Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Tuesday 1st October 2019

(4 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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We will hear from a Devon knight, I think. Sir Gary Streeter.

Gary Streeter Portrait Sir Gary Streeter (South West Devon) (Con)
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Is not the closure of ATMs linked to the decision by high street banks to close their branches left, right and centre? Will the Minister, in his regular meetings with the chief executives of high street banks, remind them that they do have some duty to elderly customers and small businesses?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Wednesday 13th February 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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What a pleasure to call a west country knight, no less—Sir Gary Streeter.

Gary Streeter Portrait Sir Gary Streeter (South West Devon) (Con)
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I strongly support DFID Ministers’ approach to the prosperity fund, which looks to promote economic reform in middle-income countries, where 70% of the world’s poorest people live. Are not trade and economic reform still the most effective ways to lift people out of poverty?

Business of the House

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 15th March 2018

(6 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I join the Leader of the House in congratulating the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Paula Sherriff), whose message to colleagues will have been heard and digested.

Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon) (Con)
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Will my right hon. Friend seek to install a sense of urgency into Departments, perhaps starting with the Department for Transport? Once again, following heavy rainfall, the line from London to Plymouth has been cut—I hope, temporarily—due to flooding in the Exeter region. There is a plan to fix it, but it is taking far too long, and my constituents are fed up about it—and so am I. Will she please help?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 13th October 2016

(7 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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I am delighted that my hon. Friend supports the Electoral Commission’s recommendation that registration and identification should be introduced at polling stations. It is now for the Government to respond.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I call Barry Sheerman. Where is the fella? He has beetled out of the Chamber. That is very unlike the hon. Gentleman. I call Mr David Hanson.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 10th September 2015

(8 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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My hon. Friend speaks powerfully and with a modicum of common sense, as always. He may well have half a point, but this is not a matter for the Electoral Commission and it is not a matter for me.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Shame!

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 17th July 2014

(9 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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The Electoral Commission will continue to get the message across with targeted press releases to English-language papers and radio stations in the countries where there are large numbers of expats, but its predominant means of seeking to do so is through online campaigning and advertising on websites most likely to be read by expats. Of course, all of us who use social media—my hon. Friend is very skilled at using it—can get this simple message across: “You can now register online!”

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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The hon. Gentleman should always be careful not to put divisible propositions to the House. I will leave it there.

--- Later in debate ---
Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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The multi-media advertising campaign is indeed targeted on groups less likely to be on the register, but it is for our electoral registration officers to decide what campaign they run in their own locality. My advice to all Members of Parliament is to sit down with the ERO in their locality and to make sure that the campaign they are planning for the next six months is adequate and that registration reaches the hardest-to-reach groups.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I call John Pugh. Not here.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 27th March 2014

(10 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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The assurances I have received from the Electoral Commission are that the technology will work and that this scheme is ready to run on time. The hon. Gentleman has been a trailblazer, because it is very important that all of us visit our electoral registration offices to discuss with them the plan they have to get people on to the register. He has done that. We should all follow his example.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Trailblazer Sheerman; well, there’s a thought for the day.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 9th January 2014

(10 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. I want to hear the voice of South West Devon.

Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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Every time we have floods in the far south-west, our vital rail link with the rest of the country is either severed completely or severely disrupted. Is my right hon. Friend confident that, within the existing resources and his excellent existing budget in the Department, sufficient priority is being given to flood prevention measures for vital transport infrastructure?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 21st November 2013

(10 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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I certainly agree that it is a shocking figure. Many people are working very hard to try to increase the numbers of British people who are registered to vote. There is a target to increase the number of overseas voters who download the registration form for the 2014 European election to three times the number there were in 2009. If we were to increase the 2010 figure threefold, that would take us to about 100,000 downloads in 2015, which would perhaps be much more beneficial.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I call Mr Barry Sheerman—not here.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 24th January 2013

(11 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Given the illustrious post held by the hon. Member for South West Devon (Mr Streeter), I am not sure it is fitting to wave a pen at him.

Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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I completely agree and I did feel rather intimidated, although it was only a cheap biro. My hon. Friend raises an important point that many colleagues on all sides of the House have raised over the years, and it is time for action to be taken. Any change in the law or procedure is obviously a matter for the Government and this House, not the Electoral Commission. However, I am persuaded by my hon. Friend’s rhetoric that more needs to be done, perhaps by conducting some qualitative research into why more Brits living abroad do not register to vote. I will make that suggestion to the Electoral Commission, and it will be up to that commission whether to take it forward.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Thursday 6th December 2012

(11 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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The hon. Lady has changed her mind. We are saddened. Mr Gary Streeter.

Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon) (Con)
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I thank you, Mr Speaker, and my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Tessa Munt).

I am glad that the Secretary of State has been to Exeter. From that visit, he will know that the recent floods disrupted the vital train link between the far south-west and London. Will he ensure that any future investment in flood defences takes into account protecting vital transport infrastructure, not just homes and businesses?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Tuesday 6th November 2012

(11 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Danny Alexander Portrait Danny Alexander
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I am answering the question, which relates to the proceeds of the auction. We are using other policies, rather than the proceeds of the auction, to support this objective.

Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon) (Con)
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Rather than spending money we do not yet have, would it not be better for the Department to continue to work with the Department for Communities and Local Government and others in unlocking major housing schemes which have become stuck in recent years, such as the proposed new town of Sherford in my constituency? Is that not a better way of building affordable homes and boosting the economy?

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. The hon. Gentleman is a very experienced Member. The question is about using the revenue from the auction —

Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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I am talking about affordable housing.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. That is the term of—[Interruption.] Order. No assistance is required from the hon. Gentleman. He will accept my ruling and he can like it or lump it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Bercow and Gary Streeter
Tuesday 27th July 2010

(13 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Let me say to the hon. Gentleman and others that there are other questioners. Questions need to be a lot shorter and sharper.

Gary Streeter Portrait Mr Streeter
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The Electoral Commission is extremely concerned to maintain the accuracy and completeness of the register, and the hon. Gentleman is right to raise the point. It now awaits the Government’s bringing forward of their proposals on speeding up individual electoral registration. It will then, of course, give its advice to Government in the usual way.