Business of the House

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Thursday 8th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

There is a good case to be made for such a debate, and my hon. Friend might wish to pursue it more generally, including through the Backbench Business Committee. There are regular calls for major inquiries, and some of them are of huge importance. He referred to those that related to his constituency. The House has heard several times this week about the anxiety that the Chilcot inquiry report should be published. He rightly referred to the fact that in June 2007, two years before the inquiry was set up, some of us tabled a motion in this House, supported by Members now sitting on the Government side, calling for it to be established. Had that happened then, the inquiry would have reported long ago.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

Over the past few days, police in Bangladesh have continued to crack down on protesters demonstrating against last year’s general election. At least two protesters have been killed, the leader of the opposition has been placed under house arrest and the media have been banned from reporting the views of opposition figures. Does the Leader of the House agree that the behaviour of the Bangladeshi Government is completely unacceptable and that we should have a debate on how the UK can contribute to restoring democracy in that country?

[Mr Hague]

We have been concerned for some time about political events in Bangladesh, which have sometimes impinged on human rights, particularly the events surrounding the last election and the failure of the two main parties there to agree a way forward for elections to take place with wide participation. These events are the result of that continuing failure. The UK Government are certainly concerned about the situation in Bangladesh. We will have questions to Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers on 20 January, when the hon. Gentleman will have a further opportunity to raise the matter.

Business of the House

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Thursday 18th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on the jobs fair in Shipley, which is a further example of the outstanding work he does for his constituents. He is right to draw attention to what has happened on unemployment. I referred earlier to the reduction of 455,000 in unemployment this year, but it is also important to note that long-term youth unemployment is down 53,000 this year. Such changes are greatly benefiting people in Shipley and across the country.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

As stated already, we have all been shocked by the barbaric actions of the Taliban in Peshawar over the weekend. My constituency has many Pakistani residents, and on behalf of the Rochdale council of mosques I would like to express our deep sorrow for the people burying their dead and to offer our support in the continuing fight against extremism. Does the Leader of the House agree we should debate this issue in the new year?

[Mr Hague]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. People in his constituency and across the country will be deeply moved by the sight of families burying their dead children in such huge numbers. It underlines the need to work together internationally to counter terrorism. The need to do that is one reason we have been debating the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill several times over the past few weeks, and in the first week back we will be devoting two days to its remaining stages. These events underline the importance of that.

Business of the House

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Thursday 20th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

It is very important that price reductions are passed on to consumers. My hon. Friend is right—there has been a dramatic drop in the price of crude oil. The Government have already made representations to ensure, for example, that price reductions in petrol occur at filling stations. It is also important that oil for domestic heating purposes is reduced in price. I will remind my colleagues in the Treasury of the point that he has made.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

A disproportionate number of people claiming asylum are being placed in Rochdale, not least from some London boroughs. Public services have been cut dramatically, and Rochdale’s council tax payers are unhappy with this burden. Will the Government make a statement on the issue or even provide a debate on it?

[Mr Hague]

I can understand why the hon. Gentleman raises that point. There is no immediate debate to be had, but it is the type of subject on which he can apply for an Adjournment debate or put to the Backbench Business Committee. He can also raise the issue directly with Home Office Ministers, and I will certainly alert them to the fact that he is concerned about it.

Business of the House

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Thursday 11th September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

My hon. Friend raises a very important issue. I am proud that this Government have legislated to ensure that improving mental health and treating mental illness are given the same priority as treatment for physical health. We are committed to introducing access and waiting times standards for mental health from next April. We are investing more than £400 million for access to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-approved psychological therapies, more than £50 million for improved access to mental health care for young people and more than £7 million, additionally, for mental health services for veterans. A great deal is therefore being done to improve the situation, but I know that my hon. Friend will continue to press this issue.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

Last week, the Home Secretary announced the lord mayor of London, Fiona Woolf, as the new chair of the child abuse inquiry. Although I am anxious for the inquiry to be got up and running, I am disturbed by the apparent links between the new chair and Lord Brittan, who is alleged to be at the heart of the paedophile scandal and cover-up surrounding Westminster. Does the Leader of the House share my concerns, and does he agree that there should be a debate on this issue in the House?

