Tuesday Volume 667 5 November 2019 No. 15

HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD)

Tuesday 5 November 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 625 5 NOVEMBER 2019 626

Dominic Raab: I thank the hon. Gentleman; he has House of Commons followed this subject for a long period and has experience and insight. We are worried, and our main concerns are Tuesday 5 November 2019 around the humanitarian situation and the stability of northern Syria. Notwithstanding the removal of Daesh leader al-Baghdadi, which we welcome, we are worried The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock about the medium-term impact on counter-Daesh strategy in the region. So while we welcome the ceasefire brokered by Vice-President Mike Pence in relation to northern PRAYERS Syria, we are also seeing an accommodation between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian regime and indeed Presidents Erdog˘an and Putin, and that is [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] counter both to our counter-terrorism efforts but also to the humanitarian plight that the hon. Gentleman rightly raises. Oral Answers to Questions Kerry McCarthy: May I add my congratulations to you, Mr Speaker? Save the Children has identified around 60 British FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE children who are stranded in north-east Syria. The Government have said that we owe them a duty of care. No matter what their parents may have done, these are The Secretary of State was asked— innocent children, and some are now malnourished and Syria some are suffering from life-threatening illnesses. What are the Government doing to ensure that those British 1. Ian Austin (Dudley North) (Ind): What assessment children are repatriated? he has made of the effect of the US Administration’s decision to withdraw support for Kurdish forces on Dominic Raab: The hon. Lady is right to say that the regional stability. [900296] first responsibility is of course with any parent or prospective parent who would take their children out to 15. Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): What recent a conflict zone. We have made it clear that we are willing assessment he has made of conditions for civilians in to repatriate unaccompanied UK minors or orphans Syria. [900313] where is no risk to UK security. We would consider carefully individual requests for consular support more 19. Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab): generally and subject to national security considerations, What discussions he has had with his international but of course the UK has no consular presence in Syria counterparts on the feasibility of implementing a no-fly from which to provide assistance, and that makes it very zone over northern Syria. [900319] difficult to help, but we respond on a case-by-case basis.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Mike Kane: This is an honour, Mr Speaker. Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab): May I start, Mr Speaker, by saying it is an honour to be MrAhmed,aSyrianKurdconstituentof mine,hasrelayed the first Member at the Dispatch Box to congratulate his deep concerns for family and friends in the region. you on taking the Chair? Youwill not have an easy task, Communities without security cannot prosper; what but I am confident that with your technical expertise more can be done to secure a peace? and your long experience and good humour, you will do an absolutely superb job. Dominic Raab: We talk to all the parties and players The UK has consistently opposed Turkish military involved.ObviouslythereisanimportantNATOcomponent. action in Syria. We condemned it with our European The US withdrawal of troops is, of course, a matter for partners and we are concerned about the impact it will them, but we note that a small residual number of have on stability, on the humanitarian crisis and also on troops are going to be left for counter-Daesh operations. the counter-Daesh effort. We support the deconfliction mechanism that is in place to try to ensure that the airspace can be correctly and Ian Austin: Mr Speaker, I am sure the whole House properly policed. will want to join me in congratulating you on your election yesterday. It is fantastic to see you in the Chair. Crispin Blunt (Reigate) (Con): It is an honour, I thank the Secretary of State for his answer.Abandoning Mr Speaker, to be the first Back Bencher to be called the Kurds, who led the fight against IS, has seen over from the Government Benches during your Speakership. 10,000 refugees fleeing to Iraqi Kurdistan on top of the I made my remarks about your predecessor a matter of 1.5 million displaced people it is already generously formal record, and I hope I can now get called, which caring for, so will he increase humanitarian work and would be agreeable. the Kurdistan region’s ability to defend itself against On this very serious issue, having recently been to the Daesh? Does he agree that this has also strengthened region may I urge my right hon. Friend and his colleagues Iran and its proxy terror arming Hezbollah, and that to engage with the local leadership there when they Israel, the middle east’sonly democracy,must be protected make themselves available at ministerial level? On the from that threat? conduct of the Turkish military operation, there is now 627 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 628 pretty incontrovertible evidence that white phosphorus The situation in Syria strikes me as something that affects has been used as a weapon against civilians, if not other security as well as foreign policy, so I ask the Foreign chemical weapons, either by the Turks or by their Syrian Secretary again: will he change his mind, given that auxiliary allies. This is a matter of immense seriousness; there are 27 key partners in there? It is increasingly will the United Kingdom Government now hold Turkey striking that there are no benefits from leaving the and her allies to account? European Union, but even worse, could it be that we have a Government so blinded and dogmatic over their Dominic Raab: Your tenure and leadership, Mr Speaker, commitment to turn away from Europe and embrace are already producing changes on the Back Benches, Trump that they will not even bother to turn up for which are hugely welcome. My hon. Friend is right to these meetings? Does he not agree that this is having be concerned that we ensure we are engaged with key security and foreign policy implications right now? figures on the ground in northern Syria. In relation to white phosphorus, we are very concerned by the reports— Dominic Raab: I have to say to the hon. Gentleman which have not yet been fully verified, as we have that I think the blinkered prejudice is all on his own said—and we want to see a swift and thorough investigation side. I have attended EU Gymnichs before the meetings by the UN Commission of Investigation. That is what with Foreign Ministers, because when we have security we are pressing for. issues of course we want to engage with our EU partners. The reality is that we will continue to do that once we Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon) (Con): Before the shadow have left the EU, because we want to be strong European Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for Islington neighbours and allies as well as giving effect to the South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry), stands up, may referendum in this country. I be the first London MP to welcome you to your place, Mr Speaker? Will my right hon. Friend tell the House whatinternationaldiscussionsareoccurringwiththeTurkish UK Soft Power Government in order to ensure a long-lasting peace? 2. Eddie Hughes (Walsall North) (Con): What diplomatic Dominic Raab: I have spoken to the Turkish Foreign steps he is taking to enhance UK soft power overseas. Minister and the Prime Minister spoke to President [900297] Erdog˘an on 12 and 20 October, and we have made it clear that we are not willing to see demographic changes on the ground that would alter the balance in northern 17. Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con): What the Syria. Weare concerned about the humanitarian situation. activities are of staff working in his Department on soft It is welcome that the ceasefire is broadly holding, but power; and if he will make a statement. [900316] we now need to see measures for a credible medium-term approach that allows us to continue to press our overarching The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign aim to see Daesh defeated in the region and that is also and Commonwealth Affairs (Mrs Heather Wheeler): As fair and just in relation to the humanitarian crisis, the first woman to speak, may I also congratulate you particularly to those who have been displaced or lost on your new job, Mr Speaker? The UK is home to their homes. world-class universities, cultural institutions and major sporting events that are known throughout the world Stephen Gethins (North East Fife) (SNP): On behalf and that help to promote our values and build relationships. of the Scottish National party, may I be the first Scottish We will keep investing in our soft power assets, including MP to welcome you to your place, Mr Speaker? On the British Council, the BBC World Service and Chevening 16 October, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign scholarships, and engaging with partners as part of our and Commonwealth Affairs, the hon. Member for South role as a positive influence in the world. Derbyshire (Mrs Wheeler), told the Foreign Affairs Committee that the UK was failing to attend meetings Eddie Hughes: I thank the Minister for that answer, to discuss the situation in Syria, not least the increase in Mr Speaker, but more importantly I thank you, because migration and the refugee crisis. Will the Foreign Secretary I believe that our soft power overseas has already been tell us what possible benefits there can be from failing enhanced as a result of your appointment to the Chair. to attend these meetings? What are the foreign policy May I ask the Minister what we will do with this newly implications of this, and will he change his mind about enhanced soft power to speak up for persecuted Christians non-attendance? around the world? Dominic Raab: I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that we are in close contact with all our bilateral partners, Mrs Wheeler: Congratulations from the west midlands that we engage with our EU partners and that we have as well, Mr Speaker: everybody is congratulating you. raised this situation in the UN Security Council. I have Weactively use our influence to speak up for persecuted discussed it at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and Christians and individuals of all faiths or beliefs at the the UK will be attending the next ministerial meeting of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe the Global Coalition against Daesh on 14 November in and the UN, among other bodies. Throughout our Washington. diplomatic network, we lobby Governments for changes in laws and practices and raise individual cases of Stephen Gethins: I am glad to hear that. The Brexit persecution in countries recently including Egypt, Indonesia Secretary told us that the UK would only attend meetings and Sudan. I am delighted that my hon. Friend the of the EU Council where there was Member for Gillingham and Rainham (Rehman Chishti), “a significant national interest in the outcome of discussions, the PM’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief such as on security”. is working very hard as well. 629 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 630

Michael Fabricant: Last summer, the Red Arrows Mrs Wheeler: It is a pleasure to take a question from went to North America on an 11-week deployment and the hon. Gentleman, who has been unbelievably good I happened, by sheer coincidence, to be in Chicago with as Chairman of his Select Committee. He is standing the Mayor of the West Midlands. There we were, walking down and, honestly, we will miss him. To answer his along the esplanade and we saw the Red Arrows on question, absolutely: 0.7% is writ large. We are very display with around a million Chicagoans cheering the proud that this is the Government that brought that in Royal Air Force, which was great. That is a great and put it on a statutory basis. As regards keeping example of soft power, but when does my hon. Friend DFID going after the election, let us get through the think that a soft power strategy might be published? election.

Mrs Wheeler: I thank my hon. Friend, with his great Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire) (Con): As the links to the west midlands and the Mayor of the West first born and bred Lancastrian to catch your eye, Midlands, all congratulating the Speaker on his new Mr Speaker, may I also congratulate you and wish you position. Of course, this was a great example of global well in your role? Last night, the director of the British Britain going forward. We are all incredibly proud of Museum, Hartwig Fischer, came to dinner at the House the Red Arrows and they are a great example of soft of Commons. I wonder whether the Minister will join power. When the Red Arrows were out there, the engineers me in putting on the record our appreciation of the and the pilots ran STEM––science, technology,engineering museum’s work. Not only is it an extraordinary lending and maths––workshops in schools throughout their institution of artefacts around the world, but its work route, which was an excellent opportunity to showcase in Iraq, for example, where the British Museum trains our soft power. To put my hon. Friend’s mind at rest, men and women archaeologists, is doing so much to yes, we will introduce a strategy for soft power once we preserve and protect sites that have been destroyed by have won the general election and come back. Daesh and others in recent years. If the Government are looking for an envoy for anything, I am going to be Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): No free. [Laughter.] soft soap from me, Mr Speaker. The fact of the matter is that I have known you since you came into the House. I Mrs Wheeler: I thank my right hon. Friend for that am really pleased that you are in the Chair and we at wonderful question. I am delighted to include the British least have a northern voice. It is Lancastrian rather than Museum’s work as another area of soft power for the Yorkshire, but it is nice to have a regional accent. It is great UK and for global Britain everywhere. My right very nice to see your dad up in the Gallery, another old hon. Friend is standing down and will be greatly missed friend and colleague of ours. It is a very happy occasion not only here but in the middle east, where his expertise for the Hoyles. and humanity are respected by everybody. Now I am turning into angry mode. Will the Minister define what is soft power and what is hard power? Is Mr Ivan Lewis (Bury South) (Ind): As the first Bury what the Russians did to us in the last election, and Member of Parliament to speak, may I congratulate possibly during the referendum, soft or hard power, you on your fantastic achievement, Mr Speaker? Following what are we going to do about it and when are the yesterday’s decision, which was based on merit, you Government going to publish this report that they are have been able to bring a great sense of unity to the trying to hide from the public? House. Turning to soft power, what are the Government Mrs Wheeler: I am always concerned about the health doing to make it clear to the Indian Government that of the hon. Gentleman; far be it from me to suggest that we have extremely serious concerns about human rights that was theatrics. To answer his question, soft power is abuses in Kashmir? What will the Government do to one of the best values of the UK as a nation, in that we promote the concept of self-determination for the Kashmiri are out there with our embassies, trade envoys and people? Time and again before elections, people on the cultural attachés and our British Council work. All that Front Benches make commitments to promote self- is absolutely excellent, as is the World Service that we determination, yet Governments have repeatedly failed help pay for. As regards Russia, the hon. Gentleman is to do anything about the issue when it comes to using an assiduous parliamentarian and I believe that an soft power in international institutions. urgent question on the matter has been agreed by the Speaker, the first he has agreed in his time as Speaker. I am sure that if the hon. Gentleman hangs around, he Mrs Wheeler: That was a serious question, and it will get the answers that he is looking for. behoves me to give a serious answer. The Foreign Secretary has spoken to the Indian Foreign Secretary about the matter, raising our concerns about humanitarian Stephen Twigg (Liverpool, West Derby) (Lab/Co-op): issues, particularly in Kashmir. As for the election and Mr Speaker, I am delighted to join the congratulations commitments regarding an independent Kashmir, the on your election yesterday on behalf of the people of matter should be sorted out on a bilateral basis between Liverpool. the two countries. An important element of soft power is our commitment to international development. Will the Minister take Relations with NATO Allies this opportunity to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to that, including the 0.7% aid commitment and the continuation of the Department for International 3. Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con): Development as a stand-alone independent Government What steps he is taking to strengthen relations with Department? NATO allies. [900298] 631 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 632

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Dominic Raab: I thank the right hon. Lady for her Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab): letter. As she knows, the Government and Ministers do NATO is the cornerstone of UK and Euro-Atlantic not comment on security clearance, but the insinuation defence and security and has been for over 70 years. On in her letter that No. 10 is somehow in the grip of a 12 October I addressed the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Kremlin mole is frankly ridiculous, even by the standards where I reiterated how NATO allies must work together of the loony left. What is troubling is that the leader of towards our shared values and to uphold peace and the the Labour party sided with the Kremlin when it denied international rule of law. responsibility for the nerve agent attack in Salisbury in 2018—one more reason why this Labour party, under Daniel Kawczynski: When we finally leave the European this leader, can never be trusted with Britain’s security. Union in January, there will be six key strategic countries that are committed to the defence of our continent but Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey) (Con): The are not members of the EU. Will my right hon. Friend question is about NATO. Does the Foreign Secretary commit to work with them and others across the continent agree that one of the biggest fault lines in NATO at the to ensure that NATO remains the supreme defence posture, moment is the fact that the largest partner is spending rather than the EU army proposed by Mr Verhofstadt 4% of its GDP on defence, whereas no one else is and others? spending much above 2%? Does he agree it is time for the UK to show a lead and commit to spending 3% of Dominic Raab: My hon. Friend is a stalwart defender, our GDP on defence in the next decade? supporter and champion of NATO and will know that we continue to meet our 2% defence spending target. Dominic Raab: I pay tribute to the work my right We contribute to every NATO mission, including leading hon. Friend did as Foreign Secretary. We are committed the Enhanced Forward Presence battlegroup in Estonia. to and, indeed, are meeting our 2% commitment. Not We also lead the Joint Expeditionary Force of up to all NATO members are, and we therefore continue to nine NATO allies and partners, and we do not want sympathise with the concerns of the US in that regard that to be undermined by anything done within the EU. and encourage others to meet the commitment. I am Indeed, we want to keep EU, US and North American sure the Chancellor of the Exchequer will look fondly solidarity as strong as possible. and with interest at his suggestion of a 3% commitment.

Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) Harry Dunn (Lab): On behalf of Her Majesty’s Opposition and the Labour Front-Bench team, may I welcome you to your 4. Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD): If new role, Mr Speaker? A vital part of co-operation with he will co-operate with any independent inquiry into our NATO allies is defending ourselves against Russian the death of Harry Dunn. [900299] attempts to interfere with our democracy. To that end, what possible reason can the Government have to delay The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth the publication of the Intelligence and Security Committee Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab): report until after the general election? What on earth do The Foreign Office has done everything it properly can they have to hide? to clear the path so that justice can be done for the family of Harry Dunn in this tragic case. Dominic Raab: The right hon. Lady will know, as she has been in her post for quite a while now, that ISC Tom Brake: I start by congratulating you, Mr Speaker, reports go through a number of stages of clearance and on your election. I know that you will want to defend other processes between the ISC and the Government. the rights of this House against any rogue Executive. The reports often contain sensitive information, and I know that she would want to see the integrity of such I extend my deepest sympathies to Harry Dunn’s information protected. The reports have to go through family.Are the Government exploring routes to extradite that process before they are published, and it usually the driver? Do they think they are likely to be successful, takes several weeks to complete. given that President Trump’s notes, which were caught on camera, appear to confirm that she will never return? Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): Nonsense. Dominic Raab: The right hon. Gentleman seems to be slightly confused about the process. A criminal investigation is being conducted by Northamptonshire Dominic Raab: The recent average, just to respond to police and the Crown Prosecution Service. There is no the hon. Gentleman, is six weeks. This report was only question of any extradition process, let alone of what submitted on 17 October, so it has been handled correctly. any Government might do about it, until the CPS has taken its charging decision. Emily Thornberry: I am surprised that the Secretary From the Foreign Office’s point of view, this is a of State could answer with a straight face. deeply tragic case. We have expressed our disappointment On a related issue, I ask the Foreign Secretary a and called for a review of the immunity question. It simple yes or no question pursuant to my letter to him should be waived, and we have cleared, as best and as on Friday. Does Mr Cummings have unredacted access properly as we can, all obstacles to justice being done. It to top-secret intelligence and unrestricted access to is now properly a matter for the police and the CPS, top-secret meetings relating to NATO, Russia, Ukraine including in relation to any extradition matters that and Syria—yes or no? follow. 633 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 634

Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) the world. Does the Minister agree that there is much (Lab): The family and friends of Harry Dunn have been more we can do to defend academic freedoms in this let down in the most appalling way, not just by the lack country from Chinese influence and democratic freedoms of justice for their son but by the complete lack of from Russian influence? answers from the Government to questions that they and we have raised. May I therefore ask the Secretary of Andrew Stephenson: The UK has a long tradition of State one more simple question that any mourning protecting human rights domestically and fulfilling our family would want answered? Can he tell me how long international human rights obligations, but, as my hon. Harry had to wait between being knocked off his motorbike Friend the Chair of the FAC has just said, there are and the arrival of an ambulance? concerns about academic freedoms, particularly given the influence of China, and Russian interference. Those Dominic Raab: Like the right hon. Lady, we feel a two issues are serious and I know that my right hon. Friend huge amount of sympathy for the family, who are very the Foreign Secretary pays close attention to them. distraught. We are doing everything we can to clear the path to an investigation. I do not know the answer to Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East) (Lab): Yesterday’s her question, but I gently say to her that on all these Human Rights Watch report on Saudi Arabia revealed matters, particularly on something so sensitive, we should mass arrests of women’s rights activists in the past year all proceed and talk about it responsibly. and alleged that many of them had been sexually assaulted, whipped and tortured in detention. Does the Minister Human Rights still think the Prime Minister was right to describe Crown Prince Salman two years ago as “a remarkable 6. Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab): What diplomatic steps young man”? his Department is taking to (a) promote and (b) support human rights internationally. [900301] Andrew Stephenson: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human The Minister for Africa (Andrew Stephenson): As a rights priority country, particularly because of its use of fellow Lancastrian MP, may I add my congratulations the death penalty and its restrictions of women’s rights, to you, Mr Speaker? freedom of expression and freedom of religious belief. The UK has a strong history of protecting human We have raised human rights concerns repeatedly with rights and promoting our values globally. We do that the Government of Saudi Arabia, with this most recently through a mixture of bilateral and multilateral engagement having been done by my right hon. Friend the Foreign and by working with and supporting civil society and Secretary. others promoting respect for British values and democracy. The rule of law and human rights are and will remain a Fabian Hamilton: The true answer is that when it core part of our international diplomacy. comes to Mohammed bin Salman, this Government are all too willing to look the other way. Can the Minister Liz Twist: It is hard to talk about human rights when explain how it was possible that in July the Department one of the most flagrant breaches of those rights, the for International Trade illegally authorised licences for genocidal violence against the Rohingya people by the exports of arms to the royal Saudi land forces, a full Myanmar military,remains completely unpunished. What 41 days after the Foreign Office was told that those are the latest plans to seek the referral of Myanmar to forces were operating inside Yemen? the International Criminal Court? Andrew Stephenson: As the hon. Gentleman will be Andrew Stephenson: The UK has committed to finding aware, the International Trade Secretary apologised for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis. We will any export licences that were issued in error. We are continue to work in Myanmar and Bangladesh to ensure carefully considering the implications of the judgment safe and dignified returns, and ensure that they are all for decision making, and we will not grant any new voluntary. Through the European Union, we imposed licences for export to Saudi Arabia, or any other coalition sanctions on 14 individuals responsible for human rights partners, of any items that might be used in the conflict violations during the 2017 Rohingya crisis. We will in Yemen. continue to work with the United Nations, the EU and other international actors to hold to account those Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con): responsible for these appalling atrocities. Mr Speaker, may I join all colleagues around the House in congratulating you on your elevation to Speaker of Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) (Con): May the House? I add the tributes of Kent to your speakership, Mr Speaker? The key human right is article 18 of the universal May I also personally pay tribute to the right hon. declaration of human rights and people being able to Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd), who has spoken practise their religion openly and freely. May I pay a up on human rights issues in this House for 30 years huge tribute to the former Foreign Secretary, my right and has not tired of arguing for people around the hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), world whose rights are challenged? May I also thank for commissioning the Truro review of the persecution her for what she has done over the past two years, when of Christians and the current Foreign Secretary for all she has been on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the work that he and his team are doing in taking been an amazing friend, counsel and adviser? The last forward that review? Recommendation 10 requested the report that she has played her part in is on the human Foreign Secretary write to key organisations such as rights of this country and how democracies can defend the British Council, the Westminster Foundation for themselves against autocratic influence from around Democracy and Wilton Park, so may I thank him for 635 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 636 writing that within 24 hours? Will he review this in Consular Support: UK Nationals Overseas 12 months to see how they are doing in taking forward freedom of religion and belief as part of that? 7. Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab): What steps he is taking to strengthen consular support Andrew Stephenson: May I start by paying tribute to for UK nationals overseas. [900303] my hon. Friend for all the work he does and his recent appointment as the Prime Minister’s envoy for freedom of religion or belief? As he says,huge numbers of Christians The Minister for Africa (Andrew Stephenson): Our around the world are being persecuted—it is currently consular staff help more than 20,000 British people estimated that 125 million Christians experience high or abroad every year, and we constantly strive to improve extreme levels of persecution. The Government have support, with more online services, updated information accepted all the recommendations from the bishop’sreport, and specialist staff. but my hon. Friend’ssuggestion of a review is a good idea. Chi Onwurah: As a Geordie, may I say what a pleasure 13. [900310] Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley) (Lab): it is to hear your northern tones bring order to our Congratulations to you, Mr Speaker. I thank the proceedings, Mr Speaker? Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the hon. My constituent Christine Scott was falsely arrested Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Tom Tugendhat), and imprisoned in Ghana. She is disabled, with severe for his comments. I have very much enjoyed being a mobility issues, yet the sum total of her consular support member of that Committee. during the 16 months of her ordeal was a list of lawyers. Will the Minister clarify what steps have been taken to She remains deeply traumatised, but the Minister has review all sales of arms to Saudi Arabia? I can hardly yet to respond to my inquiry. His Department has bear to say the word “Yemen”, but there have been suffered cuts of 30% since 2010 and now fights for thousandsof Saudiairattacksoncivilianstargets—including funding with the Ministry of Defence and the Department homes, markets, weddings, funerals, schools, hospitals for International Development—a situation that the andbuses—thathavekilledthousandsof civilians,including Foreign Affairs Committee said was “unsustainable”—so many children. Surely, that is in breach of international what is he doing to ensure that the first priority of law. I hope that we are taking all the necessary steps to consular services is to support citizens like Christine and highlight the complicity of countries such as the UK in not to cut costs? the alleged violations of international law. Andrew Stephenson: I thank the hon. Lady for her Andrew Stephenson: I pay tribute to the right hon. question. I have seen her letter, and I will be responding Lady for her years of service to the House, particularly to it later today. I am also happy to meet her. The details her years of service on the Foreign Affairs Committee, of this case are rather more complex than she has and for always keeping a laser-like focus on such issues. suggestedtotheHouse.Ialsogentlysuggest—[Interruption.] As she will be aware, we operate one of the most robust Wait until we have a meeting. I would rather discuss the export control regimes in the world and take our licensing full details of the case. If she looks specifically at Africa, obligations seriously. When mistakes are made, things she will see that we are opening five new missions there are investigated. As the Secretary of State for International and recruiting hundreds more staff. Our consular services Trade has said, the Government have apologised for the are first-rate across the globe. We are enhancing the fact that export licences were issued in error, and we are network. We should be supporting our consular staff in investigating what happened. the incredible work that they do. They are being not cut, but totally supported by this Government in their work Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con): May I be the first with British citizens across the globe. Sussex Member of Parliament to be called in your Speakership to congratulate you on your election to the Andrew Percy (Brigg and Goole) (Con): Mr Speaker, Chair, Mr Speaker? In that county, I am privileged to you might be from the wrong side of the Pennines, but it represent probably the largest number of Chagos islanders is a delight to see you in the Chair and for impartiality anywhere in the world. I have no doubt about UK to be returned to that office. sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory; however, human rights have been neglected ever since As we continue to expand our consular network the Wilson Administration forcibly evicted the Chagos overseas, may I urge the Minister to look at the proposal islanders from their homeland in the late 1960s. Will the that I recently wrote to the Prime Minister about with Minister assure me that, as we go forward, Chagos regard to a permanent consular post in Atlantic Canada, islands human rights will be better respected in terms of not only to support the very many Brits who travel there a right of return and nationality issues? every year but to make better use of our trading relationship post Brexit? Andrew Stephenson: I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for always doing all he can to speak up for his constituents. Andrew Stephenson: I thank my hon. Friend for that The United Kingdom Government have expressed sincere question. He did tireless work as the trade envoy to regret over this issue; however, in November 2016, the Canada, and I know that it is a country very close to his UK Government announced that the resettlement of heart. I will certainly look at his suggestion, but, as I Chagossians would not be supported on the grounds say, we have enhanced our network around the globe. of feasibility, defence or security interests. The UK We are always looking for new opportunities to support Government continue to the work with Chagossian British nationals. In 2018-19, we provided support to communitiestodesignasupportpackageworthapproximately 22,607 new consular cases, with satisfaction ratings of £40 million, the intent of which is to support Chagossians more than 80% reported from the people whom we helped here in the United Kingdom. around the globe. 637 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 638

Gavin Robinson (Belfast East) (DUP): In Belfast, they I thank the Minister for the Middle East and North might say, “Good on you, auld hand,” Mr Speaker, but Africa for the efforts he has made on behalf of my we are delighted with your elevation. constituent Luke Symons, who is held captive by the The Minister knows that I will not go into details Houthis in Yemen, where no consular services are about this case because of its sensitive nature, but I available—for obvious reasons. I urge the FCO not to want to pay tribute to him: my constituent is now home take its eye off the ball during the election period, and from Cameroon and in the arms of his family. They are to continue all efforts to get his release. incredibly grateful to him for the work that he has done and to Sir Simon McDonald, Chris Ribbands, Sharon Andrew Stephenson: The Minister for the Middle East Gannery, the deputy commissioner, and Amina Begum and North Africa is doing everything he can for the Ali for all their tremendous work. There is a family full hon. Gentleman’sconstituent. Providing consular assistance of love and joy in my constituency where they did not in Yemen is, of course, far from straightforward, but we think that that would happen, so I thank him. will continue to keep up the pressure and to do everything we can. Andrew Stephenson: May I thank the hon. Gentleman for the tireless work that he does for his constituency Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) (Lab): and for the family in question? We are not always able May I say how delighted I am to have a rugby league to resolve cases as satisfactorily as we have resolved this fanatic in the Chair, Mr Speaker? one, but we will always try everything that we can to Can the Minister update me on my constituent Aras help British citizens in trouble abroad. Amiri? What urgent action is being taken in Tehran for this woman, who is a British Council employee? Tragically, Mr Speaker: Can we have three quick questions? her family here are heartbroken because they have not had an update on what is happening with her desperate Hannah Bardell (Livingston) (SNP): I, too, welcome case, following her imprisonment on false charges. you to your place, Mr Speaker. My constituents, Julie Pearson and Kirsty Maxwell, died abroad. They were Andrew Stephenson: My right hon. Friend the Foreign taken far too soon in suspicious circumstances. I have Secretary will speak to the Iranian Foreign Minister asked questions of two Prime Ministers and met several later today.The treatment of British Iranians particularly Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers, and I is of grave concern. We repeatedly raise our concerns could not get them the help that they needed, so I set up with the Iranian authorities, including through the Prime an all-party group on consular services and deaths Minister, who raised this matter directly with President abroad. Sixty families gave evidence in hours of harrowing Rouhani during the United Nations General Assembly. experiences. Ninety two recommendations were made. Topical Questions It is clear that there is a cultural problem stemming from lack of funding. The officers who are trying to help these families abroad do not have the resources or T1. [900321] Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab): If he will make training. Will the Minister read my report and, most of a statement on his departmental responsibilities. all, will he apologise to the families that we have met across all our constituencies who have been let down by The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth the FCO? Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab): Since the last oral questions, I visited the US to reaffirm Andrew Stephenson: I am reading the hon. Lady’s our commitment to strengthening the special relationship. report, and, unfortunately, I find it rather one-sided. I I spoke to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, affirming know that my predecessor agreed to meet the all-party our leading role in NATO and our commitment to it. group, but the meeting never took place because a date Above all, I am focused on supporting the Prime Minister was never arranged. That was not because my predecessor in getting Brexit done so that this country can move did not try to get that arranged. I have agreed with the forward as an open, outward-looking country with hon. Lady to meet the APPG, but, again, that meeting global reach and global ambition. has never happened, so rather than publishing one-sided reports, I wish that she and the members of that APPG Liz Twist: I missed my chance earlier to congratulate actually worked with the Foreign Office, which has some you, Mr Speaker, on your appointment, so may I take incredible staff, dealing with some very serious incidents the opportunity to do so now? across the world. Last year, there were 4,000 deaths of Chinese state media yesterday urged the Hong Kong British nationals overseas. We will always look at what Government to take a tougher line against what it more we can do and implement many of the Victims’ called “wanton violence” in the city. Will the Minister Commissioner’s recommendations and work with other contact both his Chinese and Hong Kong counterparts, non-governmental organisations to improve our service and say to them both that what is needed is a return to for people who die abroad. I only wish that we could dialogue and democratic norms, not an even tougher have a more constructive approach from the all-party line being taken against the demonstrators? group. Dominic Raab: The hon. Lady’s point is one with Mr Speaker: Two short questions and two quick which Members across the House would agree. We answers. remain seriously concerned about the situation in Hong Kong and the recent violent clashes between protesters Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab): Llongyfarchiadau, and the police. We condemn the minority of hardcore Mr Speaker—congratulations. May I be the first to say violent protesters, but also continue fully to support that to you in Welsh? the right to peaceful protest. As the hon. Lady says, that 639 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 640 ought to be a stepping stone to political dialogue, T3. [900323] John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) particularly with the forthcoming local elections on (Ind): Heartfelt congratulations, Mr Speaker. 24 November in mind. Will the Foreign Secretary comment on the report overnight of the capture of the sister of Abu Bakr T2. [900322] Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) al-Baghdadi in north-west Syria? Does not this, and the (Con): Does not the blocking of Joshua Wong as a council death of the Daesh leader itself, underline the importance candidate offend against the very basic principles of the of our international alliances to keep British citizens Sino-British agreement, and what is the Secretary of and our communities safe from the threat of terror? State planning to do about it? Dominic Raab: I pay tribute to the hon. Gentleman Dominic Raab: As I mentioned in my response to the and congratulate him on his new appointment as an hon. Member for Blaydon (Liz Twist), the local elections adviser at the Home Office on counter-extremism and on 24 November will be an important milestone to see counter-terrorism—a role that I know he will perform whether there can be a de-escalation of tensions in very effectively. Hong Kong, and a path towards political dialogue and We do not comment on operational matters, as the engagement that is consistent with the joint declaration hon. Gentleman will know. We welcome the removal of and one country, two systems. I share my right hon. Baghdadi, but there is a much broader counter-Daesh Friend’s concern about the barring of Joshua Wong strategy that we need to pursue. We need to keep all our because standing for election is a fundamental right partners together—which is why, frankly, some of the enshrined in Hong Kong’s Basic Law, which itself reflects latent anti-Americanism that is preached by Opposition the one country, two systems model. We continue to Front Benchers is deeply unhelpful. make our concerns known to our Chinese partners. T6. [900329] Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) Liz McInnes (Heywood and Middleton) (Lab): As a (Con): It is great to have a no-nonsense northerner in fellow Lancastrian, Mr Speaker, may I welcome you to the Chair, Mr Speaker. your new role? Google turns around over £10 billion in the UK, Will the Foreign Secretary update the House on the making a typical profit margin of 22%, so it should pay ongoing industrial dispute between Interserve and the about £420 million in corporation tax, yet it pays only Public and Commercial Services Union members working about £70 million due to profit shifting. Will my right as support staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth hon. Friend do all he can to press for international Office? Is he aware of the repeated security breaches in action to end this kind of disgraceful tax avoidance? the last six months through Interserve bringing on site contractors without appropriate clearance? Andrew Stephenson: The UK is a world leader on tax compliance, with one of the lowest tax gaps in the world. Dominic Raab: We are of course aware of the dispute, The UK was a major sponsor of the OECD’s base erosion and want to see it resolved as swiftly as possible. I am and profit shifting project and has adopted many of the not aware of the security breaches to which the hon. recommendations. The Government also introduced Lady refers, but I will look into them and respond to the diverted profits tax, which came into effect on her by letter. 1 April 2015 and counters the contrived arrangements used by some multinationals to divert profits from T5. [900327] Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con): Let the UK. me be the first cockney MP to congratulate you on your new role, Mr Speaker; I look forward to your service in T4. [900326] Mr Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Ind): As this House. the first Gavin Shuker MP to be called under your Five of the 15 members of the Hamas political bureau tenure, Mr Speaker, may I, too, offer my congratulations have been designated as terrorists by the United Kingdom on your elevation? and the USA, but in the UK we proscribe only the For 10 years in this place I have repeatedly raised with military wing of Hamas. Is it not time that we proscribed the Foreign Secretary and his predecessors the appalling the entirety of Hamas, rather than only Hamas as a human rights abuses in Kashmir. Further to our recent military organisation and a terrorist organisation? Does disappointing exchange of letters, can he give one single my right hon. Friend agree that until Hamas renounces example of actions he has taken in robustly challenging violence, celebrates peace and brings peace to the middle the Indian Government’s revocation of article 370 of east, there will never be a peaceful solution between the Indian constitution? Israel and the Palestinian state? Dominic Raab: The hon. Gentleman has been a stalwart The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa champion of human rights and has indeed taken a very (Dr Andrew Murrison): May I, Mr Speaker, extend my close interest in foreign policy in relation to this region. felicitations from Wiltshire on your advancement? I feel He asks what we have done. As the Under-Secretary of absolutely certain that my Wiltshire colleagues would State, my hon. Friend the Member for South Derbyshire join me in that. (Mrs Wheeler), said earlier, fundamentally the issue of I thank my hon. Friend for his important question. Kashmir needs to be resolved between the two parties, He is aware that we do of course proscribe the military but we never duck the issue of human rights in any element of Hamas,and we have a policy of non-engagement country. I have raised the issue of human rights in Saudi with Hamas in its entirety. Until Hamas sets its face Arabia with the Saudi Foreign Minister and, particularly against violence, accepts the Quartet principles and engages in relation to detentions, blackouts and internet blockages, with the political process, it will be outside the tent. with the Indian Foreign Minister. We will continue to 641 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 642 do that because it is absolutely important. Even with hard work they put in. We are taking our time, to ensure some of our closest partners, we need to be able to have that we get the appointment of the next ambassador those candid conversations. right, and I think my hon. Friend need not lose any sleep over the prospect of it being Mr Farage. Richard Graham (Gloucester) (Con): In the eight years since I was first appointed the Prime Minister’s Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP): I suppose I trade envoy to nations in south-east Asia and elected am the first person to congratulate you twice, Mr Speaker. chair of the all-party China group, trade and investment Can the Foreign Secretary tell us how the UK’s in that region has increased sharply—as have challenges standing as a soft power superpower is enhanced by its to our values in some areas. May I therefore thank continuing refusal to comply with the UN General officials at the Foreign Office and the Department for Assembly resolution that it should withdraw its colonial International Trade who balance these responsibilities administration from the Chagos islands by 22 November so well? May I also welcome the Foreign Secretary’s this year? first visit abroad to the ASEAN summit in Bangkok? Does he agree that we should do all we can to participate Dominic Raab: We contribute to soft power in all in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and deepen our role sorts of ways,from our entrepreneurs and our world-beating with the nations of ASEAN? innovators to the popularity of the arts and the English language overseas. The hon. Gentleman raises the specific Dominic Raab: I pay tribute to all my hon. Friend’s issue of the British Indian Ocean Territory. We have no tireless efforts and work. The Asia-Pacific region covered doubt about our sovereignty in that regard. It has been by the trans-Pacific trade agreement and ASEAN is a under continuous British sovereignty since 1814; Mauritius hugely important relationship for us. They are growth has never held sovereignty over the territory. We were markets of the future, and we have perhaps not invested disappointed that what was effectively a bilateral dispute in partners there as much as we could have. While was referred to the International Court of Justice and ensuring that we remain strong trading partners and the UN General Assembly. The point of principle is allies with our European partners, leaving the EU allows that that circumvents the basic tenet that the ICJ should us to invest more and with renewed vigour and enthusiasm not consider bilateral disputes without the consent of in that critical region. That will bring dividends in jobs, both parties. free trade and advantages for consumers at home, and it also allows us to project our influence and soft power, DrJulianLewis(NewForestEast)(Con):Congratulations, as we have been discussing in this House. Mr Speaker. In the light of the Foreign Secretary’s rather dismissive T7. [900330] Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab): response to his predecessor on defence spending, is he Teesside also celebrates your election to the Chair, aware that the Defence Committee, on which four parties Mr Speaker. are represented, has recommended 3% of GDP as a This morning, Israel’s Supreme Court confirmed its realistic medium-term goal? Does he accept that 2% of Government’s decision to deport Human Rights Watch’s GDP on defence is a minimum? It is a floor, not a ceiling. director for Israel and Palestine, Omar Shakir. That Dominic Raab: I pay tribute to all the work that my decision comes amid the worrying closing of civil society right hon. Friend has done in this House on security space for those advocating human rights in that country. over the years. I certainly hope that I was not dismissive. Will the Government urge Israel to reverse its decision We have just had one comprehensive spending review. and allow Human Rights Watch to continue its vital There are competing bids going to the Chancellor on a work? whole range of issues, but he makes an important point. Dominic Raab: I know at first hand from my time We are committed, as a stalwart NATO ally, to 2%, and working on human rights in war crimes and for human we will certainly consider the report that he referred to rights NGO Liberty how important the work of Human as we consider the next CSR. Rights Watch is. We want to see that continue, and of Imran Hussain (Bradford East) (Lab): I congratulate course we support it in general terms. We discuss a you, Mr Speaker, and I refer the House to my entry in whole range of issues with our Israeli partners. The the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Following Israeli Supreme Court has a strong record of independence on from the Secretary of State’s previous response, it is and has held the Executive to account on many occasions. three months today since the draconian illegal blockade It is important that we respect the separation of powers in Kashmir began. Thousands continue to be arrested there as well. without any due process. There are food shortages and medicine shortages, and persecution, oppression and Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con): Warmest injustice continue, yet the UK Government remain congratulations to you from Worcestershire, Mr Speaker. silent. The United Nations Security Council remains The Foreign Secretary mentioned the transatlantic silent, and the international community remain silent. relationship in his opening remarks. We have not had a The sons and daughters of Kashmir are asking a simple UK ambassador in Washington for four months. Can question: does a Kashmiri child not feel the same pain he update the House on when he expects that appointment as any other child? Does a Kashmiri child not bleed in to be made, and can he also rule out appointing Mr Nigel the same way as any other child? Is a Kashmiri child’s Farage to such a position? death not worth the same as any other child’s death? Why is the world silent? Dominic Raab: Our embassy in the US does a terrific job on a whole range of issues, from trade to security Dominic Raab: I thank the hon. Gentleman, and I co-operation. I have been out there twice since my understand the passion with which he raises this issue. appointment, and I know how much commitment and Of course we feel for the suffering of anyone in Kashmir, 643 Oral Answers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Oral Answers 644 and we certainly have not been quiet on this issue. I have in tents there. May I again ask the Foreign Secretary raised it with the Indian Foreign Minister, and we have to revise, as a matter of urgency, our policy on their discussed it with our partners. It has been discussed in return? international forums more widely, so I can reassure him and his constituents on both sides that we continually Dominic Raab: I thank my right hon. Friend, and we raise and will continue to raise these matters with the certainly share his concerns about the humanitarian Indian Government. Equally, the wider issue of Kashmir, situation. I have already made clear the UK’s policy on as has already been said in the Chamber, is a bilateral unaccompanied minors and orphans: we are willing to dispute that we feel—and, indeed, the UN Secretary see them repatriated. We will consider wider requests Council resolutions and the international community for consular support more generally, subject to national have said—ought to be resolved bilaterally. We would security concerns. The real challenge we have is that we certainly encourage and want to facilitate all those do not have a consular presence in Syria, and accessing efforts to achieve that solution. the children—or anyone else of UK nationality for that matter—is very difficult, but we do respond to all cases Mr David Davis (Haltemprice and Howden) (Con): on a case-by-case basis. Given the events of the last few years, I am not sure whether it is congratulations or commiserations I should Several hon. Members rose— offer you, Mr Speaker, but I certainly express my pleasure at your appointment. Mr Speaker: Questions are now over, but may I tell When we return from the election and this House anyone standing that their name will be down for next sits after the election campaign, it will be midwinter in time as a matter of urgency? Let us get the priorities northern Syria and 60 British children will be living working correctly. 645 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Points of Order 646

Points of Order Dissolution? I am particularly concerned about how I may raise the case of Mr Benjamin Williams from my 12.31 pm constituency. A wheelchair-bound young man with degenerative spine disease, he has had great difficulty Mr Ivan Lewis (Bury South) (Ind): On a point of getting the services he needs from Shepherds Bush order, Mr Speaker. I seek your guidance. In the remaining Housing Group, which seems to have been obstructive hours before purdah, what steps are available to the in every respect in relation to leaks, the fact that his House to require the Secretary of State for Transport windows do not close and other matters. Can you give to publish the Oakervee review of High Speed 2? me some advice about how I can raise this issue further, Whistleblowers have revealed that this is one of the particularly to make sure that he gets the support he great public scandals, I believe, of our generation, and it needs prior to Christmas? has led to parliamentarians making decisions based on entirely false information about the development of the Mr Speaker: You are quite right to raise such an issue scheme. May I seek this guidance from you, Mr Speaker: on behalf of a constituent, but we can still write to in the remaining hours before purdah, what can we do Ministers during that period. I think you need to make to get this report published? sure you get your letter off today, but I do hope they have already been listening. Mr Speaker: That is not a matter for the Chair, but the hon. Gentleman has done the right thing: he has put Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) (Con): On a it on the record, and I hope those on the Government point of order, Mr Speaker. As Chairman of Ways and Front Bench are listening and may come back about Means, you were assiduous in your defence of Members’ that while we still have time. rights and Members’ security. As the general election begins, we are hearing reports that candidates in part of Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): On a point of order, the United Kingdom are pulling out due to threats of Mr Speaker. Ever mindful that this Parliament is coming violence. Will you assure the House that you are liaising to an end very shortly, may I ask what we can do in this with police forces across all parts of this United Kingdom House to ensure that something happens about the —Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England— persecution of Christians? The number of countries because some communities seem to think that violence where Christians suffer because of their faith rose from is the way to ensure that their opponents do not stand 128 in 2015 to 144 a year later. The very survival of against them? Christianity as a living religion is in doubt. What can be done by the Foreign Secretary before purdah to make Mr Speaker: The hon. Gentleman asks a very important sure something happens right away? question. A letter will be going out to Members of the House who are standing for re-election, to reassure Mr Speaker: I finished questions earlier, but you have them about what measures are in place. I gave evidence certainly put that point on the record. to Lord Bew on his report. I will not go into the details now, but what I will say is that all police forces are well Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op): aware that all candidates matter, and support will be On a point of order, Mr Speaker. May I ask your advice given to them. about what may happen during the parliamentary 647 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Intelligence and Security Committee 648 Report on Russia Intelligence and Security Committee The Intelligence and Security Committee operates on Report on Russia a completely non-partisan basis to try to put information into the public domain in the national interest. This report was completed in March of this year after many 12.35 pm months of work. There then began a process of correction Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield) (Ind) (Urgent and redaction needed to get it published, and that Question): To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a process, which involved the agencies and the Cabinet statement on his refusal to give clearance to the report Office, was completed by early October,when the agencies on Russia by the Intelligence and Security Committee and the national security secretariat indicated that they of Parliament. were happy that the published form would not damage any operational capabilities of the agencies. That is why, The Minister for Europe and the Americas (Christopher on 17 October, the report was sent to the Prime Minister Pincher): As the first Member who has no particular for final confirmation. hook on which to hang their congratulations to you, It is a long-standing agreement that the Prime Minister Mr Speaker, may I in any event, and rather gratuitously, will endeavour to respond within 10 days. The Minister welcome you to the Chair? has indicated that there have been instances where further I would like to answer my right hon. and learned delay has crept in, but my secretariat tells me that it is Friend’s question regarding publication of the ISC’s unprecedented that we should have had no response at report on Russia. The ISC provides invaluable scrutiny all explaining why any further delay is required in this and oversight of the work of the intelligence community case. The report has to be laid before Parliament when to Parliament, so I am grateful to it for conducting this it is sitting. If it is not laid before Parliament ceases to timely inquiry into our work on Russia. Russia’s reckless sit this evening, it will not be capable of being laid until behaviour in Salisbury and Amesbury shows that, now the Committee is reformed. In 2017, that took nearly more than ever, we cannot afford to be complacent about six months. the Russian threat. I ask the Minister, how is it that the Prime Minister Because the ISC deals with matters of national security has claimed, through the No. 10 spokesman, that there and intelligence, its reports always contain sensitive must be further delays for consultation about national information, so it is entirely right that they go through security, when the agencies themselves indicated publicly an intensive security review before publication. This report this morning, in response to journalistic inquiries, that is one of a number of ISC reports that the Government publication will not prejudice the discharge of their are currently considering. The current length of time functions? So for what purpose is the Prime Minister that this report has been with the Government is not still considering it? It certainly cannot be the risk to unusual, as this has averaged around six weeks for national security, as the agencies themselves have said reports published in recent years, and three to four weeks that there is none. for a response to be forthcoming from the Government. Will the Minister confirm that the Prime Minister For example, the details of the counter-terrorism does not have carte blanche to alter our reports or remove review following the attacks and the 2017-18 annual material from them, and that, if he wishes to exercise a report were sent together to No. 10 on 12 October 2018. veto over publication, he must give the Committee a We were asked to respond 10 days later on 26 October. credible explanation as to why he is doing so? Will he We responded on 8 November, and then the checked, also explain why No. 10 spokesmen insisted that no proofread report was published on 22 November.Similarly, publication should take place because weeks of further the details of the detainees report were sent to No. 10 interdepartmental consultations were needed, when, I on 10 May 2018. Again, the ISC asked for a response have to say to the Minister, this explanation was plainly within 10 working days on 24 May. We responded on bogus? Finally, will he explain why No. 10 spokesmen 30 May, and then the checked, proofread report was suggested that parts of the report had been leaked by published on 12 June. In both cases, the process took the Committee, when it is plainly obvious to anybody approximately six weeks, because by law it is imperative who looks at the journalistic speculations that they have that the process is thorough. not? Would he now like to take the opportunity of In accordance with the Justice and Security Act 2013, withdrawing that particular slur,which came from No. 10? the impact of releasing sensitive information must be carefully considered by the Prime Minister on the advice Christopher Pincher: I am grateful to my right hon. of civil servants. We cannot rush the process and risk and learned Friend for his questions and for his tone. I undermining our national security.There is no set timeline simply reiterate the points I made in my statement. It is within the memorandum of understanding with the not unusual for the review of ISC reports to take some Committee for the Government to clear such reports time. The average turnaround time is six weeks. The for publication, and under the same memorandum there average response to the Committee is anywhere between is no set timeline for a response, nor is such a deadline three and four weeks. It is not as if the Prime Minister set in the governing legislation. has not had one or two other things to do over the past I want to assure the House that the Committee is well several weeks, notably obtaining a good deal for Britain informed of this process, which is continuing along on withdrawing from the European Union. It is not standard parameters that apply before every publication. unusual that the turnaround time is what it is. Once the process has been completed, we will continue The Prime Minister has very specific and particular to keep all relevant parties and the House informed. responsibilities, under the Justice and Security Act 2013, to be sure that any information that ISC reports may Mr Grieve: Mr Speaker, may I once again warmly contain is properly checked and, if appropriate, redacted. congratulate you on your election? The Prime Minister takes that responsibility very seriously 649 Intelligence and Security Committee 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Intelligence and Security Committee 650 Report on Russia Report on Russia indeed, because the reports that issue from the ISC are In respect of the right hon. Lady’s question about important. They carry weight and therefore they must publication, the Government and the Prime Minister be properly looked at. That is what No. 10 is doing. have a responsibility under the Justice and Security Act That is what the Prime Minister is doing by referring to 2013 to look properly at the report, and that is what he his officials for advice, which is his right and responsibility. is doing. The turnaround time for this report is not As to leaks, we see quite a few of those and we deplore unusual. The response time to the Committee is not them all. I certainly would not want anybody to believe unusual. The CT attacks report and the detainee report that what is in a leak, particularly if it appears on the took some time to turn around. I understand why the front pages of certain newspapers, is believable. right hon. Lady may wish—for party political purposes in this febrile time, as the House of Commons is about to dissolve—to make the points that she has, but they Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) are entirely refutable. I believe, personally, that they are (Lab): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for granting reprehensible, and I wish that she would withdraw the this urgent question. May I thank the right hon. and imputation about the good name of the Conservative learned Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) for securing party and this Government. it and for all his efforts? I can only echo the words of the right hon. and learned Mr Keith Simpson (Broadland) (Con): I declare an Gentleman about the utterly unjustifiable, unprecedented interest as a member of the Intelligence and Security and clearly politically motivated reasons for delaying Committee, and I absolutely support what our Chairman the publication of the report until after the election. said. This is a question of principle as much as anything This is not at the request of the intelligence agencies. else. I will not go into the details of what the report is There are no foreign powers we have to consult, which about—there have been a lot of foxes let loose by the was the reason for the delay of the rendition report. media—but I have this question to put to the Minister, This is nothing less than an attempt to suppress the and I feel sorry for him that he has been landed with truth from the public and from Parliament, and it is an having to answer this, rather than perhaps someone affront to our democracy. from the Cabinet Office. As far as the Committee is We are bound to ask: what is Downing Street so concerned, this report has been cleared by the intelligence worried about? Why would it not welcome an official and security agencies. It has been cleared by the Cabinet report on attempted Russian interference in the 2016 Office, and the civil servants and officials saw no reason referendum, whether that was successful or otherwise? I whatsoever why it should not have been published. Will fear it is because it realises that the report will lead to the Minister therefore tell the House—I do not want to other questions about the links between Russia and hear all that repetition again—why the Prime Minister Brexit, and with the current leadership of the Tory is not going to allow this report to be released and party, that risk derailing its election campaign. There published in this Parliament? are questions about the relationship between the FSB-linked Sergey Nalobin and his “good friend”, the current Christopher Pincher: Before I answer his question, I Prime Minister. There are questions about the Prime would like to say farewell to my right hon. Friend, who Minister’s chief aide, Dominic Cummings, his relationship has been a steadfast Member of this House and a with Oxford academic Norman Stone, the mysterious doughty champion of defence and security issues, both three years that he spent in post-communist Russia here and on the ISC. He asks a straightforward question. aged just 23, and the relationships that he allegedly I will give him the straightforward answer. The Prime forged with individuals such as Vladislav Surkov, the Minister has a responsibility under the 2013 Act to key figure behind Vladimir Putin’s throne. And there properly and carefully adjudicate upon the report before are questions about the amount of money flowing into him, and that is what he is doing, but it takes some time. Conservative coffers from Russian émigrés, about the sources of money that paid for the Brexit campaign, Stephen Gethins (North East Fife) (SNP): I pay tribute and about the dubious activities of Conservative Friends to the right hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield of Russia. (Mr Grieve). He and I disagree on a wide range of If the Minister is going to dismiss all that as conspiracy issues, but his fairness and scrupulousness in holding to theories or smears and say that it has nothing to do with account both his own Government and others, such as the delay of the report, I say back to him: prove it. me, is a credit to the entire House. Publish this report and let us see for ourselves. Otherwise, The Russian Government’s greatest victims are their there is only question: what have you got to hide? own people, with human rights abuses, and human rights and democracy activists, opposition groups and Christopher Pincher: I am obliged to the right hon. minorities targeted. I spent several years working in the Lady for giving us a run-down of her interest in smears former Soviet Union, and we in the Foreign Affairs and conspiracy theories. She wonders where Professor Committee have visited as well, and I pay tribute to the Stone was in the 1980s—I rather wonder where the bravery of those who campaign for fairness, the rule of Leader of the Opposition was in the 1980s and, for that law and democracy in that country. Surely the greatest matter, in the 1990s, the 2000s and quite recently. It is riposte we can make, and the greatest support we can rather rich for her to suggest that somehow the Conservative give those campaigners, is to show that democracy, party and this Government are linked to Russian openness and transparency in the UK are something to disinformation, given the way that her party leadership look up to. I fear that in this case they are not. has acted and the responsibility that her party leadership I hope the Minister is embarrassed by what he has has had down the years for being hand in hand with its just heard from the members of the ISC. Their questions Russian friends. were damning, and I am not surprised he did not 651 Intelligence and Security Committee 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Intelligence and Security Committee 652 Report on Russia Report on Russia [Stephen Gethins] Christopher Pincher: A report such as this—a sensitive report that is 50 pages long—requires careful consideration. answer them. Given the threat Russia poses to elections, As I said, it was submitted on 17 October and is being and given that his Government have wanted an election reviewed by all the relevant senior officials within for months, why is this not a priority? Brexit has taught government and at No.10. The Committee will be informed us that this Government like to hide unhelpful reports—lots of that process, and when the Prime Minister has concluded of them—so prove me wrong and publish the report. that the report is publishable, he will publish it.

Christopher Pincher: The Government are prepared Mr Steve Baker (Wycombe) (Con): Are the Government to be robust and transparent with respect to Russia—look not entitled not to be bullied into accelerating the release at the way we carefully collated, assessed, scrutinised of important national security reports? Would it not be and presented the evidence of the Kremlin’s involvement a dangerous precedent to establish that the Committee in the attacks in Salisbury and Amesbury, and at the can come to the House and bully the Government into way we built an international alliance that responded to releasing such an important and sensitive report? that threat. We are perfectly prepared to be robust and transparent with respect to Russia. Christopher Pincher: I do not think the Government The hon. Gentleman asked about evidence of Russia’s are being bullied. Certainly we are not prepared to be involvement in our elections. There is no evidence of bullied. We want to make sure the report is given proper any successful Russian involvement in the British electoral and careful consideration and that any further changes cycle. I would ask him to be careful, thoughtful and to or questions of it can be addressed. Then a properly considerate at this febrile time, as the House dissolves balanced report can be published. before the general election, and to allow the Prime Minister his right and his duty to assess what is in the report. Mr Speaker: I call Stella Creasy. Then we can produce a report in good time. Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) (Lab/Co-op): Thank you, Mr David Davis (Haltemprice and Howden) (Con): Mr Speaker—it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? When the Minister talked about the ISC, he referred to the Justice and Security Act 2013—the latest Act that We all in the House will know from our email inboxes crystallised the practical approach to the running of the that one of the challenges facing our current politics is ISC in the years since it was created by the Intelligence that people watch too much Netflix and so are convinced Services Act 1994. That Act created an arrangement for that there are many conspiracies. That said, given that, the Committee that balanced national security with the as ISC members have said, many foxes have been set right to scrutiny and redaction and the right of the loose—reports about Sergey Nalobin, about Dominic Prime Minister to approve the report before it is released. Cumming’ssecurity clearance, about Alexander Temerko’s It rested on balance and on both sides—the House and friendship with the Prime Minister, about the use of the the Government—treating the other side fairly. That is Lycamobile offices; given that the security agencies say what is missing here. By not releasing the report, all the they are happy to see the report, which the Government Minister does is create a vacuum for the paranoid have had since March, published; given the cross-party fantasies we have heard from the Opposition to fill. support for it to be published; and given that Earl Howe in the House of Lords yesterday said it is the Prime Christopher Pincher: As ever, I am grateful to my Minister and the Prime Minister alone who needs to right hon. Friend, though he will appreciate that I publish it, does the Minister recognise that the best way cannot be responsible for the paranoid fantasies of to kill the conspiracy theories is to put it out in the Opposition Members. I can only say that the report was open? Former Prime Ministers have told us that sunlight received by the Government on 17 October. It is not is the best disinfectant. Why has this Prime Minister unusual for such reports to take six weeks to turn closed the blinds? around or for a Government response to take anywhere between three and four weeks. Given the circumstances— Christopher Pincher: The best way to avoid conspiracy given all the other things going on—I am not surprised theories is for people not to peddle them, and the hon. the report is taking a little time to turn around. That Lady just made a valiant effort in so doing. I have explained does not mean it is being suppressed or withheld in any why it is taking some time to consider the report. way; it simply means it is being properly considered. We will consider it carefully and make sure it is a robust report, and then it will be published in due course. Mr Speaker: I call David Hanson. Mr Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) (Con): I would certainly David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): Thank you, Mr Speaker— welcome a debate on covert and malign foreign interference and congratulations. —not only any attempts on our side but why Seumas As a Labour member of the ISC, I support the right Milne always seems to peddle the Kremlin’s line and the hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), links between senior people around the leader of the the Chair of the Committee, and share his concerns. Labour party and pro-Russian groups in Ukraine and The security services have cleared our report, the Cabinet elsewhere. There would be a lot of interesting debate there. Office has cleared our report, and we have made My question to the Minister is a broader one. Does recommendations to the Prime Minister. Since receiving he agree that the best way to minimise the chances of the report, has the Prime Minister read it, and has he malign and covert interference in our electoral system is submitted any redactions? I do not need to know what through the introduction of a foreign agents registration they are, but has he read it and has he submitted Act? The US introduced one against covert Nazi influence redactions? If not, why does he not publish today? in 1938 and the Australians produced a foreign influence 653 Intelligence and Security Committee 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Intelligence and Security Committee 654 Report on Russia Report on Russia transparency scheme just last year. I will be working There are serious questions to be answered. I say to with the Henry Jackson Society to produce a potential Members on that side of the House that it is perfectly template Bill. Would the Minister be interested in discussing legitimate for Members on this side of the House to ask it with me should we both be re-elected in December? the questions that we are asking. Our job is to scrutinise what the Government are doing. Clearly there are serious Christopher Pincher: I am always interested to hear questions to be answered in relation to the role of the ideas and read the reports of my hon. Friend. Mr Dominic Cummings, one of the most senior officials I would certainly be interested to see the work that in Government. Perhaps the answers will allay our parliamentary draftsmen may have to undertake in defining concerns, but we deserve to hear those answers. a foreign agent. Foreign agents tend to keep themselves I have to say that the Minister’s response today has rather quiet, it seems to me, so identifying them may be been utterly shameful. Let me ask him this. Is he denying a challenge; but I am always interested to see what my that, if the shoe was on the other foot and he was at the hon. Friend has to offer. If we are both re-elected—and Opposition Dispatch Box, he would be asking for the I wish him well in that enterprise—then of course, on report to be published, as we are? the other side, we will talk. Christopher Pincher: The job of Members of Parliament Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab): Welcome, Mr Speaker. is to scrutinise legislation and reports and not to fantasise Given the gaps and inaccuracies in his account of the about them, which is what I think all too many Opposition three years that he spent in Russia, why was Dominic Members are doing. The Government have a duty to Cummings inexplicably granted the highest developed scrutinise properly the report that was presented to them vetting status, yet is routinely denied access to secret by the ISC on 17 October. The Prime Minister has a intelligence? What damage is this unprecedented duty to ask searching questions about the report, and to arrangement doing to our vital security arrangements with satisfy himself that nothing in it breaches our security our Five Eyes partners? privileges and the national security of the country.When that job is done,and not before,the report will be published. Christopher Pincher: I am not going to comment on individual public servants. All I would say is that in Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) (Con): Is it not the case asking the question that he asks, the right hon. Gentleman that there is no conspiracy and no cover-up, and that appears to be less a Member of Parliament than a this is just a manifestation of a considered bureaucratic walk-on member of a show like “24”. process? May I draw the Minister’s attention to some comments that my right hon. and learned Friend the Richard Benyon (Newbury) (Con): In my time on the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) has made over Intelligence and Security Committee, I have built up a the past 24 hours? As a matter of courtesy, I informed healthy respect for the way in which we conduct his office that I would be making these comments. To parliamentary scrutiny of our secret intelligence agencies. the media, he said, “I can think of no good reason why Indeed, other Parliaments from around the world come the ISC report is not being published.” While my right to see how we do it. There is much in the report that I hon. and learned Friend is indeed very learned, the fact would love to be able to talk about here, and I would that he does not know of a reason does not necessarily love to address some of the more eccentric conspiracy mean that there is not a reason. I wonder whether the theories that we have heard peddled here, but it comes Minister can confirm that. down to this. We have a highly respected system of parliamentary oversight which is trusted across the Christopher Pincher: My right hon. and learned Friend House. Does my right hon. Friend not feel that in the the Member for Beaconsfield has every right to ask absence of this report’s publication, we have created a questions and make comments in the media. That is his climate which has allowed some quite bizarre conspiracy duty as a Member of Parliament, and his right as the theories to be peddled, and that it would be much better Chairman of the ISC. However, it is the duty of the to publish what has been written in the way in which the Prime Minister, with his officials, to consider the report Committee produced it? properly. That is what he is doing, and until that job is done properly the report should not be published—and Christopher Pincher: Let me also bid farewell to my the turnaround for publication is not unusual. right hon. Friend, who has been a fine Member of Parliament for Newbury over the last 18 years. We will Sir George Howarth (Knowsley) (Lab): Congratulations, miss him: we will miss his intelligence, his care and his Mr Speaker. consideration. He wonders whether, by acting in a The Minister says that the process that he is going different way, we would reduce the propensity towards through at the moment is not unusual, and the secretariat conspiracy theories. I suspect that the answer is no. I of the ISC says that it is unprecedented. Both cannot be think that those conspiracy theories would find their right. Will the Minister take account of the fact that the way into the light in any event, thanks to some Opposition secretariat, the Cabinet Office, the whole civil service Members. and the security agencies have all said that no problem All I can do is to repeat what I have already said to of national security is involved? Surely he must conclude my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr Baker). that if this is not a matter of national security, the This report requires careful consideration. It requires reason why the report is not being published is political. the Prime Minister to do his duty by the Justice and Will he take my advice and publish, or be damned? Security Act, and that is what he will do. Christopher Pincher: The timelines for the submission Chuka Umunna (Streatham) (LD): Manycongratulations of the report, relative to the timelines of submissions of from these Benches on your election, Mr Speaker. previous reports, speak for themselves. The CT attacks 655 Intelligence and Security Committee 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Intelligence and Security Committee 656 Report on Russia Report on Russia [Christopher Pincher] Emily Thornberry: Youare taking sneering to a whole new level. report took about six weeks to turn around, with four weeks between its submission and a response from the Christopher Pincher: The right hon. Lady from a Government, and the detainees report took about three sedentary position accuses me of sneering. I think that weeks from the point of submission to the point of is pretty rich, I have to say, but I will press on as politely response. Such timelines are not unusual, and, although as I possibly can to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion I am sure that they were made in absolute good faith, I (Caroline Lucas) on her question. do not recognise the comments of the ISC secretariat. It is not unusual for time to be taken to consider The timelines speak for themselves. serious reports. This is a serious report and it should be considered in a timely way. In the meantime, I would Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling) (Con): The say to the hon. Lady that there is no evidence to suggest Minister is entirely right to say that scrutiny dispels that Russia or the Kremlin has successfully engaged in fantasy, and this is one of those moments when I feel interference in our electoral processes; if she believes that scrutiny would be entirely appropriate to dispel that there is, please bring that information forward, but that fantasy. There can be few Members like my right we have seen none. hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), or my right hon. Friend the Member for Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): May Broadland (Mr Simpson), or,indeed, many other members I be helpful to the Minister? I listened to your speech of the ISC, who were all personally chosen by the Prime yesterday, Mr Speaker, and you will note that this urgent Minister for their judgment, their character and their question goes to the heart of our proceedings: this is an wisdom. Would it not be appropriate—at a moment all-party report, the Government are not publishing it, when the country is focused on the most important they should publish it, and there is all-party support for democratic event that we will hold for, certainly, a it to be published. Only a few minutes ago we had the number of years—for the information that is needed for Foreign Secretary here, and he could have stayed to us to judge its legitimacy to be put before the House, so make a statement. This is a very important issue. I want that people can see the fantasy that some are claiming, to fight this election on health, employment, jobs and and this can all go away? all those other important things. If we do not stop this issue now, it will run and run, almost like a Watergate Christopher Pincher: I do not question the probity of thing, throughout the campaign, so please publish the those who have compiled this report, and I certainly report now and let’s get on with the general election on recognise the wisdom of my hon. Friend, who chairs the real issues. the Foreign Affairs Committee. I therefore think it unfortunate that some in the House have chosen to question the probity of Government officials and the Christopher Pincher: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely wisdom of the Prime Minister in properly scrutinising right: let’s fight the election on the real issues—on an important report that has been laid before him. As I migration issues, on health, on education, on our stance have said, that report went to No. 10 on 17 October. It on Brexit. Let’s get out there and do it, and let’s stop will be properly scrutinised, but that set of considerations stirring the pot on this non-issue. has not been concluded yet. Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP): I Afzal Khan (Manchester, Gorton) (Lab): May I add congratulate you on your election, Mr Speaker. my congratulations, Mr Speaker? Does the Minister accept and understand that the I have a very simple question for the Minister. There report has been cleared, and failure to publish today is clearly unease about the delay in the report’spublication. will mean, as a number of Members across the House Will the Minister confirm that it is not being withheld have said, that almost every day for the next five weeks in the interests of the Conservative party? this will permeate the campaign? That can and should be avoided by publication today. Christopher Pincher: No, it is not. Christopher Pincher: I suspect that the campaign, like CarolineLucas(Brighton,Pavilion)(Green):Congratulations most campaigns, will focus on domestic issues. I am on your election as well from me, Mr Speaker. sure the hon. Gentleman will be fighting very hard in his constituency on matters that concern his constituents, The Minister, sent by the Prime Minister so that he and I suspect this will be one of them. can avoid scrutiny himself, says that the length of time that the report has been with the Government is not unusual, but will he acknowledge that the report itself is Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab): unusual because it is about interference in elections and Congratulations on your election, Mr Speaker. we are just about to embark on a general election? So if I have noted that two or three times the Minister has the Government continue to block it after the security said that there has been no successful penetration into services have cleared it, that can only be either because the British electoral system. Does that imply that there they do not take the ISC Committee seriously or because has been unsuccessful penetration into the electoral they have something to hide, and can the Minister system, and is that one of the reasons why the report clarify which of those two it is? has not been published?

