Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Wednesday 15th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Hon. Members]

Hear, hear!

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister should bask in his own popularity.

[Kris Hopkins]

I take it that reaction was not for me.

The use of the d’Hondt system is a stipulation of the Belfast agreement, as it ensures cross-community representation in the Executive. The Government are committed to upholding Northern Ireland’s constitutional settlement, as outlined in the Belfast agreement and its successors.

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[Kris Hopkins]

Just last week, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor committed additional money to funding in Northern Ireland. There is a responsibility to get the Executive back to offer leadership in this matter. I urge every Member in this House to visit Northern Ireland—take a weekend break—as it is an amazing place to visit.

[Mr Speaker]

Finally, constraints of time are against us, but Sir Jeffrey Donaldson must be heard.

[Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley) (DUP)]

8. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the provision of legal protection to veterans of the armed forces who served in Northern Ireland under Operation Banner.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Kris Hopkins)]

This Government are unstinting in our admiration for the role that our armed forces have played in Northern Ireland in securing democracy and consent. The current process for addressing the past is not working, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said earlier, and we will ensure that the new legacy bodies will be under legal obligations to be fair, balanced and proportionate. [Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Let us hear from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

[Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson]

Given the scrapping of the Iraq inquiries and the judgment today in the case of Alexander Blackman, is it not time that the Government provided legal protection to the men and women who serve this country on the frontline?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Wednesday 20th July 2016 Commons Chamber

[Kris Hopkins]

I would be absolutely delighted to meet the hon. Gentleman and other Members from both sides of the House. May I just put on record my respect for the fact that he has managed to secure a £5 million trust for local employers? [Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are discussing very serious matters, including the security of Northern Ireland, to which exchange the hon. Member for Pendle (Andrew Stephenson), who has a related question, might wish to contribute now.

[Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con)]

10. Following the recent threat increase, will my hon. Friend assure the House that he remains absolutely committed to ensuring that our security agencies, police and others have the equipment to deal with any threats they might face?

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[Kris Hopkins]

The key thing to say about the issue of digital registration is that it is not replacing the old system. The existing system will stay in place and there is an opportunity to contribute on the issues relating to rural communities in particular, which I know many Members from Northern Ireland are concerned about.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Fabian Hamilton. Where is the fella? He is not here.

Business without Debate

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Tuesday 3rd May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We come now to the petition—

[The Vice-Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household (Kris Hopkins)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman is ahead of himself. What a fast-thinking denizen of the House the Comptroller of Her Majesty’s Household, the hon. Member for Croydon Central (Gavin Barwell), is. Why should I expect otherwise from a cerebral Whip?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Monday 10th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Sir Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex) (Con)]

Is my hon. Friend aware of the serial bad behaviour by the Co-op in my constituency and others in the south, where it is taking over pubs and converting them into shops, often on very unsatisfactory sites? The Ship Inn in Cuckfield in my constituency is uniquely badly placed to serve as a Co-op. Will he look at what he can do to review the article 4 direction scheme, and to give general instructions about where such shops should be sited?

[Mr Speaker]

That was a splendidly detailed question. There was I thinking that the right hon. Gentleman was going to tell us about the champagne and oysters that he consumes in his community pub, but I was wrong.

[Kris Hopkins]

I commend my right hon. Friend for his support of the local pub. The article 4 direction scheme is strong, and it gives councils the opportunity to intervene. I know that there is a passionate campaign to support the Ship Inn. I would welcome the opportunity to meet the campaigners, and I will try to support them where I can.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Monday 30th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I cannot wait to hear the reply, but I wonder whether we ought to have an Adjournment debate on the matter.

[Kris Hopkins]

I have had the opportunity to visit HCA departments around the country, and there is some tremendous work delivering the houses that are needed. I take the point that my hon. Friend has raised. I will see the chief executive of the HCA this afternoon, so I will take a note with me.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Monday 7th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[Kris Hopkins]

I have seen my hon. Friend’s house; it is quite spectacular, and I congratulate him on it. The Government do not record which authorities have come forward, but the National Self Build Association monitors which authorities have looked at self-build. There are 60 councils at this moment in time and there are lots more considering how to put self-build into their draft plans.

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman has won ministerial plaudits for his talent and conscientiousness as a builder, and I am sure he will be deeply obliged to the Minister.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Monday 3rd March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Kris Hopkins]

The Government remain absolutely committed to ensuring that tenants are aware of, and understand, right to buy. We have sent more than 1 million leaflets to social landlords, and our website had 100,000 visitors in the past month alone. We are continuing to campaign with tenants to ensure that they know their rights on how they can secure their own home.

[Mr Speaker]

Excellent. We got through the lot. I am most grateful to colleagues for their succinctness. [Interruption.] It is well done to the House.

We come to topical questions. I call Mr Dave Watts.

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[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Kris Hopkins)]

Rough sleeping in the country overall has increased by 5%, and it has fallen by 3% in London.

[Mr Speaker]

Sheryll Murray is not here. I call Neil Carmichael.

Border Control Scheme

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Tuesday 15th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Kris Hopkins (Keighley) (Con)]

Does the Minister agree that the previous Government’s reckless open-door immigration policy resulted in problems in community cohesion in many of our towns, and that we should not be taking lectures from individuals on the Opposition Benches?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Gentleman has put his concerns on the record, but we must stick to the Minister’s responsibility.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Tuesday 15th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Kris Hopkins]

I think that was the wrong answer to my question.

I hope the Secretary of State has made progress in collecting the money that criminals have been fined, and may I ask that once we have collected some of the money and we have made a contribution to reducing the deficit, we increase our prison capacity?

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister delivered his answer with admirable force and self-confidence, but I think it suffered from being the wrong answer, as he was, perhaps, not expecting to be responding to this question. If he can provide us with the right answer to the question now, we will be very grateful.

Points of Order

Debate between Kris Hopkins and John Bercow

Monday 26th July 2010 Commons Chamber

[Kris Hopkins (Keighley) (Con)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. You will be aware of the recent Westminster Hall debate in which we were reminded that one party with representatives elected to this House still refuses to take up its seats yet claims its allowances and expenses. May I ask you to make a ruling as to how we can bring this shameful activity to an end? Do you not agree that it is an affront to Members who believe that it is a privilege to serve and debate in this House, and that it is not, as some others believe, possible to be an associated Member of the Houses of Parliament?

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order, and I respect the fact that there is concern about this issue in some sections of the House. First, I am of course aware that there has recently been a Westminster Hall debate on the subject—on 30 June if memory serves me correctly. Secondly, this is a matter for the House. The hon. Gentleman might be aware—and other Members will certainly be conscious of this—that a resolution of the House regarding the use of facilities and the ability to claim expenses that touched on precisely the matter that is of concern to him was passed on 18 December 2001. If the House wishes at any stage to consider this matter again and to debate and vote upon a resolution, it will, of course, be entirely open to the House to do so. This is, therefore, a matter not for the Speaker but for the House. I hope that is helpful.