Fiscal Responsibility and Fairness

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 19th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) must resume his seat.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Send him out!

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Sir Bob, I do not think I require a lecture from you upon the matter of good order. Calm yourself, man; it will be better for your health.

Business of the House

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 19th March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I shall communicate colleagues’ shared enthusiasm for youth participation when I meet the students of Holland Park school this afternoon. Those students will be comforted and reassured to know of the esteem in which their involvement is held.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

I am confident that I speak for all members of the other coalition party when I pay tribute to the Leader of the House and endorse the comments made by the shadow Leader of the House. The right hon. Gentleman is a remarkable parliamentarian who will be missed in this House. Perhaps he will find a perch at the other end.

Is there time to have a quick debate on the geography of the United Kingdom? The reason I ask is that the Conservative party has issued a leaflet in my constituency, which has Colchester on the coast. Mr Speaker, you will be aware that Colchester is on a tidal river. Although the Conservatives may be at sea, I am not.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 2nd March 2015 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

It is good that we have got through all the substantive questions on the Order Paper.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 26th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Let us hear the fellow—Sir Bob Russell.

[Sir Bob Russell]

Mr Speaker, I was merely observing that the Mayflower commenced its journey to America from Harwich and merely stopped off at Plymouth en route.

[Mr Speaker]

I think that question was rhetorical, but if the Minister particularly wishes to respond she may.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 11th September 2014 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

Points of order come after business questions rather than during questions.

[Sir Bob Russell]

The Secretary of State will not be here very long and I would like him to hear my point of order.

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Member for Colchester (Sir Bob Russell) may be able to persuade the Secretary of State to return for his important point of order. I am afraid that procedure must take precedence over convenience.

Business of the House

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 6th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

It has been suggested to me that we have now had the debate. I think that is perhaps a tad unkind, but I am grateful for the advice.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

May we have a debate on credit rating companies, which can have a negative impact on some businesses because of false commentary? For example, a company called Experian claims that a company in my constituency, Fast Food Supplies (Anglia), is high risk and has a bad credit record. That is not true: the business has been operating successfully for 26 years and is expanding, moving into bigger premises and taking on more employees.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 20th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister’s ship was sailing in the right direction; there was no need to go quite so close to the wind. But there you go.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

4. What requirement is placed on local authorities to ensure that legal agreements within the planning consent for major developments include provision of funding for new schools.

Iran and Syria

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 11th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell]

Go on, have a guess!

[Mr Speaker]

There is no obligation on the Foreign Secretary to have a guess, especially as the statement is about Iran and Syria, so the hon. Member for Colchester (Sir Bob Russell), even by his own standards, has been exceptionally cheeky.

Secondary Schools (Accountability)

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 14th October 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful for the sedentary chuntering. It has to be said that the place the hon. Lady has in mind is nowhere near Birmingham, but I am sure that the Minister, who is a man of prodigious brainpower, will be fully conscious of that fact.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

As a former pupil of St Helena secondary modern school for boys, I thank the Minister for taking the first step in 50 years to address the educational imbalance between academic and non-academic subjects. The Minister mentioned vocational subjects, one of which was engineering, but he was silent on building trade skills and motor mechanic skills. Will he give an assurance that they will form part of the vocational subjects, and with the holistic approach of “schools for life”, does he agree that first aid should be part of the curriculum?

Point of Order

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 15th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

[Mr Speaker]

The day would not be complete without it.

[Sir Bob Russell]

Mr Speaker, I understand that either tomorrow or later this week the Secretary of State for Health will be giving a statement about 14 hospital trusts, including one in my constituency. However, given what appeared in two of the Sunday newspapers yesterday, there has been massive briefing, which could have come only from the Department. I think that a gross abuse of the House. Could a Health Minister be brought here today to explain why all that information was released to the press before it has come to the House?

[Mr Speaker]

My immediate response to the hon. Gentleman is twofold. First, there is no plan, intention or requirement for a Minister to come here today. The hon. Gentleman will have patiently to wait until tomorrow, at which point he might have an opportunity both to air his concerns about the substance of the matters under discussion and, if necessary, to repeat the point of a procedural character that he has made this afternoon.

Secondly, I am not familiar with the particular press reports to which the hon. Gentleman has just referred, although I did hear some sedentary hums of assent to the complaint that he was making. It would be only when I was familiar with the detailed facts of the situation that it would be fair for me to comment. Sometimes, reports that appear are of a speculative character and owe their genesis to determined reporters trying to get ahead of events and not necessarily to a deliberate briefing. On the other hand, we all know that deliberate briefing and outrageous leaking take place from time to time. The hon. Gentleman knows that I deprecate them in the strongest terms.

