Live Commissioners Questions House of Commons

of the leading fish processors this

week. Obviously very strong in his

constituency to talk about some of

the issues that are concerning them

at the moment.

THE SPEAKER: Questions to the

representative representing the

Church commissioners and for charl

shall on the and Wallington

representing the House of Commons

commission and the honourable member

for how on the and Sunderland South,

representing the speaker's question

on the Electoral Commission. Mr

Peter Grant.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I hope it

will be convenient to answer

questions three and ten. The

commission has given no formal

consideration to the costs of

introducing electronic voting in the

House. Its responsibility in this

matter is limited to any financial

staffing implementations the present

system were a change to be agreed be

I the House. Such a change would

follow a report by the procedure

committee who would welcome

representations from him and his

honourable friends.

Thank you. I am

grateful to The Right Honourable

gentleman for his answer. I accept

it is not a matter for the

commission to decide. Wed do not

agree that before we spend

astronomical sums refurbishing this

place we should build in the

capacity for electronic voting and

in future should the House at some

point to decide to move itself into

the 20 thd century before the rest

of the world.

Clear I set out for him the most

effective way he could voice his

concerns. Clearly, there may well be

an opportunity shortly with a

contingency chamber, where of course

it would be open to the House to

decide to implement an electronic

voting system if that is what the

House felt was appropriate.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. We do read

these reports of a contingency

chamber. I wonder if he can tell us

whether assessments have been made

between installing voting lobbies

which would have to include toilets

at the end that people could hide in

if they made their way into the

wrong lobby, verses an electronic

system, would that not be a more

sensible use of public funds?

I

thank him for that. I suspect we are

not at the stage of planning for

instance whether the provision of

toilets will be needed for that

contingency chamber or whether any

man shall assessment has been made

of the installation of electronic

voting. However, there have in the

past been figures which have been

produced in previous debates where

the cost might be of the order of up

to £500,000.

Thank you very much. Unlike the

Scottish Parliament where there is a

seat for every member and voting

takes two seconds and not 20

minutes, electronic voting is very

effective. Is he aware that in 2012

and 2014 there were over 500 votes

that took over seven days, seven

complete days to have them? Given

what is coming down the line with

Brexit, does he not think it is a

perfect time to install electronic

voting in the House of Commons?

I am

aware of the electronic voting that

takes place in the Scottish

Parliament and clearly in my

personal view that is a more

effective way of dealing with votes

and members who have not perhaps

been there as long as me will

remember that back in 1997 there was

an attempt to reform a number of

ways in which the House operated,

which I did indeed support but they

were blocked by the House.

Is it not

the case there are advantages of

going into the lobby. One can meet

leagues and do things? If you list

on the the SNP all together Mr

Speaker, why don't we go the full

hog? Why don't we sit at home, watch

it on Parliament channel and vote on

our iPhones? !

I did not hear in any

of the earlier contributions we

should stay at home to do our

voting. I am sure the SNP

representatives here today would not

in fact favour that approach either.

As a minister in the previous

coalition Government and now as a

backbencher, The Right Honourable

gentleman will appreciate one of the

advantages of voting in person for

backbenchers is that ministers have

no escape from backbenchers who want

to collar them to raise national and

local issues with them.

THE SPEAKER: I am sure ministers

love to meet the hom gentleman in

the lobby. They have good

conversations that are probably one

way.

I have nothing to add to what

the speaker has said.

Mr Speaker, the Church is committed

to being a living wage employer and

for many decades has paid the same

level of minimum, regardless of

gender or geography. I can only

answer for church policy, but

obviously, Bishops particularly do

speak to relevant ministers in the

Treasury and others about the impact

of their policies.

Earlier this month the Archbishop of

Canterbury wrote a powerful article

for the Financial Times on our how

economic model is broke and no no

longer working for everyone. Does

The Right Honourable lady agree with

him. I appreciate she said she

cannot answer for everyone, but for

the need on a fairer tax system.

Does she believe the Government is

listening?

The Archbishop of

Canterbury has been involved in the

IPPR commission on economic justice

and the article was written off the

back of that report which I would

commend to the House. Indeed it does

focussing on things which need to be

fixed. Things that need to be

improved. But the Church itself is

trying to do its bit and it

recognises we need to start right at

the beginning of life by teaching

financial literacy to our children

so, they are able to avoid the

perils of debt, which is a scourge

on this nation.

Mr Speaker, the Church has a very

strong role. The guidance of others.

So does the Church commission agree

that the glass celling is still in

place? And the honourable lady

referred to that. How can we

encourage SNPs to play their part in

bringing that down?

I thank the

honourable gentleman for his

question. Certainly speaking to a

female, I am very sympathetic to the

inequality caused by glass ceilings

which are still very much in place.

That goes beyond the policy of just

the Church. It is certainly trying

to do its bit to make sure that its

male and female employerees are

treated we quality.

