Results 1-20 of 860 for in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates' speaker:Robert Halfon

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Israel: Children in Detention (18 June 2013)

Robert Halfon: Does my hon. Friend agree that the tragedy is that, unlike juvenile criminal trends in most societies, many crimes carried out by minors in the disputed territories are of a violent and ideological nature? What is his latest assessment of the Palestinian Authority’s sanction and glorification of violence?

Business of the House (13 June 2013)

Robert Halfon: Has my right hon. Friend seen my early-day motion 239 regarding the obscene behaviour of Thames Water, which has increased its profits and charged the consumer inflation-busting prices, but does not pay its corporation tax? [That this House is disappointed that Thames Water, despite having an annual turnover of £1.8 billion, making a £549 million profit and awarding its chief...

[Mr James Gray in the Chair] — Vocational Education (4 June 2013)

Robert Halfon: On a point of order, Mr Gray. For the record, I did not contribute to the book mentioned by the hon. Gentleman.

[Mr James Gray in the Chair] — Vocational Education (4 June 2013)

Robert Halfon: Thank you, Mr Gray, for calling me to speak. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship today. I congratulate the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin) on securing the debate. He is a complete expert on this issue, given his background, and I have been pleased to campaign with him on a subject that I will touch on later. Part of the problem with debates on vocational education is...

[Mr James Gray in the Chair] — Vocational Education (4 June 2013)

Robert Halfon: I agree with my hon. Friend, but this issue is not just about careers advice. As I have said, children in school also need to be encouraged to do vocational education, which at the moment they are not.

[Mr James Gray in the Chair] — Vocational Education (4 June 2013)

Robert Halfon: Unless I misunderstand the hon. Gentleman, as I understand it the school leaving age has been extended to 18 anyway, which was something the last Government did. Given that, I think that if we change the culture in our country, schools will encourage their pupils to take vocational education over university. As I say, we need to change the culture and emphasise to pupils that the vocational...

[Mr James Gray in the Chair] — Vocational Education (4 June 2013)

Robert Halfon: I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, with whom I am pleased to have worked on this issue. We have only one sixth form school in Harlow and the rest of the children go to a sixth-form college, where disadvantaged students are denied free school meals. That situation is untenable. The Association of Colleges found that 79% of colleges thought that free school meals for 16 to 18-year-olds would...

European Union Documents: Syria (EU Restrictive Measures) (21 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I want to raise three points. First, I welcome the renewal of restrictive measures against Syria and any amendments that increase pressure on the Assad regime, but I fear that they do not go far enough. Secondly, the Government and the EU need to take further action against groups, particularly Hezbollah, that support the Syrian regime. Thirdly, this is not...

European Union Documents: Syria (EU Restrictive Measures) (21 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: I will not give way because my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Baron) wants to speak. We have done everything possible diplomatically, and it is right that we take further action in supporting the right opposition groups, creating safe havens, and showing people that we want to stop mass genocide.

European Union Documents: Syria (EU Restrictive Measures) (21 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: I thank my hon. Friend for his work on this matter. Is it not the case that 25 years ago in Iraq another Ba’athist party dropped chemical weapons on Halabja, and does he not agree that the Ba’athist party in Syria has now reached that red line? I welcome these EU sanctions, but NATO and the free world need to do much more to intervene to prevent a chemical holocaust.

Business of the House (16 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: Has my right hon. Friend seen my early-day motion 103? [That this House notes that the Ministry of Justice fully understands the need for tough sentences regarding those who own dangerous dogs; further notes however that the owner of a dog which inflicted a 5cm flesh wound and a severed artery on a constituent of the hon. Member for Harlow has escaped unpunished whilst the dog’s walker...

Oral Answers to Questions — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Glasshouse Industry (16 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: What steps he is taking to support the glasshouse industry; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Glasshouse Industry (16 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: Is my hon. Friend aware that my constituency of Harlow—in particular, Roydon and Nazeing—has the highest concentration of cucumber and pepper growers in the United Kingdom? Will he support the excellent Lea Valley Growers Association and suggest how we can help it to expand? Will he also meet me and the association to discuss these matters?

Oral Answers to Questions — Church Commissioners: Religious Freedom (16 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: What steps the Church Commissioners are taking to ensure the protection of religious freedom.

Oral Answers to Questions — Church Commissioners: Religious Freedom (16 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: Does my hon. Friend agree that the Christian Brethren, who carry out many charitable acts that benefit the public, have been discriminated against by the Charities Commission, which has significant implications for religious freedom? They have been refused charitable status, and that has resulted in a lengthy appeals process. Does this not have wider implications for other faith groups?

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Petrol Prices (15 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: Despite the fact that the Government have cut and frozen fuel duty, prices at the pump have gone up by 60% since 2009. Last year a motion for a full OFT inquiry into price fixing by oil companies was passed unanimously in the House. We were approached by a whistleblower who suggested that the things we have seen over the past two days had been going on. Does my right hon. Friend agree that...

Cost of Living (14 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: I welcome this debate because I believe that the Government’s record should be welcomed for a number of reasons. First, despite a number of factors outside their control, they have taken measures to help families—for example, with the cost of fuel and utilities. Secondly, the Government have recognised that tax is the biggest brake on the cost of living and have cut tax for low...

Cost of Living (14 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: Will the hon. Lady acknowledge that this Government have taken 3,000 low- income people in Harlow out of tax altogether and cut taxes for 40,000 low-income Harlow residents? Why did she and her party vote against those tax cuts for lower earners?

Workers’ Rights (10 May 2013)

Robert Halfon: I am particularly grateful to the Speaker for granting me this debate, which relates to the closure of the Tesco distribution centre in Harlow. I appreciate the help I have received from Councillor Jackie Cross, Councillor Phil Weight, David Foreman from Harlow trades council and, in particular, Simon Vincent, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers representative, who has been...