30/01/2017

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:00:22. > :00:23.Hello, and welcome to Monday In Parliament -

:00:24. > :00:28.The Foreign Secretary says all British passport holders will be

:00:29. > :00:30.able to travel to the United States, despite

:00:31. > :00:33.This executive order will make no difference to any

:00:34. > :00:35.British passport holder, irrespective of their country of

:00:36. > :00:46.birth or whether they hold another passport.

:00:47. > :00:49.But despite Boris Johnson describing the policy as "wrong",

:00:50. > :00:51.opposition MPs say he's not going far enough

:00:52. > :00:54.This order was signed on Holocaust Memorial Day.

:00:55. > :00:56.For the sake of history, for heaven's sake, have

:00:57. > :01:02.Also tonight - concerns the closure of Jobcentre Plus buildings may not

:01:03. > :01:09.Can my honourable friend assure me that those who have put forward

:01:10. > :01:12.the proposals have indeed visited places such as the Calder Valley

:01:13. > :01:16.to understand the demographics and geography, or have they just sat

:01:17. > :01:21.in their offices in Whitehall using Google Maps?

:01:22. > :01:23.The Foreign Secretary has told the Commons that President Trump's

:01:24. > :01:27.travel ban on refugees from Syria and citizens from seven mainly

:01:28. > :01:29.Muslim countries will make "no difference" to anyone

:01:30. > :01:33.Boris Johnson said the policy was divisive and wrong.

:01:34. > :01:38.But Labour have accused the Government of being slow to react.

:01:39. > :01:43.The general principle is that all British passport holders remain

:01:44. > :01:52.We have received assurances from the US Embassy that this

:01:53. > :01:59.executive order will make no difference to any British passport

:02:00. > :02:03.holder, irrespective of their country of birth

:02:04. > :02:08.or whether they hold another passport.

:02:09. > :02:13.This order was issued at 9.45 on Friday, UK time.

:02:14. > :02:16.It then took Number 10 until midnight on Saturday,

:02:17. > :02:20.a full 27 hours later, to say that they would consider

:02:21. > :02:27.It then took the Prime Minister until Sunday morning to tell

:02:28. > :02:31.the Foreign Secretary to telephone the White House and took him

:02:32. > :02:36.until midday on Sunday to call the travel ban divisive and wrong.

:02:37. > :02:40.That is 38 hours, Mr Speaker, to have the courage to say

:02:41. > :02:45.what everyone else was saying on Friday night.

:02:46. > :02:49.We have an exemption for UK passport holders, whether you're

:02:50. > :02:59.And I think most fair-minded people would say that that actually showed

:03:00. > :03:02.the advantages of working closely with the Trump Administration.

:03:03. > :03:06.The advantage of having a relationship that enables us

:03:07. > :03:13.Without a thought to the context, on Holocaust Memorial Day,

:03:14. > :03:22.President Trump issued an executive order to ban seven predominantly

:03:23. > :03:26.Muslim countries from entering the USA,

:03:27. > :03:32.Including, and I quote, those "bad dudes" who are actually

:03:33. > :03:34.the real victims of violence who are fleeing

:03:35. > :03:37.This action is inhumane, it's racist, and it's immoral.

:03:38. > :03:41.And I welcome the fact, Mr Speaker, that this House is now treating

:03:42. > :03:43.the threats posed by President Trump with the seriousness

:03:44. > :03:46.I have already made my views about this.

:03:47. > :03:55.It is up to members of the House of Commons if they wish

:03:56. > :03:58.The denunciation of this policy - I've made my position clear.

:03:59. > :04:04.I said it was wrong to promulgate policies that stigmatise people

:04:05. > :04:08.on the basis of their nationality, and I believe that very profoundly.

:04:09. > :04:11.Mr Trump is what we might call a known unknown.

:04:12. > :04:14.We know that he will do and say unpredictable things,

:04:15. > :04:17.and often just as quickly abandon those positions.

:04:18. > :04:27.And what we have to remember is that our security and that

:04:28. > :04:33.of Europe depends on the Atlantic Alliance.

:04:34. > :04:36.This is not just about the impact on British citizens.

:04:37. > :04:42.One of our closest allies has chosen to ban refugees and target Muslims.

:04:43. > :04:47.And all he can say is that, well, it wouldn't be our polity.

:04:48. > :04:54.Has he urged the US Administration to lift this order, to help

:04:55. > :04:58.refugees, and to stop targeting Muslims?

:04:59. > :05:03.This order was signed on Holocaust Memorial Day.

