government's legislative programme, probably the | :30:07. | :30:08. | |
most interesting and exciting pieces of legislation and feels that we | :30:09. | :30:12. | |
will consider in this parliament will be the Private Members' Bills. | :30:13. | :30:17. | |
So, let's make sure that we give it the necessary time to consider them. | :30:18. | :30:26. | |
Let me end on one thing, Madam Deputy Speaker, but let's get the | :30:27. | :30:30. | |
whole issue of Private Members' Bills properly resolved so that we | :30:31. | :30:34. | |
do not have my friend, the member from Shipley, continuing to speak... | :30:35. | :30:43. | |
Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. I'm grateful for being called as a new | :30:44. | :30:46. | |
member in this place, you will excuse me for not being entirely | :30:47. | :30:49. | |
over a with all the rules and procedures. When it comes to the big | :30:50. | :30:54. | |
principles, that was the reason I was elected to come here by the | :30:55. | :31:00. | |
people of Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. I think the motion that | :31:01. | :31:06. | |
has been put forward today seems incredibly sound and reasonable in | :31:07. | :31:13. | |
terms of saying, if there is to be a non-parliamentary session, which are | :31:14. | :31:18. | |
normally is a year, at -- a normal parliamentary session, which | :31:19. | :31:20. | |
normally is a year the near as a set number of Private Members' Bills | :31:21. | :31:27. | |
sitting. If that is to be extended, if the procedures are to be changed | :31:28. | :31:32. | |
in such a way that that year becomes two years, that session becomes a | :31:33. | :31:37. | |
larger session, that is John goes on first for further, we should reflect | :31:38. | :31:43. | |
that in the wake of the operating this place. Because, for me, what | :31:44. | :31:49. | |
frustrates me I didn't come to trial and to stand up and debate about | :31:50. | :31:53. | |
procedure and there is a part of me that really disliked myself standing | :31:54. | :31:56. | |
year and speaking in this way, because I was elected to come here | :31:57. | :32:00. | |
and deliver action. If the government is not able to bring | :32:01. | :32:04. | |
forward its manifesto because of the arithmetic of this place and the | :32:05. | :32:07. | |
unpopularity of some of its policies, both on its own benches | :32:08. | :32:13. | |
and only public, then it should be right that by backbenchers on both | :32:14. | :32:16. | |
sides of this House have the ability to bring forward legislation that | :32:17. | :32:21. | |
will make a difference, be it small or large. It is the promise of | :32:22. | :32:25. | |
Westminster every backbencher that they have the ability change the law | :32:26. | :32:30. | |
of the land to help their constituents, and that is what I | :32:31. | :32:32. | |
think we should be discussing year-to-date. Now, as a new member, | :32:33. | :32:37. | |
I watched on television the proceedings of the South and now I | :32:38. | :32:43. | |
find myself a part of it. The idea of filibustering bills is something | :32:44. | :32:46. | |
that the majority of our electorate find at warrant. -- torrent they | :32:47. | :32:54. | |
want to to see these opportunities brought forward to bring forward | :32:55. | :32:59. | |
legislation that is an thing that I imagine people in Plymouth and ran | :33:00. | :33:04. | |
the country will find a little bit curious. I don't want to play | :33:05. | :33:08. | |
procedural games because I'm surrounded by people that are much | :33:09. | :33:13. | |
better at it than I am I fear, but I would say simply that if we are to | :33:14. | :33:16. | |
have a session that is not one-year but two years, then it seems logical | :33:17. | :33:22. | |
and hurting me, both as a new member and as someone who is trying to | :33:23. | :33:26. | |
represent the people who elected me, that the number of Private Members' | :33:27. | :33:29. | |
Bills is scaled accordingly to the time of that session. I am most | :33:30. | :33:35. | |
grateful to my honourable friend for giving way. Our constituents | :33:36. | :33:42. | |
expected to come here for a certain number of days but the fact that Her | :33:43. | :33:48. | |
