Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Skidmore Excerpts

Wednesday 25th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Paterson]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. The four Church leaders came to London to meet the Minister responsible for welfare reform, my noble Friend Lord Freud, who is taking the Bill through the Lords. He explained many of the details of the Bill, which, sadly, is not well understood in Northern Ireland. I see great benefits in making work pay, and we will ensure that every person, regardless of their opportunities, will be better off if they work one hour longer.

[Chris Skidmore (Kingswood) (Con)]

6. What recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on dealing with the legacy of the past.

[Lindsay Roy (Glenrothes) (Lab)]

8. What recent discussions he has had on dealing with the legacy of the past.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen Paterson)]

Since taking office, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State and I have met the political parties and other interest groups to discuss the issue of dealing with the past, but there is no consensus. I shall meet the parties again in the coming weeks.

[Chris Skidmore]

I thank the Secretary of State for that answer and I welcome the progress made by the Historical Enquiries Team. Is my right hon. Friend confident that all cases will be dealt with by 2014?

[Mr Paterson]

My hon. Friend is quite right to comment on the HET, whose satisfaction levels have been extraordinarily high, with some 90% of families being either satisfied or very satisfied. I last spoke to the Chief Constable about this a few weeks ago and he was confident that on his current track the HET would complete on time.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Prime Minister]

I will certainly look carefully at the case that the hon. Gentleman makes. One of the points of the NHS reforms that is perhaps not yet fully understood is the idea of having public health budgets properly ring-fenced, properly funded and with properly employed directors of public health in each area, which will help in many of these areas.

[Chris Skidmore (Kingswood) (Con)]

My constituents in Kingswood entirely agree with the Government’s proposed benefits cap. They believe that no one should earn more in benefits than hard-working families earn. Does the Prime Minister not agree that it is a damned disgrace—[Hon. Members: “Oh!”]—that the Labour party is opposing and trying to wreck this important measure?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Moderation in the use of parliamentary language—and, indeed, the use of parliamentary language— is much to be preferred.