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Mr. Straw:
I apologise to the hon. Gentleman, because I cannot answer his question directly without notice. However, I will follow it up, including with my right
hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. There are normally arrangements with almost all countries for prisoner transfer. Under long-standing arrangements that pre-date this Government, those arrangements require the consent of the sentencing state, receiving state and, usually, the prisoner-although we are trying to change that. However, I shall write to him with advice on that.
Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire) (Lab): Will the Secretary of State please reaffirm what he said in his answer to me on 21 July, which is that there will be no prison-neither a Titan prison nor any other size of prison-in Scarisbrick? Will he also confirm that in writing for the benefit of Tory councillors-colleagues of Opposition Members-who seem not to be able to believe in the record according to Hansard?
Mr. Straw: There will not be a prison at Scarisbrick, Titan or otherwise, and I will write to my hon. Friend about that.
Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey) (LD): I have a constituent who has been released on life licence and has been homeless for six years. Can Ministers reassure me that there is proper co-ordination between their Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government, so that housing previous offenders is seen as a social priority for everybody?
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Maria Eagle): I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance. Housing previous offenders is one of the pathways to reducing reoffending that we are taking action to deal with. That is not to say that every prisoner who comes out will find settled and secured housing, as that case illustrates, but 86 per cent. do.
Mr. Gordon Prentice (Pendle) (Lab): Derry Irvine has spoken out for the first time about the abolition of the ancient office of Lord Chancellor and how it was done without consultation or proper appreciation of the consequences. Would the latest Lord Chancellor challenge Lord Irvine's account in any way?
Mr. Straw: I am living proof that the office has not been abolished. As for challenging Lord Irvine's account, I was abroad at the time.
Christopher Fraser (South-West Norfolk) (Con): The Ministry of Justice is spending £4 million installing vending machines in prisons to allow prisoners access to methadone, through the iris or fingerprint system. Why are the Government spending more on prisoners' drug habits than on abstinence-based rehabilitation?
Mr. Straw: May I say to the hon. Gentleman- [ Interruption. ] Sorry, but he is obscured by the corporeal presence of his hon. Friend the Member for South Staffordshire (Sir Patrick Cormack), just in front of him. I invite the hon. Gentleman to come to prison and see those dispensers, which are part of ensuring the tight control of drugs in prison. There are some addicted prisoners for whom medical practitioners have determined that methadone-not heroin but methadone, which is a recognised and acceptable substitute-should be prescribed, in order to control and cut down their addiction. The idea of the dispensing machines is to provide absolute certainty about who receives the methadone. As I have witnessed, the prisoner's identity is checked at the point at which the drug is dispensed and he or she has to consume it in the presence of two prison officers and a nurse.
Speaker's Statement
3.33 pm
Mr. Speaker: I wish to make a statement about the two minutes' silence. As the House will know, tomorrow is Remembrance day and, exceptionally, the House will sit at 2.30 pm. At 11 am, right hon. and hon. Members, their staff and officials in the House will be attending to their duties. I regard it as appropriate that we should join the nation in observing the two minutes' silence at 11 o'clock, so that we might remember those who gave their lives for their country and to help preserve our democratic freedoms. I should be grateful if those responsible for chairing Committees at that time would make appropriate arrangements. Instructions will also be issued to heads of House Departments, so that those members of staff who wish to observe the two minutes' silence will be enabled to do so.
Point of Order
3.34 pm
Mr. Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield) (Con): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I noted that in answer to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry), the Justice Secretary seemed to make a statement about sentencing in knife crime. I was not aware of any written or oral statement having been made, so I wondered whether that was a novel way of making such a statement.
The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr. Jack Straw) rose-
Mr. Speaker: I am very happy to take any rejoinder to that point of order from the right hon. Gentleman first. I will reserve my thunder until I have heard what the Secretary of State has to say.
Mr. Straw: With great respect to the hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve), it is part of the arrangements for topical questions that a statement can be made on a matter of departmental business. After all, the question that is put to the Secretary of State at the beginning of topical questions asks whether he will make a statement about his departmental business. I wished to show respect to the House, to ensure that the House was the first to hear of this announcement and to assure hon. Members that there had been no briefing about it, and the House was indeed the first to hear of it. I therefore thought it appropriate to make this announcement to the House in a short oral statement of a kind that is for the convenience of the House as a whole.