Christopher Pincher: That was another of those questions: Christopher Pincher: The hon. Gentleman I think there we go again with a little light fantasising. The might have now spoken for the last time in this Chamber Committee has produced a serious report— and we wish him well in whatever he does next. Maybe, 657 Intelligence and Security Committee 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Intelligence and Security Committee 658 Report on Russia Report on Russia like Tony Benn, he will retire from the House of Commons of activity that is malign and malicious. I believe that and go into real politics; we shall see. He asked whether we here in the UK have a robust set of systems in place there are examples of unsuccessful interference in British to defend ourselves. We will look closely at the report politics, and the way that the Kremlin has behaved that the right hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield is clear; we have seen examples overseas of attempts at and his Committee have submitted to the Government. electoral interference, and of attempts at fake news and It is going through the No. 10 process and at the end of disinformation, most recently in Georgia. What I would that rigorous review process we will see the report. say is that we have robust systems in place in this country to defend ourselves against such attacks, and that is why Neil Coyle (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) (Lab): I say that such attacks have not been successful. Congratulations on your election, Mr Speaker. We have heard from several Members of the ISC this Ian C. Lucas (Wrexham) (Lab): We know that there afternoon, including three sitting behind the Minister, was overseas interference in the US presidential election and all have highlighted that every security agency and the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee required to do so has signed off this report, as has the in its disinformation report last year called for an Cabinet Office. The unprecedented delay is due to the independent inquiry based on evidence that we produced Prime Minister. Is that because the Prime Minister is to the Government. That request to the Government acting in the unprecedented fashion of subjugating was rejected, and is not the problem that this decision to national security to personal and political interests and withhold this report is part of a course of conduct by his loyalty to Dominic Cummings, a man already found this Government to refuse to look at whether there has to be in contempt of Parliament? been the level of interference that many in the country believe? Christopher Pincher: The short answer is no. The Christopher Pincher: The hon. Gentleman also may report has to go through a proper and rigorous process be leaving the Commons very soon, and I wish him well of scrutiny. It was submitted to the Government on in his future path. He asked a reasonable question 17 October. The time being taken to scrutinise it is not because disinformation tactics continue to evolve and unusual; to say it is unprecedented is not accurate. therefore we must always be on our guard. The “Online Other reports—other sensitive reports, and complicated Harms” White Paper that the Government produced reports—have taken between four and six weeks to turn commits us to introducing a duty of care on online around; this important and sensitive report is no different. companies to tackle a wide range of online harms, and they include limiting the spread of disinformation. With Stephen Timms (East Ham) (Lab) rose— respect to the election in the United States, of course lots of comments have been made and suggestions and Mr Speaker: Last, but certainly not least, representing allegations have been heard. I am not going to comment the safest seat in the country I call Stephen Timms. on the US election; all I can say is that I think the US has as robust a system as we do. Stephen Timms: Thank you, Mr Speaker, and many congratulations to you. Luciana Berger (Liverpool, Wavertree) (LD): I welcome TheCommitteeChairremindsusthatif thePrimeMinister you to your new post, Mr Speaker. is unable to respond within 10 days he is required to Further to the previous question, I am not in the provide an explanation for that failure. He has not business of peddling conspiracy theories, but I do look provided an explanation, which, we understand, is at credible sources and was disturbed by the release of unprecedented. Why has the Prime Minister not complied the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report with the requirement placed upon him? last month that did find Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which makes the release of Christopher Pincher: It is because there is no requirement. this report all the more important, all the more relevant The memorandum of understanding with the Committee and all the more imperative as we embark on the is clear about the rules: there is no set timeline for a democratic process of an election in our country. Can response and there is no set deadline in the governing the Minister confirm this today: has the Prime Minister legislation. The Prime Minister has a duty under the read the report? 2013 Act to look carefully and considerately at such reports. That is what No. 10 is doing, that is what the Christopher Pincher: The hon. Lady is right to draw Prime Minister will do, and when that work is completed attention to the actions of the Kremlin in states abroad. the report will be published. I have said that we have evidence from around the world 659 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Thomas Cook Customers 660

Thomas Cook Customers election, we intend urgently to bring forward the legislation necessary to establish such a scheme, and I am sure that 1.19 pm any new Government would wish to do likewise. I have also written to the official receiver to ask him The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial to take this serious matter into account as part of his Strategy (Andrea Leadsom): May I first sincerely investigation into the conduct of Thomas Cook’sdirectors congratulate you, Mr Speaker, on your new role? I also relating to the insolvency. I am sure the House will wish all hon. and right hon. Members who are retiring agree that it was important to act quickly today to give today every success for their future. reassurance to those individuals and families who would With your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to otherwise be left with unfunded serious long-term needs make a statement on the Government’s actions to support or other financial hardship as a result of injuries or customers of Thomas Cook. As the House knows, illness sustained abroad, for which Thomas Cook would Thomas Cook entered into insolvency proceedings on have been liable. The House will have the opportunity 23 September. This has been a hugely worrying time for to consider the matter in more detail in the new Parliament. the employees of Thomas Cook and its customers, and I want to make it clear to all businesses that the the Government have done, and continue to do, all they Thomas Cook approach was unacceptable, and that we can to support them. This has included the biggest will take steps to require suitable arrangements to be in peacetime repatriation effort ever seen in the UK, with place to ensure that this cannot be repeated. I have around 140,000 people successfully flown home thanks asked BEIS officials urgently to bring forward proposals to the efforts of the Secretary of State for Transport, my for speedy action in the new Parliament. I am grateful right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield to the official receiver for bringing this matter to my (Grant Shapps) and his Department, and to the Civil attention, and for all his efforts in this case. It is critical Aviation Authority. In the Department for Business, that we act to provide support to those who, through no Energy and Industrial Strategy, we have set up a cross- fault of their own, have been severely impacted by the Government taskforce alongside local stakeholders to collapse of Thomas Cook. I commend this statement to support employees and supply chains. the House. I am sorry to have to inform the House, however, that 1.24 pm the official receiver has recently brought to my attention further impacts of Thomas Cook’s insolvency, which I Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab): As your next- wish to share with the House today.There is an important door-but-one constituency neighbour, Mr Speaker, may outstanding matter relating to personal injury claims I congratulate you on your election? against Thomas Cook companies, impacting customers I thank the Secretary of State for her statement. She who have suffered life-changing injuries, illness or loss is right to raise these matters today, because they raise of life while on Thomas Cook holidays. Thomas Cook serious questions that will need far more attention in took out insurance cover only for the very largest personal the new Parliament, whichever Minister is at the Dispatch injury claims. For agreed claims below this figure, up to Box. I also have some questions today to take this forward. a high aggregate amount, the companydecided to self-insure In her statement, the Secretary of State mentioned a through a provision in its accounts. As Thomas Cook “high aggregate amount”. Can she tell us more about has entered liquidation without ensuring any protection what that is? On the question about audit, to which I for pending claims, the vast majority of claimants who will return shortly, will she tell us why no regulation was are not covered by the insurance, including customers in place to ensure that this serious weakness did not who have suffered serious injuries and loss of life, will materialise? I should also like to put on record my be treated as unsecured creditors. This means that it is thanks to all those involved in bringing 140,000 holiday- uncertain whether they will receive any of the compensation makers home. they would ordinarily have received against their claims. We welcome the fact that the online services have This raises a potentially unacceptable prospect for some now been bought, and that shops in the constituencies Thomas Cook customers, who face significant financial of Members across the House are being reopened by hardship through no fault of their own where Thomas Hays Travel, but why oh why did Thomas Cook have to Cook should rightly have provided support. They are close first, and why were the opportunities that were customers who have already suffered life-changing injuries given to the shops and online services not given to the or illness and who may face financial hardship as a airline? Intervention to ensure the retention of those viable result of a long-term loss of earnings or significant parts of the business would have been a major step towards long-term care needs. This is an extraordinary situation addressing the serious weaknesses that the Secretary of that should never have arisen. State identified in her statement. The Government were The Government cannot and will not step into the told at the time that parts of the business were successful, shoes of Thomas Cook, but we intend to develop proposals and Hays Travel clearly agreed because it bought the for a statutory compensation scheme. Any scheme must shops. There is also value in the brand, which is why the strike a responsible balance between the moral duty to online business has been recovered. Could the airline respond to those in the most serious financial need and have been saved, as the ones in Germany and Scandinavia our responsibility to the taxpayer. Accordingly, it will were, if the liquidation had been delayed? be a capped fund that is sufficient to ensure support for Why did the Government not listen to those calling those customers facing the most serious hardship as a for intervention? Why did they not take a stake in the result of injuries or illness for which UK-based Thomas company, so that the shops and digital business could Cook companies would have been liable. We will develop have been transferred while still trading and so that the scheme to ensure that only genuine claims are other parts of the business could have been saved? provided with support. The scheme will not consider Let us remember that the Turkish and Spanish routine claims covering short-term problems. After the Governments wanted to step in. They saw the potential 661 Thomas Cook Customers5 NOVEMBER 2019 Thomas Cook Customers 662 value, but our Government did not. Had our Government best possible arrangements for Thomas Cook staff. He intervened, the hardship to which the Secretary of State asks why the Government did not bail out Thomas rightly referred could have been identified and possibly Cook. He will be aware that, according to court reports, avoided. Does she regret her failure to speak to the there was about £1.9 billion of debt on Thomas Cook’s company and to intervene to protect the jobs and rights balance sheet. It did approach Government looking for of workers? Had the company continued trading, with a loan facility of up to £250 million, but it is clear that, the Government holding a stake, the rights of workers had the Government put that significant sum of taxpayers’ would have been protected. It is good news that staff money into Thomas Cook, we would have ended up in will now have jobs with Hays Travel, but will they be the same position as we are in today. We would have paid for the time since Thomas Cook closed? Will their had to repatriate those customers. We would have to rights from their years of service be protected? Are staff have done exactly as we have done, but the taxpayer being TUPE-ed over, or not? would have been £250 million worse off, so it was not an What can the Secretary of State tell us about her appropriate use of taxpayers’ money. It is very sad that response to the warnings about auditor conflicts of Thomas Cook went bust, but it is not right that Government interest? She mentioned audit responsibility and potential should just bail out every business. Businesses need to failure in her statement. Auditing conflicts of interest stand on their own two feet. have been repeatedly identified at Carillion, at BHS, in The hon. Gentleman made some very important the banks and now at Thomas Cook. Has she read the points about regulation. I can tell him that I wrote to excellent report from the Business, Energy and Industrial the Financial Reporting Council asking it to prioritise Strategy Committee, and what is her response to its as a matter of urgency consideration of an investigation recommendations, including its calls for a new regulator into the audit of Thomas Cook’s 2018 accounts, as and for the audit profession to be proactive rather than well as the conduct of its directors. He asked why the reactive? Why is the Secretary of State so resistant to Government did not foresee this. change? The Competition and Markets Authority wants It was never envisaged that a UK tour operator would action; why does not she? fail to insure itself fully to cover claims for personal What action is the Secretary of State taking to address accident or fail to ensure that it had ring fenced the the scandalous payment of bonuses to executives who funds to meet those liabilities so that they were safe if have profited at the expense of workers and customers the company got into difficulty. The company has a and who presumably have direct responsibility for the legal obligation to cover personal injury claims arising appalling hardship to which she has referred? Analysis from package holidays abroad, and that is why I have by Unite and Syndex shows that £188 million in bridging asked the official receiver to investigate, in particular, loans would have prevented the liquidation. That would this aspect of the conduct of Thomas Cook’s directors. have allowed profitable parts of the business to be sold while still trading, and for workers’ rights to be protected. BarryGardiner(BrentNorth)(Lab):Whoweretheauditors? This would have supported the wider economy and communities, too. Andrea Leadsom: The hon. Gentleman asks from a sedentary position who the auditors were. They were The Government should be a partner of business, EY, and they will be investigated by the official receiver. not stand apart from it. That means intervening and providing support where intervention stands a chance The hon. Member for Sefton Central (Bill Esterson) of succeeding. The more evidence emerges about the asked how the Insolvency Service supported Thomas Thomas Cook collapse, the more it appears that the Cook employees. It has received over 8,000 claims for case for intervention was there to be made. If they unpaid liabilities from former employees and has paid would not intervene at Thomas Cook, exactly when out over £41 million so far to claimants for arrears would the Government intervene? in pay, compensatory notice pay, holiday pay accrued, holiday pay not taken, notice worked not paid and If the Secretary of State wants to avoid hardship for redundancy pay. The Insolvency Service continues to those covered by insurance, she needs to change her work to offer, for example, the services of BUPA’s approach and her attitude to intervention. When she employee assistance programme and the Centre for referred to a drop in the ocean in responding to a question Crisis Psychology to Thomas Cook employees as a from the shadow Business Secretary, she demonstrated particular request that came from the taskforce. The that she did not agree with her predecessor, who said Government continue to do everything possible to support that reforms were needed to ensure a strong level of those affected and we are delighted that Hays has taken consumer protection and value for money for the taxpayer. over the shops, providing jobs for well over 2,000 of He was right, was he not? those who lost their jobs under Thomas Cook. The Secretary of State said that the Thomas Cook Finally, I am very keen on the BEIS Committee’s approach was unacceptable and that support must be report into audit. As I made clear when I appeared given to those severely impacted by its closure through before it, I will bring forward fundamental changes to no fault of their own. I agree, but the Government have audit. I expect that to be in the first quarter of next failed Thomas Cook. They sat back and let it fold. Only year. I am very interested to read its report and, as I also proper reforms will make sure that catastrophic failures made clear, I want to see Donald Brydon’s report, which of this type do not happen again. I believe he expects to provide to Government by the end of this year. Andrea Leadsom: I am glad that the hon. Gentleman recognises the Government’s efforts, particularly on the Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con): Thank repatriation of customers stranded overseas and, of you, Madam Deputy Speaker. May I congratulate you course, in the work, which I know through chairing the on your own gallant and good-humoured campaign to Government taskforce, to try to ensure that we get the be Speaker? 663 Thomas Cook Customers5 NOVEMBER 2019 Thomas Cook Customers 664

[Dr Julian Lewis] particular instance, it was a great surprise and shock to see that there was an attempt at self-insurance with no I must congratulate my right hon. Friend the Secretary proper provision made for these types of claims. of State on being so proactive in responding to this shocking discovery that Thomas Cook did not properly Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): I thank the Secretary insure so many people against injury while being on a of State for her statement. I have had several people in Thomas Cook holiday. Am I right in thinking that there my office absolutely devastated because the hard-earned would have been no way in which this would have come holiday that they had saved for has been cancelled. out but for the collapse of the company? If it turns out They are asking me when they will have their money to be the case that the company was not breaking any back. They have to wait months, by which time their existing rules, regulations or laws by behaving in this holiday options will have changed. Could the Secretary totally irresponsible and inhumane way, will it be possible of State outline what she believes to be the absolute to make a change in the law to ensure that this can never time limit for refunds for holidays and how that will be happen again? achieved?

Andrea Leadsom: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for Andrea Leadsom: It has been a difficult time for all his recognition of the fact that it felt important to raise those affected whether they were customers on holiday, this before the House prior to Dissolution. He is absolutely customers who had paid for a holiday but not yet taken right. In doing so, we seek to provide some sort of it, or employees and those in the supply chain. The reassurance to those who have been profoundly impacted Government have sought to tackle all those issues as far by accidents and illnesses overseas on Thomas Cook as we are able to do so. The hon. Gentleman will be holidays. He asked whether there could have been any aware that the ATOL scheme is designed to provide legitimate expectation that this might have happened. refunds and repatriation costs that arise from a failure That is not the case. It was never anticipated that a of a company such as Thomas Cook. Many of those business such as Thomas Cook would not have adequately who have suffered financial loss will be able to claim provided for such claims that were known to them. I am through ATOL or, indeed, through a credit card provider putting on notice today that any future Government––I if their holiday has not yet been taken. am sure that the Opposition spokesman has made similar a commitment––will wish to resolve this to ensure that Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab): I it cannot happen again. BEIS officials will work over thank the Secretary of State for her personal energy, the next few weeks to bring forward proposals on how commitment and skill in chairing the Government taskforce to ensure that this cannot be repeated. on the collapse of Thomas Cook. I agree with both Christine Jardine (Edinburgh West) (LD): I share the Front-Bench spokespeople that the directors did not Secretary of State’s surprise and horror that Thomas comport themselves well before, during or after the Cook was operating without the necessary insurance. collapse. With 2.8 million passengers taken out of the Many of my constituents and, indeed, I myself travelled equation at Manchester airport, with the huge repatriation with Thomas Cook unknowing. We all assume that the event, and with employees still employed on temporary safeguards that we see with travel companies through contracts trying to close the company, will she join me the Association of British Travel Agents and so on in thanking the workers who remain after losing their ensure that we are travelling safely and that we are jobs and the trade union reps at Unite and the Transport protected. Will the Secretary of State assure us that Salaried Staffs Association, who have worked so hard there will be safeguards to ensure not just that we to represent them so ably? investigate what went wrong at Thomas Cook, but that all travel companies, or anyone offering travel in this Andrea Leadsom: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his country, is properly insured? contribution to the taskforce and join him in thanking all those who have played their part. People from right Andrea Leadsom: The hon. Lady gives me the across Government, from trade unions and from local opportunity to say this again: I call on all similar travel enterprise partnerships and so on have all sought to and tour operators to ensure that they covered this and find new work. The Department for Work and Pensions that they have not got a similar arrangement to the one rapid action taskforce has been helping people write that Thomas Cook had. I can assure her that BEIS CVs, and there has been mental health support and so officials during the next few weeks will bring forward on. It is a great shame and a huge pity to see this proposals for ensuring that this does not happen again long-standing brand collapse, but I am sure we are all glad that its name will survive perhaps as an online Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab): It is great travel company. I join the hon. Gentleman in wishing pleasure to see you in the Chair, Madam Deputy Speaker. our very best to all those who lost their jobs in finding What the Secretary of State has told us this afternoon new work in a similar sector. is shocking. Can she assure the House that there will be no similar shocks in relation to Thomas Cook’s public Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab): I thank liability and employer liability insurance? the Secretary of State for her statement. This is clearly a combination of shocking system failure and a failure by Andrea Leadsom: There are certain types of public the company, but I am unclear whether the Secretary of liability and employers’ liability that are required to be State thinks that the law has been broken here. If it insured by law, and there is no expectation that any turns out that the law has been broken by executives, business would not have provided that kind of insurance. who may well have been taking large bonuses at the Officials are looking carefully to satisfy themselves, as time, will she reassure us that the Government will be they do as a routine matter, but I say again in this seeking some redress? 665 Thomas Cook Customers 5 NOVEMBER 2019 666

Andrea Leadsom: The hon. Gentleman raises an Points of Order important point. I have written to the Official Receiver today asking him to take carefully into account in his review the behaviour of directors in the run-up to the 1.43 pm insolvency of Thomas Cook and to consider whether Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South) (Lab): On a point this further appearance of failure on their part should of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is a great pleasure require further action with regard to his statutory duties. to see you in the Chair. My point of order, which I gave This will be thoroughly investigated, and if there is notice of to the Speaker’s Office, relates to the written wrongdoing, the Official Receiver has the ability to claw statement on shale gas that the Department for Business, back bonuses and, of course, to take further steps Energy and Industrial Strategy put out yesterday. It through the Insolvency Act 1986. said a lot about the past but very little about the immediate future.The Government were forced to introduce a so-called moratorium on fracking at the weekend because of the tremors that affected my constituents in Blackpool in August, with the Oil and Gas Authority subsequently saying that they were unacceptable. However, in a Radio 4 interview and in that statement, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has rather hedged her bets, undermining that promise. The Government have not provided any response to the National Audit Office report that talked about the real problems of decommissioning, which should be taking place at Cuadrilla’s site on Preston New Road as we speak. Madam Deputy Speaker, have you received any information about whether the Government are going to answer those big questions? The Secretary of State is in the Chamber, so she may like to respond now.

Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. He will be well aware that the making of a written statement is perfectly in order, so I can make no criticism of it from the Chair. I cannot give him answers to his questions, but he has taken the opportunity to alert the House and the Treasury Bench to his concerns. Of course, there are other ways in which he would normally be able to take forward his inquiries, but I do appreciate that this is the last day on which he can do so. He has done his best.

Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) (Lab): On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Ministers have been in the media today talking about the issue of the 2,250 autistic people and people with learning disabilities detained in mental health in-patient units. In the press and on broadcast media, Ministers have talked about demanding reviews of all those people who were detained, but in today’s written statement on the training of staff working with autistic people and people with learning disabilities there is no mention of what Ministers talked about in the media. We have therefore not had the chance to question Ministers on it, nor have we had a chance to talk about the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights. Last week, the Committee described the horrific reality of hospital in-patient units, with its report stating that “we are inflicting terrible suffering on those detained in mental health hospitals and causing anguish to their distraught families.” I have raised the case of Bethany, an 18-year-old autistic woman who was locked in a cell in a secure unit in Wales many miles from her home. This morning, her father said the following in response to the Care Minister, talking about those reviews of the 2,250 people like Bethany—

Madam Deputy Speaker: Order. Is the hon. Lady almost finished? This is a very long point of order. 667 Points of Order 5 NOVEMBER 2019 668

Barbara Keeley: I have almost finished. Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] Madam Deputy Speaker: Given the sensitive nature of the hon. Lady’s point of order, I will allow her to Second Reading finish it, but let us not create a precedent. Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): Before Barbara Keeley: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I invite the Minister to move Second Reading, I must The Care Minister has been around the media but has announce Mr Speaker’s decision on certification for not been here to talk about the reviews, and Bethany’s the purposes of Standing Order No. 83J “Certification father said the following in response: of bills etc. as relating exclusively to England or England “We have had review after review after review. We need action, andWalesandbeingwithindevolvedlegislativecompetence”. not reviews.” On the basis of material put before him, I must inform the House that in Mr Speaker’s opinion the Bill does not In the light of the extensive coverage in the press and meet the criteria required for certification under that broadcast media, have you had an indication from Standing Order. Health Ministers that they plan to come to the House to make an oral statement and answer questions? 1.49 pm Madam Deputy Speaker: The straight answer to the The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Julian Smith): hon. Lady’s eventual question is that I have had no such I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. notice, but I get the impression that what the hon. Lady really wanted to do is to raise this matter in the Chamber It has been seven years since the Northern Ireland to bring it to the attention of Ministers. We are about to Executive established an independent inquiry into historical have a general debate during which any Member can institutional abuse in Northern Ireland. Today’slegislation raise a wide range of points, so the solution for the hon. is based on an inquiry and report, undertaken by Lady is immediately available to her—as soon as we are Sir Anthony Hart, that occupied 223 days of hearings. finished with the Bill that we are about to discuss. The Hart report investigated 22 institutions, but it identified a further 65 institutions that came within its Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab): Further to the terms of reference. The draft legislation was subject to a point of order from my hon. Friend the Member for 16-week consultation process in Northern Ireland. Blackpool South (Gordon Marsden), Madam Deputy Speaker. Perhaps through your good offices, I can ask Nigel Dodds (Belfast North) (DUP): Right across the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial this House, and right across Northern Ireland, there will Strategy, who is still here, about not only the fracking be a very warm welcome for the Government bringing that affects my hon. Friend’s constituency, but whether forward this legislation to get it on the statute book planning applications for fracking will be withdrawn as before Dissolution. I thank everybody involved in this a result of the Government’s moratorium. If I could get House, the Secretary of State and, most importantly, the that on the record, I would be extremely grateful because campaigners for the day we have now reached. the matter also affects my constituency. Julian Smith: I thank the right hon. Gentleman for Madam Deputy Speaker: The hon. Gentleman is not all that he and his party have done to help to deliver really making a point of order, and he really ought to this Bill. come back and make that point during the debate. Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): The House is clearly united on seeing justice and doing right by those who have been abused and who have waiting too long for recognition and a form of restitution. I thank the Government for prioritising this Bill and for getting it through before Dissolution. I particularly want to mention some of those with whom I have worked closely: Gerry McCann and others from the Rosetta Trust; Margaret McGuckin, who is in the Gallery and who has been working on this since 2008; and Anne Hunter, who is also in the Gallery and whose sister, Sadie, died at Nazareth House in 1974. Although we celebrate the Bill, it is bittersweet for those who were abused, physically and otherwise, and who cannot be here today to see the conclusion of something for which we have worked very hard.

Julian Smith: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. I will return to some of those examples, but the fact that so many survivors and victims have died is one of the tragedies of this period.

Lady Hermon (North Down) (Ind): I am enormously grateful for the priority the Secretary of State has given to this issue. He has shown real compassion for the 669 Historical Institutional Abuse 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Historical Institutional Abuse 670 (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] victims of historical institutional abuse. In his opening The desire and push from Northern Ireland has been remarks, he rightly mentioned the long inquiry held by significant. On Sunday night, a number of members of Judge Hart, who did an enormous amount to give a the Government received a letter from a Catholic priest voice to the victims of historical institutional abuse. who represents the diocese of Down and Connor, which May I encourage the Secretary of State, after this Bill was the location of two of the children’s homes at the receives Royal Assent later today, to ensure that a copy centre of the inquiry. He said that it is of the Act and a copy of today’s Hansard are sent to “a matter of deep personal shame for me and for the Diocese that Judge Hart’s widow? It is a great sadness to us all, and both homes were found by the Inquiry to have fundamentally particularly to his family and to the victims who met failed the children in their care, enabling regimes of horrific and systemic emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children, as well him, that he did not live long enough to see this day. It as neglect. In the period before the Inquiry, I came to know some would be a fitting tribute to have the Act and a copy of of the former residents of these homes and publicly supported Hansard sent to his widow. them in their calls for justice and an Inquiry. Over the years of the Inquiry and since, I have watched as those who led this campaign Julian Smith: The hon. Lady makes a very positive and and the hundreds of former children in care who took part in the sensible suggestion, and I am happy to do that. We spoke Inquiry relived the horrors of their time in these institutions and to Lady Hart last night, and Sir Anthony was, I think, the abuse they suffered there. As children, they arrived at these homes frightened, disorientated and with the simple hope of perplexed by the slowness of us all to get this done. every child that the adults in their lives would respond to them I will follow up as the hon. Lady suggests. with affection, understanding, tenderness and care. Instead, they Thedraftlegislationwassubjecttoa16-weekconsultation were met so often with hard-hearted coldness, harsh regimes of process in Northern Ireland, and the Bill was drafted by sterile adult routine and lovelessness, as well as indescribable the Northern Ireland civil service at the request of, and sexual and physical abuse. It is difficult to overstate the suffering that the former residents of these homes have endured and based on a consensus reached by, all six of the main continue to endure as a result of their experience.” Northern Ireland political parties. On the final day of one of the most divided Parliaments The inquiry’s report was published in January 2017, in British political history, we can say, hand on heart, the same month as the collapse of the Executive, so the that we have all come together, worked together and Executive never considered the report and it was not pulled together to deliver this Bill. laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly. That is why, in July, the Government committed to introducing Ian Paisley (North Antrim) (DUP): It would be wrong legislation by the end of the year, if the Executive were if we did not pay tribute to the Secretary of State and not restored, and it is why this was one of the first Bills his efforts to deliver this Bill. This has not been easy to in the Queen’s Speech. achieve, and I know all the work done behind the scenes This is the first Bill of its kind in the United Kingdom, by my right hon. Friend the Member for Belfast North with the results of inquiries in England and Wales and (Nigel Dodds), my party’s leader in Westminster, and in Scotland yet to be completed. I hope this Bill will give by my right hon. Friend the Member for Lagan Valley some comfort and hope to victims of child abuse across (Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson), our Chief Whip, and others our country. to cajole and get this over the line. It is a fitting tribute Following the election announcement a week ago, there to the Secretary of State, on this last day of Parliament, has been significant worry and concern from victims that the Bill will come into law. On behalf of the victims, about how the Bill might progress. I thank the Prime their groups and people like Marty, Margaret and Gerry Minister and Government business managers for facilitating who contact us regularly, I thank the Secretary of State. the Bill today, and I thank Opposition business managers Julian Smith: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind and Opposition spokesmen and women for coming to remarks. He was at his most tenacious over the weekend agreement and for working with us to ensure this Bill in trying to make this happen. passes through both Houses before the election. There are many more people to thank. Unfortunately, Sir Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley) (DUP): It is Sir Anthony Hart, who led the inquiry, passed away the true mark of the House that, when it comes to earlier this year, but through his widow, Lady Mary Hart, dealing with the most vulnerable in our society—those I thank him and his team for their tireless work. I thank who suffered for a long time and who have waited a the other inquiry members, the Public Record Office of long time for justice—this House rises to the occasion. Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland civil service, That sets an example we might send back home to Northern Ireland Office civil servants, the Executive Northern Ireland in calling for all the political parties Office, the leaders of the Northern Ireland political parties to come together, to get back to Stormont and to get and my predecessors, my right hon. Friends the Members back to working on behalf of all the people of Northern for Staffordshire Moorlands (Karen Bradley) and for Ireland. Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire). They have all played an important part in getting to today.

Julian Smith: I could not agree more. Kate Hoey (Vauxhall) (Lab): Does the right hon. I thank my colleague Lord Duncan of Springbank, Gentleman agree that sometimes in this House there is Lord Hain and other noble lords and baronesses for a feeling that Northern Ireland gets neglected or is a their work in the other place last week. Many Members sideshow, but this measure today shows that the in the Chamber today have played a role in making Government and Opposition knew that this was a hugely today’s debate happen, particularly DUP Members, the crucial issue to the people of Northern Ireland and that hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon), the getting it to the House today and through this procedure Chairman and members of the Northern Ireland Affairs is a mark of this House’s responsibility and care for Committee and many, many more. Northern Ireland? 671 Historical Institutional Abuse 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Historical Institutional Abuse 672 (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] Julian Smith: The hon. Lady is right on that. I hope of the total compensation is payable. Clause 7 allows that if we can get this through this afternoon, we will be the redress board to take a flexible case-management able to toast success for not only the Bill and the victims, approach to claims to ensure that those who are elderly but Northern Ireland itself. or in severe ill health are considered as a priority. Those This legislation will provide the necessary legal framework in greatest need of redress will get their payment more to deliver two of the key recommendations from the quickly. Clause 6 allows claims to be made on behalf of historical institutional abuse report. The first is a historical a deceased person by their spouse or children. institutional abuse redress board, to administer a publicly Other key aspects of the Bill that are important to funded compensation scheme for victims in Northern victims and survivors include provisions that allow the Ireland. This will be a multidisciplinary panel of one judicial redress board to convene oral hearings, but in a way member and two health and social care professionals. that should not create an unnecessary delay for those There are estimated to be more than 5,000 people who cases in which oral evidence is not required; the ability could apply for redress. No matter what country they of the redress board to determine the rate of compensation live in, I urge all victims and survivors to apply: whether based on a number of factors, including the duration of you are part of a victims group or whether you have stay in an institution; and the ability of the commissioner lived with their abuse silently for years, please make use for survivors of institutional child abuse for Northern of this redress scheme in this Bill. Ireland to make representations to any person, including to the redress board. I also wish to confirm to the Gavin Robinson (Belfast East) (DUP): The Secretary House that my Department is working closely with the of State is right to indicate just how important that Northern Ireland civil service and David Sterling to progress is today. In outlining the steps that victims will ensure that there is adequate resource and capacity for take—those from my constituency in Kincora boys’home, this redress scheme, so that it can get going as urgently and others from right across Northern Ireland and as possible. beyond—and in asking them to apply without delay, will he give us some sense of the timescales associated Paul Girvan (South Antrim) (DUP): I am pleased to with the process? When we get Royal Assent for this hear about the possibility of streamlining this process. legislation, how quickly will the panel be established Is there any indication that any of these payments will and be in place not only to receive but to consider those be made within this current financial year, irrespective applications for redress? of the bureaucracy of the hearings that have to take place? I am talking about the interim payment of the Julian Smith: I will come on shortly to deal with that £10,000. question. The second part of this Bill creates a statutory commissioner for survivors of institutional childhood Julian Smith: We have begun a project management abuse for Northern Ireland, who will act as an advocate team between the Northern Ireland Office and the for victims and survivors and support them in applying Northern Ireland civil service. I know that David Sterling to the redress board. Whether in fighting for support and the Executive Office have spent time this week services or in ensuring that payments are made as quickly looking at how things can be accelerated, but I wish and as fully as possible, the commissioner will play a both to acknowledge the need to move quickly and to key role in delivering for victims. recognise the fact that this will take a bit of time. We need to get this legislation through, and then we need to Jim Shannon: It is important not only that we have get on with how we can press forward with this. the commissioner in place, but that the moneys available I want to pay tribute to the victims groups that I have for compensation will range from £10,000 to £80,000. I engaged with over these past few months and that have wish to make the point about the De La Salle Brothers engaged with my predecessors and other political leaders: and what happened in my constituency at Rubane House, Survivors North West, Survivors Together, the Rosetta outside Kircubbin, where institutional abuse, both physical Trust, and SAVIA—Survivors and Victims of Institutional and sexual, against some young boys took place over a Abuse. They have campaigned on behalf of the people period. Those young people are adults now but they are they represent with strength and dignity. Many victims traumatised. How will the trauma, and the physical are old and ill. They have not only had their childhood and emotional effect it has upon them, be taken into and lives blighted, but they have had to wait, year after consideration whenever they apply to the commissioner year, for the child abuse and what happened to them to for help? be recognised. At each meeting with the victims groups at Stormont Julian Smith: I hope that one of the commissioner’s House, I noticed that Jon McCourt from Survivors focuses will to be look at the services to support those who North West had a small battered copy of the Hart come forward. That will require money and organisation, report laid on the table in front of him. There was huge but it will be a key part of the role for whoever takes on hope and trust in that copy of the report that there the position of commissioner. might finally be acknowledgement of what he and his I have just been asked about this, so let me say that friends had had done to them as children. Jon has held one of the key concerns of parliamentarians and victims’ that copy of the report close, gripping it tightly for three groups alike is the swift payment for victims and survivors long years, meeting politician after politician, civil servant after the passing of this legislation. Victims have already after civil servant—anyone who could make a difference waited too long for redress, and as we have heard, many in getting redress. The battered cover of Jon’s report, have died doing so. Our thoughts are with their families. once blue, has now faded. That report contains the Clause 14 contains provisions that allow the redress grimmest details of the twisted blows laid on the hope board to pay an initial acknowledgement payment of and innocence of the children taken into care in Northern £10,000 to eligible victims before the full determination Ireland at different times over much of the 20th century. 673 Historical Institutional Abuse 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Historical Institutional Abuse 674 (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] It details how the Kincora hostel in Belfast was completely Victims were let down not just by the perpetrators captured by three child abusers for the same number of and institutions, but by the Churches, councils and decades, leaving them free to anally rape and masturbate Governments who were meant to look after them—standing at will those boys they were meant to protect. by, ignoring, not checking, turning a blind eye. People The report details the impact of the child migrant knew at the time. The De La Salle Order set down scheme to Australia. Witness HIA 324 describes his guidelines for the physical layout of its buildings to experiences in his statement, as follows: ensure that behaviour could be observed at all times—for “My life in institutions has had a profound impact on me. example, on how windows should be placed in doors to I have always wondered what it would be like to have had a ensure clear sight of what was going on in rooms: family—a mother and father and brothers and sisters. I never got “The Brother Director shall be careful that the parlour doors the chance to find out because I was sent to Australia. We were have glazed panels without curtains in such a manner that the exported to Australia like little baby convicts. It is hard to interior may be easily seen.” understand why they did it… I still cannot get over the fact that The ultimate legacy of the Northern Ireland victims I was taken away from a family I never got the chance to know. I and all child abuse victims, from the Hart report and was treated like an object, taken from one place to another… I have a nightmare every night of my life. I relive my past and am from the Bill, must be for us all to ensure that we do happy when daylight comes.” everything within our power to protect children. HIA 324 was born in 1938 and was 75 when he spoke “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, those words to the inquiries team in Perth in 2013, but I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” he died before he could sign his statement. Child abuse victims never had their full childhood and The Hart report highlights how the congregations were then held hostage by the experiences that they had that supported the four Sisters of Nazareth homes were throughout their lives. I hope that the Bill goes some well aware of the physical and emotional abuse happening way towards providing Northern Ireland victims with in those homes, but did nothing to stop it. The report redress, and for other victims throughout our country, details how the Sisters of Nazareth would regularly I hope that their time for redress will come very soon. conceal or ignore the presence of the sisters or brothers I commend the Bill to the House. of those children in their care, hiding them from them. The report details the assault of girls in Nazareth House, with one case in which a girl had her head banged 2.14 pm against white tiles for not washing properly. She recalled Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab): I have to say that there was blood all over the white tiles, and she that this is not an easy day to be in the House—it is not suffered hearing problems afterwards. an easy time to hear the Secretary of State’s words—and The report details how the Norbertine Order, and I pay wholehearted tribute to him for quite simply one then diocese after diocese, failed to stop Father Smyth, of the most powerful speeches I have ever heard in my a known abuser, from travelling the length and breadth 22 years on these Benches. He spoke from the heart of Northern Ireland and Ireland, abusing hundreds of and he spoke from a deep humanity. We have to pay children. The report confirmed that at Rubane House, tribute to him for those words, which were extraordinary boys were sexually abused throughout the four decades and remarkable. Please God, may they provide a grain that the home operated. It was not just sexual abuse; of comfort to some people who have suffered for so page after page of the report details the bullying, the use long. of Jeyes fluid and the confidence attacks on menstruating It is also appropriate that we mention Sir Anthony girls and on young children who wet their beds. The Hart, who did an extraordinary amount of work. We report outlines failure after failure by statutory authorities must pay credit to him. I also pay credit to the Secretary and the Government to ask the right questions, to show of State’s predecessor, the right hon. Member for basic levels of care, or to follow up on the condition of Staffordshire Moorlands (Karen Bradley), who is present. those children sent thousands of miles away to Australia. She dedicated a huge amount of energy to this issue, as The Bill, which we hope to pass today, cannot undo did her team and the Secretary of State’s team. I also the acts perpetrated on the victims, and it does not pay credit to the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern extend to the other areas of the UK that are currently Ireland civil service for the amount of work that has being addressed by the child abuse inquiry here in been done. How painful and agonising it must have London and a similar inquiry in Scotland, but it will been for them to have had to work in these circumstances. show to Northern Ireland victims that action has been For me, to read the words is almost unimaginable, yet taken, and I hope that in a short time similar action can those to whom they refer are suffering a hundred times be taken, through legislation, for the rest of the UK. more than any of us could ever be. I started off by thanking the number of colleagues As the Secretary of State said, the First Minister and who have helped to get this Bill delivered today, those Deputy First Minister agreed the terms of reference who have worked on the Hart report and those who back on 31 May 2012; however, the inquiry goes back have worked to support this legislation, but this is not nearly 100 years, to 1922. Who can even begin to our Bill; it is the Bill of the victims and survivors, and of imagine the cavalcade of agony that has passed in those their representatives, some of whom are present today. 100 years? Who can imagine those children whose bodies For anyone involved at whatever stage, it has been a were broken, but whose hearts and spirits were also humbling experience to work with Northern Ireland broken—who suffered in a way that, please God, we victims and survivors who suffered child abuse while in will never, ever have to contemplate again? When the care. The resilience and humanity of the victims should Secretary of State quoted from St Paul’s letter to the drive us all in our daily responsibility to every child, Corinthians, it made me think about what the victims whether through our families, our work, our responsibilities thought as children. What did those children think of or our communities. the adult world—the place of safety that they were being 675 Historical Institutional Abuse 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Historical Institutional Abuse 676 (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] [Stephen Pound] I met. Their courage and bravery is astounding. I hope—I know—that all Members in this House feel the same taken to? What did those children think? As adults, did way and say with one voice how much respect we have they have any trust, faith or belief in the base humanity, for them. having faced that? I hope that some of the technical questions that were Today, we are undertaking a unique piece of legislation. asked earlier by right hon. and hon. Members from There has never been a Bill like this on the Floor of the Northern Ireland can be addressed. The question of the House—it has never happened in this way before. It is speed of the recompense payments is, of course, an absolutely right and appropriate that we take extraordinary, issue to be resolved. It would be marvellous if some unusual steps, because this is such an extraordinary indication could be given to the victims before Christmas—it occasion. We must place on record, here and now, our would be wonderful if they at least had some idea about determination that this will never, ever happen again. what was happening. In addition, we would like to know Every one of us, be we lay, be religious, be we politicians— when the staff will be in place for the redress board. It is whomsoever we be, anyone of us who has any contact important to say that we have to establish the bureaucracy, with children’s services must make absolutely sure and if it has not already been established. swear in our heart of hearts that we will never, ever walk I noticed that no additional resources were allocated by on the other side of the road. We should never, ever in the recent Budget. Does that mean that they will be those people who turned a blind eye, as we heard in actually come within the next financial year? Following the agonising statement from the priest that was read the question from the hon. Member for South Antrim out earlier. (Paul Girvan), will they come from this year’s budget, or will there be some additional funding mechanism? We cannot make it right—we cannot repair those Those are technical questions. In some ways, they are broken hearts and broken bodies—but by doing what almost otiose in the context of what we have heard we will today, by offering some form of redress, some today. Technical questions, compensation and redress form of compensation, we will hopefully allow closure. are important, but the single most important thing that We will hopefully be able to say that this House has we in this House do today is to pay credit and tribute to heard. The right hon. Member for Lagan Valley (Sir Jeffrey the victims, to their families and to their relatives, and M. Donaldson) spoke magnificently earlier about the to say that politics in the past may have let them down, way the House has risen. When we think of some of the but today, politics and this House will not let them activities that take place in this House, today’s statement down. We will respect them, we will cherish them and shows in sharp relief some of the things that happen we will do everything—everything—we can to ensure here that are less noble—that are often ignoble. Today, that they finally receive the redress that they so deserve. the House has risen to a higher standard. It is entirely appropriate that is on this occasion that we have risen. Several hon. Members rose— There are many questions still to be asked. This is still Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): Order. a draining emotional occasion. We should pay tribute, It is very sad that the hon. Member for Ealing North once and for all, to the right hon. Secretary of State for (Stephen Pound) is leaving the House after today. I the footwork he has shown. It is unheard of for legislation think that everyone present will agree with me that his to come through in this way. As recently as last week, last speech in this Chamber will be remembered as one we heard that the Whips Office would not allow it and of his best. it was not going to happen, yet somehow, with the involvement of the Government, the Opposition, officials, 2.22 pm civil servants and even the palace, the Bill has come to the House and will go through. Karen Bradley (Staffordshire Moorlands) (Con): May I say, Madam Deputy Speaker, what a privilege it is to Let us thank Brendan McAllister, the interim advocate, have you in the Chair for this debate? I know that you for the work that he has done. Let us follow up on some have such humanity and that you will be touched by this of the interventions that have been made already by debate and all that you have heard. I know, too, that you right hon. and hon. Members representing Northern will be pleased that you were chairing this particular Ireland parties, and let us take the opportunity to say debate. that this is one of the rare occasions when the House I also thank my right hon. Friend the Secretary of comes together, regardless of our party and of any form State for his incredibly moving and powerful speech. I of religious, political or social affiliation. We are as one congratulate him on our being here today. I also join in this House in swearing that this cannot happen again, you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and everyone in this this must not happen again and the victims must get House in saying that the hon. Member for Ealing North redress, must get compensation, must get respect and, (Stephen Pound) made one of his finest speeches. It is please God, must get closure on this. his last speech, which is a great shame to so many of us The behaviour of politicians of all parties and of all who know just how he has worked for his constituents, communities in Northern Ireland has been exemplary. for the people of Northern Ireland as a shadow Minister, I know how difficult it is. I have met victims groups, as and also for this House,because he is a true parliamentarian has the Secretary of State. To sit in a room opposite and will be desperately missed. someone describing the most appalling nightmare—a We stand here today just before we go into an election. nightmare that is hard for any human being to envisage—is We are going into an election because politics is broken, an experience that none of us came into politics to yet here we can prove that it is not broken. Here, we can undergo, yet it is right that we came into politics to prove that we can come together and do something. We resolve this horror and this agony. I cannot say enough can deliver something that is right for people who have about how impressed I was by the victims groups that been through the most agonising, dreadful experiences— 677 Historical Institutional Abuse 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Historical Institutional Abuse 678 (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] experiences that no person, and particularly no child, come up against, trying to get matters such as this should ever suffer. We have a chance to make that right through the collective responsibility of Government, today. I trust and know that we will come together, that but he should not have had to do that, because there are we will pass this Bill and that, by this evening, this Bill politicians in Northern Ireland who are elected to do will have Royal Assent, and then we can get on with this work. This needs to be the wake-up call. They delivering redress for those victims. They need it, they should put their differences aside. I know that they want deserve it, and it needs to happen as soon as possible. to go back into Government and do the right thing by One of the privileges of the job that I used to do, that the people of Northern Ireland. This is their opportunity. my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State does now, Please, I say to them, do the right thing for those people. and that my right hon. Friend the Member for Old Finally, I just want to talk about the victims, many of Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire) and others have whom I can see today. I know that we should not refer done, is to realise that, very often, we are in the presence to those in the Gallery, but I will, because those victims of people who have suffered the most incredible, dreadful are there. I had the honour and privilege of meeting experiences. Northern Ireland is like no other part of them. I sat through meetings in which they told me the United Kingdom for having put people through about their experiences. There is nothing more humbling experiences that no one should ever have to go through. than listening to people telling you what they have been I, as Secretary of State, spent time listening to people through—especially when it is something that they should who had been through horrendous experiences in the never have had to go through. This is a Bill for them. troubles and who had been treated in a way that nobody This is something that we are delivering in this broken should be treated, and listening to people who were Parliament for people for whom we should be standing victims of historical institutional abuse. As Secretary of up. I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, or any Minister in the Northern Ireland Office, State on this Bill and I will wholeheartedly support it one cannot fail to be touched by that and to be determined here today. to do everything possible to help those victims. I was absolutely determined that we should do that, and I am 2.29 pm so proud that we have got here today, but it had to be Emma Little Pengelly (Belfast South) (DUP): I am so done in a way that was sustainable and robust. Neither I very glad that we are here today and that we are getting nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State could to the final stage of this process. It has been a battle just wave a magic wand and make it all right. We have to throughout, not least for the many victims and survivors go through the proper processes, because we must make of this terrible abuse. It has even been a battle just to get sure that this redress scheme and the measures that are this legislation through the House today, and I pay put in place will be robust, will not be challenged and tribute to everybody who has worked incredibly hard to will be delivered—and delivered as quickly as possible get us to this point. My colleagues and I, other parties, for the victims. the victims and others across Northern Ireland have That is why it was a matter of the most enormous lobbied incredibly hard to get this legislation through, regret that the Hart report was delivered at the point and I am really grateful and glad that we have been able that the Executive collapsed. Had the Executive not to achieve that. At times we expressed frustration and collapsed, we would have had ministerial direction to anger that these provisions were potentially not going know what Ministers thought of the recommendations. to go through the House, but the Secretary of State did We would have had something to work with. In fact, his best and succeeded, and we see the evidence of that had the Executive been there, they could have delivered today. This Bill will go through the House in exceptional interim payments without the need for primary legislation. circumstances, with so many people across so many They could have delivered so many of these things so different elements of the system having worked to make much sooner, but they were unable to do so, which is this happen, and I am so very glad—not for us, but for why we had to go through a long consultation process the victims and survivors of this dreadful abuse. that victims felt was delaying matters and making them I am glad that those who have suffered through this worse. It was not doing so; it was there to give a robust process will be able to see the genuine care and empathy legal framework so that we could deliver this scheme. of all Members who have spoken on the issue thus far. I want to pay tribute, as my right hon. Friend did, to The Secretary of State made a wonderful speech that the six parties. Earlier this year, when we were starting was very much from the heart, and we could see that. I on a talks process, we got all the parties from Northern hope that the victims and survivors get some comfort Ireland in one room and used that opportunity to get from the fact that many people care deeply about this them to talk about this matter, so that we could have a issue. I also pay tribute to the shadow Minister, the hon. united position from them. Although we may still not Member for Ealing North (Stephen Pound). Once again, have an Executive, it will be those politicians and those he made a beautiful and poignant speech that was truly parties that will have to administer this scheme as from the heart. That will be picked up, heard and Ministers. Therefore, it was absolutely right that it was listened to by the victims and survivors, and I hope that they who helped to draft this legislation. If that had not it gives them some comfort. been done, and we had used the normal primary legislation route in this place, it would have taken far, far longer, Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP): which would have meant that victims had to wait longer. The victims are very grateful for and conscious of the I have to say to the parties in Northern Ireland that Bill’s progress today, and we hope that it will proceed this really needs to be a wake-up call. Yes, we are apace. In addition, though, some have said to me that putting this Bill through here today—I know the hurdles they are appreciative of and grateful for the empathy, that my right hon. Friend has had to go over and how support, sympathy and solidarity with them from across he has had to jump over obstacles and everything else to the community, as well as the concrete steps being taken get this Bill here today. I know full well what he has today. Does my hon. Friend agree? 679 Historical Institutional Abuse 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Historical Institutional Abuse 680 (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] Emma Little Pengelly: I absolutely agree with all that I pay tribute to all the victims and survivors, who my hon. Friend has said. have been on this journey right from the start, including I am so glad that this legislation for the victims and Margaret, Kate, Gerry and Jon McCourt, all of whom survivors of abuse is one of the last things that this have been mentioned in this debate. They have done House will have achieved in this Parliament. This is a incredible work because they have represented not just Parliament that has been dominated by a small number themselves, but the many thousands of victims across of big issues, and we know very well what those are; I Northern Ireland—in fact, across the world—who perhaps am not even going to say the word. Yet I know that could not step forward. They were brave enough to do Members from every single party right across this House so no matter how difficult it was, and it must have been and the elected representatives in Northern Ireland get incredibly difficult for them to tell their own stories into politics because they want to make change on these again and again and again to try to get the inquiry and types of issues. They want to make changes on education, the justice they deserved. health and public services, and to address great wrongs I have been involved in this process for seven years, so and injustices. It is such a good thing that we are ending it is really good to see it come to an end today, but the this Parliament on such an issue, and that the many victims and survivors have been involved for decades hundreds and thousands of people who suffered appalling and decades before that. As I have said in the House abuse, as the Secretary of State outlined, will finally get many times, many of these children came from very the last piece of this process: redress. But redress will challenging and difficult circumstances, and what they not be closure. It will never undo the dreadful wrongs needed was love, protection and support. But when we that happened to all those children in those settings. read the report and listen to their experiences, we know that what they got was cruelty, depravity and harshness. Karen Bradley: The hon. Lady was instrumental in That is appalling. Right from that very first meeting setting up the inquiry from the beginning. Let me make with Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson, those a point to her that always struck me when I was in the who were in the room were absolutely struck that the Home Office dealing with these matters for England right thing to do was to try to get justice for the victims. and Wales, which is that to call this historical abuse is There is very broad consensus on that in every political absolutely wrong. It is not historical; it is current and party and right across this House. present. It is with the victims every single day. I pay tribute to all the victims and survivors. This is not the end of their journey. They will continue with all Emma Little Pengelly: Absolutely. I was involved in the pain and suffering—the legacy of what happened to this process right from the start, seven years ago. I pay them. I hope that this redress and financial support—and tribute to the right hon. Peter Robinson and the late what it symbolises—will be of some comfort, as well as Martin McGuinness, because I was present at the meeting a recognition of their hard and incredible work to stand when the victims and survivors came in and told us of up and address the terrible, terrible wrong that was the terrible, terrible experiences they went through, and done to them and many thousands of other children. both those men were genuinely moved. Who could not be moved by hearing those personal experiences and the 2.38 pm terrible wrongs? But both of those men were very moved, Sir Peter Bottomley (Worthing West) (Con): It would and they worked together, and tasked me and some be a good idea for others to look at the last two pages of others to go away and try to drive this work forward. the historical institutional abuse inquiry report, which Throughout those seven years, civil servants at all levels, is available at hiainquiry.org. In those pages, Sir Anthony the late Judge Hart and all those who gave support and Hart—to whom tributes have properly been paid—set help were really motivated to get through the process out the six points that he thought were the most important. and to do so swiftly, because they had heard the terrible It is now two years after he had hoped that the things that had happened and had seen the injustice compensation payments would be made. Let us also that they wanted to address. remember the survivors who were over the age of 18 I have to say that I am angry that it has taken this —people who he was not able to look at. I think there is long to get to this point of redress. The inquiry was unfinished business in this part of our kingdom. We unusual in that the timeframe was put down in legislation. have to remember that there will be further reports on The late Judge Hart made it absolutely clear that, yes, the rest of the United Kingdom to come in time. he would request the extension that he was allowed by the legislation, but he would also meet the timeframes 2.39 pm set out, so we always knew when the inquiry was going Ian Paisley (North Antrim) (DUP): When the Secretary to report, because he made that clear. I and others made of State made his poignant remarks to the House today, representations to those who pulled down the Assembly, he quoted from Corinthians on the views and perspective asking them not to do so in order to allow the report to of a child—what children see. The beginning of that come forward, and I am genuinely angry that it happened. chapter says that faith is so powerful that it can move I am angry that we have had to wait for those years for mountains, but without charity, compassion and love, it the victims and survivors to get the redress they deserve is nothing. This House today, through the actions of and that we knew was coming. this Government that have been brought here, has But today is not a day about recriminations. In fact, demonstrated that through compassion it has been able this has been a good example of how the political to move bureaucratic mountains. It has been able to parties can work together and the difference that they move those things that stood in the way, and it is not as can make—not, perhaps, on the bigger issues that will nothing; today this House is something. It has done always be challenging, but on these types of significant something incredibly powerful and incredibly important issues that are so meaningful to people’s lives. for victims across Northern Ireland, those here on the 681 Historical Institutional Abuse 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Historical Institutional Abuse 682 (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] mainland, and, indeed, those who are located across the My right hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire world as a result of the abuse that took place in these Moorlands (Karen Bradley) referred to the fact that locations in Northern Ireland. this legislation is the most robust basis for the redress It is important that the Secretary of State is able to scheme and the commissioner. That is worth reiterating. set out, and this legislation sets out, the schedule of It would not be on as sound a footing if we had not when moneys will be paid, because that is a practical got what we hoped to get today, so she is absolutely issue. It is also important that we make sure that help is right. She is also right to point to the fact that hopefully given to the victims groups going forward from now on, after the election we can get the Executive and the because they have been brought to the top of the Assembly going, because that is the best place to do all mountain. Today is, if I can use the word appropriately, NI legislation. an exciting day in that they have now achieved this, The hon. Member for Belfast South (Emma Little but there will then be the cliff edge of what happens Pengelly) was very clear about how productive the next. Those victims groups will have to be wrapped in Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive had been compassion, charity, help and assistance so that they around the time of the Hart report, and on other issues. can then move to the next phase of this, because it is not That period gives us all hope that we will get back to a going to end very quickly. There will probably now be a position where we will restore the Executive and the process put in place, and it is important that practical Assembly. help is given to take the groups through that to make My hon. Friend the Member for Worthing West sure that they can get the other end of this as quickly (Sir Peter Bottomley) made an extremely valid point. It and expeditiously as possible. I hope that we will see that. is something I was worrying about last night as I re-read I hope that we mark this very poignant and historic day parts of the report. There are many, many people of with an appropriate mark of respect and an appropriate different ages—people who may not have been in care celebration that this House is not as nothing; it has but may have been abused in other settings—who will achieved something today. no doubt be the subject of reports going forward. 2.41 pm I thank all colleagues for all their kind remarks, and again pay tribute to the victims groups who are sitting Julian Smith: With the leave of the House, Madam here today. They may have missed their current flights, Deputy Speaker, I just want to come back on a few but we have arranged for them to be able to go later. I points that I was asked about. Before I do, may I thank hope we will all be able to celebrate with them shortly. my ministerial colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office? No Secretary of State could ask for better colleagues Question put and agreed to. than the two on either side of me at the Dispatch Box Bill accordingly read a Second time. today, who have also played an incredible part in trying to move this Bill forward. Motion made and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 63(2), That the Bill be committed to a Committee The hon. Member for Ealing North (Stephen Pound) of the whole House.—(Maggie Throup.) raised the issue of the financing of the scheme and the timetable. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, Bill considered in Committee. officials in the Executive Office are already working on the implementation programme. They aim to make shadow board appointments to work on policies,procedures [DAME ROSIE WINTERTON in the Chair] and standards so that the board can start considering claims as soon as practicable after it is officially launched. Clauses 1 to 34 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Officials in the Executive Office are also working hard Schedules 1 and 2 agreed to. to ensure that the consideration of claims can begin as The Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair. soon as practicable after the Bill becomes law, and exploring the possibility of opening up applications in Bill reported, without amendment. advance of the establishment of the board. Obviously, Third Reading we will all want to do whatever we can. In particular, the Government will do whatever we can to make sure 2.48 pm that we play our part in moving things forward as quickly as possible. Julian Smith: I beg to move, That the Bill be now read The funding for the scheme comes from the block grant, the Third time. but clearly we will be making sure that we do everything That was, I think, one of the shortest Committee we can to support the Executive Office. stages in this Parliament’shistory.Having been Government Chief Whip, I only wish that another policy area of this Gavin Robinson: On the points about process, the Government could have been covered so quickly. Secretary of State is injecting a bit of positivity and we hope that this will progress quickly. On 6 December, he As has been said during the course of this debate, in is mandated to lay reports under the Northern Ireland powerful speeches from Members across the House, (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act this is a day for victims—the victims from Northern 2018. Given that we are going to have to do that process Ireland who are in the Public Gallery today, the victims anyhow,could a line on progress updates and the processes from Northern Ireland who are sitting at home, and all that follow be inserted in the Bill? victims of child abuse who have yet to have redress and a full acknowledgment of what they went through. I am Julian Smith: I will do whatever I can, within the extremely grateful to the House for all the support and constraints of the purdah period, to update right hon. for all the civil service support, and I think this is a very and hon. Members and the public. fitting way to finish this Parliament. 683 Historical Institutional Abuse 5 NOVEMBER 2019 684 (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] 2.49 pm Valedictory Debate Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab): Let me join the Secretary Motion made, and Question proposed, of State in applauding the fact that the House has seen That this House has considered matters to be raised before the fit to move the Bill so swiftly through the House today. I forthcoming Dissolution.—(Maggie Throup.) want to place on record our thanks to my colleague Lord Hain and Lord Duncan, the Minister involved, Several hon. Members rose— because they were instrumental in ensuring that this House had the opportunity to move things forward. Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): I I want to say to those with us today who are victims, call Sir Patrick McLoughlin. representing many other victims, that this Bill would have been necessary had there only been one victim of 2.54 pm this kind of abuse. We know that many thousands suffered—thousands more than will come under the Sir Patrick McLoughlin (Derbyshire Dales) (Con): ambit of the scheme, because many of them have already Thank you for calling me to speak, Madam Deputy died, and we cannot offer anything by way of recognition Speaker. This is the last time that you will be able to call or compensation to those people. But today we are me. It was a great privilege working with you when we saying to those who are with us that we recognise what were doing opposite jobs, as Chief Whip and Opposition took place, and it is a matter of real and profound Chief Whip. shame to every one of us in this country. It is also I first saw inside the House of Commons in about a matter of anger, and we should use that anger to 1972. In 1970, Cannock elected a Conservative Member ensure that we are determined to do everything we can of Parliament, Patrick Cormack, with one of the biggest to insist that this cannot be the pattern for the future. swings in the country in that general election. Like any We know that sexual abuse will take place in Northern new Member of Parliament, he went round the local Ireland and in the whole of the United Kingdom. This schools and invited us to come down to the House of should impel us to do everything we can to protect our Commons to have a tour. I came down in about 1972, young people and those who are victims, because we and I remember it well. I was overwhelmed by the have to learn the lessons of the past. atmosphere, the beauty of the place and the history of That is the triumph for those who have been through the building—so much so that I remember saying to one this campaign. They have campaigned for themselves of my best friends at the time, John Beresford, “I’ve and those they represent, but they have also campaigned decided what I want to do in life.” He said, “What’s that, on a much wider basis—they have campaigned for Patrick?” and I said, “I want to come back to the House decency and justice for people across this land of ours. of Commons as a Member of Parliament.” I will always The real emotion that was rightly expressed by the remember him saying to me, “If I was you, I’d keep that Secretary of State, by my hon. Friend the Member for a secret.”It was not the kind of place that a comprehensive Ealing North (Stephen Pound) and by others is not just schoolboy from Cannock would end up. about empathy. It is because we profoundly believe in Leaving school at 16, I became involved in the youth the need to ensure that there is justice for those who wing of the Conservative party, and I fought my first have campaigned and those they campaigned for and, general election in Wolverhampton South East in 1983. in the end, to set a different moral tone around this It was a great campaign but an unsuccessful one, when issue for the future. This is a good Bill, and I thank all the Conservative party overall was doing incredibly our colleagues for making it possible to pass it today. well. I made several unsuccessful attempts at winning other seats, and I began to think that my friend John Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): was right. But as we all know in politics, things happen The Secretary of State referred to the fact that the Bill suddenly. All of a sudden, a by-election was called in went through Committee very quickly; I do not think I West Derbyshire, and I was selected as the candidate, have ever chaired such a quick Committee. That indicates when Matthew Parris, who has been a lifelong friend the unity in the House around this Bill, and I know that since then, decided to pursue a career in TV. if it were not for the special circumstances we are in, I would like to pay tribute to the officers of the West many more Members would have wanted to be here to Derbyshire Conservative association in those days, show their support. particularly Geoffrey Roberts, who is sadly no longer Question agreed to. with us, but his wife Josie still lives in Bakewell. They Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed. took a bit of a gamble in 1986, selecting a 28-year-old who was hardly a typical Tory—somebody who left school at 16, had not been to university and had gone BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE through 12 months of a coal strike. With our successful Ordered, campaign in that by-election, and with my charm and That, at this day’s sitting, the Speaker shall not adjourn the personality, I managed to take a very safe Conservative House until he has reported the Royal Assent to any Act agreed seat with a majority of 15,500 to one with a majority of upon by both Houses.—(Maggie Throup.) 100 votes. I came into the House of Commons on 13 May. My mother came down, and my pregnant wife was with me, and we were invited to have tea with the then Prime Minister,Mrs Thatcher. My mother was not overwhelmed at all by meeting Mrs Thatcher. She had never met a senior politician of any description. We met her in the Prime Minister’s office here in the House of Commons, 685 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 686 and within a few minutes, it was almost as if I did not the loss of life and the like. I think most Members of exist. My mother and Mrs Thatcher were talking away Parliament go out of their way to do whatever they can like two old fishwives. After 30 minutes, a note came in to help. for the Prime Minister saying that she had to go to her I served in several Departments before John Major next meeting. She looked at my mother and said, “I’m appointed me to the Whips Office in 1995. I spent very sorry, but I have to go to my next meeting.” I will 17 years there, becoming one of the most long-serving always remember my mother tapping her on the knee and perhaps, as far as my party is concerned, long-suffering and saying, “Yes, my dear, you are busy, aren’t you?” to Whips. When David Cameron became leader of the which Mrs Thatcher said, “Well, I am today. It’s just Conservative party in 2005, he made me the Opposition one of those days.” Chief Whip, and then he made me the Chief Whip in That is how I came to represent one of the most the coalition Government in 2010. There, I was really beautiful constituencies in England. It is a constituency ably assisted by John Randall, who is now in the other dominated, to a great degree, by the Peak District place, as my Deputy Chief Whip—really a man of great national park. The Peak district is within an hour’s and outstanding ability and high principle—and by the drive of 60% of the UK population, and some weekends right Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael). it feels like they all come. The Peak District national I see in his place the right hon. Member for North Norfolk park is a very important part of our country. Obviously (Norman Lamb), who was also in the Whips Office. it has strict planning rules and regulations, but I want to see people living in the national park and not priced out Norman Lamb (North Norfolk) (LD): I have to say of it. We must bear that in mind. that I never dreamed for one minute that I would ever serve under the right hon. Gentleman in any capacity in We have a number of important market towns in this place, but I found myself doing so and I found Derbyshire Dales, not least Wirksworth, Ashbourne, myself enjoying it and respecting his leadership, so I Bakewell and Matlock. They are thriving market towns, thank him for that. but at the moment their high streets are under tremendous pressure. I do hope that the new Government will think Sir Patrick McLoughlin: I am very grateful to the very carefully about how they can support our market right hon. Gentleman. I think, with the problems we towns and our high streets—that is incredibly important— inherited, that there was a lot the coalition Government and avoid putting extra unnecessary costs on them, or if did of which we can rightly be proud. costs are put on business, make sure they are across the I was Chief Whip for a considerable time, and I have board, including for the internet companies, which at to say that I was greatly assisted at the time by two people the moment do not quite share their full burden. in the Whips Office to whom I want to refer—Sir Roy Stone and Mark Kelly. Roy Stone is basically the usual Sir Greg Knight (East Yorkshire) (Con): It has been a channels, as you well know, Madam Deputy Speaker. It privilege and a pleasure to serve in this House with my is true that there have been only four people to hold the right hon. Friend, but will he give the House a pledge position of principal private secretary to the Chief that he will not write his memoirs, or if he changes his Whip in the last 100 years, and Roy himself has been mind and does decide to write his memoirs, that he will doing it since November 2000. The House, the Government make no reference at all to what happens in the Whips and the Opposition have a great servant in Roy, and I Office? Does he agree with me that whipping, like stripping, really want to say a big thank you to him for the work is best done in private? he does. I think he would say that there is never a dull moment in what he does. Sir Patrick McLoughlin: I agree partly with what my I would like to say a few things about the Whips right hon. Friend says. If he does not mind, I shall say Office, which I think is quite often misunderstood both something in a few moments about the Whips Office inside and outside this place. Contrary to some of the that may or may not get his approval, but let us see. wilder stories, it is the personnel department of any parliamentary party, dealing with a wide range of issues Less than a year after I entered the House of Commons, both personal and political. we faced a general election. I have to say that it was an unusual election as far as West Derbyshire was concerned Justine Greening (Putney) (Ind): In my experience, I because two parties got what they wanted. My Liberal always saw the Whips Office as a human resources opponent had posters up and down the constituency department, but with the “human” bit taken out. saying, “100 more votes this time”. I am very glad that he got his extra 100 votes, and I was even more pleased Sir Patrick McLoughlin: Well, everybody is allowed that I got an extra 10,000. Let us leave that to the side, to have their views. All I can say to my right hon. Friend but we should be careful what we wish for. is that she ought to have to deal with some of the people In 1989, I was invited by Margaret Thatcher to join the Whips Office has to deal with. her Government, and I went as a junior Minister to the I would like to say something to all people who come then Department of Transport. One of the first issues into this House of Commons. Whatever they think that landed in the area I was responsible for, within a about the Whips Office and about the party system, few weeks of my being at the Department, was the very few people would get into this House on their own terrible Marchioness disaster on the Thames. As we ability; they get here only because they belong to a have done in the previous debate, dealing with people major political party or a political party, and I think who have suffered such tragedies is one of the more that is sometimes forgotten by them when they get here. difficult parts of life in government, as it is when, as In 2012, David Cameron gave me the option of Members of Parliament, we have people who are hit by becoming Secretary of State for Transport. As Chief Whip, tragic circumstances and incidents that often cause I was aware of the offer just a little time in advance of 687 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 688

