Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Dennis Skinner Excerpts
Tuesday 30th June 2015

(8 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. The Minister has broadened the question a bit, which she is perfectly entitled to do, but not to the extent that it would encompass Northern Ireland, Merseyside or even west Yorkshire. Those Members will have to await their opportunity.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Ah, the hon. Gentleman is stirring in his den. Mr Skinner.

Dennis Skinner Portrait Mr Skinner
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I have listened carefully for the past half an hour to find out exactly what the Tory Government are trying to do about places in the east midlands such as Bolsover, which is very close to Lincolnshire, because when the Labour Government were in power, both myself and Gordon Brown, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, were the northern powerhouse. I asked him for 40 million quid to flatten the pit tips at Markham Vale, and he gave it me. Then I asked for some more money for an interchange straight up the M1 into Markham pit yard, and I got that as well. We were fixing the roof while the sun was shining. We don’t want none of this claptrap about the Tory northern powerhouse. [Interruption.]

Anna Soubry Portrait Anna Soubry
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I thought—[Interruption.]