Grenfell Tower Fire Inquiry
Debate between Mike Kane and Damian Green(6 years, 10 months ago)
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Damian Green
The expert panel, which I have mentioned on a number of occasions, includes precisely the people to provide advice and it continues to do so. Its advice has been consistently followed by the Department because it has that expertise. It may well discover more and decide that its advice needs to change, but it is all done on the basis of fire safety experts who are independent of Government.
Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab)
I grew up in a two-bed flat in a council block and the traditional advice was always to stay put and await rescue. I wonder how many souls perished following that traditional advice. Will the advice change?
Damian Green
That issue may well be addressed by Sir Martin in the public inquiry, which is clearly the appropriate forum for that sort of investigation.
Under-occupancy Charge
Debate between Mike Kane and Damian Green(7 years, 6 months ago)
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Damian Green
As I said in response to previous hon. Members, I do not agree that the overall policy is not working, and we have no plans to change it.
Mike Kane (Wythenshawe and Sale East) (Lab)
My constituency has the highest number of bedroom tax cases in the country, with more than 3,000 families affected. I want to raise the case of Mr Tony Gunning in my constituency. He needs regular kidney dialysis and he does not get a discretionary payment because he lives in Tory Trafford. If he had lived in Labour Manchester in my constituency, he would have got the discretionary payment. He has been hit twice by the Conservative party.
Damian Green
I have said that I hope local authorities will claim the discretionary housing payments that are available to them, and I say that to all local authorities.