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Business without Debate
Delegated Legislation
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Regulated Activity, Devolution and Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 2010, which was laid before this House on 27 January, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
The Speaker's opinion as to the decision of the Question being challenged, the Division was deferred until Wednesday 17 March (Standing Order No. 41A).
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2010, which was laid before this House on 2 February, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Controlled Activity and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2010, which were laid before this House on 2 February, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
The Speaker's opinion as to the decision of the Question being challenged, the Division was deferred until Wednesday 17 March (Standing Order No. 41A).
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Commons Councils (Standard Constitution) (England) Regulations 2010, which were laid before this House on 9 February, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Representation of the People (Timing of the Canvass) (Northern Ireland) Order 2010, which was laid before this House on 3 February, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft European Parliamentary Elections (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2010, which were laid before this House on 24 February, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
The Speaker's opinion as to the decision of the Question being challenged, the Division was deferred until Wednesday 17 March (Standing Order No. 41A).
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (Amendment) Order 2010, which was laid before this House on 24 February, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
The Speaker's opinion as to the decision of the Question being challenged, the Division was deferred until Wednesday 17 March (Standing Order No. 41A).
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Registration of Local Authorities) Order 2010, which was laid before this House on 20 January, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),
That the draft Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010, which was laid before this House on 3 February, be approved.- (Steve McCabe.)
Business of the House
That, at the sitting on Monday 22 March, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 16 (Proceedings under an Act or on European Union documents), the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motions in the name of Secretary Jack Straw and Mr Secretary Woodward relating to Northern Ireland not later than four hours after the commencement of proceedings on the first Motion; proceedings may continue, though opposed, after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.- (Steve McCabe.)
Petitions
Dementia Research
10.32 pm
Kelvin Hopkins (Luton, North) (Lab): I wish to present a petition calling on the Government to increase funding for dementia research. It has been signed by 2,542 members of Unison and others.
The Petition of members of UNISON and others,
Declares that one million people will develop dementia in the next ten years; that one in three people over the age of 65 will die from dementia but that it can happen at any age; and that while drugs may alleviate some symptoms, there is currently no cure;
Further declares that the Government must fund research to develop better treatments and a cure, and to prevent an NHS crisis; and that for every £283 invested in cancer research, dementia research gets only £1.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons call upon the Government immediately to increase funding for dementia research to help the lives of those affected today, and to reduce the threat in future to the NHS.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Free School Meals (Stoke-on-Trent)
10.34 pm
Mr. Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent, South) (Lab): I wish to present a petition on behalf of the people of Stoke-on-Trent, South who have told me time and again that they believe that all primary age children should be entitled to a free school meal. I have met on many occasions school cooks and dinner staff who have told me of the profound need that many children have for a substantial, nourishing free school meal. The people of Stoke-on-Trent, South have also expressed their concerns that the local Conservative council has not even made an effort to work with partners on this issue in the pilot scheme.
The Petition of Rachael Wilson and others,
Declares that there is a desire among the people of the city of Stoke-on-Trent for Free School Meal provision in the area's schools; further declares that several hundred postcards in support of Free School Meal provision, signed by parents, grandparents and carers of children studying in Stoke-on-Trent Primary Schools, have been sent to the Member for Stoke-on-Trent.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons call upon the Government to take steps to ensure that Free School Meals can be provided in the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Badman Report (Gosport)
10.35 pm
Sir Peter Viggers (Gosport) (Con): I am grateful to have the opportunity to present a public petition signed by a considerable number of constituents in the Gosport constituency who are supportive of home education and concerned about the recommendations in the Badman report. The petition was collected by my constituent Tracy Weaver and her husband Dr. John Weaver, who, together with their children Abigail, Rebecca, Charlotte and Isabel, came to a constituency surgery, where I had a chance to discuss home education with them, the children being educated at home.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families either not to bring forward, or to withdraw, proposed legislative measures providing for tighter registration and monitoring of children educated at home in the absence of a thorough independent inquiry into the condition and future of elective home education in England; but instead to take the steps necessary to ensure that
the existing Elective Home Education Guidelines for Local Authorities are properly implemented, learning from current best practice, in all local authorities in England.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Following is the full text of the petition:
[ The Petition of persons resident in the Gosport parliamentary constituency,
Declares that they are concerned about the recommendations of the Badman Report, which suggests closer monitoring of home educators, including a compulsory annual registration scheme and right of access to people's homes for local authority officials; further declares that the Petitioners believe the recommendations are based on a review that was extremely rushed, failed to give due consideration to the evidence, failed to ensure that the data it collected were sufficiently robust, and failed to take proper account of the existing legislative framework.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families either not to bring forward, or to withdraw, proposed legislative measures providing for tighter registration and monitoring of children educated at home in the absence of a thorough independent inquiry into the condition and future of elective home education in England; but instead to take the steps necessary to ensure that the existing Elective Home Education Guidelines for Local Authorities are properly implemented, learning from current best practice, in all local authorities in England.
