Members’ Paid Directorships and Consultancies

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Wednesday 25th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

Let me just develop this point. There are four very revealing points about the Opposition motion that I want to challenge. It is not a motion to ban second jobs—that would not be its effect—and it is not entirely clear what it would ban and what it would not ban. As one of my hon. Friends said, would it ban someone from being a partner of a professional firm? The motion does not mention that. Are lawyers, accountants and management consultants therefore in a different category, according to the Opposition? There is some discussion now taking place on the Opposition Front Bench about whether it would ban a partner of a professional firm, but there is no clarity here. The motion just asked us to make a decision. It is helpful when making a decision to know what is being put to the House. Does it ban someone from owning their own business? Are they banned from owning their own business if they are a director of that business, but not if they are not a director of that business? Have the Opposition thought that out? Does it mean—and this is an important question—that someone who sets up their own business, succeeds with it, creates jobs and contributes to the British economy is then to be barred from the House of Commons because they are a director of that business? That would be the effect. There are three-quarters of a million more businesses in this country after the past four years, and more of the people who created those businesses need to come into the House of Commons and not be discouraged from doing so. One suspects that, after a short examination, this motion shows as much understanding of business as the shadow Chancellor does on a bad night on “Newsnight”.

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

May I restate the concerns of the public and highlight the fact that someone who is the director of a private health care company—as many Conservative Members are—may participate in legislation that brings a direct benefit? That is appalling.

[Mr Hague]

If I understand the hon. Gentleman correctly, he is saying that being a director of one sort of company is not acceptable, but being a director of other sort might be. That is not at all clear in the Opposition motion before us tonight.

Business of the House

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Thursday 15th January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

My hon. Friend will be able to pursue the need for debate through all the normal methods, with which he is extremely familiar. Today, the farming Minister, the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, our hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (George Eustice), is discussing with the industry and the National Farmers Union how to help manage the volatility of prices, such as through the creation of a futures market. We recognise that milk prices continue to fall and that it is a concerning time for British dairy farmers. My hon. Friend the Member for Ribble Valley (Mr Evans) will know that we have worked with the industry to open up new export markets, and exports are rising. We have given dairy farmers the opportunity to unite in producer organisations so that they have greater clout in the marketplace. As I said, the Minister is discussing with the industry and the unions what further we can do.

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

Notwithstanding the representations made by the shadow Leader of the House and other hon. Members in respect of the Infrastructure Bill, would the Leader of the House consider having a specific debate about the merits of, and safety factors involved in, undersea coal gasification? I have raised the issue in questions with the Department of Energy and Climate Change and I am told that an internal working group has been established, but would it not be beneficial, in the interest of transparency, to have a full debate, perhaps in Government time, so that my constituents and others can better understand the merits and potential benefits as well as the risks to the local economy?

[Mr Hague]

It is perfectly reasonable to request time to debate such matters, but, as the hon. Gentleman knows, the main opportunities for debates of that kind are now provided by the Backbench Business Committee, the Adjournment and Westminster Hall, and I suggest that he use those channels. Government time is not available for such general debates, important and interesting though they might be.

Business of the House

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Thursday 30th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

I understand my hon. Friend’s concern about that. I cannot offer a statement, but he may be aware that there are oral questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on Monday, so there will be an early opportunity to ask about that and other issues.

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

Is it not time, in the interests of the House and of informing public opinion, that we had a debate in Government time on the implications of the transatlantic trade and investment partnership? The Leader of the House was in the Chamber for part of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs questions when a number of Government Members asked about food safety. There are also implications for environmental regulations, wages, terms and conditions, and concerns about the NHS. Would it not be opportune, while the negotiations are proceeding in secret, to have an open and public debate about them?

[Mr Hague]

It is certainly important for these matters to be discussed. The Government will not allow TTIP negotiations to harm the NHS. TTIP will not change the fact that it is up to British Governments alone to decide how British public services, including the NHS, are run, whoever is in government, and that must remain the case. But I understand that the hon. Gentleman has concerns and different arguments about it. Again, I cannot offer a debate in Government time. A great deal of the time of the House is now allocated and well used by the Backbench Business Committee, so I encourage him to use those opportunities, as well as to continue to question the Ministers responsible.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Tuesday 17th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

The evidence I have seen is that the guidelines on this are well observed, and work is going on on EU-wide guidelines. But of course, where there are serious problems with them, if my hon. Friend or others would like to bring that to our attention, I will investigate.

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

25. Does the Foreign Secretary agree that, to achieve a democratic solution, residents of East Jerusalem must be permitted to vote in the Palestinian elections—and that includes releasing Palestinian MPs who are held in administrative detention, and the free passage of movement?

[Mr Hague]

It is very important that Palestinians are able to vote freely in the elections, which are envisaged within six months, for the new technocratic Government being created. Of course, we will make that point to the Israelis and to the Palestinians themselves.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Tuesday 3rd December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

My right hon. Friend makes an important point. So far, we have agreed among the G8 nations and the 137 nations that have now signed the declaration that I put forward that crimes of sexual violence in conflict are grave breaches of the Geneva conventions and their first protocol. That does not require us to change the Geneva conventions, but it does require us to get the whole world to recognise that those crimes are breaches of the Geneva conventions in any case and should be part of the rules of warfare that the whole world should accept for the future.