Meanwhile, the hon. Gentleman has given advertisement to the House of his intended presence for these matters to be considered tomorrow. He might catch my eye on that occasion.

Petitions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 15th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. You will recall that, following Home Office questions this afternoon, I drew your attention to the fact that a statement to be made tomorrow had been the subject of considerable media coverage over the weekend.

I regret to inform you that within the past hour or so, Sky Television has been holding up and quoting at length from the relevant report. Hon. Members will not be allowed to look at the report until 8 o’clock tomorrow morning. We will not be able to take a copy away, but will have to hand it back at the Department of Health. Can we have a ruling on what is going on at the Department? Clearly, the situation is a shambles.

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. I have not seen or heard the broadcast to which he refers and it is always as well to be personally familiar with the evidence. However, this is the second time—I make no complaint about it—that the hon. Gentleman has raised his concerns today. He may seek to do so again tomorrow in the presence of a Minister from the Department concerned. The Minister will then have the opportunity to respond if he or she so chooses.

Suffice it to say that material for presentation to the House should be seen and heard first by the House; it should not be bandied about elsewhere. By what route the report got there I know not, but with all due respect to the estimable organ concerned, it seems a pretty poor second best. The House of Commons should be the premier audience.

Cambridge to Fenland Train Service

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 15th July 2013 Commons Chamber

Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)

- Hansard -

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. You will recall that, following Home Office questions this afternoon, I drew your attention to the fact that a statement to be made tomorrow had been the subject of considerable media coverage over the weekend.

I regret to inform you that within the past hour or so, Sky Television has been holding up and quoting at length from the relevant report. Hon. Members will not be allowed to look at the report until 8 o’clock tomorrow morning. We will not be able to take a copy away, but will have to hand it back at the Department of Health. Can we have a ruling on what is going on at the Department? Clearly, the situation is a shambles.

Mr Speaker

- Hansard - - Excerpts

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point of order. I have not seen or heard the broadcast to which he refers and it is always as well to be personally familiar with the evidence. However, this is the second time—I make no complaint about it—that the hon. Gentleman has raised his concerns today. He may seek to do so again tomorrow in the presence of a Minister from the Department concerned. The Minister will then have the opportunity to respond if he or she so chooses.

Suffice it to say that material for presentation to the House should be seen and heard first by the House; it should not be bandied about elsewhere. By what route the report got there I know not, but with all due respect to the estimable organ concerned, it seems a pretty poor second best. The House of Commons should be the premier audience.

Spending Review

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 26th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am keen if at all possible to accommodate all remaining colleagues, but also to start the next business, the Second Reading of the Bill, by 2.30 pm. There is therefore a premium on brevity.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Previous defence cuts mean that our Army is heading towards being smaller than it was at the battle of Waterloo, so that is hardly a triumph. Will the Chancellor confirm that there is now no need, based on his statement, for any cuts to any Army bands and will he also make a statement on why the family housing lived in by our brave soldiers is not being modernised?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 24th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

A Minister to the Dispatch Box, please.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

I can answer that question!

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman may be keen to be a Minister, but he is not there yet, and I am in no position to appoint him.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 16th May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I do not wish to be unkind to the hon. Member for Colchester (Sir Bob Russell), but I want speedily to move on from fruit to bees. I call Mr David Nuttall.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 21st March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Good of the hon. Member for Colchester (Sir Bob Russell) to drop in.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

T2. Thank you, Mr Speaker; I followed the instructions on the Order Paper, which said, “from 10.15”. Timing is always important. What are the coalition Government doing to promote apprenticeships in manufacturing industries? If the Minister would like good examples, I can draw his attention to Paxman in my constituency—MAN Diesel and Turbo—and Fläkt Woods, among whose apprentices is Kallum Parks, who last month was presented with the Essex apprentice of the year award for 2012.

Housing

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 5th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek your guidance and draw to your attention a matter that will be of interest and concern to all right hon. and hon. Members: the impersonation of a Member of this House. A Twitter account has been set up in the name of “Bob Russell MP”. I assure you that it is not I who have done it. Throughout today it has been filled with vile comments from someone with a sick, evil and warped mind. This must be viewed in the context of three years of dirty tricks in Colchester against me by three immature young men who are all members of the same party. It has involved a spoof YouTube video of me, a snooper photograph and letters to newspapers with false names and addresses. Can you provide guidance on what can be done in a case of impersonation of a Member of this House?

[Mr Speaker]

It is clearly unacceptable that the hon. Gentleman has been subject to this form of harassment. However, it is not a matter of order for the Chair. I understand that the companies that host such accounts usually respond promptly to any example of “MP” being used illegitimately. For tonight, I shall leave it there.

