Results 1-20 of 1,332 for speaker:Shailesh Vara

Business of the House (9 May 2013)

Shailesh Vara: In the Leader of the House’s opening comments, he mentioned a forthcoming debate on mental health. He will be aware that one of the biggest mental health issues is the associated social stigma. Will he ensure that, when the Minister replies to the debate, he specifically addresses social stigma, so that hon. Members can ensure that many more people who suffer from mental health come...

Outlawries Bill: Debate on the Address — [Ist Day] (8 May 2013)

Shailesh Vara: Given that Labour has now apologised for its immigration policies in government, does the Prime Minister agree that if Labour Members are serious about curbing immigration they should pledge to support our policies when they are debated on the Floor of this House?

Outlawries Bill: Debate on the Address — [Ist Day] (8 May 2013)

Shailesh Vara: Will the right hon. Gentleman take this opportunity to apologise to the House and the nation for his personal contribution to the economic mess that the coalition Government inherited?

Royal Assent: UK Border Agency (26 March 2013)

Shailesh Vara: Does my right hon. Friend agree that until the shadow Home Secretary apologises for Labour’s shambolic immigration policy when in government, anything that she or her party says on immigration lacks any credibility whatsoever?

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (20 March 2013)

Shailesh Vara: Recently, the shadow Home Secretary admitted that when the Labour party was in government it got its immigration policy wrong. Does the Prime Minister agree with me that across the breakfast table, she should persuade her husband to make a similar admission on Labour’s economic policy.

Oral Answers to Questions — Work and Pensions: Topical Questions (11 March 2013)

Shailesh Vara: What assessment has the Minister made of the support available to disabled people through the Access to Work programme?

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day] — Housing Benefit (Under-occupancy Penalty) (27 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: Does my hon. Friend accept that one of the central themes of this reform is to bring fairness into the system? It cannot be right to have 250,000 people living in overcrowded accommodation, while lots of other people have surplus accommodation.

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day] — Housing Benefit (Under-occupancy Penalty) (27 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: rose—

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day] — Housing Benefit (Under-occupancy Penalty) (27 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: I am grateful to the hon. Lady for giving way. Does she accept that, with 2 million households on social housing waiting lists in England alone and 250,000 families living in overcrowded accommodation, it is simply unfair for people to live in houses larger than their needs?

Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day] — Housing Benefit (Under-occupancy Penalty) (27 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: The hon. Lady is being most generous and I am grateful. Does she accept that it is important in this debate to ensure that the facts are clear? Under the previous Labour Government house building was at its lowest since the 1920s, and in the 10 years before this Government came to power social housing costs doubled. Does she accept that that system simply cannot continue?

CCTV: European Council (11 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: I congratulate the Prime Minister on rejecting the calls for a further review of our rebate. Does he agree that it is high time for the Labour party to apologise for giving away nearly half the rebate when it was in power, which is costing the country billions of pounds?

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 34 - Appeals against refusal of entry clearance to visit the UK (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: The hon. Lady says that the amendment will reduce the cost, but what she proposes will increase the cost to the state. It is a resources issue as well, so I cannot see how  an immigration officer having to go back to someone to seek further information—as she has just said—would reduce the cost.

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 34 - Appeals against refusal of entry clearance to visit the UK (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: If the hon. Lady checks Hansard tomorrow she will find that the Minister actually said that there is a huge resources issue.

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 34 - Appeals against refusal of entry clearance to visit the UK (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: My right hon. Friend said that they can and do contact people as and when they feel it necessary.

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 34 - Appeals against refusal of entry clearance to visit the UK (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: This is my last intervention. We are saying that the system at the moment is satisfactory. Immigration officers have the right to contact, and they do so as and when necessary. The hon. Lady is trying to introduce something that is already happening and for which there is a process.

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 30 - Use of force in self-defence at place of residence (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: The hon. Lady is wrong to say that there are 75,000 cases where there have been no prosecutions. An array of charges could have been brought, and in many of those cases people were prosecuted for, found guilty of and sentenced for not necessarily violence, but other charges, such as burglary or assault. The hon.  Lady needs to reflect on that, rather than simply have a blanket “No,...

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 30 - Use of force in self-defence at place of residence (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: Does my right hon. Friend agree that the people we should be paying attention to are those on the front line? Does he agree with former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Blair, who said: “I thought reasonableness was quite a difficult concept at 4 o’clock in the morning in your kitchen, whereas something as stark as gross disproportionality did seem to me to be clearer”,...

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 30 - Use of force in self-defence at place of residence (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: In the light of what the Minister has said, I am happy to withdraw the amendment. Would it be appropriate, Mr Caton, to make one or two general comments? I assure you that they will be brief.

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 30 - Use of force in self-defence at place of residence (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: Thank you, Mr Caton. I simply want to tell the hon. Member for Darlington that when she quotes people, she should reflect that in the present Cabinet, the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), was a signatory to my private Member’s Bill in 2006, and he agrees with the proposals. She should also be mindful that there is guidance, but...

Public Bill Committee: Crime and Courts Bill [Lords]: Clause 30 - Use of force in self-defence at place of residence (5 February 2013)

Shailesh Vara: The grossly disproportionate test will be inserted in section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. The Crime and Courts Bill simply amends the existing legislation. The hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak spoke earlier about encouraging vigilante groups, but the law is quite clear. If somebody attacks me, and I attack them in the heat of the moment using whatever force is...