20/07/2017

:00:00. > :00:00.sympathy with anybody who loses their job, but with the greatest

:00:00. > :00:00.respect the honourable gentleman, those facts are not quite correct.

:00:07. > :00:09.On October two, the Dean announced his retirement and he did not leave

:00:10. > :00:14.the deanery and he was not asked to leave until the following February,

:00:15. > :00:20.giving him six months residence. These are the facts I have been

:00:21. > :00:23.given, Mr Speaker. We should try and leave this term on a happier note.

:00:24. > :00:30.So if I could conclude by wishing all colleagues a very welcome

:00:31. > :00:33.honourable lady in that and she was honourable lady in that and she was

:00:34. > :00:39.very gracious, typically gracious, in her comments about the honourable

:00:40. > :00:43.member for Sunderland South, who I warmly welcome to her new

:00:44. > :00:47.responsibilities. Which have been very effectively discharged today.

:00:48. > :00:56.And I also thank the right honourable lady, who is always

:00:57. > :01:01.courteous, fair and comprehensive in responding to enquiries. I hope that

:01:02. > :01:04.both members can take a rest from their owner is duties, both

:01:05. > :01:10.constituency and in respect of the other matters about which we have

:01:11. > :01:18.heard this morning. Urgent question. Diana Johnson. Will the Secretary of

:01:19. > :01:25.State for Health make a statement on the responsibility for establishing

:01:26. > :01:29.the contaminated blood scandal? Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like

:01:30. > :01:33.to begin by adding my own personal apology to those who have spoken in

:01:34. > :01:37.this House on previous occasions about the tragedy of contaminated

:01:38. > :01:40.blood and to reiterate the government recognises the terrible

:01:41. > :01:44.impact it has had on many thousands of lives. The Government recognises

:01:45. > :01:51.previous enquiries into the events that led to 1,000 people being

:01:52. > :01:56.infected with HIV and hepatitis C to NHS supplies blood products did not

:01:57. > :01:59.go for enough. That is why on Tuesday, July 11, the Prime Minister

:02:00. > :02:05.established a further enquiry so the causes of this tragedy can be fully

:02:06. > :02:10.understood. Once established, we want that enquiry to be fully

:02:11. > :02:13.independent. Before it is established, there is a need to

:02:14. > :02:18.define the scope and format so terms of reference could be set by the

:02:19. > :02:22.relevant Secretary of State. Given the impact this tragedy has had on

:02:23. > :02:27.so many, it is vital that we get this right and from the start. I am

:02:28. > :02:31.aware of the concerns raised this week by those affected, by campaign

:02:32. > :02:34.groups and by members of this House, and indeed I spoke to the honourable

:02:35. > :02:40.lady on Tuesday about this very issue. So I would like to reassure

:02:41. > :02:45.the House that the Government has asked yet made no final decisions on

:02:46. > :02:50.the scope and format of an enquiry or on its leadership. I have taken

:02:51. > :02:53.on this policy area and I am keen to make sure that all those affected

:02:54. > :02:57.are given an opportunity to give their thoughts and opinions. I

:02:58. > :03:01.understand that it is normal practice for public enquiries to be

:03:02. > :03:05.sponsored by the relevant departments. But in light of

:03:06. > :03:10.concerns raised, we are keen to listen to those concerns and ensure

:03:11. > :03:12.they are addressed, so we are in discussions with Cabinet Office and

:03:13. > :03:16.colleagues across government to ensure that this enquiry does its

:03:17. > :03:21.job, does it well and under appropriate leadership. That is why

:03:22. > :03:26.an early meeting was scheduled today at the Cabinet office, whether

:03:27. > :03:29.Secretary of State and ministers hope to understand the important

:03:30. > :03:32.views of those affected about the shape and establishment of an

:03:33. > :03:35.enquiry. This is the first of several meetings the Government

:03:36. > :03:40.would like to offer over the coming weeks. And I strongly encourage

:03:41. > :03:44.anyone affected to give their views. Our door is open for anyone who

:03:45. > :03:49.wants to discuss the enquiry or raise any concerns they may have. It

:03:50. > :03:52.is important to know that whatever arrangement is agreed for this

:03:53. > :03:57.independent enquiry, there will be safeguards in place to ensure

:03:58. > :03:59.independence. By ensuring the Secretary to the enquiry has never

:04:00. > :04:06.worked at the Department of Health or any agencies. We are absolutely

:04:07. > :04:10.committed to a thorough and transparent enquiry and we want to

:04:11. > :04:14.establish the best format and remit. That is why we want to hear as many

:04:15. > :04:22.opinions as possible and we will work with those affected and members

:04:23. > :04:25.of this House to do so. Before I call the honourable lady whose

:04:26. > :04:28.question it is and are grateful to the Minister for the clarity of what

:04:29. > :04:32.she has said, I should emphasise this is not an occasion for a

:04:33. > :04:37.general debate on the contaminated blood scandal. We have had that on

:04:38. > :04:42.many occasions. I have also granted urgent questions previously to the

:04:43. > :04:48.honourable member from Kingston upon Hull North on this matter. The issue

:04:49. > :04:54.is very specifically the responsibility and at a stretch the

:04:55. > :04:58.scope, and if members can tailor their questions accordingly, that

:04:59. > :05:05.would be greatly appreciated. Urgent question. Diana Johnson. Can I also

:05:06. > :05:09.thank you for granting this urgent question this morning? Whilst I

:05:10. > :05:12.welcome last week's announcement of an enquiry into the contaminated

:05:13. > :05:16.blood scandal, I along with the majority affected by this scandal,

:05:17. > :05:19.their families, campaign groups and legal representatives and many

:05:20. > :05:25.cross-party parliamentarians are dismayed to see the Department of

:05:26. > :05:29.Health reading on the establishment of this enquiry. The Department of

:05:30. > :05:35.Health, and implicated party at the heart of so much that has gone wrong

:05:36. > :05:41.over the past 45 years, must have no role in how this enquiry is

:05:42. > :05:44.established. It is a killing, in my view, to asking South Yorkshire

:05:45. > :05:47.Police to read an inquiry into the Hillsborough Disaster. And I regret

:05:48. > :05:51.that the Government has not been able to understand that by putting

:05:52. > :05:55.the Department of Health in charge at this time, it immediately

:05:56. > :05:59.undermines their excellent decision to call a public inquiry last week.

:06:00. > :06:04.In consequence, contaminated blood campaigners boycotted a meeting

:06:05. > :06:09.organised by the Department of Health at 10am today in protest.

:06:10. > :06:11.Another department must surely now take over responsibility for

:06:12. > :06:16.consulting on the remit of this inquiry. The Minister needs to

:06:17. > :06:20.answer three questions urgently, and I am pleased that the Government

:06:21. > :06:24.acknowledged the overwhelming and unanimous opposition to the

:06:25. > :06:29.Department of Health consulting on the inquiry, including from over 250

:06:30. > :06:36.campaigners, ten campaign groups, the haemophilia Society and two law

:06:37. > :06:40.firms which represents 760 claimants. On Tuesday 18th of July,

:06:41. > :06:44.at the Minister explain why the Department of Health called a

:06:45. > :06:50.meeting for 10am to date with just two days notice in Central London,

:06:51. > :06:53.at a time most difficult, inconvenient and exclusive for

:06:54. > :06:56.people affected to try and attend? And when I spoke the Minister, she

:06:57. > :07:01.said the plans to update the House by September and get the inquiry and

:07:02. > :07:07.running as soon as possible, that was not made clear to campaigners or

:07:08. > :07:10.MPs and why was that? I still believe the case is even more

:07:11. > :07:14.pressing that another department should take over the work of

:07:15. > :07:18.establishing this inquiry now and that Department must then have a

:07:19. > :07:21.true and meaningful consultation with everyone affected so they can

:07:22. > :07:33.be fully involved and have confidence in this public inquiry.

:07:34. > :07:38.As I mentioned, there has been no firm view as to which department

:07:39. > :07:42.will run the inquiry, but ultimately, as the Minister with

:07:43. > :07:45.responsibility for this area, it would be remiss if I did not have

:07:46. > :07:50.meetings and discussions with those affected about the remit of this

:07:51. > :07:53.inquiry. When my honourable friend made the statement of the House

:07:54. > :07:59.about the inquiry, we made quite clear we wanted to progress as soon

:08:00. > :08:01.as possible. The Secretary of State called this meeting because we want

:08:02. > :08:05.to hear directly from the victims about what they want from this

:08:06. > :08:09.inquiry. We are very much in listening mode. The decision has not

:08:10. > :08:13.yet been taken which Department will run it, but ultimately as a

:08:14. > :08:16.Minister, I am accountable to Parliament for what happens in the

:08:17. > :08:19.Department of Health for those areas which are under my responsibility

:08:20. > :08:25.and I want to lead from the front, having those discussions. I thank

:08:26. > :08:29.the Minister for saying what she just has done that no decision has

:08:30. > :08:34.been taken about which Department will run the inquiry. So does she

:08:35. > :08:38.agree that perception is as important as reality in this matter?

:08:39. > :08:43.And therefore, will she take away from this occasion this morning the

:08:44. > :08:47.weight placed by Honourable Members on both sides of the House that

:08:48. > :08:53.perhaps it would be perceived to be more objective if some of the

:08:54. > :08:57.Department took the lead? -- some other Department. I would say the my

:08:58. > :09:00.honourable friend and I have repeated this, the Cabinet office is

:09:01. > :09:06.very closely involved in this. This opportunity has given me the time to

:09:07. > :09:10.make that quite clear to the House. The Government is listening, we want

:09:11. > :09:14.to consult as wide as possible and no decision has yet been taken. But

:09:15. > :09:21.the Cabinet office is very closely involved in all the consultation we

:09:22. > :09:26.are closely -- currently having. It is disappointing that we are here

:09:27. > :09:32.again today. So soon after the announcement last week. A week ago,

:09:33. > :09:35.has united in agreement to facilitate justice for those

:09:36. > :09:39.tragically affected by this scandal yet in recent days, as we have

:09:40. > :09:43.heard, events have shown ministers to renege on must week's promises

:09:44. > :09:47.and run roughshod over the affected community. You shake your head, but

:09:48. > :09:52.that is how the community feels. There are three key questions, the

:09:53. > :09:59.Minister must answer these. I hope she will be more forthcoming than

:10:00. > :10:03.she was the my honourable friend. Understandably, the community have

:10:04. > :10:07.deeply held suspicion when it comes to the Department of Health, so why

:10:08. > :10:09.have the ministers ignored these concerns and demands to facilitate

:10:10. > :10:13.an inquiry through another department such as the Ministry of

:10:14. > :10:19.Justice? This is well-documented in the letter to the Prime Minister by

:10:20. > :10:23.my honourable friend, the Haemophilia Society, the ten

:10:24. > :10:31.campaign groups and law firms. Why does the Minister think they can so

:10:32. > :10:34.easily disregard these people? Events over the last days have shown

:10:35. > :10:40.last week's promised to consult, engage and listen to the community

:10:41. > :10:44.were simply words. The audacious move to hold a round table meeting

:10:45. > :10:49.this morning with such little notice given the potential attendees from

:10:50. > :10:53.across the UK hinders many from being involved in the process of

:10:54. > :10:58.setting up this inquiry. Can ministers explain why this meeting

:10:59. > :11:02.was held at such short notice, who they plan to invite so the meeting

:11:03. > :11:06.was properly consultative, and he was scheduled to attend in the end

:11:07. > :11:12.following the mass boycotting by many invited who felt this offer of

:11:13. > :11:16.a meeting was a slap in the face? It is important to have this inquiry

:11:17. > :11:21.sooner rather than later, yet not at the expense of jeopardising justice.

:11:22. > :11:25.Will the Minister publicly outline out the timetable for this inquiry,

:11:26. > :11:29.is the gunmen's intention to initiate the inquiry in September

:11:30. > :11:33.and if so, why has this not been made public? Why is it that we must

:11:34. > :11:37.bring ministers to the House again to make this clear? Does this not go

:11:38. > :11:41.against everything we were promised last week? The Minister must

:11:42. > :11:45.remember the promises made just last week and ensure consultation is

:11:46. > :11:49.central to this process, otherwise they will fail this community who

:11:50. > :11:56.must have the justice they so rightly deserve.

:11:57. > :12:01.Quest We are delivering on the commitments made last week. We made

:12:02. > :12:07.clear then we wanted to get this inquiry going as soon as possible,

:12:08. > :12:11.because frankly, these people have waited long enough for answers. We

:12:12. > :12:14.have not ignored the concerns expressed by many about the role of

:12:15. > :12:18.the Department of Health holding an inquiry. I repeat again, no decision

:12:19. > :12:23.has been made and the Cabinet Office is very closely involved with how

:12:24. > :12:27.we're taking this forward. As for the complaints about the short

:12:28. > :12:32.notice of the meeting this week, organised by the Secretary of State,

:12:33. > :12:35.it is because we want to hear directly from people directly

:12:36. > :12:38.affected as soon as possible that such a meeting was arranged before

:12:39. > :12:43.the House rises. It is just the start. We want there to be good,

:12:44. > :12:48.effective dialogue. As she will appreciate and the rest of the House

:12:49. > :12:52.will, it is very important that we all inspire confidence in this

:12:53. > :12:57.process, and given the cross-party support that we had at the time that

:12:58. > :13:06.the inquiry was announced, it's very disappointing that we are bogged

:13:07. > :13:10.down in a process right now. Like others in the chamber I welcome the

:13:11. > :13:14.announcement about the public inquiry and I am encouraged by what

:13:15. > :13:19.the minister is tells us this morning. One of my constituent who

:13:20. > :13:23.was affected has raised the issue about which department should take

:13:24. > :13:27.the lead in the inquiry. I wonder if my honourable friend can confirm

:13:28. > :13:30.what role victims, families and campaigners will play? Ond how it is

:13:31. > :13:35.best tone gauge with her and her department at this stage? Well, I

:13:36. > :13:41.thank my honourable friend for the question she's raised. Obviously we

:13:42. > :13:45.want to hear from as many people as possible and want to reflect on

:13:46. > :13:49.their reputations. If they want to be clear and blunt about the

:13:50. > :13:53.Department of Health, then we need to hear those reputations in order

:13:54. > :13:58.that we make the best reputations about who takes this forward. Thank

:13:59. > :14:02.you, Mr Speaker. I thank the honourable lady for bringing forward

:14:03. > :14:06.this question and pay tribute for pushing this subject to ensure we

:14:07. > :14:10.get justice for those so tragically affected. We must get the right

:14:11. > :14:13.answers and this inquiry must command the confidence of those

:14:14. > :14:18.affected. Can the minister confirm when a decision will be made, to

:14:19. > :14:21.which the department will lead on the the establishment of an inquiry?

:14:22. > :14:25.Can the minister confirm that the inquirly will include the victims

:14:26. > :14:37.and families so they are sensitive to what they want to know and ensure

:14:38. > :14:42.the Government will ensure sure that things behind the barriers will be

:14:43. > :14:46.opened up, so light can be shed on this matter, as with Hillsborough?

:14:47. > :14:51.To be clear, the Department of Health is the department for the

:14:52. > :14:55.inquiry. It will be entirely don't. Whoever oversees it has to be

:14:56. > :15:00.determined. Clearly having made the statement and the statement to hold

:15:01. > :15:03.this inquiry we need to halt to make sure that the inquiry does reflect

:15:04. > :15:09.and answer the questions he's made. Central to that will be exactly

:15:10. > :15:12.that. It needs to be seen as transparent, open, fully

:15:13. > :15:17.independent. Once it is established, it will be entirely removed from the

:15:18. > :15:20.Department of Health. That should be enough to inspire confidence,

:15:21. > :15:26.provided we get the consultation right to get the remit right. Mr

:15:27. > :15:30.Speaker, I have two constituents that are affected be think terrible

:15:31. > :15:34.tragedy who have contacted me with concerns regarding the department

:15:35. > :15:38.involvement. This is a unique situation. Especially with the time

:15:39. > :15:43.it's taken to bring forward this inquiry and cred it should go to the

:15:44. > :15:46.Government for bringing forward that inquiry. It is important that

:15:47. > :15:50.justice is seen to be dope. Would the minister consult with members of

:15:51. > :16:01.the all-party group on who she determined would be the right people

:16:02. > :16:06.to oversee -- justice is seen to be done. Would the minister consult

:16:07. > :16:12.with members of the all party group on who she determined would be right

:16:13. > :16:16.people to oversee this. Can I welcome the Government's

:16:17. > :16:23.decision to hold this the inquiry in response to my honourable friend's

:16:24. > :16:26.campaign. I know she's acting in good health. Health department

:16:27. > :16:30.officials have advised there was no need for an inquiry and that there

:16:31. > :16:35.was no problem at the heart of this issue. And therefore, because of

:16:36. > :16:40.that, will she recognise that for many of those who have campaigned

:16:41. > :16:44.for this, it would have much greater credibility if the sponsoring

:16:45. > :16:47.department is another department, be it the department for justice or

:16:48. > :16:51.Cabinet Office? If all of the staff do not come from the health

:16:52. > :16:55.department and also if those, one of those other departments could be

:16:56. > :16:59.involved in the consultation and the establishment and the remit. It is

:17:00. > :17:04.no criticism of her. I know she takes this very seriously. I would

:17:05. > :17:09.advice her to hand this one over to another department and let them run

:17:10. > :17:13.with it instead. I understand the point the

:17:14. > :17:17.honourable lady is making. I repeat the Cabinet Office is closely

:17:18. > :17:22.involved with this at this stage. She would consider it amiss of me

:17:23. > :17:26.not to take a close interest as this consultation is taken forward. But I

:17:27. > :17:31.cannot say enough. It is absolutely essential that the way this inquiry

:17:32. > :17:35.is established must inspire confidence in those people affected.

:17:36. > :17:38.It is that that we're trying to achieve by the consultation. As I

:17:39. > :17:41.say, we want to hear from them. We are completely open minded as to

:17:42. > :17:46.which department will take responsibility going forward. Right

:17:47. > :17:49.now I want to have those conversations because I want to

:17:50. > :17:53.understand their concerns with what has happened with the Department of

:17:54. > :18:01.Health. As a minister I need to give that challenge.

:18:02. > :18:04.The letter from the honourable lady, from Hull, started by putting

:18:05. > :18:08.gratitude to the Government for the progress which has been made so far.

:18:09. > :18:12.We have been welcomed decades ago, but it is right to acknowledge it

:18:13. > :18:16.now. The letter included three practical points which think I the

:18:17. > :18:19.letter put better than the front bench op. It is I think the

:18:20. > :18:23.machinery of Government cannot work overnight normally. I think that the

:18:24. > :18:27.questions and answers today would help Government and the Prime

:18:28. > :18:30.Minister decide whether the right solution is as my friend has

:18:31. > :18:33.suggested having another department or the Cabinet Office taking on the

:18:34. > :18:38.consultation, the Department of Health helping as far as they can.

:18:39. > :18:44.Can they guarantee the third point of the honourable lady's letter that

:18:45. > :18:47.no records will be drad, all will be a-- destroyed, all will be available

:18:48. > :18:53.to the inquiry? I can give that commitment. Just to reit thor rate,

:18:54. > :18:57.we have made many documents available in public or published. I

:18:58. > :19:02.can give every assurance that nothing will be destroyed. Having

:19:03. > :19:07.now taken the decision to hold an inquiry, we must get it right. I am

:19:08. > :19:12.happy to hear from honourable members at any time if they have any

:19:13. > :19:16.specific concerns about whether they think evidence is being withheld, so

:19:17. > :19:24.I can satisfy myself that is not the case. This is not a matter of

:19:25. > :19:30.challenging the minister's personal integrity at all. That is not under

:19:31. > :19:36.any doubt. What is under doubt is the wisdom of the decision to have

:19:37. > :19:41.the department that is implications in the concerns of what happened in

:19:42. > :19:46.the past involved at any point in consultation and in taking this

:19:47. > :19:50.inquiry forward. I hope before we go into the recess an urgent statement

:19:51. > :19:55.can be rush odd out, advicing that the Cabinet Office or the minister

:19:56. > :19:58.of -- Ministry of Justice will lead not only on the outline, but the

:19:59. > :20:05.consultation on the inquiry and then we can have trust from those who

:20:06. > :20:10.have been involved. It is quite without precedent that at this

:20:11. > :20:14.stage, just shortly after announcing an inquir a, that such a decision --

:20:15. > :20:21.inquiry that such a decision would be made. It is normal practise to

:20:22. > :20:26.embark on the consultation. As I will repeat again, the Cabinet

:20:27. > :20:29.Office is closely involved in this, from the perspective of ethics and

:20:30. > :20:37.the Department of Health is not working alone. Thank you, Mr

:20:38. > :20:41.Speaker. I warmly welcome the fact that the inquiry is now happening

:20:42. > :20:44.and the Government's decision to undertake it, given the decades

:20:45. > :20:50.which have gone pass and the scandal occurred. Would she be able to

:20:51. > :20:54.reassure victims that in terms of any judicial involvement that the

:20:55. > :20:59.identityive of the judge concerned will be by the Lord Chief Justice,

:21:00. > :21:04.not by any department? That would be the normal procedure. Yes, I can

:21:05. > :21:10.give that commitment. Can the Secretary of State assure us

:21:11. > :21:14.that in the responsibility of this inquiry, there are real powers which

:21:15. > :21:19.will enable the inquiry to ensure that it has proper access to all the

:21:20. > :21:22.witnesses and documents necessary, and which will be vital to

:21:23. > :21:26.developing a just settlement for all those affected by this and their

:21:27. > :21:30.families and that a fair financial system will be in place to support

:21:31. > :21:35.them because this could take some time? Well, that question we really

:21:36. > :21:40.are looking to be settled by this consultation. One of the decisions

:21:41. > :21:45.that #23450eds to be taken is what shape the inquiry should take place.

:21:46. > :21:49.Because, clearly we normally do this through a stat Tory inquiry. That

:21:50. > :21:54.would have the powers she refers to. Equally members of the House have

:21:55. > :21:56.made reputations that it should be Hillsborough-still, which by

:21:57. > :22:00.definition would be more fleet of foot. The reason we are pushing

:22:01. > :22:04.forward is to get that feedback so we put together an inquiry that

:22:05. > :22:09.inspires confidence amongst those who have been campaigning for this

:22:10. > :22:13.for so long. Far from being negative, I think the

:22:14. > :22:20.Government should be applauded for swift action, recently. Not perhaps

:22:21. > :22:25.in the past. And they are listening. Already committed extra compensation

:22:26. > :22:28.in solving the system and announcing the inquiry, sorting out the complex

:22:29. > :22:34.system we had before, but also the fact that we have now listening and

:22:35. > :22:36.the right thing is, can the minister give assurances particularly to my

:22:37. > :22:40.constituents that the right department will be chosen? We have

:22:41. > :22:43.to give confidence that we will not, many speaker, all be here again

:22:44. > :22:48.discussing this and we have the chance to sort it out now. I think

:22:49. > :22:52.that the purpose of consultation is so that people can make their points

:22:53. > :22:57.about which department should oversee the inquiry and we will

:22:58. > :23:03.respond accordingly. Please encourage people to participate in

:23:04. > :23:12.consultation. If the consultation with interest groups unanimously

:23:13. > :23:16.says that the inquiry should be held by another department, will the

:23:17. > :23:21.minister respect that view? What we need to do is understand their

:23:22. > :23:25.concerns. We will only achieve that by having dialogue. We are here to

:23:26. > :23:29.listen and to listen to those concerns. Now we have decide to go

:23:30. > :23:37.ahead with this inquiry I want to make sure that we get it right.

:23:38. > :23:42.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I again put on record how pleased I am about

:23:43. > :23:46.the commitment to hold this inquiry for my constituents and their

:23:47. > :23:50.families who have been so affected? And thank the minister for her time

:23:51. > :23:55.listening to me on this yesterday. So, does she agree with me that by

:23:56. > :23:58.listening and only listening to those most affected that we can

:23:59. > :24:05.finally get the answers for the victims and their families that they

:24:06. > :24:09.are seeking? Well, I think we can only gain from having dialogue and

:24:10. > :24:13.it is in that spirit that we want to have as many conservations with

:24:14. > :24:17.those people affected as possible. It is disappointing that the meeting

:24:18. > :24:24.we had this morning wasn't attended. But I hope that going forwards we

:24:25. > :24:27.will have some meaningful dialogue. Mr Speaker, can I ask the minister

:24:28. > :24:31.to respect it is not reasonable to ask campaign groups from Scotland to

:24:32. > :24:37.attend a meeting at two days' notice? Can I also ask, given there

:24:38. > :24:41.is a distinct legal system in Scotland, has there been any thought

:24:42. > :24:45.to that in any discussion with campaign groups or with the Scottish

:24:46. > :24:50.Government? Well, as I say, that was the first of what we hope will be

:24:51. > :24:54.many conversations. I think the campaign groups in Scotland,

:24:55. > :24:58.arrangements for made for them to dial into the meeting so they could

:24:59. > :25:04.participate. I have already started discussions with the Scottish

:25:05. > :25:08.Government about how this inquiry will play out and effect the

:25:09. > :25:12.position in Scotland. We are having the conversations in a healthy

:25:13. > :25:17.co-operation and we are looking how to make use of what has been gone

:25:18. > :25:21.through with the Penrose Inquiry. We will continue to have dialogue and

:25:22. > :25:27.we are very sensitive to those issues. At the weekend I saw my

:25:28. > :25:30.constituent, Sue Wafton, whose case I raised in the debate last week.