[Sir Patrick McLoughlin] and it is great authoritative writing. People like them who bring outside expertise straight into the political arena the reshuffle, so I had time to reflect on it. It was a big are really very important. step to move from the back office of politics to the front I was encouraged by the unswerving support of the office, or to the frontline, as it so often seemed, particularly Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer at in those first few weeks at the Department for Transport, the time,who were both great infrastructure enthusiasts—so where I had of course started as a junior Minister some much so that one of my problems as Transport Secretary time before. was that, when visiting a construction site, I was always I remember very well, Madam Deputy Speaker, you third in line to get a hi-vis jacket and a hard hat. In 2015 coming to me on that Monday afternoon, when I knew I was reappointed by the Prime Minister. I remember what was going to happen to me, and you told me that him saying, “Patrick, you’ve been going up and down the Opposition day debate on Wednesday was going to the country promising all these schemes.” I pointed out be on rail fares. I did try to say to you that I did not that I had only done so after he had promised them in think this was a very good idea and could you not find a the first place, and that it would have been difficult to different subject to take on. The next morning you row back on promises made by the Prime Minister. realised why I might have suggested that, but as usual Talking about infrastructure, one of the fascinating you stuck to your guns, and I found myself responding aspects of returning to the Department where I began to such a debate that week. my ministerial career was that I could appreciate fully I found my four years at the Department for Transport just how long and difficult these major projects are. one of the most fascinating periods that I spent in Crossrail is a good example. When I was first in the government, and it was a huge privilege to be the Department, in 1989, I remember the then Secretary of Secretary of State and head of a major Department such State saying, “We’re going to build Crossrail.” It is now as that. being built. It has been delayed and gone over budget, but it will make a tremendous difference to London Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West) (Lab/Co-op): once it is finished. I would just like to put on record that during the right hon. Gentleman’sspell as Secretary of State for Transport, That brings me to High Speed 2. HS2 is not about a company—it will be unnamed—came to me in desperate speed; it is about capacity. It is about building a modern straits over a problem that involved the Department for railway that is fit for our times and for a modern country. Transport and other countries, and it would have gone I could spend a long time talking about HS2, but I out of business within 10 days had it not been resolved. think that might try the patience of my right hon. I took it to the right hon. Gentleman, we had a discussion, Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Sir David Lidington), he did what was necessary and that company was saved, which I do not want to do. I accept the problems that he with about 120 jobs, and I would just like that to go on and his constituents face as a result of HS2, and those the record. concerns must be listened to. However, I will find it ironic if I can take a high-speed train from London to Sir Patrick McLoughlin: I am very grateful to the Brussels or Paris, but not to Birmingham, Manchester hon. Gentleman. As I said, it was an incredibly rewarding or Leeds. It is absolutely essential that we increase our period. capacity. Within a few days or weeks of being there, I found As we prepare to leave the European Union, I well myself having to phone Richard Branson to explain recall the Cabinet meeting on the Saturday morning why his company was going to keep the franchise for the after David Cameron had returned from the negotiations west coast main line, although he had previously been —given that he has written about this in his book, I can told that Virgin had lost it; that conversation I remember now break the rule not to speak about Cabinet discussions. well. I would like to say at this point that it is fair to say I said in that meeting, “I would love to live in Utopia, that people such as Richard Branson and Brian Souter but the trouble is that I would wake up and find that the have done more for rail passengers in this country than EU was still there.” We have to be realistic about what many Secretaries of State, and they have improved our we want from Europe. We are leaving the European railways in a very dramatic way. I hope that, whatever Union, and it is right that we do so—we said that we plans come in the manifestos,we do not lose the involvement would be bound by the result of the referendum, and I of the private sector in the railways. They have transformed strongly believe that—but it is the European Union that our railways, and I think that is partly as a result of the we are leaving, not Europe. We must make sure that we private investment we have seen. get a good trading relationship with the rest of Europe I would like to take this opportunity, if I may, to pay as quickly as possible. tribute to some of the superb civil servants who supported I will still be living in Derbyshire Dales. I shall miss me in my role. Among them, in my private office were tremendously being its Member of Parliament and Mark Reach and Rupert Hetherington, as well as Philip being at the centre of things there. I am sure that I will Rutnam, who was the permanent secretary for all the still enjoy the company of so many good people, but it time that I was there, while Phil West was my principal will be a different relationship. After 33 years, it is time private secretary for the entire four years I was at the to move on. Department. I had excellent special advisers—another One of my greatest supporters and helpers has been often misunderstood role—in Ben Mascall, Simon Burton my wife. It is fair to say that she has always been my and Tim Smith, as well as a constituent of mine, Julian strongest supporter in public—in private, she has often Glover, who knew more about the railways than anybody told me the truth, and I have been the better for it. I first I have come across and would give me the history and entered the House in a by-election, and it was chaotic; everything else. He has written and had published not after six weeks of campaigning, I arrived here in the so long ago a book on Thomas Telford, “Man of Iron”, thick of it. I decided only last week not to seek re-election, 689 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 690 and I have to say that my departure feels the same. Finally, I want to say a few words of thanks to some One of the best pieces of advice that my wife ever gave individuals. For the last eight general elections, my me was when she was helping me with a speech that I friend and colleague Alan Goy has been my political was preparing. After typing it up, she looked at me and agent. All Members will know how important it is to said, “Patrick, I’ve never known you to make too short have a good relationship with their political agent. I a speech.” On that note, I want to end by thanking also want to thank the staff who have supported me everyone, including all the officers and staff, for their during my tenure. I will thank, in particular, my current help. staff, Sheena Woolley,Jacquie Falvey and Natalie Robinson, who support me in the constituency, and Kate Edwards 3.14 pm and Michael Denoual, who work here in Parliament. As the right hon. Member for Derbyshire Dales said, Sir Kevin Barron (Rother Valley) (Lab): I rise to make your wife is a massive support in this job. Sadly, I lost my final contribution after more than 36 years in this my first wife Carol in 2008, but Andree, who I married a House. As I said when I announced that I was standing few years ago, has been a pillar of support. It would be down, it has been the honour of my life to represent difficult for anybody to do this job without that type of Rother Valley, a constituency that I first moved to at the support at home. age of eight, when my father, a Durham miner, moved to the south Yorkshire coalfields. I do not want to turn this into a full-scale Oscars speech, so I will end by thanking the people of Rother Having been elected in 1983, my baptism came very Valley, who I have been honoured to represent. Whoever shortly after, when 4,500 miners went on strike for wins the seat at the election, I hope that they will feel 12 months. With the Orgreave coke works in my the same satisfaction representing it that I have felt for constituency, I was kept on my toes. That was followed many years. by three years as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the then Leader of the Opposition. I learned quite a lot of things that I will not be sharing this afternoon—I am 3.19 pm not even tempted to talk about the Whips Office, as the Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage) (Con): I am grateful to right hon. Member for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick have an opportunity to take part in this debate and to McLoughlin) has just done. pay tribute to so many colleagues who are moving on. It The major work that I have done in the House is with is a particular honour to follow my right hon. Friend Select Committees. When I was first elected, I served on the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick McLoughlin). the Energy Committee, and then for a short time, I was Indeed, it was a telephone call from him that first heralded a member of the Environment Committee. I chaired the my appointment as a Minister. I could hear the deep Health Committee for five years, from 2005 to 2010. reluctance in his voice,verging on disbelief, as he announced One of the earliest things that Committee did was to that the Prime Minister had appointed me. He then had secure a free vote in the House on bringing in a a moment of fun at my expense when he told me—he comprehensive ban on smoking in public places. Some obviously knew me very well—that I was off to the people said at the time that it would be the end of the Ministry of Agriculture, before revealing that I was in world as we knew it, but now people say that it is the fact going to the Department for Culture, Media and most popular piece of public health legislation that Sport. In fact, things went from bad to worse after that the House has ever introduced. I spent eight years phone call, because my sole contribution, apart from chairing the Committee on Standards, until September irritating the Chief Whip during my first five years in last year. We did not have quite as great a result as we this place while on the Opposition Benches, was to write did with the smoking ban, but my intention all along a blog in which, with the oncoming age of austerity, I was to ensure that this place was better thought of by recommended that the first thing we should do as a the people outside who elect and send us here. I think Government was to get rid of Government cars. Straight that to some extent we were moving along quite nicely after my right hon. Friend put down the phone, my new on that, until something happened in 2016 that seems to private secretary at the Department for Culture, Media have knocked us back quite a bit. Select Committee and Sport rang me—I felt tremendously important— work is something that I have enjoyed. and said, “Minister, would you like to come into the With regard to local achievements, clearly there are Department?” I said that, yes, of course I would. They many, but the main achievement that I and my staff said, “Minister, shall we send your car?” I paused for a have had over many years is dealing with individual moment. I thought of myself, as I have always been in casework, for the people who come along and need help, this place, as a man of great principle and then said, perhaps because they have been unable to communicate “Yes, please send a car.” [Laughter.] Two minutes later, their concerns. I have always said that I have been a there was another phone call: “Minister, the Secretary voice for the voiceless in Rother Valley, speaking up on of State has read your blog and he has cancelled your their behalf. Another thing I have been involved with in car.” I never had a car for the six years that I was in the the constituency is coalfield regeneration. The advanced Department. manufacturing park is now in the Rotherham constituency, My right hon. Friend’s speech also reminded me of but it used to be in Rother Valley when it was first put in my own glittering political career in this place. I have by a Labour Government. It shows that we are recognised always wanted to do the Queen’s Speech address, so that as having some of the finest manufacturing anywhere in I can recount to the House some of my great political the world. That came out of the old Orgreave coke successes. Standing in 1997 in Bristol East, I managed works and the coalmine site. Such developments have to turn a 5,000 Labour majority into a 17,000 Labour transformed parts of south Yorkshire, and my voice majority. Then, when I was selected to succeed Robert and that of the Government were there for that on Jackson in the seat of Wantage, he and I worked hand many occasions. in glove together for three years—father and son, Laurel 691 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 692

[Mr Edward Vaizey] become Prime Minister. I also said that, looking at his record as Mayor of London, he would make a fine Prime and Hardy—with never a moment apart. After working Minister. I think he will. As I look at my right hon. Friend with me for those three years, Robert Jackson turned the Member for Rutland and Melton (Sir Alan Duncan), around and defected to the Labour party. I can see him nodding in agreement. I was lucky enough to succeed Robert Jackson in 2005 to become the Member of Parliament for Wantage Sir Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton) (Con): Indeed and Didcot, and it is a tremendous privilege. I rechristened I am—wholeheartedly. the constituency Wantage and Didcot, although I can never get that past the Boundary Commission. Didcot Mr Vaizey: The final issue I want to raise in my is the largest town in the constituency, which also speech is that, despite the then Chief Whip’s concerns, I includes Wantage, Faringdon and Wallingford. I sensed was lucky enough to serve for six years as Minister with from my right hon. Friend’s speech that all of us in this responsibility for the arts, telecommunications and House believe that we represent the best constituency in technology.The telecoms part of the brief was a complete the country. The great advantage of Wantage is that it accident. It came to us when we were in opposition, literally does have everything, from an ancient white because the then telecoms spokesman was my right horse to a 21st century space cluster with 90 start-up hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe companies. It has Europe’s leading business park, Milton (Mr Clarke). When it was pointed out that he did not Park, a technology business park with life sciences, the even own a mobile phone, my right hon. Friend the European Space Agency,the Satellite Applications Catapult, Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) rather deftly Williams Formula 1, farming, small businesses and a stole the policy and took it over to DCMS. When I got huge sense of community. I think the one thing we all that Department, the then Prime Minister had such learn in this place as Members of Parliament, if we did faith in me that he tried to take the telecoms brief away not learn it beforehand, is the tremendous power of from me and give it to my hon. Friend the Member for community and social organisations in our constituencies. Weston-super-Mare (John Penrose). Thankfully, he was Again and again, we know the tremendous amount of married to a woman who was the chief executive of a work that volunteers do in every part of society in our telecoms company at the time, so I held on to that constituencies to make things happen and to make fantastic brief, as well as that of the creative industries them work, often with very little thanks or recognition. of film, television, advertising and video games. I just My constituency—I hope this does not sound arrogant want to say two things about those two areas. or come out in the wrong way—suffers in different ways First, the arts are tremendously important. We have from other constituencies, in that it suffers from the the most incredible arts ecology. That is a terrible word problems of success. The issues that come across my to use for such a beautiful subject, but we have the most desk relate to economic success: concern about the incredible museums and arts institutions in this country. growing number of houses and whether there is adequate I think it really is only in this place that they are not infrastructure, such as roads and schools, to support it. appreciated. When I go abroad, people marvel at our There are other important issues, such as reopening a museums and how we support the arts in this country. If provincial railway station, Grove station, to provide only we could have a system similar to the system we better commuting for all my constituents, and sorting have for international development, where the arts have out the problems at Wantage community hospital. The a guaranteed budget—not 0.7%, but bigger than it is at biggest issue that faces us is how to cope with the impact the moment—we would get so much more from them. of economic success in this area. We already get such a tremendous amount. I just want to touch on two other topics before I sit On the creative industries, we perhaps like to mock down. I probably should not bring up Brexit—we were luvvies but that is completely wrong. One of the reasons all having such a lovely time before I did—but I just we have not dipped into recession in the past couple of want to put on record, as someone who has got into a quarters is the contribution made by the British film bit of trouble on this issue, what happened. I supported industry. I told the then Prime Minister that he had as the Prime Minister’s position when he first became much right to appear on the set of James Bond as at a Prime Minister, to leave with a deal; otherwise we would widget factory, because it was making a massive economic leave with no deal. Funnily enough, I thought the contribution to our country. no-deal threat was better aimed at this Parliament, On technology, we are the leaders of Europe in rather than at Europe. It was only the out-of-the-blue technology investment, start-ups and technology companies. Prorogation that made me feel that Parliament should As we move towards delivering Brexit, I urge all policy have a moment where it put in an insurance policy to makers in this House, when Parliament returns, to look ensure that we did get a deal, but once a deal came back at technology as one of the key areas that will drive the I was very happy to support it. I was happy to support 21st century post-European Union British economy. the programme motion, and I hope that if the Prime Minister comes back with a majority, he brings the deal back and rams it through. I would certainly support 3.28 pm him in that. I am not a remainer or a remoaner; I am a Kate Hoey (Vauxhall) (Lab): When I see the right leaver-with-a-dealer. I hope that that is what can happen hon. Member for Wantage (Mr Vaizey), I always recall after the election. my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Frank Although I lost the Whip, I am a fan and an admirer Field) talking about seeing him in his nappies when he of the Prime Minister. I have known him for many was young. Seeing again how young he obviously is, I years. Generally, every single political prediction I make am very sorry that he is leaving the House. One thing we is wrong, but I did predict two years ago that he would have in common is the arts. A lot of Members spend 693 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 694 their evenings in the very wonderful part of my constituency perhaps two or three times, so my Mini will get a great with the Southbank centre, the National Theatre and rest when I leave, and it will not know what has hit it so on. now that it will not be doing that journey. I want to say a couple of very important thank yous. Mr Vaizey: I should just say that I have not said I am This place is made up of people who work so hard for leaving the House— I was just giving a statement at the us all and who very often do not get the thanks and end of term. tributes. I thank all the members of Royal Mail, for example—the postmen and women who have delivered Kate Hoey: I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman our mail and have been so kind over the years. I thank knows that he has to be re-elected, of course, but he is Yiannis in the Travel Office, who has been fantastic. not retiring. [Interruption.] Now I am very unclear Most importantly for me, as someone who came in and whether he is retiring or just putting himself forward for was not in any way computer-savvy—I still do not re-election—fine. really like technology—one person in the Digital Service, Balj Rai, has been just wonderful. He knows exactly how Like the right hon. Member for Derbyshire Dales to be patient with someone like me, and I thank him. (Sir Patrick McLoughlin), who spoke first in the debate, I came in at a by-election in 1989. I will not go through Finally, I want to thank my personal staff. I have had my whole history, but I just point out that it is very Kathy Duffy working for me for 26 years—I must not different being a Member of Parliament who is literally get emotional; this is silly. I have had Max Freedman for five minutes away from their constituency. He was my 15 years; Lara Nicholson for 11 years; Ada During for constituent in Kennington for a very long time and he six years; and my wonderful paralegal Ashleah Skinner, took a great interest in many of the community events; I who has done a brilliant job, for four years. They have am very grateful for that. Coming in as a new Member all made my life here so much better. I also thank all my in that by-election back in 1989 was very different: we constituents who have sent me such wonderful letters had no television covering the house, no mobile phones, and shown kindness. I will not miss many of my party no emails, no 24-hour news—it all sounds wonderful political activists, but I will miss my constituents, my now. Members who come in now probably do not really community organisers and the people who really wanted understand how different it was 30 years ago. to work with me to make Vauxhall a better place. One thing I said when I came in here was that my country Some of the improvements have been wonderful. For would always come before my party—and it still does. example, I waited for an office for a very long time. All the things that are now done for new Members did not 3.35 pm happen then and we were very much left to find our own way. I should also say that I do not like some of the Sir Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks) (Con): I was first elected changes. I am very pleased that we have a new Speaker to this place as the first Conservative for 25 years to sit who will be extremely fair and show the kindness—quite for the constituency of Darlington in the north-east of honestly, I am not a hypocrite—that the previous Speaker England. I have never forgotten that particular weekend. did not show to Members, and I hope that the new I set off on a train on the Sunday afternoon down to Parliament will realise that some changes from the London and the buffet bar was closed. Somebody must so-called modernisation do not necessarily change the have told the steward that the new MP for Darlington standard of the debate in this place or the way that was on the train—I had been on television a bit—and people behave. I think we need to look at that very he suddenly appeared with a tray of tea and toast and carefully, and I hope that the new Speaker will do so. said, “We can’t have the new MP for Darlington going There is not just the question of clapping. Practically off hungry to take on his responsibilities.” He then every tradition in this House has been introduced over stood there, shook his head and said, “Mind you, what the years for a reason. I remember being one of those hope have you got with all those Tories?” people who came in and immediately said, “Why are we Along with my right hon. Friend the Member for wasting so much time in the Division Lobbies? Why are Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick McLoughlin), who made we not getting through right away? Why are we not able the most splendid speech today, I had the privilege of to not vote in a different way?” However, I would not serving—perhaps unusually—four Prime Ministers. I dream of voting to get rid of the Division Lobbies now, first served Margaret Thatcher as her Schools Minister because it is such a useful time to talk to people from and then John Major in the same capacity. With my both sides of the House—if someone is not always right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe voting with their party,as I have not been a few times—and (Mr Clarke), we set up the first proper independent to see Members from our own party. I spent most inspection service of our schools, Ofsted, and we ensured evenings going over to Vauxhall to community meetings, that school exam results were published and available to friends groups and tenants associations, so I did not parents. It is extraordinary to think now that the exam have the luxury of being able to stay around in the results of individual schools were locked away in the House and have lots of nice meals, with the wonderful director of education’s safe and that parents were not catering staff and wonderful food. We need to be careful trusted with that information. about modernising this place so much that it is treated I later had the equally unusual experience of working in a way that loses the absolute value of history that we as deputy to two Liberal Secretaries of State, in the have in this place. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the One part of my life that will be very unhappy about Department for Energy and Climate Change. Not only me leaving is my wonderful, old, traditional, original was that interesting, but it turned out to be quite a Mini, because it literally knows its way from the House constructive experience. When the history of the coalition of Commons over Westminster bridge and back over Government is written, perhaps we will see some of the Lambeth bridge. Some days I would do the journey benefits of that working together. 695 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 696

[Sir Michael Fallon] pressure on that green belt, though I know that my hon. Friends on the Front Bench are conscious of the need That period had a rather unusual ending. The day to balance the demand for new housing with our after the 2015 election, around lunchtime, I was called commitments to protect the green belt. by David Cameron and reappointed as Secretary of I hope that this election campaign will not ignore State for Defence. As I was leaving the Cabinet table, he some of the longer-term challenges our country faces. said the Secretary of State for Industry had handed in We have spent an awful lot of time—perhaps rightly, his resignation and the permanent secretary wanted perhaps wrongly—debating the withdrawal agreement. somebody to be in charge for a couple of days while the In the end, that agreement only dealt with Ireland, our rest of the Cabinet was assembled, so for a few hours I payments into the EU budget and the rights of EU was Secretary of State for Industry. As I was picking up citizens; we have not started yet on the major negotiation my papers, he added, “The Secretary of State for Energy that really matters for business and jobs in my constituency, has also handed in his resignation”, so I said, “Fine, I’ll which is our future trading relationship, and I fear we have a look at that as well”. Then, as I was leaving, he have not yet started to explain to our electors some of said, “And the Secretary of State for Scotland has the trade-offs that will inevitably be involved as we resigned”. So for a day or two I held those four portfolios come to deal with the challenge to agriculture, financial together. services, the aerospace and automotive industries and I then had the most enormous privilege of all: working our fisheries, and accommodating their legitimate right with our servicemen and women at the Ministry of and desire to trade freely with the European continent Defence for three and a half years, leading them in the with the views of our partners. campaign against Daesh, resisting the challenge of a We will have to quickly put in place the security resurgent Russia and playing an important role in NATO. partnership that has long been promised in various There can be no greater privilege than serving in that documents the Government have issued—I fear we have Department with the many willing and brave servicemen spoken far too little about this—and make sure there is and women who have committed themselves to the no cliff edge at the end of January or February in the service of our country. I want to put on the record my policing and judicial arrangements that our constituents thanks to them all. expect and in the way our agencies work with other agencies across the European continent to deal with terrorism Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con): I would just like to and organised crime. We will also need to work with our thank my right hon. Friend for all he did in that role, former partners in the EU to continue to uphold the particularly the way he kept Members of Parliament on rules-based international order. We do not debate foreign both sides of the House so well briefed. When the affairs nearly enough in this House. When I first entered history books are written, they will show how seriously Parliament, in the ’80s, we had much more regular debates he—together with his colleagues in the armed forces and on international affairs. his ministerial colleagues—took that incredibly important role. I thank him for that. We are dealing with a resurgent Russia that is in breach of many international conventions, whether on Sir Michael Fallon: I am most grateful to my hon. nuclear arms, chemical weapons or the protection of Friend. It seemed to me incredibly important to keep sovereignty under the Helsinki accords. We are dealing the confidence of the House, having won its support with a very ambitious China that is flouting the law of back in 2015 for airstrikes in Iraq and then for their the sea convention, which it has signed, and continues extension to Syria. Of course, that we were able to keep to steal—there is no other word for it—the world’s that confidence was down in no small part to the precision intellectual property.And we are dealing with a mercantilist of our pilots and their skill in difficult conditions in United States that is degrading the World Trade minimising civilian casualties. Organisation and slapping sanctions even on its friends in pursuit of a policy of “America first”. When it comes My successor will inherit a thriving and prosperous to holding the rules-based international system together, constituency. My constituents enjoy a good quality of there really is a role for the leadership among the life, remarkably low unemployment, a wide choice of western nations, and particularly for our own nation schooling, frequent rail connections to the capital and here in the United Kingdom. the protection of the green belt—over 90% of my constituency is green belt—but there is still work to be Let me end by thanking all those who have helped me done, including on the regeneration of Swanley, one of so much over the last 31 years, particularly the staff in the other towns in my constituency, especially through my office. new investment and the promise of a fast link service from Maidstone and Otford through Swanley to the The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr Nick city of London. Hurd): I am not able to contribute with a speech, We also need to ensure that boys in my constituency but—with some licence from you, Madam Deputy have access to grammar school places. Whether you like Speaker—I am very grateful to my right hon. Friend for it or not, Kent offers an 11-plus system, but Sevenoaks enabling me to intervene and express my strong personal was the only district in Kent that did not have any view that he was one of the most effective and competent grammar school places. I was delighted that after a Ministers with whom it was ever my pleasure to serve. 15-year campaign we managed to establish a girls’ I think that that view is widely held on this side of the school annexe, which has been open now for a couple of House. years, but we still need to ensure provision for boys’ Perhaps, through my right hon. Friend, I can express grammar school places alongside it. We also need to my personal thanks to the people whom I need to continue to preserve our green-belt protections in Sevenoaks. thank, not least my parliamentary staff, Jamie, Rosie, The Government’s unrealistic housing targets will put Ann Taggart and, in particular, Jill Brown, who is a 697 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 698 parliamentary institution of her own. She came into was a Phurnacite plant that produced smokeless fuel, this place in 1974, with my dad, and continues to go the and when I was first elected it was one of the worst extra yard on behalf of constituents, and for that she industrial polluters in the whole of Britain. We managed will always have my gratitude. Again, I am very grateful to get it shut down. Then there was a battle to get the to my right hon. Friend for letting me intervene. toxic waste—tonnes and tonnes of it—taken away from the site and taken elsewhere. They wanted to bury it on Sir Michael Fallon: I am very grateful too, for the site; I asked where else that was done and they said, opportunity to allow my right hon. Friend to put that “Nowhere,” and I said, “It’s not going to be done here.” on record. I am only sorry that he cannot do so more So that toxic waste was taken away. formally. I am pleased that with the help of the present Secretary Let me finally echo the thanks expressed by others to of State for Wales we are working on greening the site, the Clerks and the staff of the House, and, in particular, because the people there have lived with the dirt and single out the staff of the Library. They are, perhaps, a dust for all these years and they cannot use that land, dignified part of our constitution, but they are almost even though there are two lakes there and wildlife is certainly one of the most effective parts, and we owe them returning: there are swans and kingfishers, and there is a very great deal. foliage that was never there before. The people in that Several hon. Members rose— area really should be able to enjoy recreation on those lakes and on that land, instead of having to push themselves Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): under a fence in order to get on to it. I am pleased that I call Ann Clwyd. we are in the middle of working on that, and I would like to have seen that work completed. 3.46 pm I worked too on the north Wales child abuse cases, Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley) (Lab): I wanted to allow because children were abused in my constituency. One others to go first, but thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. of my most harrowing memories is listening to the survivors of child abuse, some of whose lives never returned I was elected in the middle of a miners’ strike, in to normal. I hope all the child abuse cases are concluded 1984, to the seat held at one time by Keir Hardie, the fairly rapidly. first leader of the Labour party. When he was the MP, it was called Merthyr and Aberdare, although people I feel strongly about improvements in the health service, often leave out “Aberdare”. I am afraid it is quite likely because I think I am the only person still alive who was that when the boundary commissioners get to work, my on the royal commission on the national health service, constituency will disappear altogether, but fortunately the only one there has ever been. I remember our chairman, they have not got to work yet, and while there is still a Sir Alec Merrison, saying at the time that unlike other Cynon Valley, I am very proud to have represented it royal commissions, our report would not gather dust. It from 1984 until today. did gather dust and continues to gather dust, however, I am standing down at this election with a heavy but some of its recommendations are so worthwhile that heart, especially as there is so much that I would still I commend them to the present Administration. like to do. I have a long shopping list, and I have not When I lost my husband seven years ago I had completed the shopping. I do hope that other people arguments with the health authority in Wales—it is a will carry on and shop on my behalf, because these are continuing argument—and I am grateful that David all issues for which I think we can all campaign. Cameron had the foresight, if I may say so, to ask me to One of the things that I am proud of is that when run an inquiry into complaints in the NHS in England. Tower colliery, in my constituency, was going to be shut I would like to have done the same thing in Wales, by a previous Administration, I managed to sit down because I was very pleased to be able to do that, and pleased the pit for 27 hours. The Government of the day argued thatallourrecommendationswereaccepted.Morecross-party that the pit was uneconomic, but we kept it open for a work on such issues, which we all care about and all further 10 years as a result of some of my efforts. The want to see improved, would be valuable. men who worked there, and the people in the community, I speak Welsh—rwy’n siarad Cymraeg. I took my oath were very pleased that that happened. I do not think in Welsh and English, and I hope that one day it will be that I have ever recovered after spending 27 hours down possible for Welsh to be a language used as a matter of the pit. daily life in this place as well. In the European Parliament, When I was a journalist, before I became a politician, of which I was previously a Member, we managed to get one of the things for which I campaigned was compensation substantial sums of money to assist the Welsh language for miners, and for those with pneumoconiosis in particular. there. I was very pleased that when I first got there in I am very pleased that when Tony Blair came into 1979 Barbara Castle was our first leader. You learned a government I was able to advance that cause far more; few tricks from Barbara Castle. The first was that you in fact, I reminded him every single week that miners’ got on with the other nationalities, if you could. Barbara compensation should be arranged much faster than it never did, actually. I remember the leader of the German was, because miners were dying without getting the money. Socialists turning round to her one day and saying, So I am very pleased we did that. “Barbara, you’re not in your national Parliament now.” I was also concerned about coalfield regeneration, That did not stop her. I do not think she ever got round and one of the issues I am still concerned about is the to the idea of being in the EU, but I was pleased and reclamation of some land that was used for industrial proud to be there. I learned a lot of things, including purposes. The land in question covers 150 acres, and is a how to vote electronically,which, after yesterday’sexperience prime flatland at the bottom of a valley; there are not is perhaps something that will be sold to other Members. many valleys with so much flatland. On that site there It certainly speeds things up. 699 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 700

[Ann Clwyd] and the Committee on Arms Export Controls. I have also chaired the all-party parliamentary human rights There are other reasons why I was pleased that I went group for many years, which has allowed me to work there first, before I came here. I have to say that it was a with colleagues from all over the world from across the cultural shock for me to come here, because I had not political spectrum to raise awareness of serious human realised how delusional people here were. I will tell you rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian why. It was because we gave the impression that we did law, as well as giving victims a voice and supporting everything better than everybody else, when in fact there them in getting reform and redress. Human rights is were many examples of other countries doing things thereby depoliticised, as it should be. Some colleagues better than we did, and I was pleased to have had the have also worked on the executive of the Joint Committee opportunity of experiencing that. on Human Rights. I was sacked by two party leaders—[Interruption.] I have supported the work of the Inter-Parliamentary Not for incompetence! First, I was sacked by Neil Union. We do not talk enough in this place about the Kinnock for voting against the defence estimates. Then IPU, particularly the British group, which enables me I was sacked by Tony Blair for going to Iraq at a and fellow BGIPU members to communicate concerns, particular time, which is particularly ironic. I then became including human rights, when countries sometimes have the special envoy on human rights to Iraq. I have to say to be called out. We build greater consensus on big issues that I do not have quite the same fond memories of the and crises facing the world, such as climate change, Whips Office as some colleagues on the other side. international development, poverty alleviation and the refugee crisis. I pay tribute to the staff and secretariat of Sir William Cash (Stone) (Con): As the right hon. the IPU and highlight the work of its committee on the Lady knows, she and I came into Parliament on the human rights of parliamentarians, which I have chaired same day—I think it was 3 May 1984—both in by-elections. several times and of which I was a long-time member. I simply want to say what a pleasure it has been to be in My vision for the Cynon Valley, the UK and the the House with her all that time. international community is unfinished business, a lot of it, as far as I am concerned. Ann Clwyd: Thank you very much. Yes, I remember Most of all, I thank people in the House for their our first few days here. If you come in in a by-election, it friendship, comradeship and support. I mean all sections is always more difficult to assimilate. I am glad that my of the House, particularly the doorkeepers, because hon. Friend is still here. I have not always agreed with when I was hobbling around on my new knee, I had him, as he well knows, but I respect him for his diligence great assistance from them. In fact, I got quite to rely on and persistence, because those are two things that a them. They gave me every help and they still do, even Member of Parliament needs to do: to be diligent and when I say “No, I’m all right now, thank you. I can get persistent, and not to give up. to the back row now, so you do not need to help me any more.” Particularly to all my colleagues and friends, I One of the things I have been keen on is the promotion want to say that this has been a great place for building and protection of international human rights, and I friendships. I thank you all and I am very sorry to be have given my long-standing support to people in other leaving you all. countries, in the middle east, Turkey, Cambodia and East Timor. We always have arguments in this place Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton): I about the arms trade,and I do hope that we are ultra-careful want to ensure that everybody gets a fair crack of the in future about who we sell arms to. One sadness for me whip, so if colleagues could stick to about eight minutes, is that we did not manage to get a report out in the last we can get everybody in and they would all have equal Session of Parliament on arms sales to Saudi Arabia. A time. sustained and strategic use of the parliamentary mandate and platform is therefore crucial to furthering causes 4.3 pm and ensuring that the Government of the day are being properly scrutinised. Parliamentary questions and debates Justine Greening (Putney) (Ind): As long as nobody are important, and I found out that I have spoken in heckles me, I am sure I will absolutely be able to stay to debates in the House 2,200 times. That is a useless fact, time. but somebody produced it today. I want to start by saying a massive thank you to, first A friend of mine in the House of Lords, Baroness of all, my office team, who are up in the Gallery. They Quin, phoned me a short time ago. She was in the have done an absolutely incredible job for so manyMembers European Parliament with me, and she reminded me of here over many,many years. I have to point out particularly various things. She and I were in Senegal for a women’s the long-suffering Kate and Nikki. Without their assistance rights conference—I do not know how many years and support and that of the rest of the team that I have ago—and suddenly there was a phone call for Joyce got with me today, I would never have been able to do Quin to say that Captain Kent Kirk had landed on the any of the rest of the things that I have been able to coastline of her constituency to protest about fishing achieve for my community in this place. rights. Joyce was getting phone calls all the time from Other Members have explained what it was like for her constituents, who had no idea she was in Senegal. them when they first entered the House. For me in 2005, Of course, very often our constituents did not realise winning back Putney from the Labour party was quite that part of our work was travelling to other countries big news, and I found myself in the middle of a media and contributing to debates there. storm from minute one of my time as an MP. I have been committed to cross-party scrutiny through Michael Howard came down the next day to, as my long-term engagement with the International I thought, congratulate the brilliant team at Putney Development Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee Conservatives who had helped me with that amazing 701 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 702 victory. I stayed up all night organising his visit as the change that meant that it can be a successful piece of great leader, and he promptly turned up and resigned infrastructure that joins two wonderful communities, right by my side. Perhaps the best legacy from the few rather than dividing them. months that he had left in his role in 2005 was that he From there I moved on to the Department for Transport, got back together a parliamentary party that had been where I had to make sure that transport enabled the in opposition for quite some time. He had us talk 2012 Olympics and did not get in the way of them being through different policy areas, and we discovered that, the triumph they were. I worked with the then Mayor of other than arguing about Europe, we had much more in London, who went on to do other things, including common than that which divided us. becoming Prime Minister. I am proud of that work, My time in this House has obviously been the greatest because hopefully we made the Olympics accessible to privilege of my life. I did not plan to be an MP, but I did millions of people who did not have to worry about it because I think people matter. I hope that I have being suddenly stranded. always been a strong voice for people in Putney on the From there my journey took me to the Department issues they care about, and I have simply sought to take for International Development, which often operates their priorities and make them mine. My campaigning out of the sight of our country. I could not be more on Heathrow was perhaps an early indicator to the proud of the truly world-class team in the Department. Whips and my party that I would stand my ground on We worked hand in hand with the Ministry of Defence local issues that matter to my community. I started my on Ebola, and we did pioneering work to bring education time here doing that, and I like to think that I have to children caught up by the terrible crisis in Syria. We finished my time here doing that not only on Brexit, on took a decision in DFID that we would do our level which speaking up for local communities is crucial, but best to make sure those children grew up educated and on a whole range of other issues, such as air pollution, able to read and write. So much of the Department’s quality of life, aircraft noise, and improving our transport. work happens out of sight of the British public, but the We were able to modernise Putney station and get British public should be rightly proud of that work, improvements to Southfields station, and the lifts at which stretches beyond that to girls’ education and both stations now mean that the whole public can responding to humanitarian emergencies such as Typhoon access local public transport. I am particularly proud of Haiyan in the Philippines. I am truly honoured to have those things, and I was on the case for getting a lift at had so much time in that Department. East Putney station, and I very much hope that my After that, my final Cabinet role was perhaps my successor will do the same. dream role: Secretary of State for Education and— I tirelessly campaigned on serious issues such as perfect—Minister for Women and Equalities. I was the youth crime and policing. In fact, my very first Westminster first LGBT woman in Cabinet and, of course, the first Hall debate was on youth and youth crime, but I am Secretary of State for Education to be educated at their sorry to say that things have not moved on as much as local comprehensive school, and I am only too happy to perhaps they should have done in the intervening 14 years, have those two firsts and to have put something back and this House still debates the very issues that I was into a school system that built me into being able to do debating as an incoming MP. anything with my life and to achieve what I have achieved. It was brilliant to be able to work with the most I want to reflect on the hugely important role that inspiring teachers I could have ever hoped to meet. It is community groups and residents associations have played in a fantastic profession, and I would say to anyone who is my local community.Brilliant charities such as Regenerate, thinking about what to do to make a difference with which works on the Alton estate in Roehampton, play their life that they should go into teaching, because that an amazing role in inspiring young people to make is where they can shape the future. It was a privilege to more of their lives.There is the brilliant Putney Society—the be able to work with people in that profession, and it is ultimate residents association in Putney—and then, of one of the reasons why I focused so much on their course, there are incredible residents associations in continued professional development. Southfields, such as Southfields Grid, Southfields Triangle, and Sutherland Grove Conservation Area. All those Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con): organisations bring our community together and make I am very concerned and upset about my right hon. it what it is, and I am so proud and delighted that I have Friend’s departure, not least because somebody else been able to work with them for so many years. will have to bring the jelly babies for us at Prime Minister’s I have had probably more roles than most in this Question Time. She has spoken at length about her House. I started my time in government in the Treasury extraordinary contribution to this House and to her team with the then MP for Tatton, George Osborne, community, but she has not yet mentioned one of carrying out an emergency Budget to ensure that this her greatest legacies and interests, which I know she will country’s finances did not go the way of Greece’s, and I continue outside this House, and that is her complete have reflected on that as we have debated what a no-deal and utter obsession with social mobility.Weall desperately Brexit might mean for us. I quickly discovered as a want more to happen on that score in this country. Minister that I had the ability to make a difference way beyond even perhaps what people might have thought Justine Greening: My hon. Friend is quite right, and my brief was, so I got stuck into looking at the tolls on he brings me on to why I am here today as a Member the Humber bridge, and I was delighted that I was able who is departing the House. I have served my community to get them reduced. I ended up with a beer temporarily and my country in Parliament for 14 years, but the named after me in that part of the country, and that mission that drives me more than any other is social meant a lot to me because I watched the Humber bridge mobility. It has characterised my life, and it is crucial to open as I grew up. I was delighted to be able to make a the future of our country and to making it a country in 703 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 704

[Justine Greening] grateful for the opportunity it gave me to work for the party and the backing it has given me here.In addition—not which there is equality of opportunity so that everybody finally—I wish to thank Councillor Lorraine Ashman gets the chance, and indeed the right, to use their and Councillor Maria Crompton, who have been my talents. Part of the solution to delivering that is in assistants in West Bromwich for 19 and 18 years respectively. government and in Parliament, of course, but the other They are brilliant and their expertise is fantastic, and I part of the solution is surely outside this place. Working know that, with the work they have done here for me, with businesses and organisations is part of how we will they have changed the lives of many individual electors get opportunities to more young people. Through the in the constituency. I would like that recognised. social mobility pledge, I will be continuing to work on I said that my birth certificate told me it was time to social mobility and, indeed, scaling it up. go. That caused me to look back, and I realised that I When I look to the horizon and where our country’s have contested 10 parliamentary, one euro and five local journey is going next, I recognise, understand and agree government elections. I first worked in the 1964 election that this House will rightly remain obsessed with Brexit, as a student Labour activist. I recall heckling Sir Alec but there will be a time after that. I want to make a Douglas-Home, Peter Walker, the father of the hon. constructive and positive contribution to social mobility, Member for Worcester (Mr Walker)—I keep reminding and I want to make sure that, when we get to that point, him of that—and Jeremy Thorpe. I will come on to more I am able to show that businesses are part of the solution about him in a moment. I first contested a parliamentary for getting more opportunities to more young people. election when I was just 24, in South Worcestershire, We must reflect on that and build on it further. against a character that older Members may remember, Sir Gerald Nabarro. I went on to contest Nantwich a 4.14 pm couple of times in the 1974 elections, and then the Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West) (Lab/Co-op): Wirral by-election. That brings me to what is possibly a I rise to give my final speech in the House. I stress that, unique niche I have in political history: I have contested notwithstanding the difficulties of the politics and the two by-elections nearly 25 years apart and both on the role of Parliament at this moment, my reasons for retirement of the Speaker. It was Selwyn Lloyd in 1976 standing down are essentially personal. I have been here and, of course, Betty Boothroyd in West Bromwich for 19 years, but it does not seem a minute since I gave West in 2000. I have to say that I remember the West my maiden speech. My enthusiasm for politics is Bromwich election a lot more fondly than the Wirral undiminished and my commitment to the values that one, because 1976 was not a good year for Labour. It have always driven my political activity is still there. was even worse for the Liberals, though, because it was However, my birth certificate and the fact that last year the height of Jeremy Thorpe’s problems. I remember I had to have a second hip replacement are timely exchanging pleasantries with him over a loudspeaker reminders that we cannot always take it for granted that when he came to speak for the Liberal candidate during we will have time available to do everything else that we the campaign. I think I halved the Liberal vote and want to do in life that, unfortunately, being here precludes doubled the Tory vote. A week later, Harold Wilson us from doing. I have therefore made the decision to resigned; I have always felt a bit guilty that I was perhaps move on. personally responsible. Before I talk about more general issues, I would like When I first contested an election at 24 years old, I to express a few thanks, as other Members have done. thought I would get into Parliament as a fairly young First, I wish to thank my constituency and its electors man, but unfortunately I ran into a couple of problems. for re-electing me six times. I am a strong pro-Europe First, I have always been fundamentally committed to remainer. My constituency voted 70% for Brexit, but Europe, and at that time, in the late ’70s and early ’80s, their undiminished support for me is both a reflection the Labour party was fundamentally opposed to it. of the broadness of the views they have on many things Secondly, I was always a multilateralist at a time when and perhaps a salutary warning to the Prime Minister the Labour party was committed to unilateralism. I on his election strategy.I have been privileged to represent realised that my parliamentary prospects were evaporating a genuinely multicultural constituency, one that is heavily in front of me. However, I was then lucky to be employed industrialised. Behind those often unprepossessing facades, by the Co-operative party. That movement gave me the there are small businesses that are at the cutting edge of opportunity to continue in politics, albeit in another our manufacturing technology and drive the revival in capacity, to be my own person and to promote my own our civil aviation and motor industries, which has made values and ideals, notwithstanding the fact that I could us the pride of the world and contributed a huge amount not do it in Parliament. to our economy. I remember an interesting occasion in 1981, during I wish to thank my family. I want to start by thanking the big deputy leadership contest between Benn, Healey my wife Jill for her unstinting support. As the right hon. and Silkin. I was rung up and asked to go to Liverpool, Member for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick McLoughlin) Wavertree to speak on behalf of Denis Healey. Now, in said, such support is always there in public but it is common parlance, in political terms that is a bit of a often slightly more critical in private. Her support has hospital pass. The debate was dominated by Derek Hatton always been valuable. I thank my stepson Danny, who and the Militant Tendency.I was debating a representative always found me a complete embarrassment when he for Tony Benn and a certain person by the name of was a teenager. He is now a trade union organiser and a Doug Hoyle, father of the current Speaker. I remember councillor to boot. I also want to thank my party for that my powers of oratory and persuasion enabled me backing me all these years and the Co-operative party to get exactly no votes—there were 12 abstentions. for its backing, too. I had a long spell as a Co-operative I am running out of time so will move on and make a party organiser,and I have always been strongly committed couple of quick observations. It has been an immense to co-operative and mutual values. I am incredibly privilege to work here. I have seen how Parliament has 705 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 706 become more powerful vis-à-vis the Government. My Chilterns and the Vale of Aylesbury. There is the extra five years as Chair of the Business, Innovation and piquancy, as the Member for Aylesbury and, at different Skills Committee was one of the most rewarding things times, either representing or being very close to Chequers, I have done, and I want to see the powers of Select of being able to pick up—usually within about a week Committees enhanced, because they not only hold the of whichever Prime Minister has been visiting particular Government to account but give the Government the shops or beauty salons or hairdressers—exactly what insight into just how their policies are playing out on the Head of the Government at any particular time has the ground, without the—shall we say—translation been doing at the weekend. that comes from the layers of civil servants who advise It is a constituency, which, like our country, has their Ministers. Select Committees are a tremendous changed a lot in the past quarter of a century. That was enhancement and a really valuable part of Parliament. somehow summed up for me by my final constituency I wish to thank everybody. Despite the sharp and engagement on Saturday evening. It took place in the confrontational exchanges that take place, there is an deepest rural part of my constituency at Radnage village underlying comradeship and community feeling among hall. The hall was packed for a fundraising dinner to aid those here that I have always found valuable. I wish my Nepal, and was presided over and inspired by Navin successor and everybody who comes after me all the Gurung, the Gurkha landlord of the pub in the next best with the difficult decisions they are going to have to village of Stokenchurch. Somehow, what summed up make. I will still be out there, campaigning to promote the evening for me was the spectacle at one moment of a the values I have always promoted. Thank you, everybody. Nepali traditional dancer performing her dance in front of a table containing the familiar range of bottles for 4.23 pm the forthcoming raffle, behind which was the millennium Sir David Lidington (Aylesbury) (Con): I will be the mosaic for the village of Radnage, depicting red kites frank with the House: it will be a great wrench to leave flying over the Chilterns and the beech woodlands and this place after 27 years. You know what they say, horse riders and hikers crossing the fields. Somehow, Madam Deputy Speaker: folks are often kindest when that image spoke to me volumes about my constituency they know you are on your way out, and there have been and about our country—a country that can be at ease occasions in the past week since I announced my intention with itself in its modern diversity, where it is possible for to step down when I have felt that I have been granted people to feel that they are citizens of somewhere, and the privilege of attending my own funeral oration without that they are rooted in a particular place and a particular the need to arrive in a hearse. heritage, but are also open to embrace and to learn from the experience and the traditions of others who also This afternoon, I wish to say a few brief words of make up our country. thanks and to offer an expression of some hopes for the future of this place. As well as thanking my constituents, I want also to My chief thanks must go to my constituents in Aylesbury thank the staff of the House, as others have done. I who have returned me as their Member of Parliament learned, particularly as Leader of the House from 2017, in seven successive general elections. I have to say that, how much we owe to all our staff. All of us as Members when I was first selected and then elected, I was somewhat know of the service that is given to us by the Library taken aback to read and research the tremendous history staff, the Doorkeepers and Badge Messengers, the Clerks— of my predecessors from John Hampden to Benjamin the Clerks from whom I learned so much in particular Disraeli, but prime among whom was John Wilkes, that about drafting and parliamentary tactics during my great champion of press freedom. His first term in 11 years on the Opposition Front Bench—and the Parliament was as the Member for Aylesbury, but it was catering staff, particularly the staff of the Members’ said of him by Edward Gibbon that he was a Tea Room, who somehow always manage to remain calm and cheerful despite the pressure that we on these “thorough profligate in principle as in practice … His life stained with every vice and his conversation full of blasphemy and Green Benches often put them under. bawdy.” My final point is about the future of this place. We I am sure, Madam Deputy Speaker, that you would speak often about restoration and renewal, and I think always ensure that none of us here these days conspired we need to look beyond just the restoration and renewal to follow John Wilkes’ example in that respect. of the fabric and the services—important though I Despite the stereotype that I think does exist in parts believe that to be—to the restoration and renewal of the of the country about leafy Buckinghamshire and quaint culture of the House of Commons. For what is the market towns, Aylesbury is a very diverse community. purpose of this place? If it is anything, it is surely to The town itself is one of the fastest growing urban provide the forum in which the passions, fierce controversies centres anywhere in the United Kingdom, and although and conflicting opinions in our country are represented, I will not cross swords with my right hon. Friend the reflected and resolved in debate and votes—both in the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick McLoughlin) Chamber and in Committee. on the subject HS2, I will say that with residential growth I believe that the conventions that we seek to stick to need to go road and rail infrastructure and infrastructure here—the rules of unparliamentary language, the fact that actually serves the local residents rather than infra- that we refer to each other by constituency rather than structure that bypasses them entirely. name, and even the rather murky understandings that Alongside that vibrant, very diverse town—a town govern the relationships between Government and where in individual estates, such as Southcourt and Opposition usual channels—are all important in trying Quarrendon, one finds in microcosm all the urban to provide a culture within which very fierce political problems and challenges with which Members of the disagreements can be expressed in a form that is civil House who represent inner urban seats will be familiar—is and democratic, and actually shows to ourselves and to one of the most glorious stretches of countryside of the those we represent that we can and should resolve such 707 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 708

[Sir David Lidington] I thank the teams that have supported me in my role as Chair of the Science and Technology Committee and differences democratically through debate, not out in during the time that I was privileged enough to be a the streets. And that involves respect between people of Minister of State in the Department of Health. Everyone different parties. will understand that, as a Liberal, I did not imagine for I was told soon after I came here the old story of the one minute that I would become a Minister, and then new bright young thruster taking his place on the Benches suddenly I found myself responsible for something that beside an experienced elder colleague. The young man I cared a lot about in the Department of Health. It was said, as the Opposition Benches filled up on the other the most invigorating time of my professional life, but it side of the Chamber, “Ah, I see that the enemy is here in was made possible by amazing people who showed strength”, to which his senior colleague replied, “Young great dedication and commitment in supporting me through man, those are your political opponents; your enemies that journey. you will find on the Benches beside and behind you.” It has been an enormous privilege to represent the I believe that the House of Commons at its best Liberal tradition in this Parliament over an 18-year recognises that there can be the most serious and principled period, but it has also been a particular privilege to disagreement about both values and policies, but which represent the people of North Norfolk. Over that period, does not see such political differences as tantamount to one builds up a special bond with the people one represents. our opponent somehow being wicked or lacking in They have shown me enormous kindness and generosity integrity. I think and hope that the next Parliament will of spirit, even when not voting for me, and I have make a deliberate effort to avoid the language of “traitors”, appreciated that. “betrayal”, “vermin” and “enemies of the people.” To One of the things that has concerned me and has overcome some of the ills that beset politics in this been an enduring thought throughout this wonderful country at the moment will take more than an effort by period in Parliament is the people who come to see Members of this House—there will be things to be done me with stories of how they feel that they have been by editors and internet service providers as well. However, ignored by faceless bureaucracies. Too often, our public a start can and should be made here, and that needs to organisations do not treat ordinary people with respect—do start with a recognition on all sides that restoring and not listen to them. I have always felt that my job was to renewing the reputation and standing of this place give a voice to people who have no voice and always to begins when Members on both sides—leaders and Members fight for those people. We face a profound challenge in of all parties—manage to find a way again in which we how we get public organisations to be more responsive can express vehemently our support for or opposition to ordinary people. I am always left thinking that the to the particular policies that we debate, while at the articulate middle classes will find their way through to same time respecting the integrity and fundamental achieve a result, but what about the people who do not good motives of our opponents. have an articulate voice and are not able to fight the system? It is our job to make sure that we represent them Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): I am individually but also try to change the system so that afraid that we now have to have a time limit of eight they are not ignored as they too often are at present. minutes. I do not want to spend any of my time talking about things that I have done here. I just want to reflect on 4.34 pm three causes that I have cared a lot about, continue to NormanLamb(NorthNorfolk)(LD):Iverymuchendorse care a lot about, and will continue to pursue outside this the remarks of the right hon. Member for Aylesbury place. First, there is mental health. We too often treat (Sir David Lidington) about the nature of our political people as second-class citizens. We trample over their discourse and the importance of treating each other human rights, locking them up when they do not need with courtesy and respect. to be locked up, shunting them around the country and The right hon. Member for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick using force against them. I have had the case of a McLoughlin) talked about the truths that he was told teenager in North Norfolk who had to wait a year for by his wife in private and the very own special relationship treatment, had her treatment stopped halfway through that he had with his wife. I want to start by thanking my because she hit the arbitrary age of 18, had to wait partner for life, my wife Mary, and our two sons Archie another nine months for adult services to support her, and Ned for the support that they have given me throughout and is now told that she has to wait three years for an the 18-plus years I have been in this place. There is no autism assessment. We treat people like this appallingly. doubt that the work that we do here takes its toll on our We are letting down someone at the formative stage of families and our loved ones. We always have to remember their life in a way that will have lifelong consequences that and acknowledge the enormous sacrifices that loved for them. The support that we provide to children and ones make as we try to do our work here. young people with mental health difficulties too often I also want to thank my amazing parliamentary staff, falls way short. There is still a massive challenge for us in my constituency and in Parliament, who have shown to pursue to ensure that we provide better support, to such loyalty and dedication to me over so many years. I stop the deterioration of health in the first place and to thank the Lib Dem party activists in North Norfolk provide support through periods of crisis. who have shown me enormous loyalty throughout the The second cause is reform of our drug laws. It is an time that I have fought there. I have spent 29 years unpopular cause in this place, but out there in the campaigning in North Norfolk because it took me country there is now support—majority support—for 11 years to beat that lot over there to win my seat the sensible, evidence-based reform. I argue again that we first place. So many people have stuck with me through need to legalise and regulate the sale of cannabis, so that period, and I am enormously grateful for it. that we can protect our young people better. In the 709 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 710 states of the United States that have legalised cannabis, It is 36 years since my maiden speech extolled the use by high school-age teenagers has gone down. We leave virtues of my home town of Bury and 32 years as an teenagers open to the most dangerous, most potent MP, so it is time to wrap up. I am grateful to The House forms of drugs, bought on the streets in this very city. magazine for giving me an extra 1,000 words this week Wedo not protect our young people with the prohibitionist to express a number of thanks, and I refer the House to approach that we take, and it is high time that we reformed my remarks therein; it covers a lot of my thank yous. I those laws. want to add one thank you to Chaplain Rose, who has The final area that I want to touch on is assisted done wonderful work and whose last engagement in the dying. Out there in the country, there is vast support for House will be as the vicar for the marriage of my son in reform, yet this House continues to resist the case for it. the chapel fairly soon. We are really grateful for that. So many other countries have recognised that it is time Rose has been wonderful to us all, and we love her and to give the right to an individual, not the state, to wish her well. determine when they should end their life when they I have been exceptionally fortunate to represent first face a terminal illness. Surely, it is our right to decide, my home town and then North East Bedfordshire, not the state’s. We leave families in an invidious position where my wife and I settled post an election reverse in of not knowing whether they will be prosecuted if they 1997, courtesy of T. Blair. As always with an MP’s help a loved one to end their life. This is not acceptable. thanks, mine are directed to those who elected me to It is not the hallmark of a civilised society. eight terms in all—still, in my view, the highest honour Let me end my comments by saying that I have found and privilege of any citizen—and I say to all who have the past three years extraordinarily difficult. This debate helped in those campaigns over the years, such as my on Brexit is one where, unless we are in one or other of chairmen in both associations, agents, canvassers and the extreme tribes, we find ourselves quite isolated. I leaflet droppers, thank you to all. have felt for a long time that we ought to be trying to My thanks to a family who supported me throughout: find ways to achieve common ground and compromising a father who, at a sprightly 97, still watches my appearances, to find a way forward. I feel passionately that there have and to a mum who always believed in me and watches not been enough people in our country trying to find from somewhere else now.In recent years,my mother—bless ways to bring our country back together again and to her—took to calling me “YourExcellency” when I came heal the wounds, which have become very dangerous. I back from my frequent trips abroad. My thanks to my think we are playing with fire if we carry on in this way. very long-suffering staff—currently,Sam, Amanda, Mandy As the right hon. Member for Aylesbury said, this and Katherine—and to all who have given way beyond country has a wonderful, diverse community that comes their allotted hours to me and my constituents, I say together in solidarity, but we have allowed ourselves to thank you. become divided. Now is the time to start bringing this My thanks to a Young Conservative chairman in country back together again. Hornsey who threw some leaflets at me during the Greater London Council elections in 1981, thinking 4.42 pm that I was a Labour plant, because no Conservatives turned up in Haringey in those days, and that I would Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire) (Con): A not return. However, I did return, and she became not man walks into my surgery in Bury. I can see from his just my wife, but my partner here, and a doughty address that he comes from one of the poorest parts of defender of those spouses who did the same. She is a the town—a council estate. He sits down, and I ask much-loved participant in the Christian community what his problem is. He says, “My front door has been and the national prayer breakfast and a trainer and broken for six weeks, and the council has done nothing supporter of women in politics at home and abroad. To about it.” I have a Labour council. I pick up my pen; Eve, my children and granddaughter, the biggest of all this is something a young Tory MP can get involved in. thank yous. “Tell me,” I said, “how does your front door come to I served not just my constituencies, but the Government broken?” He said, “Mr Burt, it was broken down by the over 11 years in six different roles for three Prime Ministers, police during a raid.” I put my pen down; there is more and I was a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ken to this than meets the eye. I say to him, “What’s this got Baker under another—Margaret Thatcher. To those to do with the council?” He says, “It’s obvious. The who gave me those roles, I say thank you, and to all police must have told the council, and if the council had those in the private offices and all who worked with me told me, I’d have held the door open, and it wouldn’t at home and abroad—in the Department of Social Security, have had to be broken down.” I look at him and say the Department of Health, the Foreign and Commonwealth sternly, Mr So and So, “you must tell me: did the police Office and the Department for International Development find anything during their raid?” He looks all round the —my deep appreciation of your public service and empty room and whispers, “Not what they were looking commitment to Ministers, regardless of our party or our for, Mr Burt.” ability. It is a privilege to speak in this debate and follow From the touch on the lips of a deafblind man some fine speeches. I associate myself with the support making out what I was saying to seeing a young optometrist of the right hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Ann use genius to measure a disturbed child’s sight, and Clwyd) for the British Group Inter-Parliamentary Union, from a refugee family in the humblest of homes in the which I also had the joy of chairing and which does desert to signing the arms trade treaty for my country at fantastic work. I associate myself with the remarks the UN—and being opened up to the wonders of north from my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury Africa and the middle east—I thank all those who have (Sir David Lidington) about how Parliament should supported me during a lifetime of experience. I only develop, the threats we face and what we will go on to hope that I gave back to Her Majesty’s Government do. They have been fine speeches all round. something of what they gave me. 711 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 712

