Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke Evans(1 week, 2 days ago)
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Dr Luke Evans (Hinckley and Bosworth) (Con)
The Royal College of General Practitioners has said the national insurance tax increase is expected to cost 2.2 million appointments. We know from answers to written questions that have been submitted that GPs, hospices and care homes are not exempt from the increases, and will not find out until April what, if any, mitigation will be put in place, so cutbacks are now being planned. Will the Secretary of State explain how his choice to tax GPs will increase GP access?
National Insurance Contributions: Healthcare
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke Evans(2 weeks ago)
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Mr Speaker
Order! The shadow Minister has been granted an urgent question. He asks the questions; he does not answer them from the Front Bench.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke Evans(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Dr Luke Evans (Hinckley and Bosworth) (Con)
It is an honour to stand at the Dispatch Box for the first time, although I have to admit that it is not how I pictured it. I will do my best not to be a pain in your neck, Mr Speaker.
In a nutshell, the creative industries are worried that the Government will essentially give away their intellectual property. I am pleased to hear the Minister’s response, but the growing concerns were raised by the Chair of the Select Committee following comments by a Minister in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. With that in mind, will the Minister confirm that he will not give away IP through an exemption? Will he assure the House that he will not implement the EU’s approach, given its flaws? Finally, will he commit to holding a summit between the tech and creative industries to explore licensing and other models?
Dr Luke Evans (Hinckley and Bosworth) (Con)
No one wants to see people caught up in problem gambling, but equally, no one wants to see businesses struggle and jobs lost. As the Secretary of State said, we want this industry to thrive, yet this week that was threatened after it was rumoured that the Treasury is planning a £3 billion tax raid. That has already seen £3 billion wiped off the value of bookies. Can the Secretary of State clarify whether she supports the industry or the Treasury? Did she raise her concerns about the rumour, and when will we see the gambling reforms brought forward with a timetable for scrutiny by this House?
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke Evans(6 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Dr Luke Evans (Bosworth) (Con)
Mr Speaker
Mr Rosindell is not here, but will the Secretary of State answer his question, as it is the lead?
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke Evans(1 year, 6 months ago)
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Mr Speaker
Order. That was a long answer, which did not really answer the question. What I am more concerned about is that there has not been a reply to a letter that was put in six months ago. Can somebody check that? I am bothered about MPs getting replies from Ministers, not scoring points.
Dr Luke Evans (Bosworth) (Con)
Mr Speaker
I do not think they have any responsibility today, so let us go to Dr Luke Evans.
Dr Luke Evans (Bosworth) (Con)
Online Safety Bill
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke EvansMonday 5th December 2022
(1 year, 11 months ago)
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Dr Luke Evans (Bosworth) (Con)
To take that one step further, is it correct that Ofcom would set minimum standards for operators? For example, the Content Authenticity Initiative does not need primary legislation, but is an industry open-standard, open-source format. That is an example of modern technology that all companies could sign up to use, and Ofcom would therefore determine what needs to be done in primary legislation.
Mr Speaker
Can I be helpful? We did say that our discussions should be within scope, but the Minister is tempting everybody to intervene out of scope. From his own point of view, I would have thought that it would be easier to keep within scope.
Points of Order
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke Evans
Mr Speaker
The last part of the hon. Member’s question has been answered, as she has raised her feelings, and those of her constituents, about the ambulance service for all to understand. I can assure her that I have been given no notice of a statement. I am sure she will continue to pursue the issue, by putting her name in for an Adjournment debate or another way forward. There are other avenues she can be advised on.
Dr Luke Evans (Bosworth) (Con)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. To clarify, could the issue that my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Tom Hunt) raised about the propriety of questions be looked at, hypothetically, by the Standards Committee? Should that be the case, would you direct me on the best way?
Mr Speaker
That is not a matter for the Chair—we certainly do not deal with hypothetical questions and I do not think that is the way forward. If Members want to pursue the matter, they should pursue it through the right avenues. It would also be helpful if hon. Members gave me notice of points of order. Then we would be able to be more helpful. Trying to catch the Chair out is not a brilliant idea either.
Point of Order
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke Evans
Dr Luke Evans (Bosworth) (Con)
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to correct the record. Last week, I spoke in the Backbench Business debate on planning. It has been brought to my attention that I need to make a correction. I said that Hinckley and Bosworth Council does not have a local plan or five-year land supply. Hinckley and Bosworth Council does have a local plan, although in the past 12 months, it has at least once been ruled out of date due to the lack of a five-year housing land supply. When the council leader wrote to me on 14 July about planning, I raise the aforementioned in a responding letter on 30 July. I am still waiting for a response. After speaking in the debate on Thursday—
Mr Speaker
Order. I think this is a correction to what you said, not you putting on record what you want to put on the record. What I want is for you to sit down. Let me say that this is about correcting where you went wrong. We are not entering into a further debate to put on record what you want to put against the council. I think that you will save that for, perhaps, an Adjournment debate if you were to catch my eye.
Coronavirus
Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Luke Evans(4 years, 9 months ago)
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Mr Speaker
Order. I will let this statement run for about an hour, so let us help each other.
Dr Luke Evans (Bosworth) (Con)
With regard to the impact that coronavirus can have, the Secretary of State is right to balance the difference of health and the economy and I welcome his caution in that regard. I want to raise a point about small businesses. If coronavirus does become a more significant problem, are the Government considering making emergency loans available to otherwise good businesses? If not, will he ask other Departments whether they might consider that?