Housing White Paper

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 7th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Member for Leeds North West (Greg Mulholland) is not lazy. He is hyperactive.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. For the Secretary of State to call anyone lazy when these few pages are the best he can do is pretty pathetic. It is also pathetic that he has done nothing in his term to ensure that the right houses are being built in the right places. Will he speak to Bramhope & Carlton and Pool in Wharfedale parish councils about why they are facing yet more development of greenfield and green-belt land for the kind of housing that is not necessary? Will he speak to local Conservative councillors who oppose his planning policies?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 6th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Of topical length, please, Mr Greg Mulholland.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

Leeds is reviewing its support for transport to school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and there is a risk that people over-16 may not get such funding. Will the Government commit to ensuring that all children in such a situation in the country get the funding they need for transport to school?

Trident: Test Firing

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 23rd January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am sure it went down very well at the Oxford Union.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

The Prime Minister was asked nothing that compromised security; she was asked what she knew, and her refusal to answer that four times is an embarrassment not just to the Government but to the United Kingdom. Does the Secretary of State not understand that at a time when the Government are making cuts in virtually all areas, not dealing with this misfiring will make people believe that the huge price tag of Trident is not worth it, and that needs to be addressed?

Business of the House

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 3rd November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I trust the hon. Member for Leeds North West (Greg Mulholland) will now impress us with a single sentence inquiry.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

At this time of year, when we remember those who died and their families, it is a national disgrace that there is a group of women who still do not receive any support from the state because after grief they again found love. May we have a debate on this injustice and an announcement from the Government that this will finally change?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 28th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We are blessed to have a second dose of the hon. Gentleman this morning.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

Will the Minister finally give a date for the implementation of the pubs code? With licensees currently missing out due to the Department’s mistake and the delay, will she now apply the Burmah Oil principle to ensure that the code is retrospective from the original date, as it clearly can be?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 27th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Last, I call Greg Mulholland.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

I thank the veterans Minister for taking account of the plight of war widows who have been penalised for remarrying. Can he give us some idea of how long his review of the matter will take?

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 6th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

What I would say to the hon. Gentleman, to whom I am grateful, is as follows. First, the matter is not sub judice—he was not suggesting that it is, but I understand that it is not. Secondly, however, I think it prudent and wise to leave the investigating authorities to conduct their investigations, and not to seek to do so ourselves in this Chamber with an imagined expertise and authority. Last, when the hon. Gentleman seeks my wider guidance, I think it best to avoid the hypothetical and to deal with these matters as and when—but only as and when—they arise. We will leave it there.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

On a different and unrelated matter, I am sure. The hon. Gentleman is nodding solemnly and sagely.

[Greg Mulholland]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I seek your advice for the second time in a matter of months. A ministerial visit has been organised to the excellent Makkah mosque in Headingley in my constituency. On this occasion, I had to drag it out of the office of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the visit was for. I was delighted he was doing it, but can you make it clear to Ministers that, while we welcome their visits, they should have the courtesy to tell us where they are going and what they are doing?

[Mr Speaker]

First, I think it best that Ministers who are going to visit colleagues’ constituencies are explicit and candid about these matters, subject only to security considerations. It is much better to tell colleagues what the visit is about than to deprive them of that information. Secondly, I must say that I have always found the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who visited my own constituency recently, the very embodiment of courtesy.

Business of the House

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 21st April 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Members have got to determine their own priorities in these matters. I say to the House that somebody who wants to contribute to the next series of exchanges, which are rather important, is apparently supposed to be serving on some Statutory Instrument Committee. Well, I know what I would do if I wanted to speak in the debate: the SI Committee can wait till another time, another century.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

There is huge excitement in Yorkshire that local hero and world champion Lizzie Armitstead is lining up in the women’s Tour de Yorkshire a week on Saturday. Just as significantly, it will be the most lucrative women’s cycling race in the calendar, and the whole event will be televised. May we have a debate on how we can do more to support women’s sport, to give it parity of coverage and financial reward with men’s sport?

Business of the House

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 25th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We are all better informed than we were.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

My constituent Lance Bombardier James Simpson sadly lost both legs in Afghanistan, but he has since inspired people by becoming the first double amputee to do an obstacle challenge. He and other brave injured servicemen, however, have found that the NHS cannot cope with their artificial limbs. May we have a statement from the Secretary of State for Health on how the NHS can solve the problem and come up with a better plan to help our brave servicemen and women?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 9th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I will call the hon. Gentleman if his question consists of one sentence.