:25:31. > :25:34.She was delighted with the Government's commitment. One issue

:25:35. > :25:38.she wants to see considered is that of access for appropriate treatments

:25:39. > :25:43.for victims. For most victims that is the most important issue. Will my

:25:44. > :25:46.honourable friend feed that back? I think my honourable friend makes the

:25:47. > :25:50.point very well. This is exactly the sort of thing that we need to hear

:25:51. > :25:55.from this consultation when we are setting the scope and clearly access

:25:56. > :26:01.to treatment is a very important issue. To ask his constituent to

:26:02. > :26:05.write in and make those points. Thank you, Mr Speaker. There is a

:26:06. > :26:08.consensus across the House. Everyone has made the point that they don't

:26:09. > :26:11.have confidence in the Department of Health running this inquiry. I

:26:12. > :26:16.expect an announcement from the minister soon. If it is the Cabinet

:26:17. > :26:20.Office appointed though, the Cabinet Office does have a bit of a track

:26:21. > :26:24.record of taking a rather long time with inquiries and being used to

:26:25. > :26:27.kick things into the long grass. Can she assure us it will be a speedy,

:26:28. > :26:37.but thorough inquiry? The speed will be determined by the

:26:38. > :26:42.chairman because the inquiry will be independent, and that is the point.

:26:43. > :26:45.At the moment, the Department of Health is reading on conversations,

:26:46. > :26:50.but the inquiry will be independent and not run at the Department for

:26:51. > :26:55.health. Health is a devolved matter, so can she give the House a

:26:56. > :27:00.commitment there will be maximum cooperation with all the devolved

:27:01. > :27:03.institutions in the UK? I can give him that commitment and I have

:27:04. > :27:08.already had discussions with the Welsh Minister about this.

:27:09. > :27:13.Absolutely, this is a UK wide inquiry, help is a devolved matter,

:27:14. > :27:18.and the findings of inquiry, we will need to work quite closely to make

:27:19. > :27:25.sure we all respond to what that finds.

:27:26. > :27:27.Also thank the Minister for her statement and commend the honourable

:27:28. > :27:36.leader for her tenacity in this issue? The Northern Ireland health

:27:37. > :27:41.has in -- has brought us on a par with combo -- with compensation paid

:27:42. > :27:47.in the UK, it is essential Northern Ireland victims are included. So it

:27:48. > :27:54.is not done on an English and Wales basis. Can the Minister confirm this

:27:55. > :27:59.to be the case? Again, I can reassure the honourable gentleman we

:28:00. > :28:04.are very sensitive to the facts as they will apply the Northern Ireland

:28:05. > :28:08.and we will ensure the requisite dialogue takes place, so we deal

:28:09. > :28:18.with that sensitively. Thank you. Order. Statement, the Secretary of

:28:19. > :28:21.State for digital, -- digital Culture, Media and Sport bought.

:28:22. > :28:28.Karen Bradley. It is good you have got my longer title! I came to this

:28:29. > :28:32.House three weeks ago to set out my initial decisions in relation to the

:28:33. > :28:37.proposed merger between 21st century Fox and Sky plc. Having heard the

:28:38. > :28:41.bid for a phase one investigation by Ofcom and the competition in markets

:28:42. > :28:44.authority in March, the decision before me was whether or not to

:28:45. > :28:49.refer the merger to a follow-up phase two investigation by the CMA.

:28:50. > :28:57.I told the House following the advice of Ofcom, and was minded to

:28:58. > :29:02.refer the merger to the CMA and not refer on the grounds the commitment

:29:03. > :29:06.the broadcasting standards. I had also received a set of undertakings

:29:07. > :29:11.in place of referral and was minded not to accept them. I also set up

:29:12. > :29:16.the steps for the next phase of the decision. I said that as required by

:29:17. > :29:23.legislation and would allow the parties to the proposed merger to

:29:24. > :29:27.make representations on my position on media plurality. In the interest

:29:28. > :29:31.of transparency and making sure the evidence had been considered, I

:29:32. > :29:34.would allow all interested parties to have their say, decree on the

:29:35. > :29:38.question of commitment to broadcasting standards. I Sepp

:29:39. > :29:44.Blatter Friday -- last Friday as the deadline. As is very well known by

:29:45. > :29:47.the House, decisions by the Secretary of State under the

:29:48. > :29:52.enterprise act 2002 and made a neck was a judicial basis. So I must take

:29:53. > :29:57.my decision only on the basis of evidence that is relative to the

:29:58. > :30:00.specified publicist -- public interests. I must follow a process

:30:01. > :30:05.that is scrupulously fair and impartial. I have tried about this

:30:06. > :30:08.process to be as transparent and open as possible and kept the House

:30:09. > :30:14.informed at every available opportunity. I have come to the

:30:15. > :30:21.House today to give a full update before it rises. I can confirm I

:30:22. > :30:23.have received detailed representations from 21st-century

:30:24. > :30:27.Fox and a letter from Sky which I will aim to publish subject to

:30:28. > :30:34.statutory and confidentiality requirements once I have taken my

:30:35. > :30:40.final decision Matt also received a letter from James Murdoch last week

:30:41. > :30:44.and from 21st Century Fox this Thursday which they have published.

:30:45. > :30:50.The detailed representations from a gritty raise a number of points on

:30:51. > :30:54.the Ofcom public test report and analysis/ analysis underpinning it,

:30:55. > :30:58.contesting the view that it raises public interest concerns which

:30:59. > :31:03.justify referral to a phase two investigation by the CMA. Neither

:31:04. > :31:07.party has offered any further or amended undertakings in lieu of

:31:08. > :31:12.referral and I have received a substantial number of responses in

:31:13. > :31:14.relation to my decision. In coming to my decision, and must take

:31:15. > :31:17.account of all relevant representations made to me. As a

:31:18. > :31:22.result, my final decision on referral can only be made after I

:31:23. > :31:24.have fully considered all relevant evidence on both the plurality and

:31:25. > :31:29.commitment to broadcasting standard grounds. Given the consultation only

:31:30. > :31:32.closed on Friday, there has not been time to consider all the

:31:33. > :31:37.representations and I am not in a position today to make my final

:31:38. > :31:40.decision on referral. What I can do however is confirmed to the House

:31:41. > :31:44.that having carefully reviewed the party's representations and in the

:31:45. > :31:47.absence of further proposed undertakings, I am currently still

:31:48. > :31:52.minded to refer on the media plurality grounds and still minded

:31:53. > :31:59.not to accept the undertakings in lieu of a referral. As I have said,

:32:00. > :32:02.I must fully consider all relevant representations for reaching a final

:32:03. > :32:06.decision. And I will take the time I need to look at the many I have

:32:07. > :32:10.received, balancing the need for careful consideration of relevant

:32:11. > :32:14.evidence with the merger parties legitimate need for a prompt

:32:15. > :32:17.decision. I have prioritised considering the parties

:32:18. > :32:23.representations and the points they have made to me. Some of the points

:32:24. > :32:28.may benefit from close examination by the CMA in phase two, there was

:32:29. > :32:31.nothing in the representations that at this stage has led me to change

:32:32. > :32:37.my mind about the appropriateness of referral. Unless new evidence from

:32:38. > :32:43.other representations changes my mind, the bid will therefore be

:32:44. > :32:46.referred to a phase two review on at least one grand, media plurality. I

:32:47. > :32:50.thought it helpful to setup my view given the public interest in this

:32:51. > :32:54.case and also to the parties so they can be as clear as possible about my

:32:55. > :32:58.intentions and the likely next steps for bid. Bearing in mind the

:32:59. > :33:02.obligation to act promptly as part of the scores a judicial process, I

:33:03. > :33:06.expect to be in a position to come to a final decision on referral in

:33:07. > :33:10.concluding in respect of the broadcasting standard ground in the

:33:11. > :33:16.coming weeks and potentially during summer recess. Should this prove to

:33:17. > :33:19.be the case and as I did previously were stages have taken place outside

:33:20. > :33:26.the House sitting, I will inform parties of my decision and the

:33:27. > :33:29.leaders and speakers on both houses, to the chair of the Select Committee

:33:30. > :33:36.who I was pleased to see reappointed last week. I trust in making the

:33:37. > :33:38.statement of the House that this gives another welcome opportunity to

:33:39. > :33:43.discuss this important issue and further cements my undertakings to

:33:44. > :33:50.openness and transparency, and I commend the statement to the House.

:33:51. > :33:55.Good morning to you, thank you as this is the last day before recess,

:33:56. > :33:57.to you and just for the welcome you have made to my new colleagues who

:33:58. > :34:02.were elected in the general election. I think the Secretary of

:34:03. > :34:07.State for his statement, and I am grateful to her for returning to the

:34:08. > :34:12.House before recess to update the progress. Even if there is not much

:34:13. > :34:19.progress to date on. Mr Speaker, the last day of term is sometimes called

:34:20. > :34:24.take out the trash day! This appears to be keep the trash in the office

:34:25. > :34:30.day! Nevertheless, this is one piece of government indecision that we

:34:31. > :34:33.welcome. It is right that the Secretary of State has taken a cause

:34:34. > :34:38.they judicial responsibility seriously, she will be aware that

:34:39. > :34:42.whatever decision she makes, there is a strong possibility of judicial

:34:43. > :34:47.review by one side or the other. No doubt that has influenced her

:34:48. > :34:53.decision to tread carefully and slowly and we respect her for that.

:34:54. > :35:00.21st Century Fox's lawyers have already contacted the citystate in a

:35:01. > :35:06.somewhat intimidating letter trying to bounce into a decision, we know

:35:07. > :35:09.that aggression is the modus operandi of the Murdoch enterprise

:35:10. > :35:14.and we have been on the receiving end of that and we urge the secular

:35:15. > :35:17.state to keep standing firm. In particular, there is absolutely no

:35:18. > :35:23.need for the Secretary of State to announce a decision during the

:35:24. > :35:27.summer recess. Parliament must have the opportunity to scrutinise any

:35:28. > :35:34.decisions she makes. It is not her job to operate to 21st Century Fox's

:35:35. > :35:36.corporate timetable. They have to abide by the Parliamentary

:35:37. > :35:41.timetable. And she should demonstrate to them that she is, as

:35:42. > :35:48.an elected representative of the people who is in charge, not them.

:35:49. > :35:51.The last time the citystate came to this House, she said that she was

:35:52. > :35:55.minded to the referred the bid to a phase two investigation on the

:35:56. > :36:00.grounds of media plurality, she said this morning. But that she was not

:36:01. > :36:04.minded to refer on grounds of broadcasting standards. She then

:36:05. > :36:09.invited representations on both grounds by last Friday. It is right

:36:10. > :36:13.a phase two investigation and media plurality grounds goes ahead. But

:36:14. > :36:18.the broadcasting standards investigation should go ahead as

:36:19. > :36:22.well, compelling arguments for that had been made by my right honourable

:36:23. > :36:25.friend the member for Doncaster North and the right honourable

:36:26. > :36:34.members for Twickenham and Rushcliffe. Does she agree that this

:36:35. > :36:39.is as distinguished a cross-party alliance as anyone can imagine? And

:36:40. > :36:44.she also agree that it is absurd that Ofcom are currently refusing to

:36:45. > :36:46.meet my colleagues are right honourable member for Doncaster

:36:47. > :36:54.North so that they can share concerns? The truth is, the Murdochs

:36:55. > :36:59.have a history of regulatory noncompliance. And of corporate

:37:00. > :37:03.governance failure. And that calls their commitment to broadcasting

:37:04. > :37:09.standards in serious question. Ofcom itself says that are significant

:37:10. > :37:12.concerns about Fox's approach to ensuring Fox News content compliance

:37:13. > :37:17.with the broadcasting code. We saw in the phone hacking scandal senior

:37:18. > :37:22.employees and executives at News International fails to comply with

:37:23. > :37:25.the criminal law. Acceptable standards of journalistic conduct,

:37:26. > :37:31.and frankly, with basic human decency. And we see in the ongoing

:37:32. > :37:35.sexual and racist harassment scandal with Fox News in the United States

:37:36. > :37:41.were very senior employees behaved appallingly over decades and nothing

:37:42. > :37:46.was done. Evidence of what Ofcom calls significant corporate failure.

:37:47. > :37:52.Well, of course, the best way to get to the bottom of this corporate

:37:53. > :37:54.failure would be to proceed with the inquiry that has already been

:37:55. > :38:00.promised. Which is specifically intended to look into it, blood of

:38:01. > :38:06.the loves inquiry. Will the Secretary of State undertake today

:38:07. > :38:10.to get on and just do it? And while the Conservative manifesto promised

:38:11. > :38:17.not to go ahead with it, a recent parliamentary answer to me indicated

:38:18. > :38:21.government is still considering consultation. I hope this is another

:38:22. > :38:25.of the Prime Minister's many have manifesto commitments. It is not too

:38:26. > :38:32.late for her to do the right thing, and if she does go ahead with

:38:33. > :38:39.Levinson two, she has our full support. The influence of Murdoch on

:38:40. > :38:44.this Government is a matter of serious concern. The First Secretary

:38:45. > :38:49.of State refused to deny this week ripped Rupert Murdoch had as the

:38:50. > :38:52.Prime Minister to put the right honourable member for Surrey Heath

:38:53. > :38:56.back in the Cabinet. I expected the allegation to be denied, it was not

:38:57. > :39:01.denied, we will be drawing our own conclusions from that. I have

:39:02. > :39:03.consistently, persistently asked the Secretary of State to publish the

:39:04. > :39:09.minutes of the meeting between Prime Minister and Rupert Murdoch in the

:39:10. > :39:16.US in 2016, will she commit to do that now? The Secretary of State now

:39:17. > :39:27.has the opportunity to demonstrate that we live in a democracy, not...

:39:28. > :39:33.Will she now not make any decision until the House returns in

:39:34. > :39:36.September? Mr Speaker, the honourable gentleman asks a number

:39:37. > :39:44.of questions and I will attempt to address as many as I can in the time

:39:45. > :39:50.we have. It is worth me making the point again that I am acting in a

:39:51. > :39:57.quad is I judicial basis under the terms of the enterprise act 2002.

:39:58. > :40:02.And also reflecting in the behaviour that we have made as government

:40:03. > :40:05.recommendations of sub Brian Leveson when he made his part one report and

:40:06. > :40:10.was clear about the way government should operate in regard to media

:40:11. > :40:14.mergers and we have been cognisant of those recommendations drought.

:40:15. > :40:21.One thing I am required to do under the enterprise act is to act without

:40:22. > :40:25.undue delay. In the interests of all parties. And I think that is why I

:40:26. > :40:29.am here today, to say nothing I have seen so far has changed my mind, but

:40:30. > :40:33.I am going to look at all representations I have received.

:40:34. > :40:38.There are in the tens of thousands of representations, many of which

:40:39. > :40:41.are identical to each other, but all of which do need to be looked at,

:40:42. > :40:48.and I will look at them all to see what evidence they provide. I was

:40:49. > :40:50.also clear that the Ofcom report on the commitment to broadcasting

:40:51. > :40:55.standards test was clear, it was unequivocal, there were no grounds

:40:56. > :40:58.on which I can refer. I am therefore looking if there is new evidence,

:40:59. > :41:04.new substantive evidence that comes to light following the statement I

:41:05. > :41:07.made, and I'm going to make sure I looked at all those jobs and

:41:08. > :41:15.nations, but in the interests of all parties, I will have to make a

:41:16. > :41:19.decision in sufficiently speedy progress to make sure that we can do

:41:20. > :41:23.with the in line with the enterprise act. That may mean I have to make a

:41:24. > :41:27.decision before Parliament returns, which is why I am here today, to be

:41:28. > :41:32.as open and transparent as I can and to make sure that I am as clear as I

:41:33. > :41:40.can be with Parliament and with colleagues as to the situation.

:41:41. > :41:45.I had sight of his letter this morning. As I understand it, he was

:41:46. > :41:49.asking for a meeting to discuss the fit and proper report and I am

:41:50. > :41:54.surprised that Ofcom are not able to meet to discuss the fit and proper

:41:55. > :41:58.report. It is not part of the test that I look at. The tests under the

:41:59. > :42:04.Enterprise Act are different. Ssm not fit and proper. The fit and

:42:05. > :42:09.proper report analysis that Ofcom has to do has to be done on an

:42:10. > :42:13.on-going basis. I am therefore surprised they are not willing to

:42:14. > :42:16.meet The Right Honourable gentleman and other parliamentarians. I am

:42:17. > :42:21.sure they will have heard my comments on that matter in the

:42:22. > :42:24.House. In terms of meetings that ministers have or have with

:42:25. > :42:29.journalists are minuted, sorry are recorded and they are in the public

:42:30. > :42:33.domain as to the meetings they've has. I will make sure I am as open

:42:34. > :42:38.and transparent as I can be. That is why I am here today. I was hoping

:42:39. > :42:42.that it would be possible to make a firmer decision today, but the

:42:43. > :42:47.quantity and volume of reputations received means that has not been

:42:48. > :42:52.possible. Thank you, Mr Speaker. May I commend

:42:53. > :42:58.my Right Honourable friend for not becoming party to the socialist

:42:59. > :43:03.vendetta against the Murdoch family and ask her when considering media

:43:04. > :43:07.plurality, whether she will bear in mind when Sky launched there were

:43:08. > :43:18.four channels and there are now hundreds and that the real opponent

:43:19. > :43:24.of media plurality is the bloated BBC tax-payer funded? Mr Speaker, I

:43:25. > :43:28.know you do not wish me to stray into the grounds of the BBC. So I

:43:29. > :43:33.will not respond on that particular point. There were firm grounds in

:43:34. > :43:37.the offcome report that I asked them to prepare as part of the phase one

:43:38. > :43:42.inquiry that there were concerns about media plurality. I think it is

:43:43. > :43:45.important that in the absence of further reputations or further

:43:46. > :43:54.evidence to change my view on that, I am still minded to refer on the

:43:55. > :43:59.basis of plurality so the authority can investigate, should I decide a

:44:00. > :44:04.final decision to refer, can flush out all those points. Thank you very

:44:05. > :44:08.much. I would like to join colleagues by wishing you a very

:44:09. > :44:11.good summer recess and your excellent staff around the House.

:44:12. > :44:19.Everyone on this benches wishes you well for the summer recess. Also I

:44:20. > :44:24.would like to congratulate women's women for a resounding win last

:44:25. > :44:29.night, a 6-1 result was good. It was not enough on this occasion. I thank

:44:30. > :44:34.the Secretary of State for advanced sight of her statement. She will be

:44:35. > :44:39.aware of my specific constituency concern around this that Sky is the

:44:40. > :44:43.largest private employer and my constituents who work at Sky will

:44:44. > :44:47.want to know that any deal is properly scrutinised and their jobs

:44:48. > :44:51.will be secure for the future. Mr Speaker, three weeks ago the Ofcom

:44:52. > :44:55.report stated the public had concerns about the concentration of

:44:56. > :45:03.media ownership in fewer hands. We share the public's concern over this

:45:04. > :45:09.and the deligs of media content. At the fact the Secretary of State was

:45:10. > :45:13.minded to refer to on the grounds of diminishing plurality in the media.

:45:14. > :45:18.We are sure that would have boosted public confidence and very much go

:45:19. > :45:23.forward. We are very disappointed that there has been no final

:45:24. > :45:26.decision. We understand that the need to examine reputations from all

:45:27. > :45:30.parties. The fact a decision will like I will be made during summer

:45:31. > :45:33.recess, it speaks to a developing pattern, Mr Speaker, that we have

:45:34. > :45:37.seen during the election with major decisions being made. It is not good

:45:38. > :45:41.governance. It means it has been kicked into the long grass. Members

:45:42. > :45:45.in this House will not get an opportunity to scrutinise a

:45:46. > :45:50.decision. The committees of the House are yet to sit and there

:45:51. > :45:53.should be an opportunity for those relevant committees to scrutinise

:45:54. > :45:57.any decision made. Recognising the plurality and transparency within

:45:58. > :46:01.the media should be one of the Secretary of States key motivations.

:46:02. > :46:06.It seems a decision will not be subjected to maximum transparency in

:46:07. > :46:11.terms of telling the House. Can she commit to making a decision when the

:46:12. > :46:18.House is back over sum irrecess so we can properly -- summer recess to

:46:19. > :46:25.we can properly scrutinise the deal. May I join the lady in

:46:26. > :46:28.congratulating the England women. As an England woman I am delighted to

:46:29. > :46:34.see the result. The honourable lady I no ehas a

:46:35. > :46:38.constituent interest with Sky being the largest employer in her

:46:39. > :46:42.constituency. I too want to make sure this merger is properly

:46:43. > :46:48.scrutinised and dealt with so we can have certainty for employees like

:46:49. > :46:51.hers. But when she says that we have shied away from taking decisions

:46:52. > :46:55.with false scrutiny, this is simply not the case. For example, I had

:46:56. > :47:01.originally asked offcome to report to me on May. I delayed that so that

:47:02. > :47:04.I could make sure I came to the House when sky reported rather than

:47:05. > :47:09.it being during the election campaign. I had hoped to be here

:47:10. > :47:13.today making a final decision. The sheer volume of reputations, all of

:47:14. > :47:18.which I need to go through, despite the fact that a very, very large

:47:19. > :47:23.number are an ied den the Ial campaign e-mail means I cannot make

:47:24. > :47:28.that decision today. But I do have to make that decision in, with due

:47:29. > :47:32.consideration of time because there are parties to the merger and it is

:47:33. > :47:38.important for them and for all concerned that a decision is taken.

:47:39. > :47:42.THE SPEAKER: It is also I think the Secretary of State's first

:47:43. > :47:46.appearance at the box since the Wimbledon final last Sunday. I am

:47:47. > :47:52.sure she'll want to congratulate the great Roger Federer on his new

:47:53. > :47:57.record - the latest of many records, established be I the great man over

:47:58. > :48:01.the last 14 years. You've got time.

:48:02. > :48:06.Thank you Mr Speaker. And may I thank the Secretary of State for the

:48:07. > :48:10.openness and transparency at the heart of this statement. Media

:48:11. > :48:17.plurality is vital. Transparency is vital. On the issue of pay within

:48:18. > :48:22.all media, will the Secretary of State like to remind all employers

:48:23. > :48:28.we do have equal pay laws for people for all backgrounds doing the same

:48:29. > :48:31.job to be paid equally? Mr Speaker, of course I will join you in

:48:32. > :48:35.congratulating Roger Federer. I was lucky enough to see him play on

:48:36. > :48:42.Friday. I know you were there as well. I also think I should

:48:43. > :48:49.congratulate Lewis Hamilton. I was at the Grand Prix and I was able to

:48:50. > :48:52.congratulate Mr Lewis personally on his great success for British Grand

:48:53. > :48:56.Prixes in a row is a fantastic achievement. I am sure the whole

:48:57. > :49:00.House will join me in celebrating. What is turning into the most

:49:01. > :49:04.incredible summer of sport for Britain and British athletes and

:49:05. > :49:08.Roger Federer is almost an honorary Brit at this stage. I agree with my

:49:09. > :49:15.honourable friend. I think Wimbledon is one of the places that does have

:49:16. > :49:19.equal pay for men and women. I want to see gender disparity removed from

:49:20. > :49:26.all employers. I too was as surprised as she was by yesterday's

:49:27. > :49:32.annual report. I think the Culture Secretary has shown why she has an

:49:33. > :49:40.enviable job in Government. She is the minister for tickets as well as

:49:41. > :49:44.many other things. Can I wish you a happy summer, Mr Speaker and your

:49:45. > :49:51.staff, in what seems to be the fashion. Can I welcome what she said

:49:52. > :49:54.about plurality. Can I welcome what she said also to offcome about

:49:55. > :49:59.meeting me and colleagues about the fit and proper issue? Can I say on

:50:00. > :50:04.broadcasting standards she needs to make this decision in a timely way,

:50:05. > :50:08.but my case is there are detailed issues for her to look at. She said

:50:09. > :50:12.in a statement to this House when she invited prep reputations that

:50:13. > :50:17.she needed new evidence on Ofcom's approach. The argument of myself and

:50:18. > :50:20.other Right Honourable colleagues is that the approach is flawed and she

:50:21. > :50:26.needs to do what they didn't, which is to look at the evidence on the

:50:27. > :50:29.basis of the right legal threshold including Fox and News of the World.

:50:30. > :50:34.Look at the evidence of James Murdoch, which she asked them to

:50:35. > :50:39.look at and they failed to look at and the waiter concerns about Sky

:50:40. > :50:44.News coming like Fox News. That will take a bit of time. On those

:50:45. > :50:47.grounds, as well as parliamentary accountability and the wish she

:50:48. > :50:50.shown all the way along to be accountable and open to Parliament

:50:51. > :50:55.on this issue that the beginning of September she can come back, after

:50:56. > :50:58.having a good summer and scrutinising the issues and telling

:50:59. > :51:05.us her decision. It is the right thing to do. She shouldn't give into

:51:06. > :51:11.the old Murdoches, which is to try and bully people into making wrong

:51:12. > :51:15.decisions and rush decisions. Mr Speaker, can I wish, I should

:51:16. > :51:23.wish you a happy summer. It would appear it is the order of the day.