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to promote the humane treatment of prisoners held in the US; if he will make representations on the fairness of the trial of the Miami Five to his US counterpart; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Tuesday 18th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

4. If he will consider the introduction of a ban on importing products from Israeli settlements in the occupied territories.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague)]

During my recent visit to Israel, I raised our serious concerns about settlement activity at the highest levels, including with Prime Minister Netanyahu. We are working to ensure that settlement produce is correctly labelled so that consumers can make an informed choice. However, I do not believe that imposing a ban on settlement goods will promote peace.

[Grahame M. Morris]

I thank the Foreign Secretary for that reply; I do not doubt his good intentions, but the time for rhetoric is passed. The latest expansion of illegal settlements is making a two-state solution impossible on the ground. Will he consider further steps and accelerate the labelling proposals he mentioned so that consumers can make a choice as to whether they support the Israeli system of apartheid?

[Mr Hague]

The hon. Gentleman is right to say that settlement activity is steadily making a two-state solution impossible. That is why time is running out for a two-state solution, which was the case I made to the Israeli and Palestinian leaders on my visit to Israel and the occupied territories. We are taking up with other European countries the commitment of the EU High Representative to prepare EU-wide guidelines on the labelling of settlement goods—that is the direction we are taking on that policy. Above all, the answer is to get Israelis and Palestinians back into negotiations so that we can settle all the issues, including the future of settlements and final status issues. That is what we are concentrating on now.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Tuesday 4th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

T7. In the light of the increasing instability in the middle east and concerns about a possible nuclear arms race in the region, will the Foreign Secretary tell us what pressure the British Government are exerting on Israel to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty?

[Mr Hague]

This is a long-running issue, on top of all the other issues concerning Israel and the middle east that we have discussed today. Israel has maintained a position over decades of not signing the NPT. In the last review conference of the NPT we strongly encouraged the idea that there should be a conference dedicated to the middle east, and a Finnish facilitator of that conference has now been appointed. Disappointingly, the conference is not taking place this year, but we hope it will take place soon.

Palestinian Resolution (United Nations)

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Wednesday 28th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

Yes, absolutely. There is a major opportunity for the new Egypt to do that. Last week, I called the Egyptian Foreign Minister to congratulate him on the efforts Egypt has made, and the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), called again last night to urge the Egyptians on with their efforts on further negotiations about Gaza, in trying to open up Gaza but prevent the smuggling of weapons. If that can be achieved, Egypt will be in a strong position to continue its efforts on broader issues.

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

No hon. Member doubts the Foreign Secretary’s integrity or honesty or the diligent way that his team has tried to bring about peace in the middle east with his usual good humour, but is he not concerned that we are on the wrong side of the argument? We should be on the side of the right, not the might. Opposition Members have referred to a major poll conducted by YouGov, showing that 76% of respondents were in favour of recognising the Palestinian state and only 6% were against it. Is it not rather perverse that he is saying that Palestinians should not place preconditions on negotiations when that is precisely what we are doing? I am afraid that we are putting ourselves on the wrong side of the argument.

[Mr Hague]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for stating his arguments in such a measured way. I think that Members on both sides of the House are on the side of a successful settlement of the middle east peace process and a two-state solution. Our only disagreement is about how to encourage that. Our view is that when faced with such a vote at the UN we should use it in a way that maximises the chances of negotiations by removing preconditions. I know that there are strong feelings about that, as has been illustrated across the House. He will understand that we cannot determine our foreign policy week by week according to opinion polls. If we did, he might not agree with the conclusions that would be reached on many issues.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Tuesday 4th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

T3. Given that Venezuela has held more elections than nearly any other country in the world in recent years, and that these have been independently verified as free and fair by international bodies, will the Foreign Secretary join me in calling for all parties in Venezuela, including the Opposition parties, to recognise the outcome of October’s presidential elections, whatever the result may be?

[Mr Hague]

There is certainly a vigorous election campaign going on in Venezuela; there is no doubt about it. We support a democratic process in Venezuela, and of course want the elections to adhere to the highest standards. Everyone will have to make their own judgment about the elections at the time, but we certainly hope that they are elections whose outcome everyone can respect.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and Lord Hague of Richmond

Tuesday 3rd May 2011 Commons Chamber

[Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

T8. Let us be clear about the impact of the spending cuts on the Arabic division of the BBC World Service. In one month it will be forced to reduce its daily output of live TV news from 15 hours to seven and of live radio from 12 hours to seven, and it will also lose 44 of its Arabic staff. In the light of the recent monumental events across the Arab world and the integral role of the BBC World Service as a provider of impartial information, will the Foreign Secretary act now to save this valuable service?

[Mr Hague]

The answer really is the same as the one I gave a few moments ago: we have to operate within all the spending constraints involved in repairing the budgetary catastrophe left to us after last year’s general election. Unfortunately, that has consequences for the World Service too, but the Arabic service, along with so many other services of the World Service, will not just be secure for the future; it can be developed further for the future, along with BBC World, which is also of importance in the Arab world, because we have secured its long-term future within the BBC licence fee.