[Greg Mulholland]

Leeds has a shortage of integrated care beds and pressure on acute services. Will the Secretary of State—[Interruption.] That was a comma, Mr Speaker. Will the Secretary of State please intervene, so that Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust can open wards at Wharfedale hospital, which it wants to do, while the clinical commissioning group provides the money?

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 19th January 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

First, I must emphasise that all Members can vote on this matter today. The hon. Gentleman can vote on it; I do not want him to develop—it would be sad and worrying if he did—a persecution complex. I would not want him to feel that he is excluded. The hon. Gentleman says that he is making his point of order by way of being helpful, and I cannot think I would doubt that for a moment; I do not think he ever intends anything other than to be helpful to me, to the House, to the nation and, of course, to his constituents. He certainly can vote on the matter.

The House will have been struck by the hon. Gentleman’s use of his adjective in relation to the procedure. I, of course, did not make any evaluation of the procedure. I simply made the factual point that it is not something introduced by the Speaker; it is something that the House has said the Speaker shall do. I am the servant of the House, and I am doing it to the best of my ability. The hon. Gentleman has made his own assessment of the procedure and he is, of course, as he has pointed out using other words, a distinguished ornament of the Procedure Committee. Members who wish to make representations to that Committee and to its illustrious Chairman, the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Mr Walker), should, of course, do so. That opportunity has been helpfully advertised.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. On a separate matter, I was astonished on Friday lunchtime to be told by a constituent that the Prime Minister was visiting the wonderful Makkah mosque in my constituency on Monday morning. Having followed that up, I received an e-mail at 4.57 saying that that was the case, but those sending it refused to tell me where the visit was—even though I had already told them that I knew! Only on Monday morning was I finally told where the visit was going to be, given that I was not told in the first place.

Apart from the “Keystone Cops” attitude to national security, given that a sitting Member of Parliament was not told about a visit that constituents did find out about, I ask your advice on parliamentary protocol, Mr Speaker. On this occasion, I did not have the opportunity either to liaise with the wonderful Makkah mosque, which does marvellous work on integration, or to speak to the Prime Minister’s Office to give him my thoughts and advice on the work the mosque does before his visit.

[Mr Speaker]

I rather imagine that the Prime Minister thinks of little else in the course of planning his day than of the merits of receiving, in such terms as the hon. Gentleman thinks fit and at such length as is necessary, the hon. Gentleman’s advice. It occurs to me off the top of my head that it would have been open to representatives of the mosque to notify the hon. Gentleman in a timely way.

On the matter of the protocol whereby Members should be notified of visits, I would say that it is best for colleagues to interpret their responsibility in this matter broadly. That is to say—I do not refer to any particular case—that rather than taking a narrow view and thinking that notification would take place at a very late stage, it is better to notify a colleague well in advance of an intention to visit his or her constituency. My own personal view is that where we are dealing with colleagues who are right hon. and hon. Members, it is a courtesy to give more information rather than less. I hope that is helpful to the hon. Gentleman and to the House. These sorts of matters tend to arise from time to time.

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Wednesday 16th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The right hon. Gentleman mutters “Shame” from a sedentary position, and I feel sure that it is a matter to which he will return, quite possibly before the Christmas recess. We shall wait to see.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

I think the hon. Lady has just done it, although there is one further parliamentary day. Of course, the scheduled debates for tomorrow are what they are and I am not at all sure that either of them would facilitate her in that respect, but there are other opportunities on every parliamentary day and she will have to use her ingenuity, which is not inconsiderable, to see if she can refer to the matter again and extract some sort of ministerial response in the Chamber.

[Greg Mulholland]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

I am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman. The news that he reports on a very serious matter is, frankly, horrifying—it is absolutely horrifying news indeed. Of course, there is a direct locus for the Secretary of State and the Department for International Development in view of our continuing commitment to Malawi, with which country I know the hon. Gentleman, from his personal experience, is intensely familiar, so, I think probably on behalf of the House, I can empathise with what he has said.

The noise at Question Time is very disturbing. I do often say to the House that we are dealing with extremely important matters. In some cases they are important matters not only from our point of view, but to people elsewhere in the world who are in very much more vulnerable situations than we are, so common courtesy would dictate that there should be a civilised atmosphere and that questions and answers should be heard. The hon. Gentleman knows, to be fair, that it is ordinarily not a calculated insult; it is that colleagues are very excited and animated about the upcoming Prime Minister’s questions and are engaging in often protracted and noisy private conversations. I can only exhort colleagues to remember their responsibilities to each other and to people whose concerns we are discussing.