Majesty 's opposition at the moment I totally useless and it really be | :33:49. | :33:51. | |
rather right here at all according to their game... Man in jeopardy | :33:52. | :33:57. | |
Speaker I'm very happy to change the useless to another adjective, but | :33:58. | :34:03. | |
isn't it true that they also expect us to be here for 13 sitting Fridays | :34:04. | :34:09. | |
where we can discuss Private Members' Bills, is that true? I'm | :34:10. | :34:15. | |
grateful to the Member for the contributions and as someone who for | :34:16. | :34:20. | |
the 20 ten and 2015 general elections. What worries me is about | :34:21. | :34:30. | |
how this debate looks to the average freight in Plymouth is that it looks | :34:31. | :34:33. | |
like we're playing procedural games. So we're not spending this time here | :34:34. | :34:41. | |
debating food banks, or the crisis in our NHS. Were not looking at why | :34:42. | :34:45. | |
the M5 stops at Exeter and doesn't extent of the game are bridge and | :34:46. | :34:50. | |
Plymouth. Were not looking at the issues that come up on the doorstep | :34:51. | :34:54. | |
we find ourselves play procedural games because the government has | :34:55. | :34:57. | |
chosen to play those procedural games in the way that they cancelled | :34:58. | :35:04. | |
the teams and elongated this session without correspondingly carrying | :35:05. | :35:06. | |
everyday things that would have a fair way of doing so. It seems to me | :35:07. | :35:12. | |
like a tactic from the South, 1970s playback of something that should | :35:13. | :35:16. | |
have been consigned to the past. We should be striving to have a | :35:17. | :35:20. | |
21st-century parliament with 21st-century procedures and | :35:21. | :35:22. | |
policies, that enabled the backbenchers to bring forward | :35:23. | :35:27. | |
legislation if they so choose. Now, I wasn't drawn in the... Thank you | :35:28. | :35:39. | |
for giving way, has seat of the opposition Chief Whip of the should | :35:40. | :35:42. | |
be the end of procedural games in Parliament? In my experience | :35:43. | :35:48. | |
procedural games is one of the few things that opposition has at its | :35:49. | :35:56. | |
disposal. Is he going to take the opportunity to rule out the use of | :35:57. | :36:00. | |
procedural games in the use of this Parliament questioner --? I thank | :36:01. | :36:11. | |
the gentleman for that intervention. I want to talk about food banks and | :36:12. | :36:16. | |
the issues that really matter and I appreciate that people have strong | :36:17. | :36:21. | |
views on this regard but so do I. That is that backbench members | :36:22. | :36:24. | |
should have the same opportunity in 80 recession are they doing a single | :36:25. | :36:27. | |
your session to bring forward legislation. I wasn't drawn in the | :36:28. | :36:32. | |
private member session ballot, the device had been John I would have | :36:33. | :36:41. | |
been proposing to its underrated franchise to 16 and 17-year-old. | :36:42. | :36:45. | |
Instead of us looking at how we can lock ourselves in the past with | :36:46. | :36:51. | |
procedures that locker can reflect that -- don't reflect that our | :36:52. | :36:58. | |
intention. If we extend the numbers, we can then talk about how we can | :36:59. | :37:01. | |
get young people involved with our politics and involved in politics | :37:02. | :37:05. | |
and that will hopefully shine the light on the procedures and workings | :37:06. | :37:09. | |
of this House to make it better and fairer, because, Madam Deputy | :37:10. | :37:12. | |
Speaker, I want to be able to get back to Plymouth for the recess and | :37:13. | :37:15. | |
hold my head up high and say that I was defending their rights and their | :37:16. | :37:19. | |
responsibilities in this place. As a lowly backbencher, I want the | :37:20. | :37:23. | |
ability to support other backbenchers in bringing legislation | :37:24. | :37:27. | |
that can make a difference, because it feels to me that the government | :37:28. | :37:30. | |
is trapped like a rabbit in the headlights in their right wing of | :37:31. | :37:34. | |
the party. Unable to bring evident manifesto that they were elected on, | :37:35. | :37:38. | |
