Simon Kirby: I shall be brief, in the hope that I might catch your eye again in the near future, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am delighted to rise to speak today as the new Member for Brighton, Kemptown, the sixth in the 60 years that the seat has existed. Brighton, Kemptown, as we know, is very close to Europe, and I have to tell the House that in 1514 the French invaded the town of Brighton at the time and...
Simon Kirby: What his policy is on taxation of the bingo industry; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: Does the Minister agree that sometimes it is possible to increase revenue by reducing taxes?
Simon Kirby: What mechanism he plans to use to review the effectiveness of non-departmental public bodies.
Simon Kirby: I thank my right hon. Friend for his answer, and I welcome him to the Dispatch Box. Given the Government's clear policy on localism, will he ensure that the regional development agency quango, SEEDA-the South East England Development Agency-is rapidly dismantled and that its powers and decisions are handed back to the local authorities to which those powers have always properly belonged?
Simon Kirby: What his policy is on measures to encourage people into work in areas of long-term deprivation.
Simon Kirby: I thank the Minister for that answer. Does he agree that many of Labour's top-down schemes, such as the new deal for communities in the areas of Moulsecoomb and Whitehawk in my constituency, have failed to deliver any real difference to people's lives, despite having cost tens of millions of pounds? Does he also agree that this new Government's empowerment of individuals and communities is a...
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce his decision on the Explore Living planning appeal in regard to Brighton Marina; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent representations she has received on the granting of asylum to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons under threat of legal sanction in their country of origin.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on the encouragement of tourism in seaside towns and cities; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in respect of how many traveller encampments in each (a) county, (b) metropolitan and (c) unitary local authority area legal powers were used to move the encampment on in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the effect on the flow of other motor traffic of road narrowing schemes to create bus priority lanes; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with chief constables on their powers in relation to unauthorised traveller encampments; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to bring forward proposals to increase the powers of local authorities and the police in relation to unauthorised traveller encampments; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received on the powers of local authorities and the police in relation to unauthorised traveller sites; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase levels of biodiversity; and if she will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to remove the link between the allocation of local authority highways funding and the requirement to observe national priorities.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects his review of successor arrangements to regional development agencies to be completed; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects the South East Airports Task Force to publish its findings; (2) whether the terms of reference of the South East Airports Task Force will include (a) the travel needs of passengers, (b) the interests of airline and airport employees and (c) the current and future economic effects on local areas of the airports under review;...
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overseas students were awaiting a decision on their application for a visa to study in the UK at the latest date for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.