Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Evans of Rainow Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd June 2011 Commons Chamber

[John Stevenson (Carlisle) (Con)]

2. What recent assessment he has made of the benefits to Scotland of the Union; and if he will make a statement.

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

11. What recent assessment he has made of the benefits to Scotland of the Union; and if he will make a statement.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

13. What recent assessment he has made of the benefits to Scotland of the Union; and if he will make a statement.

--- Later in debate ---

[Michael Moore]

I wholeheartedly endorse what my hon. Friend has just said.

[Graham Evans]

The Union is of great benefit to all the United Kingdom, but my constituents still want fairness between Scotland and England. Bearing that in mind, what plans does the Secretary of State have to review the Barnett formula?

[Michael Moore]

My hon. Friend will recall from last night’s debate on the Scotland Bill that we recognise that this is an issue across the United Kingdom. However, we are committed to reviewing it when we have resolved the current financial problems that we inherited from the Labour party.

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Evans of Rainow Excerpts

Wednesday 1st December 2010 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I know that the hon. Gentleman was a very successful Sports Minister in the previous Government. I thank him for his endorsement of the 2018 bid and all that we are doing to win for England.

The hon. Gentleman’s point about school sport is important. I am looking carefully at yesterday’s debate. We all have a shared interest: we all want good sport in schools and more competitive sport, and we all have to ensure that money is spent well. Everyone accepts that not every penny was spent well in the past. There is a quite bureaucratic system. The Secretaries of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport and for Education are working hard on this issue. We are talking with head teachers to ensure that what we come up with works on the ground. I hope that we will be able to make an announcement soon.

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

Q10. The plans to link London and Manchester by high-speed rail will bring huge economic benefits to my constituency and the greater north-west. Does the Prime Minister agree that anyone who wants to eliminate inequality between north and south should support High Speed 2?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend makes the right point in the right way. I understand that there will be difficulties with High Speed 2 in terms of the impact on some hon. Members’ constituencies and on some neighbourhoods. However, it is true to say that Governments of all parties for 50 years have tried to deal better with the north-south divide and to bring our country closer together. I profoundly believe that high-speed rail and good transport links are a really good way of making that happen. This measure could succeed where others, frankly, have failed.

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Evans of Rainow Excerpts

Wednesday 21st July 2010 Commons Chamber

[Michael Moore]

The immorality would be for us to do nothing about the legacy left behind by the right hon. Gentleman’s Government, which is undermining the public sector and any prospect of a private sector recovery.

[Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Con)]

2. What recent discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on the implementation in Scotland of proposals to equalise the size of constituencies; and if he will make a statement.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (Michael Moore)]

By equalising the size of constituencies across the UK, we will ensure that people’s votes carry the same weight. We have proposed the two exceptions of Orkney and Shetland and the Western Isles to take account of their special geographic circumstances. The Bill that we will introduce will also provide for an upper limit on the geographical size of a constituency.

[Graham Evans]

In Scotland, there are urban seats that have an electorate of between 50,000 and 80,000; that disparity cannot be justified by extreme geography. Does the Secretary of State agree that it is disappointing that the previous Government had so little regard for the fundamental principle that every vote should have equal value? [Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. First, some questions are too long, and secondly, at this early stage, the atmosphere is far too raucous. Right hon. and hon. Members need to calm down.