House of Lords Official Report

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

House of Lords Official Report Vol. 782 Thursday No. 133 30 March 2017 PARLIAMENTARYDEBATES (HANSARD) HOUSE OF LORDS OFFICIAL REPORT ORDEROFBUSINESS Questions Brexit: Crime Prevention..................................................................................................................731 Brexit: Court of Justice of the European Union .............................................................................733 Disabled People: Independent Living...............................................................................................736 Child Support: Unpaid Maintenance...............................................................................................738 Prescribed Persons (Reports on Disclosures of Information) Regulations 2017 ..................................740 Deregulation Act 2015 and Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 (Consequential Amendments) (Savings) Regulations 2017...................................................................746 Public Sector Apprenticeship Targets Regulations 2017.......................................................................751 Local Authorities (Public Health Functions and Entry to Premises by Local Healthwatch Representatives) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 ...........................................................761 European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (Immunities and Privileges) (Amendment) Order 2017........................................................................768 Electoral Registration Pilot Scheme (England) (Amendment) Order 2017 ..........................................772 Electoral Registration Pilot Scheme (England and Wales) Order 2017................................................772 Electoral Registration Pilot Scheme (Scotland) Order 2017.................................................................772 Representation of the People (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2017...........................................773 West Midlands Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017 .................................789 Motions to Approve Brexit: Legislating for the United Kingdom’s Withdrawal from the European Union Statement .........................................................................................................................................800 Combined Authorities (Finance) Order 2017 Motion to Approve............................................................................................................................814 Role of the Lord Speaker Question for Short Debate ................................................................................................................818 Grand Committee Local Arts and Cultural Services ....................................................................................................GC 49 Educational Attainment: Boys ........................................................................................................GC 65 Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe ..................................................................CG 81 Local Post Offices ...........................................................................................................................GC 96 Alcohol Abuse...............................................................................................................................GC 110 Questions for Short Debate Lords wishing to be supplied with these Daily Reports should give notice to this effect to the Printed Paper Office. No proofs of Daily Reports are provided. Corrections for the bound volume which Lords wish to suggest to the report of their speeches should be clearly indicated in a copy of the Daily Report, which, with the column numbers concerned shown on the front cover, should be sent to the Editor of Debates, House of Lords, within 14 days of the date of the Daily Report. This issue of the Official Report is also available on the Internet at https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2017-03-30 The first time a Member speaks to a new piece of parliamentary business, the following abbreviations are used to show their party affiliation: Abbreviation Party/Group CB Cross Bench Con Conservative DUP Democratic Unionist Party GP Green Party Ind Lab Independent Labour Ind LD Independent Liberal Democrat Ind SD Independent Social Democrat Ind UU Independent Ulster Unionist Lab Labour LD Liberal Democrat LD Ind Liberal Democrat Independent Non-afl Non-affiliated PC Plaid Cymru UKIP UK Independence Party UUP Ulster Unionist Party No party affiliation is given for Members serving the House in a formal capacity, the Lords spiritual, Members on leave of absence or Members who are otherwise disqualified from sitting in the House. © Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2017, this publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 731 Brexit: Crime Prevention [30 MARCH 2017] Brexit: Crime Prevention 732 House of Lords Lord Howell of Guildford (Con): Would it assist my noble friend in answering the noble Lord, Lord Paddick, Thursday 30 March 2017 if she explained to him that, far from withdrawing or departing from anything, we are arriving at and entering 11 am a global network of new technologies in which the methods of crime detection and prevention are likely Prayers—read by the Lord Bishop of Winchester. to be very much expanded and improved? Baroness Williams of Trafford: My noble friend is Brexit: Crime Prevention absolutely right. It is in the spirit of the improved