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Mr. Simon Hughes (Southwark and Bermondsey): I join other hon. Members in thanking the Leader of the House for the maximum advance notice of forthcoming business.
We have heard today's formal announcement that a total of two days will be given for proceedings in the House on the Bill on the Northern Ireland elections at the end of May. As the right hon. Gentleman will be aware, that is the second piece of legislation that he has had to bring before us in recent weeks that has been subject to an extremely tight timetable and has been rushed through, by any definition. May I ask him to give us an undertaking, if not today, at a later date, that if we are ever asked by his or any other Government to pass emergency legislation, the old precedent will apply, whereby it will stand on the statute book for one year only and can have a longer duration only if it is properly debated without a guillotine in due time?
Secondly, there is obvious interest in the House about the future structure of local government, with different views on both sides about mayors for councils and the structure of local government. After the local elections this year, may we have a debate about local government and its future, so that the range of options for the best running of it can be aired without the influence of the party Whips?
Mr. Newton:
I shall bear both points in mind, as is entirely right and proper. In respect of any Bill, whether emergency or otherwise, one can consider points such as that raised by the hon. Gentleman only in relation to the nature of such legislation.
Mr. Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):
May I thank my right hon. Friend for his announcement of the debates next week, on the Adjournment of the House, on the film industry and the Child Support Agency, although both those subjects merit a full day's debate rather than a half-day one? May I also support the call from the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor), the shadow Leader of the House, for an early date for the summer economic debate, not least so that we can hear from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short) her views on increased taxation, because many of us on the Conservative Benches believe that increased taxation is prejudicial to a healthy and growing economy?
Mr. Newton:
The second part of my hon. Friend's question was characteristically helpful, and I shall bear it in mind. On the first part of his question, no doubt the Chairman of the Liaison Committee--with whom those
Mr. Greville Janner (Leicester, West):
May we please have an early debate on the alarming rise of arson attacks in the county of Leicestershire, which are up from 273 in 1988 to 1,385 in 1995? As five arson attacks have been made against schools in my constituency in the past three months--the latest of which caused grave damage to Beaumont Leys school--will the Leader of the House plead with the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to find a way in which schools can be helped to take security measures without cutting into their budgets, which are already far too short?
Mr. Newton:
The hon. and learned Gentleman has raised that matter and others like it on a number of occasions. He will know that it is a matter that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment takes seriously. I shall bring to her attention the fact that he has raised the issue yet again, in an entirely responsible and balanced way. However, I hope that when he refers to crime in Leicestershire, he will acknowledge that recorded crime in the area fell by some 6 per cent. last year, including some important falls in quite significant crimes.
Mr. Harry Greenway (Ealing, North):
May I ask my right hon. Friend for a debate next week on the decision of two London local authorities--both of which are Labour controlled, and including Ealing council--to take travel passes away from disabled people, including deaf people and severely disabled people, to save a few thousand pounds, despite the fact that they have been given millions of pounds for their standard spending assessments by the Government? Bearing in mind the great suffering of the people involved and their huge distress, could we have a debate next week to expose those councils and seek to have their miserable behaviour reversed?
Mr. Newton:
I cannot promise a debate but, as ever, I point my hon. Friend in the direction of Wednesday mornings. I share his regret about the reports that he made, as I am a former Minister for the Disabled.
Mr. Harry Barnes (North-East Derbyshire):
We have had several statements on BSE and we have been promised more. The other place has also debated BSE. Should we not have a debate about BSE before Whitsun? If there is a problem about the wide-ranging nature of the debate, could we not have debates on specific areas? For example, could we debate live tests on animals that would allow us a way out of the problem?
Mr. Newton:
The hon. Gentleman will know that the issue of live tests has been put to my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on a number of occasions. He has explained the scientific and practical difficulty that no such test currently exists nor is in sight. However, I shall bring the point to his attention again. We have already had one
Mr. Nicholas Baker (North Dorset):
Does my right hon. Friend agree that following the excellent package on BSE that the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced on Tuesday and the welcome news that the Euro ban is to be challenged, there is a case for a debate on this matter, on the particular issue of how to restore confidence in British beef and the eating thereof? Does my right hon. Friend agree that such a debate could demonstrate the concerns that members of the public have about the damage caused to our beef industry by hysteria and by the selfish attitude shown by our European neighbours and their Governments? We ought to have a debate to encourage consumers and to promote the eating of British beef--which can be done with pride and not with apology.
Mr. Newton:
I have already commented on that matter. I take note of what my hon. Friend said. We shall press our points very hard within the European Union. On the question of confidence, I hope that my hon. Friend will take some encouragement from the fact that the latest reports suggest that beef consumption is at roughly 85 per cent. of pre-crisis levels and that cattle throughput in markets is nearing 60 per cent. of pre-crisis levels. While that is a long way short of what we would like, it is quite good progress.
Mr. Andrew Welsh (Angus, East):
I draw the attention of the Leader of the House to the statement made by European Commissioner Fischler that he has no objection, in principle, to ending the ban on beef exports from specialist areas such as Scotland and Northern Ireland. Is he aware that there is legal precedent for that and that the only stumbling block is the failure of the British Government to press the case? I ask the right hon. Gentleman for an urgent statement or debate, either on the Floor of the House or in the Grand Committee, bearing it in mind that no Scottish Office Minister has made himself answerable on that important issue.
Mr. Newton:
On the latter point, Scottish Office Ministers, including very much my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, have been active in developing the measures that have been announced. My right hon. Friend is available to answer questions during the period covered by my statement. As for the interpretation that the hon. Gentleman places on the remarks said to have been made by Commissioner Fischler, I have not seen a complete report of those remarks. I am aware, however, that many people would not share the interpretation that the hon. Gentleman has sought to place upon them.
Mr. John Marshall (Hendon, South):
May I ask my right hon. Friend to arrange an urgent and early debate on early-day motion 728?
[That this House notes the honesty and integrity of the honourable Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, in stating her view as an honourable Labour Member that people earning more than £34,000 should pay more tax; agrees with her contempt for the ruthless arrogance of the staff of the Leader of the Opposition; and finds this latest episode shows Labour has not changed, in contrast to its marketing managers.]
Such a debate would enable me to praise the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short) for observing that many people would pay higher taxes under a Labour Government. If such a debate were to take place, the hon. Lady might not be silenced by the Leader of the Opposition, but I doubt it.
Mr. Newton:
I shall bear my hon. Friend's request very much in mind. I, too, welcome the candour of the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short), who has at least been willing to acknowledge things that we all know, but which no one else has been prepared to say.
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