Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Tuesday 14th May 2019 Commons Chamber

[Ms Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Better late than never. I was genuinely perturbed by the hon. Lady’s absence from the Chamber, but she has now beetled into the place and we will hear from her.

[Ms Marie Rimmer]

T9. I sincerely apologise, Mr Speaker. I will explain later, and I am sure you will accept my explanation. I apologise to the Chamber.Given the recent comments and actions of President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu during the Israeli elections, when he called for the annexation of part or all of the west bank, and given that present international law prohibits the acquisition of territory by force and that any such move would put under threat a solution for Israel and Palestine, will the Secretary of State or a Minister commit to calling for an international examination of and protection for the human rights of Palestinians?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Wednesday 27th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Ms Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

Violet Grace Youens was walking home from nursery with her grandma on 24 March 2017. She was hit by a stolen car driven erratically and at 83 mph in a 30 mph zone. The driver and accomplice immediately left the scene, and the driver absconded from the country. Tragically, four-year-old Violet Grace died in her parents’ arms the following day and her grandma suffers with life-changing injuries. The offenders have since been sentenced to tariffs that do not fit the gravity of the crimes.

In October 2017, the Government published a response to the consultation on driving offences and penalties relating to causing death or serious injury. They confirmed proposals to increase the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving from 14 years’ imprisonment to life, along with other tariffs for serious driving offences, and stated that Government would bring forward proposals for reform of the law as soon as parliamentary time allows. Today, after just one week, the public petition “Violet Grace’s Law” stands at more than 74,000 signatures. The Government are repeating the same response—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. This is a matter of the utmost sensitivity. I respect that, and that is why I am allowing the hon. Lady to go way beyond the normal length, but she must now put a question with a question mark—one sentence to wrap it up very well. Thank you.

[Ms Rimmer]

Prime Minister, when do the Government truly intend to bring forward the changes for the reform of the law?

European Council

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Monday 17th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Ms Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

I know why my constituents voted the way they did. It was 58:42. They blamed Europe for the loss of our jobs in manufacturing as a result of the economy going towards finance. Thirty-four of the 43 local authorities are still 13% behind on wages from 2010 and have not recovered. That is why people voted. They have listened to what has been said, but you are not giving them a chance to vote on this offer. Your deal is terrible. It is not a good deal and we will be worse off. The same goes for no deal. Give us a choice. We should have a choice to vote in the House today on your offer.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I have not made any offer.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Monday 19th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Member for St Helens South and Whiston (Ms Rimmer) is belatedly bobbing, but I am not psychic. It helps to bob all along, if you want to be called.

[Ms Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

What plans do the Government have to support the 1.4 million children and young people affected by the decision to discontinue the specialist contract for speech, language and communication needs?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Tuesday 12th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Ms Rimmer]

The Government’s delay in giving out the business rate relief they announced in the spring Budget caused considerable suffering to thousands of businesses across the country. Measures such as the introduction of the staircase tax have also caused considerable tax increases for thousands of businesses across the country. Confidence has fallen back in the second quarter. The chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses has said—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. This is a most interesting essay, for which unfortunately we do not have time. What I am looking for from the hon. Lady—I am sure she will gratify the House—is a short question with a question mark at the end of it.

[Ms Rimmer]

The chairman of the FSB has said that enough is enough and a fundamental review of the business rates should be conducted. Will the Minister agree with the chairman and bring forward a date for a fundamental review of business rates?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Tuesday 7th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Marie Rimmer]

It is quite amazing that the Minister is prepared to stand up and accept that there is a crisis in the NHS caused by the lack of social care provision. The crisis in social care means that more and more local authorities are reduced to just washing, feeding and toileting our elderly people. The crisis in residential care means that people from homes are going into the hospitals and choosing to leave the patients with the most complex needs, because they cannot afford the staff to look after them—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I apologise for interrupting the hon. Lady, but we must have a question: one sentence and a question mark, thank you.

[Marie Rimmer]

There is no comfort for our elderly people. It is not too late for the Government to act. I ask the Minister to look at protecting social care funding. Will he bring forward the £6 billion and the £700 million—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry, but there is a lot to get through. It is not fair on other colleagues.

[Marie Rimmer]

It is not fair on the elderly.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry. I say to the hon. Lady without fear of contradiction that we must spread things out evenly.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Wednesday 7th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Marie Rimmer]

I thank the Minister for the information he has just given me and am pleased with what he has said. He has to acknowledge that some domestic violence victims choose not to go to the police and do not have easy access to the qualifying officers or registrars at present. I am pleased that he is having meetings and look forward to his announcing the steps he is going to take—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. This is very unfair. The hon. Lady is asking a question about help for victims of domestic violence who wish to register to vote anonymously. I really think the House should be attentive to this matter.

[Marie Rimmer]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am pleased that the Minister has acknowledged some of the difficulties these women have in registering. They are victims. I look forward to hearing the steps he will announce in the future. A very real barrier to registering to vote at present is the limited number of officers. The women do not have easy access to those people, which disfranchises them.