[Alistair Burt] who helped me achieve it; and for what I am going to do, wish me luck. I wish you, Madam Deputy Speaker, Like many of us, I am asked if I would recommend the new Speaker and all colleagues the best of luck. anyone to take up politics these days. My answer, I find, Am I still idealistic? Oh, I do hope so. Somewhere is rooted in being asked the same question in schools, beyond the barricades, there is a world I long to see. We when I have to say that the moment I begin to explain all want to see that world; we are just going to be working why I do the job, I find that I have exactly the same for it in different places. enthusiasm as I first had. When I became an MP in 1983, apartheid ruled in South Africa and the iron 4.51 pm curtain divided Europe and the world, so who says things do not change? Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab): May I begin by apologising, Madam Deputy Speaker, because there I came into politics because I am a child of the ’60s. I has been so much Northern Irish business over the past was excited by the space programme, when it seemed we week that I have made my farewell speech 15 times? could achieve anything and the world came together, I am now known as the Dame Nellie Melba of west and stopped and held its breath as man stood on the London. If anyone wishes to say any nice things about moon. I had grown up with a sense of security and me, please let them not feel constrained by the fact that gratitude that my generation was spared war in Europe, they have been said a few times already. which was so graphically presented in regular documentaries such as “All Our Yesterdays”. Then Soviet tanks rolled I leave this House with great sadness. I have to say into Prague, and I learned of Alexander Dubcˇek and that what tipped me over the edge was a text message Jan Palach. Here was my Europe under attack. I joined from the Argyle surgery in my constituency, inviting me the Conservative party as a 15-year-old, when Ted Heath to attend an end of life seminar. I thought, “Maybe my was leader, with his passion for Europe born out of his time has come.” Having listened this afternoon to right wartime experiences. hon. and hon. Members describe their glittering careers— this great cavalcade and cornucopia of achievement—I When I became an MP, I spent many years as a friend am now looking back over my years in the House with a of those in the German Christian Democratic Union, certain sadness. hearing them talk about removing the inner German frontier, which seemed implausible, and sharing their I came into the House as one of Blair’s babes in 1997. enthusiasm when the wall fell, as well as being an election I was immediately appointed to the Broadcasting monitor in Berlin for the first free elections and seeing Committee, along with the right hon. Member for free nations—sovereign nations, just like the United North Thanet (Sir Roger Gale), and we decided to set Kingdom always has been—joining the EU for peace, ourselves the task of ending broadcasting of the House their defence and security. of Commons. I was swiftly removed from the Committee, and the right hon. Gentleman was knighted—I make I hope colleagues will therefore forgive me when I say no comment on that. that the gradual but never dishonest movement of my I was then made Parliamentary Private Secretary to party towards Euroscepticism and then a determination my right hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Stephen to leave the EU has hurt me more than I can possibly Timms), who is a marvellous man. Unfortunately, I describe. However, that is not the reason why I am chose to vote against my Government on the part leaving. I have a chance to take all that I have been privatisation of the NHS and so had to step down. privileged to learn and experience here into new areas However, I was rescued from the ignominy and the and to leave with friendships with colleagues and outer darkness when I was made PPS to Hazel Blears, opponents—they are often the same people—still intact who is an amazing, wonderful woman. Sadly, I had to and in good shape, and wishing my party and the Prime vote against my Government on the renewal of Trident Minister well for the future. and so once again fell into silence and desuetude. However, Let me therefore leave with the following requests. Tony Blair, a man of sound Christian principles, knowing First, be kind to one another. Kindness is an underrated that God loves a sinner who repents, gave me another virtue. No one understands an MP’s role except us and chance. The fact that every time I appear in the Chamber those close to us, so if we do not help each other, no one my Whip has to sit next to me reveals that, sadly, not else will. Make sure that MPs and Ministers have a everyone believes me. I was then appointed to be PPS to serious development programme, not just an induction. the then right hon. Member for Tooting in the Department Secondly, I have a couple of local matters to raise. I ask for Transport. Sadly, High Speed 2 was going to be run the Leader of the House please to ensure that the A1 is through my constituency,like a great steel snake slamming moved eastward from its current position, to save Sandy, through the suburbs, so I felt it necessary once again and that trains do not keep skipping Arlesey station. to resign. Thirdly, I have a national request. After the inquiry, Quite clearly I have achieved very little, but one thing please make sure that the victims of the contaminated that I have achieved is a knowledge and understanding blood scandal, whose tie I am wearing today, receive of this place, and a recognition that structure is a justice for all that they have endured, as their sadly function of purpose. It is so easy to be intoxicated by dwindling number contained some of the most decent the beauty of this place. When I was first elected, Tony people I have ever met. Perhaps the legislation that went Blair set up something called the Modernisation of the through just before this debate is a measure of what could House of Commons Committee—because, frankly, most be done to help them. of us needed modernising. After a few months, the In my maiden speech, I referred to Mrs Thatcher’s members of that Committee had gone completely native Government as having received much, and of us much and were saying, “No, this is how things have always was expected. The same applies to us all: where I have been done.” He then had to set up a modernisation of not lived up to it, forgive me; where I have, I thank those the Modernisation of the House of Commons Committee 713 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 714 committee. After four weeks, our Committee reported. “Is there anything to drink?”He said, “Yes, orange juice.” We then installed a tights machine in the corridor just I said, “Any particular sort?” He said, “Bitter orange outsideAnnie’sBar—whatelsecouldwepossiblyhavedone? juice.” And then there is the hon. Member for Ribble I think of this building as the corporeal embodiment Valley (Mr Evans), with whom I bonded in Hong Kong. of the ship of state. This is a great, glorious galleon There are people on both sides who have taught me sailing across storm-tossed oceans. We have the sketch one thing: it really is not the colour of the rosette that writers—Crace, Letts and people like that—up in the we wear that matters. It really is not the mast to which rigging. We have the galley, with our marvellous cooks we nail our flag; it is what is within us. It is what is who bring us steak and kidney pudding and duff on a within our hearts. The decency and honesty that I see all regular basis. Not mentioned in all the tributes to the around me in this place is something that makes me House staff are the Doorkeepers. They are wonderful bitterly regret that I will be leaving you, but it makes me people. The Library—amazing people. I must visit it immensely proud of the fact that even for a short time, one day. The Admission Order Office. If only they for 22 years, I have been a Member of the finest would tell me where it was, I would go there. And there legislature one could ever imagine, peopled by some of are so many other incredible things. The bar has not the finest personages. I would like to thank every one of been mentioned. In my day, there was more than one. you. I thank my constituents in Ealing North, and I The Strangers’ Bar! What more welcoming sight could thank this House for being such a marvellous Parliament there be than that cheerful face behind the bar, with the for all the people. cheerful comment, “The usual, Mr Pound? But not all at once, I trust?” It is wonderful. 4.59 pm We have a firm hand on the wheel—it is marvellous David Tredinnick (Bosworth) (Con): Thank you so to see, Madam Deputy Speaker. The captain for most much for calling me to speak, Madam Deputy Speaker. of my parliamentary career was, of course, Tony Blair. It is an honour to follow the hon. Member for Ealing He had a slightly tempestuous relationship with the first North (Stephen Pound), who has entertained the House mate, or the purser, the man responsible for the purse for many years; I enjoyed his speech very much. Today strings. It was not so much like Aubrey and Maturin; it was the new Mr Speaker’s first appearance in the House was more like Captain Bligh and Fletcher Christian, to and this will be my last appearance, but another date be perfectly honest—not to imply that the great Anthony that we should recognise today is 5 November, when, in Charles Lynton Blair was anything like Captain Bligh. 1605, Guy Fawkes put 26 barrels of gunpowder in a shed up against the old House of Lords. This great ship of state will be docking in another berth before too long. I would like to think that people I have been very lucky to represent the Bosworth realise that what is important about this place is not the constituency for 32 years, covering Hinckley and Bosworth gorgeous neo-Gothic surrounds, the Pugin beauty or —over 100 square miles. It has changed dramatically. It the wonder of the place; it is what happens here and the was originally part of the Leicestershire coalfield—a people within it. I have to say that I do not know a mining constituency. Desford pit was running when I single person who has come into this House with ignoble first went there. Wehad steelmaking at Desford—Desford motives. I do not know anyone who has come into this Tubes—a great hosiery and knitwear industry, and shoes House not wishing to make the world a better place. In being made at Barwell. many ways, we have failed to get that message across. If Yesterday, when I was clearing out my office, I found anyone had been here earlier on for the debate on my maiden speech from back in 1987. I wanted to make historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland, they some kind of an impact. Colleagues who listened to the would have realised that this place is a powerhouse. It is hon. Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey) will have heard a place where major change can take place. If we do not her talk about how different it was then. We had no do it, then who does? If we do not give that political television in the Chamber; we aspired to get a couple of lead, then who does? If we do not set that standard and inches in The Times or perhaps be on Radio 4, but we if we do not seek to protect our nation, then who will do had to say something of significance. I had a problem in it? As far as I am concerned, the miracle of this place is my constituency about which I wanted to make a serious how much we do achieve. The tragedy of this place is speech: the importation of cheap Chinese clothes, and how little we make that case. more specifically, Chinese underwear. I had to attempt I could not have survived all these long, lonely years to dress this up in a way that would be eye-catching, but out of office without the team in my office. I would not too eye-catching, and the next day, one of the newspapers reported: new MP says, “Knickers to Cheap particularly like to thank Sue McLeod and Diane Wall, … who between them have been here for the whole of my Chinkies Lovely lassies are queueing up to support time here. I would also like to thank my wife, who has new MP David Tredinnick in his battle to give cheap been sitting in the Under-Gallery for four and a half Chinese panties the push”. This took some explaining in some quarters of my constituency. hours. [HON.MEMBERS: “Hear, hear.”] Above all, I would like to thank my fellow parliamentarians. I have made Many colleagues have spoken of the importance of friends across the political divide. I have actually spoken staff. I am pretty confident that I have the longest-serving at a fundraiser for the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim staff in the House, and I want to thank them by name. Shannon) on the Ards peninsula. Matthew Williams, who started work for me in February ’96, has worked for me for 23 years on the complementary JimShannon(Strangford)(DUP):Willthehon.Gentleman and alternative medicine desk and has given great service. give way? My parliamentary agent, Stuart Swann, has worked for me for 21 years and has taken me through all those Stephen Pound: Even when I was making my speech general elections. Pippa Way has been a brilliant PA to the Strangford Democratic Unionist party, he wanted and is still working for me after six years. Her predecessor, to intervene on me! On that particular occasion I said, Thurza Rowson, who was also brilliant, worked for me 715 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 716

[David Tredinnick] the late Lord Spicer, “Should I keep going with this subject?” He said, “David, all a Back Bencher can hope for 25 years. Jill Burge worked for me in support for for is to be remembered for something”. I have championed 10 years. These are outstanding staff. I caution anybody that cause ever since. So I say this to the House as I coming into the House against having inexperienced finish: we have carbon footprint problems, but a real staff—these are very experienced staff and they have problem is the carbon footprint of medicines. It is not helped me enormously. being addressed, but it is hugely carbon intensive. I also thank my family. My partner, Carolyn, has Madam Deputy Speaker, it has been a pleasure to been a terrific support, going around the constituency serve with you in the Chair. I am sorry you did not with me. We share most of the meetings and it is great make it to the speakership in the election yesterday, but to have triangulation when it comes to what people are I congratulate Mr Speaker on his success, and I thank saying—sometimes she tells me things that I was not again my constituents, my staff, my family and my expecting. I thank Rebecca, my former wife, who supported friends in this House. I shall miss it, but life goes on and me while child-rearing and did a fantastic job, and my I have a brilliant successor on the way in the Conservative wonderful children, Sophie and Thomas, who still have candidate, Dr Luke Evans. I encourage my constituents not forgiven me for pushing them around in a supermarket to vote for him. trolley wearing t-shirts that said, “Vote for Daddy”—they are now 32 and 30. Seema Kennedy (South Ribble) (Con): On a point of I have worked with some fantastic officers in my order, Madam Deputy Speaker. As this is my first and constituency. I want to thank the presidents, some of last point of order, may I seek your guidance? Is it in whom are no longer with us: Jim Davenport, Geoffrey order for me to record my thanks to my constituents Stokes, David Palmer, Derek Crane, Rosemary Wright and volunteers in South Ribble, my friends and family, and Reg Ward. The chairmen I have worked with include my wonderful teams here in Westminster and in Longton, Jack Goulton, Anita Wainwright, David Brooks, Carol the many fine civil servants I have served with in three Claridge, David Palmer, Derek Crane, Janice Richards, Departments and the staff of the House? Is it also in Mary Sherwin, Peter Bedford and Betty Snow. Betty was order for me to wish a civil and good-tempered campaign the treasurer of the Bosworth Conservatives for very to the many friends of all parties I have made in my four nearly 40 years. and a half years in Parliament, and to wish a happy retirement to those who, like me—I cannot believe I am I echo the thoughts about the staff of the House. 45 and retiring—are leaving this unique and most special I thank the brilliant Library staff, the catering staff and of workplaces? Finally, Madam Deputy Speaker, I hope the Doorkeepers. I also thank Postman John, who retired it is in order for me to pay tribute to my beautiful boys. a day ago, not only for his service—for delivering the Their unstinting love and support have given me depths post—but for watering my plant, which some have seen; of courage I never knew I had. They mean the world it has grown all the way around my office over the last to me. 20 years. Above all, I thank my constituents for voting for me Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): To and electing me eight times in the last nine general answer the hon. Lady’s point of order, no, none of that elections that I have stood in. I remember David Lightbown, was in order, but I am delighted to have been able to my Whip, saying to me, “Never forget your constituency give her the opportunity to make the tributes she wanted is everything”. Even though I voted to remain, when my to make. I am sure the House will appreciate that constituents voted out—60% to 40%—I regarded myself because she holds a ministerial position, she cannot from that moment onwards not as a representative but take part in this debate. Perhaps that it is a part of our as a delegate, and I have voted faithfully ever since to procedure we ought to look at. get my constituents out of Europe under both the previous Prime Minister and the current Prime Minister. 5.9 pm I rather regret that I am addressing retiring Members Helen Jones (Warrington North) (Lab): It seems only and not new Members. If I had any advice, I would the blink of an eye since my hon. Friends the Members quote Seneca: “Aman should choose his enemies carefully.” for Ealing North (Stephen Pound) and for Liverpool, That is very important in politics. I have tried not to West Derby (Stephen Twigg) and I arrived here as have any enemies, and I hope I have not got any in my wide-eyed innocents in 1997, hoping to change the constituency—I have people in to talk to me if they do world—an idea of which I, certainly,was quickly disabused not like what I have said. I would also reference Bevan: when I tried to get on to the Education Committee, and “Stay out of the bars and specialise”—very important made the terrible mistake of telling the Whips why I too. I have specialised in a couple of fields, which I will should be on it. I had been a teacher, I had a Master’s touch on if I have time. Finally, I would quote David degree in education, and I had practised educational Lightbown again: never forget your constituency base. law. Of course they said, “No chance—absolutely not!” I did a lot at the end of the cold war. I met President They sent me to the Catering Committee, possibly Gorbachev in Moscow and President Yeltsin. President owing to some subliminal association with school dinners. Gorbachev, who was on the news a couple of days ago, Many of us found that we were going to spend much said to us young politicians, “Politics will find your of our time on the Back Benches. In fact, it took me every weakness and test you in every way”. I thought at 11 years to become a promising newcomer, when the the time, “I don’t think this makes any sense”, but I now Prime Minister was so desperate that he finally made know he was absolutely correct. me a Whip. Since then I have had a number of jobs here I have long championed alternative and complementary in Parliament, and I want not to enumerate the things medicine. I have backed the homeopaths right the way that I have done, but to thank the people who have through. I remember saying to my former right hon. Friend, supported me in that time. 717 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 718

First, I thank my husband Mike and my son Chris. I When I was growing up if someone had said that one met my husband when he was my parliamentary agent, day I would be an MP that would have seemed as and I followed that useful advice: “If you have a good remote a possibility as my flying to the moon. It has agent, you should hang on to him.” My son was only been an incredible privilege to be here over these years seven when I was elected, and throughout his childhood and it will be a wrench to go, but we all have to go at had to endure the terrible embarrassment of having a some point and it will be a wrench whenever we decide mother who was an MP and who was also frequently to retire. absent. I turned up early one week, and was there when I have been very lucky to have a number of roles in he got home from school. He said, “What are you doing Parliament after my 11 years on the Back Benches. I here?” I said, “I live here; have you not noticed?” have been in the Whips Office, and I have had different Clearly not. Front Bench roles, including local government finance. I am very grateful first to the staff of the House who In fact I once said to the current Opposition Chief have supported me throughout those years. It is invidious Whip when I was doing that, “It’s very interesting,” and to single out anyone, but I particularly thank the staff he said, “Helen, local government finance is important, of the Tea Room, who have fed me, watered me, anticipated but it is not interesting.” I found it interesting, however, my needs and cheered me up through all that time. which perhaps says something about me. Most of all, I Secondly, I thank my office staff, past and present. am grateful for the friendships I have made here, for the MPs’ staff work incredibly hard, and the public often comradeship that people have shown me, and for the do not realise that. They work far more hours than they support I have had from my colleagues in difficult times. are paid for—IPSA please take note!—and, very often, When I was first elected local council officers were the things for which constituents thank me are things told not to bother too much about responding to my that they have done. In fact, we decided long ago that letters, because I would only be a one-term MP. I am the right response when people said, “Thank you for your now the longest-serving MP in Warrington’s history, so letter” was “It was the least I could do”, because we did I think I have made the point now. not know whether I had solved a problem for them or I leave with regret, but with very good memories, and written to them because their mother had died. I say to all my colleagues in this place on both sides of Thirdly, I thank the staff of the Petitions Committee, the House and to my constituents what Jim Lovell said past and present. It is an extraordinary privilege to to his crew on entering orbit: chair a Select Committee, but it is a particular privilege “it’s been a privilege flying with you.” to chair a new Committee and to be able to shape it, and I think that the Petitions Committee has been one 5.16 pm of the successes in the House in the past few years. We Mr Keith Simpson (Broadland) (Con): It is a great have managed to pursue inquiries and not just become a honour and privilege to attend one’s own obituary. It is clearing house for petitions, and we have pioneered new a little bit like attending a group meeting within The Daily ways of communicating with the public. I could not Telegraph, and it is also bringing back happy memories: have done that without the support of the wonderful happy memories of something I have not done for a staff who often work under extreme pressure, and also long time—having to sit through interminable speeches without the support of members of the Committee, waiting to be called, as one did 22 years ago when one who have shown that it is possible to look at issues with was first called. a clear, unprejudiced eye, and to reach common ground Unlike some of my colleagues and friends here, I suppose on how to deal with them. I was a bit of a political anorak. I began canvassing Lastly, of course, I want to thank the wonderful aged eight in the 1959 general election. My formidable electors of Warrington North, who have returned me in grandmother ran the local Conservatives—my grandfather six general elections—thus proving that they are people merely drove the Morris Minor—and I delivered leaflets. of impeccable taste and judgment—and who have shown That, of course, was for the general election for throughout a real decency that has supported me in Mr Macmillan, and in those days the Conservative difficult times. Most of my constituents are what I parliamentary party only had 70 old Etonians as Members; would call the “respectable working class”. They pay now there are many fewer, although we do have an old their bills on time, go to work, and keep their houses Etonian as the leader and Prime Minister, and an and gardens tidy. They are far too often ignored in old Etonian who is Leader of the House. politics, because they are not the noisy people; they are I think all of us who are leaving have mixed feelings. not the shouting people. In an age when there are lots of To be somewhere for 22 years is not just about being a people shouting on social media, it is perhaps time we member of an institution; if we are a good MP, we are remembered that most people are decent people, and it absorbed into it, and we must get the balance right is to them that we should be addressing ourselves. between our constituency and this place—and if we are Our politics has, I am afraid, become mired in a way a shadow or Government Minister, all of that—and of speaking which appeals to the worst in people. We that has become more difficult and more challenging. hear talk about war, surrender, and so on, but politics I have been very fortunate in that I have represented, ought to appeal to the best instincts of people, not their with differences in boundary changes, Mid Norfolk and worst. If the House is to move forward in the future, it is then Broadland, which is the Norfolk broads. My 96-year- the best instincts of people to which we need to appeal, old mother still lives in Norwich, and she will phone up because most people are common-sense people who late on a Sunday morning, having watched Andrew will look for a compromise. Marr,wanting to cross-examine me on the debate that has When I was growing up, I never expected to be an been going on. I am lucky, as it is a beautiful constituency; MP. I am the daughter of factory workers and the there are social problems, but not on the scale of many granddaughter of a miner,and I grew up on a council estate. who represent urban areas. 719 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 720

[Mr Keith Simpson] enough to serve on the Intelligence and Security Committee. I will not go into the details, but I made my views known I have been lucky, too, in that I survived the great in the urgent question that we had earlier today. wipe-out of 1997; I felt like a young officer at the end of So when I leave this place, I will remember that we are the first day of the Somme when all the officers and in a Chamber that was rebuilt after the war, that Churchill most of the other ranks had been killed. I was elected and Attlee stood at the Dispatch Boxes and that on the with a majority of 1,336. Those of us in the ’97 intake Back Benches there are many Members of Parliament were enthusiastic, but so many friends and colleagues of all parties who work hard for their constituents. My had been wiped out. Over the ensuing years we worked final thought is that this has been a horrible Parliament, hard and, with the aid and support of our activists, we in the sense of the dreadful, robust debate on Brexit. I built up our majorities, and at the last general election, do not believe those who say that our Parliament is in 2017, I had a majority of 15,800. However, I would wrong, because we represent the divisions that are in emphasise that that was at the last general election. our associations and in the country. I am a pessimist, in Whoever takes over from me could get a bigger majority the sense that I do not believe those divisions are going or a smaller majority. to end with the general election. Brexit will continue I have loved being a Member of Parliament for my over many months, if not years, and it will depend upon constituency and I could not have continued without the quality of the people who get elected in five weeks’ the support of a number of people. Many hon. Members time to ensure that the debate, which many hon. Members have made a similar comment today. First and foremost, have already spoken about, is done in a civilised way. there is my family. My wife Pepi, who is sitting under They can be emotional about it, but some of the dreadful the Gallery, has given me some pretty firm advice things that we have seen MPs calling each other is a behind the scenes and in her own way had a brilliant national disgrace. career. For 20 years, she was a commissioned officer in I will think of you all during the general election. the British Army and spent most of that time serving When it is snowing in November I shall be sitting in the with the military police. When she was first commissioned TV room watching “The Crown”, drinking a large glass in 1973, it was all about deportment and flower arranging. of whisky and watching my magnificent marmalade Now,of course, it is completely different. My son, George, cat, Mr Pumpkin. He would have made a great leader of attended Conservative party functions from a very early my party, on the grounds that he is beautiful, highly age, handing the raffle round and eating as much food intelligent and a ruthless killer. God bless you all. as he possibly could. My parliamentary secretary, Katy Craven, worked in No. 10 and then for my predecessor, 5.24 pm Richard Ryder. She now works for me and is wondering, Ian C. Lucas (Wrexham) (Lab): It is a pleasure to like a lot of our staff, what is going to happen to her follow the right hon. Member for Broadland (Mr Simpson); when a new member of the association is selected to be I will miss him at breakfast time. the parliamentary representative on Wednesday. My late father’s birthday was on 5 November. My I had a variety of jobs in Parliament, and let me tell father, Colin Lucas, and my mother, Alice Lucas, were you that being an Opposition spokesman is hard work profound influences on me and they taught me some with very little reward, as those now on the Opposition very basic values. They taught me to tell the truth, to Benches know. I had two and a half years in the respect the law and always to listen to other people. I do Opposition Conservative Whips Office when my right that, and that has guided me in my parliamentary career. hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick I want to talk about the Digital, Culture, Media and McLoughlin) was the Deputy Chief Whip. He is a Sport Committee, of which I have been a member since robust man. Of course, Madam Deputy Speaker, you 2015. Since 2017, it has shown Parliament at its best. It were also there. You are a woman of great refinement, has worked across parties to produce work that I believe and I was your dresser. It was like a 19th century film, is world-leading. Twitter announced last week that it is because you would go into the little room at the back stopping paid political advertising. I believe that that and eventually your head would appear round the door process was commenced by the DCMS Committee and and you would whisper to me, “Will you zip me up?” As its report on disinformation last year. many of you know, moving a zip up a lady’s back takes I am afraid that I am now going to change the tone of a steady hand—a warm hand—and if you do it too quickly, the debate, because I want to place on the record some you will probably rip the dress. If you do it too slowly, information that I have concerning disinformation and the zip gets stuck. I have to say that I learned a lot from the Government of the day. Sitting opposite me in this doing that. debate, I have seen many wonderful Conservative MPs Of the two things I did as a Member of Parliament for whom I have huge respect, people I have learned to that have given me the greatest satisfaction, the first was respect since I came here in 2001. When I came to being nominated by the then Deputy Chief Whip to be Parliament, I did not understand how Parliament worked one of the two Parliamentary Commissioners on the so well on a cross-party basis. I know that now, and Commonwealth War Graves Commission, on which I there are many, many noble, good and very skilled served with my right hon. Friend the Member for North Conservative MPs. Unfortunately, they are not running Durham (Mr Jones). We made a great deal of difference, the Government at this very serious time. not only in helping to reorganise the Commonwealth I want to draw the House’s attention to the serious War Graves Commission, but in representing it here in position that exists on the cusp of a general election, Parliament. Like many things we do on the margins of because we have laws in place that are completely inadequate politics, I have had more compliments from constituents to deal with that general election. I want to quote the on that than virtually any other thing I have done. words of Dominic Cummings in correspondence that Secondly, for the last three years I have been lucky he sent to the Electoral Commission. He said: 721 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 722

“Overall it is clear that the entire regulatory structure around to something that should be known by the public before national elections including data is really bad. There are so many we vote in a general election. That information has been contradictions, gaps, logical lacunae that it is wide open to … withheld from the British public, and it ought to be abuse There has been no proper audit by anybody of how the known. rules could be exploited by an internal or foreign force to swing close elections. These problems were not fixed for the 2017 What the British public also need to know is that, election, and I doubt they will be imminently. The system cannot apart from the honourable Conservative Members facing cope with the fast-changing technology.” me at the moment, we have a Government whose leadership The main adviser to the Prime Minister is telling us that includes a Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who is the current legal structure for elections is unsound. We in charge of electoral reform and who is not divulging are going into a general election that is going to be his full knowledge of the 2016 referendum, his role in it, fought online and we are already seeing the way in and the offences committed at the time. If this House is which that is affecting the campaign. to regain the respect of the public, Select Committees need real powers to compel witnesses to attend. Weshould Margot James (Stourbridge) (Con): The Information never again be frustrated by a Prime Minister who prevents Commissioner’s Office is empowered under the Data a witness from giving evidence to a Committee. Protection Act 2018 to produce a code of practice for It has been a real honour to be in this place. I have political campaigning and it has produced a code. Does loved every minute. I love this House of Commons, and the hon. Gentleman agree that the next Government I will be sad to leave. We need to respect each other should put that code of practice into statute? more in this House but—to go back to my mother and my father—we must have basic honesty. There is nothing Ian C. Lucas: Absolutely I agree. I fundamentally complicated about that. Telling the truth and straight- believe that we should implement all the recommendations forwardness are the principles that we should stick to, of the ICO and the Electoral Commission, because the but I am afraid the Government do not have them at legal structure under which we are fighting the election the moment. is open to electoral fraud. That is the position in which we are going into the general election. 5.33 pm On electoral fraud, I want to refer to some correspondence that Dominic Cummings sent to another Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth) (Con): The hon. person in the referendum campaign in 2016. He was Member for Wrexham (Ian C. Lucas) made some serious talking about breaking spending limits in the referendum, allegations in his speech today, but I will not comment and that led to an offence for which Vote Leave was on them and will leave it to the Leader of the House to fined. Dominic Cummings said: respond. “We’ve now got all the money we can spend legally. Youshould I start my contribution, as so many colleagues have NOT send us your 100k. However, there is another organisation done, with thanks to my constituents for sending to me that could spend your money. Would you be willing to send the to this place and for putting their faith and trust in me. 100k to some social media ninjas who could usefully spend it on Serving my home community—the town where I grew behalf of this organisation? I am very confident it would be well up and the school I went to—has been the greatest privilege spent in the final crucial 5 days. Obviously it would be entirely of my life. Of course, like so many other Members, I legal.” want to thank my staff who have helped me so well, so The truth is that it was not legal at all, and Vote Leave efficiently and so kindly in all the work we have achieved was fined in connection with that campaign. As a result, together for my constituents. the matter was referred to the police and has now been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Like my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury investigation is ongoing. (Sir David Lidington), in the few minutes available to me today I will not talk about what I have done in Furthermore, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster this place. I want to talk about something for the next and the Prime Minister were both aware of the fact that Parliament to think about. offences had been committed and were both heavily Blazoned across the walls of Parliament today are involved in Vote Leave. This document also has a statement banners promoting Parliament Week with the slogan, from Dominic Cummings, which he wrote and sent to “It all begins with you.” Our democracy begins with, the Electoral Commission. He said: and indeed depends on, engaged and well-informed “I never discussed VL’s donations to BL”— citizens. For citizens to make informed choices, they the donations to BeLeave for which Vote Leave was fined— need easy access to accurate and impartial information “with either of them (before the referendum) and to the best of about the work of their elected representatives in Parliament, my knowledge neither did anybody else and they were wholly including their voting record. Although our work in unaware of this issue until after the referendum.” our constituencies is just as important as our work in So, both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the this place, it is the actions taken here in this Chamber Duchy of Lancaster were aware of Vote Leave’s offences, and in Committee that have the greatest impact on our but they have not come clean to the House of Commons national life. or to the DCMS Committee by producing that evidence. We arguably live in an age in which it is easier to Furthermore, Dominic Cummings has refused to come access information than ever before, but the owners and to the DCMS Committee to speak about these matters. editors of media channels, including the social media Even worse, the Prime Minister will not tell him to platforms from which many people gather information come to this House to speak to the Select Committee to and shape their opinions, have no responsibility or explain himself and to give evidence. I have secured incentive to provide accurate and impartial information these documents through the Committee, and I am about our work and voting records. There are no real placing them on the public record, because they relate deterrents to misrepresentation. 723 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 724

[Sarah Newton] staff, including the Library staff, for the huge help they have given me over the years—they are definitely the Citizens often base their opinions about MPs on how unsung heroes of our democracy. My life here has also they vote on particular issues. We all know that not all been hugely helped by my friends, those in the Chamber votes are equal and that some of the most important today, colleagues in the north-east and, in particular, decisions taken in this House have been taken without a my hon. Friends the Members for Washington and Division, but most people simply do not know that. As Sunderland West (Mrs Hodgson), for Kingston upon there are few adverse consequences for authors, publishers Hull North (Diana Johnson), for West Ham (Lyn Brown), and social media platforms, there is widespread for Worsley and Eccles South (Barbara Keeley) and for misrepresentation of MPs’ voting records. I believe that Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne). I have made is contributing to the poisoning of our politics, corroding long-lasting friendships that will endure beyond Parliament. people’strust in MPs and threatening the very foundations Of course, I also want to thank my fantastic staff of our parliamentary democracy. over the years. I thank those in Westminster—Richard, Wehave all been on the receiving end of communications Emma, Georgie, Rafi and Robyn. I also thank those in from constituents that misrepresent the facts, derived Durham—Paul, Nick and especially Christine, who has from the far from perfect reporting of our voting records been with me since the beginning. I simply could not on websites such as TheyWorkForYou. Democracy does have done the job without them. In an age of increased begin with the citizen but, right now, there is no trusted automation, they are the kind, helpful voice on the end source of impartial, accurate information about the of the telephone, and they have done so much to sort voting records and actions of MPs in Parliament to help out the problems for my constituents over the years. citizens make informed choices. I also want to thank my family—Tim, Maeve, Tom In his passionate speech to the House yesterday, and Albie, and my many brothers and sisters, nieces and Mr Speaker said: nephews, and extended family—for their help and “I hope that this House will be once again a great, respected encouragement over the past 14 years. I intend to have House… I hope that once again it is the envy of the world.”—[Official more time to see them now, and I just hope they think Report, 4 November 2019; Vol. 667, c. 619.] that that is a good idea. We all share that hope, but action will be needed to turn that hope into reality. I would like Mr Speaker to take In Parliament, I have worked closely with the one action today and agree to work with Hansard to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Inter- develop a new service, in addition to its excellent verbatim Parliamentary Union and the all-party group on the reporting of parliamentary proceedings,to provide impartial United Nations to improve our development policies contextualised information on MPs’ voting records. and ensure that the world, not just this country, is better This will need careful consideration and cross-party governed. Again, I think that the work of the staff in support, but I hope it will be a challenge he accepts. the CPA and IPU often goes unrecognised, and we Based on my conversations with Hansard, it is up for it. should thank them. In here, I have relentlessly raised a If Mr Speaker takes up this challenge, he will do a great number of issues that emerge from my Durham deal to shore up the foundations of our parliamentary constituency: the need for more money for education; democracy and, over time, restore trust in our politics. the need for universal free school meals—I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Washington and I thank the thousands of volunteers who, over the next Sunderland West for all the work she has done and will few weeks, will participate in the forthcoming general continue to do on that; the need for better licensing and election campaign. They play an immensely important role planning policies; the need for prison reform and to in our democracy, too. I thank three particular volunteers, look at how the penal system affects women; and the the three chairmen of the Truro and Falmouth Conservative need for a greater recognition of the value that universities Association who have worked hard to support me over bring to our society and economy.I hope to continue that the years: Nick Straw, Bob O’Shea and Alan Davey. work beyond Parliament. Finally, my most heartfelt thanks go to my husband, Alan, and our three wonderful children, Emily, Harriet Sir John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings) and James, who have enabled me to be in this place and (Con): I just want to say how much I enjoyed working have the best job in the world. with the hon. Lady in that mission, both when I was a shadow Minister when her party was in government 5.39 pm and then as a Minister. She has done outstanding work Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab): in that regard and I shall miss her contribution to the It is an honour to follow the hon. Member for Truro House, as well as our professional relationship. and Falmouth (Sarah Newton), with whom I worked well when she was a Minister. She has a strong interest Dr Blackman-Woods: I thank the right hon. Gentleman in Durham. Although he is not in his place, I wish to for those lovely comments. He, too, was a great Minister, pay tribute to the right hon. Member for North East especially in education, where I worked closely with him. Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), who was a brilliant and Most importantly, I want to thank my constituents. dedicated Minister, and this House will really feel his Those at my constituency Labour party, like the rest of loss. I wish at the beginning to put on record my Durham residents, are wonderful and have been hugely congratulations to the new Speaker and to pay tribute supportive over the years. I hope they all know that I to former Speaker Bercow for all he has done in recent have fought hard to try to improve and protect our public years to uphold the principle of parliamentary sovereignty. services, to improve access to education and employment Without doubt the greatest privilege of my life has and to enhance Durham’s amazing architectural and been to serve as the MP for the beautiful City of cultural heritage. I will of course continue to champion Durham, and I want to thank all the House of Commons the incredible cathedral, our world-class Durham University 725 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 726 and the Durham Miners Association. But I want to give heard me bang on about the North Devon link road a note of warning to my successor: Durham is a very enough in this place, and it would be silly for me not to busy constituency, with lots of issues emerging from the do so on my last appearance.It is a vital bit of infrastructure city centre as well as the surrounding ex-mining villages, investment, and I am so pleased that we have secured it. and my successor will need plenty of stamina. We have also secured the future of the Royal Marines In 2005, in my maiden speech, I quoted the writer Bill base at Chivenor in the constituency. There was a huge Bryson, who wrote of Durham: community campaign after the Ministry of Defence “Why, it’s wonderful—a perfect little city… If you have never said that it was earmarked for closure. The community been to Durham, go there at once. Take my car. It’s wonderful.” got together and said, “Up with this we will not put.” I The major issue of our time, which I hope the next am delighted to say that not only is Chivenor now Parliament will address—in addition to sorting out the safeguarded for the future, but that even as late as today small issue of Brexit—is that of climate change and the I have been talking to the Ministry of Defence to make climate emergency we face, so in 2019 I say, “Go to sure that we can do more there with the unique environment Durham, go there at once, but please don’t take a car. and the service personnel. Get the train.” North Devon has a commitment to a brand-new I will of course hugely miss being the elected district hospital, which is so welcome. Even though I representative of all the wonderful communities that will no longer be the MP, I am going to ensure that we make up Durham. It really is a special place and deserves stick to that commitment and that the Government to be extremely well advocated for and cherished. continue to deliver on their promises for the NHS. In winding up, I wish to pay tribute to the right hon. All those are things we have achieved, but I mentioned Member for Aylesbury (Sir David Lidington), who gave some unfinished business, and I wish to cover three an amazing speech. He was right that in this Chamber subjects briefly. First, just like, I am sure, Members we need to celebrate the diversity of this country, and from all parties, I continue to be concerned by the state we also need to respect those who have a view different of mental healthcare for our young people in particular. from ours and to treat each other with courtesy. My It is an absolute shock to realise that the most common experience of parliamentarians, regardless of their party, cause of death among young men aged between 18 and is that they work really hard—relentlessly—on behalf 35 is not an accident or an incident, or a drugs overdose of their constituents. It is a pity that that is not better or a physical illness; it is that they take their own lives. known in the country and not better represented in the That is a mental health condition that we must tackle, media, because our democracy would be stronger for it. and all Governments of all colours must do so urgently. I am really pleased that I have been able to give this I have done a lot of work on social care and the speech today, and I look forward to the new opportunities regulation and inspection of care home, and that needs that lie ahead. to continue. I really do not want to go down this road too Several hon. Members rose— controversially, but I worked for the BBC for many Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): Order. happy years. The BBC and the Government of whatever I am afraid I have to reduce the time limit to seven colour must ensure that the over-75s continue to get the minutes. I am terribly sorry, but time just goes on. free licence fee concession. I have spoken about that at great length, and I do not intend to rehearse all those arguments now. 5.46 pm As we are on the subject of the media, may I just say Peter Heaton-Jones (North Devon) (Con): I might have a few words about social media, which was touched on guessed, Madam Deputy Speaker. I will, of course, abide by other colleagues? The pressure that MPs find themselves by your strictures. under because of social media is something that has not It is an absolute pleasure to follow the hon. Member been sufficiently addressed. I am fortunate in that I have for City of Durham (Dr Blackman-Woods), who made not suffered the sort of threats, abuse or intimidation a typically thoughtful speech. It is great to follow a that many other colleagues in this House have, but none Member with a double-barrelled name; I fear there will the less—I think that you only get this if you have been be too few of us after the forthcoming election. an MP—the constant low-level incoming does start to It is also a pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the chip away. I do not think that this House, the social Member for Truro and Falmouth (Sarah Newton), because media companies or our legislation have caught up with we are part of the south-west mafia. There is a group of what can be done about that. This happens, as has been MPs from Somerset, Devon and Cornwall who have said earlier, during election periods. We need to ensure worked closely together to push forward on what we that the role of social media during this and all future need for our region, and my hon. Friend has been front elections is more tightly controlled under law and under and centre in that proper and very successful campaign, regulation. but it is a work in progress, and I just want to take a few I want quite properly to thank people without whom minutes on this, my last day in Parliament, to talk about it would not have been possible for me to do this job. some of the things that we have been able to achieve, as First, the North Devon Conservative Association has well as some of the unfinished business that still needs been a huge support to me ever since I was selected to to be addressed. do this role at the beginning of 2013. May I just We have had success since 2015 in putting North mention the three chairs of the North Devon Conservative Devon on the Government’s radar and on the political Association: Jeremy Smith-Bingham, David Barker and map in a way that it simply has not been for too long. the current chair, Chris Guyver, who I have put in a We have achieved an investment of nearly £100 million pickle having to reselect a North Devon candidate in for a vital new road link in North Devon. People have the space of a few days. [Interruption.] Does my hon. Friend 727 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 728

[Peter Heaton-Jones] Valedictory Debate Debate resumed. the Member for Reigate (Crispin Blunt) know him by any chance? It sounds like he might. I want to thank all 5.53 pm the Ministers and officials and the special advisers who Stephen Twigg (Liverpool, West Derby) (Lab/Co-op): I worked with when I was Parliamentary Private Secretary It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for North at two Departments—the Department for Work and Devon (Peter Heaton-Jones). I will start, if I may, by Pensions and the Ministry of Justice. It was a pleasure thanking everyone with whom I have had the honour to to serve them and to serve the Government in that role. work in this place. In particular, I wish to put on record I thank my colleagues, the south-west MPs, including my thanks to my amazing staff both in the constituency my hon. Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth, and here in Parliament. who I am glad to see in her place. All of us, across the I had the privilege to serve for eight years the constituency region, have worked really hard since 2015—there have in which I grew up and where most of my close family been a lot of us since 2015 and long may that continue—to still live—Enfield, Southgate. That result in Enfield, promote the south-west and its interests. I also thank Southgate in 1997 was once voted the third greatest my absolutely brilliant staff in the constituency and television moment ever. This was in a survey in 1998, so here at Westminster. Let me just mention by name my it was fresh in people’s minds. In that poll, the greatest four current members of staff. Thank you very much television moment ever was the first man on the moon, indeed to Matt Cox and to my three members of staff the second was the release of Nelson Mandela from who have been with me since the beginning in 2015: prison and the third was my defeat of Michael Portillo Marianne Kemp, Dan Shapland and David Hoare, who in that election. I have told this story once or twice over have all been brilliant in helping me along. the past two decades, and I should point out that it was Finally, I thank the people of North Devon, who did a poll of The Observer readers and Channel 4 viewers, me the privilege and honour of electing me not once, so was not necessarily a cross-section of the public as but twice to be their Member of Parliament in North a whole. Devon. Helping them, assisting them, meeting them, When I lost in 2005, I sought refuge in Liverpool, and and sometimes having animated conversations with them I am immensely grateful to my local Labour party and really has been an honour and a privilege, and I wish my to the people of the great constituency of West Derby in successor in the role all the very best. I clearly hope that the city of Liverpool for electing me three times since they will be sitting on the Conservative Benches, but 2010. Liverpool is a city with a truly amazing spirit, and whoever they are, I truly wish them all the best. I thank that spirit is embodied by the campaign for justice for you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and the staff of the those who lost their lives at Hillsborough 30 years ago. I House as well. It is now time to get Pexit done! pay tribute to the families and campaigners who did so much to ensure that that injustice was properly addressed. It is a city with a very vibrant community and voluntary ROYAL ASSENT sector. One of the things I have done is to volunteer at a local food bank at St John’s church in Tuebrook in my Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): I constituency.I think there is something profoundly wrong have to notify the House, in accordance with the Royal when people in this day and age are relying on food Assent Act 1967, that Her Majesty has signified her banks, but I pay tribute to those who work in them. Royal Assent to the following Act: Education has long been my No. 1 passion, and I Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) served for three years as Minister for Schools. In that Act 2019. role, I set up and led the London Challenge programme to improve schools here in the capital city. In Liverpool, I have run the Liverpool to Oxbridge Collaborative to encourage more state school students to consider Oxford or Cambridge. I also chair the all-party parliamentary group on global education. Since 2015, it has been an honour to chair the Select Committee on International Development. I thank its staff and all its Members, past and present—in particular, my friend the hon. Member for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy). It is so important that the UK remains engaged globally, and one of the ways in which we do that is through our commitment to development and humanitarian relief. We can be proud of our 0.7% commitment and that we have an independent Department—the Department for International Development—that leads in the delivery of those programmes. We face huge challenges of climate change, conflict, poverty and inequality, and we have the tool of the sustainable development goals to address these crises, but we also need to maintain our focus on some appalling humanitarian situations in places such as Yemen and Syria, as well as the Rohingya crisis covering the people of Burma and Bangladesh. I hope that whoever takes over from me as Chair of the Committee will pick up those challenges. 729 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 730

In 1997, my right hon. Friend the Member for Exeter I would like to echo what my right hon. Friend the (Mr Bradshaw) and I were the first ever Members of Member for Aylesbury (Sir David Lidington) said. In Parliament who were openly LGBT at the time of our doing so, I quote a former Member of Parliament for first election. I pay tribute to our friend Lord Smith of Stafford, the great playwright Richard Sheridan, who Finsbury, who for a long period was the only openly gay said: Member of Parliament. I am very proud that there are “remember, now, when you meet your antagonist, do everything now 45 Members in this House who are openly LGBT in a mild and agreeable manner.” and that we have seen huge legal progress in this country, I entirely agree with that. although we still have a long way to go to achieve full It has been a great honour to represent the people of equality across the world. Thanks to civil partnerships, Stafford for the past nine and a half years. Stafford has I was able to marry Mark 13 years ago. We always called a breadth of landscapes, from the Trent valley to Cannock our civil partnership a marriage, but I was then very Chase, where we have the beautiful memorials of the proud to vote with others across the House for equal cemetery for Commonwealth soldiers, mainly New marriage. I really thank Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Zealanders, but also the main German cemetery in the David Cameron, all of whom showed great commitment United Kingdom. I would encourage Members to visit to the cause of equality for people who are LGBT. As that cemetery. It is in the most beautiful valley in we move forward, I hope that we will address some of Cannock Chase. We have farmlands. We have lovely the very big challenges that LGBT people face around villages such as Penkridge, and we have Stafford itself. the world and ensure that part of our soft power and Again, I would encourage Members who have the chance our approach to global human rights is about addressing in June or July to see the open-air Shakespeare by Stafford those injustices, wherever they rear their heads. castle—one of the best performances of Shakespeare I conclude by echoing comments made by a number that you could possibly hope to see, with a different play of Members, particularly my hon. Friend the Member every year. for Warrington North (Helen Jones), who talked about the importance of appealing to the best instincts of the I pay tribute to all those in my constituency who have British people, and the right hon. Member for North worked so hard through often very testing times around Norfolk (Norman Lamb), who spoke very powerfully our hospital, then called Stafford Hospital and now about how we need to bring people together. We have called County Hospital. There were those who lost their seen a growth of a particular strand of authoritarian loved ones and who saw their loved ones suffer, but populism across our continent and in the United States, also all those who worked in the NHS and tried so very Brazil and other parts of the world. It poses a huge hard, both at that time and subsequently, to give us challenge for our politics. Here in the UK, Brexit is in a what is now, I believe, a very good service. That led to sense both a consequence and a cause of some very the Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act fundamental divisions and inequalities that scar our 2015, which I had the honour to present as a private society. Member’s Bill. When I see the work that my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), Against that backdrop, I hope that the new Parliament the former Health Secretary, has done on patient safety, will be able to do its best to bring people back together. and the work he is intending to do now with his charity, I have never liked the adversarialism in this place. I did I am relieved that the issue of patient safety has come to not like it when I was a Government Member with a the fore. majority of almost 200; I certainly do not like it in opposition. I think we do really have a lot in common Sir John Hayes: I cannot let that pass without paying with each other. We need to be more open about the tribute to my hon. Friend’s outstanding work in that need to address the evidence that is available on the field, which typifies his whole approach. His care, his policy challenges that we face. One of the reasons I have insight and his dedication to purpose are exemplary. enjoyed chairing a Select Committee is that it is cross-party The whole House will miss him. Might I just cheekily working and it is based on the best available evidence, ask him to work with me, when he has more time, on the not the best available slogan for carrying the headlines campaign on haemochromatosis, which affects nearly that day. I hope that is something that we can all reflect 380,000 people? He can work from outside Parliament; on in the weeks, months and years ahead. I can work within it. I want to finish by quoting the late Jo Cox. I stand here in front of the shield in Jo’s memory. I only got to Jeremy Lefroy: I can never resist anything that my know Jo in that very brief period from her election in right hon. Friend says, so I will most definitely do what 2015 to her murder a year later. Jo said that I can. “we are far more united and have far more in common than that I would like to pay tribute to all those who work in which divides us.”—[Official Report, 3 June 2015; Vol. 596, c. 675.] our schools and colleges, police service, fire and rescue That message is one that I hope we can all take forward service, ambulance service and the local councils. We in this election campaign but also into the next Parliament. have three very good local councils, with excellent staff and councillors who make a real difference. I would also 6 pm like to pay tribute to the businesses in my constituency. We have two new business parks. General Electric could Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con): It is a great honour have relocated elsewhere in the UK or, indeed, the to follow my friend the hon. Member for Liverpool, world, but we were able to retain it in Stafford by having West Derby (Stephen Twigg), from whom I have learned a wonderful new business park at Redhill, where we are a huge amount, both in the time when I served under the only manufacturer of large transformers in the UK. him on the International Development Committee and, We manufacture many other things in the constituency, indeed, as a friend. including the world’s best lawnmowers and some of the 731 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 732

[Jeremy Lefroy] elsewhere. People do not want to migrate. They want to stay where they are, with their families, but if they are world’s best washing machines. Never let it be said that forced to for a better life, they will. We have to look at all these things are only manufactured outside the country. what we can do. They are not; they are manufactured right here. In terms of world health, Ebola is still in the Democratic My constituency has a wonderful agricultural sector. Republic of the Congo and has spread into Uganda. People have told me that the constituency of Stafford We have to do more research on antimicrobial resistance. produces about 10% of the UK’s strawberries. I do not Otherwise, we will face great challenges. There are also know whether that is the case, but it certainly produces the issues of climate change, conflict resolution and a lot. The former resident of Stafford, that great author freedom of speech and religion; I pay huge tribute to Izaak Walton, said: my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce) “Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless and the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), God never did.” who have done magnificent work on the latter. We also have the country’s largest producer of spinach, I will finish with two quotations from Izaak Walton. as well as one that produces 1 million lettuces a week in He said: season, alongside other arable and dairy. It is a great “He that loses his conscience has nothing left that is worth pleasure to see my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle- keeping.” under-Lyme (Paul Farrelly) in his place—I had the And, for those of us who are not standing again, he pleasure of being defeated by him in 2005. said, “Be grateful for the simple things in life. Don’t take The voluntary sector is very large in Stafford, and I them for granted.” would like to place on record my desire to see an awful lot more done for unpaid full-time carers. I am working 6.9 pm with a constituent on providing more breaks for unpaid Teresa Pearce (Erith and Thamesmead) (Lab): I would carers. They often do not have the resources, and they like to thank my fantastic family, my friends and my do not have the time, but they need those breaks. We all staff, who are amazing, as well as all the people I have value our holidays. Why should they not have them, worked with here and in the constituency, but most of even if it is a week a year? I would like to see that become all I would like to thank my husband, who nine years a priority. ago put his life, dreams and ambitions on hold so that I I would like to pay tribute to my neighbours, my right could follow mine. hon. Friend the Member for South Staffordshire (Gavin When you come into this place, it is the strangest Williamson) and my hon. Friends the Members for thing. The first thing I did was to look for a job Stone (Sir William Cash), for Cannock Chase (Amanda description, and as hon. Members all know, there is Milling), for The Wrekin (Mark Pritchard) and for none. You become a combination of a councillor, a Burton (Andrew Griffiths), as well as others in Staffordshire, barrack-room lawyer, a trade union official and a social all of whom have been most generous to me. When I worker, yet an MP’s power, particularly in opposition, is had the misfortune of falling ill and fainting during the more perceived than real. People ask you to get involved address of President Obama in Westminster Hall, it in everything and anything. When I was elected, I got was my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Derbyshire 22,000 emails in the first year. The level of expectation (Mrs Latham) who looked after me and my hon. Friend from people is that you can solve everything from mice the Member for The Wrekin who visited me in St Thomas’ in their flat to conflict in the middle east, and of course Hospital. the bins—there is always the bins. There are myriad I must pay huge thanks to my staff: my magnificent ways that people can watch you now, and I am told by chief of staff, James Cantrill, who has had to endure a my constituents that I need to be at all these events in lot in these difficult times, and Pauline Ingall, Sonya the constituency, but then the same people say to me, “I Redfern-Price, Alex Simpson and Jan Owers. In my was watching the Chamber, and you weren’t in there. constituency, I would like to thank Ann Foster, who has Where were you?” And at the same time, they want to chaired the Conservative association for many years, know why you have not answered the 22,000 emails, Ray Sutherland and Amyas Stafford Northcote; at this which is why many people receive replies from me at difficult time for him, I wish him God’s blessing. I also 1 o’clock in the morning. want to thank Owen Meredith, James Nixon and Hetty There was much I wanted to say this afternoon about Bailey, who have all worked for me in this place. Above the things I had done and the things I wished I had all, I want to thank my wonderful wife Janet, who has done, but we have sat here and passed the Historical combined supporting me here with being a full-time GP Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Act. I listened and university lecturer at Keele medical school. I simply to that testimony and it was familiar to me, so I have could not have done it without her support. changed what I planned to say because I needed to say Finally, I would like to echo the point made by my this. I could talk about what I have achieved, but what right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Sir Michael has been achieved by me here has actually been achieved Fallon) about the importance of looking outwards and because of my parents. Both of my parents were brought discussing what is happening in the world much more up in care—my mother in the infamous Nazareth House, than we do, as my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, which we heard about earlier, and my father by the West Derby said. We are sometimes told that we talk Christian Brothers—and I can give personal testimony too much about what goes on outside this country, but about the damage done to them for the whole of their all those things are relevant to our constituents. Africa lives. The shadow Minister, my hon. Friend the Member has a population of 1.2 billion, which will go up to for Ealing North (Stephen Pound), who is no longer in 2.4 billion. We need to support them in the creation of his place, asked from the Dispatch Box: what must hundreds of millions of jobs. Otherwise, they will look those children have thought of adults, and how could 733 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 734 they ever trust? Well, I can tell the House that they young researcher, I helped a young candidate who was never did. It became increasingly difficult as they got standing in a by-election in West Derbyshire. I claim older, when we needed to get carers or meals on wheels that the 100 votes that my right hon. Friend secured to to go in, because everybody who came in who they win the seat were won by me, and he claims that he thought was from the authorities they sacked immediately would have won handsomely had it not been for my the same day. They feared to the very end of their lives disastrous research. losing their liberty, because they had lost it as children I went on to stand for Berwick-upon-Tweed in north when they had been incarcerated. Northumberland. Unfortunately, that was in 1997, the It is testimony to my parents that they never visited year of Armageddon. My efforts in that beautiful rural on me and my sister Rose the horrors of their childhood, constituency were not helped early on when I opened a and it is testimony to them that I am an MP now. My coffee morning with a speech urging everyone to vote mother lived to see me elected, and she was as proud as Conservative, only to be told that I was in fact at a punch. Sadly, my dad died in 2009, so he did not get the meeting of the Methodists. I could not have been expected same bragging rights. My dad, Arthur Farrington, was to know that that particular village had two village what people would call a bit of a character. He had a halls, but I learned an important lesson about knowing tendency to embellish the truth, and sometimes he just your constituency. made things up. He used to say to me and my sister that he was born in the workhouse, but then he used to say a I was immensely privileged to be chosen at the very lot of things so we did not take a lot of notice. When I last moment to stand for Arundel and South Downs for was elected and was doing research on children’s homes the Conservatives, and I believe that someone else will in the 1930s, it came as a huge surprise to find that his be very lucky indeed to be chosen at the very last minute parents were actually resident in Ormskirk workhouse to stand for what I believe is the best constituency in the at the time he was born. It seems I owe my dad a bit of country, full of the most wonderful people and strong an apology, as he was actually telling the truth. However, communities. I will miss it a very great deal. I fought I still do not believe that the ring that my auntie had, four general elections and my majority has gone up which clearly came from Woolworths, was given to her every time to a record level, and I know that it is smart by the Pope. to quit while ahead. It is a privilege to hold the office of MP. I left school I made my maiden speech in a debate on rural issues. at 17, got married soon after and became a mother, but I spoke last in that debate, too, and nobody told me that at 18 I found myself deserted by my husband and facing I was permitted to go to what the Americans call the the world alone with a small baby and bleak prospects restroom while waiting to make my speech. I waited for while the rest of my friends went to university. However, what seemed to be hours, absolutely desperate for it, thanks to a small council flat in Belvedere, a GLC-funded and then made the shortest maiden speech in history as day nursery and a Bexley Council-funded careers adviser, a consequence. I was set on the road to independence, self-respect and a I then went to see the Whips to explain that it was career. I have been successful and my family has thrived very important for the new Member of Parliament for because society invested in me, and that investment has Arundel and South Downs to watch Australia play the been paid back over and over. Sadly, however, those Duke of Norfolk’s XI at the Arundel castle cricket services no longer exist for many who find themselves in ground. The Whips told me that not only was that the same circumstances and do not have that ladder. In entirely possible, but I should submit any request, at fact, the safety net of the welfare state that once saved any time, for any sporting event that I felt I needed to me no longer exists in that real sense. It is more like a attend. I had no idea that they were being sarcastic and trapdoor you fall through and you may never get back so proceeded to give them a long list of all the sporting up. That is why I have spent the last nine years trying to events I wished to attend that year. I have never lived it speak up for Erith and Thamesmead, so my neighbours down. get the opportunities that I had and can turn around their lives when they fall on hard times. I soon found myself on the Front Bench and, for a very brief time—this is a salutary lesson for all the I would like to thank my constituents for the support young people who will enter the House after the election— they have shown me for the last nine years, electing me was billed as a rising star. I then plummeted into the three times. It is now time to pass the baton on to depths of the Home Office, a fall from which I never entirely someone else, and I am sure that they will show her the recovered. same support. I agree with my right hon. Friend the Member for 6.14 pm Aylesbury (Sir David Lidington) that attending this debate, in which we have heard some marvellous speeches, Nick Herbert (Arundel and South Downs) (Con): is rather like attending the reading of one’s own obituary. Thank you for calling me to speak, Madam Deputy I am not entirely certain that everyone would be effusive Speaker,and commiserations on yesterday—I congratulate enough, so I intend to list some of the things that I have the new Speaker. I apologise for being unable to be here been involved in—my serious point is that I intend to at the start of the debate. I had not intended to speak, continue working in a number of important areas that I but I decided only last night to stand down as the have worked on in this place. They include LGBT Member of Parliament for Arundel and South Downs, rights, which my friend the hon. Member for Liverpool, the constituency that I have been honoured to represent West Derby (Stephen Twigg) mentioned, the campaign for nearly 15 years. for equal marriage, setting up the all-party parliamentary It was a pleasure to listen to the speech of my right group on global lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick rights, and setting up the Global Equality Caucus, run McLoughlin). Some 33 years ago, while working as a so ably by Alan Wardle and supported by Andrew Slinn. 735 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 736

[Nick Herbert] and I have viewed every single day of this Parliament as an extra, unexpected bonus. It was hard enough to hold I also set up the all-party parliamentary group on the constituency of Barrow and Furness, the home of global tuberculosis, to help fight the world’s deadliest the Trident nuclear submarine programme, with the disease. The Global TB Caucus has succeeded in driving former Leader of the Opposition, the right hon. Member TB up the agenda, with a high-level meeting at the for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband). People, probably United Nations. It is ably led by Sarah Kirk, with support understandably, did not trust him entirely on the issue on the APPG from Janika Hauser, and it was set up of Trident. However, it was an impossibility to hold the with brilliant initial work by my friend Matt Oliver. constituency with the current Leader of the Opposition. I have recently assumed the chairmanship of the It was only by completely disavowing him that I was able, Countryside Alliance, which I intend to devote a lot of against all expectations including mine, to hang on. time to, returning to my roots,because I believe passionately I have, of course, paid in one way or another since in supporting rural communities, in the freedom to then, but I will never forget the moment at 1 o’clock in choose and in ensuring that we protect the rural way of the morning of election night when I thought, “My life. I will be running the think-tank that I have set up, goodness, we might actually hold on here.” I had to get the Project for Modern Democracy, just as I previously on the phone to my ex, Mandy, who ran my campaign set up the think-tank Reform, because I believe we need to get me into Parliament in the first place, and say, new thinking on Whitehall reform, planning and how “Look, you know I’ve offered to take the kids all we ensure markets operate fairly in the modern world. summer, well…” I am deeply indebted to her for her I just want to say something briefly about Brexit. I set forbearance on that and on so many issues, as we have up the national no campaign against joining the euro. made a crazy modern family life work. More on that For a long time I was thought of as a Eurosceptic, but I towards the end of my speech. led the Conservatives In campaign to remain in the I want to say how sad I am to be leaving, but I think European Union. Nevertheless, I accepted the result of we can be really proud of some the things we have the referendum immediately. I want to dispute the idea achieved over these past nine and a half years. The that the only principled position for remainers to take is brand new maternity unit literally would not have happened somehow to gainsay the referendum result. I do not without the campaign led by local mums, including Mandy. believe that that is true. Actually, I think it is a principled Of course, I supported the campaign wholeheartedly and honourable position to accept the result of the —I knew what was good for me—but it showed that referendum, because in the end it is about democracy. I when the people of Barrow and Furness stand up, they have done that, which is why I support the Prime are able to make themselves listened to. Together, we Minister in successfully seeking a deal. I do not think have effected real change. that we should demonise the millions of people who voted for remain, but have accepted the result and think The Leader of the House knows that it is more a deal is possible. Rather, we should investigate more unusual to win a vote at the moment than it is to lose closely why people voted for leave and what exactly they one, and 18 July 2016 will always be etched on my wanted, and have a more mature, sober and sensible debate memory as the day that this House voted by 472 votes on those issues. to 117 to renew Trident and fire the starting gun properly on the Dreadnought submarine programme, which, Finally, I would like to thank my brilliant staff: even now, is providing 9,000 directly employed jobs and Michelle Taylor, my wonderful constituency assistant; sustaining the whole Furness economy. I am just sad to Alex Black, who runs my office; Lynsey White, my be leaving at a time when we are making critical decisions wonderful secretary; and Chris Cook, my researcher. I on how we ensure that that investment can lift the whole would like to thank members of my Conservative area out of the still really appalling pockets of deprivation association and my chairmen, Angela Litchfield, Sue and the lack of hope that remains in the Furness area. If Holland, Malcolm Gill and Peter Griffiths. I thank my I can play any role outside this place—possibly in a constituents for doing me the great honour of returning David Brent way, if I keep turning up to former offices—I me to Arundel and South Downs. Above all, I thank my want to play whatever role I can to ensure that that can partner, my closest and best friend, Jason Eades, without happen in future. whose tireless and unquestioning support I would never have been able to do this job in the first place. Thank I came into this House having been privileged to you all for doing me this great honour. I am very sad to serve as a special adviser for a period in No. 10, and I be going, but I know it is the right time to do so. never thought that the life of a constituency MP—trying to help the community change and lead that change—would 6.21 pm be what drove me. That is what I will miss most of all from the job. It is well known in this place, but completely John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) (Ind): What a unknown outside it, how relatively little of that we drive privilege it is to follow that heartfelt speech. It is also a ourselves as MPs, so—like many others—I need to give coincidence, because, as the majority of the right hon. my heartfelt thanks to my team. Frank, Natalie, Angela, Member for Arundel and South Downs (Nick Herbert) Carmen and the new arrival, Sian, have done extraordinary has gone up at every successive election, mine has gone things. Literally thousands of people have had their down. [Laughter.] lives changed for the better in ways that, more often In 2010, when I first came into the House, we achieved than not, I have not known about personally, but they the lowest swing away from Labour in the entire country. have delivered. I am so pleased that Cassie, my office In the most recent general election, in 2017, I hung on manager, has come all the way here—it is a hell of a by a mere 209 votes. As most people who looked at that long way to get down from Barrow; it takes four hours will know, it is a total miracle that I am here at all. I on the train on a good day— and is in the Gallery today. never expected to be able to make a valedictory speech Like a number of my staff—but this is particularly so in 737 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 738 her case—she has stuck with me through some really the election, I will be remaining—no ifs, no buts, come difficult times and has stayed loyal, and I will always be what may—a citizen of the European Union, as will my grateful for that. three long-suffering children. As a constituency MP, I am proud of what we have It has been a privilege to serve as the MP for Newcastle- done, but I wish that I could be proud of what we have under-Lyme, my home town. I was the first born and achieved in our politics over the last 10 years. We are bred “castle black”, as we say, for—well, I haven’t been not standing here as a Parliament of success. I am sorry able to find another going back 500 years. But 2001 was that my attempt to wrestle my politics—the politics of not my first general election; that came when I stood in the progressive centre-left—out of the hands of the Chesham and Amersham—my dry run—in 1997. So extremists that have gripped my former party has not one of my first thanks this afternoon goes to my agent been a success. I am really grateful to my friends—who 22 years ago, Peter Ward, and his wife, Doreen, who will remain my friends—in the Labour party, even wished me all the best again this week. I must also though we have taken a very different view on how best mention again the wonderful Keith Kingswood, the to tackle that extremism. local constituency secretary back then. Just before the I am really excited about the challenge that I am ’97 election, Keith flew to New York to see his son and going on to as the Government’s special envoy on collect a postal vote but tragically on the flight over countering violent extremism; I want to continue to play contracted a mystery illness from which he did not a role in public life. Although I am sad to be leaving, I recover. The day after the Blair landslide, while Labour am leaving for absolutely the best reason: it was not part was partying on the south bank, we were all attending of the script that Issy and I would be having a baby, but Keith’s funeral in Chesham. My thoughts today are it is a wonderful, wonderful thing on which to leave. again with his wife Janet and his family. Their two sisters, Maisie and Molly, are going to be This job would be impossible without the support of wonderful big sisters, and I just cannot wait for the families, so I have to thank my wife Victoria for putting future that we have got together. up with all the late nights, the weeks and weekends away, the overseas visits and all the football and, in Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): We particular,rugby—she curses Commons and Lords RUFC. all wish the hon. Gentleman and his future family all She was also the one person I forgot to thank on the very best. election night in 1997. In turn, I have never been allowed to forget it. In Newcastle-under-Lyme, I want to pay a 6.28 pm special tribute to the first person I met when I first went back to help in 1993: a truly great council leader, Eddie Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Lab): It is a Boden, who turns 80 in a few weeks. Happy birthday pleasure to follow my hon. Friend from Barrow and from Westminster, Eddie. My agent in Newcastle all Furness—I suggest that he tries for size a majority of these years, David Leech, has been a rock of support 30 on the third count at 6.30 in the morning. and strength. Sadly, he lost his wonderful wife and I am sorry not to have been here to listen to all the soulmate, Cynthia, last year. Newcastle is much emptier speeches, Madam Deputy Speaker. Once upon a time without her. this was going to be a normal working day; I had a Nothing could prepare me for this place. I was never delegation from Slovenia here for a tour. Everyone will a student politician or part of any network. I first got know that being a tour guide is an occupational hazard involved in politics in 1987, aged 25, when I took the in the Commons, not least as I am the chair of the day off work in London to do something, finally, about all-party British-Slovenia Group, the chair of the all-party Margaret Thatcher. Through the occasional rebellions— British-German group and the vice-chair of the all-party student tuition fees, the dreadful war in Iraq, the dreaded group on Japan. Present difficulties notwithstanding, B-word today—David and my officers in the constituency the internationalism of this place has always been a have always been loyal, steadfast and true. It was because surprise pleasure that I will certainly miss. of their efforts that a week last Friday in Newcastle- I also thank the hon. Member for Stafford (Jeremy under-Lyme we were able to celebrate 100 years of Lefroy) for kindly losing to me in 2005—in the nicest continuous Labour representation in Parliament. We possible way and as only he knows how—because otherwise are one of only five constituencies in the whole of the I would not be here making these remarks. I still have UK to be able to do so. My majority might be a bit his campaign T-shirt, which I found tidying up my tight—we are one of 11 reluctant members of the cupboard, and which I asked him for as a present. I will “under 100” club—but I keep reminding people that at keep it and cherish it. over 21,000 the Labour vote in Newcastle in 2017 was It feels strange to clear an office after 18 years. While the biggest of my five general elections and the highest packing up, I came across umpteen spare copies of my since that landslide under Tony Blair in ’97. It is the task maiden speech from 2001, and I remember it well. I felt of my successor as candidate, who was selected on Friday, I had drawn the short straw, having to follow the lyrical to recreate that progressive alliance. Welsh tones of Adam Price, now the leader of Plaid Politics is a difficult and demanding trade, and that Cymru. It felt like trudging in the footsteps of Richard has never been more true than in these testing time, in Burton in a theatre audition. In making my speech, I the age of social media, but in this job one really can felt sure I was the only grandson of a rabbit trapper make a difference and be proud of doing so, for constituents from County Meath in Ireland to take his place on and causes and projects that leave a legacy for the these green Benches. Now as I leave, I can burnish my future. At the outset in Westminster, I was rebellious Celtic credentials further, because on 2 March—my enough to stand up for students over high and variable 57th birthday—the perfect present popped through the tuition fees and had the temerity to organise a rebellion. letterbox: my Irish passport. Whatever happens after I next crossed swords with my own Government through 739 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 740

