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Backbench Business
20 July 2023
Lead MP
Eleanor Laing
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Parliamentary Procedure
Other Contributors: 16
At a Glance
Eleanor Laing raised concerns about backbench business in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Called for the Sir David Amess summer Adjournment debate, acknowledged the late honourable Friend, and requested speakers to keep their contributions under 10 minutes.
Eleanor Laing
Con
Romford
Noted that many people want to speak during the debate, emphasised the importance of a fair distribution of speaking time by limiting each contribution to 10 minutes, and called on Mr Ian Mearns to move the motion.
Ian Mearns
Lab
Gateshead
Mearns expressed concern over the Grenfell Tower tragedy aftermath, highlighting ongoing issues faced by leaseholders and residents in similar buildings. He discussed the continuation of funding for a special school eye care service, praised Gateshead Council's district heating system, criticised the council tax system as unfit for purpose, highlighted local government budget cuts since 2010, condemned delays in asylum application decisions, raised concerns over sexual harassment at McDonald’s, called for an end to zero-hours contracts, and criticised public transport privatisation which he believes prioritises profit over service.
Eleanor Laing
Con
Twickenham
Acknowledged the contribution of Jim Shannon and thanked Ian Mearns for his work on the Backbench Business Committee.
Peter Bottomley
Con
Worthing West
Paid tribute to Ian Mearns for his work with him on the High Speed Rail Bill Committee. Highlighted the importance of debates scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee. Mentioned a church service he needs to attend due to being the parliamentary warden at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster. Called for a meeting involving Gurpal Virdi and representatives from various bodies including the Metropolitan Police Service, Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to discuss historical misconduct cases against police officers. Detailed inconsistencies in the prosecution of Gurpal Virdi and highlighted issues with how the investigation was conducted. Emphasised the need for transparency and accountability from these bodies to maintain public confidence.
Carolyn Harris
Lab
Neath and Swansea East
Harris highlighted her initiative Everyone Deserves, which provides meals and activities to families in need during school holidays. She thanked numerous organisations, businesses, and individuals for their support, including Budget Carpets, Hygrove Homes, Greggs, Morrisons, the Swans, the Ospreys, Swansea City Council, Huw Cooze from Visions Creative, Mal Pope, Julie James MS, Jeremy Miles MS, Stephen Kinnock MP, Gerald Jones MP, and her team Emma, David, Ellie, Sarah, Tom, Jo. She also congratulated Gareth Bale on his MBE and praised Davina McCall's work in breaking down menopause stigma.
Bob Blackman
Con
Harrow East
Critiqued Harrow Council's financial mismanagement under Labour leadership; highlighted a case of care services for vulnerable individuals being transferred between councils, illustrating the complexities and inefficiencies in current legislation. Opposed Mayor of London’s decision to expand ULEZ into outer London due to its detrimental effect on low-income workers who rely heavily on personal vehicles for commuting. Discussed TfL strikes disrupting commuters’ travel plans and called for a sensible dialogue rather than strike actions. Expresses opposition towards high-rise building proposals in Edgware, fearing it would overwhelm the infrastructure of Edgware town centre. Announced support for Susan Hall as Conservative candidate for Mayor of London, proposing reversal of ULEZ policy and increased investment in Metropolitan police force. Also mentioned Stefan Voloseniuc's selection as Conservative party’s candidate for Brent and Harrow.
Margaret Ferrier
SNP
Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Ferrier thanked the House staff for their hard work and highlighted her casework experiences, including a case involving an Afghan constituent's wife who was in danger due to her family's association with allied troops. She praised the Home Office’s change in account management system that improved dialogue between Members of Parliament and the Department. Ferrier emphasised the importance of treating each case with empathy and perseverance, mentioning complex cases such as those related to the green deal mis-selling scandal and child maintenance service issues. She also discussed her commitment to responding to constituents' emails and turning their concerns into action by raising them in parliamentary meetings or here in the Chamber. Finally, she talked about community events and the issue of antisocial behaviour in her constituency.
