EDM Supported: 21st May, 2019
That this House believes that the UK Government has for over two decades failed women born in the 1950s who were not properly informed of the changes that were made to their state pension age due to equalisation brought on by the Pensions Act 1995; notes the conclusion of a Work and Pensions Committee Report published in 2016 which said more could and should have been done to communicate the impact of these changes to the women affected; believes it is unacceptable that the UK Government only began writing to women affected from 2009 onward and see this as a total abdication of responsibility...
EDM Supported: 14th May, 2019
That this House notes that an estimated 60 per cent of recipients of homecare and 70 per cent of care home residents live with dementia; acknowledges that dementia is a condition caused by diseases of the brain with complex support needs that should be met by the NHS, like any other health condition...
Oral Contribution: 9th May, 2019
Written Question: 9th May, 2019
Oral Contribution: 8th May, 2019
I want to put the motion in context. Democratic Unionist party Members talked about a lack of democracy. If we look back at how the licence fee settlement was reached—certainly the last two times, possibly the last three or four times—there has been a lack of parliamentary scrutiny and accountability. If there had been that accountability and scrutiny, we would be in a very different place today. Basically, this was presented as a done deal.
I listened carefully to the former Secretary of State, Mr Whittingdale. His most important phrase was, “the Chancellor made clear”. He described Lord Hall—I do not know whether he was on his own—being surrounded by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and others. George Osborne is the villain of the piece here. In 2010, he had his first go at imposing this settlement on the BBC. He tried to get the BBC to accept responsibility for the over-75s. He was opposed at that point by the director-general, Mark Thompson, and the chair of the BBC Trust, Michael Lyons, who were supported, crucially, by the Liberal Democrats. The coalition Government was probably the difference between the situation in 2010 and 2015. George Osborne came back and imposed his will in 2015. It was a good settlement, but only for five years. The BBC were bullied into accepting that settlement and the Chancellor got his way...
EDM Supported: 8th May, 2019
That this House congratulates the Scottish Catholic Justice and Peace Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, known as Justice and Peace Scotland, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary; notes that the organisation, which was founded in 1979, advises the Catholic Bishops of Scotland on matters relating to social justice, international peace and human rights, and promotes action in these areas especially through a network of parish groups across Scotland...
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