Falkland Islands Referendum

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 13th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Nothing further need be added. We are grateful to the Minister for his diligence.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Tomorrow, there will be commemorations to mark the 30th anniversary of the liberation of the Falklands, including a service in Colchester for the Parachute Regiment, which excelled in that conflict. Yesterday, the Ministry of Defence announced 4,100 redundancies in the Army, Navy and Air Force. I invite Ministers to read the military history of the 20th century to see how the Government of the day performed with the nation’s defence interests.

The Falklands are not the only islands in the south Atlantic. Without Ascension Island, and without 30 years of loyal support from the citizens of St Helena—both islands are overseas territories—the Falklands could not prosper. Put all three islands together economically.

Points of Order

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Tuesday 12th June 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am reassured that the Minister has not fallen over, and I think that we are all better informed. What we cannot have, and what I am sure no one would seek, is a rerun of Health questions, but we have been given that clarification, for which we are grateful.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Have you had a request from a Defence Minister to be allowed to come to the House to explain today’s contemptible announcement that 4,100 members of Her Majesty’s armed forces are to be made redundant, that about a third of the redundancies will be compulsory, and that about 2,900 will be in the Army? I should be interested to know whether any of those being made redundant are in 16 Air Assault Brigade, which is based at Colchester garrison. Little over a year ago, they were fighting in Afghanistan and putting their lives on the line. Is there to be a ministerial statement?

[Mr Speaker]

No, but, knowing the hon. Gentleman as I have for the last 15 years, since we entered the House together, I have just a hunch that this is a matter to which he will return, possibly with notable frequelarity. Regularity? Frequency? I am getting there. [Hon. Members: “A lot.”] A lot: indeed.

Defence Budget and Transformation

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 14th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Given the number of right hon. and hon. Members still seeking to catch my eye, and the fact that the debate to follow is very heavily subscribed, I repeat my exhortation to single, short supplementary questions and the Secretary of State’s typically pithy replies.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Britain’s national and international defence interests are not best served by having a smaller Army, a smaller Navy and a smaller Air Force. We are now told that the budget is in balance, so, looking to the home front, can the upgrade and modernisation of the family accommodation be brought forward?

Diamond Jubilee

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 7th March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

As the Member of Parliament for Britain’s oldest recorded town and the first capital of Roman Britain, I wish to be associated with the Address and much of what has been said. I can recall being a five-year-old at Myland primary school when King George VI died. I can also remember 16 months later seeing television for the first time and watching the coronation at a family friend’s house in Mile End in Colchester.

Like others, I wish to pay tribute not only to Her Majesty the Queen, but to the Duke of Edinburgh for all his support over the years. In particular, I want to mention the support that both have given to many youth organisations over the past 60 years. As a Queen’s scout, I will mention the scout movement and the guide movement. Of course, as Princess Elizabeth, our Queen was a girl guide, and there are other youth organisations that she and Prince Philip have supported. Of the many charities and organisations that she is directly associated with as a patron, I wish to mention LEPRA, the international charity tackling leprosy around the world, whose international headquarters are based in my constituency.

The Queen has made three visits to Colchester in her glorious reign, and I have had the pleasure of witnessing all of them: first as a pupil at St Helena secondary modern school for boys; secondly as deputy mayor of Colchester; and thirdly as the town’s MP. On two occasions the Queen has also visited the university of Essex in Colchester, an institution of which you, Mr Speaker, have fond memories as both a graduate and an honorary graduate. You will know that it is the most international of Britain’s universities. I think it is a safe bet that every Commonwealth country will at some stage be represented there, if they are not already, because over 120 nationalities are represented there. The Queen has also been a great supporter of our armed forces. As I represent the garrison town of Colchester, I wish to associate the garrison with my greetings to Her Majesty.

I am a constitutional monarchist. When we look at Presidents of the United States and of France, I think we see that constitutional monarchy has more than the edge. Finally, 2000 years ago Colchester was a Roman city. In the mists of time, somehow that status was lost. It would be marvellous if in this the diamond jubilee year the city status could be restored.

[Mr Speaker]

I am sure that the hon. Gentleman can be relied upon to send a copy of his speech to that magnificent institution, the university of Essex, and probably to a good many other institutions besides.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 1st March 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I just make the point that the Hansard reporters are immensely able and dexterous characters, and they are quite capable of doing Roman numerals without special coaching.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Further to the earlier question from the hon. Member for Belfast East (Naomi Long) and the comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for St Ives (Andrew George), will the Minister confirm that his written ministerial statement of today is somewhat deficient, in that it fails to mention that the decision of this House on 23 June 2011 is that there shall be a ban on wild animals in circuses? So when the statement says that the Government are “minded” to ban performing wild animals in circuses, is this just a smokescreen?

