All 6 Debates between John Bercow and Emma Little Pengelly

Tue 22nd Oct 2019
European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill
Commons Chamber

2nd reading: House of Commons & Programme motion: House of Commons
Thu 18th Jul 2019
Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill
Commons Chamber

Ping Pong: House of Commons & Ping Pong: House of Commons

European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill

Debate between John Bercow and Emma Little Pengelly
2nd reading: House of Commons & Programme motion: House of Commons
Tuesday 22nd October 2019

(4 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Emma Little Pengelly Portrait Emma Little Pengelly
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On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I have serious concerns that there has been some mistake in the printing of the withdrawal agreement Bill. We have repeatedly heard reference in the speeches of the Prime Minister and others to clauses and measures under which the terrible arrangements for Northern Ireland would disappear on the signing of a free trade deal with the EU. I cannot find those clauses. During the Leader of the Opposition’s speech, I took the opportunity to look at the Bill again, but I cannot find those clauses in my copy. Could you give me clarity on how we can get some certainty? Perhaps my copy has some missing pages or there has been some form of misprint, or perhaps the Government could outline where these clauses exist, because I cannot find them.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I am sorry, but the hon. Lady, in the course of her attempted point of order, frankly elevates me to a status that I do not enjoy. It is well beyond my limited capabilities to know the precise order of clauses, or that which is present and that which is not. My counsel to the hon. Lady is that in her pursuit of her mission, she could make a point of intervening on colleagues who speak with a compendious knowledge of the contents of the Bill to seek to extract from them the information that she seeks. I can see many pointy-headed, brilliant brains on the Government Benches who are doubtless going to rise to celebrate the merits of the Bill and whom she could usefully question on this matter.

Points of Order

Debate between John Bercow and Emma Little Pengelly
Thursday 18th July 2019

(4 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I hope that the hon. Member for Rochdale (Tony Lloyd) is satisfied. I thank the occupants of the Treasury Bench.

Emma Little Pengelly Portrait Emma Little Pengelly (Belfast South) (DUP)
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On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Bill that we have just debated contains clauses inviting the Government to make progress towards the implementation of a “severely injured” pension for victims of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. There has been considerable distress in Northern Ireland because of concerns about the criteria, and a report has suggested that terrorists who went out to murder and maim and ended up injuring themselves may be eligible for such a pension. Unfortunately, we have not had an opportunity to debate those issues today owing to the nature of the proceedings. While I welcome the comments of Lord Duncan in the other place, may I ask whether there will be any opportunities—perhaps next week—for these matters to be aired, debated and hopefully answered in this House? I should be very much obliged.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her point of order, to which the answer is yes: there could well be such opportunities. The hon. Lady would not expect me to commit myself now—on the hoof, if you will—in respect of the form that such an opportunity might take, but we have four sitting days next week before we rise for the summer recess. This is a matter of the utmost importance, and, indeed, considerable sensitivity. In the short time during which I have come to know the hon. Lady, I have come to be aware of how dexterous she is in the use of parliamentary time, and if she wishes to take her opportunities, I think that she will not be disappointed.

Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill

Debate between John Bercow and Emma Little Pengelly
Ping Pong: House of Commons
Thursday 18th July 2019

(4 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Emma Little Pengelly Portrait Emma Little Pengelly (Belfast South) (DUP)
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Although the right hon. Gentleman references that there is no devolved Assembly currently in Northern Ireland, what we do know is the will of that Northern Ireland Assembly. Up until this point, the Northern Ireland Assembly has never voted, across all the parties, to liberalise abortion laws in Northern Ireland.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. I remind the right hon. Gentleman that he should not require more than another couple of minutes.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Emma Little Pengelly
Wednesday 3rd July 2019

(4 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. I call Emma Little Pengelly.

Emma Little Pengelly Portrait Emma Little Pengelly (Belfast South) (DUP)
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The Belfast city deal has huge potential to bring investment and economic growth to Belfast and the wider region. Will the Minister outline in a little more detail what discussions he has had with the head of the civil service and with the city councils about getting those projects to implementation stage? When does he anticipate that the first project will be rolled out?

Armed Forces Covenant: Northern Ireland

Debate between John Bercow and Emma Little Pengelly
Wednesday 7th March 2018

(6 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Emma Little Pengelly Portrait Emma Little Pengelly
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I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. I hope the shadow Secretary of State will take that opportunity, having accused anybody who has tried to stand up, and say very clearly, “I was there, I have had those conversations.” This is not about attacking Sinn Féin. This is not about political point scoring. This is about calling people out. It is a fact that we could not get it implemented at Executive level, so it was never formally adopted. Where individual Departments, individuals or agencies wanted to implement it, they did so, but there was no broad adopted policy to ensure that it happened. There was no accountability in relation to that.

Another point worth mentioning briefly relates to the community covenant. Again, this is a fact and I ask the shadow Secretary of State to take a look at it. Where there is a Sinn Féin-dominated council, Sinn Féin refuses to adopt the community covenant. That means there is a differential in terms of impact. There is a variation in the policy set to officials and others who implement policy.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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The hon. Lady is addressing the House with considerable eloquence, but I express the cautious optimism that she is approaching her peroration.

Emma Little Pengelly Portrait Emma Little Pengelly
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Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am indeed.

In conclusion, despite what we have heard about the good work by third sector organisations, some councils and some Departments, clear policy needs to be set down at all levels. That has not happened and we want it to happen. We will continue to ask the Government to intervene to make sure that there is the full adoption of the armed forces covenant as soon as possible, so that no matter where our armed forces personnel live across the United Kingdom, they can receive the full protections and support they need.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Emma Little Pengelly
Thursday 6th July 2017

(6 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Emma Little Pengelly Portrait Emma Little Pengelly (Belfast South) (DUP)
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Secretary of State, you will be aware that there are not only particular opportunities, but some challenges for each of the devolved regions across the UK in the next few years. Can you outline what plans and intentions you have to fully integrate the interests of the devolved regions within your strategy? Will you commit to an early meeting with delegations from the devolved regions to outline your engagement moving forward?

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. It is a great pleasure to welcome the hon. Lady to the Chamber again. She is already a prodigious and assiduous contributor, but may I politely say to her that she must not inherit the bad trait of her hon. Friend the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) of referring to the Minister as “you”? The word “you” in this Chamber refers to the Chair, and I have no plans to adopt any policies on these matters. She should refer to the Minister. I am still trying to train the hon. Member for Strangford, but I think his apprenticeship has some distance to travel.