Business of the House

Emma Lewell-Buck Excerpts

Thursday 17th July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hague]

That would be quite a mouthful, Mr Speaker. I remember pretty much every line of the coalition agreement—I certainly remember every minute of negotiating it, which was quite a painstaking process. My hon. Friend is right that that commitment is in the coalition agreement, and as he knows it was raised earlier today by two of our hon. Friends. I know there are strong feelings about this issue and consensus on it in part of the House, but I do not think there is consensus across the whole House. I would be happy to discuss the matter further with my hon. Friend, but I do not envisage the situation changing at the moment.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

I, too, welcome the Leader of the House to his new position. Despite the Government’s claims that they will tackle false self-employment, construction firms continue to exploit loopholes which mean that people like my constituent, Ron Boyle, are losing hundreds of pounds every month. Will the Leader of the House give the House time to debate that issue and discuss how those loopholes can be closed, so that people like Mr Boyle are not robbed of a fair wage?

[Mr Hague]

The fair treatment of people in all walks of life and employment is always an important issue for the House, and raising and redressing such matters is part of why we exist. I understand why the hon. Lady has raised the issue, although I do not have a lot of time to give away for debates. That sort of issue can be raised in an Adjournment debate and at questions or through the Backbench Business Committee, and I hope she will go about it in that way.

Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill

Emma Lewell-Buck Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd September 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

I did not expect when I was elected in May this year that one of my earlier contributions to the House would be to debate a Bill in this manner, mainly because I was of the impression that the Bill would be preceded by pre-legislative scrutiny. However, I am speaking here today because more concerns have been conveyed to me about part 2 than about any other issue in my short time as a Member. My constituents in South Shields recognise the real danger that part 2 poses to the democratic process. It excludes the voices of small campaign groups up and down the country. It will silence some of the most effective contributors to our national debate. It is clear in the Bill that the Government propose to outlaw charity campaigning and to restrict the activities of the organisations that might hold them to account.

I share the concerns of my right hon. Friend the Member for Stirling (Mrs McGuire) about clause 26, which defines “controlled expenditure” as any spending incurred “for election purposes”. According to the explanatory notes,

“the definition of ‘for election purposes’ does not rely solely on the intent of the third party; the effect of the expenditure must also be considered.”

Put simply, any activity that might support any party’s position could apply, even if the activity made no reference to any election or political party. This is very worrying, as it would effectively silence policy experts and civil society organisations in important policy debates.

How valuable can a public discussion of, for example, the bedroom tax be without the impact of campaigning organisations that dedicate their time and resources to studying the problem? How informed can a debate be if the experts who travel the country to talk to our constituents and conduct research are not allowed to participate? Politics goes beyond what happens here in Westminster, and political parties should not be the only voice that voters hear.

I also have serious concerns about the impact that the Bill will have on campaigning groups. Clause 27 will halve the level of spending at which third-party groups will have to register as a recognised third party. Therefore, all manner of smaller organisations with a local or regional focus will now have to comply with a new and complex set of regulations, the costs of which are unclear.

In my constituency, where Government cuts have already led to increasing homelessness and food poverty, those local charities have stepped in to fill the gap. Those organisations do not take a party political stance; their concern is for the welfare of their citizens, yet if they chose to speak about the growing crisis in constituencies such as mine, they would be subject to regulations that would divert valuable resources from their work on the ground.

I find it ironic that the Government want to introduce laws that make it more difficult for local campaigners and community groups to have their voices heard. It is shameful to do that under the guise of tackling the worst abuses of lobbying, while not actually doing so. These proposals are unacceptable in a country that prides itself on vibrant and democratic debate. I hope that the Government have listened to my hon. Friends’ concerns today and will commit to fixing the Bill.

Business of the House

Emma Lewell-Buck Excerpts

Thursday 4th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Lansley]

I am interested in what my hon. Friend says, and I will certainly raise it with my hon. Friends at the Department for Communities and Local Government who, he will know, feel very strongly about the importance of such openness and transparency. Previous issues in relation to the desire of some councils—only a very few, we hope—to try to control the media in their area is in part what has led to the Local Audit and Accountability Bill that is currently in another place, but my hon. Friend raises a further important point.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

Further to what my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle) said about food banks, the Trussell Trust estimates that almost 350,000 people are using them, and that figure has tripled since 2012. As the Department for Work and Pensions does not record or measure these referrals, how can the Government be sure there is no link between food bank usage and welfare cuts? May we have an urgent debate on this issue?

[Mr Lansley]

I cannot give the hon. Lady a debate on this subject, but she will have heard the answer given repeatedly at this Dispatch Box both by me at business questions and by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. The use of food banks increased tenfold under the last Government. One of the critical changes that have taken place is that before the election the Trussell Trust had been looking for food bank access to be advertised in jobcentres, but whereas that was not given by the last Government, it has been given under this Government. There is therefore greater access to food banks, which is important for people who are in need.