Fiscal Responsibility and Fairness

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Thursday 19th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

Which page of the Budget is this on?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman should not keep shrieking from a sedentary position, “Which page?” If the Chief Secretary wishes to go through page numbers, that is his prerogative, but if he does not, excessive gesticulation is rather unseemly. I have high aspirations for the hon. Gentleman’s future as a statesman, but I am not sure he is aiding his objective of becoming a statesman by this rather shrill shrieking, which in any case, as I am sure Mrs Gwynne will confirm, will be injurious to his health.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Monday 2nd February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

In the absence of a milometer I cannot say with any accuracy how close the hon. Gentleman’s constituency is to Pendle, but his question needs to be.

[Andrew Gwynne]

Absolutely, Mr Speaker. Last year the planning Minister told me that green-belt protection throughout the ancient county of Lancashire, which incorporates my constituency as well as Pendle, meant that development would not be permitted unless there was extensive consultation with the local population through an amendment to the development plan, and only then in exceptional circumstances. What would the Minister’s view be of a local authority that did not consult extensively with the local community and then approved a development in the green belt, as Liberal Democrat-controlled Stockport council has now done?

Points of Order

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Monday 2nd February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am immensely grateful to the hon. Gentleman. I think that I will carry the House with me when I say that that was not a point of order, but a point of political geography. It was certainly learned, and we are deeply obliged to the hon. Gentleman for what he has said.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

Further to the point of order, Mr Speaker—

[Mr Speaker]

I am not sure that there is much of a “further”, but having indulged the political-geography enthusiasm of the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Jake Berry), it would seem churlish to deny a similar prerogative to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish.

[Andrew Gwynne]

I am very grateful to you, Mr Speaker. Of course, I bow to the hon. Gentleman’s knowledge of the history of the county palatine of Lancashire. However, I wish to place on record that not all my constituency is in the county palatine; in fact, Dukinfield is on the Cheshire side of the River Tame.

[Mr Speaker]

We are also obliged to the hon. Gentleman for that.

Infrastructure Bill [Lords]

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Monday 26th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Gwynne]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Will you please rule on the Minister’s view, because she seems to be confusing the Bill Committee with an Order in Council committee, which lasts a mere 90 minutes?

[Mr Speaker]

I do not think that that is a matter for the Chair. Members must make their own assessment. The hon. Gentleman has made his assessment. For all I know, he might beetle around the Chamber to share it with others, but people will form their own assessment. Let us hear the Minister’s oration.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Thursday 18th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Ah. I have been saving the hon. Gentleman up.

[Andrew Gwynne]

The Government claimed that the green deal would be the largest home improvement programme since the second world war. If that is correct, will the Secretary of State tell the House why fewer than 3,500 homes have had work done?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Thursday 4th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

One of the best ways of tackling road congestion is to have proper inter-modal integration. The Minister might know that the M60-M67 junction interchange at Denton is not just one of the most dangerous in the country but one of the most congested, and currently subject to pinch-point infrastructure works. Next to it is Denton station, which has the most pathetic rail service in the country, with just one train, in one direction only, once a week. Will he bang heads together at Northern Trains, Network Rail and Transport for Greater Manchester so that we can have a proper train service from Denton into Manchester, as that will be crucial as part of the northern hub work?

[Mr Speaker]

I was going to suggest that the hon. Gentleman apply for an Adjournment debate on the subject until I realised that he had already had it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Wednesday 19th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The Minister should resume his seat. His answer suffers from one principal disadvantage: it has absolutely nothing to do with his important responsibilities as a newly appointed junior Minister, with which of course we wish him well.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

T2. Several Ministers, including, it has to be said, the Prime Minister, fail to handle data with a certain amount of precision. Indeed, two weeks ago the Prime Minister told the House that there were 1,000 extra GPs when in actual fact there are 36 fewer. Will the Minister, who is responsible for consistency and co-ordination across government, clamp down on these bad practices and perhaps help the Prime Minister to correct the record today?

Point of Order

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Monday 27th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. During the Prime Minister’s statement, the Treasury has confirmed that its officials were told, but that the junior civil servants did not pass the information further up the chain of command. Perhaps when the Prime Minister goes back to No. 10 Downing street he can fully apprise himself of these new facts and then come back, out of courtesy to the House, to correct the record and fully apprise us of who knew what and when, and why the Prime Minister, as the First Lord of the Treasury, was not told.

[Mr Speaker]

I thank the hon. Gentleman. No judgment is required in this matter by the Chair, but he has put his point on the record. We will leave it there.

Bill Presented

International Trade Agreements (Scrutiny)

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

Geraint Davies, supported by Nia Griffith, Kelvin Hopkins, Mr Jim Cunningham, Mark Lazarowicz, Sir Gerald Kaufman, Mr Mike Weir, Jim Sheridan, Jim Dowd, Paul Flynn, Mr Roger Godsiff and Mark Durkan, presented a Bill to require scrutiny of and enable amendments to international trade agreements, including investor state dispute settlements, by the European and UK Parliaments; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 16 January 2015, and to be printed (Bill 108).

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Thursday 17th July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman should always be careful not to put divisible propositions to the House. I will leave it there.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

It is important to allow British citizens living abroad to register to vote, but it is also important that they are able to cast that vote and that it can be counted in good time. What discussions is the hon. Gentleman having with the Electoral Commission to improve the ability of people living abroad to have their vote counted?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Monday 30th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister might not be an Arsenal supporter, but I most certainly am—and very proud of it.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

Surely the planning Minister understands that there has been an increasing trend, particularly in urban areas, to use greenfield sites while land banking brownfield sites, often leaving them derelict in the heart of our towns and city centres. What is he doing to ensure that that land-banked land is brought into active use to provide regeneration benefits for our towns and cities?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Tuesday 11th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

A National Audit Office report on the proceeds of crime shows that, as a result of poor co-ordination and a lack of leadership, out of every £100 generated in the criminal economy, as much as £99.64 is retained by the perpetrator. What is the Attorney-General doing to address those findings so that victims in north African and middle eastern emerging democracies can get their—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are fully seized of the purport of the hon. Gentleman’s inquiry at just about the same time as he has become seized himself.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Thursday 6th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The Secretary of State does not have to compete with Back Benchers. There is no obligation for the answer to be as long as the question.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

Earlier, the Minister mentioned that the Government’s policies would result in energy bills being about 7% lower, but is that not correct only if people go out and buy new energy-efficient TVs, washing machines, dishwashers and combi gas boilers, and that if people do not their bills will actually be higher under this Government?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Tuesday 21st June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am extremely grateful. Under the procedures of the House, as colleagues are aware, we must proceed to the next question.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

14. What assessment he has made of the progressive effects of the measures in the June 2010 Budget which have been implemented to date.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Gwynne and John Bercow

Wednesday 7th July 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I appeal to the House to calm down. A number of Members, including very senior and distinguished Members, are conducting animated conversations from a sedentary position, but I want to hear Andrew Gwynne.

[Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)]

11. When he plans to assess the effectiveness of the operation of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.