Question technologies and improved sharing of data that we enter into co-operation around all these areas as we 11.06 am exit the EU and enter a new phase in this country’s journey. Asked by Lord Paddick To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they Lord Kinnock (Lab): Will the Minister, in the service plan to continue sharing sensitive personal information of the House, read the two sentences in the letter with other European Union member states for the before the one that she selectively read out? Those purposes of crime prevention and detection following sentences make it absolutely clear that the Government’s the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European intention and the implied threat is that unless there is Union. agreement on trade—a “comprehensive agreement” as they have called it—there will not be an agreement on The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Williams security. By that means, they would imperil not only of Trafford) (Con): My Lords, the Government are our economic capability but, even more seriously, our clear that our commitment to co-operation with European security capability. allies on security and lawenforcement will be undiminished as a result of leaving the EU. The effective use of data Baroness Williams of Trafford: The noble Lord is to underpin that co-operation will be an important quite wrong. The letter says that both sides would consideration as we look to establish a new relationship cope, but our co-operation would be weakened. We with the EU, but it is too early to say what the future want, and we believe that the EU wants, security to be arrangements might look like. part of the new partnership. That is why it will be part of the negotiation. That is the right way forward. Lord Paddick (LD): My Lords,the issue of information exchange has taken on an added significance this Lord Tebbit (Con): My Lords, does my noble friend week. I hope the House will forgive me but I take the realise that the appropriate reply to the noble Lord, avoidable death of one of my former police colleagues Lord Kinnock, lies in The Gospel According to very seriously. Less than a week after four people died St Matthew, chapter 6, verse 21? as a result of terrorism on our doorstep, does the Minister think that the implied threat made by the Baroness Williams of Trafford: Perhaps the right Prime Minister in her Article 50 letter—backed up reverend Prelate would like to comment. yesterday by the Home Secretary—that the UK will withhold security co-operation with the EU if it does Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (GP): My Lords, not get the trade deal that it wants, was insensitive, perhaps I can bring us back to the Question. Will the reckless, an empty threat, or all three? Minister clarify whether, if sensitive information is going to be passed to the EU,that will exclude information Baroness Williams of Trafford: My Lords, I too pay that is held by the security services and by the police tribute to the people who lost their lives last week and on environmental campaigners,journalists,photographers who still lie in hospital injured. However,I take exception and even politicians who have committed no crime? to what the noble Lord says. The letter says that both sides would cope, but our co-operation would be Baroness Williams of Trafford: The information weakened. We want and we believe that the EU wants that is shared is for the purposes of investigating security to be part of a new partnership. That is why it crime, so someone who had not committed a crime is part of the negotiation. The “threat” was not a would be unlikely to have their information shared threat at all—it was a matter of fact. with other countries. Lord Reid of Cardowan (Lab): My Lords, does the Baroness Janke (LD): My Lords, what assessment Minister agree that the best way to enhance our capability have the Government made on the future role of the in countering crime and counterterrorism and the European Court of Justice for
Recommended publications
  • Contents Theresa May - the Prime Minister
    Contents Theresa May - The Prime Minister .......................................................................................................... 5 Nancy Astor - The first female Member of Parliament to take her seat ................................................ 6 Anne Jenkin - Co-founder Women 2 Win ............................................................................................... 7 Margaret Thatcher – Britain’s first woman Prime Minister .................................................................... 8 Penny Mordaunt – First woman Minister of State for the Armed Forces at the Ministry of Defence ... 9 Lucy Baldwin - Midwifery and safer birth campaigner ......................................................................... 10 Hazel Byford – Conservative Women’s Organisation Chairman 1990 - 1993....................................... 11 Emmeline Pankhurst – Leader of the British Suffragette Movement .................................................. 12 Andrea Leadsom – Leader of House of Commons ................................................................................ 13 Florence Horsbrugh - First woman to move the Address in reply to the King's Speech ...................... 14 Helen Whately – Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party ............................................................. 15 Gillian Shephard – Chairman of the Association of Conservative Peers ............................................... 16 Dorothy Brant – Suffragette who brought women into Conservative Associations ...........................
