Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 16th July 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Pithiness personified: I call Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Is not the best way to protect value, service and price for consumers through the promotion of competition?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 11th July 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Women (Victoria Atkins)]

My hon. Friend has asked a deviously difficult question, in that there are many ways to interpret it. I have taken it to reflect the gender split in sectors. The worst sectors in terms of the gender split for women are construction; mining and quarrying; and water supply, sewerage and waste management. All those sectors have workforces that are more than 80% men. The worst sectors in terms of the gender split for men are education, human health and social work. We are working with all those sectors to drive action plans to address the specific problems that men and women face, whether in recruitment, retention, or progression to senior leadership roles, in those sectors.

[Mr Speaker]

Brilliant though the Minister is, she cannot be expected, any more than any of us can, to know the inner workings of the sophisticated mind of the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone).

[Mr Hollobone]

There is a highly disproportionately low number of male primary school teachers. What can the Government do to address this?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Monday 1st July 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I would not want the hon. Gentleman to feel socially excluded.

[Mr Hollobone]

Will the Secretary of State confirm that, when fully rolled out, spending on universal credit will actually be £2 billion a year higher than is currently spent on the equivalent legacy benefits, and that this will be worth some £300 a year to each recipient family?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 25th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I note that the hon. Gentleman is advised to expostulate rather than to expatiate. It is an interesting essay question in its own right as to the respective merits of each.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

There are clear international rules regarding British sovereignty in Gibraltar, yet Spain continuously and repeatedly breaches the integrity of the maritime waters surrounding the Rock. What will the Minister do to remind Spain of its obligations under the rules-based international order?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 6th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Oh, very well.

[Mr Hollobone]

Seventy per cent. of the world’s poorest people live not in the poorest countries but in the middle-income countries, and the G20 has a vital role to encourage these people to work their way out of poverty by free trade. Does the Secretary of State agree?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Hollobone]

We spend almost £1 billion a year on incarcerating more than 9,000 foreign national offenders in our prisons, many from developing countries to which we already give international assistance. Given that it is far cheaper to build a prison to requisite standards in those countries than here, does it not make sense to use our international aid budget to send these people home, using the funds from the Department for International Development?

[Mr Speaker]

I am advised that the Minister of State has just been elevated to the Privy Council. I congratulate him on that and wish him well, and I am sure the House will want to join me in congratulating the right hon. Gentleman.

Gender Pay Gap

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 4th April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Several Members wish to catch my eye, but the Backbench Business Committee debates are heavily subscribed, and there is a business question to follow. There is a premium on brevity from Back and Front Benchers alike, and I want to move to the business question no later than 11 o’clock. People should take their cue from the right hon. Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne), whose succinctness is exemplary. I call Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Which sectors of the economy have the biggest gender pay gap, and which have the smallest?

Counter-Daesh Update

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Monday 11th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

As the British Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend is an international statesman. One hundred years ago, his predecessor was drawing the borders of all the countries we are talking about in this discussion this afternoon. In the treaty of Versailles 100 years ago, the Kurdish people were in effect ignored by the western powers. One hundred years on, after their valiant efforts against Daesh, will my right hon. Friend assure the House that we will not abandon the Kurds again and that we will help them to achieve if not independence, at least autonomy in Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Iran?

[Mr Speaker]

Notwithstanding the validity of what the hon. Gentleman has said about the status of the Foreign Secretary as an international statesman, my hunch is that the right hon. Gentleman is altogether a wilier soul and too discerning a dad to try that one on with the kids.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 17th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (David Rutley)]

I bring apologies from the Secretary of State this morning. He will not be attending these proceedings because he is attending vital cross-party meetings in Downing Street—[Interruption.] I am sure that Members across the House will understand that those meetings are vitally important at this stage.

In answer to Question 1, in the 2017 autumn Budget, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was allocated an additional £310 million to support its work on EU exit preparations in this financial year, 2018-19, with a further £10 million being repurposed from existing budgets. DEFRA is using that additional funding to prepare for and deliver its ambitious programme of EU exit activities in readiness for all scenarios, including preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement, as is the duty of a responsible Government.

[Mr Speaker]

Further to what the Minister has just said, I advise the House that the Secretary of State, in keeping with his usual courtesy, informed me last night of his intended absence. I shall greatly miss him, but we look forward to seeing the fellow again before too long.

[Mr Hollobone]

Well, I am not sure that the House does understand the Secretary of State’s absence, Mr Speaker. DEFRA questions are only half an hour long; surely those meetings could have been delayed for 30 minutes. My question to the Minister is: will DEFRA be 100% ready in the event of us having to leave with no deal?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Monday 7th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We are short of time, but I want to hear the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone).

