John Hemming: Is it still the Opposition’s policy to get rid of the intermediate apprenticeship?
John Hemming: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
John Hemming: I thank the Secretary of State for the opportunity to see the papers in advance, there being two schools affected in my constituency. The National Association of Head Teachers has expressed concern that the system of investigation and inspection is rather inchoate and suggested that a more coherent system of investigation of allegations is needed. I agree—does the Secretary of State?
John Hemming: I do not intend to go back to the 1300s, but I do intend to go back to the 1600s. In 1624, the master of the felt-makers was arrested while attending the House to proffer a petition. The House considered that he had the protection of the House to proffer the petition and established a committee to consider whether the arrest itself was a breach of privilege. In 1696, Thomas Kemp and other...
John Hemming: Indeed; it is extraordinary for a judge to go so far, but there has been some pulling back from that position. The Neuberger committee considering the issue of super-injunctions concluded that it is not possible for an injunction to prevent people from talking to Members of Parliament. However, not everybody has read the Neuberger committee’s report. I am the sort of sad person who reads...
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to implement a universal credit sanctions scheme to replace the current jobseeker's allowance and other sanctions scheme.
John Hemming: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
John Hemming: I just want to say that I do have concerns about the individual cases involving the European arrest warrant.
John Hemming: I am pleased that the right hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton (Mr Meacher) has managed to secure the debate, although sadly it was scheduled at short notice, so I do not think that all hon. Members who might wish to be present are in the Chamber. I support the Government’s general financial strategy, so I disagree with the right hon. Gentleman about austerity. Clearly we have to bring...
John Hemming: It is often said that a week is a long time in politics, but in one sense that is wrong. Dealing with Government finance and the economy takes multiple years, so the problem that we had in 2010 will take at least eight years to resolve. People who interview me every so often say, “Oh, we have more cuts this year,” but those decisions were made in 2010 and they were driven by Government...
John Hemming: I am actually very pleased with the Government’s answer regarding establishing an alternative, or another stakeholder working group involving ramblers and those who drive vehicles down the route to find out what area of compromise and agreement there may be. That worked extremely well with the stakeholder working group referenced elsewhere in the Bill and would work well here. I had always...
John Hemming: Indeed. I have not had my hon. Friend’s success in getting Government support for this approach, but I understand that there is some interest in the other place in putting forward some way of progressing. The situation is complex. The people whose voices have not been heard in all this are the local authorities. Questions have been raised with me about whether the way in which traffic...
John Hemming: I welcome what is being proposed, because obviously the model of a stakeholder working group worked extremely well in dealing with that area. I would like to ask the Minister whether it is worth considering introduced a modified version of new clause 3 at a later stage. That would ensure that if the new stakeholder working group comes up with a consensus that people think is a way forward,...
John Hemming: I am pleased to serve before you again, Mr Hood. Some of the issues about the use of a tax to fund the BBC have not yet been raised. One of them is of great concern in the west midlands: a lot of tax money is raised there, but it is not spent there. I make that point because the BBC used to spend a higher proportion of its income in the regions than it does now, which causes some concern....
John Hemming: That is the real problem. My constituent cancelled the direct debit for £35 or something like that, which was due in January this year, and the BBC sent her off to the magistrates court in Nuneaton. I represent Birmingham, Yardley. It may not sound far from Nuneaton, but the magistrates court for Birmingham is in Birmingham city centre. My constituent is a single mother with two children and...
John Hemming: I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time. New clause 3 was tabled as a consequence of the initial submission by the Green Lanes Environmental Action Movement, the Green Lanes Protection Group, the Peak District Green Lanes Alliance, the Yorkshire Dales Green Lanes Alliance and some 120 other groups that submitted documents to the pre-legislative scrutiny Joint Committee, on which...
John Hemming: Having just read the new clause, I confirm that the statutory instrument would be under the affirmative procedure: it would require the authority of both Houses.
John Hemming: I congratulate the hon. Member on his tactics of getting Government support by tabling a probing new clause.
John Hemming: On new clause 9, would the Minister consider, as the Bill goes through Report stage and through the House of Lords, whether it would be useful to have some sort of visual representation that a vehicle is not being used for private hire at a time when there is a non-licensed driver, just to improve the safety position?
John Hemming: Although I agree with the shadow Minister that the Minister’s speech on new clause 10 was about new clause 11 and vice versa, from a procedural perspective saying that the new clauses were tabled at the last minute is a mistake because this is not the last minute—this is the end of the Bill Committee. The Bill will be considered on Report, and it will then go to the House of Lords. The...