Business of the House

Neil Coyle Excerpts

Wednesday 30th December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

The official Home Office line is that the Home Office is disappointed with the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, as it has a duty to protect the public by removing foreign criminals who violate our laws, and that is obviously right, but I would say to my hon. Friend that there is one fundamental difference between the ECJ and the European Court of Human Rights: ECJ judgments became our law automatically, but judgments of the European Court of Human Rights have to come through Parliament at some point to make our law compatible, but that ultimately is a choice. He will remember that was a choice we were very reluctant to make over voting rights for prisoners. The European Court of Human Rights has a different status—a lesser status—and the great protector of human rights in this nation is this House of Commons, not any court outside the country.

[Neil Coyle (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) (Lab) [V]]

I thank the Leader of the House for his reply to my letter regarding his Scrooge-like attack on charities helping British children just before Christmas. When will he allow time to debate all the efforts of organisations such as UNICEF to support UK children so negatively affected by his Government’s policies, such as universal credit? Will he say what was neglected in his letter, which is when he will visit Southwark to see the excellent UNICEF-funded School Food Matters work here?

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. People do think that UNICEF will be funding people in Yemen, and that is where it boasts of spending money and helping people who are in dire need, and that is quite right. That is a worthy service, and it is where it has support from British Government. Domestically, the British Government’s record is absolutely first class. We are working incredibly hard. We have expanded free school meals to all five to seven-year-olds, benefiting 1.4 million children. We have doubled free childcare for eligible working parents, and we will establish a £1 billion childcare fund, giving parents the support and freedom to look after their children. We are spending £400 million of taxpayers’ money to support children, families and the most vulnerable over winter and through 2021, and we are putting an additional £1.7 billion into universal credit work allowances by 2023-24, which will give families an extra £630 a year. In addition, over 630,000 fewer children are living in workless households than did in 2010—the best route out of poverty—with 100,000 fewer children in absolute poverty between 2010 and 2019. That is a very strong record. UNICEF does admirable work outside the United Kingdom.