:05:04. > :05:05.For the sake of history, for heaven's sake,

:05:06. > :05:14.As they say, it is open to MPs on all sides of the House to come

:05:15. > :05:18.forward with yet fresh expressions of outrage about the

:05:19. > :05:25.And they are entitled to it.

:05:26. > :05:31.I share the widespread disquiet, and I have

:05:32. > :05:38.I've said that it is divisive, and said it is wrong,

:05:39. > :05:44.and I've said that it stigmatises people on grounds of nationality.

:05:45. > :05:48.What I will not do, which is what I think

:05:49. > :05:54.is disengage from conversations with our American friends

:05:55. > :05:57.and partners in such a way as to do material damage to the interests

:05:58. > :06:04.Given our new-found closeness with the Trump Administration,

:06:05. > :06:12.what plans does my right honourable friend have to try and persuade

:06:13. > :06:16.the Administration after the 90 days to abandon what, to many,

:06:17. > :06:24.And would my right honourable friend agree,

:06:25. > :06:26.in paraphrasing a far wiser president, John F.

:06:27. > :06:29.Kennedy, that those that ride on the back

:06:30. > :06:41.The condemnation of Donald Trump's actions continued into the evening

:06:42. > :06:43.after the Speaker granted an emergency debate.

:06:44. > :06:49.It was requested by the former Labour leader Ed Miliband,

:06:50. > :06:52.who said the travel ban brought to mind the actions of

:06:53. > :06:55.Also sponsoring the debate was the Conservative Nadhim Zahawi,

:06:56. > :06:58.who was born in Iraq and who was personally affected

:06:59. > :07:03.The only way of understanding this ban when you look at it, Mr Speaker,

:07:04. > :07:05.is that it does represent the suspension of reason

:07:06. > :07:08.Indeed, it has perversity, discrimination and

:07:09. > :07:16.I'm always grateful to my right honourable friend, but one

:07:17. > :07:19.of the key aspects is the dramatic affect it has on those who had

:07:20. > :07:24.boarded aircraft ready to go to the United States with valid

:07:25. > :07:28.visas, only to arrive and being told that they have to go back.

:07:29. > :07:31.It is that physical, that emotional effect

:07:32. > :07:35.that is the most damning part of what is being proposed.

:07:36. > :07:38.My right honourable friend speaks with great eloquence on this issue,

:07:39. > :07:45.One of the most chilling things I've found, and I'm sure other

:07:46. > :07:49.members did as well, reading the account at the weekend

:07:50. > :07:52.of what had happened to individuals, which frankly sounded

:07:53. > :07:56.like the actions of tinpot the leadership.

:07:57. > :07:59.It did not sound like what we would expect or hope

:08:00. > :08:11.The US has always been our oldest and closest ally.

:08:12. > :08:14.Some people will say this is not a matter for us, as long

:08:15. > :08:18.I profoundly disagree. It absolutely is a matter for us.

:08:19. > :08:23.Because the fundamental and dangerous betrayal of values

:08:24. > :08:26.this measure represents is indeed an affront to all of us.

:08:27. > :08:28.It is an affront to the Muslims living in this country,

:08:29. > :08:32.And, as I have said, it will make the world

:08:33. > :08:36.Mr Speaker, if we allow this to stand and we shrug our shoulders,

:08:37. > :08:39.it will amount to complicity with President Trump.

:08:40. > :08:47.These actions are not normal, rational or sensible.

:08:48. > :08:55.We know, Mr Speaker, President Trump is a bully.

:08:56. > :08:57.The only course of action in relation to his bullying

:08:58. > :09:02.Nadhim Zahawi was born in Iraq and is now a British citizen.

:09:03. > :09:04.He described how uncomfortable the weekend had been

:09:05. > :09:10.I learnt my ability to travel to the United States

:09:11. > :09:14.A country that I revere so much for its values,

:09:15. > :09:16.with which I have such great affinity and affection

:09:17. > :09:24.and to which I have sent both my sons to university.

:09:25. > :09:26.I learnt, Mr Speaker, that this great nation had

:09:27. > :09:28.put in place measures that would prevent mine

:09:29. > :09:31.and my family's ability to travel, study and feel welcome there.

:09:32. > :09:34.I was concerned about the next time I would see my boys.

:09:35. > :09:39.Due to our reluctance to let them fly home in the eventuality

:09:40. > :09:42.that they be prevented from returning to university.