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

19. How much her Department has spent on preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 13th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I think the Minister meant “one” rather than “you”.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

T4. What importance does the Minister for Digital and Creative Industries attach to ensuring the digital security and integrity of elections by protecting secret ballots from digital or photographic interference?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Wednesday 12th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I would gently point out that this is not an essay exchange competition; this is Question Time. For goodness’ sake, let’s speed up.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Will the Minister remind the House how many brave British service personnel were killed or wounded in Operation Banner, which was the defence by this country against a terrorist onslaught in Northern Ireland?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 27th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Far too long.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

As local government is reorganised in Northamptonshire ahead of May 2020, will the Minister consider whether it may not be appropriate in all cases for local councils to manage public health budgets, and whether in some cases it might make sense for the NHS to regain control?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 15th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Very wise, very deft—we are very grateful to the Minister.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

What justification is there for an eight-year delay in the implementation of section 106?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 13th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

A sentence from Kettering—I call Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Will the Minister consider introducing a Queen’s award for offender rehabilitation to encourage employers to employ ex-offenders?

Universal Credit

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 16th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The House is in quite an excitable state. This is a matter of the utmost seriousness and there is passion, which I respect, but I am keen to accommodate as many people as possible. I call Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

The roll-out of universal credit reaches Kettering tomorrow—

[Mr Speaker]

I beg the hon. Gentleman’s pardon. This is the trouble when there is a lot of noise. It is everybody else’s fault, not mine. [Laughter.] No, it is my fault and I apologise to the hon. Gentleman. I shall come to him. I call Neil Gray.

June European Council

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Monday 2nd July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Tom Pursglove (Corby) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Ah, the Northamptonshire rivalry—Socrates and his follower. Who is to be? I call Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Hollobone]

The press speculation today is that the Prime Minister is in receipt of senior civil service advice that the European Union will not accept a bespoke deal. For any deal to be better than no deal, will the Prime Minister confirm that it needs to be a bespoke arrangement to suit the special needs of the fifth-largest economy in the world? Will she also confirm that we will not be forced to take an off-the-shelf option, such as the Norwegian model, and that the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Department for International Trade have been working their socks off to ensure that we get the bespoke arrangement that our country needs?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 26th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The last question in this session goes to Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

15. What steps he, Ministers of his Department and the British Embassy in Tehran have taken to tackle the threat posed by Iran’s support for Shia Islamists abroad; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 14th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Proceedings would be incomplete if we did not hear from the conscience of Kettering.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

15. Whether the EU has agreed to reciprocate in full to UK subjects living in the EU the rights that the Government have offered to EU citizens living in the UK.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 7th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

There may be bats in the belfry; I do not know. The hon. Gentleman is chuntering from a sedentary position. Whether he does so with the advantage of knowledge of the matter is a divisible proposition.

[Mr Hollobone]

In contrast with bell ringers in churches in most other countries in the world, in this country, bell ringers can change the order in which the bells are rung, thus allowing for great creativity and the creation of wonderful different sounds. It is a startling fact that 95% of all the churches in the world where that is possible are located in England. Is not now the time to celebrate this wonderful part of English heritage and unique contribution to church music?

Home Office Removal Targets

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 26th April 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am keen to accommodate a few more colleagues, but there is huge pressure on time and therefore all inquiries, without exception, need to be brief, and the responses characteristically so from the Home Secretary.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

May I commend the Home Secretary for her response to the Windrush scandal but press her on the separate issue of illegal immigration? Press reports this week show that 27,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested by 28 forces in the past four years. Why is it being left to the police to arrest illegal immigrants? Why are they not being stopped at the border?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 15th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Ah! I have a choice between Bone and Hollobone. I call Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Hollobone]

Does the promotion of leaker-in-chief and Brexit-phobic Martin Selmayr to the EU’s top civil service post help or hinder our stance, or make no difference at all?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 8th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I join in congratulating the hon. Lady and say to her: engagement, birthday and a tribute from the hon. Gentleman on the Treasury Bench—her cup runneth over! It does not get any better than this.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Burton Latimer, Desborough and Rothwell are small towns in the borough of Kettering that all have excellent local heritage centres run by volunteers. In small communities that are going through rapid change, is it not more important than ever that we encourage such heritage centres?

Leaving the EU: Economic Analysis

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 30th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) looks as though he has just consumed a very bitter lemon, but I hope he recovers.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Does my hon. Friend share my dismay that pro-remain Members of this House who represent constituencies that voted to leave leap on incomplete economic analysis and profess deep understanding of complex economic methodology, yet fail to wrap their minds around the simple arithmetic of the referendum, which was that 52% voted to leave?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Monday 22nd January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Can the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone) write the brevity textbook?

[Mr Hollobone]

I welcome the Government’s best value inspection of Northamptonshire County Council. Will the Minister ensure that the transfer of the fire service out of the council to the police and crime commissioner is not delayed by this inspection?

