Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great Britain

Debate between Laurence Robertson and John Bercow

Thursday 24th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We have had only five Back Benchers, even though the urgent question has been running for 26 minutes. I say gently to the Secretary of State that nobody could accuse him of excluding from his answers any consideration that he thinks might be material in any century, but it would be helpful if we expedited progress on this important matter.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

In no way dispelling the fears of the Unionist community, of which I would consider myself one, may I quote what the Library says on this matter:

“there are currently checks on animal products entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain including physical checks on livestock”?

While there is the potential for those to increase under this agreement, the agreement is not establishing a principle in that respect—that principle is already established.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Laurence Robertson and John Bercow

Monday 25th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman is imploring me and has been sitting patiently in his usual statesmanlike fashion, so I want to hear from him.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

18. What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of employment in defence manufacturing.

EU Withdrawal Joint Committee: Oversight

Debate between Laurence Robertson and John Bercow

Wednesday 20th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am sure that the right hon. Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) will regard it as the encomium of all encomiums to have tribute paid to him by the junior Minister; he may well feel so uplifted by the tribute that he wishes to have it framed. However, I say gently to the Minister that his tribute suffers from one notable disadvantage: despite its generosity, it offered no answer to the question.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

The Minister has referred several times to the devolved Administrations, but he will be aware that the Northern Ireland Assembly has not sat for over two years, so how does he think the Joint Committee will take note of the thoughts coming from the Province on what is, of course, one of the big issues of the whole agreement?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Laurence Robertson and John Bercow

Monday 10th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

She is here now, but she could be patient until later, when she will also be here.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

3. What recent discussions he has had with schools on promoting apprenticeships to pupils.

Points of Order

Debate between Laurence Robertson and John Bercow

Tuesday 17th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. All Members of this House, including Ministers, are responsible for the veracity of what they say in and to it. Insofar as the hon. Gentleman is concerned that he should have redress in respect of this matter, it seems to me there are, in the approach to the recess, only two avenues open to him. One is for him to table a written question. He will be aware of his entitlement to put named day questions, that is to say questions that receive a more urgent response. The other option is for him to seek to persuade me that the matter warrants an urgent question on the Floor of the House between now and when the House goes into recess, in which he would have an opportunity directly to engage with a departmental Minister on this matter.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

On a point of order of which I gave you notice some hours ago, Mr Speaker. In 1975, Short money was introduced for Opposition parties to carry out their parliamentary duties. In 2006, a change was made and representative money was introduced for Members of those parties who do not take their seats in this House and therefore do not partake in the work of this House. I understand that one particular party, namely Sinn Féin, has claimed over £1 million since that date to provide them with expenses for a job they patently do not do. Mr Speaker, I wonder what your view on that is and whether you could advise me on how that may be challenged.

[Mr Speaker]

I am very grateful to the hon. Gentleman. I do not think it is a point of order. It has to be said that that does not put the hon. Gentleman in a particularly exclusive category, as most attempted points of order are in fact more attempted than points, if I may say so. What I would say to him by way of response, and I appreciate the sincerity with which he raises the issue as a former Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, is as follows. Money akin to Short money, representative money, is paid to Opposition parties represented by Members who have chosen not to take their seats in respect of costs incurred exclusively in relation to the party’s representative business. That was, as I suspect the hon. Gentleman knows, decided by the House in November 2005. I had no role in that matter, other than as a Member of the House. I had no greater role than anyone else. As the Speaker, I have no role in changing that arrangement or, alternatively, upholding it. It is the property, if I may say so, of the House. If the hon. Gentleman has concerns about the administration of this arrangement, or about the fact of payment or particular payments, he should direct his concerns to the Accounting Officer of the House who, as I am sure Members will know, is also the Clerk of the House. I well understand the hon. Gentleman’s unhappiness on this matter, but he should communicate with the Accounting Officer about it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Laurence Robertson and John Bercow

Wednesday 20th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I think we should hear from the former Chair of the Select Committee. The final inquiry in this section today—Mr Laurence Robertson.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

10. Whether he plans to propose changes to the devolution settlement in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

[Mr Robertson]

I thank the Secretary of State for that answer, but given that the failing of the Executive and the Assembly to exist is detrimental to Northern Ireland, and given that it is only one party in Northern Ireland that is refusing to allow them to function, is it not time to look at the Belfast agreement to see whether we can evolve it so that, in future, the Assembly and the Executive will continue to serve the people of Northern Ireland? [Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am rather disappointed that the former Chair of the Select Committee was not heard in hushed and reverential tones, but we may have to wait until 2018 for that.

Northern Ireland: Political Situation

Debate between Laurence Robertson and John Bercow

Monday 3rd July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Consistent with what I said to the House last week, I am keen to uphold the tradition that Members wishing to take part in exchanges on a statement should be those, and only those, who were here at its start. I do not wish to embarrass individuals. A couple of Members who came in late are, very graciously, not standing, but that is not uniform. Those who came in late and are standing should not be doing so. It is quite wrong to wander in halfway through a statement and then expect to be called. Some people might even think it a tad arrogant, but there we go.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

Regardless of the difficulties or disagreements among the parties in Northern Ireland, should not those issues be sorted out within the Assembly and the Executive, and not in this place? Or is it the case that one party, or maybe more, is actually looking for a rewriting of the rules?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Laurence Robertson and John Bercow

Thursday 29th June 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We have run late. I want to accommodate the Member with the last question on the Order Paper, but no other.

[Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con)]

10. What recent assessment he has made of the extent to which sentencing of people convicted of burglary has been unduly lenient.