Business of the House

Kevin Brennan Excerpts

Thursday 18th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on being such a persistent advocate of those who have been affected by that issue. It is of course a commercial matter between the sub-postmasters and the Post Office; they are independent contractors to it. None the less, he has played an important role in ensuring that the issue is firmly on the Post Office’s agenda, and I know he is doing so again next week. The issue was addressed by the Select Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills in the previous Parliament, and it will only be through the persistence of Members such as he that any wrongs end up being righted.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

When we consider what we do about the refurbishment of this place, will we have an opportunity to discuss what happened between June 1941 and October 1950, when the House of Commons met in the House of Lords Chamber, a period when we won the war and also had the greatest Government ever—the 1945 Labour Government? Would that be one option we could consider?

[Chris Grayling]

I remind the hon. Gentleman that those decisions need to be taken by both Houses of Parliament, with great sensitivity and after extensive discussion. Trying to identify individual solutions now might be slightly premature.

Business of the House

Kevin Brennan Excerpts

Thursday 11th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

I believe that the Labour party has decided to use its Opposition day for a debate on productivity, which will provide an opportunity to remind Labour Members of their very poor record in that regard.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

Will the Leader of the House tell us more about the consultation that will take place on the issue of English votes for English laws, about the amount of time that will be allowed for the House to debate and vote on those matters and about the timing of that debate?

[Chris Grayling]

I will not give details of our plans today, but I will tell the hon. Gentleman that Members will have an opportunity to respond and a proper opportunity for debate. I shall set out our plans shortly.

Oral Answers to Questions

Kevin Brennan Excerpts

Thursday 4th June 2015 Commons Chamber

The hon. Member for Mole Valley, representing the House of Commons Commission, was asked—

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

10. What recent estimate he has made of income raised by the House from the hire of its facilities by the corporate sector since such hire was permitted.

[Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley)]

The House generated £441,000 in net sales from the hire of catering and event facilities to third parties between January 2014, when such hire was permitted, and May 2015. This was from a mixture of corporate, wedding, private and charity events that took place when the House was not sitting. Smaller amounts were raised from other activities, including charges for filming on the estate. It is not possible to identify separately the amount of income raised from the corporate sector.

[Kevin Brennan]

Is the hon. Gentleman as concerned as I am that it is unhealthy for our democracy if this House becomes more and more dependent on hire fees from corporate interests? Will he therefore look again at this policy of hiring out our facilities to the very people who caused the financial difficulties that the House is trying to meet?

[Sir Paul Beresford]

I ought to remind the hon. Gentleman that the matter was looked at carefully by the Administration Committee; it was looked at by the Finance and Services Committee; it was looked at by the House of Commons Commission; and it was agreed by the House. The hon. Gentleman may find that he is in a slight minority on this issue.

Business of the House

Kevin Brennan Excerpts

Thursday 28th May 2015 Commons Chamber

[Chris Grayling]

May I start by extending the Government’s good wishes to the First Minister of Northern Ireland? We wish him a speedy recovery. May I also say that we, as a Government, remain absolutely committed to the process of devolution in Northern Ireland. There are issues and challenges at the moment, as the hon. Gentleman knows. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is working hard with representatives of both communities to try to ensure that the progress that has been made can continue.

The subject of next week’s debate is chosen not by the Government but by the Opposition, so I cannot dictate the title of the debate. However, I have no doubt that the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues from Northern Ireland who want to discuss devolution issues in that debate will be able to catch your eye to do so, Mr Speaker.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

When will we see the Bill promised in Government time on the repeal of the foxhunting ban? It would enable us not only to flush out those Government Members who, like many of us, do not support the repeal of the ban, but to work out the Scottish National party’s position. Apparently, it is that SNP Members will not—possibly—vote against the repeal because the cruelty in question is to animals in England and Wales, rather than animals in Scotland.

[Chris Grayling]

In the latter part of his question, the hon. Gentleman makes an interesting and broader point. Although I extend a welcome to all the new SNP MPs in this House, they will of course have to decide about the rights and wrongs of voting on matter in our constituencies where we have no ability to vote on the same matters in their constituencies. On foxhunting, there is a clear commitment from this Government that the matter will be voted on. We will bring forward our plans in due course. The hon. Gentleman will have to wait to see exactly what is proposed, but that will happen.