:51:24. > :51:28.And Roger, yes, of course! But I'm here today to be as transparent as I

:51:29. > :51:32.can be. I said in my statement I may make a decision over the course of

:51:33. > :51:36.the summer recess. It may take longer. I am taking the time to look

:51:37. > :51:39.at all representations, including the reputation from The Right

:51:40. > :51:42.Honourable gentleman and The Right Honourable gentleman and the other

:51:43. > :51:45.Right Honourable gentleman who isn't here to make sure we do consider all

:51:46. > :51:54.those points. I will look at the evidence and make a decision on the

:51:55. > :51:57.basis of the evidence. In my Right Honourable friend's last statement

:51:58. > :52:00.she emphasised it would be the evidence she would be looking at and

:52:01. > :52:03.it would be the quality of that evidence, not the quantity of

:52:04. > :52:09.evidence. She's already said in this statement that part of the delay is

:52:10. > :52:13.the volume of communication that she has received. She's talked acted

:52:14. > :52:20.tens of thousands already. Can she give some sort of indication to the

:52:21. > :52:24.House of those tens of thousands, what percentage actually were

:52:25. > :52:28.roughly original items of evidence and what was simply 38 degrees or

:52:29. > :52:50.other similar e-mails which which are all identical. Those which

:52:51. > :52:54.have been coded, a large number were identical responses. I said in my

:52:55. > :52:57.previous statement it would not be those that shouted the loudest but

:52:58. > :53:01.would provide the evidence I would look at. It is a shame, there was

:53:02. > :53:07.one occasion where I opened my inbox in the morning to find I had 10,000

:53:08. > :53:15.unread messages, all of which were identical and on this matter, that

:53:16. > :53:20.gets in the way of me being able to represent my constituents, whose

:53:21. > :53:24.message was, can simply get lost in those tens of thousands. I have to

:53:25. > :53:28.look at those reputations. It is a shame for people, who in good faith,

:53:29. > :53:34.want to have their voice heard, that they actually get drowned out by

:53:35. > :53:37.those who simply press a button and send an automatic message. Can the

:53:38. > :53:42.Secretary of State reassure the House she will not proceed to a

:53:43. > :53:47.decision until she's received a report from the Information

:53:48. > :53:53.Commission that the 13 million data sets that will be handed over to Fox

:53:54. > :53:58.as a result of the takeover cannot be misused or miss aplayed for --

:53:59. > :54:03.miss-applied for political purposes. She knows this is a concern which

:54:04. > :54:16.has been raised recently by members of another place. I am aware of

:54:17. > :54:22.those concerns. From innovation sorry I have moved on from industry

:54:23. > :54:27.and industrial strategy. He will know the Enterprise Act of 2002 and

:54:28. > :54:31.the piece of evidence on which I can look. It is clear on the public

:54:32. > :54:36.interest test what evidence I can look at.

:54:37. > :54:40.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Does the Secretary of State agree with me

:54:41. > :54:47.that British broadcasting regulations mean a hype per teethal

:54:48. > :54:52.Fox News UK would be different from the US version? Broadcasters in the

:54:53. > :54:55.UK have to comply with the code. There are strict rules and

:54:56. > :55:00.regulations. They are regulated by offcome. It is a very different

:55:01. > :55:04.landscape from other countries. Mr Speaker, this is the second urgent

:55:05. > :55:10.question today, where the issues have been about openness and

:55:11. > :55:14.transparency and trust. The importance of obtaining that public

:55:15. > :55:17.trust and buying into the decision that the Secretary of State is about

:55:18. > :55:24.to be made, is it comes back to Parliament. Absolutely essential it

:55:25. > :55:34.comes back to Parliament. The BBC, who has never been investigated, for

:55:35. > :55:47.phone hacking and other breaches of hop -- of honesty and... I wanted to

:55:48. > :55:50.be able to make a decision before the House rose for the summer

:55:51. > :55:54.recess. It has not been possible. I will take time to look at the

:55:55. > :55:59.reputations and make sure we do make the right decision. My minded

:56:00. > :56:05.decision to come to the House that I came to the House to speak about has

:56:06. > :56:12.not changed. First, I thank the minister for her

:56:13. > :56:18.statement. Does the minister appreciate media, where there are

:56:19. > :56:21.real concerns, that has helped my many in this House, if not all in

:56:22. > :56:26.this House. Will the minister allay those concerns and fears in relation

:56:27. > :56:38.to impartiality of the media? Broadcasting, including the BBC, is

:56:39. > :56:42.regulated by Ofcom, there is an obligation on all broadcasters to be

:56:43. > :56:46.impartial and where the honourable gentleman feels that not to be the

:56:47. > :56:54.case, can he alert Ofcom to that situation and copy me in so I am

:56:55. > :56:57.aware of those concerns? Can act as the Secretary of State, there is a

:56:58. > :57:01.great deal of disappointment she has not yet committed to come back to

:57:02. > :57:04.the House to explain the Parliament is to allow full scrutiny and

:57:05. > :57:11.transparency which she herself says is so important to this. The need

:57:12. > :57:14.for speed, it should not undermine the democratic process. Can she

:57:15. > :57:21.reassure us she will not allow that to happen? Madam Deputy Speaker, I

:57:22. > :57:25.have been as transparent as I possibly can be within the confines

:57:26. > :57:29.of the Parliamentary calendar, but the Parliamentary calendar cannot be

:57:30. > :57:33.allowed to dictate what happens in the quasi-judicial role I have a

:57:34. > :57:38.Secretary of State. But I have been as open and transparent as I can be

:57:39. > :57:41.and will continue to be and I will ensure Parliament is fully informed

:57:42. > :57:45.of any decisions I take, and I am always happy when Parliament is

:57:46. > :57:52.sitting to come to this chamber and to be scrutinised and the decisions

:57:53. > :57:55.taken. Thank you, Madam Deputy chair. Thank you to the sedative

:57:56. > :58:01.spate and for the first part of his statement, which was about --

:58:02. > :58:07.deferring the decision -- the Secretary of State. If you do have a

:58:08. > :58:13.problem with your e-mail, such as getting 10,000 from people such as

:58:14. > :58:18.30 degrees, I will happily take your ticket to Wimbledon so you can spend

:58:19. > :58:21.more time in the office! All will echo the comments of the right

:58:22. > :58:26.honourable gentleman for West Bromwich and Doncaster North, this

:58:27. > :58:32.is such a serious issue for everybody and certainly for our

:58:33. > :58:39.public. There is clear evidence of significant corporate failure. And

:58:40. > :58:43.dare I say, issues of corporate governance. This takes much more

:58:44. > :58:49.time and given the gravity and seriousness of this, we cannot rely

:58:50. > :58:52.on just receiving some postcards notifying us of this disposition. I

:58:53. > :58:55.would urge the Secretary of State, please wait six weeks and give us

:58:56. > :59:03.the decency of a decision to this House. As I say, commercial

:59:04. > :59:07.decisions, the quasi-judicial process, the terms of the Enterprise

:59:08. > :59:10.Act, they are not defined by the Parliamentary calendar. If I do make

:59:11. > :59:15.a decision before Parliament returns, I will go through the

:59:16. > :59:18.processes as previously of notifying leaders and speakers are both

:59:19. > :59:20.houses, the chair of the Select Committee and the honourable

:59:21. > :59:27.gentleman from West Bromwich East. It may be the case it is when I

:59:28. > :59:37.return. I simply do not want the House to be in any expectation one

:59:38. > :59:42.way or the other. Dennis Skinner. If she had to make the decision today,

:59:43. > :59:50.what is in her mind? Is she for it or against it? By the way, I should

:59:51. > :59:55.have welcomed the honourable gentleman back to this chamber, so

:59:56. > :00:00.my apologies. My decision so far is, I am minded to refer on the basis of

:00:01. > :00:06.media plurality. That decision has not moved. I have not yet made a

:00:07. > :00:09.final decision. Whilst I appreciate the secular

:00:10. > :00:13.state's of sending me a letter during the recess if she does make a

:00:14. > :00:18.decision, it is never the same as seen her in person. Which she commit

:00:19. > :00:23.to make herself available to the Select Committee in September to

:00:24. > :00:30.discuss the detail of her handling of this if a decision is made by

:00:31. > :00:37.them? Can I again congratulate the honourable gentleman in his

:00:38. > :00:39.re-election back to the chair of the digital, Culture, Media and Sport

:00:40. > :00:46.Select Committee? I'm always happy to be called by the Select Committee

:00:47. > :00:50.to give evidence. Order! Business statement, the Leader of the House,

:00:51. > :01:01.Andrea Leadsom. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The

:01:02. > :01:06.business for the week commencing the 4th of September will be Monday the

:01:07. > :01:09.4th of September the health -- the House will not be sitting, Tuesday

:01:10. > :01:15.the 5th of September, consideration in committee and remaining is the

:01:16. > :01:18.ages of the telecommunications, infrastructure, relief from

:01:19. > :01:25.nondomestic rates bill. Wednesday the 6th of September, emotion to

:01:26. > :01:28.improve ways and means resolutions relating to the Finance Bill.

:01:29. > :01:33.Thursday the 7th of September, the second reading of the European Union

:01:34. > :01:38.withdrawal bill, day one. Friday the 8th of September, the House will not

:01:39. > :01:41.be sitting. The provisional business for the week commencing the 11th of

:01:42. > :01:46.September will include on Monday the 11th of September conclusion of the

:01:47. > :01:52.second reading of the European Union withdrawal bill, day two. I should

:01:53. > :01:57.also like to inform the House that the business in Westminster Hall for

:01:58. > :02:00.the 7th of September will be Thursday the 7th of September,

:02:01. > :02:07.debate on the transparency of the BBC, followed by a debate on 16-19

:02:08. > :02:10.education funding. I should like to congratulate all those members from

:02:11. > :02:16.across the House who presented their Private Members' Bills yesterday. I

:02:17. > :02:20.know that many are on subjects members care deeply about. I wish

:02:21. > :02:24.them well. I can confirm that through the usual channels, the

:02:25. > :02:28.opposition have been offered an opposition day in the short

:02:29. > :02:34.September sitting and we plan to provide further opposition days in

:02:35. > :02:38.October and November. Finally, as this is the last business questions

:02:39. > :02:42.before the summer recess, may I send my best wishes to you and colleagues

:02:43. > :02:47.across the House for a productive and also a restorative summer break

:02:48. > :02:51.from Parliament? I should also like to thank the hard-working staff of

:02:52. > :02:54.the House whose efforts in supporting as I know greatly

:02:55. > :03:01.appreciated by colleagues both on these benches and those opposite. I

:03:02. > :03:04.am sure the House will join the Leader of the House and thanking the

:03:05. > :03:12.hard-working staff who look after us so well and wish them a restful time

:03:13. > :03:17.over the summer, without us. Thank you, can I thank the Leader of the

:03:18. > :03:21.House for the forthcoming business. I am afraid I have not been informed

:03:22. > :03:26.of any opposition day, not even a careless whisper. But let me make it

:03:27. > :03:30.clear again that the opposition had to call a debate on Monday because

:03:31. > :03:35.there was no discussion between the Government on our right to have

:03:36. > :03:38.those opposition days. The Government could have said coming

:03:39. > :03:43.yes, have your opposition day on Monday. This is a government

:03:44. > :03:47.struggling to get a grip. Backbenchers are calling for the

:03:48. > :03:51.sacking of the donkey ministers, Tory grandees describing them as

:03:52. > :03:56.ferrets in a sack. EU know the current government is without

:03:57. > :04:00.authority and the premise to having to call for calm, is this the image

:04:01. > :04:04.of a come -- country we want to present to the world? They do not

:04:05. > :04:11.want to debate policy issues, they would rather discuss the leadership

:04:12. > :04:14.crisis, but we on the side already have our chairs in place and

:04:15. > :04:18.membership of our committees. The chairs could have called a meeting

:04:19. > :04:25.this week to set out their programme and then had a session in the next,

:04:26. > :04:28.meeting in the next session. The public cannot even present their

:04:29. > :04:34.petitions. In the excellent speech right honourable friend the member

:04:35. > :04:37.for Bristol North West made, he said this is a group of middle age men

:04:38. > :04:42.attempting to take over from a lame-duck Prime Minister. Leader of

:04:43. > :04:45.the House confirm she is one of the group trying to take over and she

:04:46. > :04:49.did not support her Prime Minister in saying she was not a lame-duck

:04:50. > :04:55.Prime Minister. Still the nasty party! This obviously is a Portillo

:04:56. > :05:01.moment. Not putting in the phone lines, but a run on Sim cards. I

:05:02. > :05:06.will contrast that with seven years of a government that is not working

:05:07. > :05:13.for the many. With our vision for all stages of life spelt out in 124

:05:14. > :05:20.pages of a manifesto that is still on its third reprint. The electorate

:05:21. > :05:25.believed us, not the robotic, tautological mantras, that is why we

:05:26. > :05:30.need an opposition debate, to clarify some myths. Who actually is

:05:31. > :05:36.responsible for the financial crash? Not the Labour Party. The United

:05:37. > :05:44.States investment bank, they collapsed in 2008 and in September

:05:45. > :05:51.2008, but Lehman Brothers collapsed. It was cheap money, House price and

:05:52. > :05:57.remember sub by mortgages? And a debate on the NHS, please... Last

:05:58. > :06:00.week, there was a point of order suggesting the honourable member

:06:01. > :06:10.foot Ewing suggested it was a Labour institution, he said it was a Labour

:06:11. > :06:15.created institution and I refer you to chapter ten, page 133, the

:06:16. > :06:19.creation of the NHS. Contrast that with the book by the Secretary of

:06:20. > :06:23.State for Health, he wants to privatise the NHS. What about a

:06:24. > :06:26.debate on the other myth that the deficit is larger and the Labour

:06:27. > :06:29.government? The deficit is the difference between what the

:06:30. > :06:35.Government spends and receives and according to the House of Commons

:06:36. > :06:44.library, based on OBR figures, the sum of all ONS deficits between 1997

:06:45. > :06:48.and 2010 was 434 billion, 506 billion after adjusting for

:06:49. > :06:55.inflation. But the sum of all annual deficits between 2010 and 2017 was

:06:56. > :07:02.690 billion, 728 billion after adjusting for inflation. I want to

:07:03. > :07:13.mention, as women seem to be in the news recently, some notable women

:07:14. > :07:18.who have passed away recently. Simone Veil, she was sent to

:07:19. > :07:23.Auschwitz and she was passionate about peace in Europe and became the

:07:24. > :07:26.first President of the European Parliament and established a woman's

:07:27. > :07:37.right to choose and a very serious circumstances. Sheila Michaels. The

:07:38. > :07:42.first woman under 40 to win the Fields medal for mathematics. Mary

:07:43. > :07:45.Turner, trade unionist. She fought everybody to have a better life.

:07:46. > :07:51.From starting her working life as a dinner lady to being President of

:07:52. > :07:54.the GMB and the TUC and chair of the Labour Party, she was a giant of the

:07:55. > :07:59.labour movement. She was formidable and I can only remember her smiling

:08:00. > :08:02.and she will be sadly moved Nationalist. Their inspiration lives

:08:03. > :08:08.and in the six schoolgirls from the Afghan robotics team who took the

:08:09. > :08:13.silver medal in the first global robotics event. England's cricket

:08:14. > :08:17.team in the World Cup final. And the football team in Euro 2017 this

:08:18. > :08:20.Sunday. The honourable member for Livingston played alongside some of

:08:21. > :08:27.the Scottish team and maybe she should have been in the team! This

:08:28. > :08:30.month, we celebrate 100 years of the women's Army auxiliary Corps, not

:08:31. > :08:37.only can we drive trains, we are now driving the Tardis! I want to thank

:08:38. > :08:44.everyone from the speakers office to yourself the Speaker and the other

:08:45. > :08:46.Deputy Speakers and the office. The office of the clerks, the

:08:47. > :08:51.doorkeepers, everybody who makes our life very easy. Hansard, the House

:08:52. > :08:56.of Commons library and all our staff, everyone. I want to say to

:08:57. > :09:02.every single honourable member on all sides, we had a very difficult

:09:03. > :09:06.time during the lockdown and we went straight into the general election.

:09:07. > :09:15.It has been very difficult and so wish every single member new and old

:09:16. > :09:18.a very peaceful and restful summer. Thank you, and may I join with the

:09:19. > :09:22.honourable lady in celebrating the achievements of women are not least

:09:23. > :09:27.of which yourself in the chair, Madam Deputy Speaker, the honourable

:09:28. > :09:31.lady opposite, and may I also welcome her honourable friends to

:09:32. > :09:35.her place as the new shadow Deputy Leader and a very much wish her

:09:36. > :09:40.every success and look forward to working with her. I would add one of

:09:41. > :09:45.the great lady to that lovely list I am delighted to join in celebrating,

:09:46. > :09:48.Jane Austen, who features on the new ?10 note which is one of our

:09:49. > :09:54.greatest living authors. Latest ever authors! Greatest ever authors! It

:09:55. > :10:01.is fantastic at last we are starting to recognise... Many of us probably

:10:02. > :10:07.wish she were still living! I share the sentiment. I would like to point

:10:08. > :10:14.out again that it has been a problem that the opposition has looked to

:10:15. > :10:19.criticise process at a time where in fact this has just been business as

:10:20. > :10:24.usual in a new Parliament. The general election took place in June,

:10:25. > :10:27.we have had 18 sitting days in this term, six of them were given over to

:10:28. > :10:32.the Queen's Speech debate whether topics for debate were selected by

:10:33. > :10:37.the opposition, which leaves 12 sitting days during which time we

:10:38. > :10:43.have had three debates on the standing order 24, ten urgent

:10:44. > :10:46.questions, 17 adjournment debates, 90 oral statements, 21 departmental

:10:47. > :10:51.question times and this is our fifth and hopefully feisty business

:10:52. > :10:55.questions session in this chamber, and I'm sure the honourable lady, as

:10:56. > :10:59.I do, will absolutely look forward to the normal committees of the

:11:00. > :11:04.House, starting up and running as soon as we get back in September.

:11:05. > :11:09.Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. May I thank the Leader of the House for

:11:10. > :11:15.the efforts that she is making to get business on track as quickly as

:11:16. > :11:19.possible? And may we have an assurance that as the Select

:11:20. > :11:24.Committee memberships are finally going to be settle on the first day

:11:25. > :11:29.back, which is the Tuesday, that the relevant motion will be tabled at

:11:30. > :11:34.the earliest possible opportunity, namely the Wednesday, so that we can

:11:35. > :11:37.have meetings in the first week back, which would enable us bent to

:11:38. > :11:42.get approval, possibly even for a public hearing in the normal way, in

:11:43. > :11:47.the second week back rather than having to wait until October?

:11:48. > :11:52.My honourable friend raises a point that we all share in terms of the

:11:53. > :11:58.need to get the Select Committees up and running. He'll be aware the 1922

:11:59. > :12:02.Committee have some say in holding the elections on this side. We are

:12:03. > :12:10.all very keen to see them up and running. I am sure they will be as

:12:11. > :12:14.soon as possible. The House for announcing the

:12:15. > :12:18.business of their fortnight. As we break for the recess in a matter of

:12:19. > :12:21.a few hours we don't have the Select Committees up and running. We don't

:12:22. > :12:27.know what the arrangements are for standing committees. If every single

:12:28. > :12:31.piece of business had to be taken oh the floor of this chamber. We have

:12:32. > :12:35.always done it. I have never known a Parliament so lax in putting

:12:36. > :12:40.together a normal structure and arrangements for the House. So the

:12:41. > :12:43.leader should vow and pledge when we come back one of her priorities will

:12:44. > :12:50.be to get this House working properly and to get the structure in

:12:51. > :12:54.place. At least then they made it to the summer recess pretty much in

:12:55. > :13:03.tact and with a Prime Minister in place. I don't know a party more in

:13:04. > :13:11.need of a holiday. Maybe a couple of weeks in the sun may quell their

:13:12. > :13:15.feuding desire. And it might bring a temporary ceasefire so some of the

:13:16. > :13:21.briefings across Whitehall. This might be the last summer, bar one,

:13:22. > :13:24.that we will have the ordinary freedom of movement right across

:13:25. > :13:29.Europe. There might be all sorts of special arrangements put in place

:13:30. > :13:35.for our constituents, starting 2019 as they try and enjoy their time on

:13:36. > :13:39.the Costas. As we see the repel book coming forward the reality of a hard

:13:40. > :13:44.Brexit is moving closer and closer. We should make sure we enjoy our

:13:45. > :13:50.holidays unworried about freedom of movement. On that, can I wish you

:13:51. > :13:57.the best possible summer recess the office of the speaker and all her

:13:58. > :14:00.staff, I want to extend that to the leader of the House, and my friend,

:14:01. > :14:04.the Shadow Leader of the House, on the Labour benches. As a team we've

:14:05. > :14:10.done not too badly in the course of the last few weeks. Can I extend

:14:11. > :14:14.that to staff across this House. I think we have now become accustomed

:14:15. > :14:18.to being looked after so dill againly and so well. And of course

:14:19. > :14:22.to all my colleagues, it's been one hell of a year we've been through.

:14:23. > :14:26.Can I wish them all well during the course of the next few weeks. Well,

:14:27. > :14:31.I am grateful to the honourable gentleman for his remarks. I think

:14:32. > :14:38.we all share that desire to come back, ready to go, having had a

:14:39. > :14:42.break and with a new vigour towards making the most of leaving the EU in

:14:43. > :14:46.a way that works for all of the United Kingdom. Obviously, as we

:14:47. > :14:49.know the ne goishations will be -- negotiations will be tough. It will

:14:50. > :14:53.be we work together to achieve that success. As I said privately and in

:14:54. > :14:58.this chamber, I am very keen to work across the House and to enable ways

:14:59. > :15:07.to improve on the legislation and to ensure that we get the best possible

:15:08. > :15:11.deal for the United Kingdom. Thanks to the Prime Minister's insistence

:15:12. > :15:19.that anybody who earns over 150,000 and works for the BBC that their

:15:20. > :15:26.salaries ought to be declared. A gentleman who plays Charlie in

:15:27. > :15:32.casualtierns up to ?400 thousand -- Casualty ?4,000 a year. Someone who

:15:33. > :15:36.is a real nurse earn earns around ?23,000. There is a double

:15:37. > :15:42.injustice. Somebody who makes real life and death decisions on a daily

:15:43. > :15:51.basis earns a fraction of somebody who is playing somebody who makes

:15:52. > :15:55.life and death decisions. Perhaps we would top slice from the license fee

:15:56. > :15:57.and pay it to the National Health Service to people who do deserve

:15:58. > :16:09.better salaries. We've had a lot of discussions about

:16:10. > :16:12.public sector pay and people just about managing. I has been a

:16:13. > :16:16.difficult number of years since this Government has been trying to deal

:16:17. > :16:23.with the deficit and the debt that we were left in 2010. And it has

:16:24. > :16:28.been a case of trying to balance giving decent pay rises to our

:16:29. > :16:31.public sector workers who do such a good job for us, verses trying to

:16:32. > :16:37.make sure that we live within our means. As to his point about BBC pay

:16:38. > :16:41.and the pay of actors and so on, it's absolutely right that on this

:16:42. > :16:46.side of the House we have urged transparency in pay. We were

:16:47. > :16:51.successful in boardroom pay and now with the BBC salaries I think all

:16:52. > :16:56.members will want to see more clarity around what's fair to both

:16:57. > :17:07.women and men, as well as what is fair between different public sector

:17:08. > :17:12.workers. This morning university's minister has delivered a major

:17:13. > :17:15.speech to a think-tank called Reform setting out major developments in

:17:16. > :17:20.the higher education and research Act. He did that not having laid an

:17:21. > :17:26.oral statement in this House, not having laid a of written statement

:17:27. > :17:31.in this House and not having spent any time in his 32-minute speech on

:17:32. > :17:38.this whole area yesterday, alluding to them. Madam Deputy Speaker we

:17:39. > :17:45.might think that this is a contempt and abuse of this House. And the way

:17:46. > :17:49.in which it is the second year running that this Government has

:17:50. > :17:54.tried to make major statements about higher education on the last day of

:17:55. > :17:59.term w the intention of evading scrutiny. Therefore, I ask the

:18:00. > :18:02.leader of the House, if she will prevail upon the university's

:18:03. > :18:08.minister or a minister in this House to come to this House today and

:18:09. > :18:18.explain why, for example, they are going to make major changes in terms

:18:19. > :18:23.of teaching excellence framework and the office for students. The whip

:18:24. > :18:32.says from that, the mission is far too long. We've had fair too

:18:33. > :18:49.little... THE SPEAKER: Order! We

:18:50. > :19:00.Make sure that they turn up to say something about that this morning.

:19:01. > :19:05.As to the substantive point about a speech that the university ministers

:19:06. > :19:11.has given, that of course, there was a debate in this chamber yesterday

:19:12. > :19:15.for three hours. And so the honourable gentleman will be aware

:19:16. > :19:18.he talked about current policy. I would like to point out to the

:19:19. > :19:22.honourable gentleman that the record of universities under this

:19:23. > :19:27.Government has been exemplary with more students going to university

:19:28. > :19:32.and particularly students from disadvantaged backgrounds, up over

:19:33. > :19:36.40%, since 2010. I would like to point out the honourable gentleman

:19:37. > :19:41.criticises the number of written statements brought forward at the

:19:42. > :19:47.end of term. In 2007 there were 30 written statements. In 2008, 30

:19:48. > :19:53.written statements. 2009, 33 written statements. Today, I believe there

:19:54. > :19:56.are 22. And of course, as he will appreciate, it's vital to many

:19:57. > :20:01.departments that they bring forward important...

:20:02. > :20:04.THE SPEAKER: Order! The honourable gentleman asked a serious question.

:20:05. > :20:10.The Leader of the House is answering it. It is simply rude to shout.