    [Show full text]
  • A27 Reference Group Meeting Monday 26 February, 11Pm – 1Pm Room N, 1 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 0AA
    A27 Reference Group Meeting Monday 26 February, 11pm – 1pm Room N, 1 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 0AA ATTENDANCE LIST Attendees: Maria Caulfield MP (Chair) Senior Researcher, Eastbourne & Willingdon, (sub for Stephen Lloyd MP) Stephen Lloyd MP’s Office Parliamentary Assistant, Wealden, (sub for Nusrat Ghani MP) Director of Communities, Economy and Transport, East Sussex County Council Team Manager, Strategic Economic Infrastructure, East Sussex County Council Cllr David Elkin, Deputy Leader, East Sussex County Council Cllr Andy Smith, Leader, Lewes District Council Cllr David Tutt, Leader, Eastbourne Borough Council Cllr Bob Standley, Leader, Wealden District Council Lewes District & Eastbourne Borough Council (sub for ) Cllr Ian Hollidge, Rother District Council (sub for Cllr Carl Maynard) Planning Policy Manager, Rother District Council (sub for ) Head of Comms & Corp Affairs, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, (sub for ) Chair, Team East Sussex (Leave Early) Executive Officer, East Sussex County Council (Minutes) Apologies: Stephen Lloyd MP Nus Ghani MP Cllr Keith Glazier, Leader, East Sussex County Council Cllr Carl Maynard, Leader, Rother District Council Executive Director, Rother District Council Chief Executive, Eastbourne Borough Council Chief Executive, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership AGENDA Item No. Item 1. Welcome, Introductions & Apologies MC 2. Minutes of the last meeting (12 September 2017) MC 3. Update from Highways England on their proposed Preferred Route Announcement (PRA) of the A27 smaller scale interventions. 4. Update: a) A27 East of Lewes Study 5. Next Steps All .
    [Show full text]
  • Nick Bennett
    East Sussex County Council Elections 4 May 2017 Caring & Campaigning for our Community NICK BENNETT The Local Choice for the Arlington, East Hoathly & Hellingly Division Promoted by Peter Sabine, on behalf of Nick Bennett, both of 69 Carlisle Road, Eastbourne, BN20 7EJ Printed by Solopress, 9 Stock Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 5QF Nick Bennett will be your Conservative Candidate in East Sussex County Council elections on the 4th May. ‘It has been a real privilege and a pleasure to have served two terms as a County Councillor, much of that time as lead councillor for schools.’ I am very proud of the achievements we have made in the last four years. COUNCIL TAX: In the last four years we have kept council tax as low as possible whilst still delivering front-line services for residents. EMPLOYMENT: Since 2013 we have reduced unemployment by 58%. At the same time average income per household has grown ten times as fast as the rest of the country. We are working with businesses to create more than 3500 apprenticeships each year. Apprenticeships are offered by our training providers that support all sectors: engineering, construction, health and social care, digital and ICT, land management, and the growing visitor economy. ROADS: We have invested £85 million in the maintenance and rebuilding of our roads and have repaired 200,000 potholes and resurfaced over 500km of the County’s roads. RECYCLING: We now recycle 41 per cent of all the waste in the County and saw off the threat of taking London’s waste with its associated land raise plans.
    [Show full text]
  • Minutes Document for London Assembly (Mayor's
    MINUTES Meeting: London Assembly (Mayor's Question Time) Date: Thursday 19 July 2018 Time: 10.00 am Place: Chamber, City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London, SE1 2AA Copies of the minutes may be found at: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor-assembly/london- assembly/whole-assembly Present: Tony Arbour AM (Chairman) Florence Eshalomi AM Jennette Arnold OBE AM (Deputy Chair) Susan Hall AM Gareth Bacon AM David Kurten AM Shaun Bailey AM Joanne McCartney AM Sian Berry AM Steve O'Connell AM Andrew Boff AM Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM Leonie Cooper AM Keith Prince AM Tom Copley AM Caroline Russell AM Unmesh Desai AM Dr Onkar Sahota AM Tony Devenish AM Navin Shah AM Andrew Dismore AM Fiona Twycross AM Len Duvall AM Peter Whittle AM City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA Enquiries: 020 7983 4100 minicom: 020 7983 4458 www.london.gov.uk Greater London Authority London Assembly (Mayor's Question Time) Thursday 19 July 2018 1 Apologies for Absence and Chairman's Announcements (Item 1) 1.1 An apology for absence was received from Nicky Gavron AM. 1.2 The Chairman welcomed to the public gallery Year 12 students from Higham Lane School in Warwickshire; political journalism students from the University of Oregon; journalism students from South Bank University; young people from Streamz, a charity in Lambeth working with young people aged 16-19 to improve their employment prospects; and Kamahl Sami-Miller, Co-Chair of the Waltham Forest Independent Advisory Group, Stop and Search. 1.3 The Chairman then gave an update on recent Assembly activity.
