Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Thursday 17th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden) (Con)]

I was litter-picking over the Clean for the Queen weekend outside a local primary school, and I was dismayed to find that most items were recyclable. What could the Government do to encourage the next generation to recycle and not to miss the opportunity to forge a circular economy?

[Mr Speaker]

I hope other colleagues are as virtuous as the right hon. Lady. She has set a very high and exacting standard.

[Rory Stewart]

I join you, Mr Speaker, in paying tribute to the virtue of my right hon. Friend. The answer is, of course, that we need to work on educating people—this is the German model—right the way from school upwards on the importance of protecting resources and of recycling. However, we could also do more to harmonise the system so that it is more straightforward, wherever people live in the country, to know exactly what needs to be recycled and where to put recycling.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Kerry McCarthy. [Interruption.] I had thought the hon. Lady was seeking to come in on Question 2.

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

No.

[Mr Speaker]

We have been misadvised. Never mind.

[Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)]

We want to come in.

[Mr Speaker]

It is always nice to be wanted.

[Tim Loughton]

Is my hon. Friend aware of the problems that some of these EU quotas cause local authorities such as Adur and Worthing in my constituency? The quotas are based on weight, and if the county council, which is the lead authority, collects more through municipal recycling sites, other local authorities have less to collect, so they cannot meet their targets and are penalised.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab)]

If the Minister wants any further advice on anaerobic digester plants, he should go to see David Easom, a farmer based in the villages of Wessington and Brackenfield in the Bolsover constituency. Several years ago, I mentioned the fact that he was going to have an anaerobic digester in this House. It is now up and running. Everybody is going to visit him, and Ministers from the Department should go to see how it works. Everything is in running order, just like everything else in Bolsover.

[Mr Speaker]

We very much hope that the plant is in Derbyshire, rather than in this House.

[Rory Stewart]

I feel that that is a great compliment. It is a historic opportunity for me to spend time with the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr Skinner), whom I have long admired. I very much look forward to visiting the plant with him.

[Mr Speaker]

I am sure we will get a report in due course.

[Margaret Greenwood (Wirral West) (Lab)]

7. What steps the Government are taking to reduce marine litter and plastics pollution.

--- Later in debate ---

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are short of time, so single-sentence, short supplementaries are needed.

[Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry) (Con)]

13. A small but important role in flood defence is played by farmers who clear ditches and drainage channels. What progress is being made to remove the bureaucracy that sometimes stops them from doing that?

--- Later in debate ---

[Elizabeth Truss]

I completely agree with the hon. Lady about the importance of the natural environment, and about making sure that our children and young people have access to it. Earlier this week I was with Zac Goldsmith looking at his plans to open up urban farms and urban pocket parks to help to get people that access.

[Mr Speaker]

The right hon. Lady was talking about the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Zac Goldsmith).

[Marcus Fysh (Yeovil) (Con)]

T8. People who love bees, and farmers and consumers of products relying on them, are deeply concerned that there is an attempt by large US and EU chemical companies to downgrade environmental protections from pesticides in backroom lobbying over the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal in Brussels. Is this not an example of how elites run the EU and cause grave concern that their influence is unaccountable?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mrs Spelman]

I could not agree more with that example, as it is incumbent on Christians to visit people in prisons. I have been very struck by an initiative from my own parish church, whereby volunteers mentor ex-offenders before they come back into society to help them prepare to go straight and to live a life in which they can sustain themselves. These are excellent examples that can be replicated in all constituencies.

[Mr Speaker]

I call Mr Alan Mak. Where is the feller? I call Mr Stephen Phillips.

The hon. Member for Gainsborough, representing the Public Accounts Commission, was asked—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mrs Spelman]

I am not sure that this question has a great deal to do with renewable energy; it may have more to do with Trollope. The vacancy in the Oxford diocese is, of course, a matter of concern, but there has already been one attempt to bring a list of candidates before those who can help to make that decision. I believe that a second attempt to produce such a list will be evident in May.

[Mr Speaker]

I note that the hon. Gentleman acutely exploited the diverse meanings of the word “power” so that he could remain in order.

[Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) (Con)]

8. What support the Church Commissioners are giving to the Church of England to increase the representation of women in leadership positions.

--- Later in debate ---

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I will call the hon. Gentleman if it is to be one short sentence.

[Jim Shannon]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. This is my one short sentence. Is there a case for cathedrals to reach out and host events, whether they are classes or simply community events that help to bring the community together while also encouraging more people to visit cathedrals? I hope that that is short enough, Mr Speaker.