:09:43. > :09:48.My wife and I despaired at the thought that had one

:09:49. > :09:52.seriously ill again, as he was last year

:09:53. > :09:55.whilst at university, we would not be able to go to him

:09:56. > :10:02.He called the executive order wholly counter-productive.

:10:03. > :10:05.Over the weekend, pro-Islamic State social media accounts have already

:10:06. > :10:10.begun hailing the order and the President's comments

:10:11. > :10:15.as clear evidence that the USA is seeking to destroy Islam.

:10:16. > :10:19.They have even called it the Blessed Ban.

:10:20. > :10:21.Yvette Cooper said she was deeply worried about a

:10:22. > :10:28.By rushing in to this state visit, I fear that actually the Government

:10:29. > :10:30.is going to do the opposite of what they want.

:10:31. > :10:34.Instead of this being a celebration of friendship and shared values,

:10:35. > :10:38.and a sign of increased cooperation, instead it will show the huge

:10:39. > :10:45.divisions and a huge concern concern we have about what

:10:46. > :10:53.And it will look like an endorsement of a ban that is so morally

:10:54. > :10:56.wrong, and that we should be standing against.

:10:57. > :10:59.Another MP said the UK should be a candid friend.

:11:00. > :11:03.Very little at all will be achieved by cancelling a state visit

:11:04. > :11:08.when the invitation has already been extended and

:11:09. > :11:14.It is part of a process of seeking to engage,

:11:15. > :11:25.Money needs to be spent on work coaches and not buildings,

:11:26. > :11:27.the government has insisted, asked about the closure

:11:28. > :11:35.Many MPs said their constituents were not ready for a system

:11:36. > :11:38.which relied heavily on internet access and the ability to use a PC.

:11:39. > :11:41.But the minister said that vulnerable claimants would be served

:11:42. > :11:44.- either by post or, in some cases, home visits.

:11:45. > :11:49.Eight out of ten claims for Jobseeker's Allowance are now

:11:50. > :11:51.made online and 99.6% of applicants for Universal Credit full service

:11:52. > :11:58.This has resulted in the DWP buildings being used much less.

:11:59. > :12:11.20% of the DWP estate is currently underutilised.

:12:12. > :12:14.As we renegotiate our out of date contract, we are merging some

:12:15. > :12:17.smaller Job Centres with larger ones and co-locating others with local

:12:18. > :12:21.This will help DWP offer a better service for people looking for work,

:12:22. > :12:23.whilst delivering a better deal for the taxpayer, saving

:12:24. > :12:25.about ?180 million a year for the next ten years.

:12:26. > :12:27.The UK Government's proposal to drastically cut the number

:12:28. > :12:30.of Job Centres and DWP offices across Scotland and in the UK,

:12:31. > :12:32.including my constituency of Inverclyde, will have a profound

:12:33. > :12:34.impact on thousands of people desperately seeking

:12:35. > :12:36.work and the support to which they are entitled.

:12:37. > :12:41.There has been a distinct lack of consultation

:12:42. > :12:46.with the communities affected and, with the government in Scotland,

:12:47. > :12:48.That lack of consultation is against the principles

:12:49. > :12:52.outlined the principles for Scottish devolution,

:12:53. > :12:55.following the independence referendum.

:12:56. > :12:57.We are particularly concerned about the impact on women, children

:12:58. > :13:03.Will the government publish an assessment of the impact of these

:13:04. > :13:07.The government is continuing to roll out Universal Credit

:13:08. > :13:10.and, for the first time, people who are actually in work will have

:13:11. > :13:15.Will the government delay its plans to reduce its estate until it has

:13:16. > :13:18.a clear idea of what the demands on Job Centres and staff will be

:13:19. > :13:24.One of the things that really impressed me during my spell at DWP

:13:25. > :13:27.was the quality of the work coaches and their capacity for supporting

:13:28. > :13:31.real positive change in people's lives, so,

:13:32. > :13:33.if there is an opportunity to spend less on near-empty bricks

:13:34. > :13:36.and mortars and actually to invest more in a greater number of work

:13:37. > :13:39.coaches, isn't that exactly the right thing to do?

:13:40. > :13:40.SOME: Hear, hear! SPEAKER: Minister!

:13:41. > :13:42.I thank my Honourable Friend for that question.

:13:43. > :13:49.Our work coaches are at the front line delivering services

:13:50. > :13:51.to claimants, helping them, not just into work,

:13:52. > :13:54.but when they are in work, helping them into more work

:13:55. > :13:57.That's why we are recruiting will work coaches and looking

:13:58. > :14:00.That's why we are recruiting more work coaches and looking

:14:01. > :14:03.to make sure that our DWP estate best reflects value for money,

:14:04. > :14:05.both for our taxpayers and, of course, providing the support

:14:06. > :14:11.In 2010, I had three Job Centres in my constituency.