Gavin Newlands
SNP
Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Newlands interjected to express his disgust over the lack of compensation for constituents affected by Helms, a company involved in green deal mis-selling, despite previous assurances from Ministers that they were willing to recompense all customers.
Bob Stewart
Con
Beckenham
Stewart raised concerns about the situation in Bosnia, highlighting its historical conflicts and current tensions. He discussed the role of British forces and diplomats in stabilizing the region, emphasising the need for continued involvement to prevent a recurrence of civil war. He advocated for sending a British battlegroup under NATO command as a preventative measure against instability. Stewart also addressed issues such as emigration and corruption, urging the UK government to support Bosnia's future.
Alicia Kearns
Con
Rutland and Stamford
Kearns intervened to express her agreement with Stewart’s concerns about the escalation of separatist policies in Republika Srpska, highlighting a recent law that disappies rulings by the Constitutional Court. She emphasised the acute threat this poses to the Dayton agreement and peace on the ground.
Gavin Newlands
SNP
Paisley and Renfrew North
Mr Newlands discussed the pressures on public finances due to austerity measures, highlighting the need for additional funding in social care. He also addressed issues of gender equality in sports and the challenges faced by women's sport campaigns. Additionally, he mentioned concerns about secondary ticketing practices and their impact on consumers, particularly parents trying to secure tickets for children's events. Mr Newlands further touched upon state pension inequality affecting women born in the 1950s and the upcoming world cycling championships in Scotland.
Scunthorpe
Discussed the opening of a new community diagnostic centre in Scunthorpe, secured through £19.4 million funding, alongside improvements to A&E services. Raised concerns about access to NHS dentistry and proposed a tie-in requirement for dental practitioners to provide NHS care. Emphasised the importance of expediting brain tumour research after working with David Hopkins' family. Highlighted the efforts of The Beat Goes On charity in improving cardiac condition diagnoses and called for further research into screening methods. Praised Prostate Cancer Lincs and Humber's work, acknowledging Joanne Sowerby’s exceptional support through Hope House. Addressed issues concerning the reliability of local transport services while welcoming the £2 bus fare scheme. Emphasised the strategic importance of steelmaking in Scunthorpe, advocating for continued governmental support to safeguard this industry. Mentioned the Redbourne Centre and thanked care sector workers for their invaluable contributions.
Ian Paisley Jnr
DUP
North Antrim
Expressed gratitude to the officers of the House and raised concerns about the recent budget debate for Northern Ireland, highlighting that it has set back the prospect of restoring devolution settlement. Emphasised that any Barnett consequentials sent to Northern Ireland would have to be paid back immediately to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Treasury. Criticised the disparity in wages between teachers in Northern Ireland and Great Britain, urging for a functioning Northern Ireland Executive under proper circumstances. Called HS2 project a national scandal of public waste and urged the House to examine it closely.
North Cotswolds
Discussed urgent issues related to shooting, noting the detrimental impact of DEFRA’s decision to remove general licences for releasing gamebirds on special protection areas. Emphasised chaos in the sector and potential redundancies, shoot closures, and bankruptcies. Also raised concerns about the transition from higher-level stewardship schemes to new mid-tier countryside stewardship schemes due to communication issues with the Rural Payments Agency.
Mark Francois
Con
Rayleigh and Wickford
Briefly added to Geoffrey Clifton-Brown's speech, noting Bob Stewart's service in Bosnia for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
Fleur Anderson
Lab
Putney
Anderson expresses gratitude towards NHS Supply Chain for progress made in standardising NHS uniforms. She questions the delay of the Renters (Reform) Bill and its impact on private renters facing homelessness due to no-fault evictions. She discusses the critical state of child and adolescent mental health services, advocating for Labour's plan to provide specialist mental health support in schools. Anderson also highlights the lengthy driving test waiting times, urging the Minister to address data collection issues with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. She supports a ban on plastic in wet wipes as it causes environmental damage. Lastly, she emphasises the government's failure in addressing climate change and calls for urgent action.
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