Mrs Anne Picking: Thank you, Sir Michael, for calling me to make my speech during our consideration of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill. Enhanced co-operation between European countries is absolutely essential if there is to be a truly flexible European Union. I have become aware of some of those issues because of my membership of the Labour party's policy commission "Britain in the World". Being a...
Mrs Anne Picking: To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to improve the parliamentary scrutiny of Bills.
Mrs Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions she has had with the coal industry in Scotland on the status of coal in the PIU energy review.
Mrs Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on Scotland Office involvement in the performance and innovation unit energy review.
Mrs Anne Picking: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will make a statement on the Scotland Office involvement in the PIU energy review.
Mrs Anne Picking: To ask the President of the Council what plans he has to make proposals to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons to reform the system of Private Members' Bills.
Mrs Anne Picking: Does the Prime Minister share my sadness at the closure of the very last deep coal mine in Scotland in Longannet? Will he also commend some of my constituents who did their best to try to save the pit, including Brian Davie, who was up to his neck for hours in water with a rope tied around his waist to try to save it? Does he also agree that the Tories have eventually succeeded in shutting...
Mrs Anne Picking: Thank you, Mr. Cook, for the opportunity to begin this Adjournment debate on the relationship between the Government and trade unions. I have been a Member of this place for a little more than a year, Mr. Cook—
Mrs Anne Picking: Forgive me, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I did not know that because I have been in this place for only a little more than a year and this is my first Adjournment debate. Whoever advised me on the issue will feel my wrath later. My securing the debate is poetic justice, because I would not be here to represent the good people of East Lothian were it not for the trade union movement. I come from a...
Mrs Anne Picking: On flexible hours, is my hon. Friend aware of the problem in the health service, where nurses work excessive hours. The trusts and private nursing homes get round the problem by ensuring that the nurses do their stint as full-time employees of the trusts and the boards and then do flexi-bank working on top of that. Those nurses can sometimes end up working an enormous number of shifts,...
Mrs Anne Picking: Is not the fundamental purpose of our being here to represent our constituents, not to stand up and be windbags?
Mrs Anne Picking: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, for calling me to speak after the hon. Member for Louth and Horncastle (Sir Peter Tapsell). What an abysmal contribution that was; it has set us back mega. It is great to be able to stand up, posture, pontificate, show off and make a wonderful speech, but, as I said in my intervention, we are here to represent our constituents. The fact that I am even on my...
Mrs Anne Picking: You said earlier that minority parties get together to discuss how you want to work, but that your pathways often diverge when it comes to political decisions. How can you possibly effectively—
Mrs Anne Picking: I am sorry Mr. Deputy Speaker—I am not used to being on my feet. I do not get many opportunities to speak, because my party has such a large majority.
Mrs Anne Picking: Point taken, Mr. Deputy Speaker. How can the hon. Gentleman represent the minority parties when they are not of the same ilk politically?
Mrs Anne Picking: Will the hon. Gentleman explain what he means when he says that his party will withdraw good will?
Mrs Anne Picking: I, too, welcome the Secretary of State's statement. Torness is in my constituency and her remarks about the staff, their commitment, hard work and loyalty were welcome. I visited the station on numerous occasions when both reactors were down and everybody, including the station master, the staff and unions, was working together. I also welcome my right hon. Friend's reaffirmation of the...
Mrs Anne Picking: No.
Mrs Anne Picking: It will come as no surprise to the House to hear that I support the Bill. It is a bit rich that the Government are being left to sort out another Tory privatisation disaster. Yet again, a major utility is under threat because the Tories allowed political dogma to drive an energy privatisation agenda rather than doing what was in the national interest. It is time to sort out that sorry saga. A...
Mrs Anne Picking: I thank my hon. Friend for that, and I entirely agree. I do not know whether he knows my background, but I am a relative of Abe Moffat, well known in the mining industry, so I come from what we call "guid stock". We should not forget that nuclear energy produces vital supplies of electricity and helps us to meet environmental obligations by being carbon-free. When I hear ludicrous statements...