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Estimates, 2009-10 (Army) Vote A
That, during the year ending with 31 March 2010, a number not exceeding 123,660 all ranks be maintained for Army Service and that numbers in the Reserve Land Forces be authorised for the purposes of Parts 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 up to the maximum numbers set out in HC 117 of this Session. — (Mark Tami.)
Estimates, 2009-10 (Air) Vote A
That, during the year ending with 31 March 2010, a number not exceeding 46,270 all ranks be maintained for Air Force Service and that numbers in the Reserve Air Forces be authorised for the purposes of Parts 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the Reserve Forces Act 1996 up to the maximum numbers set out in HC 117 of this Session. — (Mark Tami.)
Estimates, Excesses, 2007-08
That for the year that ended with 31 March 2008—
(1) resources, not exceeding £1,886,000, be authorised for use to make good excesses of certain resources for defence and civil services as set out in HC 215, and
(2) a sum, not exceeding £5,780,000, be granted to Her Majesty out of the Consolidated Fund to make good excesses of certain grants for defence and civil services as so set out. — (Mark Tami.)
Supplementary Estimates and New Estimates, 2008-09
That, for the year ending with 31 March 2009—
(1) further resources, not exceeding £31,504,116,000, be authorised for defence and civil services as set out in HC 221, HC 223, HC 240 and HC 265,
(2) a further sum, not exceeding £14,060,891,000, be granted to Her Majesty out of the Consolidated Fund to meet the costs of defence and civil services as so set out, and
(3) limits as set out in HC 221, HC 240 and HC 265 be set on appropriations in aid. — (Mark Tami.)
Ordered, That a Bill be brought in upon the foregoing Resolutions relating to Supplementary Estimates and New Estimates, 2008-09, and Estimates, Excesses 2007-08, and the Resolution of 16 December relating to Supplementary Estimates, 2008-09;
That the Chairman of Ways and Means, Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Yvette Cooper, Angela Eagle, Ian Pearson and Mr. Stephen Timms introduce the Bill.
Mr. Stephen Timms accordingly presented a Bill to authorise the use of resources for the service of the years ending with 31 March 2008 and 31 March and to apply certain sums out of the Consolidated Fund to the service of the years ending with 31 March 2008 and 31 March 2009; and to appropriate the supply authorised in this Session of Parliament for the service of the years ending with 31 March 2008 and 31 March 2009.
Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time tomorrow, and to be printed (Bill 58).
Business without Debate
Delegated Legislation
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Alan Haselhurst): With the leave of the House, I will take motions 7 to 10 together.
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, which were laid before this House on 21 January, be approved.
That the draft Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2009, which were laid before this House on 28 January, be approved.
That the draft Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating) Order 2009, which was laid before this House on 28 January, be approved.
That the draft Financial Assistance for Industry (Increase of Limit) Order 2009, which was laid before this House on 3 February, be approved. — (Mark Tami.)
Mr. Deputy Speaker: With the leave of the House, I will take motions 11 and 12 together.
That the Health in Pregnancy Grant (Entitlement and Amount) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3108), dated 9 December 2008, be referred to a Delegated Legislation Committee.
That the Health in Pregnancy Grant (Administration) Regulations 2008 (S.I., 2008, No. 3109), dated 9 December 2008, be referred to a Delegated Legislation Committee. — (Mark Tami.)
Use of the Chamber (United Kingdom Youth Parliament)
That this House welcomes the work of the United Kingdom Youth Parliament in providing young people with an opportunity to engage with the political process and bring about social change; notes that many hon. Members from all parts of the House are actively involved in the work of the UK Youth Parliament; and accordingly resolves that the UK Youth Parliament should be allowed for this year alone to hold its 2009 annual meeting in the Chamber of this House. — (Mark Tami.)
Mr. Deputy Speaker: With the leave of the House, I will take motions 14 and 15 together.
Committees
That Jim Dobbin and Mr Bill Olner be discharged from the Communities and Local Government Committee and Mr Neil Turner and David Wright be added.
That Jim Sheridan be discharged from the International Development Committee and Mr Virendra Sharma be added. — (Rosemary McKenna, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
petitions
Police Interpreting
10.3 pm
Mr. John Leech (Manchester, Withington) (LD): I wish to submit a petition on behalf of 282 nationally registered interpreters from around the country who are concerned that plans to outsource the provision of interpreting services by police forces in the north-west will result in a worsening of the service provided to people requiring interpreting services as well as undermining the guidance of the Association of Chief Police Officers on the use of nationally registered interpreters whenever it is possible to provide them.