:14:12. > :14:14.Old Swan was closed by her department at the start of 2010

:14:15. > :14:18.and now she wants to close the other two in Edge Hill and Wavertree.

:14:19. > :14:20.My constituency has the 39th highest level

:14:21. > :14:28.Why does she want to make it harder for the 2950 people who wanted

:14:29. > :14:30.to access support and who will have to pay ?8.80 every single

:14:31. > :14:34.SOME: Hear, hear! SPEAKER: minister!

:14:35. > :14:36.I thank the honourable lady for that question.

:14:37. > :14:39.It is of course important to reflect that what we are trying to do

:14:40. > :14:43.is make it easier for those claimants who interact

:14:44. > :14:47.with the DWP online to do so, to look at instances where we can

:14:48. > :14:49.get involved in outreach projects, as has happened in various

:14:50. > :14:52.points around the country, and make sure that,

:14:53. > :14:54.where there are special circumstances where people

:14:55. > :14:56.are vulnerable, that they can be given assistance

:14:57. > :15:04.Brighouse is the largest township within the Calder Valley,

:15:05. > :15:07.so to relocate our Job Centre uphill and down dale out of

:15:08. > :15:10.the constituency will be a disaster to the long-term unemployed who rely

:15:11. > :15:15.Can my Honourable Friend assure me that those who have put forward

:15:16. > :15:18.the proposals have indeed visited places such as the Calder Valley

:15:19. > :15:20.to understand the demographics and geography, or have they just sat

:15:21. > :15:22.in their offices in Whitehall using Google Maps?

:15:23. > :15:25.SOME: Hear, hear! SPEAKER: Minister!

:15:26. > :15:27.I thank my Honourable Friend for that question.

:15:28. > :15:33.This is not an exercise using Google maps.

:15:34. > :15:36.This is an exercise which we having gauged in over very many months

:15:37. > :15:42.to make the best use of our DWP estate.

:15:43. > :15:44.It's critically important, when we are not using the space

:15:45. > :15:48.that we have, but are paying for it, that we think very hard

:15:49. > :15:50.about how we can best provide services to our claimants.

:15:51. > :15:52.The Work and Pensions Minister, Caroline Nokes.

:15:53. > :15:53.You're watching Monday in Parliament.

:15:54. > :15:58.The Foreign Secretary says the United States has given

:15:59. > :16:00.assurances that holders of a British passport will be unaffected

:16:01. > :16:04.by travel bans imposed by President Trump.

:16:05. > :16:06.But opposition MPs have accused the government

:16:07. > :16:16.Ministers have rejected the suggestion that the adult social

:16:17. > :16:20.But appearing before the Communities Committee,

:16:21. > :16:23.a health minister and a local government minister accepted

:16:24. > :16:25.that the system was "stressed" and said more money

:16:26. > :16:31.But they also accepted that pressures on the care system

:16:32. > :16:33.would continue to grow and one hinted that children

:16:34. > :16:35.may have to take more responsibility for looking

:16:36. > :16:44.Is social care in crisis in this country at present?

:16:45. > :16:47.The social care system is under stress, and that is the word that

:16:48. > :16:49.I'd rather use than the word you that chose.

:16:50. > :16:54.The second point I would make is I don't think it's accurate

:16:55. > :16:56.to say there is one social care system in this country.

:16:57. > :16:58.There is a mass disparity in different locations

:16:59. > :17:00.between different local and different authorities

:17:01. > :17:01.and actually different health authorities as well.

:17:02. > :17:03.STUDIO: Another minister highlighted the extra money

:17:04. > :17:06.being provided for social care - ?3.5 billion.

:17:07. > :17:11.That comprises of ?2 billion from the Adult Social Care precept

:17:12. > :17:16.and the additional flexibilities that we've given councils

:17:17. > :17:20.in ?1.5 billion from the improved Better Care Fund and,

:17:21. > :17:25.together with that, we've also since identified an additional

:17:26. > :17:30.?240 million this year as a social care precept, a social care grant,

:17:31. > :17:34.to local authorities and we've also indeed given further flexibility

:17:35. > :17:39.around the precept which could enable councils to realise

:17:40. > :17:52.-- an additional ?900 million in the next two years.

:17:53. > :17:54.STUDIO: But it wasn't, he said, just about money.