Welfare Reform Bill

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 1st February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Sir Bob Russell]

Does the right hon. Lady agree that successive Labour and Conservative Governments—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. That is not acceptable. The hon. Member for Devizes (Claire Perry) should not shout across the Chamber, “My grandfather lived in a council house, you twit.” She should apologise. Frankly, she and other Members need to calm down. There is a decorum to this place. I know the hon. Lady. She would not behave like that across the dinner table, and she will not behave like that in this Chamber. That is the end of it. I hope we have an apology.

[Mr Speaker]

Thank you. I call Sir Bob Russell.

[Sir Bob Russell]

Successive Labour and Conservative Governments from 1945 to 1980 built a massive supply of family council houses, but for the next 30 years, they did not. It is a question of supply and demand. Does the right hon. Lady agree that we need more affordable rented houses?

Statements of Taxation

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 25th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I want to hear what the hon. Gentleman has to say.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

We heard it all last week.

[Mr Speaker]

Yes, but I want to hear the hon. Gentleman, Sir Bob.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 21st November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We congratulate the hon. Lady.

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

As the Secretary of State knows, there is a shortage of primary school places right across the country. Does he agree that the situation is made considerably worse when the local education authority shows an inability to undertake forward planning? Thirty primary schools in Colchester have waiting lists. Will his officials please chase Essex education authority to get on with providing schools in my constituency?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 7th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

T6. Please listen carefully; I will say this only once. In the future assessment of police numbers and funding formulae, have any discussions taken place with the Ministry of Defence about the huge cuts in the MOD police? In the case of the Colchester garrison, the last Labour Government managed to cut its 30 officers to three, which has affected the Essex police.

[Mr Speaker]

I do not think anybody has ever had any trouble hearing the hon. Member for Colchester, even some miles away.

National Planning Policy Framework

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 20th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Bob Russell]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The wind-ups are due to begin at 5.30 pm, so we have time for a very short contribution from Mr Mark Pawsey.

Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 17th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Bob Russell]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. If those on the two Front Benches cannot agree on a matter of such fundamental importance as this, how on earth can we proceed?

[Mr Speaker]

That is definitively not a point of order. It is a point of obvious and intense frustration.

Business without Debate

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Tuesday 7th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

With the leave of the House, I will take motions 5 to 7 together.

Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)),

Customs

That the Export Control (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2011 (S.I., 2011, No. 1127), dated 14 April 2011, a copy of which was laid before this House on 15 April, be approved.

Representation of the People

That the draft Representation of the People (Electoral Registration Data Schemes) Regulations 2011, which were laid before this House on 26 April, be approved.

That the draft Electoral Registration Data Schemes Order 2011, which was laid before this House on 26 April, be approved. —(Jeremy Wright.)

Question agreed to.

European Union Documents

Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 119(11)),

European Contract Law for Consumers and Business

That this House takes note of European Union Document No. 11961/10, a Green Paper from the European Commission on policy options for progress towards a European Contract Law for consumers and businesses; supports the Government’s response to the Green Paper, sent to the European Commission on 10 February 2011; and agrees with the terms of that response.—(Jeremy Wright.)

Question agreed to.

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I wonder whether you have received any requests from Defence Ministers to come to the House to try to clarify reports in the press of proposals to cut the wages of members of 16 Air Assault Brigade and the Parachute Regiment in general. Today, 16 Air Assault Brigade had its welcome home parade through Colchester, and tomorrow, at Bury St Edmunds cathedral, there will be a service of thanksgiving which will also be a memorial service for those who have just fallen in Helmand province. Do you agree, Mr Speaker, that Defence Ministers should come and explain what is going on? Are they seriously proposing to cut the wages of members of the Parachute Regiment?

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Gentleman asks me a straightforward question, to which the straightforward answer is no.

Business without Debate

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Monday 16th May 2011 Commons Chamber

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I inquire whether a Minister from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has any intention of coming to the House to explain and answer questions on the written statement that was issued on Friday about performing wild animals in circuses. Following a consultation started by the previous Government, there had been an expectation that the coalition Government would bring in a ban on exotic animals in circuses. There is now a written statement saying that the Government are not going to do that. I hope you will agree, Mr Speaker, that a Minister should come to the House and explain why that is the case.

[Mr Speaker]

I have received no indication that a Minister intends to come to the House to make a statement. I am aware of the close interest in the subject that the hon. Gentleman has long expressed. In view of his 14 years’ experience in the House, he will be well aware of ways in which he can continue to pursue this matter, and I trust that he will.

