Beverley Hughes: I warmly welcome my right hon. Friend's statement and the clear direction that it gives. He referred to exploring the potential for further public-private sector partnerships. As a former leader of a metropolitan authority, may I ask him whether the Government will build on the outstanding record of Labour local authorities in initiating, sustaining and developing partnerships between the...
Beverley Hughes: Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, for allowing me to speak on a matter that is of the utmost importance to my constituents and to the constituents of many other hon. Members. I congratulate the hon. Member for Taunton (Mrs. Ballard) on the excellent picture that she gave of her constituency. She also demonstrated her knowledge and experience of the important subject of housing—presumably...
Beverley Hughes: Does my right hon. Friend agree that the statutory right to be paid interest on late payments will be of enormous benefit to many small businesses? Is she yet in a position to give us some idea when the details of her proposal will be available?
Beverley Hughes: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for giving way. Does he have any thoughts on why Conservative Members are signally failing to endorse and welcome the measures in the Budget that have been welcomed by schools, parents and local education authorities? [Interruption.] I will not be barracked and I will finish my point. Can my right hon. Friend give us any more details yet on how local...
Beverley Hughes: Is my right hon. Friend aware of the emerging reports that some young people are combining Ecstasy and Prozac—apparently, Prozac intensifies and prolongs the effect of the Ecstasy. As general drug misuse is a serious problem in many constituencies and in the light of her role in co-ordinating the Government's initiative on drug misuse, can she provide an early opportunity for debating that...
Beverley Hughes: In view of my right hon. Friend's role in co-ordinating the Government's initiative on drugs—about which I know she shares the concern of many hon. Members—when will she be able to make a statement on the matter generally, and in particular on the appointment of the so-called drugs tsar to take things forward?
Beverley Hughes: What progress has been made in implementing changes in the primary purpose rule. [11660]
Beverley Hughes: Does my hon. Friend agree that the abolition of the primary purpose rule has removed a discriminatory practice that affected many genuinely married couples, and that its removal has meant a great deal to the people concerned? I congratulate my hon. Friend on the successful completion of the review. I am sure that he will agree that future applications must be dealt with fairly and swiftly....
Beverley Hughes: I welcome the proposals outlined today, particularly for the amalgamation of MCC areas, the administrative benefits of which I am sure we can all see, but will my hon. Friend say a little more about how he expects those changes to reduce delays in the system, with particular reference to the new IT services that he mentioned?
Beverley Hughes: Does my hon. Friend agree that our starting point on this issue is that we recognise that the current system of student support patently does not work? It is also unfair, as it requires part-time and mature students to pay fees. Does he also agree that the Government's proposals—provided that students from low-income families are protected, as they will be—are the best means of ensuring...
Beverley Hughes: May I welcome the appointment of Chief Constable Keith Hellawell as co-ordinator of the Government's drugs initiatie—an appointment which has been widely welcomed? Many of us wait with anticipation for his work to start, because drugs continue to be a significant problem, affecting many of our young people and associated with high levels of crime. When will my right hon. Friend be in a...
Beverley Hughes: Does my right hon. Friend share my disappointment at the response of Conservative Members which does not seem to be based on the findings of the research into trial areas? Among other things, they showed a high degree of control of offenders who were subject to electronic monitoring. Moreover, they showed a great deal of confidence by sentencers in using the system as an alternative to...
Beverley Hughes: I welcome the statement. If I had achieved such a settlement from the previous Government in the years when I was leader of a council, I would genuinely have been very pleased. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the total spending on personal services represents an increase of about 5.8 per cent.? That increase, together with the retention of the community care grant in special transitional...
Beverley Hughes: Does my hon. Friend agree that the fall in the number of police officers contrasts starkly with the previous Government's promise to provide thousands of extra officers? Does he further agree that this year's settlement allows police authorities to take some steps towards redressing the imbalance? Is he aware that the absence of police officers on the streets in many parts of the...
Beverley Hughes: Is my right hon. Friend aware that, in Committee earlier this week, the shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment turned on its head Conservative party policy on class sizes when he recognised the link between educational attainment and smaller class sizes for young children—and, furthermore, said that he recognised that class sizes were relevant to them? Will my right hon....
Beverley Hughes: Does my hon. Friend agree that equal opportunity for good health is as important as equal access to treatment? Does he share my concern about the gross inequality between different regions in morbidity and mortality; the chance of life itself? Will he confirm that, unlike the previous Government, one of this Government's top priorities is to tackle the health consequences of poverty?
Beverley Hughes: What plans he has to implement the incorporation of the European convention on human rights. [24625]
Beverley Hughes: I thank my hon. Friend for that information and welcome the Government's initiative. He has rightly told us that the process of implementation will inevitably be lengthy, despite the Government's swift action. That makes the previous Government's failure all the more regrettable. When does he expect that the British people will be able to apply the protection of the convention in UK courts?
Beverley Hughes: Has my right hon. Friend been made aware of reports of a sixfold increase in the use or misuse of drugs while driving? Does she share my concern that it is as yet a hidden, but potentially serious, issue in terms of reducing road traffic accidents and injury? I welcome the Government's recently announced drug-screening trials, but can my right hon. Friend assure the House that the information...
Beverley Hughes: Is my right hon. Friend aware that many thousands of women, including many in my constituency and in the north-west, work for poverty pay, and that millions of pounds are spent subsidising the worst employers? Therefore, is not the national minimum wage a good deal for the country, but vital for women? Are not the Tories continuing to fail women by opposing it?