:17:55. > :17:57.We are requiring all areas to bring health and social care together

:17:58. > :18:00.by the end of this decade to make sure that we are providing the most

:18:01. > :18:04.To what extent do you feel the pressure is on the NHS

:18:05. > :18:07.are directly attributable to the problems and social care?

:18:08. > :18:10.What Simon Stevens was talking about was delayed transfers of care,

:18:11. > :18:14.which has increased in the last 18 months.

:18:15. > :18:16.In fact, interestingly, it is stabilised in the last couple

:18:17. > :18:18.of months, but it certainly increased in the 18

:18:19. > :18:23.STUDIO: An MP turned to a warning from the head of the NHS

:18:24. > :18:31.There is an extraordinary disparity in delayed transfers of care

:18:32. > :18:36.And I, um... I was looking at some figures today.

:18:37. > :18:42.The four worst local authorities versus the four best.

:18:43. > :18:46.The disparity is a factor of 40, 4-0, in terms of the impact of that.

:18:47. > :18:48.Nevertheless, they have gone up on the system as a whole.

:18:49. > :18:51.And there is an impact on that in terms of NHS beds.

:18:52. > :18:54.The thing that we really do need to get a better understanding

:18:55. > :18:57.of is why that factor of 40 exists, because that's out of all comparison

:18:58. > :19:02.in terms of budget pressures and those types of things.

:19:03. > :19:06.We're expecting to see a rise of nearly 50% by 2035

:19:07. > :19:11.in the numbers of 65, people who are aged over 65,

:19:12. > :19:14.and I wonder how you plan to fund social care to keep pace

:19:15. > :19:21.If your point is that this is going to become a bigger

:19:22. > :19:23.and a higher proportion of our country's GDP over time,

:19:24. > :19:34.I personally think there's a lot of interwoven issues here.

:19:35. > :19:37.One of them is for us to start thinking, as a society,

:19:38. > :19:40.how we deal with care of our own parents,

:19:41. > :19:43.and one of the things that's always struck me,

:19:44. > :19:45.as I've been doing this role, is that nobody ever questions

:19:46. > :19:48.the fact that parents, that we look after our children -

:19:49. > :19:56.that is obvious and nobody ever says that's a caring responsibility,

:19:57. > :20:01.Um, I think some of that logic, and some of the way that we think

:20:02. > :20:03.about that, in terms of the sort of volume of numbers

:20:04. > :20:06.that we're seeing coming down the track, will have to,

:20:07. > :20:09.you know, impinge on the way that we start thinking about how

:20:10. > :20:11.we look after our parents, because, in a way,

:20:12. > :20:13.it's a responsibility, in terms of our life cycle,

:20:14. > :20:19.Now, President Trump's views on Nato were described

:20:20. > :20:21.at Question Time as a "wake-up call" for the organisation.

:20:22. > :20:24.On the election trail, Donald Trump called the alliance "obsolete"

:20:25. > :20:27.and said many of its members were not spending enough on defence.

:20:28. > :20:29.One Conservative told the Defence Secretary

:20:30. > :20:34.that was a message that needed to be heard.

:20:35. > :20:37.The Prime Minister securing 100% support for Nato and also

:20:38. > :20:39.the auditor general's support for Nato is, of course,

:20:40. > :20:46.But would my Right Honourable Friend not agree with me that some

:20:47. > :20:49.of the less than helpful remarks the president might have made

:20:50. > :20:51.about Nato in the recent weeks and months is actually quite

:20:52. > :20:55.We need to modernise some aspects of the administration of Nato

:20:56. > :20:58.and we need to see to our Nato partners they've got

:20:59. > :21:01.to step up to the mark and pay their 2%, like we do?

:21:02. > :21:05.The new president has called for members of Nato to fulfil

:21:06. > :21:09.the commitments that we agreed and we and the United States agreed

:21:10. > :21:12.back at the Wales Summit in 2014, and a number of other Nato account

:21:13. > :21:16.members still have a long way to go to meet the 2% target.

:21:17. > :21:20.We also agree with the new president that we need to continue

:21:21. > :21:22.to modernise Nato to make it effective as a response

:21:23. > :21:32.Now that the United States of America has clearly become a less

:21:33. > :21:34.stable and reliable Nato partner, how pragmatic is

:21:35. > :21:42.And what consideration has the Secretary of State given

:21:43. > :21:54.to allocating more time for European defence is European defence simply

:21:55. > :21:56.-- to allocating more time for European defence

:21:57. > :21:58.or is European defence simply not fashionable any more?