[Paul Farrelly] The speeches were a bit like maiden speeches to start with—everyone has such a beautiful constituency—but a private Member’s Bill to ensure fairer treatment of what was clear was the amazing array of talent that we temporary and agency workers—protections eventually are losing. The right hon. Member for Derbyshire Dales implemented, we should remember,by a European directive (Sir Patrick McLoughlin) has served his party so well. that helped vulnerable and low-paid people in 28 countries. He has been an excellent Chief Whip—I do not suppose I am also glad to have stood up for my beliefs in not that many people say that, but I will—and has given voting for the legislation that paved the way for the 33 years of devotion to the House. I also thank referendum, or for the triggering of article 50. I understand Mrs McLoughlin. My right hon. Friend the Member that I am the only member of the Labour party to have for Rother Valley (Sir Kevin Barron) has had extensive departed from the whip on both those occasions, and experience of posts ranging from parliamentary private the same applies to the right hon. and learned Member secretary to Chair of a Select Committee. for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke) in respect of the Conservative The right hon. Member for Wantage (Mr Vaizey)—I party. know that he added “Didcot”, but the annunciator said I am proud, too, to have served for 14 years on “Wantage”—is not standing down; he was contributing the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee. The to the pre-Dissolution debate. He talked about the arts, Committee has certainly made a difference, pursuing and I want to thank him, because when he was in phone-hacking and, more recently, investigating fake opposition he visited the New Art Gallery in Walsall, news and abuse of social media, as well as helping to where anyone who goes into the lift will hear the voice change libel law in the interests of my former profession: of Noddy Holder. responsible, serious investigative journalism. My hon. Friend the Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey) was true to herself. She is also a formidable coach of Locally,there is much for Labour,and retired colleagues Arsenal Ladies Football Club. I agree with her about in north Staffordshire, to be proud of, such as our Balj Rai—he is absolutely fantastic—and I want to pay brand-new hospital and the excellent Newcastle college, tribute to Max Freedman, in her office, who made a to name but two. In Newcastle, my favourite place of all great contribution to the independent complaints and is the wonderful Peter Pan Nursery for Children with grievance process. Special Needs, and I want to record my thanks to Peter Traves, who was Staffordshire’s education director until The right hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Sir Michael 10 years ago, for his help in securing its future in Fallon) leaves a huge legacy. He was what people refer brand-new premises opposite my old school in Wolstanton. to as the “dead cat on the table”—he was always the one He is simply the best officer in the public sector with who diverted people and moved them to another point whom I have dealt in 18 years. in the debate—but his nickname was “the Minister for the ‘Today’ programme”. He is right about debates on Let me end with two final votes of thanks. This job foreign affairs: we need more of those. I hope the would be impossible without great staff. I have had Leader of the House does not mind my raising again wonderful staff doing a wonderful job for constituents— the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and expressing Caroline Eardley, who has been with me throughout, the hope that she will soon be released from prison. Dr Barry Schofield and Martin Bell—and, in Westminster, Hannah Matin, Thomas Brayford and, for so many My right hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley years, Dr Neil Watkins. We always need good officers in (Ann Clwyd) is an extensive human rights champion, our constituency parties, and I want to thank the chair and a champion for miners’ compensation—the subject of my constituency party, Allison Gardner, for her of miners was a thread running through the debate—and, wonderful support. Her drive and motivation, and her of course, she was a human rights envoy. She has great sense of humour, made the last two elections produced an incredible body of public service, both as a enjoyable, and without her help I would not be standing Member of the European Parliament and as an MP. here today. Wales is also losing my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Owen Smith) and my hon. Friend the Finally, I thank colleagues across parties for all the Member for Ynys Môn (Albert Owen), whom I have work that we have done here in those years. I will certainly worked with. I hope he will continue his work with Welsh miss them, and I will miss it. tourism. What can we say about my hon. Friend the Member Mr Speaker: May I suggest that the shadow Leader for Wrexham (Ian C. Lucas)? An outstanding solicitor of the House and the Leader of the House split their and an outstanding Minister who has a great way of speaking time accordingly? asking important questions. He has made an important contribution to the debate today about how we run our 6.36 pm elections. He will be missed, but we can see him in the documentary “The Great Hack.” ValerieVaz(WalsallSouth)(Lab):Thankyou,MrSpeaker. When I first came to this House in 2010, the right I congratulate you on your victory, and I know that you hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening) said that will make a very good Speaker. Michael Howard had visited her constituency, and had When I first sat here today, 60 Members were saying resigned as leader. Maybe he knew—this is what came that they would be leaving the House. The number has across to me when I first saw her at the Dispatch now risen to 62, following the announcements by the Box—that she could be a future leader of her party. I right hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs am sorry that she is standing down because I think she (Nick Herbert) and the ex-Chancellor, the right hon. would have been an excellent leader and an excellent Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) Prime Minister. She did some fantastic work at the that they would be standing down. Department for International Development. The logo 741 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 742 for UK Aid was down to her, as was the audit of all the up and fixes our boiler.” He actually went into people’s money that was given out to everyone; I cited that to lofts and did the work—we would write the letters and some students I spoke to in the House. I thank her for he would do the work. her excellent work on that. The hon. Member for Bosworth (David Tredinnick) I will put together my hon. Friends the Members for and I served on the Health Committee. It showed how West Bromwich West (Mr Bailey), for Warrington North cross-party work can be done in this House, and I hope (Helen Jones) and for Liverpool, Riverside (Dame Louise he will continue with his work on health. Ellman) as they make me think of Donald Dewar. He There was an important point of order that you said that he could never get selected and then when he missed, Mr Speaker, and I therefore want to mention finally did, and was elected to the House, he was confronted the hon. Member for South Ribble (Seema Kennedy). by people who beat him. Those three Members all beat She was the first woman Parliamentary Private Secretary me; I was runner-up to all three of them. to a Prime Minister, a role she performed really well at a My hon. Friend the Member for Warrington North very difficult time. She has been an excellent colleague has made a huge contribution to the Petitions Committee; and an excellent Minister, and she will be missed. it is now a very important part of the work we do here I will turn now to the right hon. Member for Broadland and she rightly paid tribute to the Clerks of the Committee. (Mr Simpson). I should not have been in the Lobby What can I say about the right hon. Member for with him, but he was in the Lobby with me and I know Aylesbury (Sir David Lidington)? He was an absolutely how deeply he struggled with voting the way he did. He fantastic Leader of the House. I do not have time to do voted for his country rather than his party; he put his justice to the work that he has done here. He started out personal loyalties aside and made sure that he did that as a special adviser to Douglas Hurd and I keep saying, for his country. He will be a fantastic loss. The sad thing “Where are those members of the Conservative party about this is that we now see how wonderful everyone is, like Douglas Hurd, like the right hon. Gentleman and in the way they speak and the stories they tell. He indeed like Douglas Hurd’s son, the right hon. Member is truly an honourable gentleman. for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd)?” They I have watched the hon. Member for Truro and are all going, and all are incredible public servants. The Falmouth (Sarah Newton) nurse other hon. Members right hon. Member for Aylesbury was very kind to me in this House when she was a vice-chair of the Tory when I first became shadow Leader of the House and party; she has been an assiduous vice-chair. She has we had very important conversations that we knew were been very kind to her colleagues and I know that she not going anywhere. He made an important point for us has been an excellent Minister. All the replies I have to take forward for the future—we must ensure that this received from her have been absolutely fantastic, and House moves forward. I hope he will continue to play she will be missed. Her manner is a gentle one, but she an active role in public life because he is needed. has a lot of strength. I know that her point about the The right hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Official Report and what we can do in that regard will Lamb) was a Health Minister when I visited him and be taken forward, and I am happy to work with the asked him to take up the cause of John’s campaign with Leader of the House on that. Nicci Gerrard, Julia Jones and Francis Wheen, which My hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham was to allow family members to visit people in hospital (Dr Blackman-Woods) has done some great work in the who have dementia. Nicci Gerrard found that her father Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and I hope did not have an opportunity for interaction with his she continues to do that, along with her work with family—perhaps just playing a game of chess—and that universities and higher education. She, too, will be missed. that had a detrimental effect. When the right hon. Gentleman was a Minister he facilitated that opportunity The hon. Member for North Devon (Peter Heaton-Jones) for visiting. is right about mental health care, and I hope that he continues to work on this important policy. He is also The right hon. Member for North East Bedfordshire right about free TV licences for the over-75s; I am glad (Alistair Burt) was an outstanding Minister and an that he said that. outstanding parliamentarian, and is an outstanding human being. Oh, I am not the right person to be doing Turning to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, this, given my past record of breaking down. I do not West Derby (Stephen Twigg): yes, we were all up for know what we will do without him. He has been absolutely Portillo. He and I met a long time ago when we were fantastic. We walked arm in arm to St Margaret’s going down to the Labour party conference. At that church when we paid tribute to Jo Cox. It was a very time, there was a section 28, which has now completely special day, and I will never forget his kindness. He talks disappeared, so we know that politics can change and about kindness; he is a really decent person. As he has that we can make a difference. said to me, his constituency is lucky as it has two MPs, The hon. Member for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy) has because of course he is ably supported by Eve who did a been a wonderful colleague. Wehave worked well together fantastic job for Christians in Parliament. on hospital issues and he will certainly be remembered I will turn now to my hon. Friend the Member for for his work for the Francis report. He has also been a Ealing North (Stephen Pound). There are four of us champion for getting funds for the NHS. I also want to here who used to be on the council in Ealing together: thank him for introducing me to Bananagrams, which is my hon. Friend, my right hon. Friend the Member for like Scrabble without the arguments. Leeds Central (Hilary Benn), my hon. Friend the Member The struggle that my hon. Friend the Member for for Ealing, Southall (Mr Sharma) and I. My hon. Erith and Thamesmead (Teresa Pearce) had to become Friend the Member for Ealing North always used to a Labour candidate has turned her into an absolutely show us up when he was a councillor. People used to exemplary Member of Parliament, and her life story say, “You’ve got to be like Steve Pound, because he turns has shown why she will be missed; her strength and her 743 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 744

[Valerie Vaz] I think that that is unusual, but it nonetheless shows the commitment of staff to this House, and I pay compliment story are absolutely fantastic. Andrew, who works for to him while I am mentioning his staff. me, is a constituent of hers, and he says that she is a Now it is my privilege to go through the Members fantastic MP. Sadly, she has chosen to be an MP no who have spoken. I have nine minutes to do it, so forgive longer; she wants to be with her family. me for being brief. I am saving up one or two for the The right hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs end. The right hon. Member for Rother Valley (Sir Kevin made a speech that was something of an emergency Barron) has been such a fantastic servant of this House. intervention. We are sorry to see him go, as he has been Running the Standards and Privileges Committee was a absolutely fantastic and a really assiduous Minister. I very hard job to do and his non-Oscar speech was better asked a colleague why the right hon. Gentleman was in than most Oscar speeches. the Chamber for this debate, and now we know. He had I am not sure whether my right hon. Friend the seven minutes to set out his case, which might be Member for Wantage (Mr Vaizey) is retiring––maybe, slightly more than he had for his maiden speech. It is maybe not––but his protection of the arts and his service true that he does have a very nice constituency. are noble. His point about technology and the economy It is good to see my hon. Friend the Member for is fundamental. Barrow and Furness (John Woodcock) back here. He has been through some really difficult times, but he has Dare I say that the hon. Member for Vauxhall (Kate always worked with, for and on behalf of his constituents, Hoey) is every Tory’s favourite socialist, though I think wherever he has been. I wish him well with his new family the word “socialist” may be unfair in her case? I find and his new post. that I agree with her on almost everything, so either I My hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme have moved to the left at some point mysteriously or she (Paul Farrelly) has done some sterling work on the has moved some way to the right. She will be enormously Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee. Finally, missed. I loved her comment that there is always tradition I just want to say to the hon. Member for Southend for a reason, which is practically my motto, so I very much West (Sir David Amess), because this is a pre-recess agreed with that. Adjournment debate, that I must make a bid for Southend My right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks to get city status. (Sir Michael Fallon) served four Prime Ministers and As this is the final day, I want to thank everyone. I very kindly invited me to speak at Chartwell. One of the want the Clerk of the House to pass down to everyone greatest honours that I have ever had was to speak in in his directorate our thanks for all the work they have the home of perhaps our greatest ever Prime Minister. done. I thank all the Clerks who, during difficult times, My right hon. Friend shows great kindness to new have given us excellent advice. I also want to thank all Members, which is perhaps little known, but it also those in the Official Report, the Library and the Tea makes one think about fate. I supported him to be Room, the cleaning and catering staff, the Speaker’s Chairman of the Treasury Committee, which, by great Office and the post room. I post something here at good fortune, he did not get but went on to a glittering seven o’clock and it arrives in Walsall the next day. I Cabinet career instead, which was probably better all thank all our staff, including my Chief Whip, the Whips round. My noble Friend Lord Tyrie got the Treasury and Luke and Simon. We have the most amazing, Committee, which he served with great distinction. talented people in this House who will no longer be We heard the tributes to the right hon. Member for here, and I hope that they will think about serving their Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd)––I probably massacred my country. I want to thank them for all the work they have pronunciation––with the tributes to our previous Speaker. done, and I want to wish every hon. Member all the best I do not know the right hon. Lady enormously well, but for their campaigns. it became so clear during those tributes that she is loved 6.49 pm across the House and must be one of the most popular Members for her work in favour of peace and human The Leader of the House of Commons (Mr Jacob Rees- rights and to stop child abuse. I salute her on behalf of Mogg): It is very humbling to close this debate. I have the whole House for what she has done. worked out that there is over 540 years of experience in the Members who are standing down and if you place I have a compliment for my right hon. Friend the that end to end, I think that gets us back to the middle Member for Putney (Justine Greening) from one of of the reign of the first Queen Elizabeth. It is an my civil servants which, if I may, I will read out: extraordinary degree of experience and political “She has always taken the House very seriously and as a contribution. Mr Speaker, this is my first opportunity Minister, she impressed upon her Department the need to think to congratulate you as you take the Chair. I think of all constantly about Parliament, to make a case to Parliament and to the work, and all the restoration and renewal, that you convince Members across the House that the Department was doing the right thing.” are going to do, both to the buildings and to our culture, which I think we are all looking forward to. I think that that is a noble tribute and it has not come Like the right hon. Lady, at the end of a Session I from me; it is not a political tribute but is from the civil thank, on behalf of all Members, the staff of the servants with whom she worked. I so agree with her in House, the members’staff, security staff, the Doorkeepers, her efforts to make social mobility a reality. That is the civil servants and all those who keep the show on something we should all want to do, and I am glad she the road and are always here when we need them. is going to continue to work on that. Gratitude to the staff came through in all the speeches The hon. Member for West Bromwich West (Mr Bailey) that were made, including that of my right hon Friend first contested a seat at the age of 24, which is a very the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd), young age at which to contest a seat. He has been a who has hereditary staff taken on from his father. distinguished Member of this House and is still very 745 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 746 passionate about what he believes in, about what he were elected at the same time, even when we have wants to do and about his commitment to Select disagreed, and I love her confidence in Hansard. Hansard Committees, which is of importance to the whole House. is so brilliant. Not only does it make a verbatim report, The right hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman but it improves one’s English. It takes out all the split Lamb) showed in his final few words his amazing infinitives. I have only one disagreement with it, and campaigning zeal. Though we all tease the Liberal that is that it thinks that “Government” is a plural, and Democrats, what we love about the true Liberals is that I think it is a singular. My hon. Friend’s suggestion that they believe in campaigning and they have strong principles Hansard should do even more work got nods and smiles for which they campaign. He has been such a champion from the Hansard representatives, so that will happen. for his constituency; he has been a champion for what it With all its heritage, the hon. Member for City of believes in and what it voted for. Durham (Dr Blackman-Woods) has a wonderful city to My right hon. Friend the Member for North East represent. She called the Library staff the unsung heroes, Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) is, I think, just one of the and we must sing more to the Library staff. There must most gentlemanly, gentle and kindly Members of this be a tune for the parliamentary choir. House. He was enormously helpful to new MPs, and he My hon. Friend the Member for North Devon (Peter probably has the best manners of anybody in this House. Heaton-Jones) is a wonderful champion of local service. My hon. Friend the Member for Bosworth (David He will be missed, and his views on the BBC are noted. Tredinnick) has been such a campaigner for what he Turning to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West chooses to believe in, and the advice he gave us at the Derby (Stephen Twigg), we all remember the Portillo end was brilliant. Seneca is normally only quoted by my moment. I had not realised that it was up there with the right hon Friend the Prime Minister, so it was an moon landings and the release of Nelson Mandela, but ambitious quotation. “Choose enemies carefully,” has a it was very humble of him—there has been humility in touch of steel about it, “Stay out of the bars,” has a so many contributions—to say that that was based on a touch of realism about it and we know, “Never forget poll of readers of The Observer and Channel 4 viewers. your constituency base,” only too well, particularly as the election looms. We hope that we have not forgotten The Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act that in recent years. 2015 that my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy) presented is of great importance, and I My hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Seema so support his campaign for religious freedom and Kennedy) made a brief point of order. It was her first freedom of speech. I hope that his work will be continued point of order and, like all points of order, it was a when he is no longer in the House. bogus point of order, but it was charmingly bogus. We are very sorry to be losing her, but her three splendid The most touching and moving speech of the day was sons are the beneficiaries. from the hon. Member for Erith and Thamesmead The hon. Member for Warrington North (Helen Jones) (Teresa Pearce). I have hardly been more moved by a made the most charming speech and reminded us about speech in this House. On that basis, I know that she will the Tea Room staff, who look after us so extraordinarily be missed. What she said about historical institutional well at all hours. She has the one job in this place that I abuse was really very shocking—what an extraordinary once wanted, which is Chair of the Petitions Committee. thing for her family to have coped with. I was on the Procedure Committee to set it up, and I am I am glad that my right hon. Friend the Member for afraid that I had my eyes on the post and then it became Arundel and South Downs (Nick Herbert) is supporting an Opposition post. When I mentioned to the Whips the PM. I am sorry that he has decided to leave at short that I was keen on it, I think they thought that it had notice. better be an Opposition post, and the hon. Lady has I congratulate the hon. Member for Barrow and run that brilliant and important Committee with great Furness (John Woodcock) on the new baby, and I say to panache. the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Paul Farrelly) The right hon. Member for Broadland (Mr Simpson) that 31 votes is enough. lamented the decline of old Etonians as Members of I briefly want to mention my right hon. Friends the the House of Commons. I do sympathise with that Members for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick McLoughlin) position, and I am glad he made the point. I thought it and for Aylesbury (Sir David Lidington) and, the comedian might have been a little bit too much coming from me, of the House, the hon. Member for Ealing North but coming from him I am allowed, I think, to reinforce (Stephen Pound). What brilliant people we are losing. it. He is a great Tory Member, a great supporter of Tory My right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales Members, and a teacher of Tory Members with his put me through to the candidates list. I would not be fabulous book list, which he regularly sends round. I here without him, so he has that resting upon his hope that he will continue to do so, because his reading conscience, but what a fine and distinguished career he list is always interesting. I would also highlight his work has had. He is one of the true fantastic figures of the for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which House. I clashed with my right hon. Friend the Member is valued by everybody. for Aylesbury over Europe, but he is so courteous and I cannot understand why the hon. Member for Wrexham so well informed and his arms never stop moving, which (Ian C. Lucas) is retiring. He made a political commentary is fantastic. I will finish with our comedian: what will of importance, and I think he should stand at the next we do without him? election and bring those points back to the House. I urge him to change his mind. Question put and agreed to. My hon. Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth Resolved, (Sarah Newton) is the kindest lady in the House of That this House has considered matters to be raised before the Commons. She has been a friend towards me since we forthcoming Dissolution. 747 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Valedictory Debate 748

Mr Speaker: Before we come to the petitions, I would The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons just like to say that I am losing many friends in this urges Bovis Homes to complete works by the end of this year. House who are stepping down. I say to Members on all And the petitioners remain, etc. sides that you have been great parliamentarians. I will [P002541] not name you all—that is for others to do—but I thank you for the privilege of working with you. I wish you Frigate named HMS Cornwall well for the future. My door is open if you ever need to come back. Please keep in touch. Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth) (Con): There is hardly a family in my constituency that is not proudly associated with the Navy or the merchant navy. The PETITIONS Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships are based and maintained in Falmouth, along with the ocean survey vessel HMS Scott. Human Rights in Kashmir I am delighted that one of the new batch 2 river-class offshore patrol vessels has been named HMS Tamar 7.1 pm and will be attached to the port of Truro. All five of Holly Lynch (Halifax) (Lab): It is a pleasure to see these new offshore patrol vessels will be maintained by you in your place, Mr Speaker. A&P. Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Cornwall after the Duchy of Cornwall. The first I started a petition earlier this year on the situation was launched in 1692 and broken up in 1761, and the in Indian-administered Kashmir. The situation has last was launched in 1985 and decommissioned in 2011. deteriorated further since the petition’s wording was Commanders and crew of all the HMS Cornwalls served agreed, and it is with great urgency that I present the with distinction, and I want to enable a new generation petition to the House on this, the last sitting day of the of Cornish people the opportunity to serve and support Parliament. the Royal Navy. The petition has been signed by 1,608 people, in The petition states: addition to the 250 people who signed it online. The petition of residents of Truro & Falmouth, The petition states: Declares that one of the new Type 31e General Purpose Frigates The petition of residents of the UK, should be named HMS Cornwall. Declares that the security situation in Kashmir remains The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons unacceptable with continued human rights violations; further urges the Government to ensure this is done. that recent events, particularly around the Indian General Election, And the petitioners remain, etc. have seen an increase in violence and deaths in the region. [P002542] The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to put further pressure on the Indian Climate Change Government to resolve the long running dispute; and further to commit to working with both parties to encourage dialogue to deliver a resolution to the status of the region; and further to Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op): I am support development in the region; and further to support calls delighted that you are in your rightful place, Mr Speaker. for self-determination for the Kashmiri people by empowering The residents of York, who have sent me to this place, those who live in Kashmir to determine their own future through are deeply disturbed about the environment and climate the ballot box. crisis, the loss of species and habitats and the impact And the petitioners remain, etc. that has on our biodiversity and human race, whether [P002540] flood or famine, drought or conflict, poverty or migration. I support their call for a climate emergency Bill. There is Outstanding work to Loachbrook Estate no planet B—we must care for the one we have. The petition states: Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): I rise to present a petition from residents of the Loachbrook estate in The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons Somerford, Congleton. It asks for the completion of urges the Government to introduce a Climate Emergency Bill to set out in detail as to how the United Kingdom will play its full outstanding works to this estate by the developer, Bovis roll nationally and globally to meet its commitments made in Homes, and is supported by more than 100 residents, Paris in 2016, and to ensure it overhauls its consumption of all representing well over a third of households on the estate. resources to end the climate and environmental crisis and build a I recently visited the Loachbrook estate to see these sustainable world. outstanding works and therefore fully support my And the petitioners remain, etc. constituents. Residents have been pressing for their Following is the full text of the petition: completion for some time and are concerned that some [The petition of residents of York, may be dangerous, particularly to children. Declares that the Government must now prioritise the This is not the only estate in my constituency where climate and environmental emergency since there is no works have been left incomplete for too long after time to waste as each day global warming is causing residents have bought new homes. This is unacceptable irreversible ecological degradation, which is having untold and I hope the petition serves to highlight local concerns damage on our biodiversity, on the survival of species about this issue more widely. losing their habitats and the human race, now facing The petition states: floods and famine, conflict and migration as a result or The petition of residents of Congleton, climate of climate change; further that if we do not act Declares that the Petitioners call for the completion of outstanding now to cut our consumption, to clear up our air pollution, landscaping, drainage, fencing, footpath and clearance works to to use renewable energy, to cut plastics and to transform the Loachbrook Estate. our transport system, it will be too late. 749 Valedictory Debate 5 NOVEMBER 2019 750

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Commons urges the Government to introduce a Climate (Suffolk) Emergency Bill to set out in detail as to how the United Kingdom will play its full roll nationally and globally to Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House meet its commitments made in Paris in 2016, and to do now adjourn.—(Leo Docherty.) ensure it overhauls its consumption of all resources to end the climate and environmental crisis and build a sustainable 7.10 pm world. Sandy Martin (Ipswich) (Lab): May I, Mr Speaker, And the petitioners remain, etc. add my congratulations to those already given in respect [P002543] of your elevation, both metaphorically and physically, to the speakership? Dispute in Kashmir Suffolk has a greater than average number of special educational needs and disability assessment cases going Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) (Lab/Co-op): Mr Speaker, to tribunal; poor communication between providers I rise for what is probably the last time for some time, and with parents; a lack of specialist placements; an for a number of reasons, to speak on behalf of my inadequate resource in the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS constituents about a matter of grave concern to them. Foundation Trust, which is supposed to provide mental We had thought we might have a bit longer to gather health services; insufficient respite services; a growing signatures, but the calling of a general election and my gap between the provision described in education, health impending maternity leave have put paid to that. However, and care plans and what is actually provided; an acute we are community that has long been concerned about shortage of autistic spectrum disorder provision; and the situation in Kashmir. an overall lack of staff and funding to address these The petition states: issues, either in mainstream education or in specialist The petition of residents of Walthamstow, provision. Declares that the dispute in Kashmir should be resolved peacefully. Since the revisit from Ofsted in January this year, and The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons its report in February, little seems to have been done to urge the UK Government to use its international standing to hold Suffolk to any action plan that might deal with the encourage India to engage in a comprehensive and sustained failings identified. There has been no increase in monitoring dialogue process with its neighbour Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir since the failed revisit and no appreciable changes in dispute, and urge the international community to play its role in senior management. Mental health services—or the lack securing a just and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in of them—continue to cause distress to young people accordance with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. and their parents,and young people are harming themselves or falling into greater mental health need while they And the petitioners remain, etc. wait for support that does not come. [P002545] Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): First, may I, too, publicly congratulate you, Mr Speaker, on your election as the Speaker of the House? It was a great pleasure to watch that. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that this issue is critical, not only for him and his constituents but for me and mine, and the Minister has responsibility for it. The time allocated for direct contact time with educational psychologists is just 15 hours a year for pupils at one primary in Northern Ireland. For children dealing with anxiety and other social issues, that is simply not enough. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the provision of support and early intervention in respect of social anxiety issues can positively impact lifelong mental health, and reduce the need for further intervention in high schools at a greater cost? In other words: do it now, do it early.

Sandy Martin: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely correct; he has put his finger right on the main point. Two days ago, in response to the news that I had secured this debate, I received an email from a distressed parent. She says: “My son has been out of school for 3 years in December. He was signed off by our consultant paediatrician as medically unfit for mainstream school. He has an Education & Health Care Plan. He has all the paperwork to state he has autism with a pathological demand avoidance profile but he cannot sit through the formal assessment as it runs for too long and he finds it too difficult to cope in the situation. I have contacted the local authority so many times with regard to providing my son with an education; I have put in formal complaints and yet he still has no education. 751 Special Educational Needs and 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Special Educational Needs and 752 Disabilities (Suffolk) Disabilities (Suffolk) [Sandy Martin] For children on the autistic spectrum, the situation is dire. It can often take years to get a diagnosis. Child and I applied to the tribunal last December as the Local Authority adolescent mental health services often tell parents that insisted in his Education Health Care Plan that mainstream they need to get an initial assessment from the school schooling was suitable for him, but they simultaneously refused to first, but in most cases the school has nobody on the name a school he could go to. staff who is qualified to make such an assessment and The tribunal have made numerous orders ordering the Local will pass the buck back to CAMHS. In some cases, such Authority to name a school for my son but these have all been as the one I mentioned at the start, the child will never ignored. be in the school to be assessed, because one of the We went to the tribunal last Tuesday, 29th October, at which defining characteristics of many mental disabilities is the Judge told the Local Authority that they need to name a school on his education and health care plan and that the tribunal the refusal to submit to stressful situations. had to be adjourned until 13th December because of this, adding Even once a child is properly assessed and their needs more of a delay to my son getting an education. He is now are understood, there is nothing like the necessary 12 years old. range of provision for those needs in Suffolk, and in My son is still without an education and we are in limbo. particular, in my constituency of Ipswich. I am not a My son deserves the correct education but he has been thoroughly supporter of free schools as a model for educational let down by the education system. The strain of fighting the delivery, but I still supported a free school for children system tires you out but you still have to keep going. It should not on the autistic spectrum simply because there is a crying be like this—every child has the right to an education. We keep need for that provision and there does not seem to be being told that it is not the label that counts, but the child’s needs. Well we know our son needs an education but we cannot access any other way of obtaining it. Such a school has still any support for him to get that education because he doesn’t seem not been built. to have the right label.” It is not just a problem for children with mental I had already secured this debate when that message disabilities. There are 637 deaf children in Suffolk. Far was sent to me. The reason why I applied for the debate too many of them are not receiving an adequate education. was that parent after parent has written to me, emailed Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission carried out a me, met with me at my surgeries, and invited me to visit local area SEND inspection in 2016 and found significant their child’s school or visit the school that their child failings. The revisit in January of this year found that, in would be going to if they had enough support in place, this area of provision, there was still not sufficient or the school that would be ideal for the child, but which progress. It is not surprising that little progress has been has no more capacity. made for deaf children. The numbers of trained teachers of the deaf in Suffolk have fallen by 8% in the past six James Cartlidge (South Suffolk) (Con): I congratulate years. The county is now trying to change the way that the hon. Gentleman on securing this debate, but before social care support is provided for deaf children, but it I make my point, may I congratulate you, Mr Speaker, is not involving the families in the design of the new for the first time on your appointment? I think you will provision. “Nothing about us without us” is not just a be a brilliant arbiter in this Chamber. woke slogan—if we do not include service providers in To the hon. Gentleman, who is also my neighbour, the redesign of a service, we will not be able to understand may I just say that I, too, have cases in my constituency the problems and frustrations that have led to the need that are very challenging? Does he accept that underneath to redesign the service in the first place. The problem is all of this is resource, that it is the long-term funding not just confined to children who are profoundly deaf. formula that has caused us to receive such a small There is very little provision for speech and language allocation, and that by fixing that we actually have at therapy in schools in Ipswich, and the few schools that least a chance to see significant increases in SEND were able to provide it in the past have had to think very funding in Suffolk? carefully about whether they can continue to do so because of the inadequacy of the funding regime. Sandy Martin: I thank the hon. Gentleman and agree In many cases, parents are being forced to seek private that underlying all of this is a lack of resource, but I provision because they cannot obtain anything through think the problem is not the formula, but the overall the educational system or the NHS. Both our educational lack of resource. system and our NHS were founded on the principle that I have met parents whose child had been placed in education and health should not just be the preserve of another county hundreds of miles away. I have met the rich. It is, quite frankly, appalling that whether a parents whose child is taken to school every day, but child gets the support that they need to lead a satisfying then regularly leaves the premises without any sort of and productive life can depend on whether their parents supervision to prevent them from leaving. I have met have sufficient resources to buy them the help that they parents who desperately want their child to receive need. some specialist support, but who believe that he or she The Ofsted report from February this year is not is just left in the corner of a classroom for most periods encouraging. It identifies three areas of serious weakness because the school does not have the resources to that were all previously identified in 2016. The first is provide the extra care required. the poor timeliness, integration and quality of SEND For years, resources for child mental health, school statutory assessments and plans. This includes when health visitors, children’s centres, mainstream schools, statements of special educational needs are transferred county educational services, school transport and family to education, health and care plans, and the delivery of social workers have been more and more tightly rationed, subsequent individual packages of support. The second and the situation for children and young people with is the lack of local understanding of the support available special educational needs and disabilities has suffered and the poor quality of the local offer, including access as a result of all of these cuts. to child and adolescent mental health services support 753 Special Educational Needs and 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Special Educational Needs and 754 Disabilities (Suffolk) Disabilities (Suffolk) across the area. This leads to high levels of parental process of closing many of its children’s centres and complaints and anxiety. In this section of the report, converting the rest to hubs, which will supposedly cater Ofsted particularly points out the long waiting times for for young people aged nought to 19, although what a assessments for autism spectrum disorder and attention newborn baby has in common with a 19-year-old is deficit hyperactivity disorder, and states that current somewhat beyond me—unless, of course, the 19-year-old pathways do not support best practice in line with is the parent. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Whenever hon. Members raise the issue of systemic The third area of weakness is the lack of joint working difficulties in various services, it is normal for the Minister to monitor, quality assure and maximise the effectiveness or Secretary of State to explain patiently that everything of the work undertaken to improve outcomes for children is now improving and the picture is based on past errors in a diverse range of settings and circumstances. In all that are now being rectified. I do not believe that in the three cases, Ofsted says leaders have not made sufficient case of SEND provision in Suffolk. I believe that there progress to address the serious weaknesses. are profound problems in the way in which the county Underfunded schools, a failing mental health service approaches the issue, and that there is an underlying in Suffolk and a lack of adequate leadership have all belief at Suffolk County Council and in other related come together to produce wholly inadequate SEND services such as CAMHS that, somehow or other, the provision in Ipswich. This is not just about the provision affected parents are just making things up and the of nice-to-have services. It is about us failing people and problems will eventually just go away. I do not know leaving them with ruined lives. what the answers are, but I do know that SEND provision Let me describe some of the situations in which in Suffolk is failing children and their parents in Ipswich, young people in my constituency have found themselves. and that doing nothing is not an answer. One student was transferred from a statement of special educational needs to an education, health and care 7.24 pm plan. The plan is supposed to give access to medical and The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education social care services as well as appropriate education, yet (Michelle Donelan): Congratulations on your new position, the entire preparation work for the plan fell to teachers Mr Speaker. I also congratulate the hon. Member for who did not have the qualifications, time or support to Ipswich (Sandy Martin) on securing this important debate. provide such a plan. This is one of the areas that have Supporting children and young people with special been assessed as failing by Ofsted. educational needs and disabilities is one of my key There is also a student in my constituency who has priorities, so let me begin by stressing that I know and profound difficulties, and would respond well to music recognise that some families and teachers are unhappy, and other arts stimuli, but who is being taught to and both I and the Department are committed to recognise coins, even though there is no likelihood they listening to them. While I am pleased that we have been will ever be able to shop for themselves. Another student able to secure an additional £780 million in high-needs built up a good rapport with a midday supervisor in funding for next year, we do realise that this is about the school, but then lost that personal support when the much more than just money. I want to ensure that midday supervision service was outsourced and the children and young people with SEND have the best staff were forced to spend time logging their activities chance in life and that the system supports them to do on paper to ensure that they were fulfilling the contract, this. That is why we have recently launched the SEND instead of interacting with the children. review, which will look at how the system has evolved Mainstream schools do not have the resources to deal since 2014 and how it can be made better for all families. with the issue. Teachers are already near breaking point, About 1.3 million children have special educational and some are leaving the profession as a result. Analysis needs. In Suffolk alone, 4,735 children and young people by the school cuts coalition shows that 94% of schools have education, health and care plans, and a further in Ipswich still have less income per pupil in real terms 11,369 are in receipt of SEND support for Suffolk than in 2015—£290 per pupil less. The results-driven schools. The Government are clear that our ambition competition between schools leads to decisions that for these children is exactly the same as it is for all particularly hit SEND pupils. The local authority does children: we want them to reach their full potential in not have the resources to deal with the issue. The school and college and to find employment and lead invaluable county educational advisory service, which happy and fulfilled lives. I have seen this happening in used to be one of the jewels in Suffolk’s crown and led my own constituency. The 2018 Ofsted-CQC SEND to the county reaching the top quartile for educational inspection report for Wiltshire said: provision between 2000 and 2005, has all but disappeared. “Young people are increasingly well supported as they move The county no longer has sufficient powers to properly into adult life.” control admissions,exclusions,recruitment or the allocation In 2014, we introduced major reforms of the SEND of funds within schools. The Ofsted report repeatedly system to improve and streamline the support provided blames “local area services” or “local leaders”, but it to children and young people with SEND, and to put cannot pinpoint blame because, in reality, nobody is in their needs, and those of their families, at the heart of charge anymore. the SEND system. Local authorities,clinical commissioning There are things that the county could do, but groups and education, health and care providers have unfortunately it is doing the opposite. Improved children’s all been working hard to implement the reforms, and we centres would go a long way to helping in early diagnosis recently heard from the Education Committee that they of childhood problems and, in many cases, in preventing remain “the right ones”. But it is important to note that those problems from becoming embedded. As identified most parents think that they get a lot of support through in the Local Government Association report on the parent carer forums, which are providing a crucial voice subject in January, Suffolk County Council is in the in local SEND decision making. 755 Special Educational Needs and 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Special Educational Needs and 756 Disabilities (Suffolk) Disabilities (Suffolk) [Michelle Donelan] I recognise that there have been problems in Suffolk, but I want to reassure the hon. Member for Ipswich The Ofsted and CQC inspections of SEND services that, despite what he said, we are monitoring progress will see all local areas in England inspected by 2021, closely. This remains a key priority for our Department. and they have identified a range of strengths in the way We will hold a formal progress review meeting later this that local areas are delivering the reforms. The reforms month, to which stakeholders and parents will be invited. made it clear that SEND decision making must be Despite what he said, Ofsted and the CQC highlighted informed by, and co-produced with, children, young several improvements since the original inspection, people and parents, and we have played our part in particularly in the area of governance and leadership, securing that. Wehave invested heavily in the development from which one would expect the rest to follow. of parent carer forums in every local authority, and Improvements were also found in access to speech and forums have received £2.3 million in grant funding each language therapy; positive work by outreach and inclusion year since the reforms were introduced. Every local services; activity to reduce exclusions; and the active authority has in place an information, advice and support role and contribution of the Suffolk parent carer forum service that provides impartial, free advice for families. in shaping the development of services. We know from SEND inspections that in most local Many areas are facing pressure on their high needs areas families really value that advice and support. budgets, which the hon. Gentleman stressed. That is We know that most children with SEND are educated why we recently announced £780 million in additional within mainstream schools and colleges, and we have high needs funding for next year, which is an increase of committed to maintaining and developing still further 12% compared with this year, bringing the total amount an inclusive mainstream system. This really can work, for supporting those in need to £7.2 billion. Every local as I have seen in my own constituency, where Abbeyfield authority will see an increase in high needs funding of School’s latest inspection showed that the experiences at least 8% per head of population aged two to 18, with of their children are proving effective for all. So to some seeing gains of up to 17% per head. In Suffolk, the support inclusion, my Department has awarded a two-year provisional high needs funding allocation for 2020-21 is contract to the National Association of Special Educational £75 million—a 17% per head increase, and a staggering Needs and University College London, on behalf of amount, which I am sure the hon. Gentleman will the Whole School SEND consortium, to help to embed welcome. In May 2019, we launched a call for evidence SEND in school improvement and equip the workforce on financial arrangements for SEND and alternative to deliver high-quality teaching across all areas of SEND. provision. We are currently considering the responses and will look at the high needs formula in due course, to As I said, I know and appreciate that there are consider whether any changes are needed. concerns, particularly from parents, about the way that the reforms have been delivered across the country. Creating the right number of school places in the While strengths have been reported in every local area, right settings is a challenge. That is why I am pleased SEND inspections have also identified weaknesses in that Suffolk County Council is developing more than many local services. This does include Suffolk, whose 800 new specialist education places between 2020 and inspection report was published in January 2017, as 2025. That will include the establishment of three new alluded to by the hon. Gentleman. That report identified specialist schools, up to 36 specialist units attached to issues with SEND leadership and governance,the timeliness mainstream schools and an in-county specialist setting and integration of needs assessment systems, and the for children with the most complex needs. As part of poor quality of the local offer. Nobody, for one minute, the capital programme,Suffolk will open a social, emotional is denying or underestimating the importance of those and mental health school in Bury St Edmunds, which I grave concerns. Where there have been concerns, we know my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St Edmunds have worked with partners, including NHS England. (Jo Churchill) was instrumental in ensuring. It is expected Support and challenge are offered to all areas required that those schools will open across the next two to three to produce an action plan through regular advice and years. Alongside Suffolk’s capital programme, through monitoring from the Department for Education and the DFE scheme, it is opening two special free schools NHS England advisers and through access to funded in Ipswich. training opportunities and resources. Thehon.Gentlemanhasraisedsomeimportantconcerns today, and I once again thank him for securing the debate. The Government have invested heavily in reforms James Cartlidge: My hon. Friend is right to be open of the system for SEND support, and local areas are all and clear about the challenges that we face in Suffolk, working hard to ensure that they are a great success. but does she agree that it partly reflects the long-standing However, we know there is further to go, and we remain impact of the funding formula, which has given our determined to tackle the issues that exist. That is one of county a very low share of overall funding? Can she the reasons why we announced the SEND review. The assure me that we will not only provide extra funding review will consider how the system can provide the next year but back SEND children in Suffolk in the highest quality of support to enable children and young years to come? people with SEND to thrive and to prepare for adulthood, including employment. It will ensure that quality of Michelle Donelan: I thank my hon. Friend, who has provision is the same across the country and that there is been an assiduous campaigner on this issue, as well as joined-up thinking across health, care and education others. Of course it is important that we get the right services. Finally, it will ensure that public money is spent resources and funding into areas, including Suffolk, so in an efficient and effective way to deliver for all children. that they have the tools and ability to ensure that SEND Mr Speaker, I am delighted to have the final word of children have the same opportunities, choices and chances this Parliament on my passion for education, which I in life. have always said has the ability to transform lives for all 757 Special Educational Needs and 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Special Educational Needs and 758 Disabilities (Suffolk) Disabilities (Suffolk) children, including those with special educational needs. Question put and agreed to. I must stress that I am committed to work relentlessly with my colleagues across the Government to ensure that the system delivers for all children—those in Suffolk 7.35 pm and those up and down the country. House adjourned.

229WH 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 230WH

David Hanson: I am very grateful to my hon. Friend Westminster Hall for raising that issue. I had not intended to refer to it in this debate, but self-evidently, in a big shopping area such as the Trafford Centre, policing and security for Tuesday 5 November 2019 shoppers, particularly in the run-up to Christmas, is a critical issue, and my hon. Friend is right to raise it today. [MR CLIVE BETTS in the Chair] As I said, £700 million has been lost because of customer theft alone, and that represents a 31% rise. Retail Crime Prevention Some £163 million has been lost via fraud and £15 million via robbery. That is the very hard end of retail crime whereby people walk into shops with shotguns and 9.30 am knives and engage in physical violence—attack shop David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): I beg to move, staff—but also threaten and take valuable resource That this House has considered prevention of retail crime. from shopping. A further £3.4 million has been lost via criminal damage, which can involve people vandalising Welcome to the Chair, Mr Betts, for the final day of shops both in the evenings and during the daytime. activity in this Parliament. I wanted to raise the issue of That is a staggering amount of resource. retail crime today because it is still an important one that the House needs to consider. I shall discuss a The Association of Convenience Stores,which represents number of matters that I hope will give the Minister 22,000 small shops, estimates that there is a £246 million food for thought but also provoke responses on some of cost to its sector from retail crime. That is £5,300 per the key issues that hon. Members collectively have store. Interestingly, there is in effect a 7p crime tax on raised in the House during the past couple of years. the cost of an average shop in a convenience store. The cost is being passed on to the consumer—the customer. I am raising retail crime because it is an important issue—indeed, a key issue—and sadly is often overlooked. My purpose today is to look at three issues. The first The British Retail Consortium, one of the major is progress on the consultation that we secured from the organisations representing retailers, estimates that the Home Office earlier this year to look at shop theft cost of spending by retailers on crime prevention and of generally and at serious crime. Self-evidently, we are in losses to the industry as a result of crime is a staggering an election period, but, if re-elected, as a Back Bencher £1.9 billion each year. That £1.9 billion cost is passed on I will continue to raise this issue, whoever is in government to us as consumers and is having a major impact on the after 12 December, because it is important. ability of retailers, at a challenging time on high streets, Let me start with the very important point that my to make a profit and ensure that they have a profitable hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Nick Thomas- and valued business. Symonds) mentioned—attacks on shop staff. Today Let us consider crime as a whole. More than £700 million and every day, 115 retail staff will be attacked in their has been lost through shoplifting—customer theft—an workplace while protecting the shopping offer on their issue to which I shall return. That represents a 31% rise retail premises, upholding the legislation that we in this in shoplifting on the previous year. House have passed—on solvents, knives, alcohol and tobacco—and preventing shoplifting in their stores. As Nick Thomas-Symonds (Torfaen) (Lab): I congratulate my hon. Friend suggested, that is a traumatic event for my right hon. Friend both on securing this debate and members of staff. It puts pressure on their mental and on all his campaigning on this issue. He is rightly physical health. It is not acceptable that 115 colleagues highlighting the economic cost of retail crime. Does he are attacked each day, particularly given that knives, for agree that there is also a human cost to retail crime and example, are increasingly a significant weapon on the that we must do all we can to protect those who work in streets. The industry itself is doing all it can to protect shops from threats of physical violence? its staff in their workplaces by spending about £1 billion on crime prevention measures, but we are still in a David Hanson: My hon. Friend makes a valuable position whereby we need to look at what measures we point. I am starting with the financial cost of crime, but can put in place to support the staff who are upholding I will come in a moment to the key issue, of which the the legislation that we have passed in this House. Minister will be aware, of the consultation regarding attacks on shop staff. John Howell (Henley) (Con): The right hon. Gentleman talks about crime prevention measures. Does he not see Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab): I congratulate that there is a difference between the large shops—the my right hon. Friend on securing the debate. I draw the Sainsbury’s and so on of this world—and the smaller House’s attention to my membership of and support shops, the small businesses, which have great difficulty from both the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied in coping with the costs of retail crime? Do we not need Workers and the GMB, which represent shop workers a differentiated approach for the two? in my constituency. My right hon. Friend and my hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Nick Thomas-Symonds) David Hanson: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. have mentioned attacks on shop workers. In the Trafford Everybody who runs a shop wants their staff to be Centre in my constituency, there have also been physical protected. Large multinational retailers such as Tesco, attacks on shoppers—gangs were threatening them with the Co-op, Sainsbury’s and Asda are caring for their knives. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is not staff, but everybody who runs a shop, be it a corner just protection of shop workers that is a crucial factor shop, a one-person shop, or another kind of small shop, in this debate, but the wider protection of the public? wants their staff to be protected at work. That is particularly 231WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 232WH

[David Hanson] In June, 50 senior retail figures, chief executives of the UK’s most recognisable retailers, the general secretary important when those staff are upholding the legislation of USDAW, the chief executive of the Charity Retail that we have passed. When they are threatened by Association and the chief executive of the British Retail people who want to buy alcohol late at night or early in Consortium all signed a letter calling for legislation in the morning, when they are threatened for refusing response to the Government consultation. Can we hear cigarette, solvent or knife sales and when they are about the consultation and the potential legislation, and threatened for taking action to try to stop shoplifters, it about what the Government intend to do, so that we can is imperative that we, as the society as a whole, look at make a judgment about that? Whoever wins this election— what measures we can put in place to help support that is for the British people—we need to know what them. measures are in place to take this issue forward. The Co-op Group recently produced a report entitled I met with the Charity Retail Association—not just “‘It’s not part of the job’: Violence and verbal abuse retail shops as a whole—which wrote to me on 5 June: towards shop workers”. It shows clearly that violence “We look forward to joining your list of…organisations in against shop staff has long-term consequences for them your fight for better protection for shop workers from violence or and their communities. I know the Minister will know abuse.” that this is a key issue, but it is one that we need to raise, I wrote to the Minister earlier this year on the consultation recognise, and highlight, and we need to give a commitment that he is now considering. He responded on 3 September: to those staff on the ground to ensure that they are “Early analysis suggests that, as you highlight in your letter, protected as a whole. the vast majority of respondents believe that violence and abuse USDAW, which, like my hon. Friend the Member for toward shop staff has increased in recent years and that many Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green), I am proud to be respondents are unaware of the measures and tools available to a member of—I declare my entry in the Register of tackle it and provide support for victims.” Members’Financial Interests—runs annually the Freedom My challenge to the Minister is this. Given that those from Fear campaign, and in the run-up to Christmas it respondents believe violence and abuse has gone up, will again run the Respect for Shopworkers campaign. and they want to see action from the Government, what Of the 6,725 shop workers surveyed by USDAW in the will the Government do? past year, 64% faced verbal abuse at work, 40% were threatened by a customer, and 280, on average, were Ruth George (High Peak) (Lab): I thank my right assaulted every day. That is not acceptable. hon. Friend for securing such an excellent debate. Having I pay tribute to the Under-Secretary of State for the worked for USDAW for nearly 20 years, I have spoken Home Department, the hon. Member for Louth and to thousands of shop workers who have suffered abuse. Horncastle (Victoria Atkins), who previously dealt with They often felt that their employer was not doing enough this issue. Weraised it during proceedings on the Offensive to be on the side of their staff who were facing abuse. Weapons Act 2019. We tabled amendments and called That has happened over decades. Does he agree that the for action in the form of a review of attacks on shop Government should take a lead on this and make it staff. The then Minister agreed to that review during a clear that it is never right to abuse or threaten staff on roundtable meeting with the Co-op, USDAW and other the frontline? trade unions,the British Retail Consortium, the Association of Convenience Stores and the National Federation of David Hanson: I absolutely agree, and I pay tribute to Retail Newsagents. That review has been undertaken; it my hon. Friend’s efforts in this area. It is right that the has taken evidence. There have been an awful lot of Government should do that. I am looking to the Minister consultation responses. The previous Minister promised to show political leadership on this. For example, 98% to respond to that evidence in the course of November. of the current police and crime commissioners’ policing It is now November, so I wanted to put that on the plans make no reference to shop theft, 63% make no record and get some feedback from the current Minister reference to business crime, 72% make no reference to as to where we are with that action. We are in a prolific offending and 79% make no reference to addiction, politically divisive time, but I hope the Minister and his drug treatment or drug recovery, which are key to team see this as an important issue on which we can preventing shop theft. What pressure will the Minister have cross-party co-operation. If he can tell us what he put on police and crime commissioners for their actions? intends to do, if the Government are re-elected, that The Minister will probably have received a letter would be welcome. I know what I would like to do if today, dated 1 November, from James Lowman, chief Labour is elected as the next Government—we would executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, take action—but it is important that we discuss these supporting the broad thrust of this debate and the issues today. consultation, and asking for legislation. The key point from Mr Lowman’s letter that I want to put on the Kate Green: Does my right hon. Friend agree that it record is this.Since the Government’sconsultation began— would be helpful to understand, should the Minister’s back through the autumn, summer and spring, to when party be returned to government, what its view is on the it was launched—200,000 assaults have taken place on use of facial recognition technology, which has been people working in the retail and wholesale sector, in tried in the Trafford Centre, but is controversial? It has their place of work, because of the issues that we have the potential to address crime, but we need to know mentioned around shoplifting and shop theft, and the what protections would be in place for personal privacy. lack of prevention of those activities. Mr Lowman makes the valid point that his organisation David Hanson: My hon. Friend has put an important represents 33,500 shops, including the Co-op, BP petrol issue on the table for the Minister to respond to. stations, Spar, Nisa and Londis—a whole range of 233WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 234WH shops. They are united in their wish for a Government my hon. Friends the Members for Swansea East and for to take action on this issue and introduce legislation on Sheffield, Heeley (Louise Haigh) and my right hon. shop theft and attacks on shop staff. I hope the Minister Friend the Member for Hackney North and Stoke will give some indication on that in due course. Newington (Ms Abbott) will put in place measures to I also want to raise the issue of shoplifting as a whole. improve policing and legislation to protect shop staff, In the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act and to reduce retail crime, which impacts badly across 2014, the definition of shop theft was revisited. At the our community and remains a hidden crime. time, I was the shadow Police Minister. I objected to I have mentioned the policing plan and the policing that change and we pressed the matter to a Division. response. I make no criticism of the police for being “Stolen goods from shops” was defined as goods worth unable to respond at the same level as in the past, £200 or less, which meant that such cases would therefore because when there are 21,000 fewer police officers than not necessarily go to court. That has had a dramatic there were 10 years ago, that puts pressure on the police. impact on shop theft. Someone could walk into a The Government have said they will introduce 20,000 new supermarket today and steal £199-worth of goods and police officers. I would like to know from the Minister potentially not face court, but instead face an out-of-court how many police officers have been recruited since that disposal. I happen to think that it is important that pledge was made. What is his plan for when those people go to court and face the consequences of their 20,000 will be recruited? Why is he still putting forward crime. We need to review the threshold. proposals to have fewer police officers than when I held I hope that my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea his job 10 years ago? What priority will he put on East (Carolyn Harris) and her colleagues will be in the ensuring that police forces tackle retail crime, supported Minister’s position shortly. After this election, whoever by legislation? These are key issues in any forthcoming the Minister is, they should review the £200 limit on discussion on this subject. shoplifting. It is causing, potentially,increased shoplifting, because people know there are few consequences to Matt Western (Warwick and Leamington) (Lab): I, face, and the police do not follow up on that type of too, commend my right hon. Friend for the immense activity, because of their stretched resources—which is amount of work he has done over the years on this something we might come to. topic. Does he agree that policing is particularly relevant in rural areas, where we are seeing a massive loss in Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab): I am coverage by shops, particularly little independent shops? grateful to my right hon. Friend, who has done so much In my constituency of Warwick and Leamington, we in this area. I agree that reducing shoplifting to the have communities with a single shop—the one shop in status of a parking offence has sent entirely the wrong the village—and they are the ones that are most vulnerable signal. Does he agree that one of the perverse effects to retail crime. has been on the insurance industry? The police will say, “You have insurance.” If a small retailer makes a claim, David Hanson: They are, and as the hon. Member for its insurance goes up and the customer pays more. The Henley (John Howell) said earlier, the additional costs shoplifter is the one person getting away with it, but of CCTV,head cameras, recording equipment or protective everyone else is paying for the crime. measures such as shutters fall disproportionately on smaller shops. When I was doing the Minister’s job, we David Hanson: That is another knock-on consequence had a scheme to support small businesses to prevent of retail crime and emphasises the point I want to make shop theft and other types of theft. I would like to hear to the Minister.This is not an inconsequential or victim-free what he proposes to do, should he be re-elected, on crime. The victims of shop theft and shop retail crime those issues. are the staff on the frontline, who are upholding the law, I want to see the response to the consultation, I want the shop owners and businesses, who take a hit to their to see more police officers on the street, and I want to profits, the customers, who pay more, and the insurance see help and support to raise awareness of the importance companies and other businesses, as my hon. Friend the of tackling this crime. However, much shop theft is also Member for Stretford and Urmston mentioned, which driven by alcohol or drug abuse and mental health face the consequences of those actions. issues. There is a real challenge for the Minister and the Government—again, I compare and contrast previous Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab): I, too, congratulate Governments with the current Government—in supporting my right hon. Friend on his brilliant work over the those who face difficult challenges and whose shoplifting years to support shop workers and the way that he has and shop theft, and maybe even their consequential tried to get the Government to change their approach violence, is linked to a problem that is solvable and that to the law. The wider damage done by crimes against can be dealt with by society as a whole. shop workers affects staff, businesses and, at a time I simply make the point that in 2014, for example, when retail is struggling, communities. Does he agree there were 8,734 drug treatment orders in the community, that, for all those reasons, if this Government are but in 2018 there were only 4,889. The number of drug re-elected, they must act? If the Labour party is elected treatment orders given to serial offenders has almost to Government, we will take the action required. halved in the five years between 2014 and 2019, while alcohol treatment orders have gone down from 5,500 to David Hanson: I am not a Front Bencher. My Front- 3,300. People who needed a criminal justice outcome to Bench days are over by choice. I did the Minister’s job at their criminal activity—a community-based solution of one point. We had 21,000 more police officers, at that a drug or alcohol treatment order—have seen the number stage, who helped to protect victims from crime. I cannot of those orders fall dramatically in that period. That speak for a future Labour Government, but I know that might mean that more people are in prison, which 235WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 236WH

[David Hanson] 9.56 am John Howell (Henley) (Con): It is a pleasure to serve certainly takes them off the streets but does not necessarily under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. rehabilitate them. Nevertheless, it is important that the Minister looks at how we can increase drug and alcohol It is typical of the right hon. Member for Delyn treatment orders and the use of mental health orders (David Hanson) to approach this subject in the way that for people in the community who are undertaking he has; he has stressed the need for cross-party action. I shoplifting because their treatment for alcohol or drugs am not anticipating—unusually—that he and I will be is not being provided to the extent that it was. I know returned here at the general election, but if we are then I that my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East, the would very much like to work with him on sorting out shadow Minister, will look at that. some of the issues that he has raised, and I praise him for securing this debate. Again, in my time as Police Minister—I am going back 10 years—we had a prevention strategy as well as Going shopping should be a pleasure; it should be a policing strategy. The strategy was about trying to full of the excitement of trying to find a bargain or deal with the alcohol and drug problems that were being able to negotiate with a shop owner, and I do not driving offences, in addition to liaising with police in think we should do anything that takes away that pleasure. the community who knew who the prolific and serial Whatever we do should be seen within that context. offenders were locally and taking action accordingly. The point that I made in my intervention earlier is It is quite possible to find someone who is involved in crucial. The measures that we can suggest as the solution 10 shoplifting events a month. Reducing those 10 to one for companies of the size of Tesco or Waitrose will be through a drug treatment order has a massive impact completely different to the measures that we can suggest on the crimewave in a local community. The Minister for smaller businesses. In my constituency, although we needs to explain what the Government’s future plans have a Waitrose and a Tesco, we also have a vast array are. of smaller businesses.In fact, the majority of the businesses in the high streets in both Henley and Thame are small Finally, I want to touch on the issue of serious crime. shops, many of them family-owned, and they are my We have talked about shoplifting, which is serious; we greatest concern in how we tackle this issue. I am not have talked about violence against staff, which is serious. questioning anything that the right hon. Gentleman has Sadly, however, there has also been an upswing in said today, but I am merely pointing out that we need to armed robberies at petrol stations, post offices, shops consider the best approach. and supermarkets. I believe that the National Crime For example, if we consider some of the suggestions Agency should be focusing on this issue, driving down that have been made, such as using CCTV or some of armed robberies, breaking up gangs and working hard the other more developed techniques to control retail to identify perpetrators. crime, we see that they are quite expensive for small and Although I do not have time to go into that issue in medium-sized businesses. I do not think that a strategy detail, I simply put to the Minister three final points. that just takes the whole of the retail sector and applies First, he needs to give us the Government’s response to solutions right across the board is at all appropriate for the consultation. Shop staff, shop businesses and shop smaller companies. organisations are unanimous on the need for legislation We all know, and the right hon. Gentleman made this and a Government response. He should now say what point very acutely, that shoplifting affects the productivity he is going to do, because I am sure that my hon. Friend and competitiveness of smaller shops. A few years ago, the shadow Minister will say that Labour will act if we a study showed that even the smallest amount of shoplifting are in government. Secondly, the Minister needs to can have a major impact on the profitability of these review the £200 shoplifting threshold—as will my hon. shops. The effect is much greater than the percentage Friend, if she holds his post in future—because it is suggests, and that is particularly so in smaller shops having a damaging effect on shoplifting as a whole. where the margins are tighter. That is where we need to Thirdly, we need a review to look at the number and concentrate on tackling this crime. type of organised criminal gang attacks on shops, because I want to highlight several other issues. It could be they are rising, causing fear among staff and damaging said that credit card fraud is a problem just for the our communities as a whole. credit card companies, but it is not; it is also a problem This is an important issue. Today is the last day of for small and medium-sized retailers, and a much more our parliamentary Session, but I wanted to raise this joined-up approach to tackle that is essential. Allied issue because it matters to the people who work in with that is the use of mobile payment technologies. I shops, to the businesses that run those shops and to the know there are huge benefits to mobile payment consumers who spend their money in those shops. And technologies,and I acknowledge that I have taken advantage it should matter to the Minister, as it matters to me and of those benefits in my own shopping, but we have to my hon. Friend, the shadow Minister. take a firm line in mitigating the risks of mobile payment technologies when it comes to the proposed solutions. The points that have been raised about attacks on Several hon. Members rose— staff and shoppers are valid. We must do everything we can to protect those individuals. I have no experience of Mr Clive Betts (in the Chair): Order. Looking at the being attacked while out shopping, and I would like to number of Members who want to speak, I will give a keep it that way. I would like that not only for me, but guideline speech limit of six minutes for each Member. for everyone who goes shopping. As the right hon. If Members exceed that, those at the end of the debate Gentleman pointed out, drug-related cultures have a will get less time. keen impact on this issue, and that ties in with the 237WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 238WH statement he made about attacks on shops to get alcohol violence against shop workers do so at their peril. Fourthly, and cigarettes. The two are often linked, and we need to a clear message needs to be sent by the law. On the one tackle them together to sort them out. hand, there is the nonsense of the £200 limit—my right My final point is that it is despicable that anyone hon. Friend ably advocated for tackling that—but on should target charity shops, which exist for charitable the other,we have a legal framework with three categories purposes, for theft. We should try to do anything we can of crime and culpability and 19 aggravating factors. We to help them. If the right hon. Gentleman wishes to need a specific offence that sends an unmistakeable take forward a cross-party approach to the issue, then I message. am in. I am happy to work with him. He is a colleague My right hon. Friend was also right about the importance of mine on the Justice Committee, so we have worked of preventive measures. My experience is like his: some together enormously on these matters, including some of those involved in shoplifting and violence are themselves of the justice issues he raised in his speech. I thank him vulnerable individuals and everything possible needs to for bringing this debate to the House. be done to deter and deflect them from the path of crime, in particular crime against shop workers. In conclusion, my right hon. Friend was right to 10.2 am make an appeal to Government. There is common Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab): It is a ground that such crime is completely unacceptable, but pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. I it must be tackled with the urgency it requires, including— pay tribute to my right hon. Friend the Member for crucially—resource and more prosecutions. I hope that Delyn (David Hanson), who is a great parliamentarian when the Minister responds, he says, “We get it and we and a great champion of shop workers. Like him, I are determined to act.” declare the support I receive from USDAW and the GMB. 10.7 am The first cost of violence against shop workers is the cost to shoppers. My right hon. Friend was right to Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op): I am refer to the work done by the Association of Convenience grateful to you, Mr Betts, for giving me the opportunity Stores, which suggested that 7p of the cost every time to speak. Like others, I praise my right hon. Friend the anyone shops is a consequence of violence against shop Member for Delyn (David Hanson) for once again workers. bringing the House’s attention to this important issue. The second cost is the human cost of violence against He rightly took time out to praise USDAW, the shop workers. I will tell a story about when I was campaigning union. It is a particularly strong campaigning walking in my right hon. Friend’s giant footsteps as union on this issue, and I acknowledge the financial shadow policing Minister four years ago. I addressed support it gives me. He also rightly praised the work of the USDAW conference as part of its Freedom from the Co-operative Group, which I know well as a member Fear campaign, and alongside me was a shop manager of the Co-operative party. The work of USDAW and who had worked for 15 years in a particular shop. One the Co-op Group has, in very different ways, served to night, a group of youths came in and were very abusive push the issue up the political agenda, and long may towards a black security guard. The manager went over, that continue, given what little action has been taken to managed it and they left. The following night, yet more date. of them came back. When the manager went to the The hon. Member for Henley (John Howell) rightly security guard’s aid, because he was being attacked, he raised the impact of retail crime on small businesses in was himself attacked so violently that he died. Mercifully, our communities. Looking at the small businesses, as he was resuscitated on the spot by the ambulance service. well as the big retail concerns, in my constituency, we What was so heartbreaking was that he told a story can see that Harrow is no longer a manufacturing town. about how he loved playing football with his son and The businesses based in Harrow are predominantly loved going mountain biking. He said, “Jack, I’ll never retail. Many of them work on very small margins, be able to do that again.” He is a fine young man, and which he alluded to, and the significant increase in he is never able to do that again. shoplifting has put some of those businesses at risk. I We see the consequences nationwide, including on will come back to that in a moment. Erdington high street, where there are increasing problems As my right hon. Friend the Member for Delyn set of violence against shop workers and crime and antisocial out, the rise in violence has had a profound impact on behaviour. One of the impacts of that is that I get many of those who work in our shops. They are public people saying to me, “I am reluctant to shop locally servants, as my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, because I fear going down the high street.” That cannot Erdington (Jack Dromey) rightly said, and they deserve be right. the protection of all of us in this place. Retail crime What can we do? My right hon. Friend has focused on impacts not only on the individual shop worker or the need for action. First, shop workers are public business, but on our communities. There is a sense that servants. They are entitled to be treated with dignity and the area is less safe to enjoy and that businesses might respect. Secondly, violence against shop workers needs leave, and the strength of district shopping centres is to be properly and fully recognised in local police plans. deteriorating, which is what drew me to this debate. The statistics read out earlier are shocking, but not During a conversation with a manager, I was staggered entirely surprising if 21,000 police officers have been to hear that, in the 18 months following the announcement taken off the streets. The statistics need to be recognised that the major police station in my constituency would in police plans. Thirdly, we need more prosecutions, be closed, there was a 20% increase in shoplifting. sending an unmistakable message that those who commit According to UKCrimeStats, the number of shoplifting 239WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 240WH

