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Mrs. Beckett: There is no question of any debating time for defence matters being lost. I made it clear at the outset that although the White Paper has been delayed--I shall return to that point in a moment--the Government intend to allow the full range of scrutiny. The hon. Gentleman will realise, however, that we shall want the White Paper to go to the Select Committee first, and I am sure that he, too, would want that to happen. He said that the White Paper was late, as if that resulted from fault on the Government's part. May I remind him that we had a small war, and there was some feeling that that ought to be reflected in what would otherwise have been a routine presentation of the White Paper?
The hon. Gentleman also asked me to schedule an early debate on the Select Committee report on DERA. That report has only just been published, and I am sure that he would wish the Government to give it proper consideration and respond to it, as indeed we shall. I also remind him that the order for scheduling debates on Select Committee reports is not solely a matter for me; it is an important function of the Liaison Committee, and any Leader of the House who sought to usurp that function would be treading on difficult territory. Finally, I remind him that there will, of course, be an opportunity to raise defence matters in the debate on the Queen's Speech.
Mr. Secretary Straw, supported by the Prime Minister, Mr. Secretary Prescott, Mr. Secretary Reid, Mr. Secretary Murphy, Mr. Secretary Mandelson and Mr. Mike O'Brien, presented a Bill to make new provision with respect to the registration of voters for the purposes of parliamentary
and local government elections; to make other provision in relation to voting at such elections; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time tomorrow, and to be printed. Explanatory notes to be printed [Bill 2].
Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, supported by Margaret Beckett, Mr. Secretary Milburn, Mr. Secretary Hoon, Mr. Andrew Smith, Dawn Primarolo,Mr. Stephen Timms and Miss Melanie Johnson, presented a Bill to make provision about government resources and accounts; to provide for financial assistance for a body established to participate in public-private partnerships; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time tomorrow, and to be printed. Explanatory notes to be printed [Bill 3].
Mr. Secretary Byers, supported by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Secretary Straw, Mr. Secretary Reid, Marjorie Mowlam, Mr. Secretary Murphy, Mr. Secretary Mandelson and Ms Patricia Hewitt, presented a Bill to make provision to facilitate the use of electronic communications and electronic data storage; to make provision about the modificationof licences granted under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time tomorrow, and to be printed. Explanatory notes to be printed [Bill 4].
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, supportedby Mr. Secretary Straw, Mr. Secretary Darling, Mr. Secretary Byers, Mr. Secretary Milburn, Jane Kennedy, Mr. Graham Stringer, Mr. Andrew Smith, Dawn Primarolo, Mr. Stephen Timms and Miss Melanie Johnson, presented a Bill to make provision about the regulation of financial services and markets; to provide for the transfer of certain statutory functions relating to building societies, friendly societies, industrial and provident societies and certain other mutual societies; and for connected purposes: Pursuant to Order [25 October], the Bill was ordered to be printed [Bill 1], was read the First and Second time without Question put, and stood committed to a Standing Committee in respect of clauses 135 to 367 and Schedules 12 to 17 with the same Members as the Members of the Standing Committee on the Bill in the previous Session. Explanatory notes to be printed.
Mr. Secretary Straw, supported by the Prime Minister, Marjorie Mowlam, Mr. Secretary Byers, Mr. Secretary Murphy, Mr. Secretary Mandelson and Mr. Mike O'Brien, presented a Bill to make provision for the disclosure of information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them and to amend the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Public Records Act 1958; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time tomorrow, and to be printed. Explanatory notes to be printed [Bill 5].
Order read for resuming adjourned debate on Question [17 November],
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Mr. John Prescott):
I am sorry that I cut getting here rather fine, but as the person responsible for transport, I cannot blame the public transport system for being late.
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear yesterday, the Government are about fairness, enterprise and justice. Indeed, over the past two and a half years we have shown our commitment to those principles and our determination to build a fairer, more modern Britain.
All the evidence from elections and polls show that the Government enjoy a level of support at mid term that is quite unprecedented and compares very well with the unpopularity of the Thatcher Government. Despite what the Leader of the Opposition said yesterday, we must be doing something right.
I am bound to say, having listened to the right hon. Gentleman's speech--and this seems to be the general opinion--that his jokes were far more impressive than the contents of his speech. Having listened to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on the "Today" programme this morning, it appears that the sole job of the Opposition is simply to oppose, even if it means changing their policies along the way or, indeed, doing exactly the opposite to what they did in government or what they promised to do in government. They seem to have a new park-and-ride policy: they park the old policy and ride the new one in opposition--[Hon. Members: "More."] It was a start, but I want to do it with substance.
The legislative programme set out in the Queen's Speech yesterday is indeed about modernising Britain--modernising our education system and our hospitals, tackling crime and creating a strong economy. I was particularly proud to hear a Labour Prime Minister talking about a strong, modern economy and the highest number of people in work for decades. We are particularly proud of that. I want to address some of my remarks to the quality of life and there is no better way of improving the quality of life than having a job, working and making a contribution to society. It is an important concept--a modern Britain is about providing a decent quality of life for everyone, not just a few. Indeed, my Department has a central role in local and regional government,
environmental protection, housing regeneration and transport. During the past two years it has improved the quality of the water we drink, the air we breathe, the homes in which we live and our local services. Those are all measurable improvements.
For the first time in years, people are returning to public transport, making it a growth industry once again and utilising thousands more train and bus services that the Government helped to fund. If one talks to those in the industry, it is clear that there is more confidence in Labour and a belief that we consider it an important part of the transport system. The evidence is there and people can make their own judgments.
That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, as follows:
Question again proposed.
Most Gracious Sovereign,
We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament--[Dr. Jack Cunningham.]
11.56 am
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