and able to propose solutions that we really need, unable to stand up | :37:39. | :37:41. | |
to the scrutiny did they have on various issues, so that those | :37:42. | :37:47. | |
debates about what thing, public sector pay cap, Private Members' | :37:48. | :37:52. | |
Bills and allow each and everyone of us to adjust their way and for a | :37:53. | :37:56. | |
Baker's dozen of extra Private Members' Bills, I hope this House | :37:57. | :38:02. | |
will support this notion. I just want to start by saying that the | :38:03. | :38:08. | |
opposition's view this version tonight is not about causing | :38:09. | :38:12. | |
trouble, it's about maintaining an important democratic principle of | :38:13. | :38:17. | |
this House, which is in a two-year session, already quit declared, it | :38:18. | :38:21. | |
is perfectly legitimate the government should allocate the | :38:22. | :38:25. | |
proportionate number of days and they could do that tonight. We could | :38:26. | :38:31. | |
do this tonight if it wanted to and that's why we are supporting the | :38:32. | :38:34. | |
amendment on the order paper and I just want to very briefly, in | :38:35. | :38:38. | |
support of that document, referred to some of the successful bills that | :38:39. | :38:45. | |
went under statute book in 2016-17. Just to illustrate the importance of | :38:46. | :38:49. | |
the private member Bill Root and the importance of sitting Fridays. So, | :38:50. | :38:58. | |
let's start with the merchant shipping, introduced by the member | :38:59. | :39:03. | |
of Salisbury, an important piece of legislation that emits from the | :39:04. | :39:06. | |
Colonel Justice and Public order act the sections which became a acts | :39:07. | :39:09. | |
Cranford business from the crew of merchant ships. The really important | :39:10. | :39:18. | |
piece of deflation that makes -- piece of legislation that eliminate | :39:19. | :39:20. | |
a very serious piece of discrimination. That is homosexual | :39:21. | :39:30. | |
acts in the merchant Navy. We took it out of the Bill in the Armed | :39:31. | :39:34. | |
Forces, get could not get that Bill taken out for the merchant Navy. | :39:35. | :39:38. | |
That came forward as a private members Bill rather than the | :39:39. | :39:40. | |
government taking their time to actually do it. My honourable friend | :39:41. | :39:45. | |
strengthens and enhances the point that I am making. We need the route | :39:46. | :39:51. | |
offered by Private Members' Bills to deal with important issues such as | :39:52. | :39:56. | |
that. And then, something that I think there's already been referred | :39:57. | :40:00. | |
to by the SNP fragments, the very important measure introduced by the | :40:01. | :40:09. | |
previous measure relating to the then we are victims of domestic | :40:10. | :40:19. | |
violence. Someone came from the Friday route and even now I don't | :40:20. | :40:22. | |
think that the government has acted on the instructions of the House, | :40:23. | :40:25. | |
rather then trying to prevent the democratic rights of the spread | :40:26. | :40:30. | |
house perhaps the government might be better off making sure that the | :40:31. | :40:33. | |
democratic will of this House is observed in letter and spirit. | :40:34. | :40:38. | |
Finally I just want to make reference to two pieces of | :40:39. | :40:43. | |
legislation previous 220 16-17, that, in my case did not make it | :40:44. | :40:46. | |
onto the statute book immediately they did in the end become law and | :40:47. | :40:50. | |
that was the dangerous dogs legislation. This made it possible | :40:51. | :40:55. | |
to prosecute people when attacks were made by dogs on private | :40:56. | :41:00. | |
property. It took years to get it on the statute book, about five years, | :41:01. | :41:05. | |
but we got there in the end but it was the private menu putt members | :41:06. | :41:10. | |
Bill and Friday sittings that made that happen. It was a cooperation in | :41:11. | :41:20. | |
2015 both entrenches the # Frontbenchers in the closing month | :41:21. | :41:25. | |
that that made that legislation possible. Why can't we have that | :41:26. | :41:29. | |