[Gareth Thomas] themselves around and dilute our ability to do things, but the APPG on retail crime has been valuable. I am offences in my constituency since 2011-12 has trebled, close to the Association of Convenience Stores. I have which is a remarkable increase, by any stretch of the met representatives on many occasions, and I am told that imagination. shops in Stroud have lost an estimated £184,816 because My right hon. Friend the Member for Delyn rightly of retail crime. The appeal has to be made to police and raised the issue of violent crime. In my constituency, the crime commissioners, although they cannot deal with number of violent incidents has almost doubled, which the operational stuff. We have a very good police and is hardly surprising given that considerable cuts to crime commissioner in Gloucestershire. Martin Surl Metropolitan police funding have resulted in 30% of has taken up this issue and made it clear that he will be police officers disappearing from the streets of Harrow supportive, but we lack police numbers. Far too often since 2010. We need stronger deterrents against attacks the police either do not turn up at all or they turn up on retail workers. I join my right hon. Friend in urging very late. They are incredibly sympathetic because they the Government to update us on the scale of the responses know what has happened and they know about the to the call for evidence that closed in June. I remain impact on the owners and staff, but they say it is strongly of the view that we need a clear deterrent impossible to do much about it. against violence in shops. I do not understand why a We need to get rid of the de minimis level. We have to specific offence cannot be created. It is staggering that be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime, as the losses resulting from retail crime and the counter-crime was said some years ago. All the issues to do with prevention measures that businesses have to take amount mental health and drug and alcohol abuse are integrated to almost £2 billion. Mothercare is the latest example of into the whole problem, but we cannot allow the crimes a major chain potentially having to go into administration, to carry on, or most of our convenience stores will and that brings home the scale of the impact not only disappear. That would be tragic in a rural area, because on individual members of staff, but on our communities. that store is often the last shop in the village, and such Finally, I have two specific points. An extra £1 million stores serve a community purpose. Can we therefore get from the Metropolitan police budget for Harrow West rid of the £200 de minimis level? If the Minister agrees, would enable a return to the ward-based teams of a I will be happy as I go through the election. sergeant, two police constables and three police community support officers, who could gather intelligence about crime within our area, find out who is committing it, 10.16 am and react more quickly when retail crime takes place. Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): It is a pleasure to Our courts need more resources to handle cases more speak in this debate, Mr Betts. I congratulate the right quickly. Working with police and crime commissioners, hon. Member for Delyn (David Hanson) on securing it. they need to be able to direct efforts to tackle the root There are not many debates in Westminster Hall when causes behind some of the retail crime, including the he and I are not together, and I am very pleased to drug dependency and mental health issues that others participate in this one, so I thank him for securing it. I have mentioned. also thank him for all the hard work he did when he was a Northern Ireland Minister and I was on the council— 10.13 am which was not yesterday. Dr David Drew (Stroud) (Lab/Co-op): It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. I congratulate As I have previously highlighted in this Chamber, my right hon. Friend the Member for Delyn (David although the costs in my constituency are not massive, Hanson) on outlining the major points. retail crime does have massive consequences. Whether someone steals biscuits from the local pound shop or I want to say one thing to the Minister: the £200 de creates and distributes fake money in the lead-up to minimis level is now so counterproductive that it is Christmas, it affects our local businesses. causing as many problems as it solves. I accept that it is not easy to get a prosecution. It has to go through the Over the weekend, a shop in the town centre of police and the Crown Prosecution Service, but the problem Newtownards contacted me about a spate of petty now, as was said earlier—and I have talked to numerous crime involving the theft of alcohol. Such crimes are people—is that I face losing shops. Perhaps £200 does committed by young men who do indeed wave to the not sound much, but a succession of £200 losses causes CCTV camera on the way out. They seem oblivious to difficulties because the same businesses get hit time the possibility of getting caught, although they have after time. I have had instances where people who take changed their tactics slightly and now use young girls to whatever they take wave at the CCTV camera on the go and do the same thing. The shop staff are fearful of way out, and a member of the shop’s staff has to decide stopping them. The ladies who mostly man the counters whether to intervene, with the possibility of violence are reluctant to try to detain someone, for fear of against them, or allow the perpetrator to leave. That is violence. They did not sign up to confront people, but why the £200 de minimis level is wrong. If someone to work in the store and do what they do. The Library steals, they should face the possibility of prosecution, has supplied information. The issue of the £200, which no matter what the shop’scircumstances are.It is particularly the hon. Member for Stroud (Dr Drew) and others have problematic for smaller shops, because they are hit mentioned, needs to be addressed. much more regularly. The bigger shops have the means The businesses on our high streets need every penny to bear down and prosecute in their own right if the they earn. I encourage people to shop locally when police choose not to prosecute. possible. I once saw a sign saying that research shows I want to commend two organisations. The all-party that £10 spent in a local independent shop means that parliamentary group on retail crime has been very up to an additional £50 goes back into the local economy. valuable. There are many all-party groups. They spread That is simply because those shop owners put the 241WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 242WH money we spend back into the local community by not need to go any further. We must play our part in going to local pubs and restaurants and so on, thus tackling high street retail crime, and send the clear circulating the money and allowing the community to message that we support local businesses in spirit, financially thrive. Some of us shop locally to sow into our local and with the full extent of local police, hand in hand economy, so retail crime is a local issue. People abuse together. and steal from their own community and it cannot be tolerated. 10.22 am The Business Crime Partnership launched its business Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab): It crime survey in September. I look forward to reading is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. the responses. I agree with the development manager of I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for the Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland, Delyn (David Hanson) on securing this important debate, Mairaid McMahon, who said: and on all the work that he has done on this issue. I “Crimes against small firms, contrary to what some may think, draw attention to my declaration in the Register of are certainly not ‘victimless’. The average cost of a crime to a Members’ Financial Interests regarding previous support business is almost £3,000…and when additional negative impacts such as reputational damage, lost time and delayed business from the trade union GMB. As we are in the run-up to activity are factored in, it quickly adds up to a significant barrier Christmas—as well as something else that is on the to growth, or in the worst cases a threat to their survival.” horizon—I pay tribute to all those who work in retail, That is certainly what it means for small shops. She not just at this time of year but all year round, for the went on to say: important work that they do. I also pay tribute to police officers and community support officers across the country “Having worked with the Business Crime Partnership we know that tackling these crimes are a priority for the justice system, but for all that they do in the fight against retail crime to we need a stronger evidence base to ensure that resources are keep our communities and shops safe. being targeted effectively. We encourage all businesses to complete As we have heard, retail crime is becoming increasingly the Survey to enable us to capture the true impact of these crimes serious and frequent in today’s society. As my right hon. right across Northern Ireland.” Friend said, the British Retail Consortium’s 2019 retail If the Minister remains in post after the election, perhaps crime survey reported that last year the total cost to he could look at that survey and factor it into the retailers of crime and crime prevention was a staggering process. £1.9 billion, up 12% from the year before. Customer Aodhán Connolly, the director of the Northern Ireland theft was also up 31% on the previous year. A survey of Retail Consortium said: more than 3,000 retail workers by the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, responding to the “For our members the combined cost of spending on crime prevention and losses from crime to the retail industry across the Government’s call to evidence on retail crime earlier UK is substantial and more importantly every day, including this summer, showed that 62% of respondents had been weekends, 115 colleagues are attacked, with many more threatened. subjected to verbal or physical abuse, and 80% believed That is why we are members of the Northern Ireland Business that violence and abuse towards staff have increased in Crime Partnership, to make NI a safer and more competitive recent years. place to do business and that is why we are encouraging retailers and all businesses to fill in this survey.” Many thousands of retail workers are dedicated, longstanding employees who work in stores that are In short, fill in the survey, ensure that the information is important assets to their communities, be they small or there, and work off the back of that evidentially. He large. In many areas, such stores are the only place to went on to say: buy essentials such as milk and bread, to withdraw cash “To fight crime we need to understand how, when and where it or to send and receive post. The services that many is happening and that’s how you can help shape the response to retail workers provide and facilitate are invaluable to business crime.” local communities, and they should not have to deal This is an issue for our local businesses. To keep the with retail crime of any kind, be it verbal abuse, assault high street thriving, businesses must be able to pay their or theft. Nobody deserves to go about their job in fear: bills and wages, and that can happen only if we cut fear of who may come into the store that day and what down on retail crime, working hand in hand with the may happen; fear that they may be fired from a cruel local police force. I was glad to hear that funding will be so-called flexible or zero-hours contract for being the released for more community policing. That means that member of staff on the shop floor when cash or stock officers will be able to arrive quickly at the scenes of was lost through theft; or, worst of all, fear of what crimes, and it sends the message that these small crimes happens if the police are unable to respond to the will not be tolerated and that prosecuting them is a incident. priority. We must do all we can to keep our high streets The Government can and must do more, and commit thriving and our local people in employment. to providing greater protection for retail workers. Constant I am proud that I can honestly say that I have never cuts to police numbers and resources over the past shopped online; I buy only from my local high streets. decade—21,000 police officers lost since 2010—with My wife, of course, will say, “You don’t very often go police officer numbers at their lowest levels since the shopping with me,” but any shopping that I do is 1980s, have stretched our local police beyond measure probably specific. That is usually what men do. Although and forced such immense pressure on them that they I absolutely support our local entrepreneurs with online simply cannot attend to incidents being reported. They presences, my pounds are content on the high street. I cannot always maintain visibility in the community, have a wonderful constituency in Strangford. I do not with a presence in town centres or high streets, to need to expound the values of Strangford: everyone protect and reassure retail workers and to deter potential knows that it is a premier place to go shopping and has criminals from committing an offence in the first place. everything to offer. Members will understand why I do Cuts to our local councils have meant that there is now 243WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 244WH

[Gerald Jones] shopkeepers in my constituency say that they do not do it for the money, but because they love their community, even less funding for them to work with the police and and the community values them as well. other partners to manage antisocial behaviour and reduce Those shopkeepers are on the frontline. More and crime, and there are fewer youth workers, social workers more prolific offenders are targeting small, isolated and education welfare officers to work with people to shops, and more and more of the shopkeepers in my ensure that they never turn to crimes such as shoplifting constituency are having to take on and tackle offenders and vandalism. themselves, which is a position that nobody should be Retail crime is a serious issue across the country. in. Both through my work with USDAW and locally, I According to new national crime statistics, in my have met shopkeepers and shop workers who have been constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 567 incidents traumatised for life by the experiences they have had to of shoplifting were reported over the past year. Tory go through. My hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, cuts to my local police forces, South Wales Police and Erdington (Jack Dromey) described the case of Barry, Gwent Police, have had a devastating impact on the who I know; when he spoke with my hon. Friend at the ability of officers to prevent incidents of retail crime, as USDAWconference,it was an incredibly moving experience. they are already stretched in so many other areas. A The trouble is that our justice system is letting these good number of local schemes are in operation in our people down. It is not just that police numbers are communities to prevent and tackle retail crime, such as decreasing and that the response to incidents is not Shopwatch, but that responsibility should not be solely improving: by the time that I left the union, Barry, who with the communities or retail workers themselves. I have known for many years, had still not seen the The responsibility is on the Government to introduce perpetrators in his case brought to justice. The court legislation for greater legal protection for retail workers, case was delayed again and again, and he was left and to give our local police forces the support that they knowing that those perpetrators were out there committing so desperately need to respond to, and prevent, incidents more offences, and feeling that he was in danger as a of retail crime, and to reverse the appalling record on it. witness. Today’s debate shows much cross-party support for a In my community, we have seen the amount that solution. The Government can and must do more. police can do to tackle prolific offenders reduced. Our Hopefully we will hear some positive news from the local magistrates’ court in Buxton closed in 2015, and Minister about what he plans to do to address this the local police cells have now been closed because there important issue. is not so much need for them now that we do not have a magistrates’ court. That makes it far harder for those 10.27 am police who are still there to deal with offenders. The Ruth George (High Peak) (Lab): I pay tribute to my number of community orders has decreased by a third; right hon. Friend the Member for Delyn (David Hanson) prolific offenders travel across county lines, knowing for introducing this important debate. Even on the last how to evade different police forces and evade justice, day of this Parliament, it is important that both sides of and our police have had to invest enormous amounts of the House look at the position of shop workers in the resources in trying to bring those perpetrators to justice. run-up to Christmas, because crime and violence against As we know, 20,000 police officers have been lost, but them has got worse. I ask the Minister what his party proposes to do about I pay tribute to USDAW,having worked on its Freedom the staff who are so often crucial to bringing successful from Fear campaign for many years, and having been prosecutions. In Derbyshire, not only have we lost just instrumental in setting that up. USDAW surveyed its over 300 police officers, but over 400 support staff. members recently, and found that 80% believe that Those police community support officers, investigating crime and violence against them are getting worse. It officers and detectives are often the ones who do the was bad 20 years ago and, as Members across the work to ensure that criminals are not only caught, but House have described, we are now seeing more incidents successfully prosecuted. Without those support staff, of violence and threatening behaviour with weapons. that work is very difficult and ties the hands of police That is not good enough for shop workers, who provide officers. I pay tribute to the Derbyshire police and crime a valuable service—whether on our high streets, which commissioner; this year, through additional council tax, desperately need our support, or in community shops we had the funding to hire another 120 officers and on the edges of towns or in villages. staff. We got 58 additional police officers from that, but I am chair of the all-party parliamentary small shops also 62 support staff including PCSOs, investigating group. We hear from people across the country about officers and detectives. That is making a real difference the vulnerable position those staff and business owners to the ability of my local police force to bring perpetrators can be in, and I pay tribute to them. As our retail shops to justice, which we must never forget is an extremely decline, and sole shops decline as well, we see a decline important part of policing. in our communities. High streets are important for This issue is not just about political headlines or the bringing us together. Small shops are often the only number of police officers, but about the experience of place that people in those communities get to speak to communities. It is about people feeling that they are on someone. A shop owner told us at one of our recent the frontline and are not getting the response from events that an old lady said to him that the only time she Government, the police or society that they need to touched another human being was when he gave her her protect them and to keep those valuable community change. Those stores are so important to their communities stores running. and to people across the country, so it is particularly In the run-up to Christmas, all Members will want to important that we see them not just as profit-making pay tribute to shop workers. Those people can expect an businesses, but as providing a service. Most of the extremely busy time, but also, unfortunately, an increase 245WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 246WH in abuse by people who are stressed, and an increase in come in with a bottle of perfume, a DVD, a joint of violence and in thefts by criminals who seek to take meat or a slab of cheese, which are quite clearly stolen advantage of this time of year, with the extra stock and goods. All too often, those people are simply desperate extra money in the tills. I hope that in spite of the to make a few pounds to feed an addiction, whether to election, we can send a message to our communities and alcohol, drugs or gambling. If we seriously want to see to police forces and shop workers everywhere that we a reduction in retail crime, we need to do something are going to act. about its catalysts. Addiction services are desperately underfunded, and the Government need to rectify that 10.34 am by providing sustainable resources for rehabilitation programmes and diversionary activities that will support Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab): It is a pleasure those facing addiction and therefore protect our wider to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. I too community. declare an interest, in that I am a member of USDAW, Many retailers have raised concerns that the scale of the Co-op and the GMB. I congratulate my right hon. the problem has escalated since the coalition Government Friend the Member for Delyn (David Hanson) on all introduced a £200 threshold for low-level shoplifting the work he has done on this issue and on having back in 2015, effectively decriminalising it. With police secured today’s debate, which is probably the last resources stretched to their limits, it is understandable opportunity we will have this year to debate this important that that is happening, but that does not make it right. subject, ahead of Christmas—when the problem will be Simply, we need more police officers on our streets. The at its worst—and, indeed, ahead of the general election. Government have proudly announced their plan to I feel that in the past four years, I have been a parliamentary recruit 20,000 more officers, which I am sure we would candidate more often than I have been to the dentist. all be delighted about, if they had not spent the last Many other right hon. and hon. Members have shared nine years inflicting a series of cuts. That effectively stories of some of the truly terrifying situations that means that their plan to get police numbers up would shop workers are put in as a result of retail crime. It is a only replace what they have taken out since they took cruel injustice that so many people across the UK go to office. work in absolute fear of being physically or verbally People need to feel safe. Police patrolling the streets attacked just for doing their job. I pay tribute to USDAW in our neighbourhoods would make a substantial difference. for its Freedom from Fear campaign, which for many The Welsh Labour Government have funded an extra years has been raising awareness of this issue, both in 500 police community support officers across the country, this House and in all of our constituencies. Most of us who have helped to reduce the impact of retail crime. It have had the obligatory Freedom from Fear photo would be welcome if the UK Government were to taken before Christmas; in my case, it is always taken in replicate that. Morrisons. USDAW recently reported that 62% of shop I hope that the Minister has truly listened to the workers have been the victim of verbal or physical contributions of hon. Members and that he understands abuse: that is shocking, and needs to be addressed as a that violence against shop workers is a growing problem matter of urgency. The UK Government must step up that needs to be urgently addressed. Nobody should and provide the resources to give retail workers the fear going to work, but that is the reality for many retail protection they deserve. staff. We need a commitment from the Government A step in the right direction would be for the Home about their plans to tackle the issue. Frontline retail Office to publish its response to its call for evidence on staff in our communities deserve more than empty violence towards shop staff, which took place earlier gestures and broken promises. We need change—they this year. That consultation closed in June, and received need change—and we need it now. over 800 responses from individual shop workers, small shopkeepers, unions and businesses, all detailing their 10.41 am experiences of the growing problem of violent crime. The Minister for Crime, Policing and the Fire Service We were originally promised a response by this month, (Kit Malthouse): It is a great pleasure to serve under but there has been nothing so far. In light of the current your chairmanship, Mr Betts, albeit in a different forum political situation, I hope that some clarity will be from the last one we met in. I congratulate the right provided before this Parliament comes to an end. I am hon. Member for Delyn (David Hanson) on securing clearly not alone in seeking that clarification, as the the debate about a matter that he has worked on for Association of Convenience Stores has written to the some time. He worked closely with my predecessor, my Minister calling for an urgent response. With an estimated hon. Friend the Member for Louth and Horncastle 200,000 assaults or threats to retail and wholesale sector (Victoria Atkins), now the Minister for Safeguarding staff in the period since that call for evidence closed, the and Vulnerability, who took the matter seriously. I Home Office must stop delaying, show some leadership, listened carefully to the contributions of all hon. Members and commit to introducing tougher penalties for the and I will try to address some specific points that were perpetrators of those crimes. raised. Retail crime has multiple victims, from the retailers As I hope hon. Members realise, the Government who suffer the losses to the staff who face abuse that recognise the significant impact that retail crime has not makes them fearful of turning up for work. Every MP only on businesses and those who work for them but on has this issue in their constituency; in Swansea East, shoppers, consumers and the wider community, as retailers have lost nearly £200,000 through shoplifting we have heard from several hon. Members. That is why just this year. However, although we are all well aware we co-chair the national retail crime steering group of the effects of retail crime on individuals and businesses, to bring together the Government, trade organisations we need to start paying more attention to its causes. All and enforcement partners to ensure that the response to of us have been sat in a pub and witnessed someone crimes affecting the retail sector is as robust as possible. 247WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 248WH

[Kit Malthouse] On serious violence, we published the serious violence strategy,which has a particular focus on early intervention, We have seen the benefits that that group can achieve in in April 2018, so there has been action in that area. We its recent response to the issue of violence and abuse allocated £22 million to the early intervention youth towards shop workers, which was overseen by my hon. fund and, in the long term, £200 million to the youth Friend the Minister for Safeguarding and Vulnerability, endowment fund to ensure that those most at risk are but we know there is more to do. given the opportunity to turn away from violence and The right hon. Member for Delyn raised the issue of to lead more positive lives. We launched a public violence and abuse toward shop staff. I pay tribute to consultation on a new multi-agency public health approach his work on raising awareness of the issue. I am aware to tackling serious violence, following which we announced of his discussions with Home Office Ministers on the that we would introduce a new legal duty on statutory topic during the passage of the Offensive Weapons Act agencies to plan and collaborate to prevent and reduce 2019 in the last parliamentary Session, to which he serious violence. We gave the police extra powers to referred. Violence and abuse remains the biggest concern tackle knife crime through the Offensive Weapons Act, for retailers and we are determined to tackle it. including new knife crime prevention orders. Every day, we ask shop workers to deal with whatever Those wider measures will help, but we recognise comes through their door, whether that involves enforcing the importance of focusing our efforts on measures that an age restriction on certain products or confronting are specifically targeted on tackling retail crime. This shoplifters. Like anyone else, shop workers have the year, the Home Office provided £60,000 for a targeted right to feel safe at work without fear of violence or communication campaign, led by the Association of intimidation. That is why, on 5 April, we launched a call Convenience Stores, to raise awareness of the existing for evidence to inform our response—I thank the right legislation to protect shop workers. Wepublished guidance hon. Gentleman for his submission. Wesought information on gov.uk about the use of the impact statement for on four key areas: prevalence and data, prevention and business, which provides victims with the opportunity support, enforcement and the criminal justice system, to tell the courts about the impact that a crime has had and best practice. on their businesses. We also worked with the police to As was mentioned, the call for evidence closed recently. develop guidance for staff and retailers to use when We received more than 800 responses, including many reporting emergency and violent incidents. first-hand accounts from shop staff. Although Home The right hon. Member for Delyn and other hon. Office officials have completed an initial analysis, we Members have asked the Government to consider have not yet published our response. That will disappoint introducing a new offence of attacks on shop staff, or to hon. Members who referred to it, but we want to ensure increase the severity of existing offences. I hope that he that the detailed responses received are subject to a is aware from previous discussions that powers are thorough and accurate analysis. Given that Parliament already available to the police and the Crown Prosecution is about to be dissolved, I will take the opportunity to Service to deal with that type of offending and to share our initial findings with hon. Members and to provide protection to retail staff. reassure them that we are engaging with key organisations There are a number of assault offences and corresponding to consider the next steps. differences in maximum penalties. At the higher end of An initial analysis of the responses shows a widespread the scale, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and belief that violence and abuse towards shop staff has wounding with intent carry maximum penalties of life increased in recent years. The most common reason imprisonment. The sentencing guidelines on assault given was in the context of challenging individuals include an aggravating factor of committing shop theft. Many respondents felt that a “offences committed against those working in the public sector or lack of a suitable response from the police resulted in providing a service to the public”, offenders not fearing repercussions.Many felt unsupported by their organisation’s policies and management when which should be taken into account by the courts when dealing with verbally abusive customers. A significant deciding what sentence to impose and may be applied to number of respondents stated that they felt that incidents retail staff conducting their duties. In addition, the were becoming more violent and that they had experienced Sentencing Council is reviewing its guidelines on assault. threats from individuals with knives, needles or other A consultation on the revised guidelines is anticipated sharp objects. in 2020. I advise hon. Members to respond to that consultation with a specific focus on assaults on retail That is obviously unacceptable. Nobody should be workers. subjected to such violent attacks,especially in the workplace, and I reassure hon. Members that we are keen to take Let me turn to some of the specific points raised. action in those areas, and in some cases, we already are. Several hon. Members called for me to publish the review of the call for evidence as quickly as possible. David Hanson: Before the Minister moves on, is it his The fact that we are going into an election will make gut instinct that, if he were returned, as opposed to my that quite difficult, but I give my undertaking that, as hon. Friend the Member for Swansea East (Carolyn soon as we come back, if I am in the job, we will try to Harris), he would legislate for a stronger legislative get it out as quickly as possible. Obviously, the five-week solution to the offence? election campaign gives officials a bit of an easier time, so they can digest the responses and get it out as soon as Kit Malthouse: I will come on to that. I am not wholly they can. convinced that we are without the tools that we need to The hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Kate deal with the issue, but we might need to address Green) raised the issue of facial recognition technology. whether we are using them correctly. Obviously, we are supporting the police as they trial the 249WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 250WH use of new technology across the country. It has become that can be used to divert from offending those who clear that facial recognition technology has significant have been convicted of a drug offence and are out in crime-fighting possibilities. A recent court case established the community on probation. I point Members to a that there is a sufficient legal framework for its use and very interesting programme in Hawaii called the operation in this country, but as its use is expanded, HOPE programme—Hawaii’s opportunity probation possibly by police forces, in the months and years to with enforcement—which I would be very keen to try to come, I have no doubt that it will have to come to the establish in this country as a way to deal with people House for some sort of democratic examination at who are low-level offenders because of a drug addiction. some point. Thus far, however, where it is being deployed, That could be managed in a much better way than I we are seeing significant benefits from it. think we are managing it at the moment. A number of Members mentioned the £200 threshold. Kate Green: I am pleased that the Minister believes I hope they are aware that police can still prosecute that there will need to be a full debate about facial somebody who steals something worth less than £200. recognition technology in the House. He will be aware of concerns about personal privacy and the possibility Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) (Con): I met Chief that it is, in some respects, discriminatory against certain Constable Lee Freeman of Humberside Police and raised groups. If he and his party are returned to government, the £200 threshold. As other Members have pointed will he commit to ensuring that the House has an out, it causes great concern, particularly to small opportunity to have that full debate? shopkeepers. He pointed out that the police are flexible in how they interpret the guidance in Humberside. Will Kit Malthouse: There has already been a debate in the the Minister make sure that other forces up and down House on the use of facial recognition technology, and the country treat the matter in a much more serious it is obviously within the purview of Members and way? It is very serious for small shopkeepers. The flexibility Select Committees and others to examine the issue. It that Humberside is showing should be replicated elsewhere. has just been through the courts—South Wales Police has been challenged on its use of facial recognition Kit Malthouse: That is exactly right. If a chief constable technology, and the courts found the current framework decrees that it is a problem in their area, it is perfectly satisfactory. I have no doubt that when we get back possible for them to have a policy of prosecuting thefts from this election there will be an urge for the issue to of a value under £200. I am certainly willing to make be debated in the House, given the enormous success sure that chiefs across the country are aware of that. that is being seen with facial recognition technology. Given the depth of concern expressed this morning, The right hon. Member for Delyn raised the issue of if I am returned to this job after the election, I am local police plans, suggesting that we put pressure on happy to look at the data and see what it tells us about police and crime commissioners to include retail crime the operation of that policy, now that we are four or five in their plans. If this was a pressing issue in the high years in. I do not think there is any problem with us street, one would hope that the police and crime reviewing that data internally and deciding whether the commissioner would commit to having it in their plan policy is working, and then promulgating some kind of anyway.However,we have created a new National Policing best practice. Board, which is looking at systemic issues across the A number of challenges were made on the recruitment country that should be addressed by the whole policing of 20,000 police officers. The right hon. Member for family in a concerted effort, and one area we are looking Delyn asked me when they would be recruited—recruitment at is neighbourhood crime. What we put into that has already started. A number of police forces are basket has yet to be fully agreed, and I will certainly recruiting, not least because we have 3,000 police officers consider putting retail crime in there. to recruit from last year’s budget settlement. With the I am very alive to the connection between drugs and allocations to all forces, we have already signalled what alcohol misuse and the impact on shops and retail the recruitment targets should be over the next 15 months crime. First, on alcohol, I hope Members will have or so. noticed that we are planning to roll out alcohol abstinence We expect the first 6,000 of the 20,000 to be recruited monitoring orders across the whole country.From memory, by the end of the financial year next year, 8,000 in the we have been given about £22 million to do that. The year after and the final 6,000 in the year after that. It orders have been very successfully used in Croydon and will not be a straight progression, not least because in a pilot in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Humberside police officers tend to retire at unpredictable times. recently. They are for low-level offending and those When we add in retirees, we have to recruit somewhere convicted of a crime where alcohol was the compelling between 45,000 and 50,000 police officers over the next factor in its commission. Compliance rates with that three years, which will be a huge job. Nevertheless, we disposal are up at 93% or 94%, and there is enormous have been given £45 million in-year this year to start, potential there. and I hope we will be announcing the allocations of With drugs, we have been given some money to start that money relatively soon. to combat the awful scourge of county lines, which is Some forces are going for this in a big way straightaway. causing mayhem in many small towns across the country, I know the Met police is recruiting between 300 and not least in my constituency. I hope that when we return 400 police officers a month at the moment, which is all after the election we will see even more assertive action good news. However, I would just counter the direct on that. connection that a number of Members make between There is more that we can do on treatment and levels of crime and numbers of police officers, because rehabilitation for those who fall into drug addiction. We the connection is not just about inputs; it is also about must look imaginatively at schemes around the world what we are doing. I remind Members that, notwithstanding 251WH Retail Crime Prevention5 NOVEMBER 2019 Retail Crime Prevention 252WH

[Kit Malthouse] fun and will exchange money for presents and gifts in the run-up to Christmas, safely and happily, now and in the fact that we have fewer police officers today, overall the years to come. crime is 35% lower than it was 10 years ago. For example, police officer numbers were much higher in Mr Clive Betts (in the Chair): I thank all Members for the ’80s and ’90s than in the ’50s and ’60s, yet crime was their co-operation in keeping to the time guidance. I call much higher too. Focus and priority is as important as David Hanson to wind up. the number of police officers. 10.57 am David Hanson: I am grateful to you, Mr Betts, for Dr Drew: One of the problems in the retail sector now chairing this session, and to the Minister and my hon. is that some shopkeepers are just giving up reporting Friend the Member for Swansea East (Carolyn Harris) the crime. The Government have to grasp the issue of for their responses. I will take one point from what the serious under-reporting. Minister said: if he is returned, he has agreed to review the £200 threshold on shop theft, which I know my hon. Friend will do, should she be returned to office. Kit Malthouse: I always say the same thing when This issue is extremely important and will not go people tell me about under-reporting, which is that we away. It is about ensuring that staff who uphold our must urge everybody to report every possible crime, laws are protected by our laws; it is about ensuring that because modern policing is all about data. The police they live free from fear. I suspect that every retailer in respond to numbers. If they see numbers, feel the numbers the country in response to the consultation will have and see the pattern of behaviour, they will respond. It is said that they want a separate offence and for assaulting a bit like that old philosophical aphorism: if a tree falls a staff worker to be an aggravated offence. I hope that in a forest and no one is there to hear it, did it actually whoever forms the Government after this election will happen? If a crime is committed, particularly in a large look at the consultation responses and bring forward rural constituency such as mine, and it is not reported, measures. It is within our grasp now. The people who as far as the police know, it never happened. Data is work in shops, the people who manage, run and own absolutely key. I urge all shop owners to report every shops, and consumers have the same objective—to allow crime. shop workers to be free from fear and to go about their The right hon. Member for Delyn raised the impact business supported by the state, upholding the laws of of serious and organised crime. He is quite right that the land; to ensure that members of the public who high-profile thefts by serious and organised crime need attack them face an aggravated offence; and to ensure a to be addressed, not least the demolition and stealing of greater police presence on the streets if needs be, more cash machines, which we see in quite a lot of rural neighbourhood policing and strong interventions to constituencies, including my own. As I hope the right tackle some of the problems that drive people to undertake hon. Gentleman knows, we are undertaking a serious those shoplifting and attack offences in the first place. and organised crime review over the next few weeks, This is an important issue. I am grateful that so many which I hope will give us some strategy and point us to hon. Members have turned up on the last Tuesday of the future. Parliament to put down a marker to whoever forms the next Government that this issue will not go away and I am grateful to hon. Members for what has been an will be dealt with by Parliament. important debate. I hope that I have outlined some of the work that the Government have done, and will Question put and agreed to. hopefully do more of in future, to make sure that Resolved, everybody—shop workers and shoppers alike—will have That this House has considered prevention of retail crime. 253WH 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Princess Royal Hospital, Telford 254WH

Princess Royal Hospital, Telford For six years, the management has toyed with a plan to centralise services 30 minutes away. It has been dressed up as local decision making by local clinicians, 11 am but, in reality, it was decided by executives from across Lucy Allan (Telford) (Con): I beg to move, the country—smart suits and smart cars—with no connection to our area and no concern for our communities. That this House has considered Princess Royal Hospital, Telford. Indeed, the original architect of the plan held many It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, hospital management chief executive officer posts, from Mr Betts. Last week the Leader of the House, my right Chester and Sherwood Forest to London, and he was hon. Friend the Member for North East Somerset last reported to be earning £40,000 per month, having (Mr Rees-Mogg), said: resigned from a previous post for a single day in “Our main purpose as Members of Parliament is to seek order to pick up a tax-free retirement package of redress of grievance for our constituents”.—[Official Report, £252,000 and then resumed the same job the next day. 31 October 2019; Vol. 667, c. 509.] Such are the people behind this plan. That is what I seek to do today, on the last day of this Actual local clinicians opposed the plan, as did all Parliament and on what might be my last opportunity the councillors and local MPs. Protests were held and to speak for Telford. It is a great privilege to have the petitions made, but the decision makers did not want to opportunity to do so. know what local people had to say. Throughout that For the past six years, Telford’s No. 1 concern has time, there was one hope—that once the bureaucrats been the future of the Princess Royal Hospital. Throughout got to the end of their decision-making process, the those years, I have been working with my community to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care would get their concerns heard by the hospital management call for an independent review to consider all the issues. and in many debates and speeches in this place. Today is I thank the former Secretary of State, my right hon. different, because in the past few weeks the Secretary of Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), State for Health and Social Care endorsed a decision by for his courtesy, consideration and kindness to me and hospital management to proceed with a plan that will my constituents as he listened to me and to the arguments mean Telford loses vital hospital services and that, about why the plan is flawed. simultaneously, will lead to huge investment in Royal The hospital bureaucrats, whose decision this was, Shrewsbury Hospital in the county town of Shrewsbury, did not have to think about how people feel when they some 30 minutes away from Telford. In this debate, I are told they do not need their A&E. It is not part of want to put on the record why my constituents feel a their role to understand our communities, our history, sense of loss and a sense of anger. our geography, our identity, our emotional connectedness Telford is not a place that has a sense of entitlement. to our hospital, our affection for it and our pride in it. It is not a place that makes demands or shouts over the After all, they are not accountable to us; it is just one voices of others. It is a stoical place and has often had more job before the next one. to overcome the odds, face adversity and keep on going. We, the representatives of the people, should care It is a former mining town and is now a rapidly growing about our communities. We should care about how they new town, lying 20 minutes equidistant between Black feel, and about their sense of what is just. It is our job to Country Wolverhampton and the leafy county town of be on the side of the people—not on the side of those Shrewsbury. Telford is remote and isolated, because it who are well connected and have power and influence, has poor transport connections and low car ownership. who can speak to the decision makers behind closed It troubles me that, despite the poorer health outcomes, doors, but on the side of the stoical, decent people of child poverty and health inequalities that I as the MP Telford, who play by the rules and have a right to be see, the hospital management has brought forward a treated as fairly and justly as anyone else. plan for our health that allocates NHS resource not in I will quote a constituent who has worked locally in accordance with need, but for some other reason that the NHS for 15 years. He says: has not been explained. “In Telford we are a group of hardworking communities with Like many new towns, Telford was resisted by its ambitions for our children’s future. When the brand new women county neighbours when it first came into being some and children’s unit was opened I was ecstatic. It was a turning 50 years ago. It was dismissed as an overspill town of point for us. I understand how health economics works—none of incomers and a blot on the landscape, never quite this proposal makes any sense, not in a business sense nor from a clinical outcome perspective. Shrewsbury is 30 minutes away. accepted by its rural hinterland. It was somehow always That’s too long for stroke, too long for a heart attack and too long the poor relation, surrounded by rural, leafy shires and for our children. This is a plan that bears all the hallmarks of county towns. There was a snobbishness whereby Telford cronyism at its rampant best. How else can it be explained? The was supposed to know its place and be grateful for the NHS has no colours or banners”— opportunity. We were somehow never quite equal to our he is right about that— neighbours. “it supports all of us all of the time. It is something worth fighting However, Telford has ambitions, and overcoming the for, for our children’s sake.” odds is what it does. Today, Telford is an economic On the point about children, I want to give voice to powerhouse of advanced manufacturing and makes a another one of my constituents. She wrote to me and massive contribution to the west midlands economy, said: offering new jobs and homes. Its population is forecast “My name is Sarah. I live in Telford. I am a mother to Alfie, to grow to 200,000 people in the next 10 years. Telford who is 5 years old. Alfie has Down’s syndrome. In April 2018, at needs its A&E and its women and children’scentre—anyone night, our son began to haemorrhage and he was taken to Telford who knows Telford knows that—but the hospital A&E. Whilst there Alfie started to have a massive haemorrhage management has other plans. (blood was pouring from his mouth and nose and you could not 255WH Princess Royal Hospital, Telford5 NOVEMBER 2019 Princess Royal Hospital, Telford 256WH

[Lucy Allan] Mr Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con): Will my hon. Friend give way? even see his face or his beautiful blond hair). I was immediately told to run with him to Resus. There was so much blood. He was Lucy Allan: My right hon. Friend is one of my rushed in for an emergency operation to cauterise the bleed. Then dearest friends and I would be delighted to give way. our world then truly fell apart. He failed to breathe in air, post surgery. It took the theatre staff three hours to get him stable. The point of telling you this is quite simple. If A&E at PRH had been Mr Dunne: My hon. Friend and neighbour makes a closed, Alfie would have had his 2nd and massive haemorrhage powerful case, as she always does when standing up for whilst still being transported to wherever they deemed to take us. her constituents in the House. She has given some very I have chills just thinking of what the outcome would have been moving examples of the messages that she receives and for our beautiful son. Put simply, having A&E open 24/7 saved of the strength of feeling in the community that she Alfie’s life.” serves. Does she recognise that the debate on acute I know the Secretary of State has tried his best to save services provision in Shropshire and Telford—that is our A&E from the hospital management’s plan. Indeed, the wider area, which extends to mid-Wales—has been he announced on the Conservative MPs’ WhatsApp ongoing for decades? In all the time that I have been a group last week: Member of Parliament, the difficulty arising from indecision about the reconfiguration of acute services has led to “Lucy, we’ve saved the A&E at Telford. We have just put a many services being provided out of county. further £5 million into Telford’s hospital just last week.” My hon. Friend mentioned stroke and cardiac services. That would clearly be fantastic news. If it were indeed Many of those are now provided in Staffordshire, so the case, I would not be standing here today; I would be Shropshire has already lost services and people have to writing an election leaflet proclaiming the good news to make long journeys. A reason for that is the difficulty in my constituents. Let us not be flippant and casual about persuading enough clinicians with sufficient seniority something that is so important. My constituents want and experience to provide a safe 24/7 service for our to know what an A&E local is and, importantly, whether constituents. Although I completely understand her the hospital management will agree to support it. When regret—half of my constituents would prefer to see the I asked the Minster’s parliamentary aide, my hon. Friend Telford services remain where they are—does she not the Member for Chichester (Gillian Keegan), whether see the opportunity to resolve the crisis and to ensure she could find out more about A&E local, she asked her that we retain quality services for our combined assistant to respond to me. They said that my inquiry populations? The area that she has focused— would be passed on to the Department for a response, which, in the light of the impending dissolution of Mr Clive Betts (in the Chair): Order. I am sorry to Parliament, would not come until after Christmas at the interrupt, but this should be an intervention rather than earliest, in 2020. a speech. It was the Minister’s decision to rush out an announcement in support of the management’s plan. Mr Dunne: I am bringing my question to a conclusion, He chose to do so without having worked out what Mr Betts. There is an opportunity—about which I hope would happen in Telford. Having made that announcement we will hear about from the Minister—to ensure continued of his own volition, it is not good enough to say, “You’ll A&E provision in Telford through the new A&E local just have to wait to find out more.” How do I explain service. It would be great to hear more about that. that to my constituents? If the funding for a new 20-bed ward for winter pressures has increased from £4 million Lucy Allan: As a former hospitals Minister and long- to £5 million, that is fantastic, but I want to know and serving Member of Parliament for the area, my right be able to tell my constituents about that. Simply mentioning hon. Friend has a great level of expertise on this subject. it in a WhatsApp group is not enough; something has He makes some excellent points, some of which I agree gone wrong with the communication. with. We are very fortunate that £312 million of Government money is being invested in the area, but I My mission as an MP is to stand up for my constituents want my constituents to benefit from that, which is why and take up their needs and concerns, so I know that the we are having this debate. Minister will fully understand why I am so aggrieved that my constituents have been treated this way. Their If I return to Parliament after 12 December—I suspect treatment has been shabby and disrespectful. We are the Secretary of State would rather I did not—I will do talking about the issue that matters most to my constituents, all I can to ensure that my constituents are treated which is why I have helped them to crowdfund the better than they have been until now. As suggested by money and seek counsel’s opinion on whether to pursue the Leader of the House, I will seek redress of grievance judicial review. We have nearly hit our target—thank for my constituents, whether in Parliament or by working you Telford—but it should not have come to this. A with them to challenge the decision in the courts. little more respect for the people of Telford would have avoided this situation. 11.15 am During this lengthy saga, a former hospitals Minister— The Minister for Health (Edward Argar): I thank my not my right hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow hon. Friend the Member for Telford (Lucy Allan) and (Mr Dunne), who is here today—said to me, “They congratulate her on securing this important debate. As can’t all expect to have an A&E at the end of their road ever, she spoke on behalf of her constituents with you know, Lucy.” My constituents have never asked for passion and determination. She and I entered the House that and nor would they. They ask only to be treated as on the same day in 2015, and I would be mortified if she equal to anyone else in their value, worth and dignity, did not return after the election, although I suspect she and that is what they deserve. will. I know that the Secretary of State for Health and 257WH Princess Royal Hospital, Telford5 NOVEMBER 2019 Princess Royal Hospital, Telford 258WH

Social Care, to whom she referred throughout her speech, The Secretary of State also asked NHS England to would share my sentiments and wish for her to return to come forward with proposals within a month on how to the House because she is an exemplary Member of keep the A&E in Telford open as an A&E local, to ensure Parliament, even though, on occasion, she may press us that the Princess Royal Hospital can continue to deliver to go further when she is speaking up for her constituents. the urgent and emergency care that the residents of my I echo the spirit of my hon. Friend’s speech by hon. Friend’s constituency need and value so much. thanking everybody who works in our amazing NHS That request drew on the advice provided by the IRP. for everything they do, particularly those who work in Plans for A&E locals are being developed by NHS her local hospital in Telford. I know that there are England and NHS Improvement, and the Department strong feelings on all sides of this debate, but whatever has been in close contact about those developments. the differences of view, everyone involved—particularly NHS England has now published the proposal, following my hon. Friend—wants to do the right thing for patients. the Secretary of State’s request. He and I are delighted As hon. Members will know, major service change in with the development. The Shrewsbury and Telford the NHS is complex. My right hon. Friend the Member trust has put forward a model that will enable an for Ludlow (Mr Dunne), a distinguished former Minister enhanced service that is distinct from an urgent treatment of State for Health, knows that only too well and centre. The model will increase the volume of activity alluded to it in his remarks. Major service change that can safely be delivered through the proposed urgent involves a number of factors, and it is vital that the treatment centre on the planned care site at PRH. voices of local people and their MPs, including my hon. I understand that the Secretary of State and NHS Friend the Member for Telford, are heard and respected England have today written to my hon. Friend the at all stages. I am grateful for the opportunity to provide Member for Telford. If I may, I will touch on what that a brief overview of the plans and to update my hon. letter says. She may well wish to come back on it, once I Friend on our progress in recent days. have let her know what it states. The Secretary of State My hon. Friend mentioned the Future Fit plans. The has been clear: the A&E at the Princess Royal Hospital, set of proposals that fall under that heading have been Telford, will remain open as an A&E local. under development for a number of years. The case for change was first articulated about 10 years ago, and the Lucy Allan: In my constituency, there is concern as clinically driven scheme proposed to transform services to what “A&E local” means. I am aware that there is across Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal 24/7 walk-in, which is fantastic, although most of my Hospital. A 15-week consultation on those proposals constituents do not know that, but will “A&E local” be ran in summer 2018. defined in more detail? I have not yet received the letter, The joint committee of the Shropshire and Telford so will the Minister enlighten me and my constituents? and Wrekin clinical commissioning groups decided to proceed with the preferred option of the local Future Edward Argar: I am happy to do so. I hope that what Fit programme. That programme would see the Princess I say will be helpful to my hon. Friend, but I am always Royal Hospital in Telford become a dedicated planned happy to have a further conversation, if she so wishes care site and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital become a after this debate. If she and I are both successfully specialist emergency care site. Under those proposals, returned to this place and doing the same things, I patients would continue to be able to access 24-hour would be delighted to meet her. urgent care services at both hospitals, meaning that 80% of patients would continue to go to the same The trust and local commissioners will further develop hospital for emergency and urgent care. The model a framework of options for outside core hours. The would also see women and children’s consultant-led trust has proposed a model that will increase the volume in-patient services provided at the Royal Shrewsbury in of activity that can safely be delivered through the the future. proposed UTC on the planned care site. It proposes an As has been alluded to, in March this year Telford emergency medicine consultant presence throughout and Wrekin Council referred the scheme to the Secretary core hours, a consultant-led ambulatory emergency care of State, who in turn referred it to the Independent service for specific pathways, and additional diagnostic Reconfiguration Panel, which then provided its advice presence. That model means that the PRH will continue to the Department on 31 July. to provide A&E services. We are satisfied that that meets the proposed A&E local model. Turning to the crux of my hon. Friend’s concerns about the A&E and urgent and emergency care, she is My hon. Friend will wish to consider that further, right that all patients should receive excellent healthcare and she may wish to have a further conversation with throughout their life, no matter where they live. Any me, but I believe that the proposal is testament to the changes to services are rightly based on clinically led strong voice that Telford has because she listens to her decisions at the local level. I am delighted that, as she constituents. It is a victory for my hon. Friend in mentioned, we are investing £312 million to support speaking up for her constituents. acute services in the local area. The Secretary of State,following thorough consideration, Lucy Allan: I am very grateful indeed to hear the accepted the IRP’s impartial advice, which looked at Minister’s comments and, in particular, to see some urgent and emergency care across Shrewsbury and Telford, movement—a shift indicating that we are being listened and recommended that the emergency care centre for to and that Telford is not being ignored. I am grateful the region should remain at the Royal Shrewsbury. My for that development and progress. As the Minister will hon. Friend the Member for Telford has been courteous understand, I may well continue to push for further but clear about disagreeing with that advice, on behalf progress, but it is a step in the right direction and I am of her constituents. grateful for it. 259WH Princess Royal Hospital, Telford5 NOVEMBER 2019 Princess Royal Hospital, Telford 260WH

Edward Argar: I am grateful. It would be a brave Edward Argar: May I crave your indulgence, Mr Betts? Minister who ignored either Telford or my hon. Friend, My hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy) and I am not sure that I am quite that brave. is retiring from Parliament at this election, so it would I believe that this is welcome news, although I know be wrong of me not to take the opportunity to pay that my hon. Friend will want to consider and digest it. tribute to him. He has been an extraordinary advocate It also comes on top of the extra £4 million in winter for Stafford and, more than that, an asset to this Parliament capital funding going to the PRH—again, she argued and previous ones. He is a thoroughly decent and for that and helped to secure it—which the Secretary of honourable man, and Parliament will be a poorer place State announced last week, to reduce pressure on the without him sitting in it. [HON.MEMBERS: “Hear, hear!”] A&E and to prepare for winter. In respect of the point that my hon. Friend made, my understanding—I will clarify this subsequently, if Lucy Allan: Will the Minister confirm that that winter necessary—is that the model will be underpinned by capital funding is for this winter and an extra 20-bed comprehensive pathways and protocols agreed with the ward? ambulance services for blue-light transfer when the consultant cover is available, or diversion when not. Edward Argar: I confirm that that is capital funding There is, however, direct engagement with the ambulance for her hospital to prepare for this winter and to meet trust. As I have said, hon. Members will need time and the challenges it faces. further discussion to consider the proposal, but I think The detail of the proposal has still to be worked up, and hope that they will agree with me that it is a useful and NHS England will work with the trust, its partners first step to making progress. and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine to support To conclude, this is positive news for Telford, and the development of the model and a timeline for its that is down to my hon. Friend the Member for Telford, implementation. I hope my hon. Friend wishes to be who is a strong and determined local champion for her involved in that process, and that both of us will be constituents and for the town of Telford. They are back here to have that conversation later in the year. incredibly lucky to have her as their representative and their voice in Parliament. I am confident that that voice Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con): I congratulate my will be speaking up for them in this House for many hon. Friend the Member for Telford (Lucy Allan) on years to come. If they want a strong local voice in this securing this important debate. A number of constituents House and for their hospital and NHS, every vote that from the west side of my constituency rely absolutely on they cast for my hon. Friend in the forthcoming election the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. Will the model will deliver exactly that. mentioned by the Minister include, as it does in Stafford, the reception of blue-light services—that is,999 ambulances Question put and agreed to. —in the medical sphere at least? It is important to understand that, because the ability to receive blue-light services is what distinguishes an A&E from an urgent 11.26 am care centre. Sitting suspended. 261WH 5 NOVEMBER 2019 School Uniform Costs 262WH

School Uniform Costs Parentkind’s latest annual survey of parents confirms that upward pressure: 76% of parents reported that the cost of sending children to school is increasing, and [MARK PRITCHARD in the Chair] more than half are worried about meeting that cost. The high cost of uniforms is in some cases maintained 2.30 pm by school policies that insist that parents buy clothing Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) from specialist shops, rather than giving them the choice (Lab): I beg to move, of buying items at cheaper stores, such as supermarkets or high street chains. When parents had to buy two or That this House has considered school uniform costs. more school uniform items from a specific supplier, It is a pleasure to take part in this debate, although it spending was found to be an average of £71 per year feels a little like we are in the graveyard shift at the end higher for secondary school children and £77 higher per of a very long Parliament. As I said to the Minister just year for primary school children. Some schools demand before the debate, it is a genuine pleasure to talk to him that seemingly generic items,such as a pair of black trousers, about education once more. I started this parliamentary a PE top or shorts, must carry the school badge or logo, Session talking about education, so to finish it this way which also locks parents into specific retailers. feels complete. I want to focus on the cost of school uniforms, and I will make recommendations that I hope Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op): My schools and the Minister will follow. hon. Friend is making a very important speech. This After nine years of cuts, benefit cuts and stagnating matter was brought to my attention by my constituents wages, an increasing number of parents are unable to when a school changed its uniform policy to have meet the basic cost of living, and the knock-on effect of badged trousers, skirts, blazers and other items of clothing. that reality is a rise in child poverty.Currently, 8.3 million Does she agree that schools can take matters into their working-age adults and 4.6 million children are living in own hands not only by having generic main items of poverty. The numbers continue to rise, and forecasts clothing, but by using uniform exchanges, which not predict that they are set to exceed the record levels of only help families that cannot afford school uniforms, the early 1990s, which should concern us all deeply. but are good for the environment? Recent research has brought to light many of the negative effects that growing up in poverty has on Emma Hardy: I completely agree. I will go on to talk children. Some are stark and brutal. In the most deprived about uniform exchanges and the impact on the areas of our country, girls can expect to live 20 fewer environment. The House of Commons did some social years of their lives in good health, compared with those media outreach in advance of this debate. Someone in the least-deprived areas. For boys, it is 19 fewer years. from Birmingham said: “My niece is from a disadvantaged Both genders are four times more likely to develop school background and had to completely replace her mental health problems by the age of 11. school uniform within six months of starting a new secondary school.” Someone else wrote: “My dad needs The indignities and suffering brought about by poverty to buy me a PE kit, which is around £80 for everything I are often less obvious. Every September, we see children need. I can’t do PE, and get detention every time I go to on their way to start the new school year looking very PE. I feel embarrassed going to PE knowing everyone smart in their uniforms, and our thoughts might turn to will make fun of me not being able to afford the extreme our own, or perhaps our children’s, first day. I was a costs.” There are many other examples. teacher, and I remember the pleasure of having my classroom windows overlook the children starting school Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley) (Con): I am interested and lining up with their brand-new book bags, which in what the hon. Lady is saying, because I have also had were nearly as big as them, as they stood outside, people contact me. One lady said that supermarkets are waiting to meet their new teacher. an ideal place to go because she can get matching I now see children in uniforms through a different set clothes. I was surprised to find that Tesco used to of eyes. I was deeply affected by the testimony of a embroider badges on at parents’ request. It does not do group of mothers at an evidence session of the Select it now, but the supplier will do it. Parents pay £4 for a Committee on Education. They told us of the demands pair of trousers, instead of something outrageous if it is placed on them by the increasing cost of school uniforms. from the key supplier. It is in the hands of the schools if Uniform dress codes now rarely consist of a simple they wish to do it. badged sweatshirt and dark trousers or a skirt; they now include shirts, ties, blazers, and PE kits, indoor and Emma Hardy: I agree in part, but I want to put a bit out, all branded and often available through only a of pressure on the Minister to try to force schools to single supplier. I was devasted by the parents’ description ensure that uniforms are as cheap as possible, because of skipping meals to try to meet the ever-increasing there are alternatives out there. costs. This is not just about the increasing cost of uniforms; Tragically, those accounts do not represent rare and the fashionable zero-tolerance approach to behaviour is isolated circumstances. Research from the Children’s also having an impact on the education of children Society shows that nearly one in six families said that from hard-up families. More than one in 20 parents school uniforms were to blame for their having to cut reported that their child had been sent home for wearing back on food and other basic essentials. Its report, “The non-approved clothes or shoes, or even the wrong socks, Wrong Blazer 2018: Time for action on school uniform as a result of struggling to afford the costs. That is costs”, revealed that families have to find an average of something that came up in the evidence. Children are £340 per year for each child at secondary school—an being sent home or are being put into isolation for the increase of 7% since 2015. Parents of primary school day because their uniform is not absolutely accurate. children spent an average of £255—an increase of 2%. Based on Department for Education statistics on the 263WH School Uniform Costs5 NOVEMBER 2019 School Uniform Costs 264WH

[Emma Hardy] others—items of school uniform that were no longer needed but still perfectly wearable were collected at number of children in primary and secondary schools pick-up-and drop-off points. They were washed, ironed, across England, that translates to about half a million sorted and made available, for free, to anyone who children having suffered the indignity and humiliation needed them. It was a huge success—we helped more of being sent home from school or put in isolation— than 500 families and we intend to repeat it. That kind punished for no reason other than the misfortune of of scheme should be part of everyday life. Although having been born part of a family that is living in some schools do similar schemes, one of the great poverty. things about the RE:Uniform project was that it mixed The pernicious nature of poverty sours even what we up uniform from across the city. Some areas may have a might remember as the fun parts of school. It is known more expensive generic uniforms, and it might end up that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are likely being distributed to another area of the city. That was to miss out on school extras, such as trips or music its strength and the reason it worked so well. lessons, but evidence has emerged recently showing that the growing trend of schools increasing the number of Holly Lynch (Halifax) (Lab): I am grateful to my dress-up days, often as a means of shoring up their hon. Friend for securing this debate and for sharing that depleted funds, is resulting in an increase in the number example with us. She is making a powerful speech. A of unauthorised absences among those pupils. Huffington Post journalist recently visited Moorside primary school in Halifax and published an article that An analysis of attendance data by the Association of reflected not only on cuts in schools but on how poverty School and College Leaders shows a significant increase at home had an impact on a child’s learning, through in the number of unauthorised absences among pupils hunger in the classroom and school uniforms. The on 14 December. The date puzzled the researchers until article included some incredibly powerful images of tiny they realised that the date was traditionally Christmas children’s feet in pumps with holes in them and of holes jumper day.Unauthorised absences among pupils regarded in school uniform sleeves. Does my hon. Friend agree as disadvantaged in the schools studied were nearly that while the Government do support a number of three times higher than on a typical day. For those schemes to make sure that children are fed and can regarded as without disadvantage, it was still nearly learn in the classroom, there is not a great deal of twice as high. At the risk of sounding like the Grinch support for families to pay uniform costs? before Christmas, I encourage schools to change Christmas jumper day to something more straightforward, such as Emma Hardy: I agree with my hon. Friend that the Christmas hat day. The school could provide all the Government can do more. In fact, the Welsh Government materials for the children, who could still dress up and are insisting on a limit on school uniform costs and on enjoy Christmas, but it would not put off children from gender-neutral uniform. They are giving parents the poorer backgrounds from attending school that day power to hold schools to account if they are not acting and learning, just because they cannot afford the cost of in the parents’ interest, but unfortunately we do not a Christmas jumper. have that option for schools in England. The scheme The fact that the embarrassment of standing out that we ran was very successful, but it could have been drives pupils to skip school casts a different light on the even more so had all schools been encouraged to take Children’s Society’s findings: about one in 10 said that off the badges and have generic uniform, because if the unaffordability of uniforms had led to the child uniforms did not have badges, they could be shared wearing unclean or ill-fitting uniforms to school. I more easily across the city. received feedback from some teenage girls about that, Putting costs and poverty aside for a moment, we and they talked about the humiliation they felt at having need to think about a sustainable future and consider to go to school in ill-fitting uniforms. One parent told the pressures on the environment and the challenges of me that her daughter was sent home because her skirt climate change. Last Saturday I attended a fantastic was too tight and was seen as not correctly following event in Hull: an eco and affordable fashion show, the school uniform code. However, the girl had grown where people had made incredibly inventive clothes out considerably after a sudden growth spurt, and the parent of discarded materials. I sat next to an amazing woman was unable to afford a new uniform, especially as the who called herself “the mean queen” and said she could need for logos makes it more expensive. live on hardly anything. She had knitted a bag out of Our children are growing up in an increasingly image- the tape from a video cassette—it was absolutely amazing. conscious world where bullying has become easier through I am not saying we all need to that, but perhaps we social media. As I have said, children in poverty are four need to think about sustainable fashion and reusing times more likely to have a mental health problem by things. the age of 11. It seems unlikely that there is no connection There is no evidence that a school uniform, let alone between children being forced to go to school in ill-fitting a highly prescriptive and zealously enforced school or unclean uniform and their feeling an impact on their uniform, improves educational outcomes for any children, mental health. disadvantaged or otherwise. A perception seems to have My response to hearing the harrowing testimony grown over time that, somehow, the stricter the uniform, from mothers at the Education Committee hearing was the better behaved the child, but I have seen no evidence to organise a uniform exchange in my constituency, of any correlation. Having a uniform that all parents called RE:Uniform, which began at the beginning of and children can access is more likely to build positive summer term and ran through the summer holidays. relationships with parents and the community, and, Thanks to a network of volunteers—in particular, I therefore, instil a better attitude to learning at school. thank Reverend David Speirs and Susie Steel from the The Department for Education states that it Methodist Church, the Hessle Road Network and many “strongly encourages schools to have a uniform”, 265WH School Uniform Costs5 NOVEMBER 2019 School Uniform Costs 266WH and believes that The measure should alleviate the unnecessary costs “uniform can play a valuable role in contributing to the ethos of a facing all parents. However, for millions the root cause school and setting an appropriate tone”. of the problem will remain—ever-increasing poverty in The Department insists that schools should have a uniform, our country. In response, the Labour party is prepared but I put it to the Minister that perhaps it needs to do to reinvest in this country, to make work pay and to more to ensure that it is affordable for everyone. Currently, properly support those who are out of work or disabled. the Department expects schools only to “take account” It will create a unified national education service for of its published guidance on school uniforms. The England, to provide cradle-to-grave learning that is free guidance states that a school’s uniform policy should be at the point of use. Fully funded, it will begin the huge clearly set out and subject to reasonable requests for task of turning around the effects of years of cuts and variation, and that any changes should take into account neglect, and will incorporate all forms of education, the views of parents and pupils, but there is no mention from early years through to adult education. That will of affordability. Specifically, it says: be built on the principles that underpin the Labour “No school uniform should be so expensive as to leave pupils movement: a society should be judged on how it treats or their families feeling unable to apply to, or attend, a school of the weakest and most vulnerable, and should believe their choice, due to the cost of the uniform. School governing that every child—and adult—matters. bodies should therefore give high priority to cost considerations. The governing body should be able to demonstrate how best 2.47 pm value has been achieved and keep the cost of supplying the John Howell (Henley) (Con): It is a pleasure to serve uniform under review.” under your chairmanship, Mr Pritchard, for what inevitably The evidence I have presented shows that the guidance will be the last time in this Parliament. It is also a is routinely ignored. Parents up and down the country pleasure to participate in a Westminster Hall debate; I are starving themselves to pay for school uniform. In have spoken in a large number of them and I am a September,Lord Agnew agreed with me that the approach happy to finish this Parliament speaking in one. The of some schools to uniform was “ridiculous”and “mindless third pleasure is to follow the speech by the hon. Member bureaucracy” on their part. He said, for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle (Emma Hardy). “They don’t realise that actually this is an additional burden Let me start with where we agree. I would like to hear for a family that’s not well off”, from the Minister what the plans are for the guidance and that he was on school uniforms and whether it will be made statutory. “happy to amend the guidance.” For the reasons the hon. Lady set out, I fully accept the That was very welcome, but in the light of the fact that benefit of making that guidance statutory, as I think it schools clearly disregard the guidance, the Minister will help. Where we tend to differ is in our attitude to should make it statutory.In response to a written question school uniforms as a whole. I regard them as important in July, the Minister said that the Department intended and I have seen evidence, which I am happy to make to put the school uniform guidance on a statutory available, that schools with a school uniform perform footing, better and their children feel much more cohesive and part of something bigger. I would hate to lose that and, “when a suitable legislative opportunity arose.” thinking back to my own time at school, the feeling of I would like to think that neither my nor any other collectiveness that followed from it. party would oppose that proposal, and that we can all However, I agree that we need to help with the cost of unite in agreement. It could, therefore, be progressed school uniforms, which averages around £350. That is extremely quickly, although I realise that time is getting quite a lot, particularly for families at the bottom end a little tight. Instead, however, it has been put on the of the pay scale. Interesting new methods have been back shelf. developed to tackle that. I will come to one of them, but We need to poverty-proof the school day, beginning my hon. Friend the Member for Mole Valley (Sir Paul with a school uniform price cap. The Children’s Society Beresford) mentioned another: putting pressure on proposes taking a similar approach to that of the Financial organisations to allow badges to be sewn on to standard Conduct Authority in its capping of rent-to-own products. clothing, which is much cheaper and is accessible to It proposes the benchmarking of prices and an average everyone. as the cap. That would involve a school’s regulatory In my experience, many schools—I have not done a body surveying the market to ascertain the cost of school calculation on this, so I will not say most—take this uniform items and setting the cap based on that. Then, issue into account and have their own schemes to help under statutory guidance, schools would be responsible disadvantaged families afford uniforms, where one is in not only for ensuring that they are making affordability existence. Such schemes are very helpful. However, one a primary concern, but for demonstrating that their of the most interesting schemes I have come across uses uniform policy is in keeping with the cap. In short, the internet to make what are, in effect, second-hand under the cap, would a family be able to afford the items clothes much more widely available. I see a lot of of uniform set out in the school’s policy? attraction in that. People might argue, “Well, it’s second- Introducing such a measure would not be without hand clothing,” but the person who founded the charity challenge. It would require some extra administrative that established that scheme was clear when she said, work for schools, to ensure that their uniform cost is “Well, heavens; a school uniform, whether it’s new or within the cap. Crucially, it would require an honest and not, looks second hand within two weeks of being accurate assessment of the incomes of poor families worn.” That is absolutely true, so I do not think the fact and the other claims on their spending, to decide what that the clothing is second hand should play a major is realistically affordable for them. Recently,many decision part in preventing anyone from being able to engage in makers have struggled to accept the true scale and that sort of transaction, and it has a material impact on nature of poverty in this country. the cost of the items concerned. 267WH School Uniform Costs5 NOVEMBER 2019 School Uniform Costs 268WH