More widely, the hon. Gentleman makes quite an important point about possible rotation. There is no procedural bar to rotation. If there is a significant body of Members who feel that it is wrong that one Department should have to occupy that very difficult slot for an extended period, they can make representations—I am trying to be helpful to the hon. Gentleman; I cannot solve the problem overnight—to the Leader of the House and, indeed, if I may say so, to the Chair of the Procedure Committee, the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Mr Walker), who is, in my experience, unfailingly helpful to, and courteous in his dealings with, Members of the House.

[Greg Mulholland]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I do not at all mind waiting to seek your advice or to share some very good news. I know that you will be delighted, as will the House, with today’s news that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has approved the drug Vimizim for sufferers of Morquio disease. That is life-changing news for the 88 people and their families, and it is the result of a large campaign.

I seek your advice, Mr Speaker, because this is a hugely important matter that has exercised considerable time and a number of questions in this House. Given that there will be no pre-recess Adjournment debate tomorrow, and given the very limited time available for a statement from the Department of Health—which would be very welcome, particularly because it is such good news—I seek your advice on how the issue might be raised in the time remaining to us, considering not only its importance, but the importance of the ultra-rare diseases that have not received this news, such as tuberous sclerosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

[Mr Speaker]

There are two points in response to the hon. Gentleman’s point of order. First, I am absolutely delighted to hear that excellent news. Although the hon. Gentleman was too modest to draw direct attention to his own work on the subject, I think Members across the whole House know just how indefatigable he has been in his efforts on behalf of those very vulnerable people, so I would like to congratulate him and other Members on their persistence. It is absolutely magnificent news. We are here to serve other people and this is a very good example of where that has been done, not least due to the prodigious efforts of Back Benchers such as himself and a number of his colleagues.

Secondly, there is every opportunity for statements to be made tomorrow. Ministers will have heard what the hon. Gentleman has said. Whether a Minister wishes to come to announce and elaborate on the good news, and potentially to answer queries about other categories of people who might also be helped, I do not know. The hon. Gentleman also knows that, whether or not a statement is offered, there is an opportunity for Members to submit urgent questions. The hon. Gentleman has done it many times himself, sometimes with success. I cannot possibly give a commitment in advance, because we do not deal with the matter in that way. One thing the hon. Gentleman knows is that if he does not extract a commitment by a Minister to make an oral statement tomorrow and he chooses to submit an urgent question, I will see that question and read it in full, and it will be considered and adjudicated on at the morning meeting at 8.45 am tomorrow. I hope that that is helpful to him and, indeed, to other Members of the House.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 1st December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Last, but not least—and with commendable brevity, I feel sure—I call Mr Mulholland.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

British pubs currently have 0.5% of British turnover, but pay 2.8% of business rates. Will the Chancellor meet me and officers of the save the pub APPG to discuss how we can better support pubs in the taxation system?

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 1st December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I think it would be better if it were available in both. I am advised by he who knows, to whom I am grateful, that the motion has been available in the Vote Office since 12.56 pm.

Look, we are where we are. I genuinely thank the Leader of the House for what he has said, and his attempt to provide clarification here and there. It is so much better if we can proceed in a consensual manner on matters of procedure. We acknowledge the existence of differences of opinion on the substance—differences of opinion that will exist right across the country—but we must do our business in an efficient, orderly and, where possible in terms of procedure, consensual fashion. I think the point is made, and it should not need to be revisited on subsequent occasions.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. This relates to a different point. I wish to bring to the House’s attention, and seek your guidance about, what happened in the House of Lords last night. Owing to the disgraceful way the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has backtracked on its clear commitment to this House to uphold the will of this House and to introduce the market rent only option for tied pubco licensees, our noble friends in the other place took it upon themselves to take the unprecedented step of introducing the same concept into a second Bill. There is confusion about what will now happen. May I seek your advice as to not only how we now proceed from a legislative point of view, but how we bring BIS Ministers to this House to get them to explain that they will actually respect the will of the House and do what they agreed to do at the Dispatch Box?

[Mr Speaker]

The short answer to the hon. Gentleman, whom I thank for his point of order, is twofold. First, I had no advance notice of it. I am not complaining about that, but I am simply saying that it makes it difficult for me to give any authoritative verdict from the Chair at this time. Secondly, I say to him that he is as dogged a terrier as any Back-Bench Member of this House—I hope he will take that in the positive spirit in which I intend it—and he will not let go of the issue. He has pursued it over a very long period with exemplary tenacity, from which other Members could learn, and I think that he will return to it.