cooperation now. If you believe in consensus, act on it and give us the | :41:30. | :41:36. | |
time on Fridays. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker I will be brief. | :41:37. | :41:41. | |
Unusually, I find myself in agreement with the honourable men | :41:42. | :41:47. | |
Rita Shipley. -- member for Shipley. We are in a situation where you're | :41:48. | :41:51. | |
perpetuating myth, and the myth is that we as individual backbench | :41:52. | :41:53. | |
members of Parliament are legislators. Except in very few | :41:54. | :42:03. | |
cases, were not. Although, the reality is that any building that is | :42:04. | :42:07. | |
brought forward, if it doesn't attract the veto of the honourable | :42:08. | :42:11. | |
member for Shipley and Emily chose to join him, then it will most | :42:12. | :42:16. | |
probably be procedurally talked out by a minister who was then that | :42:17. | :42:21. | |
despite bucks and make sure that that Bill -- dispatch box and make | :42:22. | :42:28. | |
sure that Bill does not get past. We as a house must decide that we must | :42:29. | :42:33. | |
make the system work. It is a sham and we are fooling the public into | :42:34. | :42:36. | |
believing that those will be passed that never stand a snowballs chance | :42:37. | :42:45. | |
in hell. It's fitting on a day that started after me, and perhaps other | :42:46. | :42:49. | |
people, listening to an excerpt from night of the living dead to | :42:50. | :42:54. | |
commemorate the passing of George Romero, who was the creator of the | :42:55. | :43:00. | |
modern-day zombie. Twice in one evening we are discussing this | :43:01. | :43:04. | |
zombie government that the benches opposite have become. Because, while | :43:05. | :43:07. | |
it has lost its majority and some would say its authority, when it | :43:08. | :43:13. | |
does have control of, the parliamentary timetable, it is | :43:14. | :43:15. | |
turning the screws on that. So we are now hearing about the | :43:16. | :43:18. | |
disappearing opposition days and we now turn to Private Members' Bills. | :43:19. | :43:24. | |
I listen to the what the Leader of the House said and it was great in | :43:25. | :43:28. | |
the extreme. We still have idea whether we love the commensurate | :43:29. | :43:34. | |
days of increase it should be 26 days and not 13. When I think of | :43:35. | :43:43. | |
some of the contents of that manifesto, the ill-fated | :43:44. | :43:45. | |
Conservative manifesto that didn't make it to the Queen's speech, so, | :43:46. | :43:49. | |
the dementia tax, I remember it was in my own constituency when the | :43:50. | :43:55. | |
Prime Minister came and she came a bit unstuck about one of my | :43:56. | :43:58. | |
constituents are doing with her on the doorstep. Think about the 25 | :43:59. | :44:02. | |
year environment plan, grammar schools, fox hunting, all these big | :44:03. | :44:07. | |
policies, and the fact that the First Minister said that the | :44:08. | :44:13. | |
Conservatives Private members 's bills are a good | :44:14. | :44:25. | |
way to plug the gap. It has been said before, our constituents sent | :44:26. | :44:29. | |
us to this place because they want to debate issues and vote on | :44:30. | :44:34. | |
legislation. Both the private members bills on a Friday and the | :44:35. | :44:38. | |
observation days on a Friday, that is where I cut my teeth. I went | :44:39. | :44:47. | |
through a string of different, I was never lucky enough to have my blue | :44:48. | :44:54. | |
sky thinking translated to something in the statute book. The oft | :44:55. | :45:01. | |
patented drugs Bill, my honourable friend, the homes fitfully human | :45:02. | :45:06. | |
habitation Bill, the hospital parking charges, my honourable | :45:07. | :45:15. | |
friend for Burnley, they never saw the light of day because it was | :45:16. | :45:24. | |
never busted out of existence. This parliament as well. Sorry, this | :45:25. | :45:31. | |
year, 2016, the ones that did make it were the ones that had | :45:32. | :45:34. | |
fingerprints all over them. The hand-out bills. I had someone go on | :45:35. | :45:47. | |
about their favourite pop groups on a radio station, and from the | :45:48. | :45:50. | |