[Mr Hague]

The hon. Gentleman has raised this issue many times, and he is very rigorous in pursuing such matters. We are all anxious for the inquiry to get under way, as he says. Fiona Woolf has had a long and distinguished career. She has held high-profile and challenging positions, including as president of the Law Society and chairman of the Association of Women Solicitors, and she is only the second woman since the year 1189 to hold the position of lord mayor of London. She is a very distinguished person, who is well able to conduct the inquiry to the very highest standards of integrity. The Government are therefore confident that she has the skills and experience needed to set the direction of the inquiry, lead the work of the panel, challenge individuals and institutions without fear or favour, really get into this issue and stop these terrible things happening again. I think that we should support her in doing this work.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Tuesday 17th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

The Palestinian Authority is working very hard, as we want it to do, in its new incarnation and with its new members. It is committed to the Quartet principle of bringing about a lasting and peaceful two-state solution with Israel, and we look to it to do that. We expect all its actions to be consistent with doing that. We give considerable financial aid to the Palestinian Authority, and I know that the Department for International Development takes great care over the allocation and use of that aid.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

T6. It took two years to bring the murderers of my constituent, Khuram Shaikh, to trial, owing to the close links between one of the suspects and the Sri Lankan President. The trial is now well advanced, but we have just learned that it might have to start again because the President is contemplating promoting the judge. For the sake of Khuram’s family, will the Minister work with his counterparts in Sri Lanka and press for the trial to run its course?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Tuesday 4th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

The Deputy Prime Minister was speaking in his own capacity on that issue. I reiterate what I have said to the House before about the extremely strong system of oversight that we have in this country, with which my hon. Friend is very familiar. Of course, there are issues being looked at now by the Intelligence and Security Committee, and I think it wise for most of us to await the Committee’s report.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

There is obviously an appetite for democracy in Bangladesh. Why do the Government not go further in pressing, as the EU and other countries have, for fresh, free and fair national elections in that country?

Sexual Violence in Conflict

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Thursday 28th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his remarks. We hope that the biggest progress will be seen in those countries that have experienced the most serious problems over the past few decades. We have seen those problems in Europe, in Bosnia and Kosovo, as well as in Africa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Liberia and Rwanda. We have also seen them in south America, in Colombia. Hon. Members have also referred to the problems in Burma. Most of the continents of the world contain countries in which we want to see big progress being made on tackling these issues. As I have said, it is encouraging that, in most cases, the Governments of those countries are now signed up to our declaration and our initiative. That means that there is a possibility of making real progress.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

A lot of sexual violence is occurring in Sri Lanka, and it has been going on for some time. Is the Foreign Secretary really comfortable with President Rajapaksa playing such a leading role in the Commonwealth at the moment?

[Mr Hague]

I am comfortable that it was right to raise all these issues in Sri Lanka. As I mentioned as gently as I could earlier, we could not have done that had we not been there. [Interruption.] It is apparently now the policy of the Opposition that we should have been there.

Palestinian Resolution (United Nations)

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Wednesday 28th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

As my hon. Friend can imagine, we have discussed this with the United States and Israel in detail, and there are people who do not in any way hold extreme views on these things who are concerned about possible reactions and about—we certainly hope that there will not be—any sudden, dramatic, adverse reaction to the passing of the resolution. They are concerned that the result might be stagnation and that it could make it more difficult for the United States to do the sort of thing that we have all called for in the House today. That is why we have asked for additional assurances.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

The Palestinian people deserve the support of the British people and the British Government. Why does the Foreign Secretary ask the Palestinian people not to set conditions, only to set conditions on his support for the Palestinians at the United Nations?

[Mr Hague]

We are simply trying to frame the resolution and what goes with it in the right way to remove preconditions. An obstacle to negotiations in the past year, as I explained, has been preconditions on the Palestinian side. We want to get rid of that obstacle and secure a commitment to return to negotiations without preconditions. I do not see any problem with that condition.

Middle East

Debate between Lord Hague of Richmond and Simon Danczuk

Tuesday 20th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

My hon. Friend has introduced a different subject, and one on which he has often given his views to the House. He knows from my earlier answers that we have counselled Israel against a military attack on Iran in circumstances in which we are pursuing a twin-track policy of intensified sanctions and negotiations with Iran, and that remains the position.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

Does the Foreign Secretary agree that unless the blockade of Gaza is ended, there will be little chance of a permanent end to the violence?

[Mr Hague]

More open access into and out of Gaza is an important part of the solution there. That includes access for more normal items of trade as well as people. I made that point briefly in my statement, but I am happy to reiterate it.