I do not know whether the Government have any plan—I am not aware of it—to come to the House to explain their thinking or how they believe their conduct now is compatible with what had previously been said. I know where the hon. Gentleman sits and I know that he seeks to catch my eye, and I am always happy to try to facilitate his interrogating the Government on this and indeed other matters. I hope that he will hold his horses for now. If he wants to have a further conversation with me when I am more in the loop, I am happy to try to assist.

I thank the Leader of the House, the Chief Whip and the shadow Leader of the House for their interest and attendance, and if there are no further points of order, perhaps we can now move to the ten-minute rule motion.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 7th July 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Emulating Strangford brevity, perhaps, I call Mr Greg Mulholland.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. On 22 June, the Life Sciences Minister said in a written answer:

“The decision on the interim funding of Vimizim…will be made by NHS England by the end of June 2015.”

The families involved, and also families affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy and tuberous sclerosis, were then told that there would be a decision on 30 June and 1 July—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman will resume his seat. It is a discourtesy to the House to be long-winded, especially when exhorted not to be. The hon. Gentleman has got—[Interruption.] Order. Do not argue the toss with the Chair, Mr Mulholland. Don’t shake your head, mate. I am telling you what the position is: you were too long. [Interruption.] Leave, that is fine—we can manage without you. [Interruption.] You were too long and you need to learn. That is the end of it. I call Mr Peter Bone.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 23rd June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

The family of Richard Davies are devastated by his death on Yeadon high street. A man has been charged with manslaughter and yet has been granted bail, which is very distressing for the family. What guidance is given to judges—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry, but the hon. Gentleman must listen. My advice is that the case is sub judice and, on the basis of a charge having been brought, it is not appropriate to raise the matter in the Chamber at this time. I recognise the assiduity of the hon. Gentleman, who may find other opportunities, but not now.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 16th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

I am proud that the coalition Government sought to start the rebalancing of the British economy and introduced the northern powerhouse scheme, which I support. It seems clear that we will have to have a mayor in the Leeds city region. Will the right hon. Gentleman seriously consider the possibility of having a Yorkshire-wide mayor to rejoin together that wonderful county, which could be a real powerhouse for the whole of this nation?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We have got the gist of it.

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Wednesday 29th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The short answer to the hon. Gentleman is that the House can debate whatever the House wants to debate, and hon. Members can seek opportunities to air matters in the usual way. I have a hunch—it is reinforced by the wry grin emerging on the hon. Gentleman’s face—that the idea will by now have occurred to him, if it had not already done so, that he could seek to raise these matters in an Adjournment debate. I just have the sense, although I am of course not psychic, that his application will be winging its way to the appropriate quarter before the close of the day.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. We now finally have the overarching report into the suspension of the Leeds children’s heart unit, which has exposed very serious failures in the safe and sustainable review process and clear abuse of whistleblowing by both NHS medical professionals and officials. We have not heard anything about any statement, which we clearly need from a Minister at the Dispatch Box, finally to put this matter to rest and allow Members to contribute to that closure so that all such units can move on. May I seek your advice on how we might be able to do that?

[Mr Speaker]

If memory serves me correctly, Health questions took place relatively recently so it may be some little while before the next scheduled session takes place. However, the hon. Gentleman will be aware that as he raised his point of order, no less illustrious a figure than the Deputy Chief Whip, the right hon. Member for Chelsea and Fulham (Greg Hands), was sitting, as he still is, on the Treasury Bench, and his point will have been heard. Furthermore, the hon. Gentleman will know that we have business questions tomorrow, and I just have a sense that he will be in his place to raise this matter and to demand a statement from the Government.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 1st July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

T3. We have seen another celebrity convicted of a string of appalling child sex offences—someone who used and abused their position and their power. Is it not time that we had an overarching inquiry into the culture at that time and those historical sex offences, so that we can bring closure and learn lessons for the future?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Of course, no sentencing has yet taken place—a fact of which I am sure the Minister is well aware, and will frame his response as he thinks fit.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 24th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Very briefly, Greg Mulholland.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

It is very welcome that the Government are introducing a statutory code of conduct for pub companies, but it lacks the all-important market rent only option. There is concern about the direct lobbying of the Treasury by the British Beer and Pub Association and the pub companies. When will the Treasury accept the freedom of information request from the all-party save the pub group?

[Mr Speaker]

Put the long version in the Library.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 6th May 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Last, but not least, and very briefly, Mr Greg Mulholland.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

I, too, warmly welcome the announcement on increased sentences for disqualified drivers. Will the Secretary of State seriously consider another common-sense move as part of the review: making it a presumption that licences will be taken away as a condition of bail for anyone charged with killing as a result of criminal driving?