outside, it is a denial of democracy and it looks bad. When Private | :45:51. | :45:54. | |
member 's bills are given time that they need, and debated properly, it | :45:55. | :46:00. | |
is parliament at its best. People remember September 2015, that was a | :46:01. | :46:05. | |
Friday when a lot of people came in. The numbers were 118-330, so it is | :46:06. | :46:11. | |
possible to get people there on a Friday if things are given time. It | :46:12. | :46:16. | |
didn't change the law, but the debates had a good airing. The SNP | :46:17. | :46:21. | |
mentioned the Istanbul convention vote on a Friday, just this February | :46:22. | :46:25. | |
come vital legislation to stop violence against women and girls. It | :46:26. | :46:33. | |
seems the zombie parliament of chuntering continuing on, Private | :46:34. | :46:38. | |
members bills, you can even construct a long list of things that | :46:39. | :46:44. | |
have changed the way modern society operate, the origins of which are in | :46:45. | :46:51. | |
Private members bills. Committing of homosexual acts between two | :46:52. | :46:55. | |
consenting adults over 21 in 1957, the end of the death penalty, the | :46:56. | :47:01. | |
legalisation of abortion, those came from private members bills. Even | :47:02. | :47:07. | |
hunting with dogs popped up several times, it was under a Labour | :47:08. | :47:10. | |
government that fox hunting was outlawed. Plans to have a free vote | :47:11. | :47:16. | |
on it this time seemed to have fallen out. People say the | :47:17. | :47:19. | |
procedural committee has recommended reforms to Private members bills. | :47:20. | :47:26. | |
Reversing the debate doesn't seem to be one that this government is | :47:27. | :47:30. | |
entertaining at all, they have dismissed those concerns out of | :47:31. | :47:34. | |
hand. We have seen in this Parliament how my honourable friend | :47:35. | :47:38. | |
the Holland Walthamstow have secured something of a revenge for the | :47:39. | :47:41. | |
backbenches. That happens in a zombie government. That should be | :47:42. | :47:44. | |
encouraged with private members bills getting proper commensurate | :47:45. | :47:50. | |
timing for a two-year parliament, 26 days, nothing less. It is part of a | :47:51. | :47:57. | |
pattern. No select committees to be constituted until the autumn. In the | :47:58. | :48:02. | |
last Parliament, we saw the withdrawal of short money. If you | :48:03. | :48:06. | |
look at that manifesto, the manifesto of the Conservatives from | :48:07. | :48:10. | |
2017, a lot of liberal constitutional stuff in there. For | :48:11. | :48:15. | |
example, soldiering on with the boundary review, on 2015 | :48:16. | :48:21. | |
registrants, an election that won't happen until 2022, or will it? Do | :48:22. | :48:25. | |
they know something we don't? What I would like to say is, this has gone | :48:26. | :48:29. | |
beyond something for constitutional anoraks. A new petition last year | :48:30. | :48:36. | |
got signatures for the reform of Private members Bill 's procedures. | :48:37. | :48:40. | |
I urge everyone to support this amendment for a pro rata allocation | :48:41. | :48:45. | |
of the time for debate, 26 days, nothing less. Don't let the zombies | :48:46. | :48:48. | |
win, because democracy will be the loser. Chris Bryant. I beg to move | :48:49. | :48:58. | |
the amendment, B, which is in my name on the order paper. I refer to | :48:59. | :49:01. | |
the honourable member of the Shipley. He says I should declare my | :49:02. | :49:05. | |
interest. I would argue, actually, of all the members in this House, I | :49:06. | :49:09. | |
probably have the least interest in extending the number of days this | :49:10. | :49:14. | |
year, because I came top of the ballot. It is the members at five | :49:15. | :49:18. | |
and ten, and 15, and 20, who maybe have a greater interest in this. But | :49:19. | :49:24. | |
I hope that he and I hope all honourable members of this House | :49:25. | :49:29. | |
will unite on the 20th of October, and will turn up here for a vote for | :49:30. | :49:34. | |
a Bill that makes sure emergency workers don't get spat at and | :49:35. | :49:36. | |
attacked when they are doing their work. I hope that will attract not | :49:37. | :49:44. | |