Mr. Speaker: I am grateful to the Secretary of State. I will allow the hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve), who was on the edge of his seat a moment ago, to raise a further point of order if he so wishes. I know that he will not seek to prolong the debate; he would not do that.
Mr. Grieve: Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am grateful for the Secretary of State's explanation, but is not the purpose of making an oral statement to give hon. Members the opportunity to ask questions about it? The reality of these circumstances, however, makes that practice impossible, particularly as those on the Front Bench have asked their questions earlier. I would be grateful for your guidance on this, Mr. Speaker, for the future if not for today.
Mr. Speaker:
I do not think that we need to hear from the Secretary of State. It is always a pleasure to hear his mellifluous tones, but I do not think that we need to do so again at this point. The hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield has raised an important point, upon which I am happy to reflect. He is a very fair-minded Member of the House, and he will know that I regard as being of the utmost importance proper conduct by Members on the Treasury Bench, and as pre-eminent the rights of
Back-Bench Members. That has always been my approach, and it will continue to be. In that spirit, I will reflect on what the hon. and learned Gentleman has said.
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield) (Con) rose-
Mr. Speaker: I call Sir Nicholas Winterton. I trust that he will be very brief.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I will be very brief. Would it not have been appropriate and courteous for the Secretary of State to have given the shadow spokesman notice that he intended to raise this matter in his opening answer at the beginning of topical questions?
Mr. Speaker: Unfortunately, I am afraid that that point of order adds nothing. I have already given a ruling; the position is clear. I have indicated to the hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield my intention to reflect on the matter, and additional points of order that add nothing are unhelpful.
Bill presented
Local Planning Authorities (Protection of Local Services) Bill
Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)
Greg Mulholland, supported by Mr. Eric Illsley and Peter Bottomley, presented a Bill to make provision for local planning authorities to require planning permission prior to the demolition or change of use of any or all premises or land used or most recently used as a local service; and for connected purposes.
Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Thursday 12 November, and to be printed (Bill 163).
Queen's Diamond Jubilee
Motion for leave to introduce a Bill (Standing Order No. 23)
3.37 pm
Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con): I beg to move,
That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for a national public holiday marking the Queen's diamond jubilee in 2012 and to establish a framework to ensure that the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and Crown dependencies appropriately commemorate this occasion; and for connected purposes.
On 6 February 1952, following the passing of His Majesty King George VI, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II. That was nearly 58 years ago, so today, our nation can begin to look ahead to 2012-the year in which, God willing, we will be able to celebrate Her Majesty's 60th year as Queen and the diamond jubilee of her reign. Of course, 2012 is already the year in which the eyes of every nation and billions of people across the globe will be watching Britain, as we stage the Olympic games here in London. It will undoubtedly be a year in which to celebrate great sporting achievements, but we in these islands will have an ever greater achievement to celebrate as another page in the history of our nation is reached. The 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne will be a momentous occasion, making Her Majesty the second longest reigning monarch, not only since the Union of the Crowns in 1603, but ever to reign over any part of the British isles.
Over the past decades, Her Majesty has witnessed many historic changes throughout her realms and across the world. Under her watchful eye, we have witnessed the evolution of the British empire into the Commonwealth of nations; the cold war, the collapse of communism and the fall of the Berlin wall; the liberation of the Falkland Islands and the handing over of Hong Kong to China. Her Majesty has reigned during times of enormous social and economic change in Britain, with 12 Prime Ministers holding office and 14 general elections-with another one expected-taking place during her long, eventful and distinguished reign. Throughout all those years, the one reassuring constant has been the sovereign herself. Queen Elizabeth II has been a firm hand on the tiller of our nation; Her Majesty has been a shining beacon to nations around the world as to how a modern constitutional monarchy should conduct itself. No other monarch could have propelled this country to such great success, and the Queen is rightly beloved by all her people.
The Queen's diamond jubilee should be an opportunity for everyone to celebrate this great milestone in the history of our island people, whether they reside in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales, our Crown dependencies, overseas territories or expatriate communities scattered across the globe. Indeed, Her Majesty is not only our sovereign, but also reigns over many millions of people throughout her realms-of Antigua and Barbuda; Australia; the Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Canada; Grenada; Jamaica; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. The people of those nations, too, should be given the opportunity to celebrate this glorious and historic occasion, for it is as much their celebration as it is ours.