    [Show full text]
  • Legal Opinion on XAUR
    INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND GENOCIDE AGAINST THE UYGHUR POPULATION IN THE XINJIANG UYGHUR AUTONOMOUS REGION Executive Summary 1. On the basis of the evidence we have seen, this Opinion concludes that there is a very credible case that acts carried out by the Chinese government against the Uyghur people in XUAR amount to crimes against humanity and the crime of genocide. Crimes against humanity 2. There is evidence of crimes against humanity being committed against the Uyghur population, within the meaning of Art. 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. 3. First, there is sufficient evidence to conclude the existence of a widespread and systematic attack on the Uyghur population of XUAR, within the meaning of Art. 7. 4. Second, there is sufficient evidence to amount to an arguable case that, as part of that attack, the actus reus requirements for the following specific crimes against humanity have been fulfilled: a. Enslavement (Art. 7(1)(c)), by the use of forced labour by former and current inmates of detention facilities. b. Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty (Art. 7(1)(e)), constituted by widescale deprivations of liberty of members of the Uyghur population held in detention facilities without charge or trial. c. Torture (Art. 7(1)(f)) in detention facilities, including the use of “tiger chairs” and sexual violence. d. Rape (Art. 7(1)(g)) in detention facilities. 1 e. Enforced sterilisation (Art. 7(1)(g)) of Uyghur women, as part of efforts to reduce the Uyghur population. f. Persecution (Art.
    [Show full text]
  • Dc5m United States Science in English Created at 2016-12-08 16:09
    Announcement DC5m United States science in english 100 articles, created at 2016-12-08 16:09 articles set mostly positive rate 1.6 1 2.9 Aroldis Chapman headed back to New York Yankees on 5-year, $86 million deal (10.99/11) The Yankees have reunited with closer Aroldis Chapman on a five-year, $86 million deal, the four-time All-Star told ESPN's Marly Rivera on Wednesday night. 2016-12-08 00:43 5KB www.espn.com 2 2.1 As Trump Picks Beijing Envoy, China Prepares a Farm As Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad—Donald Trump’s choice for the U. S. ambassador to China—prepares to take up the post next year, authorities in Hebei province are (7.97/11) planning to construct a model farm patterned after one Chinese President Xi Jinping visited in Iowa in 2012. ... 2016-12-08 08:23 876Bytes article.wn.com 3 12.5 Pakistan opens probe into deadly plane crash The plane belonged to Pakistan International Airlines. 2016-12-08 07:41 4KB rssfeeds.usatoday.com (5.99/11) 4 2.8 S. Korea's parliament sets up presidential impeachment vote S. Korea's parliament sets up presidential impeachment vote Associated Press - 8 (5.99/11) December 2016 02:38-05:00 News Topics: General news, Political corruption, Political scandals, Political resignations, Government and politics, Impeachments, Legislature, Political issues People, Places and... 2016-12-08 04:56 1KB article.wn.com 5 2.3 Toll in Indonesia quake tops 100 MEUREUDU, Indonesia -- Rescue workers, soldiers and police combed through the rubble of a devastated town in Indonesia's Aceh province today, resuming a search for (4.53/11) earthquake survivors that was halted at night by rain and blackouts.