only the support of him, briefly, but also of government ministers as | :49:45. | :49:49. | |
well. But we are yet to say. He said in his contribution that the | :49:50. | :49:53. | |
standing orders say, quite rightly, he says, there will be 13 Private | :49:54. | :50:00. | |
member 's days in a session. When it is a short session, that isn't true. | :50:01. | :50:07. | |
The truth of the matter is, we are in a bit of a conundrum here. What | :50:08. | :50:12. | |
the government has the power over is to decide the length of the session. | :50:13. | :50:17. | |
That is why I think it is only fair play for the government to say, when | :50:18. | :50:23. | |
it is a two-year session, there should be two years worth of Private | :50:24. | :50:28. | |
members days. He says they should be a second ballot. That might be a | :50:29. | :50:33. | |
great idea, but the only person that can table that amendment is the | :50:34. | :50:37. | |
government. We can't. If we table it, it is not selectable as an | :50:38. | :50:40. | |
amendment to today's business. There is no way we could have tabled that | :50:41. | :50:45. | |
today. The only thing open to us is to table the extra 13 days. To be | :50:46. | :50:50. | |
absolutely clear, what my amendment does is add another 13 days, and I | :50:51. | :50:54. | |
think, therefore, gives many honourable members and right | :50:55. | :50:58. | |
honourable members, a further opportunity to get legislation on | :50:59. | :50:59. | |
the statute book. Why does it matter? What is the first | :51:00. | :51:14. | |
thing you asked by every sixth form student at school? If you have a | :51:15. | :51:17. | |
chance to change the law, what is the one thing you would do? We are | :51:18. | :51:20. | |
used to answering that question. Sometimes, we get that opportunity. | :51:21. | :51:22. | |
I think more of us should have that opportunity. In this two-year | :51:23. | :51:24. | |
parliament, we could have ten minute rule bills, we could have members | :51:25. | :51:26. | |
from the Private members Bill ballot, and I will not give way, I | :51:27. | :51:31. | |
look forward to him just say yes on 20th October. The other point here | :51:32. | :51:36. | |
is, if the government wanted to, it could make a session of Parliament | :51:37. | :51:43. | |
last five years. Then would it only be 13 days the private members | :51:44. | :51:46. | |
bills? In theory, yes. But I would say according to the laws of justice | :51:47. | :51:52. | |
in this House, I would say not. Why do I not trust the government on | :51:53. | :51:58. | |
this? Because I have thought, when the Leader of the House said a | :51:59. | :52:00. | |
couple of times on Thursday morning, she said, she is minded to look at | :52:01. | :52:08. | |
adding extra days. Then she tabled a motion that allows the 13 days | :52:09. | :52:13. | |
through to the 23 November 2018. That does not suggest to me, | :52:14. | :52:17. | |
somebody that thinks they should be the proportionate number for two | :52:18. | :52:21. | |
years. I think that is an instance, in this case, where we are not being | :52:22. | :52:28. | |
given the odd and straight. That is why I tabled the extra 13 days. I do | :52:29. | :52:33. | |
believe, if the government wins the vote today, the Leader of the House | :52:34. | :52:36. | |
will come back to say there should be any more days at all. Madam | :52:37. | :52:43. | |
Deputy 's Mika, I end with two points. -- Madam Deputy Speaker. | :52:44. | :52:51. | |
When Richard Crossman introduced the legislation standing order we are | :52:52. | :52:54. | |
dealing with today, he made allowance the 22 private members | :52:55. | :53:01. | |
days a year. He said this reflects the increasing importance which | :53:02. | :53:04. | |
Private member 's bills have assured in the last year or two. I am | :53:05. | :53:11. | |
pleased to see from published that honourable members are paired to | :53:12. | :53:19. | |
come forward. That was in 1967 when they had just passed a Bill that | :53:20. | :53:26. | |
partially decriminalised homosexuality. It didn't go the | :53:27. | :53:30. | |
whole way. It took a considerable period for that happen. A Labour | :53:31. | :53:33. | |