BBC Pay

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 9th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I hope I can be forgiven for making the point that if the Secretary of State was so keen for the issue to be aired in the Chamber, he could have volunteered to make an oral statement to the House. The reason why the issue is being aired in the Chamber today is that somebody—namely, the hon. Member for Livingston (Hannah Bardell)—applied for an urgent question and I granted it. I massively welcome the right hon. Gentleman’s participation, but I think it is quite important that the public should know how this matter has come to be aired in the Chamber today.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

In Britain in 2018, we have the unbelievably absurd situation where it remains a criminal offence not to pay a licence fee to an organisation that has institutionalised gender pay inequality. Will the Secretary of State invite Lord Hall to his office for an interview without coffee to explain urgently that the situation is unacceptable and needs to change well before 2020?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 21st December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I congratulate the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone) on his tie, which is as flamboyant as my own.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Northamptonshire County Council is proposing to cut 28 of its 36 libraries. Will the Minister send in the Government’s libraries taskforce to see whether a county-wide libraries trust might be set up to save these vital public services?

Local Government Finance Settlement

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 19th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I have just noticed that two Government Whips are wearing identical ties, which takes the concept of party discipline to a new level. I am not sure whether to be encouraged or appalled. I leave it to colleagues to make their own judgment, political and aesthetic.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

I declare my interest as a member of Kettering Borough Council.

Northamptonshire County Council might be the local highways authority, but it has run out of road. The council will set a legal budget for 2018-19, but it has made it clear that it will not be able to finance its statutory functions in 2019-20 unless something changes. Part of the solution is obvious to many local councillors: local government needs to be restructured in the county. Will the Secretary of State encourage the presentation of such proposals for his consideration?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Tuesday 5th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Member for Clacton (Giles Watling) has an exactly similar question. I would have called him if he were standing, but he was not, so I did not, but if he does, I will. No? The hon. Gentleman does not wish to do so. So be it; it is his choice.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Can the Minister confirm that elements of our civil and criminal law go back to Magna Carta in 1215 and earlier, that our legal system is far more long established than any EU legal system, that we have one of the most respected legal systems in the world and that, as far as future laws in this country are concerned, Brexit holds no fears for us?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 23rd November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am afraid that we are out of time, and there is heavy pressure on business today, but I am going to make an exception. The voice of Kettering must be heard, and I call Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

The noble Lord, Lord Shinkwin, is a leading disability rights campaigner and was a superb nominee for the post of Disability Commissioner. After his nomination was made known to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, however, the post was abolished. Has the Government Equalities Office informed the Prime Minister’s office of this disgraceful development, and if so, when?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 16th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Thank you. Oh no, we cannot stop now. We must hear Mr Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Which CPS area is best at prosecuting online abuse cases, and how might its best practice be rolled out to other areas?

Business of the House

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 16th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Ah yes—a master of brevity: Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

Will the Leader of the House write a joint letter, with the Chairman of the Backbench Business Committee, to all the Chairmen of Select Committees, reminding them that they have opportunities to make a statement to the House whenever one of their reports is published? We have today had a publication from the Home Affairs Committee. It would have been interesting to ask the Chairman of that Committee questions about a report.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 26th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

As a Minister in the previous coalition Government and now as a Back Bencher, the right hon. Gentleman will appreciate that one of the advantages for Back Benchers of voting in person is that Ministers have no escape from Back Benchers who want to collar them to raise local and national issues.

[Mr Speaker]

I am sure Ministers love meeting the hon. Gentleman in the Division Lobby, and that they have good conversations—although they are probably usually one-way.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 14th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Ah, yes: Hollobone on hockey.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

10. If she will encourage greater participation in local hockey clubs.

Police Pay and Funding

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 14th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

What a delicious choice. I call Mr Philip Hollobone.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

I am sure that residents in Kettering will welcome this pay rise for the police, not least because every single police officer I have ever met always works more hours than their shift requires. But may I join calls for changes to the national police funding formula? Counties such as Northamptonshire are clearly underfunded relative to their peers.

Business of the House

Debate between Philip Hollobone and John Bercow

Thursday 7th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The situation is extremely irregular, and the right hon. Lady has my sympathies. I hope that she will not take it out of good humour if I say that I am rather surprised that the lift dared.

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

In August, 15 Gypsy and Traveller motorhomes and caravans invaded the popular open green space at the foot of the Ise Lodge residential estate in Kettering. Rubbish and human faeces were left in the undergrowth; the local convenience store had to employ a security guard; and widespread harassment, alarm and distress were caused to the local settled community. The police refused to use the section 61 powers open to them to request the Travellers to move on. May we have an urgent statement from the Home Office that it will review the powers available to the police so that we can have an effective system to protect the settled community from the intimidation caused by Gypsies and Travellers?