    [Show full text]
  • Caroline Ansell MP • (Sub for Maria Caulfield
    A27 Reference Group Meeting Friday 22 July 10am East Sussex County Council, County Hall Attendees: Simon Kirby MP (Chair) Caroline Ansell MP (sub for Maria Caulfield MP) Director of Communities, Economy and Transport, East Sussex County Council Cllr Keith Glazier, Leader, East Sussex County Council Cllr Bob Standley, Leader, Wealden District Council Cllr David Tutt, Leader, Eastbourne Borough Council Cllr Ian Hollidge, Rother District Council (sub for Cllr Carl Maynard) Cllr Elayne Merry, Deputy Leader, Lewes District Council (sub for Cllr Andy Smith) Development Management Team Leader, Rother District Council (sub for ) Head of Regeneration & Planning Policy, Eastbourne Borough Council (sub for ) Head of Communications and Marketing, Hastings Borough Council (sub for ) Cllr Mike Blanch, East Sussex County Council Jasmin Barnicoat, Executive Officer, East Sussex County Council (Minutes) Apologies: Nus Ghani MP Amber Rudd MP Huw Merriman MP Maria Caulfield MP Cllr David Elkin, Deputy Leader, East Sussex County Council Cllr Carl Maynard, Leader, Rother District Council Cllr Peter Chowney, Leader, Hastings Borough Council Executive Director, Rother District Council Chief Executive, Eastbourne Borough Council Director, Hastings Borough Council Director, South East Local Enterprise Partnership Chief Executive, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership Chairman, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership Chair, Team East Sussex Team Manager, Strategic Economic Infrastructure, East Sussex County Council Item Action 1. Welcome, Introductions and Apologies Apologies noted above. 2. Update on Highways England’s A27 work April 2016 Workshop HE held a workshop with stakeholders in April 2016. They set out the context and shared their draft scheme objectives. There was no reference in the objectives to supporting economic growth or the consideration of local housing targets.
    [Show full text]
  • House of Lords Official Report
    Vol. 812 Monday No. 4 17 May 2021 PARLIAMENTARYDEBATES (HANSARD) HOUSE OF LORDS OFFICIAL REPORT ORDEROFBUSINESS Introduction: Baroness Black of Strome............................................................................297 Questions Official Development Assistance: Landmine Clearance .................................................297 Eating Disorder Services: Referrals ................................................................................301 Social Care: Person-centred Dementia Care...................................................................303 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting ...........................................................307 Ballymurphy Inquest Findings Statement........................................................................................................................311 Queen’s Speech Debate (4th Day) ...........................................................................................................321 Grand Committee Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps and Local Authority Enforcement Powers) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 Considered in Grand Committee...................................................................................GC 1 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cash Searches: Code of Practice) Order 2021 Considered in Grand Committee.................................................................................GC 16 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Investigative Powers of Prosecutors: Code of Practice) Order 2021 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Investigations:
    [Show full text]
  • China-Uyghur-Genocide-And-Historical-Perspective.Pdf
    1 China’s Uyghur Genocide and its historical perspective Aziz Isa Elkun Research Affiliate at SOAS, University of London [email protected] | www.azizisa.org/en Since 2014, the Chinese government has started building a massive network of internment camps or “modern high-tech surveillance prisons” across the Uyghur Autonomous Region, and media reported that some of the camps could host up to 10 thousand detainees.1 According to various estimated sources, up to three million Uyghurs and other Turkic citizens of China were kept illegally in these camps, which are described by the Chinese authorities as “Vocational Education Training Centres” with Chinese characteristics. The existence of such internment camps was first revealed by Western academics, media, and Human Rights organizations in early spring 2017. There is no dispute about the urgency of the “Uyghur crisis” today in China. It’s arguably one of the most severe crimes that a country has openly committed since the Second World War: a kind of slow-motion “genocide” against a specific ethnicity on a massive scale. 2 But it has a long history that goes back to when China started building its first defensive wall, the "Great Wall of China." When we recall the region's brutal history, the Uyghur crisis is not a new crisis but an old unsolved one that has only come to the world's attention at the beginning of this digital surveillance century. We have to remember the region's war-torn history while connecting the current tragical events to the past. We have to talk about the historical perspectives of the ongoing Uyghur Genocide.
