Gordon Banks: I congratulate hon. Members who have made their maiden speech today, especially my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield (Mary Creagh) and the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Leech). I am grateful for this opportunity, and it is with pride and humility that I rise to make my maiden speech. My pride is in the faith that my constituency of Ochil and South Perthshire has placed in...
Gordon Banks: What discussions he has had with the First Minister in relation to policing at the forthcoming G8 summit.
Gordon Banks: I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. As he knows, the G8 summit is taking place in my constituency of Ochil and South Perthshire. With the advent of Live 8 and Bob Geldof's encouragement for getting a million people to converge on Scotland during a week in which "T in the Park" and the world-famous Alva games are also going on in my constituency, is my right hon. Friend concerned...
Gordon Banks: At the risk of repeating what others may have said already, let me say that I welcome the Bill. The existing legislation is more than 30 years old, and in that time we have seen many fundamental changes in our attitudes in society and to our attitudes to borrowing money and consumer credit. Credit cards have become a way of life in the United Kingdom. Many of us are quite capable of managing...
Gordon Banks: To pick up on the point made by the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Dunne) about the increased sales in the bookshop, if other services that support that main exhibit increase by the same significant amount, the overall effect is positive.
Gordon Banks: Will my hon. Friend give way?
Gordon Banks: If he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the trial of Saddam Hussein and the possibility that he may be sentenced to death.
Gordon Banks: I thank the Minister for his answer but, recognising that there still exists in Iraq resistance to the current Iraqi Administration and to coalition troops, does he believe that, should the Iraqi Government seek the death penalty in the trial of Saddam Hussein, they risk making him a martyr, provoking the remaining insurgents and subsequently causing an increase in the number of attacks in Iraq?
Gordon Banks: In approaching this debate, I am reminded of the defining statement of the Labour party, produced on the back of each membership card: "by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone". Through that statement of principle and notion of solidarity, I hope that our fellow parliamentarians and legislators around the world, and our fellow people around the world,...
Gordon Banks: I was interested to hear the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) give an analysis of local authority administration. I should like to draw his and the House's attention to the activities of two neighbouring councils in Scotland. Perth and Kinross council, which strangely enough is controlled by the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National party, sought public liability insurance...
Gordon Banks: I shall deal with the effect in various Departments shortly. Adapting the process whereby inspections are made so that companies do not face unnecessary repeat inspections will free up time. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor clearly demonstrated his commitment in the Budget, and Departments will be challenged to simplify and reduce regulations. The move to a more intelligent, risk-based...
Gordon Banks: Does my right hon. Friend agree that it would be inappropriate to consider the economic benefit of the G8 summit too narrowly? Will not Scotland derive the greatest benefit from decisions made at Gleneagles to eradicate poverty in Africa and to ensure that continent's rise as an economic power? That regeneration will present an opportunity to develop Scotland's historic trading links with Africa.
Gordon Banks: Does my right hon. Friend agree that a structured return to devolved government in Northern Ireland provides the best and possibly only opportunity for peaceful economic growth and development and an equalisation of social opportunities in Northern Ireland? As such, it should be a goal that is embraced by all involved political parties.
Gordon Banks: I thank my hon. Friend the Minister for introducing the debate today, in which we are all endeavouring to give our expert advice on the thorny issue of e-Government. I also thank the Minister for taking the time out from his busy schedule, as he mentioned earlier, to visit Ochil and South Perthshire during the recess. During that visit he discussed with a group of my constituents their...
Gordon Banks: rose—
Gordon Banks: The arguments for the establishment of the tribunal representation and assistance board, as proposed in the Bill, appear in many cases and on an initial consideration to have some merit in ensuring that applicants in discrimination cases brought before the employment tribunals and appeal tribunals have access to legal advice and representation. Some of the arguments that we have heard and...
Gordon Banks: I am not arguing for that.
Gordon Banks: No eligibility criteria are set out in the Bill, which would mean that claimants who could clearly fund their own cases would often be supported, which would not be a good use of public funds. On examination, I am not convinced by the promises of additional revenue delivery that are made of the Bill. There are already well-established bodies and mechanisms that offer people valuable and...
Gordon Banks: I fear that I must intervene, because the hon. Gentleman's words call into question the whole structure of our present system, and the ability of employment tribunal chairmen to make relevant, precise value judgments on cases. What we are hearing from Conservative Members today is quite shocking, and questions the structure of our whole employment tribunal system—
Gordon Banks: I stand corrected; they are questioning our legal system too. The employment tribunal system is extremely valuable, and what Conservatives have said is stunning. I would like the hon. Gentleman to withdraw and consider his remarks, which do his argument no good at all.