Did you mean buy opperman?
John Bercow: ...Edward Millar Smith, Crawley Tom Francis Blenkinsop, Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Philip James Lee, Bracknell Elizabeth Mary Truss, South West Norfolk Jonathan Peter Evans, Cardiff North Guy Opperman, Hexham Alan Patrick Vincent Whitehead, Southampton, Test David John Nuttall, Bury North Sheryll Murray, South East Cornwall Gavin Laurence Barwell, Croydon Central Helen Grant,...
Guy Opperman: Mr Deputy Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to thank the people of the Hexham constituency for allowing me to represent them in the House of Commons. I will never forget that they are the people who put me here. I follow on from Peter Atkinson, and I must say that one could not meet a kinder, gentler man. He served Hexham for 18 years with great distinction and I pay tribute to the...
Guy Opperman: When the ID card was first launched last year, does the hon. Lady recall that at the launch in the north-west, the Minister forgot her own ID card? If she could forget, what chance would the rest of us lesser mortals have had in the brave new world of ID cards?
Guy Opperman: Does the Chancellor agree that the Opposition, who sold the gold so wisely and then bought euros, prophesied a golden age and then brought the economy, like a ship, on to the rocks, are not qualified to give us financial advice and seem to have such a poor memory?
Guy Opperman: On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. The hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr Skinner) may have been here for 40 years, but he should surely not be in the Clerk's chair, unless perhaps he is looking for another job.
Guy Opperman: I used to be an education barrister, and my last case, in March 2010, was on behalf of the then Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. It was probably his last ever success. Does the Secretary of State see a place for rural schools in Northumberland receiving proper funding in future, as they have been underfunded for so very long?
Guy Opperman: The right hon. and learned Member for Camberwell and Peckham (Ms Harman) accused the Prime Minister of pandering. Does the Prime Minister agree that the only people who are behaving like pandas, which have notoriously bad vision, are the Opposition, who have signed away so much over the past 13 years?
Guy Opperman: Saturday is armed forces day. In my constituency of Hexham in Northumberland we have hundreds of Royal Artillery servicemen who have recently returned from Afghanistan and will receive the freedom of the town. When they are off duty, they will receive multiple discounts from dozens of stores, restaurants and pubs that are doing their bit locally. Does the Prime Minister agree that it is...
Guy Opperman: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Guy Opperman: I welcome the ministerial team to the Front Bench. It is good to see someone with some farming experience finally putting forward the case on behalf of DEFRA. Will the Minister confirm that in these difficult times, when decisions have to be made regarding cuts, consideration will be given to the Agricultural Wages Board, as its task could be dealt with through the national minimum wage procedure?
Guy Opperman: The electronic sheep tagging rules were introduced by the previous Government. Will the Minister review the practical operation of those hated rules? Traceability can surely be maintained without the unnecessary cost and bureaucratic burden on farmers and Government alike.
Guy Opperman: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Guy Opperman: In the Prime Minister's absence last week, he might have missed two surprising events. First, the shadow Chancellor made a speech that contained lots of criticism, but not one recommendation for reducing the deficit. Secondly, we saw a five-minute silent cameo from the former Prime Minister, although amazingly, for such a fiscal champion, it was during Environment, Food and Rural Affairs...
Gary Streeter: I am going to move us on. Guy Opperman has a question.
Guy Opperman: I have a couple of questions. You indicated 2,500, but you only have 1,400 staff. Why was that?
Guy Opperman: On the renewable obligations certificate in relation to biomass, the effect of the subsidy introduced by the previous Government is that a variety of companies are effectively being underwritten for the work they are doing. Consequently, the taxpayer is paying for energy companies to do biomass. That cannot be right. Does the hon. Gentleman not agree?
..., Catherine McKinnell, Shabana Mahmood, Grahame Morris, Bridget Phillipson Voting no: Aidan Burley, Lynne Featherstone, Damian Green, Robert Halfon, Gordon Henderson, Julian Huppert, Nigel Mills, Guy Opperman, Edward Timpson, Jeremy Wright
Division number 2 - 10 yes, 7 no Voting yes: Aidan Burley, Lynne Featherstone, Damian Green, Robert Halfon, Gordon Henderson, Julian Huppert, Nigel Mills, Guy Opperman, Edward Timpson, Jeremy Wright Voting no: Meg Hillier, Julie Hilling, Stephen McCabe, Catherine McKinnell, Shabana Mahmood, Grahame Morris, Bridget Phillipson
Guy Opperman: May we go back to the question that was put to the hon. Lady, which asked why any terrorist would sign up to a voluntary scheme? That is the nub of the case.
Guy Opperman: The timber industry is a significant employer in Hexham. All of us support wood biomass, but there is currently a cross-party team, with Members from both the Labour Benches and our own, seeking to change the distorted energy subsidy for wood biomass. Would the ministerial team meet the cross-party team?