:20:11. > :20:13.Leader of the House! Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The

:20:14. > :20:17.point I was trying to make is the point he will know, as all members

:20:18. > :20:21.will know, it is important that honourable members get the chance to

:20:22. > :20:26.see the last update possible before the end of, before when the House

:20:27. > :20:35.rises so they have the latest information department by

:20:36. > :20:42.department. Motion 189 on the hearing in Florida has supported

:20:43. > :20:46.many members. Can I suggest that the Leader of the House the Foreign

:20:47. > :20:54.Office is encouraged to work with Reprieve to help Americans decide

:20:55. > :21:01.that it is a point to release. Can we ask for a debate on the reform

:21:02. > :21:06.and sector regulation. We need to make sure that the Ministry Ministry

:21:07. > :21:10.of Justice, and the abuses are stamped out and effective advice is

:21:11. > :21:17.given to those who are doing the abuse and those who benefit when it

:21:18. > :21:29.has enned. When it has ended. I am not aware. He there is a debate this

:21:30. > :21:33.afternoon. He may want to raise the point then. Dangerous driving is a

:21:34. > :21:40.blight on the roads of my constituency in Bradford South. The

:21:41. > :21:46.Ministry Ministry of Justices commitment to... On the roads 1st

:21:47. > :21:49.February, 2017. Is the Leader of the House aware when the outcome of this

:21:50. > :21:53.consultation will be published? Will she make in parliamentary time

:21:54. > :21:58.available to debate this important matter? The honourable lady raises a

:21:59. > :22:03.critical point about dangerous driving. She is right. Many of us

:22:04. > :22:06.have experienced the awful tragedies of dangerous driving and the

:22:07. > :22:14.outcomes of them. I will certainly look into when we can expect to see

:22:15. > :22:21.a response on her behalf. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. The special

:22:22. > :22:26.rapature for the UN human rights council published a report recently

:22:27. > :22:31.following his recent visit, in which he described progress in fulfilling

:22:32. > :22:37.resolution 30/1 as being slow and the use of torture in Sri Lanka as

:22:38. > :22:42.endemic. Can we have a debate on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka

:22:43. > :22:46.in the lead-up to the next session of the UNCHR in the autumn? Well, my

:22:47. > :22:51.honourable friend's done a lot of work in this area. May I

:22:52. > :22:56.congratulate him on his new position as chairman of the all party

:22:57. > :23:00.parliamentary group. The minister for South Asia has raised concerns

:23:01. > :23:06.at the findings with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner this week and the

:23:07. > :23:09.FCO's annual human rights report, published today, sets out our full

:23:10. > :23:14.assessment of the situation. Can I assure my honourable friend that we

:23:15. > :23:24.continue to encourage the Sri Lankan Government to deliver against all

:23:25. > :23:28.its UN human rights commitments. Recently emerged that the Orthodox

:23:29. > :23:36.Church has been... A detention, appearing at a mass on 16th July,

:23:37. > :23:41.follow. The mass was builded as reconciliation and release of his

:23:42. > :23:44.detention. According to local sources, he was surrounded by

:23:45. > :23:49.guards, did not speak at the event and make no statement about the

:23:50. > :23:53.supposed reconciliation. This has led to many to believe he's not been

:23:54. > :24:00.released but sudden reappearance is an attempt by the Government to

:24:01. > :24:05.alleviate international pressure. Can I ask for a statement on the

:24:06. > :24:10.Government and the trained Government on his detention, it

:24:11. > :24:13.still does exist. Well the honourable gentleman, as he often

:24:14. > :24:18.does raises a very important human rights issue. I do urge him to take

:24:19. > :24:23.that up at the next Foreign Office Questions as a very specific issue

:24:24. > :24:32.that those ministers will be able to respond to. Whilst I welcome the

:24:33. > :24:36.clarity we have on phase 2-B of the rail project, I am sure my Right

:24:37. > :24:39.Honourable friend will agree it is unacceptable that my residents, some

:24:40. > :24:43.of whom have lived the same home for over 40 years are being offered just

:24:44. > :24:49.two-thirds of the value of their property. Will my Right Honourable

:24:50. > :24:54.friend consider debate after summer recess in Government time to

:24:55. > :25:02.scrutinise the property compensation schemes which are now on offer? My

:25:03. > :25:07.honourable friend raises a very important issue about compensation

:25:08. > :25:12.for those affected. And as somebody who is has taken up a number of

:25:13. > :25:16.constituency cases in my own constituency I am very sympathetic

:25:17. > :25:20.to her. I am aware the Secretary of State for Transport has said he will

:25:21. > :25:22.take up individual cases and I do urge her to contact him on her

:25:23. > :25:32.specific points. Two women a week are murdered at the

:25:33. > :25:35.hands of their current or ex-partner, many of whom have

:25:36. > :25:42.previous histories of abuse and stalking. The Home Office produced a

:25:43. > :25:48.consultation paper last December, recommending new legislation

:25:49. > :25:52.including a stalker's register. In the Queen's speech this year

:25:53. > :25:56.domestic violence was mentioned. We have seen no legislation of this

:25:57. > :25:59.issue nearly a year after consultation. Isn't it time the

:26:00. > :26:03.Government found time to debate this and allow the who US to vote on this

:26:04. > :26:06.issue. It is a very, very serious situation.

:26:07. > :26:10.Yes, he is right. It is an incredibly serious issue. He will

:26:11. > :26:15.know it is an absolute priority for the Prime Minister to try and tackle

:26:16. > :26:19.the horrors of domestic violence and domestic abuse. It is something

:26:20. > :26:20.mentioned in the Queen's Speech as legislation that we do intend to

:26:21. > :26:30.bring forward in this session. The Leader of the House agrees with

:26:31. > :26:35.me that strengthening families and giving every child the best start in

:26:36. > :26:39.life is very much the business of government. Given the costs of

:26:40. > :26:43.family breakdown and the impact early years and family relationships

:26:44. > :26:47.can have on children's mental health and life chances. A number of

:26:48. > :26:50.colleagues on the side of the House will bring forward a families

:26:51. > :26:53.manifesto in the first week of September, after the recess,

:26:54. > :26:56.providing government with practical and realistic policies which could

:26:57. > :27:01.make a significant difference in this area. Could Parliamentary time

:27:02. > :27:07.be found to debate this important issue in the days after the recess?

:27:08. > :27:10.I cannot agree more with my honourable friend, and I really do

:27:11. > :27:14.commend her for the work she is doing. She and I share a passion for

:27:15. > :27:18.all children to have the very best start in life and I would to see her

:27:19. > :27:22.families' manifesto when it is published. She will be pleased to

:27:23. > :27:25.know that all departments are committed to making progress,

:27:26. > :27:29.including the Department for health, which is committing an additional

:27:30. > :27:32.1.4 billion for mental health services for children, young people

:27:33. > :27:41.and new mothers for this Parliament. Something that will make a huge

:27:42. > :27:49.difference to families. We are too late for implementation on the

:27:50. > :27:55.refund of tax to galleries announced in the budget of March 20 16. A

:27:56. > :27:58.library in my constituency applied to this and they were successful

:27:59. > :28:02.less dear but they are still waiting for the Government to act and it was

:28:03. > :28:05.supposed to come into force in June. Glasgow women's library will lose

:28:06. > :28:10.tens of thousands if they cannot claim back and backdate the VAT

:28:11. > :28:14.under this provision for capital works they have carried out. Can she

:28:15. > :28:23.give certainty as to when this SI will come before the House and when

:28:24. > :28:27.other galleries and museums listed, affecting about 30 across the UK, or

:28:28. > :28:33.when they will be able to make use of this provision? Cannibal lady is

:28:34. > :28:40.raising a very important point which clearly has significant importance

:28:41. > :28:47.-- the honourable lady. If she writes to me, I will look into it

:28:48. > :28:51.further. But my right honourable friend consider a debate on

:28:52. > :28:57.electoral full -- fraud, including double voting? I do realise that the

:28:58. > :29:04.Electoral Commission watches as carefully, but such a debate just

:29:05. > :29:08.might concentrate the minds. Yes, this is a very important point. We

:29:09. > :29:11.have one of the oldest and proudest democracies in the world and it is

:29:12. > :29:17.very important that we continue to have rigorous electoral processes

:29:18. > :29:22.that cannot be fraudulently abused. And I am quite sure that my right

:29:23. > :29:27.honourable friend will find a way to have that debate, and I do encourage

:29:28. > :29:31.him to do that. The Leader of the House will no doubt be aware that

:29:32. > :29:34.today, the transport Secretary has issued a written statement saying

:29:35. > :29:39.electrification will now not take place between Cardiff and Swansea.

:29:40. > :29:45.This has a huge significance not just for my constituency, but across

:29:46. > :29:48.the South Wales belt. Can the Leader of the House Fine Time when we

:29:49. > :29:53.returned for the transport Secretary to come to the floor of the House

:29:54. > :29:57.and explain why this promise has been broken to the people of Wales,

:29:58. > :30:05.despite multiple promises of the transport Secretary and the Welsh

:30:06. > :30:08.Secretary? Well, our decisions on electrification reflect how Francis

:30:09. > :30:13.in technology are enabling a different approach that is less

:30:14. > :30:18.disruptive to passengers and communities. Specifically, on the

:30:19. > :30:21.Cardiff to Swansea route. We're not proceeding with the litigation at

:30:22. > :30:26.the present time, but we are to build a better and bigger railway

:30:27. > :30:28.for Wales so passengers in Wales will see the benefits of

:30:29. > :30:33.electrification sooner, went brand-new and more... The owner of a

:30:34. > :30:37.gentleman is clearly not listening, perhaps he does not want to hear the

:30:38. > :30:41.answer! There is a very clear and said that there will be benefits for

:30:42. > :30:46.passengers in Wales as a result of brand-new and more spacious

:30:47. > :30:50.intercity express trains which will begin to be introduced in October

:30:51. > :30:57.2017. The state-of-the-art trains will make journeys faster, along the

:30:58. > :31:01.route, sooner, without the need for wires and countries and the

:31:02. > :31:05.disruption associated. So the advantages for passengers will be

:31:06. > :31:13.felt sooner, and that is as a result of changes in technology. Thank you

:31:14. > :31:15.very much. I know my right honourable friend will agree that

:31:16. > :31:22.safeguarding democracy is absolutely vital to all. Therefore please make

:31:23. > :31:28.time for the debate about the dangerous antics of Taunton Bay and

:31:29. > :31:31.its leader John Williams, this council is trying to force a merger

:31:32. > :31:36.which has not been properly consulted on and does not have

:31:37. > :31:39.grounds for approval, and this is municipal rubbish! Can we please

:31:40. > :31:44.have time so this carry on cannot be tolerated? We are proud of two

:31:45. > :31:48.levels of government and the job they do, this is being roughshod in

:31:49. > :31:50.this place and there should be time made available in government to

:31:51. > :31:58.discuss this point and very important issue! My honourable

:31:59. > :32:02.friend again raises an important local constituency matter and he may

:32:03. > :32:10.well wish for an adjournment debate so he can explore it further.

:32:11. > :32:17.Further to the remarks from the honourable member, can I say, can we

:32:18. > :32:21.have an early debate about rail transport? From Rochdale, the

:32:22. > :32:29.transport system is grossly inadequate, the quality and the

:32:30. > :32:34.quantity of rail is not acceptable for a town like Rochdale. We do need

:32:35. > :32:36.an early statement, an early debate, so the Transport Secretary can

:32:37. > :32:44.explain what the Government strategy is for Wales and also for the North

:32:45. > :32:47.of England. I am sure the honourable gentleman will recognise that this

:32:48. > :32:53.Government has put billions into new road and rail projects. It continues

:32:54. > :32:56.to do that. He may well wish with his front bench to choose an

:32:57. > :33:02.opposition Day opportunity to debate that matter if he wishes to do so,

:33:03. > :33:06.but I have tried to explain to his honourable friend that we are

:33:07. > :33:11.looking at what improvements technology can offer ahead of the

:33:12. > :33:16.disruption that the litigation would undoubtably cause the passengers as

:33:17. > :33:23.it was installed. My right honourable friend is, I know, aware

:33:24. > :33:26.of the problem with sleeping shifts for care workers and the crisis is

:33:27. > :33:32.looming for a number of companies involved because HMRC is demanding

:33:33. > :33:36.extremely large payments, there is no time for a debate or a statement

:33:37. > :33:39.on this, so would she raise it with her colleagues in government, in the

:33:40. > :33:48.Treasury, and indeed in business, to ensure that this crisis was averted?

:33:49. > :33:51.My honourable friend raises a very important issue and I would like to

:33:52. > :33:55.take this opportunity to pay tribute to all of those many care workers

:33:56. > :34:01.who do such a fantastic job looking after elderly and disabled people.

:34:02. > :34:02.And he is right to raise it, and it certainly is something the

:34:03. > :34:10.Department is looking very carefully at.

:34:11. > :34:14.Can we have a debate in government is time on UK relations with Turkey?

:34:15. > :34:19.Given that the foreign and Commonwealth of this has failed to

:34:20. > :34:22.meet the two month timetable for responding to the report of the

:34:23. > :34:25.Foreign Affairs Select Committee published on the 25th of March, and

:34:26. > :34:30.given the select committees are not likely to be able to do with this

:34:31. > :34:36.matter for some time it is it not incredibly important that the

:34:37. > :34:39.Government explains whether it is supporting the mass arrests and

:34:40. > :34:44.purges going on at this moment in Turkey and the arrests of Members of

:34:45. > :34:51.Parliament, and does not hide behind the fact we have not yet set up the

:34:52. > :34:55.select committees. Well, I say again to the honourable gentleman that he

:34:56. > :34:58.will no doubt want to raise that at the next Foreign Office questions.

:34:59. > :35:05.And the House raises today, and he may also like to raise it at the

:35:06. > :35:09.prerace says adjournment debate that pre-recess. But he can write to the

:35:10. > :35:18.Department for their specific advice on it. The staff of Parliament have

:35:19. > :35:23.been thanked by many members during the day's session, and quite

:35:24. > :35:27.rightly. But I have heard a rumour that the police officers who serve

:35:28. > :35:30.us so well and part the Parliamentary family may be moved

:35:31. > :35:35.after a five-year stint. I think many honourable and right honourable

:35:36. > :35:39.members enormously valuable continuity of service that we get

:35:40. > :35:41.from the police constables and will my right honourable friend used to

:35:42. > :35:47.influence and every effort to ensure those who have served us for a long

:35:48. > :35:51.time are able to stay? My honourable friend is exactly right to mention

:35:52. > :35:56.the police and how well they look after is in this place, and

:35:57. > :36:00.obviously, our thanks and gratitude extends to them. On the other hand,

:36:01. > :36:06.he will appreciate fully that how the police operate on the Palace

:36:07. > :36:13.grounds is an operational matter and it is something that whilst we are

:36:14. > :36:15.involved as an interested party, it is nevertheless for the police to

:36:16. > :36:22.decide how to manage their operations.

:36:23. > :36:27.I have repeatedly asked for clarity on let your vacation to Swansea, a

:36:28. > :36:31.succession of transport secretaries and secretaries of State for Wales

:36:32. > :36:34.has said I need only look out of the train window to see a

:36:35. > :36:39.electrification was on its way. Today, sneaked out in a statement,

:36:40. > :36:45.my worst fears have been realised and re-elect vocation is not coming

:36:46. > :36:49.to Swansea. Could the Leader of the House ensure the transport Secretary

:36:50. > :36:53.Commons before the House to explain to my constituents and the people of

:36:54. > :37:00.Wales which he has misled them regarding this issue? --

:37:01. > :37:04.electrification is not coming to Swansea. Can I say very gently that

:37:05. > :37:09.there is no such thing as sneaking out a statement. It is a statement,

:37:10. > :37:13.it is designed to inform the House. And the reason why a statement goes

:37:14. > :37:16.out before the House rises is because all secretaries of State and

:37:17. > :37:20.ministers are very conscious of the need to keep the House informed as

:37:21. > :37:23.far as possible whilst the House is sitting. With regards to her

:37:24. > :37:30.substantive point, as I have said to her honourable friend, the point is

:37:31. > :37:34.that as technology changes, there are earlier ways to improve

:37:35. > :37:38.passenger services for Welsh train users. And it is therefore vital

:37:39. > :37:43.that we seize those opportunities to deliver improvements earlier, in a

:37:44. > :37:49.more cost-effective way, and with less disruption to passenger

:37:50. > :37:52.services. Many of my constituents were

:37:53. > :37:55.delighted to see the Queen's Speech in the obstruction of trade,

:37:56. > :38:00.agriculture and fisheries bills within it and many across the West

:38:01. > :38:06.Country. -- the introduction. But the Question Time for trade,

:38:07. > :38:10.Department for Exiting the European Union is still some of the shortest

:38:11. > :38:13.in this Parliament. Could I ever read of the House in her previous

:38:14. > :38:17.role as the Secretary of State for the environment, whether she would

:38:18. > :38:23.consider extending the time period in this important time as we read

:38:24. > :38:28.the EU? My honourable friend shares a big passion as I do for the

:38:29. > :38:33.success of the agricultural and fishing section as we leave the EU

:38:34. > :38:40.and there are huge opportunities and he is a keen advocate. All of the

:38:41. > :38:44.timings for oral westerns are kept under review and adjusted as demand

:38:45. > :38:52.for them changes so I can assure him that will be considered in due

:38:53. > :38:58.course -- questions. She has already heard from some of my colleagues

:38:59. > :39:01.about the furious in South Wales and Rochdale and not least in the East

:39:02. > :39:05.Midlands and Nottingham about the Government's reneging on promises

:39:06. > :39:10.that were made about rail electrification. There were clear

:39:11. > :39:16.promises made about this. It was not just, it might happen. Communities

:39:17. > :39:19.were promised, rail Communities were promised, MPs were promised. And the

:39:20. > :39:23.Secretary of State for Transport should come to this House and

:39:24. > :39:28.explained to each and everyone was and these communities why it is that

:39:29. > :39:32.he has gone back on this promise. So I urge the Leader of the House to go

:39:33. > :39:36.and speak to the Secretary of State for Transport and tell him he needs

:39:37. > :39:39.to make a statement at the earliest opportunity. We have had in Bessemer

:39:40. > :39:44.denies, it is not good enough and the government has broken its

:39:45. > :39:53.promises -- we have had investment denied. I am slightly astonished

:39:54. > :39:55.that members opposite do not seem to appreciate the decisions on

:39:56. > :40:02.electrification reflect how advances in technology are enabling a

:40:03. > :40:09.different approach that is less disruptive to passengers and the

:40:10. > :40:14.communities. In particular, train technology offers seamless transfer

:40:15. > :40:17.from diesel powered the electric that is undetectable to passengers

:40:18. > :40:23.and means we no longer need to electrify every line in order to

:40:24. > :40:26.achieve the same significant improvements to journeys. Members

:40:27. > :40:32.opposite should welcome the fact that technology advances means that

:40:33. > :40:34.there is less disruption to passengers, that improvements are

:40:35. > :40:41.delivered sooner, and improvements can be delivered in the same way as

:40:42. > :40:48.electrification would offer. I was disappointed that Monday's

:40:49. > :40:51.debate on abuse and intimidation during the recent general election

:40:52. > :40:57.run out of time and did not happen, not least because I wanted to raise

:40:58. > :41:02.the issue in my constituency of graffiti and bridges and walls, so

:41:03. > :41:05.can the Leader of the House update us as to whether we will have

:41:06. > :41:08.another general debate and whether there will be an opportunity in

:41:09. > :41:17.government time for this matter to be discussed?

:41:18. > :41:24.It was very disappointing that the opposition choose to squeeze it out

:41:25. > :41:27.earlier in the week. The vile abuse that candidates suffered during the

:41:28. > :41:34.election is unacceptable and is a real threat to our democracy. We

:41:35. > :41:46.will look to reschedule this debate after the summer recess, possibly as

:41:47. > :41:54.early as September. On rail electrification it is clear the

:41:55. > :41:59.Transport Secretary broken the word of the Prime Minister. We have now a

:42:00. > :42:05.situation where larger, heavier diesel trains will run to Cardiff,

:42:06. > :42:09.then switch on their diesel engine at Cardiff, which is not

:42:10. > :42:13.environmentally-friendly. Will she admit the Public Accounts Committee

:42:14. > :42:20.has a solution, namely this project, this ?2 billion over budget and a

:42:21. > :42:23.year delayed because the Department for Transport bought the trains

:42:24. > :42:27.before laying the track and didn't anticipate bridges in the way. It is

:42:28. > :42:31.the incompetence of the Transport Secretary which has led to a slap in

:42:32. > :42:38.the face of the people of Swansea and Wales. Will she admit it? Will

:42:39. > :42:42.she answer questions, rather than the cloak of darkness, push out

:42:43. > :42:47.these press releases which mislead people? I do not, for the life of

:42:48. > :42:52.me, see why the honourable gentleman is refusing to acknowledge that

:42:53. > :42:59.earlier improvements for passengers with less disruption can possibly be

:43:00. > :43:04.a slap in the face. What the transport department is

:43:05. > :43:09.acknowledging is that technology is enabling them to deliver less

:43:10. > :43:16.disruption and earlier improvements for passengers. Growing public anger

:43:17. > :43:23.at the BBC is made worse by the fact that they know the BBC is funded by

:43:24. > :43:28.a highly regressive television tax. Can we have an early debate, not

:43:29. > :43:33.just on the accountability of the BBC, but also on the funding of the

:43:34. > :43:38.BBC, with a view to getting rid of the television tax, which at the

:43:39. > :43:43.moment results in some 10% of all cases in the magistrates' court and

:43:44. > :43:50.impacts upon women. 70% of the victims of that tax are women. My

:43:51. > :43:54.honourable friend is absolutely right that as a public service

:43:55. > :43:59.broadcaster, funded by the license fee, the BBC has a responsibility to

:44:00. > :44:04.set an example for others and lead the way for promoting equality in

:44:05. > :44:08.the workplace. He may wish to have a further debate on how the licence

:44:09. > :44:13.fee is working. He will be aware that the recent debates on the BBC

:44:14. > :44:18.charter took up that very issue, only in the recent past. But if he

:44:19. > :44:26.wanted to seek further discussions he could do so through a Westminster

:44:27. > :44:31.Hall or adjournment debate. My 18-year-old constituent is serverly

:44:32. > :44:36.diabetic and has been battling for two years. He's won two appeals but

:44:37. > :44:41.the Secretary of State is challenging the decision in court.

:44:42. > :44:46.He wants to experience university in common with his peers. Can we have

:44:47. > :44:53.an urgent debate to address the unfair practises towards those with

:44:54. > :44:57.disabilities? Well, that sounds like a very sad case, and certainly all

:44:58. > :45:02.members do have cases that they take up on behalf of their constituents

:45:03. > :45:06.and from this dispatch box I do urge people who have similar problems and

:45:07. > :45:10.challenges to take to their MP, because I think very often we can

:45:11. > :45:14.help individual cases. I am sure the honourable lady is taking this up

:45:15. > :45:17.separately with the department. As to the bigger picture around

:45:18. > :45:22.disability, the honourable lady will be aware that Conservatives are

:45:23. > :45:25.absolutely committed to supporting disabled people and spending on

:45:26. > :45:32.disability benefits will be higher in every year until 2020 that it was

:45:33. > :45:35.in 2010. We spend over ?50 billion a year on benefits to support disabled

:45:36. > :45:38.people and people with health conditions, which is up more than ?7

:45:39. > :45:42.billion since 20106789 I think we have a good track record. I

:45:43. > :45:46.absolutely accept there are always individual cases that we, as

:45:47. > :45:53.representatives, need to take up on behalf of our constituents. Like all

:45:54. > :45:57.honourable members I care passionately about the future of my

:45:58. > :46:01.local hospital. The hospital's trust in Telford has spent four years

:46:02. > :46:07.deliberating over plans to invest in the future of hospital services, but

:46:08. > :46:10.regrettably the trust has been paralysed by indecision, and

:46:11. > :46:16.complete failure to communicate with my constituents. The proposals have

:46:17. > :46:20.descended into disarray with local MPs, clinicians losing confidence in

:46:21. > :46:25.the management's ability to deliver. Can we have an urgent debate to

:46:26. > :46:29.consider this important issue. Yes, I know this has been a great concern

:46:30. > :46:36.for my honourable friend and I do commend her for raising this. I know

:46:37. > :46:39.she's met with the senior responsible officers for the revised

:46:40. > :46:45.timetable. I understand that the future fit programme board will meet

:46:46. > :46:49.on 31st July to hear the outcome of the independent review and the work

:46:50. > :46:55.relating to the women's impact assessment. The joint committee will

:46:56. > :46:59.meet on 10th August, on the next steps, including public

:47:00. > :47:07.consultation. She's right to keep raising this. Can we have a debate

:47:08. > :47:17.on nuclear disarmament. My constituent is being held in HMPs

:47:18. > :47:23.and his colleague after taking a part in a protest. Does she

:47:24. > :47:26.recognise the moral outrage against weapons of mass destruction that

:47:27. > :47:38.drives campaigners to these lengths? Well, the honourable gentleman will

:47:39. > :47:42.be aware that in this place we absolutely don't interfere with

:47:43. > :47:46.matters of criminal justice and so it is very important that if someone

:47:47. > :47:51.is involved in matters breaking the law that it is for the police to

:47:52. > :47:54.decide what happens to them. On the substantive point about nuclear

:47:55. > :47:58.disarmament, I don't share his view. My personal view and that of this

:47:59. > :48:02.side of the House is that having a nuclear deterrent is exactly that.

