House of Commons
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Kirsty Blackman
Kirsty Blackman (Aberdeen North) (SNP)
Mr Speaker, two of my colleagues have been elected to Scotland’s national Parliament, so this is a bittersweet task for me.
Ordered,
That the Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new Writ for the electing of a Member to serve in this present Parliament for the Burgh Constituency of Aberdeen South, in the room of Stephen Flynn, who, since his election for the said Burgh Constituency, has been appointed to the Office of Steward and Bailiff of His Majesty’s Manor of Northstead in the County of York.—(Kirsty Blackman.)
Mr Speaker
I never thought he would represent an area of Yorkshire, in England. [Laughter.]
Ordered,
That Mr Speaker do issue his Warrant to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a new Writ for the electing of a Member to serve in this present Parliament for the County Constituency of Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, in the room of Stephen Patrick Gethins, who, since his election for the said County Constituency, has been appointed to the Office of Steward and Bailiff of His Majesty’s Three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham in the county of Buckingham.—(Kirsty Blackman.)
Points of Order
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Kirsty Blackman
Mr Speaker
I am grateful to the hon. Member for his point of order. Patrick was a long-serving and well-respected member of the Lobby. I am sure that the whole House will wish to join me in sending our condolences to his family, for somebody who was taken so young.
Kirsty Blackman (Aberdeen North) (SNP)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek your guidance on how I can get a response from the Department for Work and Pensions. I have written to the Secretary of State in relation to one of my constituents, who was told by a first-tier tribunal that the DWP must make payments to him backdated to January 2020. The tribunal decision was in February and we have been chasing the Department for a response for over a month. Will you advise me on how I can get a response?
Mr Speaker
I think the hon. Lady knows exactly what she is going to do next, but she has certainly put the matter on the record and I hope Members on the Treasury Bench have heard. I find it pretty appalling that Government Departments are not answering correspondence from all Members, from all political parties, on time. In the end, Back Benchers are answerable to their constituents, and if Departments cannot provide a reply, they are letting down hon. Members. I hope the relevant officials are listening and answering as I speak.