Rebecca Harris: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for calling me to speak this evening. I have the great privilege of representing the wonderful people of Castle Point. As everyone here should know, it is a borough constituency on the north side of the Thames in Essex. The seat takes its name from two of its most prominent landmarks: the ruins of Hadleigh castle, which overlook the Thames, and Canvey Point, the...
Rebecca Harris: On 3 December.
Rebecca Harris: I am very fortunate to have in my constituency two of the only charity shops in Britain that donate all their profits to UNICEF, which campaigns to fight child poverty and exploitation around the globe. Indeed, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was able personally to give them an award earlier in the year for their sterling fundraising work and to see first hand the dedication of...
Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many properties his Department rented from the private sector or other providers for the purposes of housing service families in each of the last five years; (2) how much his Department has paid to the private sector for rental of accommodation for service families in each of the last five years; (3) how many service family accommodation...
Rebecca Harris: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate, as the future of the postal service is a long-standing interest of mine, not least as the director of a company that was reliant on a dependable, reliable and efficient postal service. I do not underestimate the public attachment to Royal Mail and the wide interest in the implications of its privatisation. Given its universal...
Rebecca Harris: I thank the hon. Gentleman for that interesting observation.
Rebecca Harris: I was not here at that time, but it is an interesting historical observation. My constituents, like most others across Essex, suffered very badly from the epidemic of disappearing post offices in the past decade, which left many vulnerable constituents isolated and caused entire rows of traders to suffer. I am proud to support the Government in reforming the Royal Mail while ensuring that...
Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect on the number of road accidents of the introduction of daylight saving time throughout the year.
Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect on the provision of first response and acute medical services of the introduction of daylight saving time throughout the year.
Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect on the rate of obesity of the introduction of daylight saving time throughout the year.
Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect on those diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder of the introduction of daylight saving time throughout the year.
Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the incidence of road traffic accidents of adopting daylight saving time.
Rebecca Harris: I think my questions are mostly for Postcomm. How do you see the implications of the separation of the Post Office and Royal Mail and are you optimistic about it being to the benefit of both companies in the future?
Rebecca Harris: That almost touched on my question. We have heard a lot about how Royal Mail has lost a lot of custom in a short time. What do you see as the principal reasons for Royal Mail losing that custom over the past few years?
Rebecca Harris: No?
Rebecca Harris: So business customers are not leaving Royal Mail and going to competitors.
Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential effects on the incidence of crime of adopting daylight saving time.
Rebecca Harris: I want to talk about the pension deficit and the Government’s commitment to take it on. It is clearly a great deal for Jane Newell’s pension plan members and for Royal Mail, because it is already holding it back. Can you talk about how this will also be a good deal for the taxpayer? A lot of people would like their pensions propped up by the Government, and they are going to be paying for...
Rebecca Harris: Is the Minister aware that the last three opinion polls conducted in Scotland show that a majority of the Scottish public are in favour? I can give him that evidence tomorrow morning.
Rebecca Harris: I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Chris White) for producing this excellent Bill and allowing the issues it deals with to be discussed. I am delighted to see so many Members here on a Friday to support the measure. I hope in two weeks' time to see as many Members supporting my own private Member's Bill on daylight saving, although I have to confess that there are...