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 10th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

It is for Ministers to decide, and I must say that, so far as I was concerned, the Chancellor of the Exchequer discharged his obligations by courteously writing to inform me of his intended absence and the reason for it. The hon. Gentleman has made his point very clearly. Nothing disorderly has happened. I think there would be a general agreement across the House that it is overwhelmingly desirable for Ministers to be present for their own Department’s Question Time sessions. There are occasions on which that does not prove practical. I think it right and fair to leave it there for today.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Earlier at Treasury questions, a Treasury Minister provided an answer from the Dispatch Box that was, I am afraid, clearly based on incorrect information provided by an official. It referred to pub closure figures and the CGA statistics. The Minister said that there was evidence to show that free-of-tie pubs close in greater numbers than tied pubs. CGA, which compiled the figures, has made it clear that there are no figures in existence for that comparison, yet officials are still wrongly briefing Ministers. Can you advise us, Mr Speaker, how we can correct what was clearly an inadvertently misleading statement from the Dispatch Box?

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order, but this is the second occasion on which I have become aware of his displeasure. The first occasion was at the time of the answer, when I heard him bellowing his disapproval from a sedentary position with the words “not true” or something along those lines. The hon. Gentleman is nothing if not a persistent woodpecker. I must tell him, however, that Ministers are responsible for the accuracy of their answers. The hon. Gentleman has made his point with great force, and it is on the record. May I politely suggest that he might like to have a private conversation with the Minister if he wishes to pursue the matter further. At least for today, we will leave it there.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 18th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Sir Malcolm Bruce—not here.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

It has now been confirmed that the chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, the lobbyist for the large pub companies, made two false statements to the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and said on television that the Government had figures for pub closures, which they do not. The opponents of much needed reform are conducting a campaign of misinformation. What assurances can I get from the Minister that the claims being made, which are simply not backed up by evidence, will not be taken into consideration when the decision is made?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 15th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister should not be discouraged in any way. In my experience, politicians may have to say things several thousand times before they are heeded. The Minister is getting some good practice.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

We must of course ensure that our visa system is fit for purpose, but will the Minister acknowledge the importance of non-EU students not only to the national economy but to local economies? There are 33,000 in Yorkshire and the Humber and 5,795 at Leeds university alone, and they make a huge contribution to the local area.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 13th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

T2. The Secretary of State is right to say that he cannot comment during the consultation and to urge as many people as possible to take part in the BIS consultation on pubcos by tomorrow, but does he agree that the evidence supplied to him must be accurate and honest? Given that in the past week we have had a dishonest and untruthful statement to MPs and the Select Committee from both the chief executive of Enterprise Inns and the chief executive of the lobbying organisation for pubcos, the British Beer and Pub Association—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman will resume his seat. Topical Questions must be brief. The hon. Gentleman has had one opportunity already. There is a lot to get through and there are other colleagues to consider.

Planning (Mottingham)

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 21st May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland]

The all-party save the pub group is entirely behind my hon. Friend’s community campaign and will offer him any support we can. The simple answer—I hope we will hear this from the Minister—is twofold. First, as my hon. Friend will know, the great news is that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is consulting on finally dealing with the property scam that is the pubco model, which includes Enterprise Inns. I hope that we will hear later this year that that will be dealt with. Secondly, I hope that we will start to get it through to the community pubs Minister—my hon. Friend and I had debates when he used to be the community pubs Minister—that although the provisions in the Localism Act 2011 are positive, we cannot accept a planning framework that allows such behaviour. We must have a change, so that pubs cannot become supermarkets behind communities’ backs and without any consultation with those communities. That cannot be right.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman would almost have had time to consume a pint in the course of his intervention.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 26th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. As I think the House knows, the hon. Gentleman was practising the shoehorning technique, which was as mischievous as it was just about orderly.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

The biggest threat to the UK might be not the Scottish referendum next year, but the increasing sense in England that the current constitutional settlement is not a fair one. Does my hon. Friend agree that we already have two different classes of MPs, in the sense that Scottish and Welsh MPs have colleagues in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly who perform some of the role that English MPs do?

Business of the House

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 1st November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Can the hon. Gentleman assure me that he was present in the Chamber at the start of the Leader of the House’s statement?

[Greg Mulholland]

Indeed, and before the end of Energy and Climate Change questions, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

If he was, that is fine.