The

The Church

regrets the decision to close the

grants for places of worship scheme

and indeed the Church buildings

council is in close discussion with

HLF as to how we can try and find a

way forward. It has received

assurances from the chairman of the

Heritage Lottery Fund that the

amount of funds that it spends on

places of worship will continue as a

percentage, comparable to the levels

of distribution in 2016.

Parishioners at St Mary the Virgin

in tease deal and were disappointed,

given that half the listed buildings

in the country and indeed

three-quarters of church of England

buildings are listed, will the

Church go back to HLF to make

rerepresentations on this important

matter?

I am aware of the decision

by the heritage Lottery funds

North-East committee to reject the

two referrals. There was competition

for those funds. Bo et the

unsuccessful projects are invited to

a heritage grants workshop on 1st

December at offices to look at other

ways of applying through its open

programme for funds.

Question five, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, the Church of England is

well on its way to reaching its

target in 2020 where we hope to see

50% of women in the priesthood and

indeed we have the highest level of

or Dans for ten years, an increase

of 14% since laster and a particular

increase, 19% increase in women

entering training, continue paired

to 2016. -- compared to 2016.

I

thank my honourable friend for her

answer. What steps are the Church

taking to ensure diversity for those

considered for ordination better

reflects the country as a whole?

Would my Right Honourable friend

join me in congratulating John Davis

Archbishop of beckon to become the

13th Archbishop of Wales?

I do

certainly welcome the new Archbishop

of Wales alongside The Right

Reverend June osborne. One would say

the Church of Wales is doing its

very best to progress diversity, but

also we shouldn't overlook the need

to draw people from different ethnic

backgrounds. There are strategies

looking to increase the number of

black and ethnic minorities. The

number is 3.3% of clergy.

THE SPEAKER: I am glad to hear there

are such plans. Ought to get on with

it.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am sure The

Right Honourable member will agree a

vocation for the priesthood is based

on a call from God. That never just

went to white men of a certain age.

This work is about making people

feel able to take up that call, not

about setting a target to increase

the number of calls God makes?

A

vocation is gender-blind. Think I

the evidence of the 19% increase in

the number of women coming forward

for ordination is evidence that it

is an attractive vocation to enter

and the Church strives to make

training programmes more accessible

to women and people from diverse

backgrounds.

Number six, Mr Speaker.

Thank you I

will answer question six and 12.

Substantial progress has until now

been hampered by the lack of

decision in principal by the two

Houses on the preferred way forward

T report of the joint committee on

the Palace of Westminster was

published September last year. I am

pleased that the leaders of both

Houses have indicated they will make

time for a debate before the end of

this year.

Replacement of media

systems in the palace has been due

for more than a decade. Despite

warnings that delays, has the

commission made an estimate of how

much longer it will delay the time

line of work?

Well the expectation

is that once the shadow sponsor

board and the delivery has been

established it may take 12-18 months

to consider the options for

decan'ting and therefore that does

add -- decnating and therefore that

adds to the timescales. I clearly

welcome the fact we will have the

debate by the end of this year. We

really do need that. Of course

meanwhile the fabric of the building

continues to deteriorate and the

very high maintenance cost that we

incur as a result also continues a

pace.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Does my Right

Honourable friend agree that the

public might be somewhat puzzled at

the fact there'll be a further 12-18

month delay while options discussed

have been discussed again. While the

work is urgent for structural

reasons we should choose the option

which would maximum the ability to

carry out the work effectively while

minimising the cost to the public

purse without any further delay?

What has happened since the original

joint committee report was for

instance the idea of creating a

contingency chamber and perhaps more

works around the northern estate

have changed the picture slightly.

And therefore, the sponsor board and

the delivery authority will be

established, according to the

timescale set out. What I hope she

and others will do is take advantage

of the engagement programme that the

Government have launched, with three

separate dates on the 14th, 21st and

28th November. And indeed that

members may want to avail themselves

of the opportunity to go on the tour

of the basements to see why these

works are needed.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I maybe wrong

but I got the impression that the

Treasury would much rather spend

money over a long period rather than

a shorter period S The Right

Honourable gentleman aware that the

Treasury would prefer to spend £5-£6

billion over six years rather than

over 20 or 30 years?

As the

spokesman of the House of Commons

commission, I am somewhat loathed to

express a Treasury view. I think

they are better equipped to do that

than I am. In terms of the risk

profile associated with doing these

works over a 30-year period as

opposed to a shorter period of time,

there is a risk of some catastrophic

failure if these works take place,

while we are in it is tu in either

chamber or here working.

The member says we are hampering the

decision because the houses have not

come to agreement, that is because

the consultation was only agreed

last year by the then Leader of the

House who said there was an

impending crisis we cannot ignore.

It is downright irresponsible of the

government, consistently to delay.

The next edition of the Oxford

English dictionary will say

procrastination means this Tory

Government misunderstanding the

impending crisis meaning.

