Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 22nd June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Quin]

With respect to the hon. Gentleman, I totally refute his contention. That is not the experience of this ministerial team. That is not what we do. I very much value the work of our civil servants. I make that clear to their union representatives and to civil servants themselves. They do a very valuable job for our country and they will always have the support of this Government in attempting to do their utmost, as they do, to support and benefit the prosperity of the whole country.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Where is the surplus personal protective equipment being stored? What is it costing and what are the plans for its disposal?

[Mr Speaker]

Who wants that one?

List of Ministers’ Interests and Ministerial Code

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 24th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Alex Burghart]

I think the hon. Lady is arguing for no due process. The moment that formal allegations were made against the former Deputy Prime Minister, both he and the Prime Minister decided it would be necessary to call an independent investigation into the Deputy Prime Minister’s conduct. That was conducted by a leading KC and, following the conclusion, the Deputy Prime Minister resigned. The alternative would have been to have no investigation at all—no independent assessment—and in our opinion that would have been wrong.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

How swiftly will the Government act to reduce the time in which complaints about ministerial behaviour can be made?

[Alex Burghart]

My right hon. Friend is a lover of brevity, and the truth is that he will have seen in the Prime Minister’s letter to the former Deputy Prime Minister that it is necessary to make sure any

“shortcomings in the historic process”

are addressed. He has asked the Cabinet Office to look at that and we intend to do so swiftly.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 8th December 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Quin]

Let me first acknowledge all the tireless work done by campaigners—those infected and those affected—and by those who supported them in the House and outside, including the right hon. Lady and the Father of the House, my hon. Friend the Member for Worthing West (Sir Peter Bottomley). These are dreadful circumstances, and we are determined to be ready for Langstaff’s report, which, presumably, will be published midway through next year. That is why Sir Robert Francis was commissioned to undertake his study.

I think that, in part, our actions in making the interim payment—thus meeting the interim recommendations in full—speak for themselves, but I understand the right hon. Lady’s point. I look forward to updating the House as soon as possible about the work we have done and will continue to do, and to updating it further on the progress towards the completion of Langstaff’s report.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

10. What steps his Department is taking to reduce the running costs of the Government estate.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Alex Burghart)]

Since 2010 the size of the central general purpose estate has been reduced by 30%, which has cut annual running costs by £1.6 billion. The “Government Property Strategy 2022-2030”, published in August, commits us to making further estate operating cost savings of £500 million by 2025 by relocating London roles, co-locating in multi-agency hubs, and selling surplus property.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

The German Government have limited temperatures in public buildings to 19°C. Double that and add 30, and it is a balmy 68° in English money. We could put on an extra layer and do a lot better, couldn’t we?

--- Later in debate ---

[Oliver Dowden]

We on the Government side respect the will of the House. That motion was passed and we will comply with its terms.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

T4. The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Alex Burghart), knows that there is a war on. Part of our contribution should be a great national endeavour to cut our energy consumption, should it not?

[Alex Burghart]

A planned communication programme is coming this winter. Maybe we should be looking at the temperature in this House. Ambient though it is, would it not be better if we all had a chance to put on fresh jumpers to keep warm?

Home Secretary: Resignation and Reappointment

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 26th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Quin]

I reiterate that my right hon. and learned Friend made a mistake, she acknowledged that and she stepped down. The hon. Gentleman raises an important point about the independent adviser, and I am glad that he has done so. He will be reassured that it is the absolutely the Prime Minister’s intention to appoint an independent adviser. That is the right thing to do, and I know that it is absolutely his intention.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Last week, the Home Secretary’s sharing of a draft parliamentary answer barely got a mention. They were all over it because this was a damaging policy row with the Prime Minister’s subordinate. She lost her Home Secretary. Why does my hon. Friend think that has changed?

[Jeremy Quin]

The former Prime Minister lost her Home Secretary because the Home Secretary recognised that she had made a mistake. She accepted that mistake, she offered to resign and that resignation was accepted. I do not think that means that a mistake should hang over someone for the rest of their career. There is an opportunity for redemption and the Prime Minister has decided that this would be an appropriate appointment. I know that he is working hard with the Home Secretary on the immense challenges we face.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 7th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet) (Con)]

1. What steps his Department is taking to help restore devolved government in Northern Ireland.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

7. What steps his Department is taking to help restore devolved government in Northern Ireland.

[Mr Speaker]

I welcome the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to his new position.

--- Later in debate ---

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

But there is no prospect of restoring devolved government until the protocol has been resolved. Is that not the case?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

The Executive do need to reform. That is very, very important. Whatever issues there are with the protocol, there are very important functions and services that the people of Northern Ireland need to work, so the Northern Ireland parties need to form an Executive as soon as possible. The protocol has put up barriers to trade and other things. We can fix them through negotiation, but if we cannot, we will fix them through legislation.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 9th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Michael Ellis]

I am sympathetic to the hon. Member’s point, and I know everyone will be. The consultation on the terms of reference that Baroness Hallett engaged upon is now complete. She received more than 20,000 responses from members of the public. She had already held meetings with bereaved families and sector representatives across the UK and she has now published her recommendations for the inquiry’s final remit. The Prime Minister will be consulting with the devolved Administrations. Every effort will be made to go as fast as is reasonably possible while also getting proper inquiry results. I know that Baroness Hallett will work to that, too.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

We already have the most important lesson, which is to avoid lockdowns, isn’t it?

[Michael Ellis]

I think that my right hon. Friend will agree that the Prime Minister and the Government made every effort to avoid having lockdowns where that was possible. Unfortunately, occasionally, it was necessary so to do.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Tuesday 24th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Tom Pursglove]

My hon. Friend is right to raise this matter, not least given the hugely troubling and distressing cases that we have seen reported in the media of late. One thing we know, which was borne out in the care review published yesterday, is that there is a challenge with data and information sharing between agencies. I am sure that my counterparts in both the Department for Education and the Home Office will consider whether a register of child cruelty offenders would improve child safeguarding processes, alongside wider learning from the findings of forthcoming reviews, such as that into the tragic deaths of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

15. What steps he is taking to assure the public that non-custodial sentences are being enforced.

[The Minister for Crime and Policing (Kit Malthouse)]

Community sentences are robust and increasingly command the public’s confidence, not least as they can see more and more offenders in high-vis, brush and shovel in hand, in their streets.

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

It is reported that the penalties can be discharged by working from home. Please tell me that is not true.

[Mr Speaker]

A yes or a no will do.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 31st March 2022 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mrs Heather Wheeler)]

Our ambition remains to enable people to save more and to start saving earlier by taking forward the core recommendations of the Department for Work and Pensions 2017 review of automatic enrolment, which the Government committed to implement in the mid-2020s subject to engagement with stakeholders and finding ways to make the changes affordable.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Notwithstanding the earlier exchange, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will want to acknowledge my gratitude and satisfaction at the excellent job that he is making of his second job as a Minister of the Crown, will he not?

Covid-19 Update

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 19th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Let us come to the most excited man: Sir Desmond Swayne.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

May I welcome wholeheartedly the announcements that have been made today? I would ask the Prime Minister to review again the need to sack unvaccinated domiciliary workers and NHS workers, and to examine the evidence that suggests that they pose a risk to their patients. Our belief is that they will not do so any more than the vaccinated.

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my right hon. Friend very much, but I think the evidence is clear that healthcare professionals should get vaccinated.

Covid-19 Update

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 5th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Further to that point of order—

[Mr Speaker]

No, there is no “further” for a minute. Just let us hang on a moment. First of all, we are not going to continue the debate—