Petitions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 16th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I know how keen you are that Ministers should make announcements to the House first. This evening, BBC television news reported that the Government were planning to abandon their consultation on the Forestry Commission land disposals. Sir, I wonder whether you have received any indication that a Minister will come to the House to make a statement, even at this late hour, or if not tonight, tomorrow.

[Mr Speaker]

The short answer is no. Many matters are subject to speculation and conjecture, even in our media—a fact of which the hon. Gentleman, on the strength of nearly 14 years’ experience in the House, is well aware.

Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 16th February 2011 Commons Chamber

Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)

- Hansard -

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I know how keen you are that Ministers should make announcements to the House first. This evening, BBC television news reported that the Government were planning to abandon their consultation on the Forestry Commission land disposals. Sir, I wonder whether you have received any indication that a Minister will come to the House to make a statement, even at this late hour, or if not tonight, tomorrow.

Mr Speaker

- Hansard - - Excerpts

The short answer is no. Many matters are subject to speculation and conjecture, even in our media—a fact of which the hon. Gentleman, on the strength of nearly 14 years’ experience in the House, is well aware.

Postal Services Bill

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 12th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) (Lab)]

The hon. Gentleman has been generous in accepting interventions. You talked in response to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) about successive Governments running down Royal Mail, which, to use your words, is a national treasure and national institution. Would you therefore agree that it will be your Government who could put the final nail in the coffin?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I have not talked about anything and I am not giving any commitments on anything, but Mr Russell might.

[Bob Russell]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Which Government did what when will be in the history books, so the hon. Gentleman will have his moment of glory and can say, “It was the dastardly Conservatives and Liberal Democrats wot done it.” That is how he would wish to present it, but I am not sure how history would record the demise of Royal Mail and the Post Office if Lord Mandelson’s proposals had been introduced, whatever they may have been.

I want to gaze into the future and imagine the agenda of the first board meeting of the newly privatised Royal Mail plc. After a report from the remuneration committee, perhaps the main item of business will be listed as the sponsorship of Sunderland football club. Afterwards, the agenda will no doubt turn to the issue of cost savings to be achieved. Like any other dynamic FTSE 100 company, which Royal Mail, I understand, will become, the board will want to see how it can reduce the cost of its contracts with suppliers. It happens every day in the world of commerce, notwithstanding the helpful contribution from my hon. Friend the Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (John Thurso). In that private world, the agreements that I propose in my new clause exist.

A principal supplier to Royal Mail is Post Office Ltd. The board will confer and I have no doubt it will quickly decide two things: first, the cost of the contractual relationship with Post Office Ltd is too expensive and, secondly, limiting the distribution of products and services to the post office network does not work in the best interests of Royal Mail. That is where the analogy with the supermarkets comes in, because the criticism is that they are all-powerful. They determine the contracts with suppliers, they set the price, and if suppliers do not like it, they know what they can do.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 27th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Bob Russell. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] Order. I want to hear Mr Russell too.

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Earlier the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition had fun and games over housing benefit cuts. This is not a laughing matter for the thousands of children who could well become homeless. I am confident that this was an unintended consequence because the cost of putting children in bed-and-breakfast accommodation is greater than housing benefit. Will the Prime Minister look at this again, please?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 21st October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. If I am to accommodate a few more questions, they must be very brief, and so must the answers.

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Because it is both topical and urgent, I ask the Minister to refer back to question 5. Local authorities are not necessarily taking any notice of what the coalition Government Ministers are saying in their pronouncements, particularly in the case of officers at Colchester borough council. Will he therefore visit Myland parish council in Colchester to see the absurd proposals that are going forward there?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Wednesday 14th July 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) should calm himself. If he is trying to catch my eye, he has not got much chance at this rate.

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Voluntary organisations and charities were not responsible for the banking crisis, nor for the financial crisis left by the last Labour Government. As we both value voluntary organisations and charities, will the Prime Minister discuss with his Treasury colleagues how the increase in VAT that those organisations have to pay can be refunded to them?

Legal Aid Payments

Debate between Bob Russell and John Bercow

Thursday 17th June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. May I appeal to Members for short questions and short answers? I remind the House that we have business questions to follow, as well as two further statements and a heavily subscribed debate.

[Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

I was extremely disappointed by the statement. Complacency seemed to be there; the good samaritan was certainly not. On behalf of those who worked out of the Ipswich office, and in the absence of any other east of England Member wishing to speak, may I ask the Secretary of State to confirm that Members of Parliament who represent predominantly urban seats will find that their work load increases as a consequence of the situation?