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Donate to our crowdfunderBob Spink: The House must recognise that the Labour Government have helped the poorest pensioners, particularly with the pension credit and in promising to re-index the basic pension to earnings. I hope that whoever forms the next Government will get on and do that quickly. But the take-up for pension credit is still too low, particularly for the poorest group; about a quarter do not take it up. Can...
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reports she has received on alternatives to oil storage tanks at the Oikos site in Haven Road, Canvey; what representations she has received from the Health and Safety Executive on such alternatives; and if she will make a statement.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment the Health and Safety Executive has made of possible risks to local residents and businesses from the operation of the Oikos Canvey Island site.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many pupils in schools in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point obtained five GCSEs at grade A* to C or equivalent in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2009; (2) how many 11-year-olds in schools in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point attained level 4 or above in Key Stage 2 in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2009; (3) how many 14-year-olds in schools in...
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many restaurants in (a) England, (b) Essex and (c) Castle Point constituency were closed for failing to meet food safety and hygiene standards in each of the last five years; and for how long each was closed in each such case.
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on the relocation of staff from posts in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point constituency in each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on the relocation of staff from posts in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point constituency in each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on the relocation of staff from posts in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point constituency in each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of patients treated by the NHS for drug addiction and resident in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point constituency were no longer addicted at the end of their treatment in each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses employing fewer than 50 people went into administration in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point constituency in (i) each of the last 12 months and (ii) each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on the relocation of staff from posts in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point constituency in each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on the relocation of staff from posts in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point constituency in each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of the (a) child and (b) adult population resident in (i) Essex and (ii) Castle Point constituency attended an appointment with an NHS dentist in each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on the relocation of staff from posts in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point constituency in each of the last five years.
Bob Spink: May I take the Minister back to her digitisation argument, which works in both directions? If the British Museum, for instance, were to move a third of the artefacts back to Lewis, digitisation would mean that there was no impediment to the scholarship of the museum and would increase world knowledge and access to those wonderful objects.
Bob Spink: The hon. Gentleman is making a compelling argument. I came here on the other side, but I am listening carefully, and he is making his points extremely well. I like the idea of an extension to the British Museum in Lewis. Will he tell the House how many of the chess pieces he would expect to be there, and will he confirm that their conservation and its funding in future would be secured?
Bob Spink: The hon. Gentleman might be aware of the Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997, which gave the police the power to confiscate alcohol from youngsters on the street. It also gave them the duty to report back to the parents what the youngsters were doing, so that the parents could take control of their youngsters. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the police should always use that...
Bob Spink: The hon. Gentleman is making a lot of sense. Does he agree that the standardised labelling for alcoholic products is key, because it empowers people, including pregnant women? It gives them the facts so that they can take personal responsibility and make the right decisions.
Bob Spink: rose-
Bob Spink: The hon. Gentleman speaks of bullying smaller people and firms. May I tell the House about a firm in my constituency that had an order book of £3 million? It was owed £400,000, much of it by main contractors who were improperly withholding the money, and it owed others the lesser sum of £300,000. The banks forced that company into administration, and refused to lend to it. The banks and...