Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Tuesday 28th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We do need to speed up in terms both of questions and of answers.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

2. What steps he is taking to support economic growth in Yorkshire.

Air Quality

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Thursday 3rd November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I gently remind colleagues that the business statement will follow these exchanges and after that there are two further ministerial statements before we reach the first of the two debates to take place under the auspices of the Backbench Business Committee. Therefore there is a premium upon time, necessitating brevity from Back and Front Benches alike, now to be brilliantly exemplified, I am certain, by Mr Jason McCartney.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Labour-run Kirklees Council keeps forcing through huge housing developments on greenfield sites in my constituency, especially around Lindley, with scant regard for the impact on air quality. Can we please put air quality at the forefront of planning reforms, and can we have a clean air zone in Huddersfield?

[Mr Speaker]

By the way, there will also be up to 20 minutes on the Select Committee statement, which merely serves to underscore the force of what I have just said.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Thursday 22nd October 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I will call Mr McCartney on condition he gives one short sentence.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Does the Minister agree that our national museums that offer free entry—the National Coal Mining museum has free science shows this weekend—are a fantastic free day out for families over the half-term break?

Business of the House

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Thursday 4th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. With short single-sentence supplementary questions and the continuation of the Leader of the House’s exemplary brief replies, I will not say that we will get through everybody, but we will make a pretty good stab at it.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Places of worship in Kirklees were targeted 132 times by thieves in the last three years. There have been many stone thefts, and last night Scapegoat Hill Junior and Infant School had tiles stolen from its roof, just days after the scaffolding required to make repairs after previous thefts had gone. May we have an urgent debate on the scourge of stone thefts that are blighting our communities?

Counter-Terrorism: Conflict Zones

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Monday 2nd March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

I will come to the right hon. Gentleman’s point of order, but, to be fair, the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Jason McCartney) has been present in the Chamber, although he has only just started standing—but that is perfectly proper. Let us hear from him.

[Jason McCartney]

Thank you, Mr Speaker; nobody has made the point that I am about to make. Many legitimate people are travelling from these troubled parts of the world, including students from the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, many of whom study at Huddersfield university. Will the Secretary of State assure me that these security measures will ensure that they are still able to travel to our country and enjoy a world-class education at our universities?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Wednesday 11th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. One sentence. This is a question, not a statement.

[Jason McCartney]

Yes, Mr Speaker; I will finish very shortly. Tomorrow I am meeting local manufacturers at the award-winning Huddersfield university. Can I tell them that the Prime Minister will continue to put Yorkshire at the heart of his long-term economic plan?

Points of Order

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Wednesday 21st January 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am extremely grateful to the hon. Gentleman, and I thank him for what he has said.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Given your understanding and co-operation on behalf of the few, and speaking as a former RAF officer, may I highlight another anniversary—the 75th anniversary of the battle of Britain?

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman has done so, and he has done so with his usual eloquence—and very succinctly.

If there are no further points of order, we shall move on to a matter of great importance to the House: a Division correction. I have received a report from the Tellers in the Aye Lobby about the Division on Trident renewal that took place at 6.59 pm yesterday. They have informed me that the number of Members who voted Aye was erroneously reported as 35 instead of 37. The Ayes were 37, and the Noes were 364.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Monday 15th December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman was characteristically ingenious in the construction of his question, and we are grateful to him—I say that in all sincerity—but I advise the House that it was in any case my intention to get to Question 19, and I remain cautiously optimistic that we shall do so.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

14. What assessment he has made of the rate of change in the number of empty homes since May 2010.

Autumn Statement

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Wednesday 3rd December 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Gosh. The hon. Gentleman appears to be experiencing some discomfort, which I do not like to see. We must hear from Mr Jason McCartney.

[Jason McCartney]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is my marathon training, and in that vein, I ran the London marathon for the Forget Me Not children’s hospice this year. Along with it and my local Kirkwood hospice I would therefore like to thank the Chancellor for the measures he has taken in refunding VAT. The Forget Me Not children’s hospice is recruiting two apprentices at the moment, so will my right hon. Friend continue to support apprenticeships, 4,200 of which have been created in my constituency since 2010?

Child Abuse

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Monday 7th July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am happy to call the hon. Gentleman if he can confirm on the record that he was here at the start.

[Jason McCartney]

Absolutely, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

Good. I call Jason McCartney.