I ask hon. Members to cast their minds back to the last occasion we had cause to celebrate our royal heritage, when the Queen celebrated her golden jubilee in 2002. In the run-up to the celebrations, we were told that it would be a low-key affair, with the public neither interested nor wanting a large celebration. How wrong they were! The events of that summer surpassed everyone's expectations. That spirit of pageantry that was so evocative of the silver jubilee of 25 years earlier was wonderfully recaptured with more than 1 million people lining the Mall to cheer Her Majesty.
During the weekend of 1 to 4 June 2002, the Queen hosted a concert in the gardens of Buckingham palace-the largest event ever organised on the premises, with the BBC symphony orchestra and chorus leading a stirring musical performance. The royal family attended services of thanksgiving across the country and church bells rang out across the land to mark the national celebrations. Street parties took place in roads up and down the land, mirroring and surpassing the scale of those of the silver jubilee in 1977. A further concert was held at Buckingham palace featuring pop music over the previous 50 years. The Queen lit the national beacon at the Victoria memorial, which was the last in a string of beacons to be lit throughout the world, echoing Queen Victoria's own golden jubilee in 1887.
The double bank holiday weekend culminated with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh riding in the golden state coach, accompanied by the entire royal family attending a national service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's cathedral, together with a magnificent military procession and a jubilee festival featuring singers and musicians performing alongside the numerous decorated floats processing along the Mall, illustrating British life throughout the years of her reign.
At the end of the festival, 5,000 adults and children from the Commonwealth nations marched along the Mall in national dress and presented a "rainbow of wishes" to Her Majesty, after which the Queen and Prince Philip greeted crowds from the palace balcony, before the magnificent spectacle of a fly-past by the Royal Air Force, the Red Arrows and Concorde. The events of that glorious weekend served to highlight the huge amount of support and affection that the Queen commands throughout the nation.
The great success of the golden jubilee means that we must strive to make the diamond jubilee an even greater celebration; and so, in 2012, let there be pomp and pageantry, together with grass-roots initiatives throughout the length and breadth of these islands. Let there be opportunities for people to celebrate in the ways that they think most appropriate to their families and communities, whether it be through street parties, voluntary groups, churches, schools, local authorities or businesses, or just gatherings of friends and loved ones in private homes. There must also be a dedicated weekend put aside for these events, with dedicated bank holidays, so that everyone can take part and enjoy the festivities.
This, Mr. Speaker, could be crowned by a huge international parade in which all Her Majesty's realms and territories would be invited to demonstrate their pride through the streets of London. The parade should
begin with a military procession encompassing every regiment and uniformed service, from the Coldstream Guards, the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the Welsh Guards and the Royal Irish Regiment to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, the Royal Australian Regiment and the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, and many more besides. All would have their part to play in this great and historic celebration of the Queen's 60-year reign.
The parade should be followed by a carnival of people, animals, marching bands, vehicles and floats, featuring men and women of all ages, religions and races from each of our historic counties and great cities, to reflect the rich and diverse nature of the Kingdom, together with each and every one of Her Majesty's realms and dependencies from Jersey to Jamaica, Bermuda to Belize, the Cook Islands to the Cayman Islands, St. Helena to St. Lucia, Alderney to Akrotiri and the Isle of Man to Norfolk Island. Let all the peoples who remain loyal to the Crown join these historic celebrations!
My aim today in bringing this Bill to Parliament is to draw attention to a highly significant event. Although 2012 is still over two years away, I believe that if the diamond jubilee is to pass off spectacularly, we need to begin fostering ideas and support today. It is only right and proper that, in the year of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty's reign, we should celebrate that, and demonstrate our heartfelt thanks and steadfast loyalty.
That Andrew Rosindell, Mr. Simon Burns, Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, Daniel Kawczynski, Mr. Angus MacNeil, Mr. Owen Paterson, Mrs. Iris Robinson, Bob Russell, Chloe Smith, Geraldine Smith, Dr. Richard Taylor and Angela Watkinson present the Bill.
Andrew Rosindell accordingly presented the Bill.
Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time tomorrow and to be printed (Bill 164).
Welfare Reform Bill (programme) (NO. 2)
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)),
That the following provisions shall apply to the Welfare Reform Bill for the purpose of supplementing the Order of 27 January 2009 (Welfare Reform Bill (Programme)):
Consideration of Lords Amendments
1. Proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion three hours after their commencement at this day's sitting.
2. The Lords Amendments shall be considered in the following order, namely Lords Amendment No. 2, remaining Lords Amendments.
Subsequent stages
3. Any further Message from the Lords may be considered forthwith without any Question being put.
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