I support

what he has said in terms of the

need for urgent action to be taken

for the reasons I set out earlier

than in terms of risk profile

associated with the services in this

building, but I might not echo the

town he has used. Lowe I thank him

for his attempted imitation. I

usually have the copyright on the

phrase get on with it, man, but I am

obliged to him.

That has no

copyright, as you well know!

Nevertheless I'm going to bank the

compliment from him, it might be the

only one I ever get! Mr Alan Brown.

Given the attitude to change in this

place, including electronic voting,

does he think consideration should

be given to turn this place into a

museum?

When the matter has been

looked at in the past by the

commission and the Lord's

equivalent, I have to tell him that

there was no desire to turn this

place into a

museum, and it was able to remain a

significant world headed -- World

Heritage building.

In case those

attending did not hear, the

honourable gentleman says he wants

to be an exhibit. He should be

careful for what he wishes for.

Theresa Villiers.

Question seven.

Tomorrow marks a belief day, and the

Church of England has been

supporting a number of events, not

least the one held by you Mr

Speaker, yesterday. We continue to

assist the International panel of

parliamentarians for religion or

belief regarding attacks on people

for the believes.

What is the church

doing to help displaced Christians

return to their homes in Iraq?

I

have raised with the Department for

International Development a number

of people to return to their

homeland. The reconstruction

committee which is that

collaboration of Syrian churches has

so far restored 1700 properties,

enabling just over 4700 Christian

families to return home.

Next week

marks the 500th anniversary of

Reformation. What is the church

doing to promote and celebrate an

event which led to major religious

and social freedom in this nation?

There are already a number of events

to mark the Reformation. Indeed, you

can hardly fail to turn on the radio

and hear this great occasion been

commemorated. But in the spirit of

this question, I would like to share

something that was said yesterday in

your House, it is incumbent on us

all, all of us of faith and no

faith, to speak up for the tolerance

to hear each other. The doctrine

remains set out in canon law,

explicitly to recognise by the

marriage, same-sex couples act that

the marriage is between one man and

one woman, that is the doctrine of

the church, but I'm sure honourable

members will be aware that they

heard a resolution was passed by

this an -- the Synod.

Given that

many Anglican churches including my

own wonderful cathedral in Exeter

already perform ceremonies for

same-sex marriages, would it be

better for the church to just get on

with this, rather than carry on what

is effectively institutionalised

hypocrisy?

It is open to his own

diocese to follow the same process

at Hereford has undertaken, but the

church is active in this area. Two

initiatives, a pastor advisory group

has been set up -- setup by the

Bishop of Newcastle, and a major

teaching document is being produced

on marriage and sexuality.

When so

many gay people are being persecuted

throughout the world particularly in

Commonwealth countries, does she not

believe that a loving gay people to

marry in churches in this country

would send the right signal?

A very

important step forward was made by

the Anglican Church worldwide, in

accepting a new doctrine against

homophobia, and that is part of

trying to cross the wider union to

try to stamp out the persecution he

refers to.

The Electoral Commission

provides guidance for returning

officers and monitors and reports on

their performance. It targets

monitoring and support in areas

needed, including whether a change

in the team. A report on the

performance of returning officers

will be published in November.

Shortage of trained returning

officers was identified as one of

the factors as to five thousands of

votes were missed out or not sent.

What more can be done? Is that in

relation -- in relation to Plymouth,

a review was offered, the Electoral

Commission fully supported the

investigation and continues to

support the City Council to deliver

the improvements required. On the

issue of the decreasing number of

election and registration

specialists, the Electoral

Commission is working with the

Association of Electoral

Administrators on this.

Does she

know whether returning officers have

commented on the fact that people

voted in more than one parliamentary

constituency at the last general

election? And do they have a view in

supporting my Private members Bill

which will only allow voters to be

registered from one parliamentary

seat?

He will know that in certain

circumstances it is possible for

someone to be lawfully registered to

vote in more than one place,

including members of Parliament. The

commission take seriously any

reports of claims that individuals

voted twice. The Minister has

informed the House that police

forces are investigating several

allegations, and the commission

urges anyone with evidence around

individuals to bring forward those

allegations to bring them forward to

the relevant police force.

We're out

of time, but one more question.

Question 11.

The House awards

contracts on the basis of the most

economically advantageous tender.

This involves the evaluation of bids

using criteria including service

levels quality and other

environmental or social aspects to

ensure the principles of

transparency, non-discrimination and

equal treatment, meaning tenders are

assessed in conditions of

competition.

Awards are being -- contracts are

being given to people who are

blacklisted, isn't it time we change

this, and take into account social

responsibility in awarding future

contracts?

I understand his question

and he may be aware that

prequalification criteria contains

grounds for mandatory exclusion

where a potential supplier has been

convicted for breaching any relevant

legislation, including employment

relations act 1999, the blacklisting

regulations. However the critical

matters is them having been

convicted for breaching that

legislation. The other difficulty I

would add is that there are

unfortunately a very large number of

major contractors in the UK who were

involved in blacklisting, and an

approach which involved offering no

work to any of those including those

who perhaps settled out of court

would