Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Business of the House

Marcus Jones Excerpts
Thursday 13th September 2012

(12 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Lansley Portrait Mr Lansley
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What I said last week was accurate and continues to be true. The fact that one is continuously looking at issues, as one does in government—I know that only too well—does not mean that one has changed one’s position.

Marcus Jones Portrait Mr Marcus Jones (Nuneaton) (Con)
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Many of my constituents who are members of trade unions are moderate people who do not think that the best way to lift this country out of recession is to cripple it with strikes. In view of the TUC’s comments this week and given that many strikes are held on the back of very low turnouts in strike ballots, will my right hon. Friend bring forward a debate on whether such a small minority of people should be able to hold the country to ransom at such a difficult time?

Lord Lansley Portrait Mr Lansley
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My hon. Friend makes a very good point. I was interested to see that only 27% of members of the National Union of Teachers voted in its ballot. It seems to be utterly wrong for the education of young people potentially to be prejudiced on the basis of a clear lack of participation among members of that union.