Former MP for Thanet West
It is clear that there has been a large increase in crime. In Kent, we have been anxious during the last year about the crime rise, particularly in serious offences such as robbery and burglary. The new clause gives a power which has never existed—the power for a justice of the peace to authorise entry to search in respect of a serious offence. This has not been stressed in the debate....
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
I congratulate the Minister on arriving at an agreed review, but will that review be able to consider whether there is any party political bias in any of these bureaux and be able to make recommendations accordingly? In the citizens advice bureaux that I have been conversant with over many years, there never has been any party political bias, and there is no reason why there should be. Will...
What's in a name of a constituency? A number of hon. Members have asked that. The hon. Member for Isle of Ely (Mr. Freud) said that "North-East Cambridgeshire" was meaningless. My hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. Parris) said that a name carried little understanding to the people. I wish to show that when there is a total misnomer, as in the case of Thanet, it is going too...
I am sure we all understand the point that the hon. Gentleman is making. It is, however, far too late when it comes back before the House for individual changes to be made. The statutory rules and order do not provide for it, but if a change were made in one constituency it would have a chain reaction on many others. Is not the answer to this problem for the matter to be challenged much...
Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I appreciate the point, which is a perfectly proper observation. I told my right hon. Friend the Minister and the Chair that, unfortunately, I have an urgent constituency engagement at seven o'clock.
I should have liked to hear the debate. I believe that it is of great importance and it is of interest to me. I apologise to the House.
My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts is to be congratulated as the Bill undoubtedly sets the framework for the future. I shall confine my speech to funding. Yesterday, I chaired a meeting of several of my colleagues in the Conservative party and Michael Montague and his team at the English tourist board to consider what should be done for tourism. Almost immediately, they mentioned...