Safety in Custody and Violence in Prisons

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Monday 9th May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

It is no mystery why assaults on prison officers, assaults between prisoners and suicides have increased in prisons. Only last week, a report came out showing that every factor had gone up. It is no surprise when staff are cut by a third. I was very pleased to listen to the Secretary of State and I applauded him, but I am disappointed that he is not here today. The vision for the future is good, and I support it, but we cannot wait for jam tomorrow. We need more action now. We are still 7,000 down on staff numbers. We need an increase in the number of officers now. It is not safe for them to go into work now, and it is not safe for the prisoners themselves. We need more action today. I ask you what you intend to do now as a matter of urgency?

[Mr Speaker]

I intend to do precisely nothing, other than to ask the Minister to tell the House what he and the Government will do.

Prisons and Secure Training Centres: Safety

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Monday 11th January 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We can all be assured that the noble Lord has heard that message in real time.

[Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

I welcome the Secretary of State’s words today, and I think that most of us would agree that it is absolutely essential that we have reform, particularly in youth justice. Will he consider introducing the duty of candour in the prisons estate, particularly in young offender institutions, because young offenders are extremely vulnerable? The duty of candour was introduced in the national health service only last April. I think that it would be worth while looking at that, because of the need to safeguard young people in custody—sadly, there will always be a need for that. It is absolutely essential that we have that duty, so will he please give it consideration?

Junior Doctors Contract

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Monday 30th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

This junior doctors dispute is not just about pay. We are very fortunate to have such marvellous junior doctors. My concern, and I know that it is their concern, is about the change to the training of junior doctors in the proposed imposed contract, which will have such a negative impact on the research and development that makes our national health service the greatest in the world. Will you comment on the impact that the change in the contract will have on training and research? Will that be altered, and if not, will you please look at it again, because that is absolutely essential?

[Mr Speaker]

I will do neither of those things, but we will soon discover whether the Secretary of State wishes to do either.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Tuesday 8th September 2015 Commons Chamber

[Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

16 . Justice is a cornerstone of democracy, and access to justice is therefore critical. There are serious concerns about the Ministry of Justice’s proposals to close St Helens county and magistrates court. The practical impact on travel would be very serious. The travel times within the consultation—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I gently say that the hon. Lady is seeking to shoehorn into Question 4 the thrust of what she would have said in Question 16. It is something I did myself in the past, so there is no blemish on her record, but I think that we must leave it there, because it is too difficult to link it to tribunal fees.

--- Later in debate ---

[Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

There are serious concerns about the proposed closure of St Helens county and magistrates court. It is a well- used, fit-for-purpose building and it was only in 2012 that £1.7 million was spent to accommodate the county court. The consultation document states that 95% of attendees will be able to travel within an hour, but no consideration has been given to outlying areas of our borough. Although there is a direct transit bus and rail, there is no direct—

[Mr Speaker]

I think we have probably got the thrust of it. It is a learning curve for new Members. It was a learning curve for me.

Points of Order

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Monday 22nd June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I can certainly confirm that the House should be the first to hear the detail of whatever the Government decide upon. I have received no advance indication from the Secretary of State that he plans to make a statement. It is a matter for him to decide whether and when to do so, but perhaps the hon. Lady’s point of order will prompt thinking about the speed with which such a statement might usefully be made.

[Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Earlier today, I asked a topical question of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. It was a simple question, in which I asked “why the Government are refusing to publish—even though the Information Commissioner has instructed them to do so—the up-to-date statistics relating to the number of people who have died, having been found fit for work at their face-to-face assessment?” In the Secretary of State’s non-answer, he referred to me making “allegations” and making a reference to “suicide”. I did neither. How can we get a simple answer without false allegations being made about me and about another Member behind me? As you know, Mr Speaker, I am profoundly deaf and do not always pick up everything.

[Mr Speaker]

I am very grateful to the hon. Lady for her point of order and for the manner in which she has raised it. I have no responsibility for the content of ministerial answers. It is a judgment for any Minister how to respond. She has made her point in her own way, with force but also with dignity, and it is on the record. It is for Ministers, as it is for any of us, subsequently to reflect on what they have said and to decide whether they have anything to add to it or to subtract from it. I cannot say more than that, but if the hon. Lady remains dissatisfied and wishes to correspond with the Secretary of State or to approach him in some other way, it is of course her prerogative to do so. I thank her very much for what she has said.

[Marie Rimmer]

And I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the respectful way in which you have answered my question.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marie Rimmer and John Bercow

Thursday 11th June 2015 Commons Chamber

[Marie Rimmer (St Helens South and Whiston) (Lab)]

Will the Minister tell us what progress has been made by the Government to ensure the affordability of bus travel for young people, particularly when, after September 2015, young people must attend work-based training or education until their 18th birthday—and bus travel is simply unaffordable now for many such young people?

[Mr Speaker]

Also, it can potentially relieve road congestion.