[Greg Mulholland]

May we have an urgent debate on the nonsense of empty properties having to pay rates? It is hugely damaging and is preventing business. Wharfebank business centre in my constituency renovates old mill space to provide wonderful office space. The business is desperate for tenants, yet it cannot renovate further space, because if it does it will be forced to pay full rates on it. It does not make sense and is holding back growth.

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 1st November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. The position has been and remains entirely clear. If a right hon. or hon. Member is going to allege misconduct on the part of another Member, there is a duty to inform the subject of the complaint in advance of making that complaint on the Floor of the House.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman must contain himself; his appetite will be satisfied ere long.

It is in all our interests for us to operate on the basis that I have described. I thank the hon. Member for Crawley (Henry Smith) for giving me the opportunity to make the position absolutely clear.

[Greg Mulholland]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Government have now decided that they will deal with Back-Bench business by ignoring it, not taking part and therefore not giving the House the opportunity to express a view. I do not believe that that is acceptable, Mr Speaker. Would you like to comment?

[Mr Speaker]

That is not really a point of order for the Chair now, although I could have an interesting discussion with the hon. Gentleman or other Members about it. How the Government react to individual Backbench Business Committee debates must be a matter for the Government.

I do not think that now is the occasion for me to enunciate an entire doctrine on the subject, but suffice it to say that I am hearing what is being said and attending to it rather closely. I am sure that the Government will want to respect the debates that take place under the auspices of the Backbench Business Committee; after all, the House, with Government support, established the Backbench Business Committee.

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 18th October 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

That is not a point of order, and it is not a matter for the Chair. I think the hon. Gentleman is intimately conscious of both those facts.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek your advice on a serious matter—misinformation being provided by civil servants both to Members of the House and to members of the press and public. The hon. Member for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (Mr McCann) raised that matter on Monday, but this is a different example. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills officials have said publicly that the commitments made in the Government response to a Select Committee inquiry have now been fulfilled, but they clearly have not been. They have also said that an independent pubs advisory system has been set up, but it has not. This is a very serious matter that needs to be properly investigated, because officials, as well as Ministers, need to be properly held to account. I seek your advice on how best that should happen.

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, of whose point of order I had no advance notice. I make no complaint about that, but it is difficult to be certain as to the detail of how best the matter can be addressed.

I say to the hon. Gentleman that Ministers are responsible for the work of their officials. If he seeks to hold Ministers to account for information that is or is not being provided, he has the recourse of the Table Office and the opportunity to table questions. If he remains dissatisfied, I know that he is nothing if not persistent and indefatigable, and he can always seek an Adjournment debate on the matter. I hope that is a helpful and substantive response to his important point.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 19th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman is a very experienced denizen of the House. He will know that points of order follow statements, and the hon. Gentleman’s point of order is one that we await with eager anticipation.

Business of the House

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 14th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the Leader of the House and other colleagues for their co-operation.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

Points of order will follow the statement on banking reform.

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 14th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I have raised previously the awful case of the Prenga family, with Fran Prenga in a Greek jail. To my astonishment yesterday, I discovered that MPs’ parliamentary offices cannot phone numbers abroad, so I was unable to phone embassy and consular staff in Greece, unable to contact the family and unable to speak to the office of Edward McMillan-Scott, MEP, who is assisting in this case. It is clearly an absurdity to have to get my constituency office to make calls that I need to make myself from London. Could this matter be addressed as a matter of urgency?

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. The matter is one to be taken up with the director of Parliamentary Information and Communications Technology. I am happy to do so, and then refer back to the hon. Gentleman as quickly as I can. He has raised a pertinent point, which requires a timely response. I hope that will be to his satisfaction.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 5th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

T4. My constituent Vicki Gilbert relies on the disability living allowance mobility component, which gets her the blue parking badge she needs to go about her daily life. Despite the fact that she is an amputee with no possibility of recovery, she has been forced to go through periodic reassessment, and because of the backlog she has had to wait five weeks without a blue parking badge. Does the Minister agree that the process is superfluous in such situations, and will she look at this issue so that others in similar circumstances do not have to wait for their badge?

[Mr Speaker]

I feel an Adjournment debate coming on, and it will not be long.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Tuesday 31st January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

It has come to light that barrister David Friesner recently defended a fraudster, despite having just been convicted for stealing £81,000. We had an absurd situation in which a criminal was representing a criminal, which brings the legal system into disrepute. Will the Minister look into the actions of the Bar Standards Board and consider mandatory suspension for those guilty of serious crimes?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. My firm impression is that this matter is currently sub judice and, if I am correct in that surmise, I know that the Minister will exercise his customary lawyerly caution, and it might well be that silence is the best policy.