government had to push it through the House of lords with the | :53:34. | :53:38. | |
Parliament act where we were given an equal age of consent. It started | :53:39. | :53:43. | |
as a Private members Bill, and was given a government Bill. The end of | :53:44. | :53:46. | |
the death penalty came through because Private members at a month | :53:47. | :53:52. | |
after month, after month, and actually, votes for women happened | :53:53. | :53:56. | |
year after year, people tabled Private members bills, and made | :53:57. | :54:01. | |
Parliament make its mind up. In 1980, the first votes for women were | :54:02. | :54:07. | |
allowed 100 years ago. Tomorrow, it will be the 50th anniversary of the | :54:08. | :54:11. | |
parcel decriminalisation of homosexuality. I say to honourable | :54:12. | :54:15. | |
members, every single one of you will want to have been involved in | :54:16. | :54:20. | |
something as historic as that. Every single one of us would like to have | :54:21. | :54:24. | |
done something as historic as that. If we hung up our boots, or the | :54:25. | :54:28. | |
voters chucked us out at the next general election, absolutely fine. | :54:29. | :54:33. | |
All we are trying to do today is say, "You know what, we could make | :54:34. | :54:37. | |
Private members legislation better. " We could make good bills that | :54:38. | :54:41. | |
don't depend on government ministers, and that is why I beg, | :54:42. | :54:45. | |
urge and implore members opposite, those of you who I know are real | :54:46. | :54:51. | |
parliamentarians and would desperately love to have had | :54:52. | :54:55. | |
something as significant as what we are talking about to vote for the | :54:56. | :55:00. | |
event went -- the amendment tonight. You know you will have done a good | :55:01. | :55:06. | |
thing. The Member for Rhondda in the last debate talk about the power of | :55:07. | :55:13. | |
the executive in terms of not just controlling the agenda of this | :55:14. | :55:17. | |
place, but also in terms of ensuring that laws, which obviously are in | :55:18. | :55:22. | |
manifestos and get through, but we are in a unique position in this | :55:23. | :55:27. | |
Parliament. A two-year session, the important thing is, Private members | :55:28. | :55:33. | |
bills should be used, and have been referred to by my honourable friend, | :55:34. | :55:40. | |
the Member for Sutton and Devonport, and for Rhondda, but they are big | :55:41. | :55:45. | |
legislation, sometimes too hot for government to vote through but they | :55:46. | :55:51. | |
go through as Private members bills. It makes a real difference to | :55:52. | :55:55. | |
people's lives. It comes from private members else. The Christmas | :55:56. | :56:06. | |
Day trading act 2004, which means large shops can't open on a | :56:07. | :56:11. | |
Christmas Day. It is good for shop workers that are forced to work on | :56:12. | :56:15. | |
Christmas Day. In that same session, Jim Sheridan, the gang licensing act | :56:16. | :56:28. | |
that brought in tough regulation in terms of time to protect those that | :56:29. | :56:31. | |
exploit. ideas, in terms of making real | :56:32. | :56:40. | |
change in people's lives. In terms of the argument put forward by the | :56:41. | :56:44. | |
government, and I was a bit concerned when the Leader of the | :56:45. | :56:48. | |
House said that she was minded to adapt conditional days. I'd like to | :56:49. | :56:54. | |
know how many additional day she would like to use but that is the | :56:55. | :57:00. | |
criteria for using those additional days? The logic that has only gone | :57:01. | :57:08. | |
through is that 13 days over a two-year session. The only argument | :57:09. | :57:11. | |
that the membership we is making and that is that is the hands of the | :57:12. | :57:16. | |
government if they wish to have another ballot for private members | :57:17. | :57:24. | |
to bring further amendment. As my honourable friend the Member for | :57:25. | :57:31. | |
connoisseurs. Reset in the 2015 16 session the actual number of bills | :57:32. | :57:38. | |
at came through successfully did not come through the ballot that came | :57:39. | :57:41. | |
