Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 06 Jan 2014 Water Bill
"I am grateful, but on this occasion it is perhaps the Minister who should have paid more attention to my remarks a few moments ago. I clearly said that the last Government gave the water companies time to introduce the voluntary schemes, but that they have now failed to honour …..." Thomas Docherty - View Speech
"I am grateful to the Minister and am listening carefully to what he says. He will, I am sure, come on to his justifications as regards new clause 10 in a second. Before he finishes dealing with new clause 9, however, can he say what he defines as “time to …..." Thomas Docherty - View Speech
"I remind the Minister that our scheme would not involve cross-subsidisation. I am surprised that he is so against the use of benefit systems for social tariffs, because the Liberal Democrats in Scotland actively supported the introduction of social tariffs based on council tax benefit. What is the difference?..." Thomas Docherty - View Speech
"It is worth pointing out that local authorities in Scotland place great emphasis on the opinion of Scottish Water, which is, indeed, treated as a major statutory consultee when local authorities are making decisions about developments...." Thomas Docherty - View Speech
"It will probably not cheer my hon. Friend to hear that every single amendment tabled in Committee by Opposition Members, and indeed by coalition Members, was rejected, even though the Minister had previously agreed with them in the Select Committee...." Thomas Docherty - View Speech
"May I wish you a warm and happy new year, Madam Deputy Speaker?
We have had a thoughtful and knowledgeable debate over the past hour and a half or so. I commend two Select Committee Chairmen and a former Minister for their remarks, even if we did not agree with …..." Thomas Docherty - View Speech
"I am sure that the hon. Gentleman has misled the House inadvertently, because he will know that Labour’s first price review led to a real-terms cut in water bills...." Thomas Docherty - View Speech
"It is a pleasure to respond to this debate on behalf of the Opposition. We have had a good and lively discussion this evening, with a number of thoughtful and knowledgeable contributions. I hope to address in turn each issue raised by Members.
"I will come on to that point in just one moment. As my hon. Friend the Member for South Shields mentioned, the latest figures show that more than 80,000 households have sought advice from citizens advice bureaux about water bill debts in the past year, which is almost exactly the …..." Thomas Docherty - View Speech