[John Howell] almost to complete this Parliament in Westminster Hall—I suspect there may be one more debate to come, but that This is an important issue to have raised at the end of is by the by. this Parliament. As I said, it will be interesting to hear I am very pleased to be involved in this debate, and I the Minister’s response about the statutory basis on congratulate the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull which school clothing is to be founded. West and Hessle (Emma Hardy) on bringing it forward. This is a massive issue in my constituency. The Minister 2.52 pm does not have responsibility for it, because it is a devolved matter—if the Assembly were working, it would be Stephanie Peacock (Barnsley East) (Lab): It is a pleasure sorting it out—but, if I may, I would like to make some to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Pritchard, and to remarks in relation to Northern Ireland. follow the hon. Member for Henley (John Howell). I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston This is a big issue in my constituency simply because, upon Hull West and Hessle (Emma Hardy) on securing as the hon. Lady and everyone else who spoke said, a the debate, and on her tireless work to raise the profile number of families are in the clutches of in-work poverty. of an issue that for too long has flown beneath the That term probably has not been used very often in the radar, despite having a real and significant impact on House, but it happens to people. I find there is a our constituents’ lives. squeezed lower middle class, who find it more difficult than anybody else just to try to get through because According to the Children’s Society, 1 million children they are outside the benefit system, so they feel the pain. in England live in families that get into debt just to meet They go to work, yet the money coming in does not the rising cost of school uniforms. One in six families satisfy the money going out, particularly in August and blames school uniform costs for having to cut back on September every year, as parents scramble to get school food and other essentials. One resident in my constituency uniforms. told me she had forked out more than £120 for one child’s school uniform and PE kit. That is a staggering Some retailers that are aware of the pressure on amount to pay, but the reasons why people have to do parents offer packages. For instance—nobody will know so are well known. Some schools require compulsory this—Crawford’s across from my advice centre on Frances branded items, some request expensive specialist gear, Street in Newtownards has offers online for all the and others use single suppliers and retailers—even getting major schools and some others, designed to help parents a financial incentive to do so. As if that were not get a good deal. Mr Crawford has been doing that for enough, for many struggling parents this is an annual umpteen years, and he does it very well. However, by occurrence, as their children quickly grow out of their nature, offers are time limited, and if someone purchased uniforms, and many must pay to clothe does not have the money in August and September, they several children. must scrape together even more to meet their child’s basic school needs. This summer,in response to the concern among parents in my constituency, I organised the Barnsley East school Expensive uniforms are another form of discrimination: uniform exchange, which was an opportunity for those if someone cannot afford the uniform, they cannot who had uniforms they no longer needed to pass them attend the school. They may have the educational qualities, on to other families in need. I was blown away by the but can they buy the uniform? No, they cannot. response. Not only did we manage to provide uniforms Unfortunately, therefore, parents may have to make for children and families who might have struggled difficult decisions for children who have the educational otherwise, but we helped to facilitate a community’s quality.Everybody,including the Minister,wants everyone coming together, sharing resources and helping one to have the same opportunity for educational achievement, another out. It was a testament to the incredible generosity but someone who is poor and does not have much in Barnsley, and such was the response that we already income will sometimes make decisions based not on have uniforms ready and waiting to go for the next how bright wee Johnny or Sally is but on what they can school year, when I plan to continue the exchange. afford. Ultimately, however, we should not have to rely on In 2017, the Northern Ireland Commissioner for the generosity of our friends and neighbours to help Children and Young People published a report stating provide even the basics, especially when it comes to that the average cost of a school uniform in Northern children and their experiences in education. Provisions Ireland is £109 per child, with yearly education costs and guidance to schools to ensure that uniforms remain well over £1,200 a year. I am going to mention some affordable and accessible should be reinstated following things that hon. Members have already mentioned, their dilution under this Government, and greater ability because it is important that they are on the record. Last for local authorities to keep the costs down would year, a survey found that more than a third of families undoubtedly make a difference. No family should be in Northern Ireland go into debt at the beginning of the left vulnerable, and no child left disadvantaged, because new school year because of rising costs. A third of of what for too many is the extortionate price of education. families in Northern Ireland go into debt just to get the Schools, local authorities and communities can come uniform to get their children to school. School uniform together to tackle the burden, but action must start with grants are available from the Education Authority to the Government. families in receipt of universal credit or certain other benefits, but, at best, those grants cover only a fraction of the cost of the typical school uniform, and people 2.55 pm are struggling greatly. Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): It is always a pleasure We should try to encourage children to be active, yet to speak in Westminster Hall. I thank the hon. Member when they join a school club—hockey, football, rugby, for Henley (John Howell) for what he said; it is nice athletics or whatever it may be—and travel to matches, 269WH School Uniform Costs5 NOVEMBER 2019 School Uniform Costs 270WH they must be in their PE tracksuit with full school all have equal opportunities in education and so on. If insignia, and then their actual playing gear and all the that happens, we can make a change. My question to rest. Again, that is a method of discrimination. It can the Minister is this: when will that happen? be heartbreaking for a family on the poverty line to realise that their child is good enough for the school 3.3 pm team but that they cannot be part of it because the Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab): It is family cannot afford the prohibitive cost of the uniform. an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Pritchard. With full PE kits starting at £240—those are the cheaper I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston options—and children needing one at least every other upon Hull West and Hessle (Emma Hardy) on securing year, that is a massive cost. Let us be honest: the hon. the debate on the last day of this Parliament. It is not Member for Henley mentioned how a uniform can look quite the graveyard shift, as she put it. We may be well used in a couple of weeks, and PE kits can get competing with the House on who finishes first—I damaged as well, so that £240 may be unfortunately believe the valedictory speeches have just started—and only the start of the cost. For that reason, some children I know you are anxious to get in the final word of this are not taking part in school clubs, staying away not Parliament, Mr Pritchard. I thank my hon. Friend for because they do not have the interest, the enthusiasm, her work. She is an indefatigable campaigner on education, the energy or the ability but because their mums and not just as a former trade unionist in education but as a dads cannot afford the massive cost. former teacher, like me. Her passion shines through. We are in 2019, and I truly thought these days were I thank all Members who contributed to the debate. behind us, yet it is clear that children are penalised in The hon. Member for Henley (John Howell) rightly their education because their parents work as hard as said that uniforms bring a common identity. Few schools they can but have difficulty just making ends meet. I up and down the land do not have some sort of uniform. believed that was why working tax credit was created, to He also talked about second-hand clothes, as did my step in, fill the gaps and help with school uniforms and hon. Friend. I might not be forgiven for saying this, as a the now obligatory hockey, football, Gaelic football Mancunian MP from Cottonopolis, but we now know and rugby uniforms, as it should. Yet unfortunately in that cotton production is one of the greatest polluters August and September, and at other times of the year, on the planet. We must begin to think of new ways to go whenever parents come to see me, I see at first hand in forward sustainably. Recycling, reuse and reduction of my office that it is not working. We need more help for cotton is therefore important. those who are working and yet are on the breadline—the I was taken aback by the community organising working poor. That is a real issue. project of my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley At this stage, I wish to thank some people in my East (Stephanie Peacock), putting power into the hands constituency who do great work. The likes of the Ards of people who struggle to purchase uniform individually. Community Network, Friends of Regent House and Bringing people together for a school uniform exchange other residents’ groups have introduced a system, like is a remarkably good idea. If she does not mind, I may the one referred to by the hon. Member for Henley, well steal it for my own constituency. where used uniforms that are still in good condition can As ever, whether in Westminster Hall debates or be dropped off to help those who cannot do it all. Hon. Adjournment debates, the hon. Member for Strangford Members have referred to similar organisations. Those (Jim Shannon) made some strong points. Poverty is initiatives must be applauded and encouraged, but they common across our islands, and it is a form of highlight the failure of the system we have in place. discrimination if parents have to fork out too much for That we need those initiatives illustrates clearly that we uniforms. need help. Weknow that common uniform policy reduces bullying As a side issue, the Trussell Trust opened its first in schools, and I saw it for myself. Sometimes as a food bank in Northern Ireland in Newtownards in schoolteacher I would dread non-uniform days. The December 2011. I was there at the opening. It is now school where I taught was in a very mixed area. There operating in more than 20 locations across the region. were some rich areas from which children would come Families in crisis are up by over 13%. The welfare in wearing designer Nike gear, and some came in wearing system is missing those people on the peripheries. I supermarket gear. Even at quite a young age, they knew sincerely ask for a review of the school uniform grants the difference. That is important. procedure to help those on the edge. I think of my constituency, which StepChange says I know that this is a devolved matter for Northern has 3,000 families containing 5,000 children in toxic Ireland and that the Minister has no responsibility for debt—the most in England, for sure—owing about what happens there, but hon. Members’ reflections are £14 million to utility companies, dependent on payday mirrored in my constituency as well. School uniform lenders and pawn brokers to get to the end of the grants must help those who may be above the threshold month. They are unable to pay when their white goods on paper but in real life are struggling. break down and they are really struggling to get by. I It is so important that children are happy at school. also have the highest number of social tenants who are In my constituency and across Northern Ireland—I am affected by the bedroom tax—or the spare room subsidy. sure this affects other hon. Members—we have some of This is therefore a timely debate to finish off this the highest figures for young people at primary school Parliament. level, and certainly at secondary school level, with mental As my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon health problems. Why is that? It is because they are not Hull West and Hessle said, nine years of austerity has happy at school. I suggest very gently to the Minister been unrelenting. Universal credit is failing, driving people and hon. Members that we must improve the quality of to debt and even destitution. For many in my constituency life for our children at school. We must ensure that they and up and down the land, and particularly for those in 271WH School Uniform Costs5 NOVEMBER 2019 School Uniform Costs 272WH

[Mike Kane] is a brave act: an increasingly braver act these days. I wish all Members good luck and I thank the Minister faith communities, the two-child policy for child benefit for his courtesy over the past few years. I have stood is an utter disgrace. I pray for the day of a Labour opposite him many times in many debates. I thank the Government. If one comes about in a few weeks’ time, House staff, the Doorkeepers and all who keep us safe that is one of the first things we will deal with. If we do and functioning in this place. have a Conservative Government, I pray for the day on which they will change their mind, because it is driving 3.11 pm people to despair. The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb): It is a More than 4 million children are growing up in pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Pritchard. poverty. More than 1 million are forced to go to food I hope it will not be for the last time, even if it is the last banks, and it is predicted to get worse. My food banks time during this long parliamentary Session. I echo the coalition came to me towards the end of August—we comments made by the hon. Member for Wythenshawe will all have faced this—saying, “We have run out of and Sale East (Mike Kane), whose views I share. It is a food, Mr Kane.” I asked, “Why have you run out of worthwhile occupation to stand for election to public food? We have churches, civil society, supermarkets and office in our great democracy. It is a pity that politicians business contributing week in, week out.” They said, are treated in the way that too many of us are. We need “It’s school uniform buying week.” They were out of to do more across parties to re-establish the safety and food at the Wythenshawe food bank. The Government position of politicians and how they are regarded by the should be hanging their head in shame that those families public. I am sure that together we can do a lot to are in that situation. enhance their reputation. There are also signs that our increasingly fragmented I congratulate the hon. Member for Kingston upon schools system hampers what we can offer our parents Hull West and Hessle (Emma Hardy) on securing this and children. It is a system that allows free schools and important debate and on her powerful opening speech. academies to act as islands, independent of their I am aware of the hon. Lady’s concerns, given her role communities and the needs of the children they are as a member of the Education Committee. I also supposed to support. On this Government’s watch, we congratulate her on her work with the RE:Uniform have seen parent governors stripped from school governing campaign, and the hon. Member for Barnsley East bodies up and down the land. It is a system with no (Stephanie Peacock) on similar campaigns in her means by which parents can hold a school to account, constituency. Such campaigns facilitate the exchange of and the Government have failed entirely to act on second-hand school uniforms for many in both their parents’ concerns. Academies and free schools set rigid constituencies. I am sure that the shadow Minister, the dress codes with expensive uniforms that cannot be hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East, will not bought on the high street, and children are sent home be the only person stealing her ideas. from school because their parents cannot afford to meet The hon. Gentleman said that school uniforms reduce those dress codes. bullying and that when he was a teacher he dreaded The system has exacerbated sending children home, non-school uniform days, which reveal too harshly who with 10,000 children off-rolled in the last year alone. We has designer clothes and who does not. That is why I am give a charter to criminals and county line gangs when a keen adherent and supporter of school uniform in this we send children home and we have no idea where they country. Where I disagree with him is on how we ensure are. The system is broken. What is the Minister doing to that poverty is reduced to an absolute minimum. A ensure that children do not lose time in school because driving objective of Conservative economic policy is to their parents cannot meet unrealistic demands on school reduce poverty.Wehave the lowest level of unemployment uniforms? When will the Minister ensure that the since the mid-1970s. There are fewer workless households Government meet their pledge to make school uniform and fewer children living in workless households today guidance legally binding? What are the Minister and the as a consequence of our presiding over a strong and Government doing to address the ever-increasing challenge what I would call a stable economy, which is our objective faced by parents to pay for the basics? What will they do going forward. We want to maintain a stable and strong to ensure that support is available when they have economy, keeping unemployment low and the number overseen the abolition by stealth of the school uniform of jobs at record levels. That is how we reduce poverty grant? in this country. Opposition Members should know that Time after time, Labour has pressed Ministers to take no Labour Government has ever left office with action, but yet again we are well into a school year with unemployment lower than when they came into office. parents paying the price for the Government’s failure to People need to take that very seriously if they are as act. The Government pledged statutory guidance in determined as we are to reduce poverty in this country. 2015, yet, four years and three Prime Ministers on, they Jim Shannon: I am ever mindful of the different still hide behind the excuse that they could not find aspect in Northern Ireland, but I am conscious of those parliamentary time. It is clearer than ever that parents, who are in in-work poverty. Have the Government had children and teachers need a Government that will act an opportunity to assess the extent of that? In my on their behalf—a Labour Government with a national constituency it is enormous, but I suspect it is the same education service. Will the Minister pledge to us today in every other hon. Member’s. to end once and for all the perverse situation whereby poverty acts as a barrier to children attending school? Nick Gibb: The way to reduce in-work poverty is to Finally,may I thank all Members who have contributed have a strong economy that creates the wealth that today and to the parliamentary Session? Putting one’s everybody can benefit from. We introduced the national name on a ballot paper, from whatever political party, living wage to ensure that people on low wages gain a 273WH School Uniform Costs5 NOVEMBER 2019 School Uniform Costs 274WH bigger share of the wealth that our economy creates. school meals. The money can be used to pay for uniforms Also, we have raised the personal allowance tax threshold and equipment that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to something nearer £11,000 or £12,000, so that people might need to have. on low incomes pay significantly less tax. Millions of people have been taken out of tax altogether. That is Emma Hardy: One of the points made by some of how to tackle poverty and low income. A strong economy parents was that when a school is re-brokered as a with very low levels of unemployment means that wages different academy trust, all the parents then have to buy are pushed up because of market forces. the new branded uniform for that trust. If the Minister We can all agree that the cost of school uniform is an is looking at amending or improving the guidance, important issue for many families. I was grateful for the could the DFE not say that, in the case of re-brokering, opportunity to speak about it in response to a debate on parents will be allowed to continue to use the uniform this topic secured by the right hon. Member for Birkenhead until the pupil has grown out of it, and can simply (Frank Field) last year, and I welcome the opportunity purchase new in the new school academy, rather than to discuss the issue again today. If schools can ensure having to potentially change in September and then in that uniform items are available at a reasonable cost to January? parents, there are significant positive benefits that school uniforms can provide. The Government strongly encourage Nick Gibb: The hon. Lady raises a good point. It is schools to have a school a uniform. something that we will reflect on. I have often seen It is common for schools also to have a school dress schools and academies, in such circumstances, provide code, and the overwhelming majority of schools require the uniform for existing pupils, because of course it is a pupils to wear a uniform. A school uniform can play an cost that parents will not have expected. There are many important role in contributing to the ethos of a school ways around the issue, but it needs to be addressed and and setting an appropriate tone. It can help foster a taken seriously, as the hon. Lady says. sense of equality and belonging for pupils and reduce While school uniform can have a hugely positive pressure for pupils and parents to have to spend money impact on a school, by providing cohesion and community on keeping up with the latest fashions or trends. It can for the pupil population, it may present a financial also support discipline and motivation among pupils as burden to some—particularly to families on low incomes part of a wider behaviour policy. —as has been widely discussed in this important debate. A primary purpose of a uniform is to remove differences In 2015, the Department commissioned the “Cost of between pupils. If everyone is dressed the same, it school uniform” survey, which provided the most recent underlines that we are all equal. With a standard uniform information that we hold on the cost of school uniform in place, it is harder to tell a pupil’s background. In such and indicated that the average cost of most items decreased ways, uniforms can play an important part in helping between 2007 and 2015—the date of the report—when pupils feel safe and happy at school. Although decisions adjusted for inflation. Moreover, most parents were about school uniform are made by head teachers and pleased with the overall cost and quality of their child’s governing bodies, and it is right that they continue to uniform. More than two thirds of parents were happy make such decisions, I encourage all schools to have with the cost of uniform and PE kit. However, in the uniform policies for the reasons I have outlined. same survey nearly one fifth of parents reported that they had suffered financial hardship as a result of When speaking about this topic, I have consistently purchasing their child’s school uniform. It is therefore said that I am clear that the cost of uniform should not vital that we do what we can to ensure that school act as a barrier to obtaining a good school place. I want uniform is accessible for all, no matter what the family’s all children to be able to attend a school of their budget. parents’ choice wherever possible. No school uniform It is for the governing body of a school, or the should be so expensive as to leave pupils or their families academy trust, in the case of academies, to decide feeling unable to apply to or attend a school of their whether there should be a school uniform policy, and if choice. That is made very clear in the admissions code. so, what it should be. It is also for the governing body to decide how the uniform should be sourced. However, Holly Lynch: Looking back to when I went to secondary we are clear that governing bodies should give cost school—which I appreciate is some years ago now—I considerations the highest priority when making decisions am reminded that the school provided a list of the about school uniform. The Department published best uniform and equipment that I would need. The cost of practice guidance for school leaders on developing and all those things was a challenge for my family, and there implementing school uniform policy. That guidance were things on that list that we paid for that I never used sets out that a school should ensure that its school in five years. Could we not do something very quickly uniform policy is fair and reasonable for all its students. and simply to prevent families from having to fund It should make certain that the uniform is affordable those costs without additional cost to the Government? and does not act as a barrier to parents when choosing a school. Nick Gibb: Certainly schools should be careful in School uniform should be easily available for parents requiring purchases of equipment that is not needed. It to purchase. In particular, the guidance specifically is a loose use of other people’s money by the school, so states that schools should seek to select items that can I share the hon. Lady’s concern about that. I am proud be purchased cheaply—for example, in a supermarket. of the pupil premium, which the previous Conservative-led If parents can shop around for items of uniform, that Government introduced. It is about £2.5 billion a year— can encourage competition and enable them to buy nearly £1,000 for every secondary school pupil and their uniform from a retailer at a price that suits their about £1,300 for every primary school pupil on free household budget. The Department’s guidance advises 275WH School Uniform Costs5 NOVEMBER 2019 School Uniform Costs 276WH

[Nick Gibb] Government’s stated intention to make school uniform affordable does not undermine our commitment to the schools that, in setting their school uniform policy, they principle of uniform itself. Putting our guidance on a should give the highest priority to cost considerations statutory footing is directly intended to ensure that and achieving value for money for parents. school uniforms are affordable for all. I am aware that a concern is often mentioned in this In England, some local authorities provide discretionary context about branded items of uniform, and how grants to help with buying school uniforms. It is a those are supplied—something that has been mentioned matter for the local authority to decide whether to offer in the debate. We recognise that schools will often want those grants and to set their own criteria for eligibility. to adopt items of uniform that are specific to that Schools may offer individual clothing schemes, such as school, such as a branded blazer or tie. The Department, offering second-hand uniform at reduced prices, as in however, advises schools to keep such branded items of the uniform scheme that we have heard about today. As uniform to a minimum, as multiple branded items can I have said, schools can choose to use their pupil significantly increase costs. We recommend that schools premium funding to offer subsidies or grants for school should avoid exclusive single-supplier contracts, as those uniforms. Again, that will be a decision for the school to could risk driving up costs. Where schools choose to make. enter into such contracts, which in some cases may be I am enormously grateful for the support that the the best option, they should ensure that they are subject hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle to a regular competitive tendering process to ensure the has given on this issue. She has raised some important best value for money. concerns, and I hope that she is relatively happy that the The hon. Member for Barnsley East raised the issue Government also recognise the cost of school uniform of schools that receive a financial incentive to use a as important. We want all children, wherever they are specified supplier. The guidance explicitly states: and whatever their background, to be able to secure a “Schools should not enter into cash back arrangements.” good school place, and we do not want the cost of It is very clear about that. If parents have concerns uniform to act as a barrier. The steps that we have taken about the school uniform supply arrangements in relation underline the importance of the cost of school uniform to competition law, they can raise them with the in helping the most disadvantaged members of our Competition and Markets Authority. As you may be society to get access to a good education. The Government aware, Mr Pritchard, the CMA wrote an open letter to have made a commitment to legislate on the issue, schools and school uniform suppliers, which provides which we intend to honour. more detail about its policy, and what powers it has, 3.27 pm regarding the appointment of exclusive suppliers for school uniform. Emma Hardy: I thank all Members who have taken With reference to the request of my hon. Friend the part in this debate. There has been broad agreement on Member for Henley (John Howell), he will be pleased to the need to have a school uniform, as it helps to disguise know that the Government have committed to putting some of the differences in income levels between families. our best practice guidance on school uniform on to a There is also broad agreement on where we need to go statutory footing. Opposition Members also made that forward. Let me push the Minister a little further. He request. The Secretary of State and the CMA recently referred to statutory guidance, but I think that should engaged in an exchange of open letters on the matter of also include a limit on the number of branded items single-supplier contracts. that can be required, and on overall cost. Schools should be encouraged to show and share the cost of Stephanie Peacock: I believe that the Welsh Government their uniforms. used powers provided in the Education Act 2002 and I have one final little push—“If you don’t ask, you the Education and Inspections Act 2006, which were don’t get”, as I was always told—to ask whether the passed under a Labour Government, to issue their Minister will consider introducing grants that are available statutory guidance. Why has the Minister not done the throughout England, and not linked to a local authority’s same? ability to pay for them. We know that local authorities have suffered cuts and cannot afford to pay for those Nick Gibb: We keep those issues under review. As has grants, but they should be available to every child, been pointed out, we are running out of time in this regardless of where they live. On that slightly demanding Session, but if a Conservative Government are returned note, I thank all hon. Members—it has been a pleasure with a functioning majority, I am sure that we will give to take part in this debate and to continue campaigning urgent priority to legislating on the matter in question. on education; and, in the words of Arnie Schwarzenegger, “I’ll be back.” The CMA stated its approval of our commitment to place our guidance on a statutory footing when a suitable Question put and agreed to. legislative opportunity arises, as I am sure it will after Resolved, the general election. In turn, the Secretary of State has That this House has considered school uniform costs. reaffirmed our commitment to do so, which will send a clear signal that we expect schools to ensure that uniform 3.28 pm costs are reasonable. I should make it clear that the Sitting suspended. 277WH 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries 278WH Study Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries constituency of Strangford, and indeed my own village Study of Portavogie, which once had two fish processing plants. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that, with the correct exit policy—the Minister will probably confirm this—we 4 pm could again see business opening up and thriving in all our fishing ports and surrounding areas across the Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con): I beg to move, whole United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern That this House has considered the recommendations of the Ireland? Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries study. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Peter Aldous: I thank my hon. Friend for that Mr Pritchard. I also welcome my hon. Friend the intervention. I shall cover a lot of the issues that he has Minister to his place. He has been very supportive of raised in my speech, but I will highlight two things proposals to revitalise the UK fishing industry, and immediately. First, he is correct to say that, with the through the Fisheries Bill, which I hope is only temporarily opportunity to land more fish in UK ports, the whole of stalled, he has provided a framework for doing that. the country and particularly our coastal communities My interest is in the East Anglian coast, which runs could benefit. Secondly, the point I will be making is for 208 miles from King’sLynn in Norfolk to Leigh-on-Sea that although the REAF report is very much bespoke to in Essex, with Lowestoft in Suffolk, in my constituency, the East Anglian area, there is no reason why similar geographically at its centre. Lowestoft is historically the reports could not be produced for other regions, such as fishing capital of the southern North sea, and the hope the one that he represents. is that in the future, if we make the most of the The total reported value of the catch of commercial opportunity that Brexit presents, it will be the regional species from the southern North sea has in recent years hub port at the heart of a revived but modern fishing varied between £190 million and £260 million, and only industry that plays a key role in the regeneration of between 7% and 8% is landed by the UK fleet. Most fin coastal communities. fish are currently landed overseas, in ports in the REAF—the Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries—is Netherlands and France, with shellfish landings taking a community-led group that has come together to produce place off the west Norfolk coast and in the Essex a long-term strategy for fishing in the region. Work estuaries. A varying but low number of UK-registered began in 2018 as a result of the joint endeavours of East offshore vessels are operating in the southern North Suffolk Council, June Mummery, Paul Lines and me. A sea, but the vessels land only low values into regional partnership was formed between the regional industry, ports because of their foreign ownership. The Lowestoft East Suffolk Council, Suffolk County Council, Norfolk Fish Producers’ Organisation lands its fish in the County Council, the New Anglia local enterprise Netherlands, not in Lowestoft. partnership, Seafish, and Associated British Ports.Funding The specialist modern vessels represent a substantial was provided by the participating councils, Seafish and investment, made possible by access to UK waters the European maritime and fisheries fund, via the Marine under the common fisheries policy and through the Management Organisation. East Suffolk Council has purchase of access to UK quotas. They are said to given invaluable administrative and project management comply with the CFP’s economic link obligation, mostly support and has hosted our meetings. by gifting some quota to the UK. However, although The REAF report was prepared by its members, with East Anglia sits next to one of the richest fishing fields advice from Rodney Anderson and research and analysis in Europe, very little local benefit is in practice currently from Vivid Economics. The strategy builds on the insights derived from it. of numerous stakeholders and expert interviews across the whole industry,as well as conversations with regulators Some Dutch demersal trawlers have used pulse fishing, and public bodies. Special thanks go to all those who which employs electric currents to force fish from the have contributed to the project. seabed—a technique that the European Parliament voted to ban with effect from January of this year, although There is a long history of fishing along the East 5% of the fleet of the North sea is permitted to continue Anglian coast. However, over the past 40 years, its for scientific purposes until 2021. importance to the area has significantly declined, and in Lowestoft, where it used to underpin the local economy, At present, we have a system that not only brings very the industry is currently a very pale shadow of its little benefit to the East Anglian fishing industry, but is former self. Across the region, the industry covers a extremely environmentally damaging. This study’s main diverse range of fleets and activities, including a shellfish finding is that the UK’s departure from the CFP provides fleet; an inshore fleet catching flatfish; some offshore a remarkable opportunity to bring about a renaissance demersal and pelagic fleets; processing, with some of East Anglian fisheries. However, that will be achieved international exports; port and market services; and only if our leaving the EU is accompanied by well-designed various other ancillary activities. national policy and regulation that provide the framework for regional strategies such as REAF. Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): I thank the hon. The report concludes that there is the opportunity to Gentleman for initiating the debate. Is he aware that increase UK vessel quota catch in the southern North UK vessels land some 40% of the catch from UK sea by seven times its value and UK vessel non-quota waters, whereas Norway and Iceland, for instance, land catch by 25%. That will together add 25 or more vessels 83% and 90% respectively of theirs? The report to to the UK fleet, creating jobs both offshore and onshore. which he is referring makes it clear that East Anglia’s Up to 13,300 additional tonnes per year of allowed inshore fleet does not get a fair slice of the cake and catch will become available to UK-registered vessels in there is scope for renewal of the fisheries employment the southern North sea, potentially being able to be sector in that area. It is very similar to my own area, the landed and processed in the UK. That will come about 279WH Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries 280WH Study Study [Peter Aldous] and the use of gear; requiring the offshore fleet to land its catch in the UK and restricting it from fishing within through a change in the way the fishing opportunity in 12 nautical miles of the coast; considering restricting the North sea is allocated between countries as we move offshore vessels to 500 hp and banning beam trawling; to a geographic area allocation under the international investing in a regional hub fishing port in Lowestoft; law of the sea, known as zonal attachment, replacing providing access to finance for the scaling-up and the current basis for fish catches, known as the relative automation of the processing sector; upgrading the stability rule of the common fisheries policy. It is vital control regime for anglers; removing barriers to aquaculture that zonal attachment and a requirement to land fish in expansion by de-risking developments and improving the UK are the basis of any future agreement with the access to finance; setting up an apprenticeship scheme; EU. Such a change would allocate the aforementioned combining the two inshore fisheries and conservation sevenfold greater catch of quota stock value to the authorities and the Marine Management Organisation UK from the southern North sea; it would be worth into a new single East Anglia regional fisheries authority; approximately £28 million to £34 million at the quayside. managing fishing stocks as a mixed fishery and introducing That includes an eightfold volume increase in sole, a more effective controls over fishing mortality; and, finally, tenfold increase in herring and an elevenfold increase in making more use of data to manage potential conflicts plaice. between fishermen and other marine activities, such as In addition, the economic link rule, which the UK uses wind farms and dredging. to regulate the activities of vessels fishing UK fish The REAF study is very much a living document. It stocks, should be strengthened so as to promote the is not a piece of academic research purely designed to landing of fish in UK ports. The potential benefits provoke contemplation and debate. It sets out a range could increase further as fish stocks improve through of practical recommendations that, if implemented, effective management and as the regional fleet becomes could bring significant benefits to local people,communities more competitive and more efficient. In addition, there and businesses. Brexit on its own is not a magic wand may be more opportunities to start harvesting crabs that will revitalise our fishing industry, but it gives us further offshore and to expand oyster cultivation. the opportunity to start again with a clean sheet of To realise that opportunity, the REAF strategy makes paper, to pursue innovative and radical policies that can 11 recommendations, which I will briefly outline. They bring real benefits to East Anglian coastal communities. fall into three categories of change. The first is economic We need to get Brexit done, so that we can get on with change, bringing potentially rewarding and well-paid putting in place strategies such as REAF. jobs to the East Anglian coast for not just the catch So that East Anglia can get on with this work, I ask sector, but the whole length of the supply chain, from the Minister in his response to confirm support for the the net to the plate. following first steps. First, it would be appreciated if he could ask his officials at the Department for Environment, Dr Dan Poulter (Central Suffolk and North Ipswich) Food and Rural Affairs—who have been extremely (Con): I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s strong advocacy helpful in this process—to continue to work with the for his fishing fleets in Lowestoft, which he has always REAF team, so that a strategy can be agreed for starting demonstrated in his time as the Member of Parliament work on implementing the study’s recommendations. for Waveney. In East Anglia, we are proud of our food This regional approach to fisheries management will and drink produce. Does he agree that the opportunities help to secure the Brexit dividend, and REAF provides he has just outlined would have an impact in constituencies a blueprint that could be used elsewhere around the further inland, such as mine,where we have the UK’sbiggest UK coast. producer of sushi, Ichiban, which produces 60% of the UK’s sushi? Secondly, seedcorn funding should be provided, so that REAF can carry on into its next phase. East Peter Aldous: My hon. Friend and neighbour is right. Suffolk Council has confirmed that it is prepared to While I concentrated on the coast, where my constituency continue to offer support and host meetings. It will is located, the supply chain goes much further inland in convene a new REAF group and oversee the preparation East Anglia, into those constituencies, such as his, of the first year’s programme of works. However, it which are landlocked—for example, the merchants and does not have a budget to fund anything more than the type of processing industry he highlighted. The basic secretarial support. To take the project forward, tentacles of the industry’s supply chain extend a long there is a need for a full-time outreach worker, a liaison way. officer, who will foster, galvanise, encourage, interpret and explain. This person would spend the first six The second category into which the recommendations months of their time visiting ports and landing places, fall is environmental—the importance of promoting working with fishermen, talking to processors and hauliers, sustainable fishing, helping to avoid the overfishing and generally obtaining further background information. mistakes of the past, so that we leave our fisheries to the This person will play a crucial role in advising the next generation in a better state than we inherited them. steering group about the practicalities of what is or is The third category, linked to that second objective, is not happening on the ground. They will feed back to regulatory change, putting in place a local, bespoke the different sectors of the industry and ensure that system of management, which includes fishermen, and they continue to be fully supportive of the project. This which avoids the past mistakes of the common fisheries will mean constantly getting out and about at times that policy, which was too centralised and distant at times. suit the industry, not standard office hours. They will be In brief, the 11 recommendations can be summarised the linchpin of the project. A dedicated project manager quickly as follows: introducing a new system of control and administrative backup are also required, as well as in the inshore fleet through hours-at-sea restrictions a modest level of specialist consultancy support. 281WH Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries 282WH Study Study Thirdly, we need to promote a new approach to In the original Bill, we set out a number of important managing mixed fisheries by controlling the inshore approaches. Clause 1 set out a whole series of fisheries fleet through hours-at-sea restrictions. The Minister has objectives, including objectives for fishing sustainably previously indicated that the Government will carry out and towards maximum sustainable yield. It was also an hours-at-sea pilot; we ask for that pilot to take place very clear that we would take control of our exclusive in East Anglia. economic zone, which means controlling access out to Fourthly, it is important that we put in place an 200 nautical miles or the median line. apprenticeship scheme for those wanting to pursue a There were also ideas to improve the way in which the career in the industry. That will include establishing an discard ban works. For example, a discard disincentive apprenticeship training programme for future skippers, scheme would create a national reserve that fishermen funded by the national apprenticeship levy; preparing a with out-of-quota stock could access, and they would careers in fishing brochure to accompany the scheme; have to pay a penalty so that there was no incentive for and making available finance for graduates from the them to target vulnerable stocks. In addition, we would scheme, to support them in acquiring a vessel and a have made it easier for them to avoid their current licence. East Coast College in Lowestoft wishes to be problem of choke species. Our fisheries White Paper involved in this scheme, and there is a need to forge the was also clear that we would depart from relative stability— proposals into a deliverable project. the EU sharing arrangements—and move to a new and Fifthly, Lowestoft wants to regain its crown as the more scientific sharing arrangement, based on zonal capital of the southern North sea. That will require a attachment, to which my hon. Friend referred. fishing port development study to be prepared, working We have also been clear that as we depart from in close collaboration with Associated British Ports, the relative stability and transition to this new and more owners of Lowestoft port. The scope of the project scientific approach, under which we will have additional could include a new fish unloading quay, berthing and catching opportunities, we will use a different methodology provisioning facilities, and the creation of a new fish to allocate any new quota coming into the UK. Although market. This would provide the port with the capacity we want to keep some stability in the short term by to handle shellfish and both inshore and offshore vessels. keeping the current fixed quota allocation units for Sixthly, following Brexit, there will be a need for existing quota, additional opportunities will be distributed investment in the processing sector,not just in East Anglia using different criteria. Weare interested in giving additional but nationally. A scheme needs to be set up for which quota to the inshore fleet—the under-10 pool, as it is East Anglian processors can apply, and it should mirror currently described. We may tender some quota to the support that Marine Scotland provides to Scottish existing producer organisations, based on their track processors. My seventh and final ask is that we start work record of sustainability. We will also, as I have said, on forming the new single East Anglia regional fisheries keep some of that quota back for a national reserve. authority, which will provide clear and visible signs on Into the mix of this quite exciting change for our the ground of improvement in regulatory operations. fisheries policy comes the Renaissance of East Anglia I suspect that I have spoken for too long and I Fisheries initiative. As my hon. Friend said, there are apologise. I hope that I have illustrated that we have a many groups involved, including the local authority, detailed plan for securing REAF—the Renaissance of Seafish and a number of local groups. I commend the East Anglian Fisheries. We now want to get on with work he has done in holding the ring and organising delivering that plan, and I look forward to hearing from many events to promote its objectives. Indeed, I was the Minister that he supports that local ambition and very pleased to be able to attend the launch of the that his Department will work with us to secure what I report. believe is a very exciting future. The historic reason why relative stability does not work for many of our coastal communities, in particular 4.18 pm those around East Anglia, is broadly as follows. During The Minister of State, Department for Environment, the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, most of our fishing fleet Food and Rural Affairs (George Eustice): We are all very were catching cod in Icelandic waters, we were fishing privileged to be in the final Westminster Hall debate not less in our own waters, and other countries—mainly near only of this Session but of this Parliament, as we prepare neighbours in Europe—were fishing in those UK waters. for a general election. I congratulate my hon. Friend the It was very unlucky for us, in the way that sometimes Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous), with whom I have happens to our country, that just as we were driven out had many debates on these issues. He has been a champion of our Icelandic fishing grounds, where we had historic for the inshore fleet, particularly around East Anglia. rights—we were driven right out to 200 nautical miles, Of course, his constituency is also home to the Centre following our defeat in the third cod war—we had already for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, given the European Union control of our waters. The which is the national headquarters of our fisheries sharing arrangements were therefore set in concrete. To science agency and has a truly global reputation. compound matters, the catch data that some of our My hon. Friend was also with me on the Fisheries smaller vessels had was not as comprehensive and detailed Bill Committee, which he mentioned, so he is familiar as the data that other EU countries purported to have. with our White Paper and our approach in the Bill. That created an unfairness in the sharing methodology, Sadly, that Bill has now fallen with the end of this which, as my hon. Friend pointed out, has continued to Parliament. However, I believe that the principles we this day. debated in Committee will be as relevant as ever when I turn now to the points raised by my hon. Friend and Parliament returns and when we leave the European the report. I have to say that he had many asks, but I Union. That is why the Government are committed to will try to deal with as many of them as possible. First, bringing back a fisheries Bill. there was a proposal to close the inshore pool and to 283WH Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries 284WH Study Study [George Eustice] There was criticism that individual localities did not get the attention that they felt they deserved, and that is have instead a system based on effort or hours at sea. As why IFCAs were given an enforcement role. Nevertheless, my hon. Friend knows, our White Paper was clear that my hon. Friend is right that there is a case for joining up we want to pilot such a system. When it comes to the more closely the efforts of the IFCAs and the MMO. inshore fleet, there is a case to be made that sometimes That is why we formed the Joint Maritime Operations an effort-based regime is more appropriate for those Coordination Centre, where everybody—from the smaller inshore vessels, because they have a small amount coastguard to the MMO and IFCAs—can work together of quota for a large range of stocks, and a quota system to co-ordinate their assets in a single approach to the does not work that well for them. There are, however, issue of enforcement. drawbacks to an effort-based system. A pilot in Ramsgate Finally, my hon. Friend says that we should manage about seven years ago was not particularly successful, stocks as a mixed fishery and implement more effective so we need to learn the lessons. Nevertheless, I am open controls for fishing mortality. CEFAS, which is based in to doing it. A quota system will always be the right Lowestoft, has done a lot of groundbreaking work. Our approach for larger trawlers and offshore vessels, because chief fisheries scientist, Carl O’Brien, has been a leading an effort-based regime is not the correct approach when light in developing some of the methodologies for mixed it comes to pelagic fish, which have very large stocks. fisheries analysis, and this is something that the UK is Secondly,my hon. Friend asked that we require offshore keen to pursue. vessels to land their catch in the UK and to restrict their In conclusion, I welcome the REAF report and commend fishing within the 12 nautical miles. He will be aware my hon. Friend for his work. As for where we go from that we have given notice to quit the London fisheries here, I stand ready to work with him in the future, convention. That expired in July. Therefore, when we should we both be returned to this place, to further leave the European Union, the historic access rights develop the thinking. When it comes to administrative that some foreign vessels have had to fish within the six support for the project, I know that Seafish has been to 12-mile zone will expire. It is our intention that the involved and I think it would also be good to engage the 0 to 12-mile zone—our territorial waters—will be local enterprise partnership in the process, to help to predominantly reserved for British vessels, and we will support bids. The time will come, however, when REAF seek to restrict the access of foreign vessels to those will, I presume, want to turn its ideas into a grant bid to waters. one of our maritime funds—either an existing fund or a We are also reviewing the economic link. That could future one—and at that point my Department and the include requiring vessels to land a greater proportion of MMO would stand ready to assess that application. My their catch in the UK, so that what they catch is of hon. Friend will be fully aware that I cannot give any benefit to communities such as those in my hon. Friend’s cast-iron guarantees that it will get support, but I can constituency.We must, however, take into account certain guarantee that it will be given full consideration. I considerations when adopting such an approach. Last thank my hon. Friend again for his work and I commend year I visited the Faroes, which required 100% of catch him for the points he raised. to be landed in the Faroes. However, their fishermen complained that that meant that they were, in effect, Mark Pritchard (in the Chair): Before I adjourn this captured by processors and did not have other market sitting, I would like to thank, I am sure on behalf of all alternatives. There are, therefore, reasons for allowing colleagues, the Clerks, the attendants and the security some catch to be landed outside the UK, but we are officers outside, the sound and broadcasting staff, who seeking to strengthen the economic link. of course are never seen but do an excellent job every A number of the other issues raised by my hon. time we sit in Westminster Hall, and the Hansard staff Friend relate to funding. We will replace the European for their excellent coverage of our debates. Indeed, I maritime and fisheries fund. We have also announced a thank all the staff of the House in what has been a very new domestic maritime fund, precisely to support fish short parliamentary Session following one of the longest processing and harbour and port facilities to help projects parliamentary Sessions in the last 450 years of our such as that under discussion. history. I thank you all. The report proposes that the inshore fisheries and I can now say, for the last time in this Parliament, that conservation authorities and the Marine Management the sitting stands adjourned. Organisation should be combined into a single force. There is a reason why IFCAs were created. Previously 4.30 pm they did not have an enforcement role; they had a Motion lapsed, and sitting adjourned without Question management role and the MMO did all the enforcement. put (Standing Order No.10(14)). 71WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 72WS

We have written to local authority chief executives, to Written Statements raise awareness about the sensitive interest provisions in the Localism Act 2011 which protect the personal addresses Tuesday 5 November 2019 of councillors in England, ensuring that monitoring officers are aware of the guidance published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. CABINET OFFICE New legislation to tackle intimidation Intimidation in Public Life We have consulted on our internet safety strategy Green paper, and we published the world leading Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport-Home The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster Office online harms White Paper in April 2019. This set General (Oliver Dowden): In July 2017, the then Prime out a range of legislative and non-legislative measures Minister commissioned the independent and respected detailing how we will tackle online harms and set clear Committee on Standards in Public Life to undertake a responsibilities for tech companies to keep UK citizens review into abuse and intimidation in elections. This safe. It established a Government-wide approach to followed concerning evidence from many parliamentary online safety, delivering the digital charter’s ambitions candidates—across the political spectrum—on their of making the UK the safest place in the world to be experiences during the 2017 general election. online, whilst also leading the world in innovation-friendly For those in public life, it has become harder and regulation that supports the growth of the tech sector. harder to conduct any political discussion, on any issue, The White Paper set out the Government’s intention without it descending into tribalism and rancour. Social to introduce a new mandatory “duty of care”, which media and digital communication—which in themselves will require relevant companies to take reasonable steps can and should be forces for good in our democracy—are to keep their users safe and tackle illegal and harmful being exploited and abused, often anonymously. activity on their services. It stated that the new regulatory It is important to distinguish between strongly felt framework will make clear companies’ responsibility to political debate on one hand, and unacceptable acts of address the harm of “online abuse of public figures”. abuse, hatred, intimidation and violence. British democracy The White Paper also included ambitious measures to has always been robust and oppositional. But a line is support education and awareness for all users and to crossed when disagreement mutates into intimidation. promote the development and adoption of new safety Left unchecked, abuse and intimidation will change technologies. our democracy and mean that the way Members interact The Cabinet Office has undertaken a public consultation with constituents will need to change. Increasing levels entitled “Protecting the Debate: Intimidation, Influence of threats directed at those in public life is a worrying and Information”. From that we committed to legislate trend that will require a co-ordinated and thorough to introduce a new electoral offence, clarify the electoral response from Government, the relevant authorities, offence of undue influence of a voter, and introduce a businesses and the public themselves to address. digital imprints regime. As the general election campaign commences, I want to update the House on the actions that the Government Digital imprints have taken to tackle intimidation, and the steps that the We recognise the important arguments in favour of Government are taking in this specific election. having a digital imprints regime in place as soon as Prosecution guidance possible, but it was not possible to legislate for and We have worked with the Law Officers to publish new implement a regime in advance of a December election. guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for Technical considerations would need to be addressed, the legal authorities on the laws on intimidation, and for example to avoid the need for individual candidates the wide range of areas in which intimidation can be and campaigners to publish their home addresses as prosecuted under existing laws.This has been complemented part of an imprint. Moreover, for a digital imprints by guidance to the police from the National Police regime to work properly, political parties, campaigners Chiefs Council. and others would need to understand on what material The CPS guidance “Responding to intimidating they are required to include an imprint. Rushing into a behaviour: Information for Parliamentarians” can be new regime—that could have proved unworkable—could found at: have led to significant issues, including confusion, unintentionally stifling democratic debate or to people https://www.cps.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/ unknowingly committing an offence. publications/Responding-to-intimidating-behaviour- 04-2019.pdf The Government are committed to implementing a digital imprints regime as soon as they can but it must The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC), CPS, be a workable regime. College of Policing and Electoral Commission have also issued “Joint Guidance for Candidates in Elections” at: Defending democracy programme https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/ On 22 July 2019, the Government announced the candidate-or-agent, which is distributed by the Electoral defending democracy programme that will help maintain Commission. the integrity of our democracy and electoral processes. Supporting local councils This cross-Government programme, led by the Cabinet We have passed legislation to remove the requirements Office, has been set up to: for candidates running for local government, parish protect and secure UK democratic processes, systems and council, and local mayoral elections, to have their addresses institutions from interference, including from cyber, personnel on their ballot papers. and physical threats; 73WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 74WS

strengthen the integrity of UK elections; A copy of this letter has been placed in the House of encourage respect for open, fair and safe democratic Commons Library. participation; and Democracy is a fundamental British value and one promote fact-based and open discourse, including online. underpinned by respectful, vibrant and robust debate. Earlier this year, this Government committed to But this freedom cannot be an excuse to cause harm, publishing a consultation on electoral integrity, which spread hatred or impose views upon others—a line is will look at measures to improve voters’ confidence in crossed when disagreement mutates into intimidation, our democracy. violence or abuse. Protection of candidates Our politics will be the poorer if talented potential The parliamentary liaison and investigations team candidates—people who just want to stand to represent (PLAIT) and the Members security support team (MSSS) their peers and stand up for their areas—decide not to will continue to support Members once they become get involved out of fear for their or their loved ones candidates after Dissolution. Personal security advice safety. If fewer candidates put themselves forward, then and guidance has been provided to all Members, and voters will have less choice at the ballot box. there is a package of security measures available for The Government will take all necessary steps to homes and constituency offices. protect the debate, have put in place measures to support Local police forces are chiefly responsible for the candidates with their safety for this election and have security of candidates. As such, they have been briefed ambitious plans to tackle online and offline abuse of on their responsibilities regarding the delivery of protective those in public life beyond. security measures. The Home Secretary wrote to chief [HCWS100] constables on 2 October 2019, and the Security Minister wrote to Police and Crime Commission, to ensure that they prioritised tackling the intimidation and abuse of BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL Members and candidates. STRATEGY Local police forces also have a dedicated point of contact for candidates who can be contacted for security advice. All urgent concerns, or contact outside of office Audit Reform hours, should be directed to police control rooms, who have been briefed to provide suitable guidance and The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial support. Strategy (Andrea Leadsom): The Government recognise Recognising that intimidation can take a number of the role that audit plays in the effective functioning of forms, the Cabinet Office will co-ordinate with the the UK’s financial markets and broader economy. police, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and To help meet our ambition that the UK should others to issue a package of security guidance, including become the best place in the world to work and to grow how to report it. Following the Dissolution of Parliament, a business, we must take forward reform of audit. This this guidance will be sent to all returning officers, to be will include reforming audit, the audit regulator, and issued to all candidates in every constituency. the audit market. Change would affect a large number The Cabinet Office, in its cross-Government and a wide variety of companies, firms, and interests; co-ordination role, has set up an election cell which will but it is clear that there is a need for truly long-lasting meet regularly during the election campaign period and and effective change. whose attendees include organisations responsible for I want to see the UK leading the world in the next the safety of candidates. phase of improvement for corporate governance and Advice to candidates regarding abuse online audit. In the first quarter of next year—when I have Social media helps Members and candidates connect considered Sir Donald Brydon’s recommendations—I with the public and can and should be a force for good intend to bring together all relevant elements of reform in our democracy. However, there have been worrying in order to take that forward. trends of abuse and threats directed towards Members I am already working to create the new audit, reporting of all parties,and particularly female and BAME Members. and governance authority, to replace the Financial The Government believe this is completely unacceptable. Reporting Council. I have started with appointing new Illegal activity online should be treated in the same leadership at the Financial Reporting Council, who are way as illegal activity offline, and reported to the police. driving a new vision and culture for the regulator. They Social media companies, such as Facebook and Twitter, are now implementing those recommendations made in have also developed guidance and dedicated mailboxes Sir John Kingman’sexcellent report that are not contingent for reporting abuse and intimidation against candidates on legislative change. during an election. Today, the Home Secretary, Secretary Future reform will cover not just the function of the of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and I regulator, but also the purpose and function of the have written to social media companies asking them to audit market, and audit itself. I intend to bring forward work together during this election to provide clear advice an ambitious and coherent programme of change that drives to candidates in one place so candidates know what up quality, resilience and choice. It will include proposals content breaches their terms and conditions, where to on the function and oversight of audit committees report suspected breaches and what they can expect and new internal control arrangements within businesses; once a report has been made. We have also asked on the responsibilities of boards and directors; on how both that they work together to identify where abusive users investors and regulators can better hold companies towards candidates are migrating between platforms and their auditors to account; and to reduce the reliance and to encourage more proactivity on this. on a few large audit firms for the provision of audit. 75WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 76WS

All of those factors must be and will be assessed and We announced £27.8 million of Government funding weighed together, so that the whole package is coherent to advance carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and effective. As recognised by the Business, Energy technologies in the UK, a crucial step towards the UK’s and Industrial Strategy Committee, whose work on net zero emissions. audit I welcome, some reform will require radical action We announced investment of up to £1 billion over in order to ensure that it is meaningful and enduring, five years to boost the production of key green technologies and that it fully addresses the very real concerns that we in the motor industry, including batteries, electric motors, all share with the current state of the market. power electronics and hydrogen fuel cells. This is in [HCWS102] addition to £400 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Cobham plc Merger The UK was nominated to host the COP26 UN climate talks next year in partnership with Italy,recognition The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial by world leaders of our strong global on climate issues. Strategy (Andrea Leadsom): On 25 July 2019, the boards of Cobham plc and a subsidiary of funds managed by UK emissions in 2019 were 42% lower than in 1990, Advent International, a US private equity firm, announced while growing the economy by 72%. The UK has delivered that they had reached agreement on the terms of a fastest decarbonisation in G20 since 2000 according to recommended cash acquisition of Cobham for PWC. approximately £4 billion. The UK’s fifth carbon budget was passed into law, On 17 September, following advice from relevant equivalent to a 57% reduction on 1990 levels by 2032. Government Departments and agencies, I initiated a We committed £5.8 billion of international climate public interest intervention under the Enterprise Act finance from 2016 to 2021, placing us among the world’s 2002 into this merger on the grounds of national security. leading providers of climate finance, in addition to the I required that the Competition and Markets Authority £3.87 billion we provided from 2011 to 2016. The Prime investigate the merger and provide me with a report on Minister later announced the doubling of international the transaction by 29 October, which it has done. The climate finance spend to £11.6 billion. Secretary of State for Defence has also written to me Our international climate finance programmes are about the national security implications of the merger delivering real results on the ground and are catalysing and the discussions which have taken place with the wider change. parties to propose undertakings to address those implications. I am grateful for the advice I have received Among others, we have built the market for concentrated and the constructive engagement from the parties. solar power (CSP) in developing countries. The decision on how to proceed in this case requires We have contributed £720 million to the green climate further full and proper consideration of the issues. fund, financing projects and programmes in a range of Having received these reports, I will therefore have developing countries. further discussions with my ministerial colleagues and We published the Clean Growth Strategy: Leading the parties to the transaction to inform the decision-making the way to a low carbon future policy paper. This set process. I will update the House in due course so that out the strategy for decarbonising all sectors of the UK hon. Members can scrutinise the Government’s decision. economy through the 2020s, benefiting the economy The full legal process will continue to be followed while meeting commitments to tackle climate change. throughout the general election period. We held the UK’s first green GB week in 2018, a week [HCWS86] to celebrate clean growth and raise awareness regarding Work of the Department how the public and businesses can tackle climate change. We launched the smart export guarantee consultation which proposed that large electricity suppliers must The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial offer small scale generators a price per kWh for the Strategy (Andrea Leadsom): I would like to update the electricity they export to the grid. The scheme came house on some of the key achievements of the Department into force in June 2019. for Business, Energy and the Industrial Strategy since it was created in July 2016. We are taking action to make sure the UK’s energy Leading the world in tackling climate change system has adequate capacity and is diverse and reliable. Achieving net zero carbon emissions is a key We gave the go-ahead agreement to proceed with the departmental priority and we have set out actions we first nuclear power station in a generation at Hinkley are taking across the economy to accomplish this. Point C to ensure future low-carbon energy security. We committed to set a legally binding target to end Hinkley will provide 7% of Britain’s electricity needs for the UK’s contribution to climate change to net zero by 60 years. UK-based businesses will benefit from more 2050. than 60% of the £18 billion value of the project, and 26,000 jobs and apprenticeships will be created. We have set out further actions we are taking across the economy to achieve net zero by 2050. These include We continued to support the capacity market auctions. adding around 6GW of clean energy to the grid by 2025 The capacity market aims to ensure security of electricity through the contracts for difference (CfD) scheme, enough supply by providing a payment for reliable sources of to power over 7 million homes at record low costs. capacity, alongside electricity revenues, to ensure the We announced £200 million of initial funding for a delivery of electricity when needed. programme which aims to design and build a nuclear The Department’s ambition is for the UK to have the fusion plant by 2040, looking to exploit the potential lowest energy costs in Europe, for both households and for clean, safe and inexhaustible power. businesses. 77WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 78WS

The Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill above inflation increase. By 2020, almost 3 million low put a requirement on the independent regulator, Ofgem, wage workers are expected to benefit directly from the to cap energy tariffs until 2020. It came into force in NLW, with up to 6 million in total potentially seeing January 2019, saving customers on default tariffs around their pay rise as a result of a ripple effect up the £76 on average and as much as £120 on the most earnings distribution. expensive tariffs. The Parental Bereavement Act entitles parents who As of March 2019, there were over 14.3 million lose a child under the age of 18 to two weeks paid leave, meters operating under the smart meter programme. supporting those affected by the tragedy of childhood Making the UK the best place to work and grow a mortality. business The Department consulted on a number of key The Secretary of State has set out her ambition to employment issues. These include measures to boost make the UK the best place in the world to work and workplace participation and to tackle employers misusing grow a business. Creating fairer, inclusive workplaces flexible working arrangements. and unlocking enterprise by cutting the burdens on We announced a Tipping Bill, reaffirming our businesses are two sides of the same coin and both commitment to delivering employment rights reform to equally important. ensure our employment practices keep pace with modern We announced that the British Business Bank would ways of working. expand its venture capital and debt support programmes. Solving the grand challenges facing our society A total of 82,000 smaller businesses have been supported by the British Business Bank. Our industrial strategy is built to ensure we focus our efforts and resources on solving the grand challenges The Brydon review examined the quality and effectiveness facing our society.Through this we will increase productivity of the audit market and looked at what audits should be and improve lives, as well as helping to make the UK a in the future. It addressed the audit expectation gap: the science superpower. difference between what people think an audit does and what it actually does. It will also look at the scope of an The “Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the audit, any changes that may need to be made to it and future” White Paper set out the Government’s long-term how it can better serve the public interest. plan to boost the productivity and earning power of Weconsulted on the competition and markets authority’s people throughout the UK, provide more opportunities far-reaching and ambitious recommendations to improve for young people to find high-quality, high-skilled work, quality, resilience and competition in the statutory audit and spread jobs, prosperity and opportunity around the market. We are committed to acting on the CMA’s whole country. findings and will respond as soon as possible. We launched four grand challenges to put the UK at We established the Office for Product Safety and the forefront of the industries of the future: Standards to enhance consumer protections. Growing the artificial intelligence (Al) and data driven We published the Consumer Green Paper, aimed at economy responding to the challenges and opportunities of modern Clean Growth consumer markets via a regulatory and competition framework. This was followed by consultation and Future of Mobility engagement on the Green Paper. Ageing Society We carried out a Smart Data Review and proposed a We are pursuing five individual missions related to set of measures to ensure consumers’ data is handled these grand challenges. Each of the missions focuses on with the security they expect, while enabling them to a specific problem, bringing government, businesses continue to have access to the best deals available. and organisations across the country together to make The Government asked Matthew Taylor to conduct a real difference to people’s lives. an independent review of employment practices in the We agreed 11 sector deals, partnerships between the modern economy, which was published in July 2017. Government and industry to create significant opportunities We responded to this review with the good work plan. to maximise the potential of each sector. Each deal will The plan set out proposals to ensure workers know substantially boost the sector’s productivity, through their rights and receive the benefits they are entitled to, greater investment in innovation and skills and that action is taken against employers who breach The Space Industry Act created a regulatory framework those rights. Proposals include: for the expansion of commercial space activities and First-day entitlements to holiday and sick pay; the development of the UK space port. It will enable A new right to payslips for all workers, including the first commercial space launch from UK soil in casual and zero-hour workers; and history,creating the potential for hundreds of highly-skilled jobs and bringing in billions of pounds for the economy A right for all workers to request a more stable contract, providing more financial security for those on We launched the AI package for 200 UK doctoral flexible contracts. studentships in AI and related disciplines which could As of 1 April 2019 the national minimum wage help diagnose diseases like cancer earlier and make (NMW) was £7.70, and the national living wage (NLW) industries, including aviation and automotive, more was £8.21. The annual earnings of a full-time minimum sustainable. wage worker have increased by over £2,750 since the The “Future of mobility: urban strategy” outlined introduction of the NLW in April 2016. An estimated the Government’s approach to maximising the benefits 1.8 million workers are expected to benefit from this from transport innovation in cities and towns, therefore 79WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 80WS improving choice and the operation of the transport To support R and D we have also within this funding we system. The strategy aims to make transport safer, more have: affordable and accessible to all. Published “Higher Education: Success as a Knowledge Welaunched the West Midlands and Greater Manchester Economy” (White Paper, 2016). This document set out local industrial strategies, working with local leaders to a range of reforms to the higher education and research boost the productivity and earning power of people system, aiming to boost competition and choice in throughout these regions. Local industrial strategies higher education, and strengthen the way the sector is will allow places to make the most of their distinctive regulated, and research is funded. strengths, helping to inform local choices, prioritise Passed the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, local action and, where appropriate, help to inform bringing together the seven research councils, Innovate decisions at the national level. UK and research functions of HEFCE into a single, We announced funding for strategic priorities fund strategic agency called UK Research And Innovation (SPF) wave 2 programmes on healthy ageing, clean air (UKRI) to encourage collaborative research across the and productivity. These will help us to fulfil our goal of sciences, and closer co-operation between researchers, improving lives and increasing productivity through innovators and entrepreneurs.UKRI was formally launched high-quality research and innovation. Programmes include in April 2018. research into care robots that could make caring Getting businesses ready for Brexit and the opportunities responsibilities easier; digitising museum exhibits so beyond they can be seen in peoples’ homes, libraries and schools; Preparing for all scenarios and delivering a Brexit research into teenage mental health issues and closing that works for business has been the Government and the productivity gap with investment in super computers the Department’s immediate focus. and a new productivity institute. The SPF Wave 2 total As part of the Government campaign to ensure people programme funding allocation is £496.8 million. and businesses are ready for Brexit, the Secretary of We set out plans to rewrite the regulation rulebook to State hosted nine business roundtables, including five ensure the UK leads the tech revolution and empowers regional events, and visited businesses across the UK, in consumers. The “Regulation for the Fourth Industrial locations including Belfast, Aberdeen, Cardiff and Revolution White Paper” outlined how the Government Manchester. Businesses participating in the roundtables will transform the UK’s regulatory system to free up included Tate and Lyle Sugars, JCB, Tesco, Unilever, businesses and innovators to test their ideas, make use Laing O’Rourke, Scottish Power and Diageo. of the latest technologies and get their products to market Werana“GetReadyforBrexit”roadshow,with30events quicker, keeping the UK at the forefront of innovation. over six weeks across the UK, where 3,132 attendees We committed to increase investment to 2.4% of received tailored advice and support on preparing for GDP by 2027. The Government are increasing spending Brexit.Wealsoproducedanonlineversionof theroadshow, on R and D by £7 billion over 5 years by 2021-22. This which has attracted nearly 6,000 viewers. will be the largest increase in nearly 40 years. Within The Department launched the business readiness fund this funding we have: to help business representative organisations (BROs) Allocated £1.7 billion to the industrial strategy challenge and trade associations to support businesses to be ready fund (ISCF) over two waves of investment; £1billion for EU Exit. Initially launched as a £10 million fund, a was announced for wave 1 in Budget 2017, and a further further £5 million has been made available due to the £725 million announced in the industrial strategy White fund’s popularity. So far over £10 million in grants has Paper. These challenges have been developed to align been issued to support 124 BROs. with the four grand challenges set out in the White We published 28 of the Government’s 106 technical Paper. We have announced nine challenges under the notices to help the public prepare for Brexit, including third wave of the ISCF. Horizon 2020, state aid, workplace rights, nuclear research, Announced investment of £118 million to attract mergers and trading goods. highly skilled researchers to the UK through a new The Nuclear Safeguards Act made provisions for Ernest Rutherford Fund, providing fellowships for early- nuclear safeguards after the UK leaves Euratom, ensuring career and senior researchers. the UK meets its international commitments. Committed £900 million to the UK research partnership [HCWS98] investment fund over 2012-2021, which will lever double from private sources into R and D collaborations between universities, business and charities. Euratom Exit Strategy Committed to developing the UK’s national space capabilities, including: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, £1million, matched by industry, for innovative new Energy and Industrial Strategy (Nadhim Zahawi): The business ideas that could benefit from a flight to the Government have further advanced their preparations international space station. These could be anything for the UK’s withdrawal from Euratom and the European from medicines and innovative materials developed in Union. the low gravity environment, to space-flown consumer As made clear in previous statements on the topic, products. the UK has concluded all replacement international £20 million is being invested to predict severe space agreements required to ensure continuity for civil nuclear weather events by improving systems at the met office trade for when Euratom arrangements no longer apply space weather operations centre and building the UK’s to the UK and confirmed the operability of an existing knowledge on how to forecast and better prepare for bilateral nuclear co-operation agreement (NCA) with space weather. Japan. 81WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 82WS

