Points of Order

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 2nd November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving notice of her point of order. As the House will know, the safety of Members, our families and our staff, and of this House, is one of my highest priorities. Like all hon. Members, I would hope that any depiction of threats made against parliamentarians is undertaken responsibly, based on the facts and mindful of the impact on those subject to such threats.

I am also very concerned that a friend of mine was subject to those threats. We all stand in awe of the bravery that she has shown and her courage in ensuring that she is still a Member of Parliament, even if she might be going to new pastures.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab)]

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. I am appalled at ITV’s recent treatment of the threats to MPs. I have been used as a marketing tool by both Hope not Hate and ITV. What excuse is there for a press release that says, “Who is Rosie Cooper and who wanted to murder her?” There is no defence to that.

Let us test the public interest defence to this despicable behaviour. I call on Hope not Hate and ITV to donate all moneys and profits generated from this TV series, both here and abroad—every single penny should go to the Jo Cox Foundation. We should not tolerate this kind of behaviour.

May I crave the indulgence of the House, Mr Speaker? Obviously, I have not had an opportunity to speak to people about this. If I may, I want to quickly thank some people. I will not spare your blushes, Mr Speaker, in saying that I would not be here today without your support and unfailing kindness. I have had to call on you and your advice many, many times as a result of death threats, all piggy-backing on the original threat; in fact, one case is with the Director of Public Prosecutions right now. How many more will come from this stupid, stupid, stupid series?

I thank you primarily, Mr Speaker, but I also thank Jeremy Corbyn and Karie Murphy, who allowed me the use of a Government car to get me into the Old Bailey during the second trial for the sentencing, simply because ITV’s despicable cameraman chased me up and down the road at the end of the first trial. I thank the then Prime Minister Theresa May for the really kind handwritten letter she sent me; I would have hoped to have said that while she was here, but I have not been able to tell people as I did not know I was going to do this. I thank the Minister Ben Wallace, action man—he was absolutely brilliant—and the former Home Secretary Priti Patel, who was unstinting in her support. Finally, I thank all my colleagues, right across this House from every party, who have been absolutely kind and supported me throughout.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 29th April 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Staying in Lancashire, I call Rosie Cooper. Come on, Rosie.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab) [V]]

  Many of my constituents are concerned that each of the three rail timetabling options put forward by the Manchester recovery taskforce means reduced connectivity between West Lancs and Manchester. Will the Secretary of State assure my constituents that they are not the poor relations of the larger northern cities, and will he intervene to ensure that the supposed levelling-up of services in the north does not leave areas such as West Lancs behind?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 20th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab) [V]]

  Lorries containing food produce sitting idle for days is a stark reminder that, if post-Brexit Britain is to be self-sufficient, protecting our food production through infrastructure investment is crucial. Will the Prime Minister provide the infrastructure investment essential to tackling flooding in West Lancashire by giving the Environment Agency enough funding both to keep the Alt Crossens pumps operational and to maintain the watercourses? That will be vital to ensure that the rich food-producing lands of West Lancashire, which are essential to the security of food supplies and our local and national economy, are better defended—

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Prime Minister; we have to get through the questions.

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 15th October 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We have found Rosie Cooper, so we are going up to Lancashire.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab) [V]]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Four British teenagers in Sicily continue to test positive after two weeks of isolation. In Britain, they would be back in the community spreading the virus, so does the Secretary of State recognise that a test, trace and retest system is needed to protect us? When could it be implemented? Also, what action can be taken to protect my West Lancashire constituents who have been alerted via social media to the fact that supporters who want to watch the Liverpool versus Everton match this Saturday intend to travel from nearby tier 3 areas into pubs in West Lancashire? This could be a super-spreading event leading to a public health disaster.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 24th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We are heading to lovely Lancashire, with Rosie Cooper.

[Rosie Cooper [V]]

Given the Secretary of State’s previous answer that business will have unfettered access within the UK, could the Minister explain why HMRC is telling businesses to prepare for new formalities in west-east trade, and could he describe them?

Covid-19: Economic Package

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 12th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We go over to the wonder of Lancashire, with Rosie Cooper.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab) [V]]

As a result of the loss of income through both fundraising and small service charges, many small and local charities will be struggling financially despite being heavily involved and active in the covid-19 response and in supporting constituents. When will the Chancellor issue guidance to local authorities on providing grants to charities that are in receipt of local charitable rate relief but have up to now been excluded from securing the £10,000 grants from the small business grants fund?

Finance (No. 2) Bill

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 25th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

May I just say that we are raising a matter where a Member is being discussed? I presume that they are aware that this matter was going to be raised as a point of order.

[Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab)]

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. Like my hon. Friends, I think that we, as members of the Health Committee, need the advice of your good self as to how we can address the distorted report of events at the private sitting of the Committee without falling foul of the very convention that prevents this. Conservative members of the Health Committee have previously been referred to the Liaison Committee by a vote in the Committee, and here we have it again. How do we defend ourselves?

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

Does anyone else want to speak on this matter?

Housing Benefit

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 26th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Rosie Cooper]

I absolutely agree with—[Interruption.]

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. I know that you are enthused by the debate, Mr Davies, but it does not help if we have a separate debate going on while a Member is speaking. It would be helpful if we could get through all the speakers. I hope to get everyone in.

[Rosie Cooper]

I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Yvonne Fovargue). I did not hear the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) say that those people were out of work.

The idea that welfare spending is coming under control is a myth. West Lancashire borough council has stated that its intention is to raise rents by 4.6% from April. That will increase housing benefit payments by £630,000 a year. We are seeing a significant and rapid increase in the council’s arrears. From being in the region of £375,000, they have shot up to nearly £500,000. How is that keeping welfare spending under control? Arrears are increasing across the sector. Social landlords have had to take on additional staff to collect rent and give budgeting advice.

Let us not forget that the Government have acknowledged that they have made a complete mess by rushing to prop up the housing benefit system using discretionary housing payments. Disabled people and people who need their own bedroom for medical reasons are going cap in hand to prove that they are poor, to get a discretionary housing payment handout. I understand that a large amount of discretionary housing payment is going unspent because the council’s means test is too stringent.

Some councils, believe it or not, are taking disability living allowance into account when determining whether someone should receive discretionary housing payment, even though the guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions states that councils should not do so because it inflates a disabled person’s income unfairly. Disability living allowance is meant to fund additional costs that are due to the claimant’s disability or health issue. It is not meant to fund the additional housing costs resulting from the spare bedroom tax.

Discretionary housing payments should be awarded for 26 weeks or 52 weeks, but some councils, including West Lancashire borough council, are offering them for only 13 weeks, which leads to more form-filling and bureaucracy.

There is no escaping the fact that welfare spending has to be addressed. However, the snapshot that I have given of West Lancashire—just one community—shows that the bedroom tax is not the way to do it. The abject failure of this policy is costing taxpayers more and more. Although Ministers are talking tough, they are, as ever, failing to deliver. In their case, talk is not cheap. The only transitional arrangement that we need to discuss is the transitioning of this legislation off the statute book.

Health and Social Care (Re-committed) Bill

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 7th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Rosie Cooper]

My hon. Friend has been talking about mandates. Will he explain under what mandate and how the Secretary of State is implementing all these structural changes? The House has not voted on them and the process started before the Bill came to the House. You are making structural changes, damaging the health service and making it impossible—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. I am sure that the hon. Lady will not be using “you”.

[Rosie Cooper]

Forgive me. I am for ever doing that, and I must stop. In essence, I am saying that the Secretary of State and Ministers keep talking about mandates and what they will and will not do, yet they are disregarding everything because they are implementing the Bill before it has been sanctioned by the House or the other place.

NHS Reorganisation

Debate between Rosie Cooper and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 16th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Rosie Cooper]

No, I was giving way to—

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. The hon. Lady will have to sit down during the hon. Gentleman’s intervention.

[Graham Evans]

I am new to the House, but I seem to recall the right hon. Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham), who was then the Secretary of State for Health, saying that we should

“celebrate the role of the private sector in the NHS.”

What has changed for Labour Members? [Interruption.]

--- Later in debate ---

[Mrs Main]

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. On two occasions the hon. Lady has accused the Government of misleading the public. I cannot believe that that is the case, and I am sure she would like to withdraw those remarks.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. That is not a point of order, because the accusation was not against individual Members.

[Rosie Cooper]

Oh how the truth hurts! Michael Portillo could not have been more clear that the Government intended to misrepresent their position and to mislead voters.

I believe very clearly that you are playing Russian roulette with people’s futures, but the gallery is empty and you are on your own. I still believe that you have no mandate for these ill-advised reforms. You do not have that support, and it seems to me you do not have a clue—[Interruption.] It is impossible to make a speech with that noise.

I shall just recap. I do not believe that you have any mandate for these reforms. You do not have the support out there and it seems to me that you do not have a clue. For goodness’ sake, stop now before you kill the NHS.