And the Petitioners remain, etc. ]
Mr. Speaker: We come now to the Adjournment.
Bob Spink (Castle Point) (Ind) rose-
Mr. Speaker: I do beg the hon. Gentleman's pardon: the day would not be complete without petitions from Dr. Spink.
Footpath Closure (Hadleigh, Castle Point)
10.36 pm
Bob Spink (Castle Point) (Ind): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, how gracious of you.
People should be able to live in peace and quiet in their homes. So-called antisocial behaviour is often simple thuggery, and it should not be tolerated. The local council should now take the issue of street design in the Hadleigh area seriously. It should protect long-suffering residents and not just brush them aside, as it has for years. We should fight bad behaviour, not excuse it; we should challenge, not hug hoodies. I congratulate each of the excellent residents who signed the petition .
Following is the full text of the petition:
[The Petition of Doug Beard, residents of Shipwrights Drive, Highfield Avenue, Castle Point and others,
Declares that they object to the link footpath between Shipwrights Drive and Highfield Avenue, Hadleigh; that this footpath is a focus for vandalism to adjacent residents' properties and close residents, resulting in hundreds of pounds of damage to roof tiles, walls, security lights, and regular attendance of police officers; further, that this footpath does not provide sufficiently significant convenient access for local residents to outweigh the considerable loss of quality of life caused 24/7 to residents; that for these and many other valid reasons residents of Shipwrights Drive and Highfield Avenue, Hadleigh call for the complete closure of the link footpath since this is, on balance, in the public interest.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to press Castle Point Borough Council, the Highways Authority and all Councillors, to ensure the immediate closure of the link footpath between Shipwrights Drive and Highfield Avenue, Hadleigh.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.]
Disrepair (Felstead Road, Castle Point)
10.37 pm
Bob Spink (Castle Point) (Ind): I have a second petition, which addresses the important issue of the condition of our paths and roads, which are the subject of the Adjournment debate that will begin in a moment. Residents are deeply concerned about Felstead road and have been asking councillors to take action to repair it for years. Recent ice and water damage have exacerbated the problem. The key concern is for people's safety, and especially that of elderly people. I warmly congratulate all the caring residents who signed the petition, which states:
The Petition of Mr. Kent Taylor, Mr. Lee Gardiner, residents of Castle Point and others,
Declares that the pavements and Felstead Road between the A13 and Bowers Road, Benfleet are in a state of disrepair; that in their current state, these present a real and immediate danger to local residents, especially the elderly and those with limited mobility, and have already been the cause of several accidents; further, that poorly maintained pavements disadvantage pedestrians, are unsightly and adversely affect the local street scene; that for these and other valid reasons, residents call for the immediate repair and continued maintenance of the road and pavements since this is in the public interest.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to press the Borough Council, Essex County Council, the Highways Authority and all Councillors, to ensure the immediate repair and continued maintenance of Felstead Road, Benfleet.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
Potholes and Road Maintenance
Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn. -(Steve McCabe.)
10.39 pm
Anne Main (St. Albans) (Con): I would like to bring to the Minister's attention the blight of potholes and neglected roads, which is a national problem, yet one that often falls down the political agenda, perhaps because it is not seen as an emotive issue. As Paul Watters, head of roads policy at the AA, recently explained to The Guardian:
"If it's a choice between a school or a nursing home and the roads, the votes are in people, not lumps of tarmac...But of course the teachers who go to these schools and the nurses who work in these nursing homes all use the roads."
Mr. Watters has a point, and the problem is widespread. Estimates suggest that there are at least 1.6 million potholes in England and Wales, and that the cost of repairing each of them is about £70. The Asphalt Industry Alliance estimates that the average shortfall in the road structural budget per local authority is £6 million, and that in England only 57 per cent. of the required budget for road maintenance is received. The Local Government Association estimates that there is an £8 billion shortfall in highway maintenance costs, built up across the country for up to 20 years.
Local authorities are responsible for nine out of 10 miles of road-the Highways Agency only looks after motorways and major trunk roads-which is why the lack of funding for local authorities is such an issue. The Asphalt Industry Alliance estimates that, owing to chronic underfunding, it would take up to 13 years to clear the maintenance backlog on England's roads, at a cost of £58.2 million per local authority. The problem is that the potential cost is adding up. Mr. Watters of the AA also said
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