    [Show full text]
  • Schools Week Friday, Dec 16, 2016
    25 minutes why more pupils the cost of with sir david are diagnosed getting your carter with autism message across PAGE 10 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 SCHOOLSWEEK.CO.UK FRIDAY, DEC 16, 2016 | EDITION 88 Choristers at Christmas PAGE 22 National funding: Greening (finally) lays out the plans FREDDIE WHITTAKER & a minimum funding guarantee the nine factors for calculating will be a 2.7 per cent increase in JOHN DICKENS preventing losses from being more per-pupil funding set out in the funding in the first year, and York, than 1.5 per cent of their budget first stage of the process earlier this Torbay, Somerset and Barnsley, More than 10,700 schools will get each year. year. Elements include additional which will get a 2.4 per cent rise. extra cash under the government’s A new overall cap will additionally funding for population sparsity, Greening said the reforms new fairer funding formula, but mean no school will lose more than local deprivation and the low prior would mean “an end to historical upwards of 9,000 will lose out, 3 per cent of its funding as a result attainment of pupils. unfairness and under-funding documents finally released this of the new measures for at least Extra cash for pupils moving in for certain schools”, but Angela week reveal. the next two years. Beyond 2020, and out of a school mid-term was Rayner, her Labour shadow, said the The second stage of a consultation further changes to the formula could initially ruled out – but will now also government was “simply moving on proposals for a national funding happen.
    [Show full text]
  • Arts Lottery Funding Recipient Constituencies Per Capita, 2015 & 2016 Combined
    Arts Lottery funding recipient constituencies per capita, 2015 & 2016 combined Published 25 May 2017 Following on from The Stage article ‘Revealed: Which UK constituencies get the most – and least – Lottery cash for the arts’ below is the full list of Arts Lottery funding across 659 UK Parliamentary Constituencies per capita. DCMS publishes details of all lottery grant recipients on their website. If you combine all ‘Arts’ awards across the UK in 2015 and 2016 and then divide by the overall size of the electorate, the average per capita amount per constituent across the UK is £13.10, excluding the 1,928 grants worth £101 million that were not designated to a constituency (16% of the total amount of grants awarded). £ Total Arts Lottery £ Per UK Constituency MP Grants Capita 2014 & 2015 1 Leeds Central Hilary Benn (L) 46,596,403 569.65 2 Cities of London and Westminster Mark Field (C) 34,290,940 562.22 3 Birmingham, Ladywood Shabana Mahmood (L) 33,109,864 485.99 4 Cardiff South and Penarth Stephen Doughty (L Co-op) 25,727,041 338.49 5 Islington South and Finsbury Emily Thornberry (L) 14,673,010 215.38 6 Glasgow Central Alison Thewliss (SNP) 12,337,293 173.9 7 Hackney South and Shoreditch Meg Hillier (L Co-op) 10,926,061 128.59 8 Manchester Central Lucy Powell (L Co-op) 10,701,760 124.33 9 Vauxhall Kate Hoey (L) 10,020,186 121.85 10 Bristol West Thangam Debbonaire (L) 10,427,938 114.3 11 Edinburgh East Tommy Sheppard (SNP) 7,375,694 109.85 12 Poole Robert Syms (C) 7,904,345 108.94 13 Bermondsey and Old Southwark Neil Coyle (L) 8,514,689
    [Show full text]
  • By Nus Ghani MP
    Newsin from your Localtouch Conservatives Autumn 2015 MY FIRST SIX MONTHS by Nus Ghani MP Great British Bake Off is a favourite in my house, as it is in many Wealden homes. After an exciting and frenetic first six months as your MP, here’s a baker’s dozen of things I’ve been up to: Gave my maiden speech in Parliament (quoting my most famous constituent, Winnie the Pooh) and have also spoken about women in business, national security and protecting cultural heritage, among other issues. Met the Rail Minister, attended a summit, and am continuing to voice my frustration about Wealden’s poor train services. Joined the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme to be a better advocate for service personnel in Parliament. Welcomed Ashdown House and Mayfield Primary Schools to Parliament, went to the Beacon’s art show and met U.C.T.C. leaders. Became Chair of the All-Party Group on Ageing and Elderly People, and the Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment. Opened Eridge’s newly refurbished village hall. Spent an evening litter picking with the 1st Crowborough Scouts Group as part of ‘I Care For Crowborough’ week. Made my first pitch to the Backbench Business Committee for a debate on sentencing for dangerous driving, in an effort to make our roads safer, and spoke in the debate that resulted. Called for better rural connectivity in a debate on broadband – I’m also the Conservative Rural Affairs Group’s South East Liaison Officer, standing up for farmers and entrepreneurs, and have set out my plan to create a “Rural Powerhouse”.
    [Show full text]