Business of the House

Lindsay Roy Excerpts

Thursday 17th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Sir George Young]

My hon. Friend will know that we will introduce a children and families Bill that will address some of the issues about which she is rightly concerned. It will, we hope, create a time limit of six months for the completion of care cases, and will focus on issues that are essential in deciding whether a court order is made. There will be other issues in the Bill, but I would be testing your patience, Mr Deputy Speaker, if I read them out. This matter is a priority for the Government and it was in the Queen’s Speech.

[Lindsay Roy (Glenrothes) (Lab)]

May we have a debate in Government time about military procurement, and in particular about how robust the tendering process is and how due diligence is progressed? In part, this request was prompted by the experience of a company in my constituency that makes military garments. It tendered a significantly lower contract price than a Spanish company called Iturri. Iturri won the contract and then offered to subcontract the entire business to the company in my constituency at the significantly lower price.

[Sir George Young]

I take it that it was a contract in which the Ministry of Defence was the prime purchaser.

[Lindsay Roy]

indicated assent.

[Sir George Young]

I will raise the issue with the Secretary of State for Defence to see whether there has been any irregularity, and ask him to write to the hon. Gentleman.

Oral Answers to Questions

Lindsay Roy Excerpts

Thursday 22nd March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Vaizey]

Lord Hunt has put forward his proposals and I urge the right hon. and learned Lady to work with him if she thinks that they are not adequate.

[Lindsay Roy (Glenrothes) (Lab)]

4. What consideration he has given to the response from the Football Association, Premier League and Football League to the Government’s response to the report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on football governance; and if he will make a statement.

[The Minister for Sport and the Olympics (Hugh Robertson)]

Before I answer, I am sure that the whole House will want to join me in sending our best wishes to Fabrice Muamba for a full and speedy recovery.

In their response to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry, the football authorities have proposed plans for a smaller FA board, a club licensing system, the establishment of an FA regulatory authority and a closer working relationship between clubs and supporter groups. I welcome all those moves, and I would like football to implement them as soon as possible.

[Lindsay Roy]

May I, on behalf of the whole House, endorse the sentiments expressed by the Minister about Fabrice Muamba? I thank all the medical and club staff for their timely intervention in saving Fabrice’s life. The unity of support from fans across the country has been impressive and demonstrates the best of British values.

What action will the Minister take if the working parties recommend that further powers are needed to remove barriers to the co-operative status of football clubs?

[Hugh Robertson]

We have decided to pass the initial report generated by the DCMS Committee back to it for further consideration and ask for its recommendations. I would not want to give the hon. Gentleman a firm commitment before I have seen the Committee’s recommendations, but I am absolutely determined to ensure that supporters are better represented and have a more central role in the running of their clubs.

Oral Answers to Questions

Lindsay Roy Excerpts

Thursday 9th February 2012 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Sport and the Olympics (Hugh Robertson)]

I can tell my hon. Friend exactly when we will address the issue. There has been a Culture, Media and Sport Committee report into the entire issue and we are awaiting a response that will come by the end of February. Only when the FA board has a better governance structure will it be able to tackle such issues. At the moment, it is simply divided on the basis of the vested interests inside the game.

[Lindsay Roy (Glenrothes) (Lab)]

T4. Further to the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Feltham and Heston (Seema Malhotra) about the video games industry, given the success of the film tax credit in the UK, will the Minister reconsider introducing a tax credit for the video games industry, as per his manifesto commitment, to assist innovative businesses such as those in Dundee?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (Mr Edward Vaizey)]

Dundee is, of course, the home of Abertay university, which is one of the world’s leading universities for the video games industry. The tax credit for the video games industry remains a lively topic, and I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will direct his questions to the Treasury.