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Wednesday 26th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

What I would say to the hon. Gentleman is, I hope, simple and clear: what is involved, in my judgment, is not a matter of order but of taste, and for the avoidance of doubt I would prefer not to hear either term used in the future by any Member.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Like many in the House, I warmly welcome the Government’s e-petition system, which triggered our important debate on Monday. However, I want to ask your advice, because there is no guidance on whether Members of Parliament should sign e-petitions. I believe that they should not do so, because such petitions call for debates. May we have some clarity on the process?

[Mr Speaker]

In a sense, it is flattering to me that the hon. Gentleman seeks my guidance, but it is not appropriate for me to provide it. My simple advice is that it is for the hon. Gentleman as an individual Member to decide whether to sign a petition, and I offer that advice to all hon. Members—make your own judgment on the merits of the case. There is no rule, no Standing Order and no matter of parliamentary proprietary involved one way or the other.

Point of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 24th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. On Friday I sought to table an amendment to the important motion that is to be discussed—and rightly so—this afternoon. The amendment called for an in/out referendum at the appropriate time, namely following the resolution of the eurozone crisis. However, the Table Office refused to take the amendment from my colleagues and me, although I offered to do it by e-mail or through my researcher, or to have a long conversation on the phone.

As you know, Mr Speaker—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I think we have got the drift of the point of order.

[Greg Mulholland]

It is possible, Mr Speaker, for someone to introduce to the Public Bill Office, but not the Table Office—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman must resume his seat. We have got the gist of his point of order. I am grateful to him for giving me notice of it.

The rules governing the form of authorisation required to authenticate matters tabled on behalf of Members when they are not able to be present in person are designed to protect them. If the hon. Gentleman, notwithstanding what I have said, believes that they are no longer relevant to modern circumstances, I suggest that he raise the matter with the Procedure Committee. I hope that that is helpful.

petition

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 12th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

rose—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. May I appeal to Members who are leaving the Chamber to do so quickly and quietly, affording the same courtesy to the hon. Gentleman that they would want to be extended to them in similar circumstances?

[Greg Mulholland]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I present a petition on behalf of the Friends of Spring Gardens campaign group, a group in my constituency formed by families, friends and supporters of residents facing the loss of their care home as a result of a raft of care home closures across the city by Leeds city council.

The petition states:

The Petition of residents of Leeds,

Declares that the Petitioners believe that Leeds City Council should act now to stop the closure of Spring Gardens care home in Otley; notes that the home is the only council-run care home in the Otley catchment area; also notes that most of the residents are in their 80s and 90s and the closure of the home would severely disrupt their lives.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to encourage Leeds City Council to take the necessary steps to stop the closure of Spring Gardens care home.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

[P000956]

Spring Gardens Care Home

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 12th September 2011 Commons Chamber

Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)

- Hansard -

rose—[Interruption.]

Mr Speaker

- Hansard - - Excerpts

Order. May I appeal to Members who are leaving the Chamber to do so quickly and quietly, affording the same courtesy to the hon. Gentleman that they would want to be extended to them in similar circumstances?

Greg Mulholland

- Hansard -

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I present a petition on behalf of the Friends of Spring Gardens campaign group, a group in my constituency formed by families, friends and supporters of residents facing the loss of their care home as a result of a raft of care home closures across the city by Leeds city council.

The petition states:

The Petition of residents of Leeds,

Declares that the Petitioners believe that Leeds City Council should act now to stop the closure of Spring Gardens care home in Otley; notes that the home is the only council-run care home in the Otley catchment area; also notes that most of the residents are in their 80s and 90s and the closure of the home would severely disrupt their lives.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to encourage Leeds City Council to take the necessary steps to stop the closure of Spring Gardens care home.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

[P000956]

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 7th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Ministers are rather testing the knee muscles of a number of right hon. and hon. Members who keep bouncing up and down.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

T4. Leeds has a strong case to be considered for the green investment bank, and I look forward to discussing it next week with the Minister, but may I ask for some cross-departmental working? The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announcement, which appeared to suggest that Leeds was no longer in the running, was not helpful, so can the Minister assure me that it is not a foregone conclusion that the bank will be in London ?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 10th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Nicky Morgan. Not here.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

I warmly welcome the Government’s clear commitment to take high-speed rail to Leeds, but will the Secretary of State give proper consideration in the consultation to the high-speed north proposal by Harrogate engineer Colin Elliff? The route would not go through the Chilterns, hence avoiding some of the environmental concerns there.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Thursday 20th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am grateful to the Minister.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

I am delighted that the Government have committed to backing the 2013 rugby league world cup, but there remains a concern that with the abolition of regional development agencies some significant funding from those sources will no longer be available. Will the Minister reaffirm the Government’s commitment and perhaps update the House on discussions with the Rugby Football League about ensuring that this important tournament is a big success?

