Desmond Swayne: Given what I describe as the unnatural nature of what I believe is a crime—the determination not to make a financial provision for one's own offspring—would it not be appropriate for the hon. Lady to impose a criminal penalty when the Bill is reintroduced in the other place?
Desmond Swayne: rose—
Desmond Swayne: Will my hon. Friend give way on the question of unreasonableness?
Desmond Swayne: It might be unfair to ask my hon. Friend this question, but the Minister sat down before I could ask it of her. If two individuals in identical circumstances had the same amount of debt, but one had no driving licence and the other had and that was withdrawn by the court, what compensating penalty would be imposed on the other, given that he would have no driving licence to withdraw? Would he...
Desmond Swayne: One of the problems that we examined in Committee was the fear that there would be a growing number of variations as a consequence of the simplicity of the new formula. Would not the addition of new clause 27 provide a powerful incentive for the Government to keep up the pressure by means of a performance measure?
Desmond Swayne: Is my hon. Friend suggesting that the targets set out in the new clause are not necessary because the administrative situation has improved so much? If that is so, is the Bill necessary at all?
Desmond Swayne: I am here to help.
Desmond Swayne: I shall address the point raised by the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb): in what way does the offence of owning child support debt differ from offences of owing other debt? I would say that the difference is this: child support debt is the most unnatural of crimes. We are talking of people who are not prepared to make provision for their own children. Therefore, I entirely understand the...
Desmond Swayne: We rehearsed those arguments in Committee, but I fear that the amendment in the hon. Gentleman's name would let off the hook the worst category of father: those who threaten physical violence. By providing that means of escape, we are accommodating the problem rather than trying to tackle it.
Desmond Swayne: Where it is shown that there is good cause, is that not a matter for referral to the police for investigation? It cannot be left that someone should get off, just by making such a threat.
Desmond Swayne: Will the Leader of the House ask a Minister to make a statement next week to correct the mistaken information that the Prime Minister gave the House yesterday? He said that national health service expenditure would increase to 7.6 per cent. of gross domestic product.—[Official Report, 22 March 2000; Vol. 346, c. 981.] However, the Red Book clearly shows that the real figure is 6.4 per...
Desmond Swayne: Given that it is excellent teaching and leadership that will have the greatest impact on numeracy, why has the Secretary of State appointed a bureaucrat from his own Department rather than an excellent classroom teacher or head teacher to head the new institute responsible for promoting excellence among head teachers?
Desmond Swayne: I share the right hon. Gentleman's concern to preserve these areas, but has he been to the New forest recently and seen the amount of litter and detritus produced by many visitors? Is he sure that his provisions for greater access to the countryside are compatible with the protection of the countryside?
Desmond Swayne: When he last met the Chancellor of the Exchequer to discuss defence procurement. [113692]
Desmond Swayne: Which procurement exercises have been cancelled, deferred or withdrawn during the current Parliament?
Desmond Swayne: Will the Secretary of State give way?
Desmond Swayne: Will the right hon. Lady give way?
Desmond Swayne: I hope that the right hon. Lady will consider this a sensible question. While we are rightly proud of the contribution of those volunteers, we are concerned about the issue with the MOD. Why did she complain about the price that the MOD was charging for the helicopters?
Desmond Swayne: However beneficial the scheme may be, might it not be thoroughly undermined if hedgerows were grubbed up? Will the Minister put on record the remarks that he made earlier when I tackled him in the water closet, where he said that there is some prospect of seeing off the European directive?
Desmond Swayne: Did the Minister see the exhibition of literature sponsored by my hon. Friend the Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth) that was on display in Committee Room 18 on Thursday last week? If he has not seen that exhibition, may I commend it to him? The production of such literature for influencing children at school—presumably after the abolition of section 28—constitutes in itself a sexual...