Business of the House

Debate between Thérèse Coffey and Steven Paterson

Thursday 26th May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Dr Coffey]

Understandably, I am not aware of the individual details of that case. It would probably not be appropriate to comment on it on the Floor of the House, but I will ask a Health Minister to follow up with the hon. Lady.

[Steven Paterson (Stirling) (SNP)]

Balfron High School in my constituency was built using the private finance initiative scheme, which was invented by the Conservatives and pursued by the Labour party. It has a capital value of £16 million, but the Stirling taxpayer will pay £71.1 million for it. It has now been discovered to have structural defects and has been partially closed, meaning that the children have to be driven to schools in Stirling—a total distance of almost 40 miles. May we have a debate on the great PFI swindle?

[Dr Coffey]

PFI has been debated in the House before, and in the last Session the Government undertook to renegotiate some of the contracts. I am conscious of the disruption that is being caused to children’s education, but the suppliers should bear the risk of that and provide appropriate remedies.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Thérèse Coffey and Steven Paterson

Thursday 3rd March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Steven Paterson (Stirling) (SNP)]

8. What parliamentary mechanisms are available to hon. Members to scrutinise Barnett consequentials within the estimates process.

[The Deputy Leader of the House of Commons (Dr Thérèse Coffey)]

Estimates are formal requests for authorisation of expenditure proposed to the House by the Government. Scrutiny of these, which are effectively departmental budgets, is undertaken in a variety of ways, including debates selected by the Liaison Committee, and it is also open to Select Committees to examine these budgets. The Procedure Committee has recently announced that it will look at the House’s procedures for examining estimates and the passing of legislation that authorises this expenditure—the Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Bill, which we dealt with yesterday.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dr Coffey]

I believe that there are avenues to do that. I welcome this inquiry by the Procedure Committee, especially as it might open up some new ideas, and I hope that all political parties will contribute to it. I really encourage this idea that Select Committees are one avenue. Of course Ministers are always held to account at this Dispatch Box, and by written questions as well.

[Steven Paterson]

The hon. Lady keeps telling us that the Procedure Committee is reviewing the estimates process. Will she tell us whether, when giving evidence to that Committee, she or the Leader of the House will be supportive of reform of the estimates process?

[Dr Coffey]

I am not sure whether the Procedure Committee has invited me or my right hon. Friend to give evidence, but I am sure that it will. Our Government have always been in favour of modernisation of the House, and there is no reason why that journey will not continue.