Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and John Bercow

Tuesday 24th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are extraordinarily obliged to the hon. Gentleman. I was going to thank him for the notable comprehensiveness of his response, which is a polite way of exhorting him to resume his seat.

[Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP)]

Will the Minister tell the House what he believes has been the effectiveness of individual and continuous registration in Northern Ireland? Does he accept the importance and value of continuing the annual household canvass to achieve robust electoral registration?

Human Fertilisation and Embryology

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and John Bercow

Tuesday 3rd February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am always happy to offer my advice to the hon. Gentleman, but whether he takes it or not is entirely up to him. The short answer is twofold. The hon. Gentleman is an assiduous attender of debates—indeed, I have often wondered if he sleeps here overnight because he is invariably present in the Chamber at all times and for every Adjournment debate. First, he should always turn up at business questions when he can raise such matters with the Leader of the House. Secondly, if he feels that Back Benchers should have a greater say in the allocation of time on matters of this kind, he might want to join forces with other hon. Members who are championing the creation of a House business committee. That was to be introduced by the third year of this Parliament, but I think it momentarily slipped the Government’s memory and therefore has not happened. It might happen in the next Parliament, however, and I have a feeling that the hon. Gentleman might be a cheerleader for it. We will leave it there.

[Dr William McCrea]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

Well, that was—dare I say it?—a meaty point of order, or even a toothy one, but it was certainly a useful point of order and I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. We must not delay indefinitely, but we must take Dr McCrea.

[Dr McCrea]

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. There is general dismay among many Members, and I am sure among our constituents, that we could get only 90 minutes in this House to debate a decision of such magnitude, and hand it over to others to take the decision forward, without parliamentarians having the final say, and yet we have three hours on the next motion, a general debate on rural phone and broadband connectivity. Only one Northern Ireland Member was able to speak, and he had to rush through his speech, and yet we find out that the legislation applies equally to Northern Ireland, where a devolved Government cannot stop it, as in other regions of the United Kingdom.

[Mr Speaker]

I always listen to the hon. Gentleman, and I hope to every Member, with courtesy. I hope he will not take offence when I say that that point was made in the course of the debate. If the Leader of the House wants to respond, he can, but we must operate in accordance with our rules. Members would rightly complain if we did not or if I did not.

We will have to leave it there for today. I thank all hon. Members both for their contributions to the debate, and of course for their points of order. I thank the Minister for her courtesy and consideration of other Members in terms of her own taking up of time.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and John Bercow

Wednesday 27th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. These are extremely important matters affecting people in Northern Ireland and there is far too much noise. Let us hear the Rev. William McCrea.

[Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP)]

But does the Minister of State not accept that if what was termed the “bedroom tax” here on the mainland was introduced in Northern Ireland, it would cause rent arrears to rocket, cause havoc across settled communities and increase already high levels of poverty?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and John Bercow

Tuesday 23rd April 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Last but not least, the Reverend William McCrea.

[Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP)]

Did the Foreign Secretary or the Prime Minister have any discussions with the Prime Minister of Israel on his recent visit to London, or can he say when he last discussed the middle east peace process with the Prime Minister of Israel?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and John Bercow

Tuesday 13th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Ulster is a little way away, but I am sure that it is not beyond the ingenuity of the hon. Gentleman to relate his supplementary to Merseyside.

[Dr McCrea]

Absolutely, Mr Speaker. Will the Minister tell us whether any figures are available on the cost to industry and individuals in Merseyside, when witnesses attend court proceedings only to be told later in the day that they can go home because the proceedings cannot go ahead?

Annual Energy Statement

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and John Bercow

Wednesday 23rd November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. If it is possible to find a one sentence question and a relatively pithy reply—I do not wish to be too ambitious—that would be a considerable achievement. I look to one of the wise heads of the House and call Dr William McCrea.

[Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP)]

During the winter months, the poorest members of our society will face soaring electricity bills and many in Northern Ireland have no alternative to heating oil. What action will the Secretary of State take to make home heating oil affordable to the most vulnerable in our society?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and John Bercow

Wednesday 9th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I thank the Minister for his answer.

[Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP)]

Intelligence agencies tell us that a republican group in County Tyrone is planning to announce its appearance with a bombing wave in Northern Ireland. One hundred members of the Provisional IRA have seemingly pledged their allegiance to this new group. Can the Minister assure the House that any republican prisoner released under the Belfast agreement who becomes a member of this group will immediately be returned to prison?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and John Bercow

Wednesday 15th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. There are far too many noisy private conversations taking place in the Chamber. I call the Rev. William McCrea.

[Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. In the discussions held concerning the serious threat from republican dissidents, has the issue of police manpower been raised? Has due consideration been given to the representation made by the Police Federation concerning police numbers, especially the police reserve, and in light of the relevant extra financial resources that would be necessary?