:48:03. > :48:06.It is a deterrent. It is an ultimate insurance that protects our people

:48:07. > :48:14.and the security of the people is the first duty of any responsible

:48:15. > :48:19.Government. Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. I hope members on both

:48:20. > :48:24.sides of the House will be, I am sure aware of this sort of

:48:25. > :48:29.behaviour, but over the last year, three times I've had to dial 999 in

:48:30. > :48:35.my surgery to remove people. I've had death threats. A gentleman has

:48:36. > :48:41.been convicted for harassment. Only a week ago, walking down the high

:48:42. > :48:46.street, someone swore at me. What really has annoyed me, I had a

:48:47. > :48:50.surgery last Friday, there were three people being disruptive. I

:48:51. > :48:54.asked them to leave. One of them stood face-to-face with me, like a

:48:55. > :49:02.prize frighter would do, clearly threatening to hit me and he called

:49:03. > :49:06.me a monkey. Now, may I suggest that sort of behaviour is not acceptable.

:49:07. > :49:09.Imagine if a Member of Parliament had done that to a constituent, what

:49:10. > :49:13.would have happened to that Member of Parliament? I absolutely urge the

:49:14. > :49:18.Leader of the House, because I know members on both sides suffer from

:49:19. > :49:24.this, that we do have a debate on abuse. The last thing in the general

:49:25. > :49:31.election, I was assaulted defending a female Conservative candidate.

:49:32. > :49:36.This sort of behaviour has to end. My honourable friend is absolutely

:49:37. > :49:43.right. It's got beyond any reasonable level of disagreement.

:49:44. > :49:50.The levels of intimidation, death threats, I have lens, abuse and

:49:51. > :49:53.disgusting acts, as well as the lower level, just anti-democratic

:49:54. > :49:58.pulling down of posters and graffitiing them and so on has been

:49:59. > :50:02.at unprecedented levels in this last general election. We did, as my

:50:03. > :50:07.honourable friend knows, schedule a debate for Monday. Unfortunately it

:50:08. > :50:10.was unable to take place because of an emergency debate on procedure

:50:11. > :50:15.which was called by the opposition. It is fully our intention to

:50:16. > :50:19.reschedule that debate as soon as possible because I know that many

:50:20. > :50:22.members on this side and some members on the opposition benches

:50:23. > :50:26.have suffered utterly unacceptable abuse. We need to have that

:50:27. > :50:28.discussion. It needs to be aired and if there is criminality going on,

:50:29. > :50:39.then that needs to be prosecuted. It is currently taking a minimum of

:50:40. > :50:44.48 weeks for people appealing Home Office decisions to deny them asylum

:50:45. > :50:50.status for their appeal to be hard E when they get a date it is many

:50:51. > :50:56.months ahead. During that time they cannot work and contribute to the UK

:50:57. > :51:02.economy as many are capable. Can we have a debate to discuss this

:51:03. > :51:05.serious issue? The honourable lady raises a very important point.

:51:06. > :51:08.Again, as all honourable members will know, we are often asked to

:51:09. > :51:13.take up cases on behalf of constituents. It is right we should

:51:14. > :51:17.do so. I think we then do have some success in being able to improve the

:51:18. > :51:24.speed. What I can say to her is since the end of 2014, we have

:51:25. > :51:28.consistency met our ambition of deciding 98% of straightforward

:51:29. > :51:31.cases within six months. If she's seeing very bad examples, then of

:51:32. > :51:37.course she should raise those directly with the Home Office.

:51:38. > :51:44.Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. I am sure the leader of the House is

:51:45. > :51:51.aware of Conservative MPs that cutting corporation tax... From the

:51:52. > :52:00.benches opposite all week and some dodgy analysis. Why does the last

:52:01. > :52:06.budget show that the measure of cutting corporation tax will cost

:52:07. > :52:13.?23.4 million? Will she make a statement outlining the magic money

:52:14. > :52:20.line tree budgets are that offset the massive increase? This side of

:52:21. > :52:25.the House has been absolutely focussed on ensuring that we get our

:52:26. > :52:30.economy back on track, that we start again to live within our means and

:52:31. > :52:35.let's be absolutely clear about this, when we came into office in

:52:36. > :52:41.2010, we had the highest ever peace time deficit of over ?150 billion a

:52:42. > :52:47.year more being spent than we take in tax revenues. Under this

:52:48. > :52:52.Government HMRC has massively improved its ability to take in tax

:52:53. > :52:57.revenues from avoidance measures, from companies failing to pay, from

:52:58. > :52:59.individuals failing to pay. There have been significant billions of

:53:00. > :53:04.pounds from taxes which have been gathered. What this side of the

:53:05. > :53:07.House has sought to do is make the UK highly competitive for companies

:53:08. > :53:09.to want to come here, start businesses, for people in this

:53:10. > :53:14.country to start their own businesses. That has been a

:53:15. > :53:18.remarkable success story. Our deficit each year is now down by

:53:19. > :53:24.three quarters as a percentage of GDP. Not only that, we have the

:53:25. > :53:28.highest employment ever. We have the lowest unemployment since the 1970s.

:53:29. > :53:32.Youth unemployment is down. People are doing better than they were,

:53:33. > :53:36.considerably better than in 2010. There's a lot more to do. But on

:53:37. > :53:41.this side of the House we are determined no t to leave the next

:53:42. > :53:49.generation to have to sort out the problems of this generation.

:53:50. > :53:55.As the Government has shaken the magic money tree bare to buy their

:53:56. > :53:59.majority, isn't that the reason they have toed a, at midnight, on the

:54:00. > :54:03.last day of Parliament, sneak out this statement on the cancellation

:54:04. > :54:07.of a long-established people the people of South Wales and then deny

:54:08. > :54:15.the House a proper debate on the subject? This is a disgraceful way

:54:16. > :54:18.to behave. When can we discuss the promises, including the one to scrap

:54:19. > :54:23.the Severn Bridge's toll. Are they going to rat on that promise as

:54:24. > :54:26.well? Can I say to the honourable

:54:27. > :54:30.gentleman it is this side of the house which has always been clear

:54:31. > :54:37.that there is no magic money tree. Let's be clear about that. They talk

:54:38. > :54:40.about a magic money tree. It is actually Labour's tuition fees

:54:41. > :54:46.promise that was going to shake the magic money tree to find ?100

:54:47. > :54:49.billion, which was absolutely false and they immediately retracted that

:54:50. > :54:55.promise after the general election. So let's be clear on this side of

:54:56. > :54:59.the House, we are looking at measures to make our economy a

:55:00. > :55:02.success. I have answered the question on electrification of

:55:03. > :55:05.trains, four, five times possibly already. Perhaps the honourable

:55:06. > :55:10.gentleman didn't hear me. What we are trying to do is to bring forward

:55:11. > :55:13.improvements with less disruption and earlier, so that passengers and

:55:14. > :55:27.communities can benefit sooner. Madam Deputy Speaker I will make no

:55:28. > :55:38.progress on an inquiry into the Back To The Future trains for South

:55:39. > :55:41.Wales. Can we have a public inquiry into Her Majesty's probation into

:55:42. > :55:45.rehabilitation companies, their inability to bring services to

:55:46. > :55:47.offenders such as settled accommodation, the rise in

:55:48. > :55:51.re-offending, the rise in recourse to prison. The unrealistic workloads

:55:52. > :55:56.and the stressful working conditions? Is it not time that we

:55:57. > :55:57.admitted this experiment is an absolute disaster and look at it

:55:58. > :56:07.again? This is a very important topic and

:56:08. > :56:12.probation officers do a very difficult job and they do well under

:56:13. > :56:16.trying circumstances, and I think the honourable lady -- lady will, I

:56:17. > :56:19.understand be raising this with the Justice Select Committee to look at

:56:20. > :56:27.this once the Select Committees are up and running in September.

:56:28. > :56:29.Thank you. It was only a week ago today that Secretary of State for

:56:30. > :56:31.Transport very difficult job and they do well under trying

:56:32. > :56:34.circumstances, and I think the honourable lady -- lady will, I

:56:35. > :56:36.understand be raising this with the Justice Select Committee to look at

:56:37. > :56:39.this once the Select Committees are up and running in September.

:56:40. > :56:41.Thank you. It was only a week ago today that Secretary of State for

:56:42. > :56:43.Transport told me and I quote "Electric trains will arrive in

:56:44. > :56:47.Cardiff and Swansea this autumn." So I am not going to ask a question on

:56:48. > :56:49.that, however, not only only is is the Government reneging on its

:56:50. > :56:53.commitment to reduce pollution from diesel energies but its commitment

:56:54. > :56:56.to reduce carbon emissions. This false promise shows the Government

:56:57. > :57:01.has no interest in Wales and can I ask the leader of the House for

:57:02. > :57:05.oururgent state when we return after the recess on the Government's plan

:57:06. > :57:11.to secure the Swansea bay tidal lagoon.

:57:12. > :57:15.My I first welcome the honourable laid the her place and look forward

:57:16. > :57:20.to working with her in this chamber. I think the Swansea bay tidal lagoon

:57:21. > :57:25.as she will know is an incredibly ambitious, enormous and very

:57:26. > :57:30.expensive project, I remember as an Energy Minister it was, it had been

:57:31. > :57:35.being discussed for many years and there are challenges from the

:57:36. > :57:40.perspective of value for bill payer's money or taxpayers' money

:57:41. > :57:43.and there was a review that carried are out, under Charles Hendry, and

:57:44. > :57:51.that the response of the Government will be brought forward as soon as

:57:52. > :57:55.possible. Many individuals who convert

:57:56. > :57:59.religion or announce faith all together can bes of a sighed from

:58:00. > :58:03.their community, making them more vulnerable to hate crime. Can we

:58:04. > :58:13.have a debate regarding what has been done to tackle crimes motivated

:58:14. > :58:17.by anti-apostasy? Well, of course, I think all members across the House

:58:18. > :58:21.would absolutely respect the right of any individual to choose to

:58:22. > :58:27.worship in the way they want to do, and so I think he would have a lot

:58:28. > :58:31.of support from all members, he may well wish to aply for a Westminster

:58:32. > :58:38.Hall debate and I am sure there would be a lot of interest in that.

:58:39. > :58:42.As we in this House rise for the summer recess many of my

:58:43. > :58:48.constituents are mopping up properties that have flooded again,

:58:49. > :58:56.after storm Desmond hit Lancashire 18 Mondays ago. During that time the

:58:57. > :58:58.Government applied for EU funding my local authorities have been

:58:59. > :59:02.prevented from bidding for that money, can we have a debate in

:59:03. > :59:05.Government time on how we can improve flood resilience and

:59:06. > :59:13.defences in communities affected pip flooding?

:59:14. > :59:15.Well, she raises really important point and having been Environment

:59:16. > :59:20.Secretary, I visited Lancashire and other parts of the country that have

:59:21. > :59:26.flooded, she is right to raise this, it is devastating. We have seen more

:59:27. > :59:31.examples of it. She will be wear we have a six year commitment of

:59:32. > :59:35.two-and-a-half billion in flood defence projected to better protect

:59:36. > :59:40.an additional 300,000 homeses by 2021. There was a number of projects

:59:41. > :59:47.going on and a number of sources of funding for them. I am sure that she

:59:48. > :59:49.will want to raise the specifics of her constituency, in Defra oral

:59:50. > :59:56.questions when they are next available.

:59:57. > :00:02.Could I point out that by model trains I am not modern technology,

:00:03. > :00:08.they were first patented in 1989. I am sure that the leader will know

:00:09. > :00:13.that Crossrail costs ?202 million per mile to complete. High Speed 2

:00:14. > :00:20.is estimated to cost ?403 million a mile to complete. An in contrast the

:00:21. > :00:26.rail electrification between Selby and Hull would only cost 3.2 million

:00:27. > :00:30.per mile. Could we have a debate on why Conservative ministers blocked

:00:31. > :00:38.the Hull scheme, even though it was privately backed with funding. Lower

:00:39. > :00:44.in cost and better value. ? The level of interest from the

:00:45. > :00:48.opposition benches in this suggests a good candidate for an opposition

:00:49. > :00:54.day debate. I have answereded this six times now, it is the case that

:00:55. > :00:59.the Department for Transport are spending billions on road and rail

:01:00. > :01:07.infrastructure, and delivering early where ever possible and with the

:01:08. > :01:14.least disruption to communities. And the prize for patience today goes to

:01:15. > :01:18.Dr David Drew. A happy recess to you as well. On the subject of abuse,

:01:19. > :01:24.would the leader of the House take up the situation in Gloucestershire,

:01:25. > :01:29.where the Conservative County Councillor on his Facebook page

:01:30. > :01:35.referred to the Leader of the Opposition as comparable to Hitler,

:01:36. > :01:44.and talked about the campaign of the Labour Party regarding younger

:01:45. > :01:49.voters as close to national socialism and other allied

:01:50. > :01:52.movements. Given that this is a very big topic on the Conservative

:01:53. > :01:57.benches, the Government, would she like to have a word with the high

:01:58. > :02:02.command if Gloucestershire and get rid of Mr Stone who is also a

:02:03. > :02:05.cabinet member. So far he has withdrawn the comments from his

:02:06. > :02:08.Facebook page but he refuses to refute them. Would she like to have

:02:09. > :02:17.a word with him and the other Conservatives to get rid of him?

:02:18. > :02:20.With the, theology ratting due malling raises a specific point

:02:21. > :02:24.which I know nothing about. I will say again abuse and intimidation is

:02:25. > :02:28.unacceptable from whoever it comes and to whoever it is directed. On

:02:29. > :02:35.this side of the House there are many colleagues who have been

:02:36. > :02:38.subjected themselves to very vile abuse and it is something this House

:02:39. > :02:48.definitely needs to confer and we all need to work together to put a

:02:49. > :02:57.stop to it. We now come to statement by the Secretary of State for

:02:58. > :03:01.Communities and Local Government, Mr Sajid Javid. Thank you.

:03:02. > :03:06.Five weeks have now passed since the tragedy at Grenfell Tower. Nothing

:03:07. > :03:12.that has happened the since then will have deMSP mushed the grief of

:03:13. > :03:15.those who lost loved ones. Across the public sector in local and

:03:16. > :03:19.central Government in the emergency services in hospital, in schools and

:03:20. > :03:22.more, dedicated public servants have been doing all that I can to deal

:03:23. > :03:28.with the aftermath and help the community to recover.

:03:29. > :03:30.Over the past FIA weeks the Government has endeavoured to keep

:03:31. > :03:34.the House up-to-date. This is the third oral statement I have made on

:03:35. > :03:39.the subject. The House has heard from the Prime Minister, and the

:03:40. > :03:41.housing minister, who also answered questions in Westminster Hall before

:03:42. > :03:44.Parliament before we returned. There has been a full debate in the

:03:45. > :03:49.common, four written statements and a number of letters that have been

:03:50. > :03:53.sent to all members. My aim is to provide an update before the House

:03:54. > :03:58.rises and another opportunity for honourable members to ask questions.

:03:59. > :04:03.I would like to let the House now what action we are be taking over

:04:04. > :04:07.the summer. The police continue to list 80

:04:08. > :04:13.people as either eer dead or missing presumed dead. 39 victims have so

:04:14. > :04:18.far been formally identified, with 39 requests opened by the coroner

:04:19. > :04:20.and adjourned, pending the public inquiry and the police

:04:21. > :04:24.investigation. Two adults remain in hospital.

:04:25. > :04:30.I know that some local residents remain concerned that the number of

:04:31. > :04:34.people in the tower on the night have been under estimated. I would

:04:35. > :04:39.continue to urge anyone with further information to come forward. We have

:04:40. > :04:43.been very clear, that we don't mind if those affected were sub letting

:04:44. > :04:50.or have immigration issues. All we care about is getting to the truth.

:04:51. > :04:55.Turning to rehoming programme. Everyone who lost their home in

:04:56. > :05:01.Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk has been made at least one offer of good

:05:02. > :05:05.quality, fully furnished temporary accommodation in the local area. 35

:05:06. > :05:09.of these have been accepted and 10 families have moved in.

:05:10. > :05:13.Those numbers are slightly down on the figures that were published

:05:14. > :05:19.recently as some people have changed their minds as they are perfectly

:05:20. > :05:22.entitled to do so. Where residences have turned down an offer we are

:05:23. > :05:26.finding suitable alternatives for them. Where residents are not ready

:05:27. > :05:30.toen gauge in the process, they don't want to make a decision right

:05:31. > :05:37.now or would rather wait for a permanent home to be offered we will

:05:38. > :05:43.respect that. At questions this week the quality of the accommodation

:05:44. > :05:47.offered was raised. I would like to repeat the housing ministers offer

:05:48. > :05:50.to visit some of these homes so they can inspect them for themselves, I

:05:51. > :05:55.don't believe they have taken us up on that offer so far but it still

:05:56. > :06:02.stands. In the long term, we are continuing to seek out and secure

:06:03. > :06:06.suitable permanent accommodation. The first such homes gore Grenfell

:06:07. > :06:12.fans will be ready within days and they are ready to be matched to

:06:13. > :06:18.families. At the Town Hall, we are continuing preparations for the

:06:19. > :06:20.return of control of the recovery effort from gold command to

:06:21. > :06:24.Kensington and Chelsea Council. I have spoken at leapt with the new

:06:25. > :06:29.leader of the council and been clear gold won't hand over the rein reins

:06:30. > :06:34.until it is clear the council is ready to cope. We saw last night the

:06:35. > :06:39.anger than some in the community still feel towards the council.

:06:40. > :06:41.Council. It is understandable. As the Prime Minister herself has said

:06:42. > :06:44.the initial response from the local authority was simply not good

:06:45. > :06:49.enough. There is not a lot of trust there,

:06:50. > :06:55.not a lot of confidence. And that is why, once Kensing toll and Chelsea

:06:56. > :06:59.council takes over the recovery o op -- operation lit will do so under

:07:00. > :07:03.the supervision of the task force. It is important to stress the role

:07:04. > :07:07.of the task force is not to investigate the causes of the fire

:07:08. > :07:11.or to aforrion blame. That is for the public inquiry and police

:07:12. > :07:15.investigation. Rather, it is there to provided a vice and support and

:07:16. > :07:21.see that the council does the job required of it. We are in the

:07:22. > :07:25.process of finalising the task force membership and I hope to make an

:07:26. > :07:31.announcement soon. I confirm the hand over will not happen until the

:07:32. > :07:36.task force is up and running. Away from Kensington, the fire

:07:37. > :07:44.safety testing programme continues. We now believe that no more than 208

:07:45. > :07:49.local authority and housing association residential blocks over

:07:50. > :07:58.18 meeters tall have benefitted with composite material cladding. One had

:07:59. > :08:05.cladding samples tested by the research establish none of them have

:08:06. > :08:08.past the limited combust built test. Samples from a further 12 towers

:08:09. > :08:19.have been submitted this week and are being tested. They have yet to

:08:20. > :08:25.see Samables from seven tower, a month later, this is unacceptable. I

:08:26. > :08:31.expect to see them is -- submitting samples. On the advice of the

:08:32. > :08:43.independent expert advisory panel on billing safety. The BRE is doing

:08:44. > :08:46.system tests. A note setting out the process and the timetable for

:08:47. > :08:50.further advice will be published shortly.

:08:51. > :08:54.It is taken a short time to design and set up the test, but we expect

:08:55. > :08:59.the first results to be available next week. As soon as results are

:09:00. > :09:04.available we will share them first with the local authorities and the

:09:05. > :09:10.housing associations have confirmed they are clad in the same material,

:09:11. > :09:14.we will also, of course, inform the local Fire and Rescue Service.

:09:15. > :09:17.The results will provide further information that building owners and

:09:18. > :09:23.their professional advisers can use to take decision about what, if any

:09:24. > :09:27.remedial action is required. Although legal responsibility for

:09:28. > :09:31.fire safety and enforce. Lies with local authorities I do have the

:09:32. > :09:36.power to direct and an authority to consider the test results as part of

:09:37. > :09:43.their duty to keep housing condition under review. If necessary I will

:09:44. > :09:47.not hesitate the use this power which could lead to action being

:09:48. > :09:54.taken against a landlord. I do hope it will not come to that. Moving on

:09:55. > :10:00.to the public inquiry. Sir Martin Moore-Bick is continuing his work. I

:10:01. > :10:03.welcome his decision. While we are anxious for the inquiry to get under

:10:04. > :10:07.way it is important that the remit is appropriate and that even

:10:08. > :10:11.affected has had a funt to share their views.

:10:12. > :10:15.-- an opportunity. With the House due to rise later today this is the

:10:16. > :10:20.last taimt I will be making before the summer recess, work on the

:10:21. > :10:24.recovery effort and the testing regime will continue at pace. My

:10:25. > :10:30.department will be writing regular letters to all members to keep you

:10:31. > :10:34.abreast of progress. Finally, I want to pay tribute to the many members

:10:35. > :10:39.on both sides of the House who have assisted with the emergency response

:10:40. > :10:43.and the recovery effort so far. You have provided insight, support,

:10:44. > :10:48.scrutiny and a voice for constituent, in public and behind

:10:49. > :10:51.the scene, the week, months and even years ahead will be unimaginably

:10:52. > :10:56.difficult for those who have been caught up in the fire and those that

:10:57. > :11:01.have lost family and friends. There is nothing any of us can do to

:11:02. > :11:09.bring back those who die or raise the trauma of that terrible night. I

:11:10. > :11:13.am sure the whole house shares my determination to cake take care of

:11:14. > :11:16.those affected by the fire and make sure that justice is done and see a

:11:17. > :11:24.tragedy like this never ever happens again.

:11:25. > :11:32.Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. This is the fourth time in less than

:11:33. > :11:37.four weeks that we've had tone courage the Secretary of State or

:11:38. > :11:45.his -- to encourage the Secretary of State or his ministers to after the

:11:46. > :11:50.Grenfell Tower fire. He praises the scrutiny of members on both sides.

:11:51. > :11:55.After the next six recess weeks how will he keep members informed? How

:11:56. > :12:02.can we get answers to continuing serious concerns that we have from

:12:03. > :12:06.our constituents and from the Grenfell Tower families survivors?

:12:07. > :12:10.Round-robin letters are not sufficient. He calls this statement

:12:11. > :12:16.today an update on progress. In truth, there's been next to no

:12:17. > :12:21.progress because after this really truly dreadful fire I think the

:12:22. > :12:24.Secretary of State had two urgent overriding responsibilities. First

:12:25. > :12:31.to ensure that everyone affected from Grenfell Tower had the help and

:12:32. > :12:37.the re-housing they need. Second, to reassure all the people living in

:12:38. > :12:40.tower blocks around the country that their homes are safe or the work

:12:41. > :12:46.necessary to make them safe was being done. And more than five weeks

:12:47. > :12:54.after this fire, he's failing on both fronts. 169 families we learn

:12:55. > :12:59.today lost their homes in Grenfell Tower, but only ten have moved out

:13:00. > :13:03.of emergency hotels and hostels. And 25 more have been offered a

:13:04. > :13:10.temporary home they feel they can accept. Now I accept the reasons

:13:11. > :13:14.maybe complex. Can I tell the Secretary of State, I'm still

:13:15. > :13:18.getting reports of residents told they will be made intentionally

:13:19. > :13:22.homeless if they make an offer, despite the Government's word that

:13:23. > :13:28.this will not happen. Residents offered accommodation with damp,

:13:29. > :13:32.leaks and lack of full furnishing. Residents show some with few

:13:33. > :13:37.bedrooms for their children and residents made an offer but then

:13:38. > :13:42.told the details will only follow afterwards. As for the Government's

:13:43. > :13:46.fire safety testing programme itself, the more we're told, the

:13:47. > :13:52.worse this gets. The Secretary of State's statement today raises more

:13:53. > :13:59.questions than it answers. The Prime Minister said, we can test over 100

:14:00. > :14:08.buildings a day, so why have only 259 tests been done? Why can't

:14:09. > :14:13.councils and Housing Associations get non-MCM cladding or insulation

:14:14. > :14:17.tested? Why are they ignoring the fire experts, landlords and

:14:18. > :14:21.residents, ignoring the potential fire risk in thousands of other

:14:22. > :14:27.tower blocks and only narrowly testing cladding? How many of the

:14:28. > :14:35.259 blocks that have failed have had the cladding removed? And where they

:14:36. > :14:39.failed the first samples test, but passed the second systems test is

:14:40. > :14:48.the cladding still safe to leave in place? Has the Government yet agreed

:14:49. > :14:54.any financial support for any council or any Housing Association

:14:55. > :14:59.to help with the costs? Has the secretary himself persuaded the

:15:00. > :15:03.Treasury to agree access to the Government's contingency fund, or

:15:04. > :15:07.will any costs have to come from within the department's existing

:15:08. > :15:15.budgets? Madam Deputy Speaker we know from the report on, a fire and

:15:16. > :15:18.we will see the same, I suspect from Grenfell Tower, that the problem was

:15:19. > :15:22.not just cladding and this Government's testing programme is

:15:23. > :15:28.too slow, too narrow, too confused, simply not fit for purpose. So, can

:15:29. > :15:33.I say to the Secretary of State, ministers must now act, widen the

:15:34. > :15:38.testing programme to reassure all high-rise residents that their homes

:15:39. > :15:44.are safe. Fund the necessary work on cladding and on fire safety to make

:15:45. > :15:48.them safe, review the system of approved inspectors for building

:15:49. > :15:54.control checks, starting with all the cases where the cladding has

:15:55. > :15:59.failed but had been signed off previously and finally start the

:16:00. > :16:11.overhaul of building regulations, which the Coroner reported on four

:16:12. > :16:15.years ago. Any findings from the fire investigations or the public

:16:16. > :16:19.inquiry into the Grenfell Tower. Finally, Madam Deputy Speaker, the

:16:20. > :16:23.Secretary of State talked in his statement about the pace of what's

:16:24. > :16:28.been done. In truth, ministers have been tleed steps off the pace in

:16:29. > :16:32.responding to the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower at each stage and I

:16:33. > :16:37.fear without the scrutiny of members of both sides that he praised, the

:16:38. > :16:40.Government's pace will slacken over these recess weeks at the very time

:16:41. > :16:46.when it is clear that the Secretary of State needs to do a great deal

:16:47. > :16:50.more to deal effectively with the complex problems and consequences of

:16:51. > :17:03.this Grenfell fire tragedy. So far the gentleman has had a

:17:04. > :17:08.constructive approach to this problem. I would urge him very much

:17:09. > :17:11.to maintain that in the weeks and Mondays that lay ahead and not adopt

:17:12. > :17:15.the approach of the Shadow Chancellor who has shown just how

:17:16. > :17:19.out of touch he is on this issue. It is not what the public want to see.