The Petition of persons concerned at the treatment of nationally registered interpreters,
Declares that the Greater Manchester Police are currently considering outsourcing provision of face-to-face interpreters to a commercial intermediary; further declares that registered interpreters are not prepared to work for an intermediary and that Greater Manchester Police would no longer be able to obtain their services should they outsource;
Notes that data obtained pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 show that outsourcing can lead to the use of persons purporting to be interpreters who are not on the National Register (which is stipulated as the first port of call by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform) or any of the other lists authorised by the National Agreement;
Believes that competent, vetted and professional interpreters are an integral part of the criminal justice system, ensuring a just and fair delivery of justice; further believes that taxpayers are entitled to see their money spent on a high quality service which will aid the administration of justice for ethnic minorities.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Home Secretary to do all in her power to persuade Greater Manchester Police to treat the profession with the respect it deserves and to include registered interpreters in any future consultations which may affect their livelihoods and profession; the petitioner further requests that the House of Commons urges the Home Secretary to intervene where police forces do not abide by the terms of the National Agreement.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
[P000322]
Royal Mail Services (Gloucestershire)
10.5 pm
Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold) (Con): I have the honour to present a petition on behalf of my constituents in Wotton-under-Edge, who face the closure of their sorting office by Royal Mail. They call on the Government to intervene with Royal Mail to prevent the closure.
The Petition of the Mayor of Wotton-under-Edge Town Council on behalf of the Community of Wotton-under-Edge and hinterland,
wish the Royal Mail Sorting Office in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, to remain open... The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to act to ensure on behalf of the people of Wotton-under-Edge and surrounding villages that the Sorting Office remains open and the service is not moved to the village of Cam, Gloucestershire.
Following is the full text of the petition:
[The Petition of the Mayor of Wotton-under-Edge Town Council on behalf of the Community of Wotton-under-Edge and hinterland,
Declares that the community of Wotton-under-Edge and its hinterland wish the Royal Mail Sorting Office in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, to remain open;
Further declares that there has been overwhelming support from the community for the Sorting Office to remain in Wotton-under-Edge, an independent Market Town of 5700 people with a hinterland of villages, who are struggling to keep shops and services going;
Notes that Cam Sorting Office is a 14 mile return trip from Wotton-under-Edge, and that the area is poorly served by public transport; further notes that the town has an aging population who would struggle to collect undelivered mail; further notes that there is concern for the postmen and women who will have to make this extra journey with all its ramifications of financial and environmental cost.
Further declares that the community is worried by the detrimental effect the closure will have on the economic well-being of the town and particularly its business community; further declares that the town is already suffering through the recession and could well see further job losses as a consequence;
Notes that much of the data and other information supplied by Royal Mail is incorrect and has continued to be used despite the town’s attempts to amend it; further notes that the Royal Mail has undertaken no meaningful consultation with the community, having only spoken to three people invited to the Sorting Office.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to act to ensure on behalf of the people of Wotton-under-Edge and surrounding villages that the Sorting Office remains open and the service is not moved to the village of Cam, Gloucestershire.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.]
Housing and Construction Industry
Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn. —(Mark Tami.)
10.8 pm
Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire) (Lab): I am grateful for the opportunity to debate an industry that was such an integral part of my life before I entered the House. The debate is long overdue, and it is with a sense of sadness that I feel it necessary to highlight the continuing dire state of the UK construction and housing industry. I declare an interest as I remain a director of a building supply company and have worked in the construction and housing industry for more than 30 years in various roles.
The construction industry has more than 250,000 businesses employing more than 2 million people in the UK and has a turnover of about £6 billion a year. We have the second largest industry output in the European Union, and we all know and appreciate the role played by infrastructure in the UK’s progress in recent years.
That is not the only story, however. There are vital subsets to the construction industry: for example, construction product companies have an annual turnover of more than £40 billion and employ more than 650,000 people in more than 30,000 companies. In Scotland, almost 12 per cent. of the work force are employed in construction and building-related activities, and further decline would have a profound impact on Scotland in general.
Last July, I wrote to both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to outline my concerns about the perilous state of the UK housing and construction industry. Sadly, those concerns have turned into reality; they are still with us today and there is little sign of improvement. It is important to understand that the housing industry has always built speculatively and not to order. Only by speculation can businesses provide continuous employment. The situation is little different from that of the car market, where mass production is not to order. In the housing industry, such speculation has stopped. The sector has lost jobs at an alarming rate, affecting the supply side, design and manufacture, road haulage and even council planning departments.
Past downturns have been different from what we are experiencing today. In Scotland, the industry has not experienced the highs seen in the south of England, but to some extent it has not experienced the same lows either. Arguably, that put Scotland in an advantageous position as part of the UK, as the situation was less volatile and a little more predictable—but not this time. The whole developed world has suffered a financial earthquake simultaneously, and no one was prepared. Almost overnight, credit lines were stopped. Major developers such as Barratt, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon cut jobs as early as last summer. Speculative house building is virtually dead. Moreover, stock of completed housing units is reducing in value, and land values are plummeting.
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