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815 Oral Answers<br />
1 DECEMBER 2010<br />
Oral Answers<br />
816<br />
still the specific issue with Ireland, and I will ask my<br />
right hon. and learned Friend the Justice Secretary to<br />
look at it to see whether we can do a little better.<br />
Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab/Co-op):<br />
The Government are cutting their teaching grant to<br />
Liverpool university by 30%, to Liverpool John Moores<br />
university by 70%, and to Liverpool Hope university by<br />
97%. Is this a policy for closing down opportunity?<br />
The Prime Minister: No, this is a policy to make sure<br />
that we have a strong university sector in this country.<br />
[Interruption.] Opposition Members can object, but it<br />
was the Conservatives and the Labour Government<br />
who set up the Browne review. I would recommend that<br />
hon. Members read the Browne review, because with<br />
the alternative of staying w<strong>here</strong> we are now, we would<br />
either have to cut student numbers or find universities<br />
struggling. What Browne has come up with is a proper<br />
answer for a strong university sector for the future.<br />
Q5. [27562] Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington)<br />
(LD): Does the Prime Minister agree that when this<br />
Government are devising policy they should look at the<br />
evidence of what works in tackling reoffending,<br />
substance abuse and youth crime, rather than relying<br />
on the tub-thumping, shroud-waving, ambulancechasing<br />
antics that pass for a policy-making process in<br />
the Labour party?<br />
The Prime Minister: The hon. Gentleman makes a<br />
very good point. The fact is that with the difficulties of<br />
the budget deficit and the spending problems that we<br />
have, we do not have any choice but to look at the<br />
evidence and make sure that what we do works and is<br />
cost-effective. I think that we should start with the issue<br />
of drug rehabilitation, because if we can reduce drug-related<br />
crime and cut those costs we will make very great<br />
progress.<br />
Steve Rotheram (Liverpool, Walton) (Lab): Will the<br />
Prime Minister carry out an urgent check on the satellite<br />
navigation system used in ministerial cars? My concern<br />
is that just a few short months ago the Deputy Prime<br />
Minister could not be stopped from driving himself<br />
from university campus to university campus, but since<br />
he has got his chauffeur-driven ministerial car, he has<br />
not been seen near a student union. Is the sat-nav broke,<br />
or has he simply lost his political direction?<br />
The Prime Minister: That was a wonderfully involved<br />
metaphor. At least the Deputy Prime Minister can<br />
make up his mind whether to join a demo or not—the<br />
Leader of the Opposition cannot even decide whether<br />
to sit on the fence.<br />
Q6. [27563] Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con):<br />
Last week the governors of Christleton high school in<br />
my constituency made the decision to apply for<br />
academy status. However, before they made that<br />
decision, they faced a barrage of opposition from trade<br />
unions and local Labour party activists. What message<br />
would the Prime Minister send to those who seek to<br />
undermine much needed reforms of public services in<br />
order to fulfil old-fashioned, outdated, left-wing<br />
ideology?<br />
The Prime Minister: My hon. Friend is entirely right.<br />
The academy movement—just like the city technology<br />
colleges before it—has brought greater independence<br />
and greater authority to head teachers and has led to an<br />
improvement in educational standards. If Labour Members<br />
have got any sense, they will not back off from it, and<br />
they should tell their friends in the trade union movement<br />
to stop objecting to new academies.<br />
Q7. [27564] Lisa Nandy (Wigan) (Lab): I have recently<br />
come across workers in Wigan who were forced by<br />
gangmasters to work 12 hours a day, seven days a<br />
week, below the minimum wage, and were threatened<br />
and bullied when they complained. Why have the Prime<br />
Minister’s Government failed to take any action to<br />
tackle this issue? Will he join me in supporting the<br />
Gangmasters Licensing (Extension to Construction<br />
Industry) Bill and help to bring an end to this appalling<br />
abuse?<br />
The Prime Minister: This is a problem, and it is not<br />
one that has arisen suddenly under this Government—it<br />
has been a problem for many years. T<strong>here</strong> are problems<br />
with gangmasters not paying the minimum wage, and<br />
we need to make sure that this is properly policed.<br />
Q8. [27565] David T. C. Davies (Monmouth) (Con):<br />
Does the Prime Minister agree that the Olympics<br />
offer a golden opportunity to encourage more disabled<br />
people to take part in sport? Would he like to pay<br />
tribute to the Welsh Paralympic team, who we hope<br />
will be visiting the Welsh Affairs Committee in<br />
February? Should my right hon. Friend be available on<br />
that day, he would be very welcome to come and give<br />
his best regards.<br />
The Prime Minister: I am happy to endorse what my<br />
hon. Friend says. As to his invitation, as he is an<br />
amateur boxer, I should probably say yes immediately.<br />
It is great that the Paralympics are returning to their<br />
birthplace for London 2012, and I am sure that it will be<br />
a great showcase for sporting talent. Obviously, I wish<br />
the Welsh team well.<br />
Ian Paisley (North Antrim) (DUP): As the happy son<br />
of Paisley, may I too wish the Prime Minister well in his<br />
bid to bring the World cup to the <strong>United</strong> <strong>Kingdom</strong>?<br />
Will he support the campaign of the historic town of<br />
Ballymena in County Antrim to achieve city status<br />
during Her Majesty’s jubilee year?<br />
The Prime Minister: The hon. Gentleman is not only<br />
metaphorically, but biologically the son of Paisley—he<br />
is on safe ground t<strong>here</strong>. I shall certainly look at the<br />
matter that he raises. I know that campaigns for city<br />
status can gain great traction. Before I start endorsing<br />
every single one, I shall look at what he has said, but I<br />
am sure that t<strong>here</strong> is a strong case.<br />
Q9. [27566] Richard Fuller (Bedford) (Con): The Prime<br />
Minister may have noted that the Leader of the<br />
Opposition approaches economic questions with the<br />
acumen of a novice out of his depth. By the next<br />
general election, families in my constituency will each<br />
have paid back £21,000 in Government debt. Will the<br />
Prime Minister resist Opposition demands to scale<br />
back on the deficit-reduction measures?