Business of the House
Wendy Morton Excerpts(8 years, 7 months ago)
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Dr Coffey
I think the hon. Lady raised this issue in last summer’s pre-recess Adjournment debate. I replied then and thought I had been helpful, but I will encourage the Minister responsible to see what she can do. I will not make promises prior to 23 June but I will do my best.
Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)
Ceramics, bricks, tiles and pipes are important industries providing valuable jobs across the UK, including in my constituency, where clay from local quarries is used in brick manufacturing. May we have a debate in Government time on the strategic importance of bricks and ceramics, especially on how best to support these industries so that they are well placed to meet ongoing and future demand for bricks and house building?
Dr Coffey
My hon. Friend raises a serious point about an industry that is hugely important to ensuring that UK plc keeps motoring and that people have homes to live in. I would encourage her to apply to the Backbench Business Committee, when it meets shortly, because I am sure that many people would be interested in such a debate.
Business of the House
Wendy Morton Excerpts(9 years, 2 months ago)
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Chris Grayling
I can only speak as a Minister, but I would not countenance circumstances in which anyone working in my Department was unable to raise concerns about their terms and conditions. I do not know the details of the situation in the Foreign Office, but I know my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary very well, and I am sure that he shares my view.
Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)
Would my right hon. Friend consider granting a debate on parliamentary privilege, given that comments made by an hon. Member have formed part of what a serving police officer has called a “baseless witch-hunt”?
Chris Grayling
I think that the extraordinary situation that the House faces over the conduct of the hon. Gentleman will prompt a general debate in the House about the behaviour of Members of Parliament and the way in which privilege works and is used. I also think that, most immediately, it is important for the individual case to be dealt with, and I am confident that it will be, but once that has happened we shall have to ask some serious questions about what has taken place, especially in view of the fact that it has been carried out by someone with such a senior rank in the House.