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Andrew Bridgen: What recent representations he has received on his proposals to create fewer and more equally sized constituencies.
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to establish a joint commissioning board for mental health.
Andrew Bridgen: How does the Minister propose that the local sustainable transport fund will fill the boots of resource grants, with the funding reduced now, especially in counties such as Leicestershire?
Andrew Bridgen: I would like to praise the security services and the staff of East Midlands airport, which lies in my constituency. By intercepting that package, they may well have saved lives. Everyone who contributed to that successful operation can be rightly proud. However, I would like to ask the Home Secretary for an assurance that additional screening will be introduced only if it is clearly shown to...
Andrew Bridgen: The heart of the new national forest lies in my beautiful constituency of North West Leicestershire. Will the Minister assure the House that any sale of Forestry Commission assets will not reduce public access or enjoyment of our woods and forests?
Andrew Bridgen: When can we expect the much awaited localism Bill to begin its passage through Parliament? I am particularly keen to see our planning system reforms introduced quickly. In my constituency and, I believe, those of many other hon. Members, developers are quite keen to exploit what they perceive as the grey area of planning before the Bill is introduced. When will we have settlement on the matter?
Andrew Bridgen: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I would like to bring to your attention the huge difference in the time that it takes to get letters from various Ministers. Should we introduce a maximum time for responses to legitimate questions from Back-Bench MPs?
Andrew Bridgen: Does my hon. Friend agree that the defence budget is unique in the way we must view it? It is a form of insurance policy. That being so, we must accept that when the risks increase, so must the premium.
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received on duplication in schools of vocational training provided by further educational colleges; and if he will make a statement.
Andrew Bridgen: What plans his Department has to increase the effectiveness of its defence research and technology programmes.
Andrew Bridgen: Some 10 years ago, I raised the crucial point of the capping of interest rates on loans to vulnerable households with the Office of Fair Trading, and my arguments were rebuked. The OFT maintained that, given the risk profile of the individuals involved, if usurious rates could not be charged, no credit would be available to those communities, and that some credit, even at usurious rates, was...
Gareth Thomas: ...I hope he will bring his experiences to his all-party group so he can share that good practice with others. There were important contributions from the hon. Members for North West Leicestershire (Andrew Bridgen) and for Crawley (Henry Smith), from my hon. Friends the Members for East Lothian (Fiona O'Donnell), for Clwyd South (Susan Elan Jones), for Halton (Derek Twigg), for Leeds West...
Andrew Bridgen: My hon. Friend should be aware that last year saw the lowest number of houses built since 1924.
Andrew Bridgen: Considering the previous Government's abject failure to tackle rural fuel poverty, will my hon. Friend tell me what we are going to do differently?
Andrew Bridgen: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Andrew Bridgen: Is it not a cause for cautious optimism that agencies such as Fitch, Moody's and Standard & Poor's have now given the UK such an excellent credit rating?
Andrew Bridgen: This is a most intriguing debate and my hon. Friend speaks with great passion and impartiality about these important matters. Surely this Parliament can opt for a five-year Parliament but it cannot bind future Parliaments. Should those Parliaments wish to change the arrangement, they will be able to opt for a four-year or a three-year Parliament, or whatever they should wish for at the time.
Andrew Bridgen: I declare an interest in line with the declaration of Members' interests. Business rates are undoubtedly a tax. When a building is empty, there is no rent. The crux of the matter is that this is a tax on an asset that has no income. As my hon. Friend has pointed out, that is distorting the property market and leading people to make strange decisions. The cheaper properties at the bottom end...
Andrew Bridgen: Does the Minister agree that the test of any currency is in the tough times, not just the good ones? That was explained to all the countries that joined the euro, many of which, in my view, did so with their eyes wide shut. Is it not abhorrent that this liability, and the failure of the euro, should become a liability to the UK taxpayer at this time?
Andrew Bridgen: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the requirement for skilled workers from abroad reflects the failure of the previous Government's education and training policies?