Local Government Funding

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 6th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The short answer to the hon. Gentleman’s inquiry about how best he can register his concern is that, as I think he knows, he has just done so. It is very clearly on the record. As a very experienced Member of this House, he will also be aware that the form of such a motion and the question of whether it is debatable is not a matter for the Chair. However, the hon. Gentleman has registered the point and I hope that he feels pleased to have done so.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. May I ask the Chair how much time Back-Bench MPs will get to speak in the three-hour debate on Thursday? That is an issue of huge concern to many hon. Members, who feel that there is insufficient time to debate a matter of such huge importance to ourselves and our constituents all round the country.

[Mr Speaker]

The short answer to the hon. Gentleman is that he can ask me how long there will be for Back Benchers to speak—proof of that is that he has done so—but I am afraid that I am unable to give him an answer to that question. What I can say to him is twofold: first, as he knows, I am always keen that Back Benchers in this place should get the maximum opportunity to put their case; and secondly, the Leader of the House and the Deputy Leader of the House are both present, fortuitously or otherwise, and they have heard the hon. Gentleman’s point of order.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Wednesday 3rd November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

Talking of photographs, we know from the Conservative party conference that the Prime Minister, like me, enjoys a pint. As he knows, this is the first ever British pub week. Will he join me in celebrating this vital cultural and social institution? Will he commit to being a pro-pub Government, and will he join the save the pub group—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I have been very helpful to the hon. Gentleman, and he should not abuse my help by trying to ask three questions when one will suffice.

Higher Education Funding

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Wednesday 3rd November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

I accept and welcome the fact that this proposal is more progressive than the current system, but I cannot accept that it has to be tied to an increase in fees. That is something that I cannot and will not accept. Will the Minister acknowledge some perversities within the idea of increasing fees? First, increasing fees to £6,000 leads to the possibility that students going into lower-entry courses and institutions will subsidise those on higher-entry courses. Secondly—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman will resume his seat. I am sorry but this is the second—[Interruption]. Order. This is the second time that this has happened today. There are lots of Members trying to get in. I want to help the hon. Gentleman and other Members, but we cannot have twin-hatted questions. It will not do.

Points of Order

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 18th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman is an experienced parliamentarian. He is no stranger to getting his point across, if at all possible in prime time, and registering it in the Official Report. He has been successful in that objective. There is, I believe, a written ministerial statement today. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will understand if I take the remainder of his comments in the spirit in which I think they were intended—as a contribution to the debate and a register for the benefit of his constituents of his trenchant views on the matter.

[Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Over the weekend, the media reported a leak from the Treasury about the amount of compensation payable to Equitable Life victims. That came the day after the Public Administration Committee published its report on the matter. May I seek your advice, Mr Speaker, on how we can get clarification from the Treasury as to how that happened and if it is indeed the Government’s position? May I also ask you how we clarify whether the Government will actually respond—as they should—to the Select Committee before they make firm and final recommendations?

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order, to which I would make two points in response. First, as he knows, an urgent question application was submitted on the matter—if memory serves me correctly, by the hon. Gentleman himself. That urgent question was not granted and the House will know that the Speaker is not expected to give reasons as to why UQ applications are not granted and, in fact, is expected not to do so. In those circumstances, it is not really proper for an hon. Member, who may be disappointed by the decision, then to try to raise it as a point of order instead. I say that on this occasion, but I am sure that it will not be necessary to say it again.

The second response to the hon. Gentleman, who is a very assiduous contributor to our proceedings, is that on Wednesday he will have an opportunity, or at least the House will, further to probe these important matters, which I accept are of enormous interest to a large number of Members, and more particularly to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of constituents across the country. I hope that is helpful to the hon. Gentleman.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Greg Mulholland and John Bercow

Monday 11th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Greg Mulholland]

I thank the Minister for her answer. That there have been no representations contrasts with the fact that many representations have been made to Education Leeds and similar authorities. Lucy Holmes, my constituent, has finally, after a lengthy battle—10 years—had a review of her SEN statement, in which time, of course, her needs have changed substantially. What will the new Government do to ensure that children’s needs are met by reviewing statements far more frequently?

[Mr Speaker]

In the Leeds North West constituency.