Parmjit Dhanda: At a time when we need to make savings, is my right hon. Friend aware that Gloucestershire has seven local authorities? There are too many councillors and too many local authorities, so in the run-up to the Budget will he consider allowing us to bring in unitary authorities in places such as Gloucestershire? We could save £16 million a year by reducing the number of authorities from seven to...
Parmjit Dhanda: I welcome the Prime Minister's statement. The first time I came to know of this was a few years ago when I was a Minister and proposals were worked up by officials to reduce some of the funding for these child migrants. Thankfully, we saw that off. At one stage, I had to tell officials that I would resign rather than allow that to happen, so I welcome the extra funding pledged by the Prime...
Parmjit Dhanda: It sounds as though some of the changes to the hospital trust in north-east Hertfordshire are similar to those taking place at the Gloucester Royal hospital in my constituency, where four hospital wards are to be closed by 1 April, according to the chief executive of the hospital trust. This significant change is happening without any prior consultation with MPs or those in the local health...
Parmjit Dhanda: rose-
Parmjit Dhanda: I have just overheard one of my colleagues describing the hon. Member for South Staffordshire (Sir Patrick Cormack) as a magnificent parliamentary specimen. I am sure that he was absolutely right. It is always a pleasure to follow the hon. Gentleman. I clearly recall an occasion a few months ago when I had to speak after him. I think that it was during one of the Hansard Society debates...
Parmjit Dhanda: The right hon. Gentleman is quite right. I was making the point that, as we have heard in today's debate, the hunger for change is greater among some than among others. Some Members want it faster and swifter, while others are more pragmatic about it. I am outlining some of the key proposals that I believe are relevant to us now and in the future.
Parmjit Dhanda: I will give way, but then I want to come on to what I think is the key change that we need to make in the future.
Parmjit Dhanda: My hon. Friend has much more experience than me as she has campaigned for many years on these issues. Her voice was heard loud and clear through the Speaker's Conference, and I think she makes her point incredibly powerfully. Let me come on to the issue of power and where it lies, which is the key to engagement with the electorate. That is what they really want to see-to make a real...
Parmjit Dhanda: I disagree with my hon. Friend, as I think the media take quite a lot of interest in this place. They do not, however, always take an interest in the positive elements of what goes on here. As Members, we have all had to deal with that problem, particularly in recent months. In conclusion, I truly believe that these reforms are positive and I hope that the whole House will get behind them. I...
Parmjit Dhanda: My hon. Friend is certainly adding something to the debate, and I agree that it is important to move the pendulum of power away from this place towards the public. The reforms before us are not perfect, but they are a step in the right direction, so does she not agree that the issue is about moving the pendulum at least to the 20th century, before we reach the 21st?
Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will take steps to widen the Future Jobs Fund to include private sector employers.
Parmjit Dhanda: I appreciate the Minister's statistics and am sure that they are well sourced. I had a conversation just this morning with the hon. Member for Bath, who fears that some of the statistics being used by officials in the Department relate more to the rural gull population and are out of kilter with the experience of local authorities. Perhaps it would be possible to look again at this matter. We...
Parmjit Dhanda: My hon. Friend is being assiduous and thorough in his response. I would like to probe him on the issue of the academic research that might help us to ensure we get the best bang for our buck in terms of the investment that local authorities make. Will he consider having further discussions with his officials about looking into academic research? The other key area relates to where local...
Parmjit Dhanda: My hon. Friend, his officials and I may differ in that although I understand what he is saying and it is common sense to suggest that the gulls will gravitate to areas where food is available, that confuses the matter with regards to the Cotswold Motor Group and the industrial estates around there. Those are not the best places for gulls to gravitate to for food, yet they have done so, which...
Parmjit Dhanda: I hope that this debate will be enlightening for you, Mr. Amess. As the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) highlighted in a similar Adjournment debate last year, there is far more to the issue than meets the eye. I hope that people will realise the importance of this debate; I have had a couple of days' leg-pulling about it. A few colleagues have asked, "Is that really the title of your...
Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department has spent in Gloucester constituency since 1997; and which projects have been funded.
Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding has been provided by his Department through the Football Foundation in Gloucester since 1997.
Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the net effect on public expenditure of introducing unitary local authorities in England.
Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes have been made to planning guidance as a result of the 2007 floods.
Parmjit Dhanda: My hon. Friend is quite right that the postal vote ballot paper is being used as a reason, perhaps as an excuse, for delays in counting. However, another reason is the separation of ballot papers if there is a local government election on the same day as a general election. My own experience of such counts, in both 2001 and 2005, was that it was more than possible to carry out that separation...