through private mentor was legislation Thomas said it was, and | :57:42. | :57:50. | |
the idea somehow that he argument that they were given an unfair | :57:51. | :57:54. | |
advantage, I'm not sure it's going to be the case. It will allow others | :57:55. | :57:59. | |
to put forward private bills to get them onto the statute books. Now, I | :58:00. | :58:03. | |
know the honourable member for Shipley thinks of himself as a great | :58:04. | :58:11. | |
filibuster, can I say he pales into significance -- insignificance when | :58:12. | :58:15. | |
it came to the honourable member for Bronwyn Bromley, the great Eric for | :58:16. | :58:21. | |
because I managed to get rid of my bills through because he wanted to | :58:22. | :58:27. | |
stop one further down the agenda. The Pope made by the SNP is this | :58:28. | :58:31. | |
issue around how we deal with parliamentary legislation will stop | :58:32. | :58:35. | |
it was the one proposal to move it onto a Tuesday and Wednesday night, | :58:36. | :58:41. | |
so that it would a loud Parliament -- allow Parliament debate debate | :58:42. | :58:44. | |
there and possibly get round the points that have been made by | :58:45. | :58:51. | |
members of the SNP about travelling on a Friday. Etc. Is this an area | :58:52. | :58:58. | |
that is right for a river? Yes it is. Certainly -- ripe for reform, | :58:59. | :59:09. | |
yes, it is. Certainly for our constituents. Part of this | :59:10. | :59:14. | |
legislation is important -- parliamentary legislation is | :59:15. | :59:19. | |
important. Whether it's a mistake or it's just a matter of keeping the | :59:20. | :59:24. | |
debt is clear whether it's a way of making sure that nothing | :59:25. | :59:26. | |
controversial comes forward in the next two years, because they may | :59:27. | :59:33. | |
have a situation where some of their backbench would vote for issues | :59:34. | :59:40. | |
which are not the in favour of the government, but there is the | :59:41. | :59:43. | |
fundamental point that the Member for Rhondda makes, which is that the | :59:44. | :59:48. | |
should be opportunities in this paste to change legislation. -- then | :59:49. | :59:58. | |
this place to change legislation. The member from Stockbridge Rosie | :59:59. | :00:00. | |
was sure about the homosexual act in the merchant number -- Navy, that | :00:01. | :00:09. | |
was actually in the Armed Forces Bill MSc managed to get it changed | :00:10. | :00:12. | |
and then somebody picks it up to make sure that discriminatory | :00:13. | :00:15. | |
legislation was taken out in terms of the merchant Navy. Again, that | :00:16. | :00:22. | |
had been around for many years but it was only because of our scrutiny | :00:23. | :00:25. | |
of that legislation that that change was actually made into legislation | :00:26. | :00:31. | |
in both the military and in the merchant Navy. So, I would support | :00:32. | :00:39. | |
the amendment put down. It was nonsense to suggest that somehow, by | :00:40. | :00:44. | |
giving us additional days, the world is going to stop. No, it is not. But | :00:45. | :00:51. | |
it will allow is to allow bank benches -- backbenchers to ensure | :00:52. | :00:56. | |
that their voices are heard and make a real difference in trying to get | :00:57. | :01:01. | |
some of those bills even pass the honourable member for Shipley. White | :01:02. | :01:10. | |
the question is... White the question that amendment ably made as | :01:11. | :01:17. | |
member of the opinions say aye. Those opposition say no. Clear the | :01:18. | :01:23. | |
lobby. Nic White lists for | :01:24. | :03:31. | |
that members say aye. Tellers for the no, | :03:32. | :03:33. | |
Nigel Adams and Dave Rockley. The ayes to the right, 285. The noes | :03:34. | :09:24. | |
to the left, 215. The ayes to the right, 285. The noes | :09:25. | :19:11. | |
to the left, 315. The noes have it. The noes have it. Mr Bryant to move | :19:12. | :19:24. | |
amendment B. The question is that amendment B be made. Clear the | :19:25. | :19:32. | |
lobby. Order. The question is that | :19:33. | :22:06. | |
amendment B be made. As many of that opinion say aye. On the contrary, | :22:07. | :22:14. | |
say no. Tell us for the noes. | :22:15. | :22:20. |