:21:59. > :22:01.Well, so far as our partnership with the United States is concerned,

:22:02. > :22:03.it is the broadest, deepest and advanced most defence

:22:04. > :22:05.partnership in the world, and my aim is to continue

:22:06. > :22:07.to strengthen it with the new administration,

:22:08. > :22:09.particularly in the shared programmes we have and the joint

:22:10. > :22:12.strike fighter aircraft and in the reinstatement

:22:13. > :22:16.of our maritime patrol aircraft capability.

:22:17. > :22:22.So far as European defence is concerned, and the President's

:22:23. > :22:25.remarks during the campaign and subsequently, are I believe

:22:26. > :22:28.the wake-up call to all of us in Europe to make sure that,

:22:29. > :22:31.when we make these commitments, that we honour them.

:22:32. > :22:35.But if the new US President follows through with his stated intention

:22:36. > :22:37.to reinstate rendition and torture, then Nato allies would be

:22:38. > :22:44.legally obliged not to work them on intelligence.

:22:45. > :22:46.So will the government ensure that the alliance rules out

:22:47. > :22:49.the use of torture in all respects for the good of Nato effectiveness?

:22:50. > :22:52.Well, I understand the point the Honourable Gentleman is making.

:22:53. > :22:56.We do not condone the use of torture and there are obviously implications

:22:57. > :23:11.Several questioners were asked about the travel ban, but were referred to

:23:12. > :23:14.the Foreign Secretary's statement from later in the day.

:23:15. > :23:16.Over in the House of Lords, a Liberal Democrat peer

:23:17. > :23:18.was attempting to convince his fellow peers of the need

:23:19. > :23:20.to install life-saving defibrillators in schools.

:23:21. > :23:22.A campaign was started following the death in 2011

:23:23. > :23:25.of Oliver King, a 12-year-old boy who died from a heart

:23:26. > :23:29.The Minister will be aware that today 82 people will get

:23:30. > :23:31.a sudden cardiac arrest and, of those 82,

:23:32. > :23:43.You will also be aware of the work of the Oliver King Foundation.

:23:44. > :23:48.The foundation was set up after the death, very tragically,

:23:49. > :23:50.of a 12-year-old boy, who died in a swimming pool

:23:51. > :23:53.in Liverpool, and they've campaigned ceaselessly for this to happen.

:23:54. > :23:55.STUDIO: But an independent crossbench peer, Lady Finlay,

:23:56. > :23:56.said simply buying a defibrillator wasn't enough.

:23:57. > :23:59.It's essential to have emergency action first aid training in both

:24:00. > :24:02.primary schools and secondary schools, so that children

:24:03. > :24:08.can recognise cardiac arrest in another child,

:24:09. > :24:10.can respond appropriately, called for help appropriately, and also

:24:11. > :24:16.Simply purchasing a defibrillatoris inadequate.

:24:17. > :24:19.Simply purchasing a defibrillator is inadequate.

:24:20. > :24:23.As I say, we leave it to schools to deal with the precise details

:24:24. > :24:27.of this, but of course, they will make it absolutely clear

:24:28. > :24:29.where the defibrillator is and, as I've already referred to,

:24:30. > :24:35.These machines are now so sophisticated that,

:24:36. > :24:38.if any operator is about to use them inappropriately,

:24:39. > :24:42.the machine has been programmed to tell the operator to push off!

:24:43. > :24:56.Well, I don't know if it quite puts it in those terms,

:24:57. > :24:58.My Lord, but I am aware that they are apparently

:24:59. > :25:01.very, very easy to use, and the instructions are very clear.

:25:02. > :25:03.270 children die every year after suffering a sudden cardiac

:25:04. > :25:06.arrest at school and 12 young people die a week from Sudden

:25:07. > :25:12.There are laws that mandate smoke alarms, fire extinguishers,

:25:13. > :25:15.seat belts and life jackets to save lives, but there is no law

:25:16. > :25:17.mandating a simple piece of equipment that could restart

:25:18. > :25:21.the lives of 12 young people each week.

:25:22. > :25:26.So can the Noble Lord, the Minister, say whether the government

:25:27. > :25:28.intends to give a fair wind to Maria Caulfield MP's

:25:29. > :25:30.Defibrillators Availability Bill, which will have its second reading

:25:31. > :25:33.in another place next month, so as to bring to an end

:25:34. > :25:35.the shameful situation that means access to defibrillators

:25:36. > :25:46.Alicia McCarthy's here for the rest of the week.