:17:20. > :17:26.Let me turn to his individual questions. He asked how during the

:17:27. > :17:29.recess period I can make sure that all honourable members, all sides of

:17:30. > :17:32.the House are kept in touch, informed, able to ask questions.

:17:33. > :17:36.Obviously he will know because Parliament is in recess some of the

:17:37. > :17:40.usual channels will not be there. I am determined to make sure we make

:17:41. > :17:45.use of what is available, whether through regular communications with

:17:46. > :17:50.all Members of Parliament, through my department and its own operation

:17:51. > :17:55.in terms of press releases, notes and I and my colleagues would be

:17:56. > :17:59.available to meet or talk to any honourable member that during the

:18:00. > :18:02.summer recess has any questions, I will already have planned to meet

:18:03. > :18:05.next week with the honourable member for Kensington. I will be happy to

:18:06. > :18:12.talk to The Right Honourable gentleman any time and meet with him

:18:13. > :18:17.or discuss with him any of the issues that pertain to Grenfell

:18:18. > :18:21.Tower and this terrible tragedy. On housing, the honourable gentleman

:18:22. > :18:25.will know that huge efforts have been made, both by gold command, by

:18:26. > :18:30.my department, by Kensington Chelsea to make sure the needs of

:18:31. > :18:34.all the residents are met and their wishes are respected and that is

:18:35. > :18:37.both in terms of the temporary accommodation, the permanent

:18:38. > :18:41.accommodation, whether they were social tenants or lease holders. I

:18:42. > :18:46.can tell him that very shortly, within just a matter of days that

:18:47. > :18:50.Kensington Chelsea Council, with the support of the Government will

:18:51. > :18:54.be issuing a fresh document to every resident that will make it very

:18:55. > :18:57.clear about how that process can work going forward answer a lot of

:18:58. > :19:01.questions that residents will naturally have. Make sure it is all

:19:02. > :19:05.in one place and a lot of that work is put together after consultation

:19:06. > :19:09.with a lot of the residents making sure all the questions they would

:19:10. > :19:12.have are answered. Including some of the key question of allocation of

:19:13. > :19:15.some of the permanent housing which has been identified. The Right

:19:16. > :19:21.Honourable gentleman asked about the testing process. It is a very

:19:22. > :19:26.comprehensive, detailed and naturally, by its nature, a complex

:19:27. > :19:30.process. At every stage we've been led by advise by the independent

:19:31. > :19:36.expert panel. These are the people that we should all rely on to give

:19:37. > :19:40.the best advice and how testing should be prioritised. And clear

:19:41. > :19:45.advice right at the start was to prioritise testing of cladding that

:19:46. > :19:50.maybe similar to that which was on Grenfell Tower. It was right to

:19:51. > :19:55.prioritise that. That of course does not preclude tests on other types of

:19:56. > :20:00.cladding. They are not the only test facilities available. Landlords have

:20:01. > :20:02.a legal responsibility where there are local authorities or Housing

:20:03. > :20:05.Associations or private lan Lord's to make sure that buildings are

:20:06. > :20:11.safe. That is why, on the back of the advice we have issued,

:20:12. > :20:17.explanatory notes, landlords, I know in many cases taking further action

:20:18. > :20:22.to make sure, even it is not ACM cladding they have done everything

:20:23. > :20:26.to check their buildings are safe. I mentioned earlier that regards to

:20:27. > :20:30.the systems test that we will be published a note which will go into

:20:31. > :20:35.more detail about how exactly those tests will work. And then how the

:20:36. > :20:39.results of those tests will be used. The Right Honourable gentleman asked

:20:40. > :20:43.about funding. I have made it clear a number of times from the dispatch

:20:44. > :20:47.box that any action that any local authority or Housing Association

:20:48. > :20:52.that it has to take to make sure its buildings are safe, we expect them

:20:53. > :20:57.to do it immediatelily. If they cannot do it we will approach and

:20:58. > :21:04.make sure they vo the support they need. As of date, not a single

:21:05. > :21:07.authority or housing authority has approached us and asked for

:21:08. > :21:11.assistance. If they do we would take it seriously. If he is aware of any

:21:12. > :21:17.local authority that has a funding issue, then perhaps you should

:21:18. > :21:21.encourage them to contact me. And sim particularly with the building

:21:22. > :21:26.regulations, The Right Honourable gentleman has again rightly referred

:21:27. > :21:30.to the fact that we do need to learn the lessons from this terrible

:21:31. > :21:33.tragedy whether from the public inquiry, the police inquiry, the

:21:34. > :21:39.fire inspection work which has happened and make sure that where

:21:40. > :21:43.changes are required, either in building regulations the enforcement

:21:44. > :21:47.they are made and they are made as swiftly as possible and there will

:21:48. > :21:52.be further news on that in due course. I thank The Right Honourable

:21:53. > :21:59.gentleman for his interest. I want to repeat he can approach me at any

:22:00. > :22:03.time during the recess period. Can I welcome the statement today by

:22:04. > :22:06.my Right Honourable friend and congratulate him on keeping the

:22:07. > :22:13.house up-to-date with progress thus far. But he is quite right in saying

:22:14. > :22:16.that there is a lack of confidence in the local authority in Kensington

:22:17. > :22:22.Chelsea. The reality is that the task force that he is going to

:22:23. > :22:27.nominate hopefully later today or tomorrow is vital to restore

:22:28. > :22:33.confidence. Can he update the House on the exact powers that that task

:22:34. > :22:38.force has? Clearly if control is passed back to Kensington Chelsea

:22:39. > :22:43.Council, the issue will be who can direct the council to do things and

:22:44. > :22:47.what happens if there is a dispute over what happens? For example the

:22:48. > :22:50.honourable gentleman raised the issue of individuals almost being

:22:51. > :22:54.blackmailed into accepting a property which they don't want. Does

:22:55. > :22:58.that task force have the power to direct the local authority to take

:22:59. > :23:05.certain actions and will he personally intervene if they need

:23:06. > :23:12.extra help? I I think my honourable friend is right to raise the

:23:13. > :23:15.importance of the task force and the work that's required of Kensington

:23:16. > :23:19.Chelsea going forward. As I mentioned earlier there is a low

:23:20. > :23:22.level of confidence by the residents, understandably so. We saw

:23:23. > :23:27.that last night with the local meeting in the council. The task

:23:28. > :23:33.force will be there. It will experience people, independent of

:23:34. > :23:35.the council, to advice the council. Provide strategic advice on

:23:36. > :23:39.re-housing and community engage. They will report independently to

:23:40. > :23:43.me. I have made it very clear from the start that if they believe the

:23:44. > :23:51.council is not up to the jobly not hesitate to take further action. I

:23:52. > :23:56.thank the minister for advanced sight of his statement. I confirmed

:23:57. > :24:06.in response to previous statements that the safety of Scotland's high

:24:07. > :24:10.rise flats is in hand and. -- in hand.

:24:11. > :24:16.I am sure many other honourable members will like me have received

:24:17. > :24:21.concern from constituents about a number of aspects of this terrible

:24:22. > :24:28.disaster. One question I hear over and over again is, where was the

:24:29. > :24:33.infrastructure in this burg borough to deal with such a disaster? Where

:24:34. > :24:37.was the afterplan? Constituents and members of the public said what was

:24:38. > :24:41.going on in such a wealthy borough that they don't seem able to cope

:24:42. > :24:46.with such a disaster on their doorstep? I ask the minister was

:24:47. > :24:53.this just a failing of one out of touch Tory council? Or is it endemic

:24:54. > :24:57.problem? What steps are the UK Government taking to Mike sure such

:24:58. > :25:02.a response to such a terrible disaster couldn't happen again? In

:25:03. > :25:13.what is really a very wealthy area. Another area of concern Less than

:25:14. > :25:18.?800,000 of the ?20 million donated has been dispersed in the last five

:25:19. > :25:23.weeks. Now this is leading to a growing sense of scepticism amongst

:25:24. > :25:27.residents, with I understand a chair of the resident's group recentdly

:25:28. > :25:31.saying she feels the public's generosity has been betrayed. Can

:25:32. > :25:35.the minister give assurances that there'll be full transparency with

:25:36. > :25:42.regards to how the funds donated by the public and business are being

:25:43. > :25:48.put to close? And that any administrative and bureaucratic

:25:49. > :25:51.obstacles which are preventing this money distributed promptly are

:25:52. > :26:02.removed as far as reasonably possible?

:26:03. > :26:10.In making sure the lessons are learned in Scotland too. In terms of

:26:11. > :26:17.her wider questions, I think it is fair to say, with a tragedy on this

:26:18. > :26:24.scale, that almost any local authority in the country would be

:26:25. > :26:27.overwhelmed by something of this size and proportion, and despite

:26:28. > :26:31.that though, there were things that any reasonable perpetrator would

:26:32. > :26:34.have expected of Kensington an Chelsea council, as I said earlier

:26:35. > :26:39.there were failings and that is why there is a need for intervention of

:26:40. > :26:44.the type that I have described. And there are longer term lessons to

:26:45. > :26:48.learn, not just for the boroughs in London but the more widely to make

:26:49. > :26:52.sure as a country, we are better from epaired for civil emergencies

:26:53. > :26:56.of this this type. That work has already begun being led by the

:26:57. > :27:01.Cabinet Office. The honourable lady talked about charity funding. Its

:27:02. > :27:09.first great the see so many people have contributed to help people that

:27:10. > :27:13.affected by the fragilety. The charities commission has opinion

:27:14. > :27:15.working with the charities to make sure there is a co-ordinated

:27:16. > :27:21.response and that can work together to get the maximum benefit are the

:27:22. > :27:26.donations made. One thing has been asked of us and we have provided to

:27:27. > :27:32.make clear any donations that have been made, go through that

:27:33. > :27:37.co-ordinated response, so for example char, -- nation from the

:27:38. > :27:40.funds raised were not apply, would not have an impact on benefits to

:27:41. > :27:48.disregard them from a benefit's point of view so we have done

:27:49. > :27:55.exactly that. Residents in Grenfell were badly

:27:56. > :28:02.affected by the tragedy and need help in various areas, housing and

:28:03. > :28:05.emotional sup pot. Would it help if individual case worker were provided

:28:06. > :28:13.who can vied one-to-one support to make sure they get the help they

:28:14. > :28:19.need? I can tell him you are right at the start, very quickly Gold

:28:20. > :28:23.Command brought in key workersry family affected, whether they are in

:28:24. > :28:28.Grenfell Tower, Grenfell Walk and some of those in nearby housing, one

:28:29. > :28:33.of the things in the transition process will be to make sure that

:28:34. > :28:37.Kensington and Chelsea put in place and this has already begun,

:28:38. > :28:42.permanent key workers for each family for ass long as the families

:28:43. > :28:46.require that support. That has been something that is essential and

:28:47. > :28:51.supported by the Government. This morning I met a number of Loke

:28:52. > :28:55.Government leaders who said they were in the dark about the

:28:56. > :28:58.circumstances in which Government, central Government would help them

:28:59. > :29:01.pay for essential work on tower blocks. The Secretary of State has

:29:02. > :29:05.said that local authorities should go ahead, if they can't afford to

:29:06. > :29:10.pay for it in those circumstances government will help. The Secretary

:29:11. > :29:16.of State knows that the funding coming out of the housing revenue

:29:17. > :29:21.account. Rent are capped. So for many the only way is to stop doing

:29:22. > :29:26.important work on other property, will the Secretary of State accept

:29:27. > :29:30.in those circumstances, that is a circumstance in which central

:29:31. > :29:35.Government pay and help local authorities do the work necessary. I

:29:36. > :29:41.can tell the honourable gentleman we want other essential work on social

:29:42. > :29:46.housing, maintaining that social housing to continue, and it is

:29:47. > :29:49.though, clear, it is the first the starting point, it is the legal

:29:50. > :29:51.responsibility of the local authorities and the housing

:29:52. > :29:55.associations to make sure their properties are safe. That is

:29:56. > :29:58.something they should already have been doing, where they have found

:29:59. > :30:03.that might not be the case and they need to take action, they should

:30:04. > :30:08.take it. As I have said perfect, if they need help with that, they

:30:09. > :30:14.should approach us, I am not wear a single local authority who has

:30:15. > :30:21.done so. I thank the Secretary of State for

:30:22. > :30:29.his detailed statement and for having kept the House appraised of

:30:30. > :30:34.events. I am horrified to hear that authorities have not sent in

:30:35. > :30:38.Samables for testing. Perhaps the time has come for naming and

:30:39. > :30:42.shaming. I can tell him if that is what is required I won't hesitate to

:30:43. > :30:49.do that. I will say in the last few days since we have been at lot more

:30:50. > :30:53.public about pushing those that haven't come forward with the

:30:54. > :31:01.relevant information, that information has flowed in. There are

:31:02. > :31:04.still, I believe, seven, for seven buildings, that are managed housing

:31:05. > :31:08.association, that we are waiting for information. In that case, those

:31:09. > :31:13.particular case, all of them they are properties that are privately

:31:14. > :31:16.owned, managed by housing association, so I can understand

:31:17. > :31:22.they might be a bit different, but still, we expect that information to

:31:23. > :31:28.come in right way. I commend the Secretary of State for

:31:29. > :31:32.coming to the chamber again, and indeed, his minister to his right

:31:33. > :31:38.have been accessible to colleagues on this issue, they still seem to be

:31:39. > :31:44.in denial about the far guidance for the building regulation ministers

:31:45. > :31:49.have been promising this since 2011. As recently as 2015 the minister

:31:50. > :31:54.said housing would start work in 2015. So is either one can only

:31:55. > :31:59.assume the independent panel is saying don't do it, it is not

:32:00. > :32:01.necessary or the Government believes that the public inquiry and

:32:02. > :32:07.conclusion will say we don't need to do it. Which is it? The work will

:32:08. > :32:11.take time the do. The Government could get ahead of the curve and

:32:12. > :32:18.when the public inquiry does recommend it, you can say, here is

:32:19. > :32:22.the work. First of all I thank the honourable

:32:23. > :32:26.gentleman for his comment. He raises as he usually does an important

:32:27. > :32:31.point. First of all the independent expert panel is there to prop vied

:32:32. > :32:35.any advice that might require emergency action, and if it does, in

:32:36. > :32:42.terms the of building regulations we will certain willy do that. As said

:32:43. > :32:48.in response earlier to his right honourable friend, do accept there

:32:49. > :32:53.are clear issues around building relation investigations, enforcement

:32:54. > :32:58.and to make some of those longer term changes we should accuse more

:32:59. > :33:01.swiftly an not necessarily wait for the outof a public inquiry. The

:33:02. > :33:05.Government would control the timing of that. I am looking at what we can

:33:06. > :33:12.do further to make sure we learn the lessons very quickly.

:33:13. > :33:15.Thank you. This terrible fire affected not just

:33:16. > :33:20.the people who were unfortunate enough to live in the blockist, but

:33:21. > :33:26.the residents living round Grenfell Tower. They must have been horribly

:33:27. > :33:31.affected by seeing the fire and the aftermath. What support is being

:33:32. > :33:40.given to local residents to help them live with this tragedy as well.

:33:41. > :33:45.First she is right to raise that, the immediate support was that for

:33:46. > :33:48.all of those families that required emergency accommodation, in hotel

:33:49. > :33:53.room, that has been provided. Many of them are still in the hotel room,

:33:54. > :33:56.that is what they decided to do. The council has designed an offer to

:33:57. > :34:05.people in many of those block, there is a specific officer, three of the

:34:06. > :34:08.blocks that are... That will allow the families to return to those

:34:09. > :34:14.homes and provide them with the support they need.

:34:15. > :34:19.The Government intervened housing providers budgets by imposing a rent

:34:20. > :34:24.cut that reduced income, due to that and other factors we know that

:34:25. > :34:30.repairs have fallen by almost a fifth since 2010. So if tenants and

:34:31. > :34:35.residents are not to fear that fire safety will be compromised by

:34:36. > :34:42.budgets or that repair and maintenance budgets will not be

:34:43. > :34:47.compromised by fire safety. Can he assure always housing providers will

:34:48. > :34:52.know they do not have to further squeeze other essential repairs and

:34:53. > :35:02.maintenance work to install sprinklers and carry out other work.

:35:03. > :35:06.As I have been clear, for all local authorities, and housing

:35:07. > :35:10.associations, it is clearly their legal responsibility to make sure

:35:11. > :35:15.their residents are safe and meeting all safety regulations.

:35:16. > :35:24.If they are instances where they can't afford that work they should

:35:25. > :35:28.approach us. I thank my right honourable friend

:35:29. > :35:33.for his detailed statement. It will have a huge impact on many aspects

:35:34. > :35:37.of future Government policy. I have been a passionate believer in the

:35:38. > :35:43.important role of urban regeneration. Will he confirm in

:35:44. > :35:47.future when schemes come forward we will have to learn the lesson, in

:35:48. > :35:54.the wider shape of our house policy. Ensure they are learned and we have

:35:55. > :35:59.the robust fire measures in place. He is right. There are many lessons

:36:00. > :36:00.to learn from this terrible tragedy, we

:36:01. > :36:04.ALL TALK AT ONCE already about a

:36:05. > :36:11.ed number of them in this house, one is certainly wider, longer term

:36:12. > :36:14.approach to social housing. Welcome the Secretary of State's

:36:15. > :36:18.willingness to keep us updated over the next few week, does he agree

:36:19. > :36:23.that local authorities and housing associations have a real duty to

:36:24. > :36:26.keep the residents, tenants in those blocks updated, some local

:36:27. > :36:30.authorities are better than others. There is huge concern round,

:36:31. > :36:36.sometimes when testing has not been reported back or they haven't got

:36:37. > :36:45.the results. It is crucial, that over the summer this happens that

:36:46. > :36:49.local authorities do... Should the FBU be a main participant bringing

:36:50. > :36:56.their ex perteases and knowledge to help to get to the bottom of this

:36:57. > :37:01.terrible tragedy. In terms of the FBU and its role in the public

:37:02. > :37:05.inquiry, that will be a decision for the judge. I know with the extension

:37:06. > :37:14.in the terms of reference he is keep keen to make sure he speaks to all

:37:15. > :37:18.interested parties but it will be an ultimate decision for him. All local

:37:19. > :37:23.authorities housing associations must do everything they can to keep

:37:24. > :37:28.residents informed. Many will be worried are and have concerns and

:37:29. > :37:36.they have, many I have seen good exams. There is some nod so good

:37:37. > :37:41.examples. If she is aware of councils is or choicing associations

:37:42. > :37:47.not doing a good job please make me aware of it. I welcome the Secretary

:37:48. > :37:51.of State's clear informative statement but I wonder if he might

:37:52. > :37:58.also give us more indication of what progress has been made for the

:37:59. > :38:05.provision of temporary accommodation because it does still seem that some

:38:06. > :38:09.are facing difficulties and could he give assurances all efforts aring

:38:10. > :38:16.with made. Sew are being made. What I can tell

:38:17. > :38:19.my honourable friend, all family, first the initial response is

:38:20. > :38:25.emergency accommodation and to headache sure they were offering

:38:26. > :38:32.temporary aI come location within three weeks, and that is certainly

:38:33. > :38:36.happened. All of high quality in the Local Authority fully furnished.

:38:37. > :38:41.Some families have taken it up. Others wished to move straight to

:38:42. > :38:48.permanent occasion others say they are not ready. This is one of the

:38:49. > :38:53.biggest jobser for Kensington Chelsea and the Government, to make

:38:54. > :38:55.sure that all the families that are affected have accommodation

:38:56. > :38:59.availability of high quality but also very important on the same

:39:00. > :39:09.terms as they had before, and that is what we are pursuing. ?

:39:10. > :39:13.Elect kale safety is of paramount importance in rented accommodation

:39:14. > :39:17.it would appear as in the Grenfell Tower incident was caused by a fire

:39:18. > :39:28.in a fridge freezer. Will the Secretary of State commit to

:39:29. > :39:35.introduced mandatory safety checks P ? I can tell the honourable

:39:36. > :39:38.gentleman this is an issue of electrical safety products including

:39:39. > :39:41.product recalls, that my right honourable friend the Business

:39:42. > :39:48.Secretary is looking at and I will make sure he knows his concerns.

:39:49. > :39:52.Thank you. I get the impression from previous answers I have received

:39:53. > :39:55.from my right honourable friend local authorities have been very

:39:56. > :40:02.good at meeting with the different requests that have been made of them

:40:03. > :40:13.by Government. Is there any pressure they can apply on noncompliant

:40:14. > :40:18.houses? They have generally been good in their response, of the

:40:19. > :40:24.buildings that are mentioned earlier, that have had their clads

:40:25. > :40:28.tested. It is 4606 the Toting from -- total from local authorities,

:40:29. > :40:32.some have been helpful in working with housing associations but where

:40:33. > :40:45.that can help we will look at the further. Madam Deputy Speaker, the

:40:46. > :40:48.West Midlands Fire Services... Containing so,000 households. That

:40:49. > :40:53.work must be done as a matter of priority, but it will be very

:40:54. > :40:58.challenging indeed, for the city, giving the pressure on the city's

:40:59. > :41:02.budget. Can I can the Secretary of State having spoke within the leader

:41:03. > :41:06.of the council this morning, is he prepared to receive and all party

:41:07. > :41:10.delegation from the city, Birmingham's members of Parliament

:41:11. > :41:14.and the leadership of Birmingham City Council so we can say to

:41:15. > :41:16.tenants in Birmingham everything necessary will be done to ensure you

:41:17. > :41:30.are safe. Whether it is burning or any other

:41:31. > :41:33.part of the country, we expect -- Birmingham or any other part of the

:41:34. > :41:39.country, we expect local authorities to do any necessary work, and they

:41:40. > :41:44.should be pursuing that. With regard to the question about the leader of

:41:45. > :41:50.Birmingham, it is someone I know well already and if he wants to

:41:51. > :41:51.approach me he should do so. Can I thank the Secretary of State for

:41:52. > :41:57.informing us of the update? Can I informing us of the update? Can I

:41:58. > :42:05.thank the Minister for Housing for his attention to this matter. People

:42:06. > :42:08.in the Chaucer house in Sutton, one of two council owned Tarbox, have

:42:09. > :42:15.been asking questions following the failure of the sample tested.

:42:16. > :42:23.Especially with the grading 1-3, they weren't sure what that meant. I

:42:24. > :42:26.wonder if the Secretary of State can give details of the systems testing

:42:27. > :42:32.procedure introduced by the Government. I can tell my honourable

:42:33. > :42:37.friend that it is perfectly reasonable to ask these questions.

:42:38. > :42:40.Because these tests have been done on the back of expert advice and

:42:41. > :42:44.and it requires a proper and it requires a proper

:42:45. > :42:49.explanation, that is why we have already issued an explanatory note

:42:50. > :42:56.on the tests of the core material of the cladding and that is why we have

:42:57. > :43:02.decided to issue another explanatory note on the system tests shortly.

:43:03. > :43:10.Implement that there are three tower blocks with combustible cladding.

:43:11. > :43:13.The council need additional information from the Government in

:43:14. > :43:19.terms of the technical specifications of new cladding if it

:43:20. > :43:24.is installed? They have written to the Government asking for financials

:43:25. > :43:27.assistance to do that. When can the Government give them clarity on the

:43:28. > :43:34.technical specifications of new cladding and assistance on funding?

:43:35. > :43:39.We're have two weeks ago issued clear guidance on the test results,

:43:40. > :43:45.the limited combustibility results, and what action should be taken. The

:43:46. > :43:49.next set of tests, the so-called system tests, there will be an

:43:50. > :43:54.explanatory note coming out shortly which will no doubt help Plymouth

:43:55. > :43:57.make decisions. On the issue of funding, any necessary work,

:43:58. > :44:04.Plymouth should be getting on with. They should approach as if they have

:44:05. > :44:09.affordability issues. Can my right honourable friend assure the House

:44:10. > :44:11.the safety of tenants in the private rented sector will also be taken

:44:12. > :44:15.into account in the Independent into account in the Independent

:44:16. > :44:20.expert advisory panel and also in the Government's future actions?

