Mr Gareth Thomas: I add my voice to those of other hon. Members who have welcomed the Bill. I share the dismay expressed by many Labour Members at the official Opposition's extraordinary ambivalence to the Bill, which is, from any viewpoint, a genuinely progressive social measure that all reasonable people should accept. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was entirely right to begin his speech by...
Mr Gareth Thomas: I rise because my name was mentioned by the hon. Member for Bath. To avoid doubt, I share the view of the majority of hon. Members that energy efficiency should be central. He should not read too much into the fact that I did not sign the early-day motion that he mentioned. I would be interested to learn what the Government think and, in particular, why it is not possible to put an energy...
Mr Gareth Thomas: I well understand why my hon. Friend does not wish to over-prescribe the contents of the seller's pack. Clause 7(5)(d) refers to the physical condition of the property (including any particular characteristics or features of the property). Would regulations made under that provision cover matters such as energy efficiency or susceptibility to flooding? If so, Parliament would be being...
Mr Gareth Thomas: The hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) has for once, with the greatest respect to him, done us a service by probing the important issue of privity of contract, in which I take an interest. I want to take a few minutes to explore the subject, in the expectation that my hon. Friend the Minister will elucidate matters a little. As a lawyer, I have had experience of dealing with what we...
Mr Gareth Thomas: What discussions he has had with the First Secretary about employment levels in north Wales. [151049]
Mr Gareth Thomas: I thank my hon. Friend for that encouraging response. Is he aware that unemployment in my constituency is at its lowest for many years, and that since—[Interruption.]
Mr Gareth Thomas: Is my hon. Friend also aware that, since 1997, an average of 500 new jobs have been created for each constituency in north Wales? Will he venture an opinion as to why that encouraging state of affairs exists?
Mr Gareth Thomas: Given the effect that the foot and mouth crisis is having on Welsh tourism, can my right hon. Friend say what steps the Wales Office is taking to facilitate the reopening of footpaths?
Mr Gareth Thomas: What plans he has to reform the social fund.
Mr Gareth Thomas: I congratulate my hon. Friend on his appointment to a new and important Department. In view of the heatwave, today may not be the appropriate day to ask this, but will he reconsider the case for extending winter fuel payments to the disabled? Will he re-examine the claim by the predecessor Department that existing benefits adequately reflect fuel poverty among disabled pensioners, since that...
Mr Gareth Thomas: What steps he is taking to combat the funding of international terrorism.
Mr Gareth Thomas: I congratulate the Chancellor on his prominent role in co-ordinating a strong international response to combat particularly international terrorism. What progress has he made in attempting to agree international standards for combating the financing of terrorism? What help will he provide to poorer countries, particularly financial and technical help, to implement those standards?
Mr Gareth Thomas: If she will make a statement on steps taken to co-ordinate flood prevention.
Mr Gareth Thomas: I am grateful for that response. On the subject of insurance against flooding, I am sure that the Minister will be aware that many householders are now finding it difficult to obtain insurance cover. Does he think that the Government have a role—and if so, what role—in ensuring that the insurance industry, which is so keen to collect premiums from people in good times, provides affordable...
Mr Gareth Thomas: We are debating an amendment on the timing of the implementation of these changes. Does the hon. Gentleman accept that there has been extensive consultation with regard to the broad thrust of the Government's policy? He need only remind himself that the Government have published several consultation papers over a long period of time, such as ``The NHS Plan: A plan for investment, A plan for...
Mr Gareth Thomas: I am pleased to have the opportunity to present a debate on a subject that is of interest not only to Wales, but to many people throughout the United Kingdom. I am also pleased to see the Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Miss Johnson), in the Chamber. I hope that she can respond positively to some of the issues that I raise. There are...
Mr Gareth Thomas: I agree with a large part of what the Minister has said, but will the Government reconsider, with a view to amending, the regulations within which the gas industry must operate?
Mr Gareth Thomas: I defer to my right hon. Friend's great experience, but does he accept that his trumpeting of the national minimum wage makes the position that he outlined earlier contradictory? Is not the minimum wage an example of the Government intervening to improve people's conditions?
Mr Gareth Thomas: The fact that this debate so far has been couched in technical terms and complex language may lead an outside observer to believe that this is an esoteric matter. It is not. My right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) did the House a service by bringing this debate to life. He is more sceptical about the Bill's implications than I am, but he was right to say that while the...
Mr Gareth Thomas: I shall confine my remarks since a number of hon. Members who have a real interest in the subject, which affects many of our constituents, wish to be called to speak. The House has grappled with the fundamental issue of how to deal with the imbalance of power between landlords and leaseholders for many years, and I suspect that we will have to revisit the subject. I also suspect that although...
