Yesterday Sir Patrick Cormack presented a Bill to the Commons that would put the same restrictions on trading on Remembrance Sunday as already apply to Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. As he explained to the House: "I believe that this a very modest but very sensible proposal. It is extremely difficult for members of the […]
The House of Commons yesterday approved a swathe of reforms which will give far more power to backbenchers, including the election of select committee chairmen and the creation of a Business Committee to set much of the Commons' agenda – measures which are long overdue. But one other measure included in the reforms proposed by […]
Conservative MPs lined up yesterday to oppose Labour's plans for a £80m referendum on introducing the Alternative Vote system for electing the House of Commons. Shadow Justice Secretary Dominic Grieve led for the Conservatives. Richard Shepherd on how AV elects the least objectionable candidates: "I know that the Prime Minister has abolished boom and bust, […]
Chris Grayling: "Independent scientific advice is important, but those who take on formal roles with the Government have to be extremely cautious about the things that they say. Professor Nutt’s comments earlier this year, comparing the risks of ecstasy with those of horse riding, were particularly ill judged. The issues that the council deals with […]
The House of Commons heard a statement from the Speaker about expenses yesterday. Herewith the lowlights: "Members will be aware of the unauthorised disclosure of material relating to their allowances, which has appeared in the press on Friday and over the weekend. This has caused great public concern. Leaving aside the legal aspect, to which […]
During the debate on MPs' expenses yesterday Derek Conway, MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, made a noteworthy contribution. (He is listed as a Conservative in Hansard but is not on the Conservative Party website's list of MPs.) He compared his own experience after being found to have paid his son for work that was not undertaken […]
It's nice that New Labour haven't scrapped the splendid title Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Yesterday saw questions to the Chancellor and the Cabinet Office. Shadow Deputy Secretary of State for Wales David Jones asked about the impact of the recession on charity: "The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Kevin Brennan): The Charity Commission recently […]
Yesterday saw Foreign Office questions. Shadow Deputy Secretary of State for Wales David Jones and former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind both asked about Iran's nuclear ambitions: "The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (David Miliband): The International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest report of 19 February shows that Iran continues to refuse to […]
Treasury questions came around yesterday. The Equitable Life scandal was rightly prioritised by Conservative members, who leapt on Economic Secretary to the Treasury Ian Pearson, who had this to say: "I am very disappointed that the Public Administration Committee should choose to obscure the real help that it accepts the Government’s payments scheme will deliver […]
It was questions to Communities and Local Government ministers yesterday. Shadow London Minister Bob Neill asked a good question about centralised housebuilding targets: "It is five years this month since the Government’s own Barker review identified the problems that arise from reliance on the section 106 system and its attendant complexities as a means of […]
Hansard has the full report of the Speaker’s statement on Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green and subsequent contributions from MPs here. There will be a debate on the issue on Monday. Some highlights from yesterday are reproduced below. The Speaker is to be commended for one thing: offering no public comment before addressing Parliament: "In […]