:44:21. > :44:27.Tenants in private rental homes also deserve to feel safe. I can give

:44:28. > :44:33.facilities have been made available facilities have been made available

:44:34. > :44:40.to free for the -- for free to the private sectors. A number of the

:44:41. > :44:42.landlords have used that facility. Also, both myself, the Housing

:44:43. > :44:47.Minister and other ministers have met with many private sector

:44:48. > :44:57.representatives to make sure they are fully informed and receive all

:44:58. > :45:02.our guidance. Eddie Hughes. Can he advise us what engagement as

:45:03. > :45:05.department has had with many charities looking to support

:45:06. > :45:12.survivors of the Grenfell Tower tragedy? We have seen referred to

:45:13. > :45:16.earlier a number of charities setting up dedicated to funding

:45:17. > :45:24.efforts to provide help and support to the victims of this tragedy and

:45:25. > :45:30.we have made sure across government, through DC MS, the charities

:45:31. > :45:37.commission, to make sure those funds are distributed, and working with

:45:38. > :45:39.DWP to make sure those funds are disregarded for benefits purposes.

:45:40. > :45:42.We will continue to do what we can We will continue to do what we can

:45:43. > :45:52.to help those charities help the victims. I thank the separate two of

:45:53. > :45:56.state. -- Secretary of State. On Monday night we had the force of the

:45:57. > :46:02.Secretary of State being dragged to the chamber to face questions about

:46:03. > :46:05.HS2. On the last day of the session a statement has been sneaked out

:46:06. > :46:09.which is of massive economic detriment to the country and lays

:46:10. > :46:12.waste to any semblance of industrial strategy and conflicts with what was

:46:13. > :46:27.said on Monday night at the dispatch box about Bill education. --

:46:28. > :46:30.electrification. To drop this bombshell on the British people

:46:31. > :46:33.without affording members the opportunity of holding him to

:46:34. > :46:35.account by way of an oral statement before we break for summer is

:46:36. > :46:42.completely disrespectful to this House. I seek your advice as to how

:46:43. > :46:49.the Secretary of State could be held to account to his gross omission and

:46:50. > :46:54.explain this disastrous U-turn. Further to that point of order.

:46:55. > :46:59.Exactly the same point of order in terms of the same issue. Once again

:47:00. > :47:02.the Secretary of State has made a major announcement not in this

:47:03. > :47:07.chamber which affects my constituents in Sheffield. The

:47:08. > :47:14.Midland electrification has been on and off for years. Now apparently it

:47:15. > :47:21.is off again. We have had a statement sneaked out in written

:47:22. > :47:24.form. Is predecessor always came to this House to make statements like

:47:25. > :47:28.this. Can you require the Secretary of State to come to this House today

:47:29. > :47:34.to explain what is going on with electrification? Further to that

:47:35. > :47:38.point of order. Can we have a statement on the impact of this

:47:39. > :47:43.electrification of the South Wales electrification of the South Wales

:47:44. > :47:53.Valley lines? This is an appalling statement sneaked out today. Order.

:47:54. > :47:57.Honourable members now it is not a matter for me, Mr Speaker or the

:47:58. > :48:04.chair as to when a minister comes to the House but I have to say to the

:48:05. > :48:09.House that first of all the matters which have just been raised in three

:48:10. > :48:15.points of order were raised many times during the business statement

:48:16. > :48:17.this morning. They were answered by the Leader of the House who is once

:48:18. > :48:25.again in her place at the dispatch box. I am quite sure the Leader of

:48:26. > :48:32.the House will have conveyed the feelings of the House to the

:48:33. > :48:38.relevant Secretary of State. As to methods by which members can try to

:48:39. > :48:45.insist upon a Secretary of State coming to the House, of course

:48:46. > :48:48.honourable gentleman know very well how to do that and I'm quite sure

:48:49. > :48:55.they will pursue the matter in that way. I can do nothing further from

:48:56. > :49:00.the chair but I'm certain that the Secretary of State from sports knows

:49:01. > :49:07.the opinion -- for transport knows the opinion of honourable members.

:49:08. > :49:13.Is it the same point of order? On a different point of order, Mr Geraint

:49:14. > :49:21.Davies. You may know that next week the Government is required by the

:49:22. > :49:25.High Court to publish an equalities strategy -- air quality strategy

:49:26. > :49:30.because they are in breach of EU standards which has led to 40,000

:49:31. > :49:34.premature deaths and costs ?20 billion a year and yesterday 60 MPs

:49:35. > :49:40.wrote to me to support a clean area Bill and asking the Defra secretary

:49:41. > :49:44.to incorporate these provisions in a strategy. When will be have a chance

:49:45. > :49:55.to debate these things and why has a statement not been made today? By

:49:56. > :50:01.has the not been a chance to discuss and before the deadline set by the

:50:02. > :50:02.courts? . Honourable gentleman knows I cannot require someone to come to

:50:03. > :50:08.the House on the back of a point of the House on the back of a point of

:50:09. > :50:14.order but of course if honourable gentleman wishes to ask a question

:50:15. > :50:17.about timetabling of business matters then he should have asked

:50:18. > :50:23.the Leader of the House when she was at the dispatch box dealing with

:50:24. > :50:27.business. I hear him saying he was asking about another matter. I have

:50:28. > :50:30.every sympathy. He has drawn his concerns to the attention of the

:50:31. > :50:37.Leader of the House who is at the dispatch box. Not a matter for me.

:50:38. > :50:42.Let us progress with the business of the day. We come to the motion on

:50:43. > :50:52.the Parliamentary Commissioner for standards, Mr Tom brake. I beg to

:50:53. > :50:54.move that Katherine Stone be appointed Parliamentary Commissioner

:50:55. > :51:03.for standards on the terms of the report House of Commons commission

:51:04. > :51:05.HC 294 dated the 19th of July 20 17. The motion is in my name as

:51:06. > :51:08.spokesperson for the commission and spokesperson for the commission and

:51:09. > :51:13.that of other House of Commons commissioners and of the right

:51:14. > :51:21.honourable member for Rhondda Valley, the recently elected chair.

:51:22. > :51:25.The House decided the office of parliamentary commissioner of

:51:26. > :51:30.standards should be held for our nonrenewable term of five years.

:51:31. > :51:36.Principal responsibilities of the Commissioner include maintaining the

:51:37. > :51:39.register of members' financial interests and other registers,

:51:40. > :51:43.monitoring the code of conduct and proposing possible modifications to

:51:44. > :51:47.the Select Committee on standards, investigating matters relating to

:51:48. > :51:51.findings to the committee where findings to the committee where

:51:52. > :51:55.appropriate. The appointment of the current Commissioner Catherine

:51:56. > :52:02.Hudson comes to an end on December 31 this year and the House needs to

:52:03. > :52:08.appoint a new Commissioner. I shall express appreciation for the work

:52:09. > :52:12.Catherine Hudson has done during her tenure. She has handled a wide range

:52:13. > :52:19.of complaints against members and contributed to the development of a

:52:20. > :52:20.standards system as a whole. Instituting greater opportunities

:52:21. > :52:24.for training members and their staff for training members and their staff

:52:25. > :52:31.and work on the respect policy and review of the rules. She took up her

:52:32. > :52:37.members arrived on the committee for members arrived on the committee for

:52:38. > :52:41.standards and she has helped ensure success in addressing standards

:52:42. > :52:44.issues. She has demonstrated great integrity, resilience, patience and

:52:45. > :52:50.persistence and she will be remembered for her real dedication

:52:51. > :52:57.to public service. Ensure the House will join in thanking her for her

:52:58. > :53:06.work. The recruitment process for her successor, 81 applications were

:53:07. > :53:13.received. The process included the right honourable member for the

:53:14. > :53:20.Valley, Doctor Jane Watson, and members of the commission. Full

:53:21. > :53:23.details of the recruitment process are available in the report.

:53:24. > :53:31.Katherine Stone is the chief legal ombudsman of England and Wales.

:53:32. > :53:34.Holding the post since 2016. She has held post as an Independent Police

:53:35. > :53:38.Complaints Commission and as the Commissioner for victims in

:53:39. > :53:41.Ireland. She has the necessary Ireland. She has the necessary

:53:42. > :53:44.experience and skills for the role and will bring the authority,

:53:45. > :53:50.independence, discretion and strength of character required. It

:53:51. > :53:55.will commence at the beginning of 2018 at the House approves the

:53:56. > :53:59.nomination. I am confident she will fulfil our responsibilities to the

:54:00. > :54:03.same high standards as her predecessors and I commend this

:54:04. > :54:09.nomination to the House. The question is as on the order paper.

:54:10. > :54:14.Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom. Let me begin by putting on record

:54:15. > :54:18.the gratitude of the House for the work undertaken by Catherine Hudson

:54:19. > :54:23.since her appointment in 2013. She has played an important role in the

:54:24. > :54:28.work of the House. New members will be able to testify as to how

:54:29. > :54:32.valuable advice on their conduct and responsibilities. She investigated

:54:33. > :54:37.and reported on complaints with all the diligence we and the public

:54:38. > :54:40.would expect of her. She has, of course, in short transparency

:54:41. > :54:43.through the operation of the register of members' financial

:54:44. > :54:50.interests and other registers. I would like to make clear we all a

:54:51. > :54:52.debt of gratitude to the start of the House who support the

:54:53. > :54:57.Commissioner in delivering standards and to the chairman of the standards

:54:58. > :55:01.and privileges committee. While I have not personally been involved in

:55:02. > :55:05.the recruitment process I am very encouraged by the remarks of the

:55:06. > :55:08.honourable member opposite. We are grateful to the selection board for

:55:09. > :55:12.sifting the candidates. Katherine Stone will serve the House with the

:55:13. > :55:16.same diligence as all her predecessors and on that basis I

:55:17. > :55:24.hope the House will endorse this motion. Karen Smith. I would like to

:55:25. > :55:30.welcome the comments made by the honourable member and by the Leader

:55:31. > :55:35.of the House and on behalf of Her Majesty's opposition may I echo

:55:36. > :55:39.thanks to the outgoing Commissioner Catherine Hudson. From my personal

:55:40. > :55:44.experience, having met Catherine when I was a new member, how

:55:45. > :55:47.important this role is in supporting all honourable members. Thank you to

:55:48. > :55:53.all who sat on the interview panel for the robust process and selection

:55:54. > :56:04.of her successor, Katherine Stone. We wish her well in the horror new

:56:05. > :56:12.role. -- in her new role. I support the motion. I endorse the positive

:56:13. > :56:19.points made about Catherine Hudson. She worked extremely hard, arriving

:56:20. > :56:21.at a rather difficult time when the standards committee had let people

:56:22. > :56:25.there so there was a difficult learning curve for both the

:56:26. > :56:33.laypeople and Catherine Hudson. She faced difficult because every move

:56:34. > :56:35.she may have seen to have slept on, the press after her. It is a

:56:36. > :56:40.difficult role and she did exceptionally well. I wish well in

:56:41. > :56:45.her retirement and thank on my behalf and on behalf of the

:56:46. > :56:56.standards committee. There was an extensive seeking of

:56:57. > :57:00.member, of applicants, 81 were reduced to six, and those sick

:57:01. > :57:07.presented before a small PMQs for interview. This included two

:57:08. > :57:12.members. It was cheered by the principle clerk of the Table Office,

:57:13. > :57:18.I wish to thank her for her exceptional Chairmanship. All

:57:19. > :57:22.interviewees were put through their paces, all their add van Tams were

:57:23. > :57:28.brought forward and some foibles drawn out at the same time. The

:57:29. > :57:32.final decision of the committee was unanimous for the two that went

:57:33. > :57:35.forward for final selection. I endorse from my point of view and

:57:36. > :57:39.having been part of the interview Catherine Stone I think will be an

:57:40. > :57:48.excellent choice, and I look forward to her joining in due course.

:57:49. > :57:54.Thank you. I am very pleased to rise to support the motion to a point

:57:55. > :58:00.Catherine Stone, as the former chair and now the chair in waiting of the

:58:01. > :58:03.committee on standards, was involved in the appointment, during the

:58:04. > :58:08.initial selection stage and the first round of the interviews as

:58:09. > :58:14.well, where we benefitted from the help of an external member of the

:58:15. > :58:20.board. I would line the record the appreciation for Jane's wise advise.

:58:21. > :58:22.We recommended two highly able candidates so the Commission

:58:23. > :58:27.couldn't go wrong, as far as this appoint. Was concerned, but I am

:58:28. > :58:32.pleased they have put forward Catherine stone. I believe the

:58:33. > :58:38.experience that her experience any some very sensitive situation and

:58:39. > :58:43.her personal qualities also found the formation for an effective term

:58:44. > :58:46.of office. Office. I wish her well in the role subject to the House an

:58:47. > :58:51.pro--ing the motion today. I would like to take this opportunity to pay

:58:52. > :58:55.tribute to another Catherine t outgoing commissioner, Catherine

:58:56. > :58:59.Hudson. Kath inwas the first commissioner to appointed post

:59:00. > :59:02.establishment of the end Parliamentary standards authority.

:59:03. > :59:07.She has oversoon the last of the legacy case, we hope from the

:59:08. > :59:11.expenses scandal and has helped guide the House into calmer waters

:59:12. > :59:15.over standard. There haven't been major changes such as the

:59:16. > :59:19.introduction of lay members to the committee on standards and some

:59:20. > :59:25.major challenges from inside the House and without. She has acted

:59:26. > :59:30.with great integrity and fairness and thisness. As she played a full

:59:31. > :59:34.part in developing the system and addressing the cultural change

:59:35. > :59:37.needed to embed standards in everything we knew and pulling back

:59:38. > :59:45.the confidence of the public. I I know she will be sorry if the

:59:46. > :59:52.committee is not able to complete its work on the new guyed to

:59:53. > :59:58.conduct. The general election made it timetable tricky. I know that we

:59:59. > :00:03.will appreciate it will thoughtful's and dedication Catherine has put

:00:04. > :00:07.into making it more relevant, more clearly expressed and more

:00:08. > :00:10.user-friendly than previous version, perhaps I could take this

:00:11. > :00:14.opportunity to ask that the committee be reformed as soon as

:00:15. > :00:18.possible, to continue this work, my understanding is it does not need a

:00:19. > :00:21.committee of selections to take place for this to happen. I hope it

:00:22. > :00:38.can high pressure quickly. Some outside the House continue to

:00:39. > :00:45.call for the regulation standards, to be taken out testify hands of

:00:46. > :00:49.Parliament all together. Others question the regulators involved in

:00:50. > :00:54.overseeing the conduct of MPs. Some 20 years after the first

:00:55. > :00:59.commissioner arrived in the House it may be time to started thinking

:01:00. > :01:02.about how the system works but I am clear independence of the

:01:03. > :01:09.Commissioner is of great value which has proved its worth. I said that

:01:10. > :01:14.for it to be effective which need a strong fair commissioner whose

:01:15. > :01:18.integrity is beyond doubt. Catherine has fulfilled that brief and I look

:01:19. > :01:27.forward to the new commissioner continuing the tradition.

:01:28. > :01:32.I too recognise the role of the commissioner in maintaining public

:01:33. > :01:38.confidence in house. I often reflect to constituencies or visitors that

:01:39. > :01:43.phrase an honourable member is not, it understand understood by the

:01:44. > :01:48.public as a title but it is an injunction on us as individual

:01:49. > :01:52.member to conduct ourself honourably. That responsibility is

:01:53. > :01:57.something that Catherine Hudson impress on me and my colleagues on

:01:58. > :02:05.her election in 2015. Way to pay tribute to her work over the year,

:02:06. > :02:09.year, I think a member talked about training introduced an being

:02:10. > :02:12.effectivement I want to help her for the help and support for colleagues

:02:13. > :02:17.an wish her the best for future. Hurt successor is of course

:02:18. > :02:25.recommended by the House of Commons Commission, and with your indulgence

:02:26. > :02:29.I want our outgoing member of that, the honourable member for Dundee

:02:30. > :02:35.East. As this maybe the best chance I have in the chamber, it is pay

:02:36. > :02:39.tribute to the work of my predecessor as the Chief Whip Mike

:02:40. > :02:44.Weir. I would like to thank him before and since the general

:02:45. > :02:50.election, I am conscious of having very big shoes to fill.

:02:51. > :02:55.I join other members in warmly welcoming the a.. Of Catherine

:02:56. > :02:59.Stone, a well qualify and highly respected candidate to take up the

:03:00. > :03:03.an appoint pmt. She has met with the approval of the panel and the

:03:04. > :03:07.Commission as a whole. We wish her the best during her term. If we live

:03:08. > :03:11.up to the standards that are expected to us, her case load will

:03:12. > :03:19.be appropriately light during her turn of appointment.

:03:20. > :03:27.Many of that of that opinion say eh? Of the contrary no. The ayes have

:03:28. > :03:30.it. The ayes have it P We now come to the general debate on matters to

:03:31. > :03:35.be raised before the forthcoming adjournment.

:03:36. > :03:38.Whip to move. I beg to move this House considered

:03:39. > :03:42.matterses to be raised before the forthcoming adjournment. The

:03:43. > :03:49.question is that this House has considered matters to be raised

:03:50. > :03:52.before the forthcoming adjournment. Before I call the colleague to

:03:53. > :03:57.speak, I should draw to the aentension of the House that a great

:03:58. > :04:02.many people wish to speak this afternoon, that we have a limited

:04:03. > :04:08.amount of time, and if colleagues wish to be courteous, to their other

:04:09. > :04:14.colleagues, it could be helpful if they would speak for more more than

:04:15. > :04:18.about seven, seven-and-a-half minute, if everybody takes that,

:04:19. > :04:23.then everyone will have chance to make the points they wish to make. I

:04:24. > :04:27.am sure I can rely, welt, it is not fair, because the first speaker has

:04:28. > :04:36.not been warned of this. Although I am sure he will be able to tailor

:04:37. > :04:40.his Rajs according will -- remarks accordingly. Esaw the I want you

:04:41. > :04:46.locked at me there and I realised I was front gunner on this one. Can I

:04:47. > :04:50.first of all wish you a happy recess, all colleagues in the House

:04:51. > :04:53.starting off this debate. This debate is uels important. It is the

:04:54. > :05:00.one time where we as members can say pretty well what we like to try and

:05:01. > :05:04.get the points across. I will try o to go within the time limit. I am

:05:05. > :05:10.going to fail. Please forgive me. I appreciate this chance to address

:05:11. > :05:13.the house on a matter of concern to 35,000 constituents in West

:05:14. > :05:19.Somerset. Our local District Council in mortal danger. Three yearsing a

:05:20. > :05:22.it was lulled into a relationship with Taunton Deane, West Somerset

:05:23. > :05:27.could lose its staff, offices and above all its pride. The

:05:28. > :05:33.relationship with Taunton is starting to turn sieve. This was

:05:34. > :05:39.very predictable Taunton Deane has a bad reputation, it has been a grubby

:05:40. > :05:45.unsuitable partner and has only wanted one thing. She has a lot to

:05:46. > :05:48.do. Yesterday she was singing the praises of Taunton Deane and talking

:05:49. > :05:51.about the house billing record. There are certainly thousands of

:05:52. > :05:55.houses and plans for thousands more but there is nothing in the way of

:05:56. > :06:00.infrastructure. There is nothing in the way of school, there is nothing

:06:01. > :06:05.in the way of surgery, just house, Taunton Deane is run by a builder,

:06:06. > :06:11.and offers a friendly nod and wink to any other builder he knows, left

:06:12. > :06:15.to his own devices councillor Williams would lay concrete all over

:06:16. > :06:18.Somerset. The close relationship between the leadership and certain

:06:19. > :06:23.big playerses in this industry is legendary. When I first mention the

:06:24. > :06:28.name Summerfields and Jon Williams some months ago I got a quick

:06:29. > :06:33.response from both of them. It was a co-ordinated denial. They had

:06:34. > :06:37.obviously talked and responded, they could almost be brothers, with a

:06:38. > :06:41.genuine family connection, perhaps they are. They are brothers in

:06:42. > :06:48.aprons be now that a Mason is being a crime. It is curious how many big

:06:49. > :06:54.projects go summer'll fees way. They built a new premises for the direct

:06:55. > :06:58.labour force, the latest wheeze is a Nexus 25, next to junction 25, on

:06:59. > :07:03.the M5. And designed to be a business park. Somerfield owns the

:07:04. > :07:09.lands which begs the question why did they buy it? For years anything

:07:10. > :07:14.built on that side of the M5 has been considered out-of-bounds. A

:07:15. > :07:20.small amount of social housing was possible but noing else. 2007 they

:07:21. > :07:25.bought the social housing known as My Home. Then the up right planning

:07:26. > :07:31.officer look at the plan, put his foot down, too big, too many houses

:07:32. > :07:35.make it smaller. Oh dear, somer fields refused to down scale,

:07:36. > :07:39.instead that I walked away. It is not until round 2012 that a

:07:40. > :07:44.different housing associate secured permission for smaller development

:07:45. > :07:48.in the same area. Sum efield has probably never surrender their

:07:49. > :07:49.interest in the land ?2012 that a different housing associate secured

:07:50. > :07:51.permission for smaller development in the same area. Sum efield has

:07:52. > :07:54.probably never surrender their interest in the land and they paid

:07:55. > :08:00.one million for a plot of laid that could never be built on. No obvious

:08:01. > :08:05.access. I would probably need to talk to a very well-connected land

:08:06. > :08:14.agent to find that out. I wonder if perhaps my honourable friend the

:08:15. > :08:22.member for Taunton knows of one. Yesterday my honourable friend was

:08:23. > :08:29.on going all gooey eyed over an investment I know that they have

:08:30. > :08:35.proposed a scheme to update the A538. Taunton's record for

:08:36. > :08:40.unemployment. The record regarding is betten be by Sedgemoor. I have

:08:41. > :08:47.seen the true face of Taunton Deane and its leader. I don't like what I

:08:48. > :08:51.have seen. The leadership of my council world

:08:52. > :08:55.not consider taking up any of our neighbour, including the nearest

:08:56. > :08:59.Sedgemoor which is one of the best run councils in the United Kingdom.

:09:00. > :09:03.Sedgemoor has the healthy finance, would help sort out where Somerset's

:09:04. > :09:08.problems and treat wit the respect my constituents deserve. The old

:09:09. > :09:11.guard prefer to deal with Taunton. West Somerset is at risks of being

:09:12. > :09:17.raped. That is is a strong word but it accurately described what is

:09:18. > :09:25.happening with the relation Shep with Taunton done. The people have

:09:26. > :09:31.not been consulted. Taunton has muscled in like a bully.

:09:32. > :09:36.West Somerset I am proud to say is smallest authority in England. The

:09:37. > :09:44.council find it hard to balance the books. However, with intelligent

:09:45. > :09:49.planning and cost cutting it has made a budget that works. They are

:09:50. > :09:55.on target to properly ambulance this year and next year they don't need

:09:56. > :10:02.an abusive and aggressive partner. Taunton is short of Mourne. They are

:10:03. > :10:05.squandering huge sums of worthless head office and started procuring

:10:06. > :10:10.new computer equipment. There is mis-Macment of money, it is a

:10:11. > :10:15.standing joke in local Government. They want to get their greedy hand

:10:16. > :10:22.on the Hinkley Point business rates and for West Somerset this is rape

:10:23. > :10:26.followed by robbery followed by councillor Jon Williams. He has a

:10:27. > :10:32.long undistinguished record of getting everything wrong. He was

:10:33. > :10:39.enthusiastic supporter of South West one that has cost the taxpayer's ?80

:10:40. > :10:42.million and saved nothing. The rejiem he runs smiles on developers

:10:43. > :10:46.and reeks of shady deals. My constituency won't have the wool

:10:47. > :10:51.pulled over their eyes. They are not stupid. They know what one look

:10:52. > :10:55.like, if they were given the chance they would reject the scheme. My

:10:56. > :11:01.hope is that the Secretary of State will opt for a sensible option, and

:11:02. > :11:04.allow thorough independent scrutiny by the boundaries commission and a

:11:05. > :11:10.proper concentration of the public. They want to cope their council and

:11:11. > :11:13.so they should. Thank you Madame Deb Deputy Speaker.

:11:14. > :11:22.Keith has. It is a pleasure to follow the honourable member and I

:11:23. > :11:27.eagerly want to visit his constituency to meet all these

:11:28. > :11:30.house-builders who he is in dispute with. I do not think they stand much

:11:31. > :11:37.of a chance up against the honourable gentleman. Can I welcome

:11:38. > :11:41.the presence on the front bench of the new deputy shadow Leader of the

:11:42. > :11:46.House, making her maiden contribution to this debate? And the

:11:47. > :11:50.ever present Deputy Leader of the House who will be winding up.