Further to this, the UK and the Government of To inform the review we launched a call for evidence Japan held formal negotiations on the text of an amending in May 2018 and received more than 140 written responses. protocol to the existing bilateral nuclear co-operation Meetings were held with 3,000 business leaders and we agreement (NCA) on 4 June. This amending protocol is also engaged with sector trade bodies and membership not essential for the operability of the NCA or for our organisations that jointly represent over 500,000 businesses continued trade and co-operation with Japan but completes across the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern the formal legal process to amend the NCA on a Ireland. permanent basis. Negotiations on the amending protocol The business productivity review we are publishing continue. today identifies best practice used by our leading businesses Implementation guidelines for nuclear operators and sets out ten key actions that will support businesses were published on 27 June outlining future reporting to become more productive these include: requirements on operators related to nuclear co-operation £20 million to strengthen local England peer to peer networks agreements. These requirements will allow the UK to in England focused on business improvement so that thousands comply with its NCAs with Australia, Canada, Japan of business leaders can share expertise on leadership, business and the US, following withdrawal from Euratom. development and technology adoption. The UK also continued to make progress in £11 million to create a small business leadership programme implementing its new domestic safeguards regime. The in England to provide small business leaders with leadership training, building on existing world-class training programmes: Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) remains in a state such as Be The Business’productivity through people, Lancaster of readiness to deliver a state system of accounting for University’sLEAD and Goldman Sachs 10,000 small businesses and control of nuclear material (SSAC) that enables the programme. UK to meet its international safeguards obligations £25 million through the knowledge transfer partnerships to when Euratom arrangements no longer apply. allow over 200 more UK based businesses per year to access The former Secretary of State prescribed the forms the skills and talent to improve their business performance required by UK industry to notify UK regulators of the and productivity by improving how well they are managed. import of sealed radioactive sources from EU member Today we are announcing that there will be a dedicated states as well as the forms required by UK industry and management KTP round which will be open on 12 December 2019 and closes on 19 February 2020. UK regulators to apply for, authorise, and notify trans- Work with trade bodies, sector councils and Be The Business frontier shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel. to ensure small businesses have access to business mentors The use of these forms will only be required from exit from the UK’s leading and inspiring businesses. day in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a Development of the evidence base on productivity, including deal. A statement notifying Parliament of the use of the through the recently announced productivity institute and sub-delegated powers exercised to create these forms the BEIS business support evaluation framework. can be found in the report accompanying this statement. Work with the behavioural insights team to improve messaging Overall the Government have continued to work to businesses, and work with trusted intermediaries—e.g. closely with industry to address the issues that may banks, accountants, trade bodies—to support small businesses affect the civil nuclear sector in any exit scenario and to take action. remains committed to regular engagement with industry, Improve the customer experience for businesses accessing civil society, academia, trade unions, and other interested online Government information and services for growth stakeholders. domestically and internationally. Work with the private sector, such as Be The Business, to Today I will be depositing a report in the Libraries of ensure businesses have access to clear advice and the tools both Houses that sets out further details on the overall they need to help them both understand and improve their progress on the Government’s implementation of its productivity. Euratom exit strategy, including domestic operational [HCWS92] readiness, legislation and international agreements. The report covers the three-month reporting period from 26 March to 26 June 2019 and is the fourth and final Adrian Smith Review statutory report under section 3(4) of the Nuclear Safeguards Act 2018. [HCWS87] The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation (Chris Skidmore): I am pleased to announce that I have today published the report “Changes and Business Productivity Review Choices”, co-authored by Professor Sir Adrian Smith andProfessorGraemeReid.Thisreport,whichIcommissioned The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, in March of this year, provides independent advice on Energy and Industrial Strategy (Kelly Tolhurst): The the design of UK funding schemes for international UK has some of the world’s most productive businesses collaboration, innovation and curiosity-driven blue-skies and has a strong business environment upon which we research.1 In the course of producing the report, Sir Adrian can build. Despite this, the UK has a long-standing and Professor Reid issued a call for evidence and engaged productivity gap with international competitors. That is in discussions with the research and innovation community why we launched the joint Department for Business, across the UK. I would like to place on record my thanks Energy and Industrial Strategy and HM Treasury,business to Sir Adrian and Professor Reid, as well as to all of productivity review to understand the decisions and those who engaged with them to ensure that the UK actions taken by businesses that affect their own productivity. continues to be a global leader in science, research and The potential prize is significant. The Bank of England innovation. estimatesthatif UKfirmscouldmovealongtheproductivity The UK’sworld-leading science, research and innovation distribution into the next quartile, then this could see a sector delivers real economic and social benefits for boost to UK GDP by around £270 billion in today’sprices. communities across the country.International collaboration 83WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 84WS allows us to work at greater scale than the UK could Current financial services legislative proposals alone—for example to meaningfully tackle global The Finnish presidency will provide an update on challenges, such as climate change, artificial intelligence, current legislative proposals in the field of financial cancer, and the future ageing society. In the Withdrawal services. Agreement Bill debate on 22 October, the Prime Minister European Central Bank—executive board member confirmed that “we will protect, preserve and enhance” [Hansard, col.837] co-operation with European science The Council will be invited to adopt a recommendation and research funding programmes. to the European Council on the appointment of a new Sir Adrian and Professor Reid highlight the importance member of the executive board of the European Central of stabilising and building on the UK capability built Bank. up through our international partnerships to date. This Digital taxation Government have participated in negotiations with The Council will be updated on the current state of European partners in a positive spirit as Horizon Europe play of digital taxation and will discuss the way forward. takes shape—and intends to consider association to Horizon European Fiscal Board report Europe provided the programme is open to third country association and offers value for money to the UK. Any The Council will be presented with the 2019 annual decision about associating to the programme will need report of the European Fiscal Board. to take place after both the Horizon Europe proposal EU statistical package and the multiannual financial framework discussions The Council will be invited to adopt Council conclusions have been completed in Council. on the EU statistical package and to review progress This Government are committed to ensuring that the achieved. UK continues to be a global science superpower. That is Climate finance why we have committed to increasing R&D investment The Council will be invited to adopt Council conclusions to at least 2.4% of GDP by 2027 and have announced on climate finance for the COP25 climate summit. our intention to significantly boost R&D funding to provide greater long-term certainty to the scientific Follow-up to international meetings community and accelerate our ambition to reach the The presidency and Commission will inform the Council 2.4% target. In this context, I welcome Sir Adrian and of the main outcomes of the G20 meeting of Finance Professor Reid’s recommendation that the Government Ministers and Central Bank Governors and the IMF should set out a new vision for international collaboration. and World Bank annual meetings held in October 2019. The report will help inform our ongoing ambition to Stable coins deliver wide-ranging and effective research and innovation As an AOB, the presidency will inform the Council collaborations with partners around the world. about a joint statement on stable coins to be agreed at 1Adrian Smith Review: [Hansard HCWS1449] December ECOFIN. [HCWS95] [HCWS93]

TREASURY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ECOFIN British Indian Ocean Territory The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sajid Javid): A meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will be held in Brussels on 8 November The Minister for Europe and the Americas (Christopher 2019. The UK will be represented by Mark Bowman Pincher): My noble Friend, the Minister of State for (Director General, International Finance, HM Treasury). Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Ahmad of The Council will discuss the following: Wimbledon), has made the following written statement: The United Kingdom is aware of the proceedings brought Excise duties by Mauritius against the Maldives under the UN convention The Council will be invited to agree the directive on on the law of the sea (UNCLOS). The UK is not a party to general arrangements for excise duty (recast); the regulation these proceedings, which can have no effect for the UK or for on administrative co-operation of the content of electronic maritime delimitation between the UK (in respect of the registers; and amendments to the directive on the structures British Indian Ocean Territory) and the Republic of the Maldives. of excise duty on alcohol. The UK has no doubt as to our sovereignty over the VAT data from payment service providers British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which has been The Council will be invited to agree a general approach under continuous British sovereignty since 1814. Mauritius on amendments to the directive on the common system has never held sovereignty over the BIOT and the UK does not recognise its claim. of VAT with regards to requirements for payment service providers; and the regulation on administrative cooperation As we have made clear previously, we were disappointed that the sovereignty dispute over the BIOT was referred to in the field of VAT concerning measures to combat the International Court of Justice (ICJ). By agreeing to VAT fraud. answer the questions put to it by the General Assembly on VAT treatment for small enterprises behalf of Mauritius, the Court has enabled Mauritius to circumvent the basic principle that the Court should not The Council will be invited to agree amendments to consider a bilateral dispute without the consent of both the directive on the common system of VAT in regards states concerned. This sets a precedent which will potentially to the special scheme for small enterprises. have wide implications for other states with bilateral disputes. 85WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 86WS

Despite these clear reservations, the UK participated fully Since the strategic defence and security review in in the advisory proceedings in good faith. We have also made 2015, this Department has made significant achievements known our views on the content of the opinion, including its in the following priority areas. insufficient regard to some material facts and significant legal issues. These included the 2015 binding UNCLOS Protecting our people arbitral tribunal award, which held the 1965 agreement Safeguarding our national security by countering between Mauritius and the United Kingdom, in which Mauritius terrorism, extremism, weapons proliferation, and other agreed to detachment of the BIOT in return for benefits state and non-state threats in co-operation with allies including the United Kingdom commitment to cede the territory when no longer needed for defence purposes, was and partners. Assisting British people living, travelling legally binding. The opinion also gave insufficient regard to and working around the world in times of need. the reaffirmation by Mauritius, after independence, of the In 2018-19, the Department provided invaluable assistance 1965 agreement. to over 22,000 British people around the world, and ongoing In any event, what is undisputed is that the opinion is support to 7,700 existing cases. We responded to 14 major advisory and not legally binding. Moreover, the Court itself incidents overseas, from terrorist attacks and natural disasters recognised that its opinion is without prejudice to the sovereignty to high profile political and security issues. dispute over the BIOT between the UK and Mauritius. This year, the Department partnered with the Civil Aviation As the dispute over the BIOT is a sovereignty dispute, the Authority and the Department of General Assembly is not the appropriate forum to resolve Transport to carry out HMG’s biggest peacetime repatriation such disputes. General Assembly resolution 73/295, adopted operation of more than 150,000 people following the insolvency following the ICJ’s advisory opinion, cannot and does not of Thomas Cook. In 2017, 85,000 passengers were returned create any legal obligations for the member states. Nor can to the UK after the collapse of Monarch. or does General Assembly resolution 73/295 create legal obligations for other international actors such as a special The Department played a vital role in the response to chamber of the international tribunal for the law of the sea. Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The response involved Neither the non-binding advisory opinion nor the non-binding 138 substantive updates made to travel advice for affected General Assembly resolution alter the legal situation, that of countries during the crisis, liaising with 14 foreign missions a sovereignty dispute over the BIOT between the UK and to answer queries on their nationals affected by the hurricanes, Mauritius. answering over 3,800 calls to the crisis hotline and deploying 82 FCO staff to provide support to 11 different countries in A fundamental principle of international law and the the region. international legal order is the principle of consent. It follows that the special chamber is not in a position to pronounce Projecting our global influence itself on the sovereignty dispute between the UK and Mauritius without the consent of the UK to resolve the sovereignty Projecting and promoting the values and influence of dispute before the special chamber. a global Britain, strengthening our partnerships and the The UK remains committed to implementing the 2015 rules based international system. Supporting good UNCLOS arbitral tribunal award and seeking direct, bilateral governance, democracy, rule of law and human rights; dialogue with Mauritius. preventing and resolving conflict; and building stability [HCWS90] overseas. In 2018, the Department helped to ensure a robust international response to the use of chemical weapons, following the Work of the Department attempted murder of a Russian dissident and his daughter in Salisbury using a chemical nerve agent. As a result, 28 countries and NATO expelled 130 Russian undeclared intelligence The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth officers. Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab): The UK is proud to have helped train almost 3,000 volunteers The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) uses its for the white helmets (a volunteer humanitarian organisation global platform to promote a truly global Britain and operating in Syria and Turkey) who have saved over 115,000 support the UK’s values and interests—from helping lives through their emergency rescue services in Syria. Through victims of forced marriage to championing media freedom post in Geneva and in New York, the Department has to securing market access for British companies. worked to pressure the regime and its backers to end the fighting in north west Syria, and has supported efforts Its 270 diplomatic posts are invaluable assets in towards greater accountability for those who have attacked 169 countries and territories. Its leadership within nine unarmed civilians, schools and hospitals. The Department multilateral organisations shapes global agendas and has continued its strong deterrence messaging against the sets global standards. It supports 31 Government partners, use of chemical weapons in Syria, including through support including Department for International Development, for the organisation for the prohibition of chemical weapons Department for International Trade and the British and the targeted and proportionate military response to the Council. chemical weapons attack in Douma in April 2018. UK climate change diplomacy led by the Department helped It is also a diplomatic network with ambitions to achieve an historic international agreement to tackle climate expand influence. By the end of 2020, the UK’s diplomatic change in Paris in December 2015. For the first time ever, network will have opened 12 new diplomatic missions 195 countries agreed to act together to combat global warming across the globe since 2018, recruited 1,000 more staff and reduce carbon emissions. In 2020, alongside Italy, the members and boast more sovereign missions than any UK will host the United Nations framework convention on other European country. climate change conference of the parties, a clear signal of the UK’s global leadership on climate change and commitment The Department has also provided extensive support to reducing greenhouse emissions to zero by 2050. to the Government’s efforts to prepare for Brexit. This has included contingency planning for a “no-deal”situation, The UK has been a global leader in the international fight against the ivory trade, legislating to introduce the toughest engagement to influence the EU on negotiation priorities ivory ban in Europe and help bring an end to the poaching and an extension to article 50, providing support to UK of elephants. In 2018, the FCO-organised illegal wildlife nationals living in and travelling to the EU, and planning trade conference was attended by 1,300 participants, and for the UK’s future partnership with the EU. resulted in significant, ongoing pledges by several countries. 87WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 88WS

Promoting our prosperity Current affairs Promoting our prosperity by opening markets, driving HRVP Mogherini will raise Venezuela. She will reflect economic reform, championing British business, and on two international meetings held in Brussels in October. supporting free trade and sustainable global growth. First, the international contact group meeting held on In calendar year 2018, the Department continued to play a 28 October.Secondly,the international solidarity conference unique role within the Government’s cross-departmental on the Venezuelan refugee and migrant crisis which conflict, stability and security fund (CSSF) and make a critical contribution to the CSSF’s work to tackle instability took place on 28-29 October. and prevent conflicts that threaten UK interests.The Department HRVP Mogherini will brief Ministers on the follow-up both delivered the majority of CSSF programmes and co-ordinated wider cross-Government efforts at the country to the October FAC and European Council conclusions and regional level, drawing on its deep foreign policy expertise. on Turkey’s actions in north-east Syria and Turkish For example, in Ukraine FCO-led CSSF programmes have hydrocarbons exploration activity.We expect the Council strengthened peacebuilding and resilience of conflict-affected to adopt a framework for a sanctions regime on the communities, assisting more than 111,000 internally displaced latter. peoples and supporting increased capacity in key Government ministries. HRVP Mogherini will also provide an update on the The Department has led on negotiations on Gibraltar,delivering conflict in Libya and preparations for the leader-level an extensive set of agreements, as well as EU exit preparations conference which Chancellor Merkel will host in Berlin on the other overseas territories. The Department has also later this year. supported the negotiation of arrangements for the sovereign base areas on Cyprus, and prepared for the implications of Afghanistan EU exit on UK sanctions policy. In 2018-19, FCO-delivered prosperity fund programmes, Due to time constraints, the discussion on Afghanistan worth a combined £850 million from now until 2023, began at the October FAC was postponed to November. Ahead to deliver expertise and assistance in sectors and countries of the publication of the recent presidential election where there is high potential to support the inclusive economic results, Ministers will focus on the political situation in growth needed to reduce poverty.Programmes initiated included Afghanistan. They will review prospects for peace, in light a £45 million global anti-corruption programme, and £34 million of recent Afghan and US-led peace efforts. The UK will ASEAN economic reform and low carbon programmes. The prosperity fund programme promotes economic reforms underline the importance of completing the electoral and remove barriers to trade, reform key sectors such as process in an impartial, efficient and transparent manner, infrastructure, energy,financial services, future cities, education and highlight the importance of momentum in the and healthcare, and tackle corruption. peace process. In 2018, BAE Systems (BAES) won the tender to design and build nine future frigates for the Royal Australian Navy. It Iran followed the Department playing an important role supporting the cross-Whitehall effort, and leading the campaign’s Ministers will discuss the EU’s approach to Iran and co-ordination in Australia. This outcome is a significant Gulf regional security. Ministers will focus in particular export boost for the UK as we prepare to leave the EU. It on the importance of preserving the joint comprehensive will secure around £2 billion of direct exports through plan of action (JCPoA) and the need for a diplomatic British designed and manufactured components like engines solution to de-escalate tensions in the region. Along (Rolls Royce) and Sonars (Thales UK and Ultra). It also with our French and German partners, the UK will opens doors to UK SMEs and secures approximately £10 billion highlight the importance of Iran returning to full worth of exports through the life of the programme. The compliance with its commitments under the JCPoA. All whole of life sustainment win for BAES as a national shipbuilding enterprise partner is likely to generate another parties need to engage in comprehensive negotiations £40 billion. without prejudice to the JCPoA itself—to address In 2018, the Department hosted the largest ever Commonwealth Iran’s nuclear activities after 2025 as well as regional Heads of Government meeting, with 46 Heads of Government security. and 49 Foreign Ministers. As chair-in-office, the Department has since been working to strengthen the Commonwealth Ministerial lunch with Sudanese Prime Minister Hamdok with delivery of ambitious commitments on prosperity,security, fairness and sustainability with a focus on supporting small Ministers will discuss recent progress in Sudan with island states. Moreover, the Department has achieved Foreign Prime Minister Hamdok. The UK will continue to urge Ministers’agreement to reforms that will improve the governance the EU to be ambitious in the level of support they of the Commonwealth secretariat. provide to Sudan throughout the political transition. [HCWS89] This should be proportionate to needs and include assistance focused on economic and social stability, the peace process, human rights, and democracy and Foreign Affairs Council governance. Council conclusions The Minister for Europe and the Americas (Christopher Pincher): The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) will take The Council is expected to adopt a number of measures, place in Brussels on 11 November. It will be chaired by including: a framework sanctions regime in response to the High Representative of the European Union (EU) Turkish hydrocarbon explorations around Cyprus; the for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HRVP), Federica annual review of the Venezuela sanctions regime; and Mogherini. authorisation to open negotiations with Somalia on the status of the EU’s training mission for the Somali The FAC will discuss current affairs, Afghanistan security forces. and Iran. There will also be a ministerial lunch with Sudanese Prime Minister Hamdok. [HCWS88] 89WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 90WS

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE I am also pleased to confirm that we are committing £1.4 million to develop and run a series of trials across Learning Disability and Autism Training both the NHS and social care setting, so that we better understand the impacts before implementation and a wider roll out. The Minister for Care (Caroline Dinenage): The To make the training mandatory we are proposing a Government have made improving the care and treatment number of actions, recognising that different approaches of autistic people and people with learning disabilities a are required for different staff groups. Further detail on priority. Society is rightly judged on the way it treats its this, and the proposals above, is set out in the consultation most vulnerable citizens. response. Health and social care professionals have a crucial We need to ensure that those who work in health and role to play in helping people with learning disabilities social care understand the needs of people with learning and autistic people lead longer, heathier and happier disabilities and autistic people, how their needs can lives. We know there is good practice out there and differ from the general population and for staff to be excellent examples of staff working incredibly hard and able to respond to those needs appropriately and positively. supporting individuals and their families to receive the I believe the action we intend to take will do just that best possible care. However, staff can often lack the and ensure that everybody with autism or a learning training or experience to deliver effective and compassionate disability receives the high-quality care they have a right care, resulting in significant health inequalities for people to expect. with learning disabilities and autistic people and poorer [HCWS91] health outcomes. In February this year, my Department published a public consultation to obtain views on how best to HOME DEPARTMENT ensure that staff working in health and social care receive the right training to understand the needs of Immigration people with learning disabilities and autistic people and develop the skills to provide the most effective care and support. The consultation ran for 10 weeks, closing on The Secretary of State for the Home Department 26 April 2019. (Priti Patel):I am announcing today the conversion of I am pleased to say there was an excellent response to the prisons and probation ombudsman (PPO) investigation the consultation. We received over 5,000 responses from of Brook House immigration removal centre to a statutory a range of key stakeholders as well as individual members inquiry, in accordance with the Inquiries Act 2005. This of the public and I am grateful to those who took the inquiry will investigate the mistreatment of detainees at time to respond to the consultation. I am also pleased Brook House immigration removal centre broadcast in to confirm that the overwhelming majority of responses the BBC Panorama programme “Undercover: Britain’s were supportive of the principle of mandatory training. Immigration Secrets” on 4 September 2017. Today, we are publishing the Government response The Government take any allegation of mistreatment, to the consultation, confirming our intention to introduce and the welfare of immigration detainees, very seriously, mandatory learning disability and autism training. A and I want to establish the facts of what took place at copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of Brook House and ensure that lessons are learnt to both Houses. prevent these shocking events happening again. Our vision is that in future all professionals will, Sue McAllister,the prisons and probation ombudsman, before starting their career or through continuing had appointed Kate Eves to lead their special investigation professional development, undertake training which covers into Brook House. Following conversion of the special a “common core curriculum” for learning disability and investigation into an inquiry, Sue McAllister, as autism so that we can be confident there is consistency ombudsman, was automatically appointed as the chair. across education and training curricula. However, to ensure continuity with their investigation I We are committing to work with all professional have agreed that Sue McAllister will recuse herself and bodies and the devolved Administrations to agree a Kate Eves will take up the position of inquiry chair. common core curriculum based on the core capability Kate Eves is an experienced and highly qualified investigator frameworks for supporting people with a learning disability within custodial environments. and autistic people. We recognise that it will take time I have consulted with both Sue McAllister and with to ensure that all training is aligned with the frameworks; Kate Eves to confirm that the inquiry will have a similar with periodic updates to syllabuses and training scope to the PPO special investigation. requirements, but we will work with the regulators to From today, the inquiry will have statutory powers to ensure the closest possible alignment at the earliest compel witnesses and establish the truth of what took opportunity. place at Brook House. Like everybody across the House, I have been moved I wish Kate Eves and all at the inquiry every success by the personal stories about how care and treatment in taking forward this important piece of work. has been experienced by people with learning disabilities The inquiry’s terms of reference are set out below: and autistic people, which in some cases has resulted in the worst possible outcomes. Cases like that of Oliver Purpose McGowan, whose story captures why learning disability To investigate into and report on the decisions, actions and autism training is so important. I can announce andcircumstancessurroundingthemistreatmentof detainees that we will be developing a high-quality training package broadcast in the BBC Panorama programme “Undercover: that will be named in Oliver’s memory. Britain’s Immigration Secrets” on 4 September 2017. 91WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 92WS

To reach conclusions with regard to the treatment of Pre-charge Bail detainees where there is credible evidence of mistreatment contrary to article 3 ECHR; and then make any such recommendations as may seem appropriate. In particular The Secretary of State for the Home Department the inquiry will investigate: (Priti Patel): This Government are fully committed to The treatment of complainants, including identifying whether protecting the public, and ensuring the police have the there has been mistreatment and identifying responsibility powers they need. As such, today I am announcing that for any mistreatment. I intend to review pre-charge bail legislation to ensure Whether methods, policies, practices and management we have a system which more effectively prioritises the arrangements (both of the Home Office and its contractors) safety of victims and witnesses and the management of caused or contributed to any identified mistreatment. suspects. Whether any changes to these methods, policies, practices Pre-charge bail enables the police to release a suspect and management arrangements would help to prevent a from custody, usually subject to conditions, while officers recurrence of any identified mistreatment. continue their investigation or await charging decision. Whether any clinical care issues caused or contributed to any The Policing and Crime Act 2017 “the Act” introduced identified mistreatment. reforms to pre-charge bail to address legitimate concerns Whether any changes to clinical care would help to prevent a that suspects were spending too long under restrictive recurrence of any identified mistreatment. conditions with no oversight or redress. The adequacy of the complaints and monitoring mechanisms Specifically,the Act introduced (in relation to pre-charge provided by Home Office immigration enforcement and bail): a presumption against use unless necessary and external bodies (including, but not limited to, the centre’s proportionate; clear timescales, and senior police and independent monitoring board and statutory role of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons) in respect of any identified judicial oversight of its use and extension. mistreatment. Since 2017 the use of pre-charge bail has decreased, Scope and the number of individuals released without bail, or “released under investigation”, has also increased. For the purpose of the inquiry,the term “complainants” is used to refer to any individual who was detained at Furthermore, the demands on the police service have Brook House immigration removal centre during the also changed. Concerns have been raised that pre-charge period 1 April 2017 to 31 August 2017 where there is bail is not consistently being used in instances where it credible evidence of mistreatment of that individual. may be necessary to effectively manage suspects and protect victims and witnesses. “Mistreatment” is used to refer to treatment that is The review will also look at how legislative frameworks contrary to article 3 ECHR. around pre-charge bail can more effectively: The inquiry should in particular include investigation support the police in the timely management of investigations, in to the mistreatment of complainants known (in the whether released on bail or without bail (“released under recent Brook House litigation) as MA and BB. investigation”); The inquiry may wish to draw upon the evidence and respect the rights of suspects, victims and witnesses to timely findings of the previous special investigation in to the decisions and updates; events at Brook House, conducted by the PPO, before it support the timely progression of cases to courts; and was converted to a statutory inquiry. how existing rules may be made simpler and more flexible in design to support effective operational decisions Method [HCWS94] As a statutory inquiry, the inquiry will operate within the legal framework provided by the Inquiries Act 2005. As such, the procedure and conduct of the inquiry are to be directed by the chairman. HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Report The inquiry should be undertaken with sufficient pace to enable resulting recommendations to be Work of the Department implemented as quickly and effectively as possible. It is expected, on the basis of current information, that the The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and inquiry will make its best endeavours to complete work Local Government (Robert Jenrick): Boosting Home and produce a final report to the Home Secretary, Ownership and Getting Britain Building. setting out their findings of fact and recommendations, within 12 months. Getting more much-needed homes built Since 2010 we have delivered over 1.3 million homes. Principles In 2017, we published our ambitious housing White The inquiry will have full access to all the material it Paper, and set an ambition to increase the delivery of seeks. homes to 300,000 a year by the mid-2020s. In 2017-18 The inquiry will bear the legal expenses for any over 222,000 new homes were created, the highest number individuals designated as core participant status by the in all but one of the past 31 years. inquiry chairperson. There was a net increase of 232,800 in the number of It is not part of the inquiry’s function to determine civil domestic properties with a council tax band in England or criminal liability of named individuals or organisations. between March 2018 and March 2019. This should not, however, inhibit the inquiry from We are also ensuring that people have access to reaching findings of fact relevant to its terms of reference. high-quality, affordable homes, having delivered over [HCWS99] 430,000 affordable homes since 2010. 93WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 94WS

In 2018, we launched a new national housing agency— In August 2018 we published the social housing Green Homes England—to increase the supply of new homes, Paper, which set our ambitions for a new, fairer deal for bringing together money, expertise, planning and social housing residents, including making it easier for compulsory purchase powers. residents to progress into home ownership. The Green Wehave invested in overcoming the barriers to building. Paper was informed by conversations with over 1,000 social housing residents and 7,000 online submissions. In 2017 we launched the £5 billion housing infrastructure Since 2012, the social housing waiting list has dropped fund, to provide infrastructure in areas where housing by 40%. The Localism Act 2011 has given local authorities need is greatest. At Budget 2018 we increased the funding the power to set their own qualification criteria for by another £500 million, taking it to £5.5 billion in social housing and to set policies which are appropriate total, which will potentially unlock up to 650,000 homes. to their local area. Over £3 billion has now been allocated to housing infrastructure fund bids—25 forward funding projects We are helping renters by: and 110 marginal viability fund projects—to unlock up Passing legislation banning unfair letting fees and to 297,100 homes, with more expected to be allocated capping tenancy deposits, which will bring an end to over the coming months. costly upfront payments and renewal fees. The Tenant In 2018 we launched the £1.3 billion land assembly Fees Act came into force on 1 June 2019 and is set to fund to acquire land needing work, making it less risky save tenants £240 million in the first year alone. for developers to invest in. Wealso launched the £630 million Empowering tenants to tackle bad landlords through small sites fund to help public landowners or local the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. authorities speed up getting the right infrastructure in Ending the practice of evicting tenants with no clearly place to support stalled small sites. specified reason, by committing in April 2019 to repeal In total, the Government have provided financial s.21 of the Housing Act 1988. support for housing of at least £44 billion since the start Cracking down on rogue landlords. Last year alone of this spending review period to 2022-23. This includes we introduced banning orders and a database of rogue £15 billion allocated at Autumn Budget 2017. landlords and agents, and we extended mandatory licensing We have released land from the public estate for to protect tenants from overcrowding and poor housing 109,000 homes through the 2011 to 2015 public land for conditions in houses in multiple occupation. housing programme, exceeding its 100,000 target. We We are helping leaseholders by: have launched a successor programme, which aims to Announcing a range of measures to cut out abusive identify and release land for 160,000 new homes. practices within the leasehold market, including prohibiting Boosting home ownership the development of new build leasehold houses other In total, we have helped over 566,000 households into than in exceptional circumstances and restricting ground home ownership since 2010 through Government-backed rents in newly established leases of houses and flats to a schemes including help to buy and right to buy. The peppercorn, zero financial value. number of first-time buyers is at an 11-year annual high Reforming the planning system to ensure that the right and has increased by 84% between 2010 and 2018. homes are built in the right places Since its introduction in 2013, the help to buy scheme In 2012 we published the national planning policy has helped over 221,000 households to get on the property framework, replacing over 1000 pages of individual policy ladder. In August 2019 we closed a loophole in the statements. In 2018, we revised the national planning scheme, giving people the freedom to reduce their monthly policy framework, implementing around 80 planning mortgage repayments. This has opened up the help to reforms whilst making it more streamlined and easier to buy re-mortgage market for more lenders, giving customers use. more choice and potentially paving the way to more As of the end of September 2019, 301 of 338 local competitive deals. planning authorities (89%) have an adopted local plan. At the Autumn Budget 2017, we introduced stamp 152 of these local plans are up to date (45%). This duty land tax relief for first-time buyers, which will help compares to 58 (17%) local planning authorities that over 95% of first-time buyers who pay the tax, benefiting had an adopted local plan in May 2010. a total of 401,900 households so far and it is expected We are now preparing an accelerated planning White to benefit over 1 million households in the first five Paper to speed up the planning system, including the years. Todate, this has saved first-time buyers an estimated potential for more fees to be refunded if councils take £955 million. too long to decide on specific planning applications. We have launched two pilots of voluntary right to We have given communities more power to plan for buy—one in 2016 and one in 2018—giving thousands their areas, by introducing neighbourhood planning in of housing association tenants the opportunity to buy 2011. Since 2012 over 2,600 communities have started their homes. producing a neighbourhood plan. In 2019, we announced plans for a new national We have introduced permitted development rights for model for shared ownership, which will help thousands change of use to residential; over 46,000 homes have of lower earners to step on to the housing ladder. been delivered in the three years to March 2018 through these. Improving people’s experience of the housing market In May 2019 we announced changes to permitted In 2010 we scrapped home information packs, removing development rights, allowing thousands of homeowners unnecessary regulation and making the process of selling to extend their properties quickly and easily without the homes easier and less costly. need for a full planning application. 95WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 96WS

We have continued to protect the green belt and it is Eight metro mayors have been elected since 2017, now larger than in 1997, when records began, if we most recently in North of Tyne in May 2019. Through a disregard land re-classified as national park. major programme of secondary legislation, we devolved significant new powers, including over transport, housing, Wehave reformed the system of developer contributions, skills and planning to the mayors and combined authorities. to support local authorities to better collect and spend Mayors are growing local economies by working with contributions. Local authorities received £6 billion in local councils and businesses to create jobs, boost skills, developer contributions which go toward affordable build homes and improve connections. housing and local infrastructure in 2016-17, a £2 billion increase in real terms than in 2011-12. We replaced top-down regional development agencies in 2012, following the establishment of local enterprise Improving Quality and Design of Housing partnerships in 2011. We recently launched our national design guide. The In 2014, we established the £12 billion local growth first-ever Government-backed national model design fund and have since funded three rounds of growth code will be published in the new year and will set out a deals for local enterprise partnerships to support local clear model for promoting a better design and style of areas, creating jobs, supporting businesses and encouraging homes across the country, shaped by what local people growth. want. We have agreed 26 bespoke city deals through two We launched the future homes standard consultation waves in 2012 and 2013. These deals devolved powers in October 2019, to ensure that every new home that’s and opened up new and innovative ways of doing things built in this country from 2025 will have low or zero-carbon to unlock growth and deliver jobs. emissions and the highest levels of energy efficiency. We have supported the creation of three mayoral development corporations at Old Oak, Stockport and Diversifying the housing market Teesside, to drive regeneration and growth. We are backing councils to build more homes by In March 2019, the Department announced two new removing the housing revenue account borrowing cap housing communities in London, Old Oak Common in 2018, enabling them deliver around 10,000 homes a and Brent Cross Cricklewood. The investment package year by 2021-22. totals £570 million and will create 20,000 new homes We established the £4.5 billion home building fund in and new jobs opportunities in the area, whilst benefiting 2016 to get more homes built. This will provide £2.5 billion from new transport infrastructure. funding specifically for SMEs, custom builders and Supporting our towns, high streets and coastal communities innovators, giving them the funding they need to compete In July 2019 the Prime Minister announced an expanded in the market. The fund also provides £2 billion in £3.6 billion towns fund. The Government have since long-term infrastructure funding to unlock between announced an initial 100 places that Government have 160,000 and 200,000 homes by 2020-21, with an emphasis invited to enter into a town deal negotiation, and 100 places on developments on brownfield land. that are benefiting from the future high streets fund. We have supported the build to rent sector to deliver The Town Deal funding will enable communities to over 30,000 homes across the UK since 2012, with over develop ambitious transformative plans, improving their 110,000 further such homes in the pipeline. The build to economic growth prospects, transport, broadband rent fund provided over £630 million of development connectivity, skills and culture. In October 2019, finance for the supply of 6,000 new privately rented Government launched the #MyTown campaign to give homes. The fund closed to new applications in 2015. people a say in how a new generation of town deals The £3.5 billion private rented sector guarantee scheme should transform the place they call home. finances new build rented properties, and as of October The high streets funding will empower local leaders 2019, £1.75 billion in total has been approved for to help transform their high streets and town centres as 9,050 homes. consumer habits change. In August 2019, we announced In autumn 2017 we announced a further £8 billion in its expansion, meaning that an additional 50 towns will guarantees to support housebuilding, including purpose- now benefit from £1 billion of available funding. Part of built rented homes and SMEs; £4 billion has been the fund will be used to support the regeneration of allocated so far: heritage high streets. We have also funded successful initiatives such as “love your local market” and the In April 2019, we launched the £1 billion ENABLE “great British high street awards”, and established the build programme to support SME housebuilders. high streets task force to give high streets and town At spring Statement 2019, we announced £3 billion centres expert advice to adapt and thrive. of guarantees to support affordable housing delivery. In November 2018 we launched the open doors pilot The invitation to tender to run the scheme opened in scheme, which has matched landlords struggling to find November 2019. tenants for their empty high street properties in five locations around England with community groups looking Levelling up across the country for space. Wecontinue to decentralise power away from Whitehall We are supporting our coastal communities through and back into the hands of local councils, communities our coastal communities fund which supports projects and individuals to act on local priorities. In the 2019 in the UK delivering sustainable growth and jobs. In Queen’s Speech, we committed to publishing a devolution September 2019 we announced a further five towns White Paper to unleash regional potential in England which will benefit from this funding. Since 2012, we and enable decisions that affect local people to be made have awarded grants to 369 projects across the UK, at a local level. totalling over £229 million. 97WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 98WS

Unleashing regional potential Birmingham was selected to host the prestigious 2022 Northern powerhouse Commonwealth Games and in Budget 2018, £165 million was announced to support the games athletes village In 2016 we published the northern powerhouse strategy. and unlock 5,000 homes. Since then we have: Coventry was announced as UK city of culture 2021 Invested £3.4 billion of local growth funding in the and has been provided with £8.5 million for its plans to region to support locally determined projects across the showcase the city. north. In May 2017, the people of the west midlands combined Seen record levels of investment in transport—over authority (WMCA) elected their first mayor, Andy £13 billion between 2015-16 to 202-/21—and the creation Street. Government have agreed a second devolution of the first statutory, regional transport body outside of deal with the WMCA which included £6 million for a London, transport for the north. housing delivery taskforce, £5 million for a construction Created the northern powerhouse investment fund, skills training scheme and £250 million from the worth £400 million, to support SMEs to grow and transforming cities fund to be spent on local intra-city scale up. transport priorities. Boosted the international profile of the northern In October 2019, following the £2 million already powerhouse through a commitment of £15million to granted to the midlands to develop the Toton growth support trade missions and £7 million for the northern zone near Nottingham, we announced intent to establish powerhouse taskforce. a new locally led development corporation with the aims of delivering new houses, jobs and economic growth. Improved education in the north, with £70 million for the northern powerhouse schools strategy. Western gateway Seen almost 50% of the north being covered by In November, alongside the Secretary of State for devolution, with metro mayors in place across the north. Wales, we announced the western gateway: a strategic partnership promoting and maximising economic growth In the autumn Budget 2018, the Government extended across south Wales and the west of England to create the transforming cities fund by another year, 2022-23, jobs, boost prosperity and support the world-renowned providing an extra £240 million available for six metro universities and businesses of the region. mayors for locally determined projects to improve transport connections. This builds on the initial transforming To represent a strong business voice and lead the cities fund of £436 million in the northern powerhouse project to success, Katherine Bennett, senior vice president regions. of Airbus, is the first acting chair of the western gateway. MHCLG is providing £400,000 start-up funding to Midlands engine kick-start the partnership. In 2017 we published the first midlands engine strategy Helping Vulnerable People which included an additional £392 million for midlands local enterprise partnerships to support local growth In 2018 we published our rough sleeping strategy, projects, bringing the total growth deal funding for the setting out our vision for halving rough sleeping by midlands to nearly £1.9 billion. 2022 and ending it altogether. We have supported enhanced connectivity in the region We have allocated more than £1.2 billion to tackle with £25 million of funding for midlands connect to homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending publish its first strategy in March 2017. Further transport review period to April 2020. This includes a flexible support has included, in March 2019, the transforming homelessness support grant of £617 million for cities fund with Derby and Nottingham receiving homelessness services, £28 million of funding to pilot a £7.2 million, Leicestershire receiving £7.8 million and housing first approach in three major regions of England Stoke on Trent receiving £5.6 million. and the rough sleeping initiative (RSI). The RSI began with a £30 million fund for 2018-2019 targeted at 83 local Weare investing over £250 million through the midlands authorities with the highest levels of rough sleeping. engine investment fund to support small businesses to The Government announced a further £46 million fund start and grow. for the RSI for 2019/20. We expect this to provide Skills development is being supported in the region 750 staff and 2,600 bed spaces this year. through a £20 million midlands engine skills challenge, These efforts are having an impact on rough sleeping delivering targeted support to the unemployed through levels: the 2018 annual rough sleeping statistics showed work coaches, providing English language training to a decrease for the first time this decade, and a 19% help more people access employment and empowering reduction in those areas receiving additional funding employers to help employees with mental health issues. and support under the rough sleeping initiative. And Three institutes of technology have been established our recent impact evaluation of the rough sleeping at Aston University, Dudley College of Technology and initiative showed that the true impact was even greater the University of Lincoln. with a 32% reduction in rough sleeping in these areas, compared to what it would have been had the initiative The west midlands was selected to become the home not been in place. to the UK’s first multi-city 5G testbed in September 2018. The £50 million trial of new high-speed connectivity Atthespendingroundin2019weannounced£422million will pave the way for rollout across the UK. This builds offunding to help reduce homelessness and rough sleeping on the already active 5G testbed in Worcestershire, in 2020-21, which is an additional £54 million of funding putting the midlands at the forefront of 5G developments. compared with the previous year. 99WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 100WS

The Homelessness Reduction Act came into force in care.Average spending power per dwelling for the 10% most 2018, which will transform the culture of homelessness deprived authorities is around 16% more than for the service delivery. For the first time, it placed new duties least deprived 10% in 2019-20. on local housing authorities to take reasonable steps to The total net revenue service expenditure by all local try to prevent and relieve a person’s homelessness. authorities in England is budgeted to be £96.2 billion in Since 2011 we have delivered 34,000 units of supported 2019-20. This is 3.8% higher than the £92.6 billion housing for disabled, vulnerable and older people. budgeted for 2018-19. Supporting Local Government to deliver We have helped to drive the integration of health and high quality services with sustainable finances social care services following the establishment of the Making public services better and more efficient better care fund, from a total of £5.3 billion in 2015-16 to a total of £7.8 billion in 2018-19. Between 2011 and 2016, we have provided almost £5 billion of council tax freeze grant funding to local In 2013 we introduced the business rates retention authorities that froze their council tax level to help keep system, giving local authorities more control over money bills low. they raise locally. We have conducted a series of pilots for full business rate retention. We have worked with councils on agreeing locally led proposals to establish new unitary councils and to Since Budget 2016 the Government have introduced merge district councils, saving millions annually. In a range of business rates measures in England worth 2018-19 we supported two new unitary councils in more than £13 billion over the next five years. Dorset and three merged district councils in East Suffolk, Uniting the Country West Suffolk and Somerset West Taunton. Building communities and great places In 2011, we launched the troubled families programme We have empowered communities by establishing a to support local areas over the long term to transform range of community rights in the Localism Act 2011, the way services worked with families with multiple including the community right to bid to help protect high-cost and complex problems. In 2015 we launched local assets for community use and the community right the second troubled families programme.As of March 2019, to challenge to give communities a greater role in shaping it has funded areas to work with nearly 380,000 eligible and running local services. families, with 172,000 families achieving significant and sustained progress against the problems identified when We are ensuring that communities are heard through entering the programme. our £3.2 million communities fund which has supported 54 local authorities to shape and improve service delivery In 2013 we introduced new legislation to allow councils in partnership with community groups. As well as investing across England to charge double the rate of council tax a £1.85 million endowment, from March 2016 to March on homes left empty for two years or more, and therefore 2019, to allow communities to buy their local pub. raising funds which can be used to keep the overall rate of council tax down. In September 2019 the community infrastructure levy regulations came into force, helping local people see Council tax in England is 6% lower in real terms than how every pound of property developers’ cash levied on it was in 2010. This follows a doubling of council tax new buildings is spent. over from 1997 to 2010. In July 2019 we published a communities framework We have also taken steps to ensure local authorities to set out our renewed vision for building stronger and private operators provide adequate parking spaces communities and championing communities in every and are fair to their customers. These include: aspect of society. Amending the national planning policy framework Green spaces and parks and planning guidance to reduce restrictions on parking and help local authorities and householders rent out In 2018-19 we invested £15 million to improve parks empty spaces in 2011; through the local authority parks improvement fund, the future parks accelerator and pocket parks plus. In Reducing over-zealous parking enforcement through October 2019 we launched a further £1.35 million of the Deregulation Act 2015, and giving local residents, funding to extend the pocket parks programme. Pocket community groups, and businesses the ability to challenge parks is designed to create new pocket parks or renovate parking policies in the same year; existing parks that have fallen into disrepair where it Tackling rogue private parking operators through can be shown that physical changes could have a significant supporting Sir Greg Knight’s Private Members’ Bill, positive impact on the local community and address a helping it to secure Royal Assent in March 2019; and specific local need. Through the 2018 programme, we Proposing a new code of practice, to be developed by funded 198 new and renovated parks across England. the British standards institution, to provide drivers with Integration a 10-minute grace period after their tickets expire and crack down on intimidating and aggressive debt collection We are continuing to invest in isolated communities practices. and improve English language skills by committing to spend over £50 million in 2018-19 and 201-20 to support Improving local government sustainability priorities set out in the integrated communities Green The 2019 spending round provides access to the Paper and subsequent action plan. At the spending largest year-on-year increase in local authority spending round 2019, we announced an additional £10 million of power since 2010. We expect core spending power to funding to continue the integration areas programme rise by £2.9 billion, from £46.2 billion to £49.1 billion in with a major focus on English language provision, 2020-21. This includes an additional £1.5 billion to help building on the success of the first five integration areas local authorities to meet rising demand for adult social announced in 2018. 101WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 102WS

We are supporting English local authorities to tackle The guidance made clear that it could not be used to the impacts of recent migration through our £102 million change the law on abortion or same-sex marriage in controlling migration fund. Funded activity includes Northern Ireland. The guidance also provided that all supporting newcomers to learn English and understand relevant Northern Ireland Departments should continue local social and cultural expectations, caring for to have regard to all of their legal obligations, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and tackling the Human Rights Act 1998 and sections 24 and 75 of rogue landlords. the Northern Ireland Act 1998, in exercising any relevant Tackling hatred in all forms functions in relation to abortion and same sex marriage. We are committed to tackling all forms of hate crime Three reports required under section 4 have been as demonstrated through the hate crime action plan, published as written ministerial statements to date, on this was refreshed in 2018. As part of the refresh, we 30 January 2019, 1 May 2019 and 4 September 2019. have committed additional funding to continue to protect Since the NIEFEF Act passed, the Northern Ireland places of worship. We have committed over £1.5 million (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 (NI EF Act) has for projects to tackle racially and religiously motivated also passed, placing duties on the Government to make hatred. regulations to provide for same-sex marriages and opposite We have committed to launching an anti-Muslim sex civil partnerships in Northern Ireland by 13 January hatred working group and an antisemitism working 2020, and to change Northern Ireland’s abortion law, group. Most recently, we have appointed an antisemitism with regulations providing for a new regime to be in advisor—Lord John Mann—and appointed the first place by 31 March 2020. The relevant provisions came advisor to take forward the Government’s commitment into force on 22 October 2019 given that the Northern to work on a definition of Islamophobia. Ireland Executive was not restored by 21 October 2019. In September 2019, the communities secretary committed In respect of abortion, the coming into force of £100,000 funding to stem the spread of anti-Semitic section 9(2) of the NI EF Act has meant that sections 58 material online. The Secretary of State also wrote to all and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 councils and universities encouraging them to adopt the have now been repealed in respect of Northern Ireland. International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) A moratorium on all investigations and prosecutions working definition of anti-Semitism as a matter of brought under those sections has also come into urgency. effect, regardless of the date on which any offences took We are honouring and remembering Holocaust victims place, under section 9(3) of the Nl EF Act. Therefore by committing up to £75 million for a striking new the incompatibility with human rights identified in national memorial and a state-of-the-art learning centre section 4(1)(a) of the NIEFEF Act no longer exists. The next to Parliament, to be matched by at least £25 million new legal framework for abortion in Northern Ireland from private donations. Subject to planning permission, will be set out in regulations to come into force by construction will begin in 2020. 31 March 2020. Achievements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; The Government launched the consultation on the The UK government has committed up to £1.6 billion proposed new framework for post 31 March 2020, A for six city deals across Scotland and Wales and has legal framework for abortion services in Northern Ireland, committed to extending city deals to Northern Ireland. on 4 November 2019. The consultation will run for six A funding commitment that has been matched by weeks, closing on Monday 16 December 2019. £1.4 billion from devolved Governments and a further The Government will keep its position on the initial £1.6 billion from other partners including local authorities, guidance published under section 4 of the NIEFEF Act universities and the private sector. under review, in the light of the legal duties under [HCWS101] sections 8 and 9 NIEF Act, and work towards making the regulations which will come into force by 13 January 2020 for same-sex marriage and opposite sex civil NORTHERN IRELAND partnerships and 31 March 2020 for abortion. [HCWS97] Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018: Section 4 Report TRANSPORT The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Julian Smith): This statement is issued in accordance with Northern Powerhouse Rail Programme: section 4 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation Accommodation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018, “the NIEFEF Act”. Section 4 of the Act requires that I, as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, report on a quarterly The Secretary of State for Transport (Grant Shapps): basis on guidance issued under that section of the Act. I have today laid before Parliament a departmental It also requires me to report on how I plan to address minute describing a contingent liability raised as a the impact of the absence of Northern Ireland Ministers result of a letter of comfort provided to Transport for on human rights obligations within three months of the the North. day the Act was passed. Unfortunately, due to the need to secure value for The Act received Royal Assent on 1 November 2018. money it is not possible to allow the required 14 days’ Following careful consideration of the sensitive issues notice prior to the liability going live. A delay until after section 4 deals with, and in consultation with the Northern the general election on 12 December or until January Ireland civil service, guidance under section 4 was published when Parliament returns following Christmas recess is on 17 December 2018. likely to result in higher costs. 103WS Written Statements 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Written Statements 104WS

The letter of comfort provided by the Department is taking account of committed funding to April 2021 is in respect of a lease for office accommodation for £505,000. TfN proposes to cover these costs from NPR Transport for the North. The accommodation is to development funding. This is currently confirmed to support TfN’s work on the Northern Powerhouse Rail 2021/22. TfN will actively seek to sublet the space if it is Programme and involves a taking seven-year lease of not required for their operations. which five years remain (with no break clauses). TfN is The Treasury approved this liability.I have also informed concerned that if it no longer requires the space, it will the Chairs of the Transport Select Committee and the not be able to cover any remaining commitments related Public Accounts Committee. to the lease from its core funding. The cost of the lease [HCWS96] is £183,000 per annum and the maximum exposure,

15P Petitions 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Petitions 16P

Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary Petitions of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Kelly Tolhurst): Tuesday 5 November 2019 The Government recognise the vital contribution that retailers make not only to the UK economy but also to PRESENTED PETITION local communities. We also recognise local residents’ concerns at the impact of the closure of the Shirley Petition presented to the House but not read on the Floor Morrisons store. Hillcrest Care Home That said, it would not be right for Government to interfere in the management decisions of a private The petition of residents of Erewash, company such as WM Morrisons, as it takes decisions Declares that the planning application to convert the on commercial matters affecting its business. former Hillcrest Care Home into a house of multiple The Government have been in touch with Morrisons occupancy should be rejected by Erewash Borough and understand that Morrisons have taken the decision Council, and notes the negative impact that this change to close the Shirley store as part of a restructuring of use would have on the residents of Kirk Hallam programme.Werecognise this is not the news the petitioners should theses plans be approved. wished to hear. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Morrisons have spoken to the teams in affected stores Commons directs the Secretary of State for Housing, and are now working with them to review the options Communities and Local Government to urge Erewash available to them including redeployment within the Borough Council to reject the Hillcrest planning application business. The most important thing is that Morrisons and call on the developers to find an alternative, more continue to provide the necessary level of employee suitable use for the site, thus reducing the impact on the support to ensure staff are redeployed or moved back residents of Kirk Hallam. into employment as soon as possible. And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Maggie In a wider context the Greater Birmingham and Throup.] Solihull LEP (GBSLEP) have been awarded £433 million across three growth deals to invest in projects that benefit [P002546] the local area and economy. To date the LEP have Tamworth George Bryan Centre supported a number of projects in Solihull, which includes over £2 million investment into improved transport The petition of Kath Jones and Gwen Kingsley, infrastructure at Lode Lane and over £1.9 million in Declares that we, the undersigned, are opposed to upgrading and improving the skills provision at Solihull any proposal to close the George Bryan Centre, following College and University Centre. the fire at the George Bryan Centre on 10 February 2019; In March this year,GBSLEP launched a new Framework further that the centre provides vital mental health to regenerate town centres and high streets across the services, and is used by the local community of Tamworth region. The document offers guidance on how towns and its environs. can attract more investment by drawing on best practice The petitioners therefore request that the House of from other locations. Solihull Council was involved in Commons urges the Government to help rebuild and the development of this strategy and continues to work reopen the George Bryan Centre and to continue to closely with the LEP to maximise the economic opportunity provide vital mental health services to the community of the areas towns and high streets. as supported by 5179 Tamworth residents. And the petitioners remain, etc.] HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE [P002547] University Hospital Monklands The petition of residents of Coatbridge, Chryston and OBSERVATIONS Bellshill, Declares that the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Jeane Freeman’s unilateral executive BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL decision to remove the current site of University Hospital STRATEGY Monklands as an option for the location of the new Morrison’s supermarket Shirley University Hospital Monklands will detrimentally impact healthcare provision across Lanarkshire; further that The petition of residents of Solihull, the current site offers significant advantages for a new Declares that local residents have great concern over hospital such as its existing public transport infrastructure; the proposals to close Morrison’s Store, in Shirley. further that the unilateral executive decision taken by The petitioners therefore request that the House of the Cabinet Secretary is in defiance of the recommendation Commons urges the Government to encourage WM of the Monklands Hospital Independent Review for Morrisons PLC to reconsider proposals to close Morrisons greater public consultation on the location of the new in Shirley. University Hospital Monklands; further that concerns have failed to be addressed regarding the two alternative And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Julian location options for the new hospital, particularly whether Knight, Official Report, 26 September 2019; Vol. 664, the offer of land in Glenmavis can be withdrawn at the c. 972.] whim of the owner; further that the Scottish Government [P002523] should rebuild the planned new University Hospital 17P Petitions 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Petitions 18P

Monklands on the site of the current hospital as it is the Insolvency of London Capital and Finance most suitable option for the greatest number of people in the Monklands community and is essential to those it The petition of residents of Linlithgow and East Falkirk, serves. Declares that investors affected by the insolvency of The petitioners therefore request that the House of London Capital and Finance eight months ago have Commons urges the Government to make representations still to learn whether they will have access to the Financial to the Scottish Government on their behalf to have the Services Compensation Scheme; notes investors that current hospital site reinstated as an option for the include local residents of Linlithgow and East Falkirk location of the new University Hospital Monklands. have still to receive clarification about the Financial And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Hugh Conduct Authority’s role in regulation the activity of Gaffney, Official Report, 16 October 2019; Vol. 666, London Finance and Capital; and further notes no c. 420.] explanation has been given as to why London Finance [P002532] and Capital was permitted to promote itself as regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Observations from the Minister for Care (Caroline Dinenage): The petitioners therefore request that the House of Health and Social Care is largely devolved across the Commons urge the Treasury to ensure that the independent United Kingdom. As such, it is for the Scottish Government investigation into the events around London Capital to set their own priorities for its health service and to and Finance’s collapse is not in any way impeded and make decisions regarding the operations of the healthcare reaches a swift conclusion. system across Scotland. And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Martyn Day, Official Report, 16 October 2019; Vol. 666, c. 419.] TREASURY [P002530] Dispute between HMRC and Roadchef Employees Observations from the Economic Secretary to the Treasury Benefit Trust (John Glen): The petition of residents of Linlithgow and East Falkirk, The Government thanks the ho. Member for Linlithgow Declares that concerns about the Roadchef Employees and East Falkirk Martyn Day), who has recently submitted Benefit Trust have escalated to an unreasonable level; a petition regarding the independent investigation into notes that despite a meeting taking place on the 27th of the failure of the firm London Capital and Finance March 2019 between HMRC and REBTL, eligible (LCF). employees that include local residents of Linlithgow The Government want to make sure we have a strong and East Falkirk have still to receive any payments as and safe financial system and recognises that this is a HMRC is continuing to hold the funds over the level of very difficult and uncertain time for all LCF bondholders. tax liability of the beneficiaries; and further notes it is That is why on 23 May, the Economic Secretary to the unacceptable that the distribution of funds is being Treasury formally directed the Financial Conduct Authority prevented by HMRC notwithstanding a High Court (FCA) to launch an independent investigation into the ruling in January 2014 in favour of the Roadchef Employees events at LCF, and approved the FCA’s appointment of Benefits Trustees Ltd. Dame Elizabeth Gloster to lead it. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges HMRC to end their foot-dragging and Dame Elizabeth is looking at the events and resolve this long-standing issue of the withholding of circumstances surrounding the failure of LCF and whether, payments by HMRC to the Roadchef Employees Benefit in its supervision of LCF, the FCA discharged its Trust. functions in a manner which enabled it to effectively fulfil its statutory objectives. Dame Elizabeth is able to And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Martyn consider any other matters she deems relevant to the Day, Official Report, 30 October 2019; Vol. 667, c. 463.] events set out in the Economic Secretary to the Treasury’s [P002538] direction to the FCA. Observations from the Financial Secretary to the Treasury The Government’s view is that the investigation should (Jesse Norman): take place without delay. The Government have directed The Government thank the ho. Member for Linlithgow the FCA to report the findings of the investigation back and East Falkirk (Martyn Day) for submitting the to the Treasury once the investigation has concluded, petition on behalf of his constituents about the dispute as well as the lessons it will take from those findings. between HMRC and Roadchef Employee Benefit Trust The Treasury has stipulated that the investigation (EBT). should be completed within 12 months. This will ensure The administration of the tax system, including where that the investigation is as thorough as possible, whilst appropriate the repayment of tax or duties, is a matter allowing the investigator to report sooner than 12 months for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It would not if this is feasible. The investigation will be completed by be appropriate for Treasury Ministers to engage with 9 July 2020. any particular issue. As I hope you will understand, the The petition has also raised the issue of compensation statutory obligation of HMRC to maintain taxpayer for investors. The administrators are currently estimating confidentiality also means I cannot comment on this recoveries for investors. The Financial Services case. Compensation Scheme (FSCS) can only provide HMRC recognises that the beneficiaries of the EBT compensation for claims connected with certain types are keen to see a resolution. of regulated activities. 19P Petitions 5 NOVEMBER 2019 Petitions 20P

The FSCS is an independent body. The FSCS carries has led it to believe that there are protected claims, out its compensation function within rules set by the which may result in compensation for some of LCF’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the FCA, investors. which are also independent from Government. As such, The FSCS is continuing its investigation and has the Government is therefore unable to intervene or launched a questionnaire for investors to complete, to comment on specific cases and decisions taken by the better understand individual investor’s circumstances FSCS. and the number of investors that may have been impacted. It has also invited LCF investors to register for updates The FSCS has been working closely with LCF’s on its website. The questionnaire, registration for updates, administrators and the FCA to understand more about and further information can be found at https:// LCF’s activities. At this stage, the FSCS’s investigation www.fscs.org.uk/failed-firms/lcf/.

7MC Ministerial Corrections5 NOVEMBER 2019 Ministerial Corrections 8MC

his mental health problems were not deemed severe Ministerial Corrections enough. This is deeply shocking, and it is clear that too many children are going without the support they need. Tuesday 5 November 2019 Will the Minister now match Labour’s commitment to invest in children’s mental health services and to ensure that every secondary school has access to a trained mental health professional? ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS Ms Dorries: Obviously I cannot comment on an Draft Agriculture (Miscellaneous Amendments) individual case, but what I can say is that the NICE (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 guidelines on assessment for suicide were recently sent The following is an extract from the debate on the draft out to A&E departments to ensure that people who Agriculture (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) present with mental health problems are treated holistically Regulations 2019 on 21 October 2019. and looked at in the round to assess whether they are a suicide risk. George Eustice: We allow eggs to be imported only if Weare investing £2.3 billion in mental health services— they meet our marketing standard, which is currently more than invested by any previous Government—and an EU marketing standard. If in future a third country a huge amount of that is going towards children and were to meet that standard, which is set out separately young people. I hope cases such as the one highlighted in law, there would need to be a body that attests to the by the hon. Lady will be a thing of the past. We have fact. That is a power that the Secretary of State must turned a corner. We are rolling out these mental health have in future, as the EU will no longer be able to do teams and, in the last year alone, 3,000 more people are that for us. working with young people and young adults. We have [Official Report, Second Delegated Legislation Committee, the new training scheme and the school mental health 21 October 2019, c. 10.] support teams. There is more to be done, but I hope Letterof correctionfromtheMinisterof State,Department such stories will become a thing of the past. for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the hon. Member [Official Report, 29 October 2019, Vol. 667, c. 188.] for Camborne and Redruth (George Eustice): Letter of correction from the Under-Secretary of State Errors have been identified in my response to the for Health and Social Care, the hon. Member for Mid debate. Bedfordshire (Ms Dorries): The correct remarks should have been: An error has been identified in the response I gave to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Paula Sherriff). George Eustice: We allow eggs that do not meet standards The correct response should have been: equivalent to EU marketing standards to be imported only if their packs are marked accordingly. If in future a Ms Dorries: Obviously I cannot comment on an third country were to meet a standard equivalent to the individual case, but what I can say is that the NICE UK standard, which is set out separately in law,there would guidelines on assessment for suicide were recently sent need to be an authority that attests to the fact. That is a out to A&E departments to ensure that people who power that the Secretary of State must have in future, as present with mental health problems are treated holistically the EU will no longer be able to do that for us. and looked at in the round to assess whether they are a suicide risk. Weare investing £2.3 billion in mental health services— HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE more than invested by any previous Government—and a huge amount of that is going towards children and Mental Health Services young people. I hope cases such as the one highlighted The following is an extract from questions to the Secretary by the hon. Lady will be a thing of the past. We have of State for Health and Social Care on 29 October 2019. turned a corner. We are rolling out these mental health teams and, in the last year alone, 2,300 more people are Paula Sherriff (Dewsbury) (Lab): Last week it was working with young people and young adults. We have reported that a 16-year-old boy in Milton Keynes tragically the new training scheme and the school mental health died by suicide. His referral to mental health services support teams. There is more to be done, but I hope was rejected because he did not meet the threshold as such stories will become a thing of the past.

ORAL ANSWERS

Tuesday 5 November 2019

Col. No. Col. No. FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE .... 625 FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE— Consular Support: UK Nationals Overseas ...... 636 continued Harry Dunn ...... 632 Syria...... 625 Human Rights ...... 633 Topical Questions ...... 638 Relations with NATO Allies ...... 630 UK Soft Power...... 628 WRITTEN STATEMENTS

Tuesday 5 November 2019

Col. No. Col. No. BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL HOME DEPARTMENT ...... 90WS STRATEGY ...... 74WS Immigration...... 90WS Adrian Smith Review ...... 82WS Pre-charge Bail...... 92WS Audit Reform...... 74WS Business Productivity Review...... 81WS HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL Cobham plc Merger ...... 75WS GOVERNMENT...... 92WS Euratom Exit Strategy ...... 80WS Work of the Department...... 92WS Work of the Department...... 75WS NORTHERN IRELAND...... 101WS CABINET OFFICE...... 71WS Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Intimidation in Public Life...... 71WS Exercise of Functions) Act 2018: Section 4 Report...... 101WS FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE..... 84WS British Indian Ocean Territory...... 84WS TRANSPORT ...... 102WS Foreign Affairs Council ...... 87WS Northern Powerhouse Rail Programme: Work of the Department...... 85WS Accommodation ...... 102WS

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE...... 89WS TREASURY ...... 83WS Learning Disability and Autism Training...... 89WS ECOFIN...... 83WS PETITIONS

Tuesday 5 November 2019

Col. No. Col. No. BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL PRESENTED PETITION ...... 15P STRATEGY ...... 15P Hillcrest Care Home ...... 15P Morrison’s supermarket Shirley...... 15P Tamworth George Bryan Centre ...... 15P TREASURY ...... 17P Dispute between HMRC and Roadchef HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE...... 16P Employees Benefit Trust ...... 17P University Hospital Monklands...... 16P Insolvency of London Capital and Finance...... 18P MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS

Tuesday 5 November 2019

Col. No. Col. No. ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 7MC HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE...... 7MC Draft Agriculture (Miscellaneous Amendments) Mental Health Services ...... 7MC (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 ...... 7MC No proofs can be supplied. Corrections that Members suggest for the Bound Volume should be clearly marked on a copy of the daily Hansard - not telephoned - and must be received in the Editor’s Room, House of Commons,

not later than Tuesday 12 November 2019

STRICT ADHERENCE TO THIS ARRANGEMENT GREATLY FACILITATES THE PROMPT PUBLICATION OF BOUND VOLUMES

Members may obtain excerpts of their speeches from the Official Report (within one month from the date of publication), by applying to the Editor of the Official Report, House of Commons. Volume 667 Tuesday No. 15 5 November 2019

CONTENTS

Tuesday 5 November 2019

Oral Answers to Questions [Col. 625] [see index inside back page] Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Intelligence and Security Committee Report on Russia [Col. 647] Answer to urgent question—(Christopher Pincher)

Thomas Cook Customers [Col. 659] Statement—(Andrea Leadsom)

Historical Institutional Abuse (Northern Ireland) Bill [Lords] [Col. 668] Motion for Second Reading—(Julian Smith)—agreed to Read a Second time Considered in Committee; not amended, considered; read the Third time and passed

Valedictory Debate [Col. 684] General debate

Royal Assent to Act passed [Col. 727]

Petitions [Col. 747]

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (Suffolk) [Col. 750] Debate on motion for Adjournment

Westminster Hall Retail Crime Prevention [Col. 229WH] Princess Royal Hospital, Telford [Col. 253WH] School Uniform Costs [Col. 261WH] Renaissance of East Anglian Fisheries Study [Col. 277WH] General Debates

Written Statements [Col. 71WS]

Petitions [Col. 15P] Not presented on the Floor Observations

Ministerial Corrections [Col. 7MC]

Written Answers to Questions [The written answers can now be found at http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers]