Results 1-20 of 2,968 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:John Spellar

Regional Select Committee (Yorkshire and the Humber) (29 Oct 2009) has video

John Spellar: It was very interesting to see the double act between the official Opposition and their errand boys on the Liberal Democrat Bench. Increasingly, they see their role as that of principal understudy to the Conservative Opposition, and this debate is yet another example of that. Let us be quite clear what the debate is about: the Conservative Opposition do not like Regional Select Committees....

Prayers: Crown Employment (Nationality) Bill (12 Jun 2009) has video

John Spellar: I have it in command from Her Majesty the Queen to acquaint the House that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Bill, has consented to place her prerogative and interest, so far as they are affected by the Bill, at the disposal of Parliament for the purposes of the Bill.

Royal Assent: Easter Adjournment (2 Apr 2009) has video

John Spellar: No, it was because she was going on a bit.

Prayers: Royal Marriages and Succession to the Crown (Prevention of Discrimination) Bill (27 Mar 2009) has video

John Spellar: I have it in command from Her Majesty the Queen to acquaint the House that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Bill, has consented to place her prerogative, so far as it is affected by the Bill, at the disposal of Parliament for the purposes of the Bill. Second Reading

Business of the House: Members' Payments and Allowances (22 Jan 2009) has video

John Spellar: Has that been the experience of the Scottish Parliament? How have the Scottish media treated the matter of its expenses?

Points of Order: Emergency Debate — Pre-Budget Report (26 Nov 2008) has video

John Spellar: What does the hon. Gentleman say?

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: I think that the hon. Gentleman slightly misunderstood me. I said that many people are in exactly the same position as the one that he has described on the Conservative Benches—that is, that Back-Bench Members are being let down by their Front-Bench Members, who treat them with considerable disdain and do not recognise that proper expenses have to be provided. I knew that Conservative...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: The speech of the hon. Member for South Staffordshire (Sir Patrick Cormack) gave the Opposition deputy Chief Whip palpitations, but I am sure that he will recover from them. That makes a good start to my speech, because I rise in defence of Members generally and especially those on the Opposition Back Benches who will have difficulty defending themselves in the face of this last-minute...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: I will certainly refer the hon. Gentleman to the Leader of the House, who has had discussions with the leader of the Labour MEPs. I am sure that my right hon. and learned Friend will be more than pleased to provide him with the information. As the amendment makes clear, Labour MEPs decided some years ago to adopt open and transparent procedures. We must ask why the Tories did not do the same....

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: Thank you for that, Mr. Deputy Speaker. But if there are, as we know, attempts to say that those who do not fill in the expenses forms as required by the party leader on a retrospective basis might be removed from the list of prospective Members of the European Parliament standing in the next election, it is possible to query whether that is just to do with their expenses or whether it is an...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: My hon. Friend is right: those of us who entered the House some time ago tend to make lower claims. In fact, I note that mine are substantially lower than hers. What is actually going on inside the Conservative party? A good rule of thumb, which applies to all parties, is that leaks normally come from one's own side. They may come from disgruntled staff, as may have been the case in some of...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Is it not slightly odd, however, that—as has already been said a number of times—what is essentially a matter of House business should be raised in Opposition time and thus become a matter of party business, especially given the considerable number of issues raised, quite legitimately, by the Leader of the Opposition at Prime Minister's Question...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: I think that that proposal should be considered. The Leader of the House spoke of a possible 10 per cent. limit, although I do not know whether the percentage would change according to the initial setting-up expenses. One of the issues that the panel is examining is the considerable up-front cost of setting up an office and a home and what can be done to help with cash flow, particularly just...

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: Is not all this in the nature of a differential allowance? In such a scheme, there is a always border and a line, and anyone with any experience knows about London weighting allowances. There will always be people living just one side or the other of a border. Unless we have an overall national rate, that will always apply, so is not the hon. Gentleman putting forward a rather silly argument?

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: House of Lords Reform (14 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: I congratulate my right hon. Friend on resisting the name "senate". Frankly, once they are called senators, they will be completely out of control. An important question is highlighted—apart from "Why are we wasting time on this nonsense, anyway?" Once a second Chamber has an elected mandate, what can stop it from claiming equal responsibility to this House?

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: House of Lords Reform (14 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: It was the question of an elected Chamber not claiming equal powers.

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (9 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: Given the settled view of Parliament and the public that fox hunting should be banned, is my right hon. and learned Friend surprised that some are still suggesting that they should try to overturn that ban? Can she reassure me that that is not the policy of this Government, and in her reply, could she tempt the Opposition spokesman to make clear what his party's policy is?

Bill Presented: Members' Expenses (3 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: One of the problems with this debate is that most of us quite like the members of the Members Estimate Committee; we just think that they are wrong in one or two areas. They are wrong in believing that their measures will do away with some of the criticism, particularly in the media, but also from some of the public. In August 1944, Gallup asked the public what they thought about politicians....

Bill Presented: Members' Expenses (3 Jul 2008) has video

John Spellar: The right hon. Lady might be due to come on to this, but is she giving any account to the concept of proportionality? Given the amount that is fixed in what we pay, for example in our offices—the vast bulk goes on salaries—does she think that three days with an auditor from PricewaterhouseCoopers at £1,200 a day crawling all over our constituency offices is a proportionate...