:11:51. > :11:54.Unfortunately I have an unbreakable commitment in Leicester and I may

:11:55. > :12:02.not be able to be here for the windups. But I will read Hansard. I

:12:03. > :12:07.had no idea I would be cold sore leg. I make no apology for starting

:12:08. > :12:13.this debate talking about the situation in Yemen. Despite the

:12:14. > :12:17.catastrophic situation we are currently experiencing an even worse

:12:18. > :12:24.crisis. In the course of the civil war there have been well over 10,000

:12:25. > :12:28.civilian deaths, 19.4 million people are without access to health care, 3

:12:29. > :12:34.million are now suffering from acute malnutrition. Over 3 million have

:12:35. > :12:40.also been internally displaced. One child dies every ten minutes. Last

:12:41. > :12:49.week the UN announced there were 300,000 cholera cases countrywide in

:12:50. > :12:55.22 of the 23 provinces. If current rates stay the same, from the time

:12:56. > :13:04.we enter recess to when this House returns on September five up to

:13:05. > :13:11.225,000 extra cases will be added. This is what the UN has called the

:13:12. > :13:16.worst cholera crisis in the world. With the spread of the disease and

:13:17. > :13:21.there has been a chronic destruction of the medical infrastructure,

:13:22. > :13:27.caused by the civil war, which has exacerbated the crisis. Despite

:13:28. > :13:34.their systems given by organisations such as medicine some frontier,

:13:35. > :13:40.Islamic relief, the Yemen safe passage group, the UNHCR and the Red

:13:41. > :13:46.Cross, the situation is getting much worse. We heard only today that a

:13:47. > :13:50.number of journalists work prevented from landing in the capital. While

:13:51. > :13:55.we go to our constituencies to do the work that all members have to do

:13:56. > :13:58.during the recess, it is important that we should not forget what is

:13:59. > :14:04.happening in Yemen. I hope the message from the front bench will go

:14:05. > :14:08.back to the Foreign Office that we expect to see ministers fully

:14:09. > :14:14.engaged in the crisis that continues to unfold. This week I was elected

:14:15. > :14:22.to the chair of the new immigration and Jesus a peep PG and I -- these

:14:23. > :14:45.as -- Visas a peep, EPG. It is to as -- Visas a peep, EPG. It is to

:14:46. > :14:48.look at how the system works on an all-party basis we all have the

:14:49. > :14:51.critical cases of those who wish to travel, those who are unable to see

:14:52. > :14:57.relatives coming into this country. I have a constituent whose wedding

:14:58. > :15:02.is taking place at the end of August but the best man is not being

:15:03. > :15:10.allowed to come here. I am trying to convince officials 1000 miles away

:15:11. > :15:12.is actually difficult. I hope the group will explore these

:15:13. > :15:17.circumstances, especially the role of the account managers and the

:15:18. > :15:24.issue of same-day service. I have a case of somebody applying for a same

:15:25. > :15:29.day Visa and paid the fee of ?500 on top of the fee of ?1000 for their

:15:30. > :15:33.these and six months later it has not been resolved. It is important

:15:34. > :15:37.that we look at these issues and tried to raise them in a

:15:38. > :15:42.constructive way. I hope during the summer that ministers in the

:15:43. > :15:47.Department of Brexit and the Home Office will also be trying to

:15:48. > :15:52.fashion a plan for the 3.2 million EU citizens currently living in the

:15:53. > :15:54.UK. We have heard assurances, welcome assurances from the Prime

:15:55. > :16:01.Minister that they will be allowed to stay. But the process of issuing

:16:02. > :16:09.the necessary documentation and take a long time. The number of cases in

:16:10. > :16:12.the Home Office is now 100,000. Some of the citizens have arrived without

:16:13. > :16:16.passports because they could enter the UK with ID cards from EU

:16:17. > :16:22.countries, so getting them processed will be extremely difficult. I hope

:16:23. > :16:27.they will look at the suggestion of a pilot scheme which will allow EU

:16:28. > :16:33.citizens to register at a local level, take the passports to their

:16:34. > :16:36.local authority, get them checked and registered and that information

:16:37. > :16:42.could be handed in to the Home Office. I think the Deputy Leader of

:16:43. > :16:45.the House in his role as a former member of the Home Affairs Select

:16:46. > :16:52.Committee is well aware of these issues and I hope he will pass that

:16:53. > :16:56.on. Two quick constituency points. The first concerns our continuing

:16:57. > :17:03.campaign led by Amy Morgan, a young mother in Leicester his son Tyler

:17:04. > :17:10.was stabbed to death on your and a half ago. And another constituent,

:17:11. > :17:14.Isaac Williams, was also stabbed to death in April. We have to do more

:17:15. > :17:19.about knife crime. I introduced a bill to increase the length of time

:17:20. > :17:24.people spend in prison if they are carrying knives and a free look at

:17:25. > :17:32.the statistics, the rise in knife crime overall has been 24%. This is

:17:33. > :17:38.a huge increase, with 12,074 offences last year and 2381

:17:39. > :17:45.detentions. I hope to be organising in my constituency a meeting of

:17:46. > :17:49.those who have control of our theme parks, following the death of my

:17:50. > :17:54.constituent, an 11-year-old girl who constituent, an 11-year-old girl who

:17:55. > :17:58.died earlier this year. I think it is important especially as families

:17:59. > :18:02.will be visiting these theme parks, that they should be as safe as

:18:03. > :18:07.possible. Let me end with the challenge to members of this House,

:18:08. > :18:15.and I do so as chair of the all-party group on diabetes, someone

:18:16. > :18:23.who has Type II diabetes. I want to commend the Peel paid out, and I

:18:24. > :18:31.library has provided me with library has provided me with

:18:32. > :18:38.statistics of those areas with the highest number, and I will ask them

:18:39. > :18:46.to take up the challenge of this diet which is named after a village

:18:47. > :18:53.in Italy where people lived in average to 97. They have the

:18:54. > :19:00.Mediterranean diet. Getting rid of sugar, which is a killer, keeping

:19:01. > :19:03.away from the potatoes and, for me, rice, and concentrating on the good

:19:04. > :19:09.food available in the Mediterranean. We have some wonderful farms and

:19:10. > :19:14.food makers in this country but we don't spend enough time looking at

:19:15. > :19:21.what we eat. We have a diabetes epidemic in the UK, with 4 million

:19:22. > :19:28.people with type two, and 500,000, some in this House today, who do not

:19:29. > :19:38.know they have diabetes. My honourable friend, the member first

:19:39. > :19:45.rank and -- for Strangford, I'm sure will be taking up the challenge of

:19:46. > :19:53.this diet. I know all members of the DUP would like to live to be 97,

:19:54. > :19:57.especially in the current climate. I will be writing to all their 100

:19:58. > :20:05.members, urging them to do so. I would like to thank Doctor Malhotra

:20:06. > :20:11.and Donald O'Neill from Ireland, a renowned film-maker, for writing

:20:12. > :20:15.this incredible book about the diet and I want everyone to take us up

:20:16. > :20:21.for 21 days in August and see if it makes a difference when they come

:20:22. > :20:26.back. Could I issue the Leader of the House, -- could I wish you, the

:20:27. > :20:29.Leader of the House, the Shadow leader, and all members, a happy

:20:30. > :20:35.recess. We hope nothing will bring us back during the recess, as has

:20:36. > :20:40.been the case in the past, and that we want some political stability so

:20:41. > :20:47.that we can enjoy our summer. David Amis. There are a number of points I

:20:48. > :20:53.wish to raise. The general election was not a great success for the

:20:54. > :20:56.party which I belong to. Against the background of terrorist attacks

:20:57. > :21:02.which affected us all, and then we returned here and there was the

:21:03. > :21:06.Grenfell Tower disaster. I hope the deputy leader will make sure of

:21:07. > :21:12.their recommendation to the all party Parliamentary group for fire

:21:13. > :21:20.and safety, to insist sprinklers will be put in new school buildings.

:21:21. > :21:24.At the heart of my personal general election campaign was a local row

:21:25. > :21:30.about our A Whether or not it had a future. I told constituents at the

:21:31. > :21:36.time that just as 20 years ago I worked with others to ensure that

:21:37. > :21:39.Basildon A did not close, I told them a Southend Hospital would not

:21:40. > :21:45.be downgraded so I am pleased to tell the House that today at 1pm it

:21:46. > :21:50.dress release was issued by the success regime which says all three

:21:51. > :21:54.current A departments to continue to treat people who need emergency

:21:55. > :22:00.to receive blue light emergency to receive blue light emergency

:22:01. > :22:04.patients with serious conditions. I thank all those constituents and

:22:05. > :22:07.others who came to see me at my surgery and made representations and

:22:08. > :22:12.I know that will please colleagues in neighbouring constituencies. We

:22:13. > :22:17.were pleased that Southend hospital to have a visit from the Countess of

:22:18. > :22:22.Wessex who visited the people medicine unit and that was greatly

:22:23. > :22:27.welcomed. I have a constituent suffering from asbestos and his

:22:28. > :22:35.health was damaged during his time working for the National Dock Labour

:22:36. > :22:39.board. That was a long time ago and I will not give up until we get

:22:40. > :22:43.justice from the National Dock Labour board because his health has

:22:44. > :22:53.been ruined. Recently a constituent, a music artist, was verbally abused

:22:54. > :22:55.and marked on a CTC train. I hope the Deputy Leader of the House will

:22:56. > :22:58.make representations to the Secretary of State to ensure we have

:22:59. > :23:04.Another constituent contacted me Another constituent contacted me

:23:05. > :23:08.about the situation in Venezuela, the Supreme Court ruling in March 20

:23:09. > :23:11.democratic powers and the regime is democratic powers and the regime

:23:12. > :23:16.attempting to introduce a new attempting to introduce a new

:23:17. > :23:21.constitution without consultation. I hope the House will unite and get

:23:22. > :23:26.behind the people of Venezuela who are having their democracy

:23:27. > :23:32.absolutely ruined. A number of parliamentarians gathered in Paris

:23:33. > :23:33.last month and we attended a rally hosted by the National coalition of

:23:34. > :23:40.resistance, to support its leader, resistance, to support its leader,

:23:41. > :23:47.requiring justice for the 1988 massacre of Iranians citizens, and

:23:48. > :23:57.pogrom in Iran. Two months ago I pogrom in Iran. Two months ago I

:23:58. > :24:02.went on a trip to Switzerland, it seems as if I'm travelling the

:24:03. > :24:08.world, and there I and other colleagues met the WTO where we

:24:09. > :24:12.learnt first-hand that all these problems being shared among

:24:13. > :24:16.colleagues about the difficulty of leaving the EU and not securing

:24:17. > :24:20.trade deals is a lot of nonsense. Luckily we have a situation

:24:21. > :24:24.regarding parents being concerned about primary school catchment

:24:25. > :24:35.areas. I regret the stresses on parents, in certain catchment areas.

:24:36. > :24:40.I believe all schools should be able to expand if at all possible and

:24:41. > :24:45.I'll have their heads and government bodies will reflect on that. We had

:24:46. > :24:49.three wonderful headteachers in Southend retiring and they have

:24:50. > :24:54.dedicated their lives to educating our young people. I pay tribute to

:24:55. > :25:04.Margaret Sullivan, Jenny Davids, and Margaret Rimmer. My honourable

:25:05. > :25:10.friend's wife is the chairman of the governing body of that school. The

:25:11. > :25:16.member for Gainsborough urged the Government to fill its manifesto

:25:17. > :25:22.promise to lift the 50% admission cap on free faith schools, so more

:25:23. > :25:27.Catholic schools can be in our constituency. We have a new school

:25:28. > :25:32.run by the figure of eight legislation, providing individual

:25:33. > :25:36.people at threat of being people at threat of being

:25:37. > :25:41.permanently excluded. I and other members of the House or second by

:25:42. > :25:50.the senior A of certain members of the BBC. The pay. I would be happy

:25:51. > :25:57.to offer my services on a part-time basis to host any of those shows.

:25:58. > :26:01.The poppies and British Legion wave event was a huge success in

:26:02. > :26:04.Southend. Thousands of people came to see that event and I am delighted

:26:05. > :26:09.to say that the honourable secretary of the Royal British Legion has

:26:10. > :26:16.Lottery funding for the Southend Lottery funding for the Southend

:26:17. > :26:18.not-for-profit company blade not-for-profit company blade

:26:19. > :26:22.education and I know it will be a great success. I support local

:26:23. > :26:29.residents who are going to work together to restore our magnificent

:26:30. > :26:33.grand hotel. Most people know that Southend is the alternative city of

:26:34. > :26:38.election stilt-walkers went nonstop election stilt-walkers went nonstop

:26:39. > :26:44.from Southend-on-Sea to Number Ten Downing St to ask that Southend be

:26:45. > :26:48.made a city. Why we are not already, it must be an oversight. We had a

:26:49. > :26:54.wonderful fashion show in Priory Park recently whereby wonderful

:26:55. > :26:57.models used garments from Buckingham Palace discards, tablecloths,

:26:58. > :27:01.curtains and such. Southend Carnival will be celebrating in

:27:02. > :27:04.coinciding with the 125th coinciding with the 125th

:27:05. > :27:06.anniversary of the borough. If any anniversary of the borough. If any

:27:07. > :27:14.come to Southend-on-Sea. The theatre come to Southend-on-Sea. The theatre

:27:15. > :27:17.in education is doing a wonderful job providing interactive tours for

:27:18. > :27:20.schools and using drama to explore current affairs. The Kings money

:27:21. > :27:27.advice centre is doing a wonderful job locally. An organisation has

:27:28. > :27:30.been responsible for providing about 3000 people with a warm front

:27:31. > :27:38.systems which has brought many people out of fuel poverty. See Tech

:27:39. > :27:43.are doing a wonderful job helping young people secure employment.

:27:44. > :27:48.Finally, the village green event in Chopwell Park was attended by more

:27:49. > :27:53.than 15,000 local residents and it was a great success. I join with all

:27:54. > :27:59.colleagues in wishing Mr Speaker, the deputy 's, all colleagues and

:28:00. > :28:00.the wonderful staff who work in the House of Commons a great summer

:28:01. > :28:14.rest. I am pleased to follow the

:28:15. > :28:24.honourable gentleman I am pleased he managed to get a mention for us in

:28:25. > :28:28.his contribution, I will command welcome my honourable friend from

:28:29. > :28:32.Bristol South. I am grateful to have the opportunity to seek in the

:28:33. > :28:39.debate. I am confident, like the honourable gentleman to get within

:28:40. > :28:45.the seven minuteses that many Deputy Speaker subscribed earlier on. I

:28:46. > :28:50.would like raise four issues. Release hold reform, Fire Service

:28:51. > :28:55.duties and the accountability of housing associations and registered

:28:56. > :29:00.social landlords. On the island Health Trust. This trust is the

:29:01. > :29:05.landlord for health centre and my constituency. The trust's main sours

:29:06. > :29:11.of income are the rent paid by the NHS, the service charges paid by the

:29:12. > :29:15.doctor, from this, the island Health Trust has accumulated a sum 1.3

:29:16. > :29:20.million. In spite of holding this easy reserves the landlord is

:29:21. > :29:24.charging the practice an unaffordable service charge which

:29:25. > :29:29.has caused the practice to vacate the first floor of the builder with

:29:30. > :29:36.a loss of services. Originally trust was managed by local trustees and

:29:37. > :29:38.any surplus generate was used to fund local Health Service

:29:39. > :29:44.initiatives through a modest programme. This changed on 1 April

:29:45. > :29:49.2016 when the chair appointed a new board of people, with no local

:29:50. > :29:55.connection. Serious allegations have been made, relating to the

:29:56. > :30:03.governance and business management of the trust, including trustees'

:30:04. > :30:08.personal financial advantage. In 2015/16 the chair was paid ?179,000

:30:09. > :30:12.for consultancy service, this is a charitable trust with a turn over of

:30:13. > :30:18.just 270,00 pounds. Many of us believe the health centre and the

:30:19. > :30:23.land upon which it stands are public asset, further, the ?1.3 million

:30:24. > :30:26.reserves held by the trust are a public asset and the Tomahawk

:30:27. > :30:33.missile should be run by local trustees and the 1.3 million reserve

:30:34. > :30:37.invested to support patients of this practise and Health Services for

:30:38. > :30:41.local people. I are written to the minister at the Department of Health

:30:42. > :30:45.asking for your gent meetings to discuss intervention to pretend this

:30:46. > :30:50.-- prevent this asset stripping and personal profit by individuals who

:30:51. > :30:55.are more interested in their own wellbeing than that of the National

:30:56. > :31:00.Health Service. On release hold reform the Government has been

:31:01. > :31:04.sending positive signals. The housing White Paper and Conservative

:31:05. > :31:07.manifesto. Both referred to greater fairness and transparency for

:31:08. > :31:11.release holder, a number of housing developers in the face of this have

:31:12. > :31:17.voluntarily addressed the rip off known as the doubling of grouped

:31:18. > :31:29.rents. Regulation is still needed urgently in this area. Other areas

:31:30. > :31:34.are fairer land valuation tribunal, right for lease holder, ecosts,

:31:35. > :31:39.protection for pensioners in retirement homes and protection

:31:40. > :31:46.against unfair forfeit chur proceed, these and many other matters rightly

:31:47. > :31:52.deserve Government action in the all party group which I co-chair, which

:31:53. > :31:55.now has 90 plus members, we welcome progress on these matter, the

:31:56. > :32:03.written statement from the Prime Minister this morning on machinery

:32:04. > :32:10.of Government change, moving common hold law, to DCLG from MOJ seems

:32:11. > :32:14.scenes step. I want to commend the honourable gentleman from worths

:32:15. > :32:17.west, and encourage honourable and right honourable members across the

:32:18. > :32:22.house to support it. I want to welcome my honourable friend for

:32:23. > :32:27.Ellesmere Port, there is a new vice-chair of the All Party

:32:28. > :32:33.Parliamentary group, he submitted a number of questions on this, and his

:32:34. > :32:39.keen interest as with so many other colleagues is very well. On housing

:32:40. > :32:45.associations, registered social landlords as well. Questions have

:32:46. > :32:48.arisen about accountability of these organisation this as well as

:32:49. > :32:53.transparency of this growing sector are overdue for examination.

:32:54. > :32:56.Governments drive toward mergers and take overs of smaller housing

:32:57. > :33:02.associations are taking social landlord further from their tenants.

:33:03. > :33:05.While there are some good examples of RSL, especially if my

:33:06. > :33:11.constituency there are others that are not so good. I hope to secure a

:33:12. > :33:16.debate to discuss this with ministers and the backbench business

:33:17. > :33:24.committee. An example of unwelcome new

:33:25. > :33:29.initiatives, I received an e-mail from a constituent saying one is

:33:30. > :33:37.offering loans to residents at 99.9% am PR. I am not sure it is a

:33:38. > :33:41.appropriate role for RSLs. I would hope social landlord were more

:33:42. > :33:47.interested in promoting the credit union movement and helping set up

:33:48. > :33:54.more unions that become loan agents. In conclusion I want to refer

:33:55. > :33:58.briefly to two fire issue, the review contained in document B is

:33:59. > :34:01.well overdue. The honourable gentleman from Southend has been

:34:02. > :34:05.campaigning o this with the all party group and myself for some

:34:06. > :34:10.time. I won't bore the house with all the history of these matter, it

:34:11. > :34:15.is well documented and ministerial statements from 2011 have been

:34:16. > :34:21.promising a review, we will be complete by 2017. The recommendation

:34:22. > :34:26.said it should be done and we have recent recommendations also. This

:34:27. > :34:32.review will be needed whatever the findings are, so the sooner the

:34:33. > :34:36.pert. Finally want to repeat my view that the Fire Service should be

:34:37. > :34:40.tasked with the statutory due to to deal with floods. They play a key

:34:41. > :34:44.role. They should not only have the recognition for the work they do,

:34:45. > :34:50.but the resources from Government to do the job properly. My last word,

:34:51. > :34:53.as with other colleagues it is to Welsh yourself other colleagues the

:34:54. > :34:58.staff of the House and those who look after us, a very decent break

:34:59. > :35:04.during recess, we all know and you all know it is not a holiday but we

:35:05. > :35:11.are entitled to a break. Thank you. Thank you. A pleasure to follow the

:35:12. > :35:15.right the right honourable gentleman. Sorry not right

:35:16. > :35:20.honourable gentleman. It is only a matter of time. He gave a robust and

:35:21. > :35:24.informative speech and demonstrates the value of these types of debate

:35:25. > :35:29.at the end of a Parliamentary sessionful can I raise a number of

:35:30. > :35:32.issue, in relation to ass pet of Parliamentary work I have been

:35:33. > :35:37.involved in and will continue to be involved in. The first is, that at

:35:38. > :35:42.the end of the Parliament just before the general election almost

:35:43. > :35:46.the last act of this Parliament passed was the Homelessness

:35:47. > :35:52.Reduction Act, which I had the honour to pilot through this House

:35:53. > :35:57.and Lord Best piloted through the other place. There are still many

:35:58. > :36:02.measures that require secondary legislation before that act becomes

:36:03. > :36:05.fully intoes for. This is a revolution in the way this homeless

:36:06. > :36:13.people will be treated in this country. So there is still a lot of

:36:14. > :36:16.work to do and a lot of work on statutory instruments that must be

:36:17. > :36:20.put. I trust in the Great Repeal Bill that is coming and the other

:36:21. > :36:24.asides that are coming we will find sufficient time to make sure that

:36:25. > :36:30.this act is brought into fruition because many thousands up and down

:36:31. > :36:37.this country are desperately awaiting help and Six Nations. There

:36:38. > :36:42.has been a flurry of AGMs of all party Parliamentary group, and I

:36:43. > :36:46.would one through awe few of them I am involved in the member for

:36:47. > :36:50.Leicester East referred to one which I have been successful in a heart

:36:51. > :36:57.fought election to become vice-chair. On others I am delighted

:36:58. > :37:02.on behalf of the group for Action on Smoking and Health, we have at last

:37:03. > :37:06.seen the Government announce the tobacco control plan anden

:37:07. > :37:09.congratulate the new minister for public health on doing something

:37:10. > :37:14.that his three predecessor could not and that is publish the plan, so we

:37:15. > :37:19.get control of the tobacco industry, with some very strong targets,

:37:20. > :37:25.towards towards a smoke-free bin which will be warmly welcomed. Hour,

:37:26. > :37:29.there is a deech threat in this country, to the smoke cessation

:37:30. > :37:33.services across local authorities, and therefore we should reiterate

:37:34. > :37:39.our call, that it is vital those services continue and continue to be

:37:40. > :37:43.funded, by Local Authorities. In my own borough, there is a threat

:37:44. > :37:50.to remove funding from this service and just over the last four years,

:37:51. > :37:53.175 people have been able to give up smoking, yet we still have a high

:37:54. > :38:01.prevalence in my borough, and it is not good enough. -- 1751.

:38:02. > :38:05.Equally the all party group for justice for Equitable Life policy

:38:06. > :38:11.holders met. We have 185 member of this House. Can I send a strong

:38:12. > :38:16.signal via my friend on the front bench. We will not cease until

:38:17. > :38:21.justice has been done for every individual who suffered from this

:38:22. > :38:28.scam. We are not going away, we are not happy there is still a huge

:38:29. > :38:34.amount o money, name lip ?2.7 billion owed in compensation to

:38:35. > :38:41.victims of this scam. Equally, we heard on the all party group for

:38:42. > :38:49.Azerbaijan, in the hotly disputed and illegally occupied part of

:38:50. > :38:55.Naguna about the dreadful attack that took place only earlier in

:38:56. > :38:58.month. A two-year-old girl, and a grandmother were deliberately killed

:38:59. > :39:04.by Armenian forces and the real city this is a war crime that needs to be

:39:05. > :39:07.investigated by the authorities, and the perpetrators should be brought

:39:08. > :39:13.to justice, in front of the international criminal court. Court.

:39:14. > :39:21.Equally there are a number of other airs which I think the Government

:39:22. > :39:26.needs to bear in mind. The UN human rights council meets op 11-29

:39:27. > :39:31.September, so after we return, there are a number of issue, Azerbaijan I

:39:32. > :39:37.have mentioned but there is the justice for Tamils and equally, the,

:39:38. > :39:43.outrageous, a disgraceful genocide that took place in Iran, of

:39:44. > :39:47.political prisoners in 1988. That needs an international

:39:48. > :39:57.investigation. I hope we will see a statement or a debate in Government

:39:58. > :40:02.time, before the UN HER meet, the UK's priority. We need to be rolling

:40:03. > :40:08.out our message that human rights are vital. Equally it took into the

:40:09. > :40:14.last Government six months for the committee on human rights to be set

:40:15. > :40:19.up in this house. It is a government appointed committee and it is vital

:40:20. > :40:24.it starts it work very soon and quickly, on an all party basis. ?

:40:25. > :40:30.There is also the aspect of when we come back, there is a consultation

:40:31. > :40:35.going on, the Government has very wisely enabled to continue and that

:40:36. > :40:38.is the consultation on removing costing ass a protected

:40:39. > :41:10.characteristic from our equality legislation. -- cast.

:41:11. > :41:19.Can I congratulate him on his re-election on chair of the

:41:20. > :41:23.all-party Hindu group and share his concern and about this part of our

:41:24. > :41:30.legislation which is causing concern in the Hindu community, Harrow and

:41:31. > :41:38.Leicester are similar in terms of their Hindu population? I thank him.

:41:39. > :41:42.I trust he can persuade the members of his own party not only in

:41:43. > :41:45.themselves but in the other place to support the Government on doing what

:41:46. > :41:52.we want to see happen for British end is up and down the country.

:41:53. > :42:00.Finally I want to touch on the situation in Kashmir. I put an early

:42:01. > :42:05.day motion down which I believe seven other honourable members have

:42:06. > :42:15.signed. It is in relation to the attack on innocent Hindu pilgrims.

:42:16. > :42:26.internationally recognised terrorist internationally recognised terrorist

:42:27. > :42:33.group led by Abu is male. The UK must stand by and combat this from

:42:34. > :42:39.escalating further. There have been attempts in this country to

:42:40. > :42:44.celebrate the death of a murderous Islamic terrorist. There was an

:42:45. > :42:47.attempt and Birmingham to hold a demonstration about his death and

:42:48. > :42:52.that is a direct threat and challenge to the UK's values of

:42:53. > :42:54.harmony and tolerance. I am delighted that it was shut down

:42:55. > :42:59.before it happened that the Government must do more to target