Louise Ellman: Does my right hon. Friend agree that the very welcome new deal for communities programme, operating in Liverpool and elsewhere, and boosted by today's announcement, will be fully effective only if we continue to have a successful economy? Does he accept that the triumph of the new deal programme generally is a vindication of the importance of redistribution and intervention in our economy,...
Louise Ellman: The petition, which has been signed by approximately 2,000 people, calls for better regulation and enforcement of safety in swimming pools that are used by the public. It arises from the tragic deaths of two of my constituents, Vanessa Gregson and Tsham Kamara aged 19 and seven, at Honeycomb manor park in Cornwall on 20 May 1999. I hope that the petition results in improved safety at our...
Louise Ellman: In answering the points raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody), will the Minister draw to the attention of the Foreign Secretary an article that appeared in the Teheran Times on 12 April which stated that the holocaust was a zionist conspiracy aimed at defrauding the west? Does he consider that this House ought to have time to consider the advisability of...
Louise Ellman: Will the hon. Gentleman retract, and apologise for, the grossly insulting comments that he made about my constituents in Toxteth during his visit to Liverpool yesterday? Or was he misquoted?
Louise Ellman: Will my hon. Friend say how the Small Business Service will support co-operative and community businesses? How will it work with universities in supporting spin-out technologies into small companies? Can she give me an assurance that she will do all she can to ensure that the north-west has a strong scientific base? Can she also assure me that adequate support will be given to the...
Louise Ellman: Does my right hon. Friend agree that one of the reasons for the current situation has been the failure to increase the living standards of the Palestinian people? How much of the blame for that does he attribute to the Palestinian National Authority, and Yasser Arafat in particular, for diverting aid intended for education and economic development to other activities, including training...
Louise Ellman: How much has been allocated to addressing health inequalities in Liverpool? My constituency has been identified as the second poorest area of the country and the one suffering the worst ill health. How will my right hon. Friend ensure that the money allocated is targeted at the areas of need already identified in Liverpool by the performance indicators published earlier this year, so that it...
Louise Ellman: Is my right hon. Friend aware that the interpretations of state aid that are now being made by the competition directorate in Brussels are threatening to halt or delay important objective 1 projects, including the development of a business centre in Toxteth in my constituency? Does she plan to allocate any parliamentary time to debate that important issue, which could have implications for...
Louise Ellman: Does my hon. Friend accept that although Israel has adhered to the United Nations resolution and withdrawn from Lebanon, Hezbollah has been permitted to be present on that border, using weapons from Iran, yet the United Nations refuses to take any action? Does he think that that is compatible with a genuine seeking of peace by Israel's neighbours?
Louise Ellman: I welcome the Government's comprehensive approach to urban regeneration. This must be the first time that explicitly, as a matter of policy, economic, social and environmental issues have been brought together and tackled together in an integrated way. It is the first time that a Government have recognised the critical importance of co-ordinating and dealing together with approaches from...
Louise Ellman: I accept that the increased funding and flexibility provided to RDAs by the Government should be used to increase the capacity of the agencies. I am extremely unhappy at the prospect that it might be seen as a complete replacement for the previous private sector funding. I shall return to that subject later in my speech. Major issues must be addressed—but in the context of the progress and...
Louise Ellman: Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Department of Health is today chairing an important seminar on organ retention? That follows the disclosure that organs of children who died at Alder Hey hospital and elsewhere were removed without informed consent. When the report on Alder Hey has been published, will my right hon. Friend ensure that the major, sensitive issues involved are properly...
Louise Ellman: I very much welcome the Minister's statement, especially in the context of the economic regeneration that is under way. I anticipate that Liverpool, where eight of the 20th poorest postcode areas are to be found, will benefit. What powers will be given to the strategic partnerships or their nominees to ensure that co-ordination of existing initiatives takes place and that Departments react...
Louise Ellman: The hon. Gentleman should be aware that Merseyside is pleased to be part of the north-west region and is fully involved in campaigning for a north-west assembly. Is he aware that one of the benefits of our current position on devolution is that the north-west development agency has linked up with Liverpool city council, English Partnerships and others to form Liverpool Vision, the first urban...
Louise Ellman: I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on securing this important and timely debate. I support devolution to the English regions in general, and particularly to the north-west. Devolution to the English regions is the unfinished business of devolution in the United Kingdom. It is unacceptable that, as part of an on-going process suited to their needs and...
Louise Ellman: I agree with my hon. Friend. Those facts are indeed connected. We need regional devolution to enable the regions to examine the potential of their economies. It must take place in such a way that it influences national decisions and European decisions that have a bearing on regional areas. It is not only a matter of GDP, but of increasing disparities and the concentration of factors that...
Louise Ellman: Elected councillors have a remit relating to their local authority area. No one is elected with a remit for the whole region. The regional structure lacks clear, democratic accountability. Yes, the regional development agencies are required to consult the regional chambers and assemblies--and most of them do that extremely well. However, they are responsible to the Minister, not to the...
Louise Ellman: Does my hon. Friend agree that Iran's role in arming Hezbollah to provoke terrorism along Israel's northern border intensifies concern about Iran's treatment of its Jews?
Louise Ellman: Does my right hon. Friend agree that one of the problems for the whole of the north is the relative absence of investment in high technologies? Is he aware that a number of the universities and businesses in the north-west have come together, as he advocated earlier, and have proposed the Casim project on the Daresbury laboratory site, which is currently being considered by the Department of...
Louise Ellman: I thank the Secretary of State for commissioning these very important reports and for his clear commitment to change. Has he any further information on how the parents and their families will be helped to cope with new and traumatic information? What progress has he made in improving accountability at Alder Hey hospital itself and at the university?