[Jason McCartney]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Much of Geoffrey Dickens’s former Huddersfield West seat was incorporated into my constituency, so there is much local interest in this in my part of the world. I very much welcome the announcement of today’s independent inquiry. Will the Home Secretary assure me that it will look into all the evidence and all the allegations, no matter how old?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Monday 16th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I think we all agree that that would be a magnificent prospect and that it would bring a prompt end to non-co-operation.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I am proud that Kirklees council signed up to the armed forces community covenant on 29 June 2012, demonstrating the strong bond between my local community and our armed forces, particularly as the Yorkshire Regiment suffered such tragic losses in Afghanistan. Does the Minister agree that communities across the UK should show their respect and support for those who risk their lives for our country by signing up to the community covenant?

Business of the House

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Thursday 21st March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I was advised that the hon. Gentleman had left the Chamber; he certainly left his seat and for some significant period was not visible. He has insisted that he was in the Chamber, even though he was not in his seat, so on this occasion—this is not the first time this has happened, as he knows—I will call him, as he is a very assiduous contributor to the proceedings of the House. In future, the hon. Gentleman would help himself if instead of perambulating around, he remained in his seat.

[Jason McCartney]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am suffering with a tickly cough, and I would like to thank your Clerk for providing me with a glass of water, for which I came to the Front Bench.

Will my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House join me in congratulating on behalf of other Yorkshire MPs the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Treasury on agreeing to underwrite by up to £10 million the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire? Can we have a debate on the wonderful economic and social benefits that that global sporting event will bring to Yorkshire?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Tuesday 20th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We can so rely on the right hon. Member for Louth and Horncastle (Sir Peter Tapsell), which is one of the reasons why I particularly enjoy calling him.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

Changes to the Budget

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Monday 11th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I greatly welcome the consultations, but will the Minister confirm that the Government will stand firm on the main facets of the Budget, which have resulted in tax cuts for 25 million people, council tax frozen for the second year running and fuel duty being 10p lower than it would have been under the other lot?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I did not hear a question about changes, but the hon. Member has registered his view with force and alacrity, and it is on the record so his constituents will hear it.

Leveson Inquiry

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Wednesday 25th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Why did the former Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (Mr Brown)—I would never refer to him in an ungracious and ungentlemanly way as “dodgy Gordon”—never once raise the issue of phone hacking with Rupert Murdoch?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I was just waiting to see what part of the question engaged the responsibility of the Secretary of State, but I am afraid the answer was none of it.

Party Funding

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Monday 26th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister does not think it is either; we are in happy accord.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I have to make a declaration of interest as a former trade union representative in Yorkshire. The Unite union has just announced that tanker drivers have voted to go on strike. Does my right hon. Friend agree that Members in this House should be able to condemn such actions without fear of losing a donation?

Business of the House

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Thursday 1st March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Jason McCartney.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Oh, thank you, Mr Speaker. I thought you were looking at somebody else.

A lot of doom and gloom is being peddled at the moment, so in this Olympic and diamond jubilee year, may we have a debate so that Members can mention all the many positive and uplifting things happening in their constituencies? For example, in the past week in my patch I have met many young apprentices—there are 130 new ones. There is a new dye works opening, David Brown Engineering has had another investment from the Government, the National Citizen Service is being launched on Monday in my constituency and young people are engaging with the Olympics. Let us have more positivity.

Armed Forces Redundancies

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Monday 4th April 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman and the Minister for his doughty response. We will now return to the subject of redundancies.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have no doubt about the ability of our armed forces to fulfil the tasks given to them, but I have some worries about morale. Will the Minister join me in appealing to the media to take a responsible attitude to the way they report these facts, and to have respect for the chain of command?

Sustainable Transport

Debate between Jason McCartney and John Bercow

Wednesday 19th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. A great many right hon. and hon. Members are seeking to catch my eye, but I remind the House that there is a heavily subscribed Opposition day debate to follow, and there is therefore a premium on time, so brevity from Back Bencher and Front Bencher alike is essential if large numbers of colleagues are not to be disappointed.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I welcome the Minister’s statement, particularly the details of the local sustainable transport fund. Three Holme Valley councillors wrote to him last week, telling him that First Bus has recently cut local bus services in Holme Valley, leaving many people without much-needed rural bus transport. Will he meet those councillors, some local people and me to see how the announcement today can help to give them the services that they need in their local area?