(10 years, 4 months ago)
Commons ChamberOrder. An hon. Gentleman should not be talking about kicking people in an unspecified location. It is rather unseemly. I think I heard what he was driving at, if I may put it that way.
T8. In view of the uncertainty about the future of Public Health England at Porton Down and the imminent submission of the outline business case to the Treasury, will the Minister confirm that the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is ready and willing to work collaboratively on a Porton-based solution for the future of the PHE facility there?
(11 years ago)
Commons Chamber19. Will the Minister meet me and representatives of the Amber Foundation, which achieves a reoffending rate of 26% compared with the average of 70% for the age group that they deal with? It is essential that Ministers understand the variety of experiences of smaller charities that have a lot to contribute in this area.
(11 years, 1 month ago)
Commons Chamber17. What steps he is taking to protect families and vulnerable people from aggressive bailiffs.
(11 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberGiven that enormous commitment to aid, will the Foreign Secretary applaud the efforts of others such as Michael Bates in the other place, who last weekend completed a 518-mile walk from London to Derry in aid of Syria’s children, raising more than £35,000 for the cause? Does not the record of aid and diplomacy achieved by the Government and the people in it suggest that the Government’s willingness to consider military action was expressed reluctantly, and alongside an enormous commitment—
Order. I do not wish to be discourteous, but we must make progress. Questions must be much pithier.
(11 years, 4 months ago)
Commons ChamberOrder. This is exceptionally discourteous. We have Question 1. The hon. Gentleman will ask the question; and that question, and the answer to it, will be heard.
(11 years, 11 months ago)
Commons ChamberI call Richard Graham. Not here. That is the second time this has happened in a few days. The fellow has got to get himself sorted.
I recently met Phil Downer, who runs a recruitment business, and he took me through the 14 pages of the new agency workers regulations that he has to fill in every time he recruits somebody for a few weeks. Will the Minister explain whether the red tape challenge is addressing this unnecessary regulation, which is a massive burden on a small business man who is trying to get on in my constituency?
(11 years, 11 months ago)
Commons ChamberLast week, Mr Levesconte, the landlord of the Royal Oak pub in Shrewton, left the country with £29,000 that had been saved in the local thrift fund by 60 families. This week, due to the generosity of the people of Shrewton, south Wiltshire and beyond, the full sum has been acquired through donations. Will the Leader of the House comment on the vibrancy of the big society in south Wiltshire and make a statement on the safety of investing and saving in banks, building societies and credit unions, as opposed to thrift funds?
I think that what the hon. Gentleman wants is not so much a comment but, in conformity with House procedures, a full statement.
Ah! I neglected to follow the hon. Gentleman’s logic right through. We are all deeply indebted to him.
(12 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberOrder. I remind the House that there is heavy pressure—extensive pressure—on time, and I would appeal to colleagues who might have dreamed up lengthy questions to shorten them to single sentence questions. If they do so, they will be helping other colleagues to get in.
Will the Leader of the House urgently make time for a debate on judicial reform in the Republic of the Maldives? Although the judiciary is constitutionally independent, sitting judges are underqualified, often corrupt and hostile to the democratically elected regime.
(12 years, 11 months ago)
Commons ChamberI am relieved that the Minister of State did not burst into song, but that may happen later in the day—who knows?
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.