To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Essex and (ii) Castle Point constituency have had revenue balances in excess of those predicted in each year since 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Essex and (ii) Castle Point constituency have had revenue balances in excess of those predicted in each year since 1997.

The Leader of the House will have seen my early-day motions in 2007-08 and 2008-09 that sought to stop MPs abusing their expenses and second jobs. Even now, can we plan to meet in the House on 31 March to debate the matter and press forward on the remaining, much-needed...

The Leader of the House will have seen my early-day motions in 2007-08 and 2008-09 that sought to stop MPs abusing their expenses and second jobs. Even now, can we plan to meet in the House on 31 March to debate the matter and press forward on the remaining, much-needed...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that blue sky research is most important, and that it should not stall under the current difficult economic conditions? The large hadron collider is one such case. We do not know whether it will tell us much about the Higgs boson or what it will...

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that blue sky research is most important, and that it should not stall under the current difficult economic conditions? The large hadron collider is one such case. We do not know whether it will tell us much about the Higgs boson or what it will...

My hon. Friend has rightly, responsibly and caringly brought an important subject to the Chamber. He is approaching the matter from the viewpoint of taking personal responsibility, as well as that of clinical strategies, but he seemed to dismiss early in his speech the possibility of cutting staff. Will he...

My hon. Friend has rightly, responsibly and caringly brought an important subject to the Chamber. He is approaching the matter from the viewpoint of taking personal responsibility, as well as that of clinical strategies, but he seemed to dismiss early in his speech the possibility of cutting staff. Will he...

Does the Minister accept that there could be a crisis if decisions were wrongly taken to slash and cut public services such as the health service in a devastating way? We should certainly avoid that policy. One way in which we could move forward is by addressing the amount of...

Does the Minister accept that there could be a crisis if decisions were wrongly taken to slash and cut public services such as the health service in a devastating way? We should certainly avoid that policy. One way in which we could move forward is by addressing the amount of...

Around 6,000 of my constituents travel to east London to work every day. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the way to tackle the problem on both roads and rail is to increase capacity on the railways, and to enable more carriages to be added to trains by extending platforms...

Around 6,000 of my constituents travel to east London to work every day. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the way to tackle the problem on both roads and rail is to increase capacity on the railways, and to enable more carriages to be added to trains by extending platforms...

On a positive note, will the hon. Gentleman join me in congratulating the Football League on its partnership with Help for Heroes? It has fundraised for returning heroes and provided free and discounted football tickets for our armed forces.

On a positive note, will the hon. Gentleman join me in congratulating the Football League on its partnership with Help for Heroes? It has fundraised for returning heroes and provided free and discounted football tickets for our armed forces.

The hon. Gentleman is making some excellent points. My constituents largely support Southend United and they are watching the tragedy unfold before their eyes. They know that the taxman wants only a small proportion of the money that the club has received, and they wonder what has happened to the...

The hon. Gentleman is making some excellent points. My constituents largely support Southend United and they are watching the tragedy unfold before their eyes. They know that the taxman wants only a small proportion of the money that the club has received, and they wonder what has happened to the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of local authorities which exhausted their allocated funds for independent living adaptations and equipment within a 12 month period in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of local authorities which exhausted their allocated funds for independent living adaptations and equipment within a 12 month period in each of the last five years.

The Minister will know that police numbers in Essex have increased, and he will probably have guessed that I will seek to claim credit for that. However, people out there know that the real reason is that the Government have increased funding to enable police numbers in Essex to increase,...

The Minister will know that police numbers in Essex have increased, and he will probably have guessed that I will seek to claim credit for that. However, people out there know that the real reason is that the Government have increased funding to enable police numbers in Essex to increase,...

I am delighted that you allowed me to go as far as you did, Madam Deputy Speaker. I commend you for that and I shall allow my remarks to rest.

I am delighted that you allowed me to go as far as you did, Madam Deputy Speaker. I commend you for that and I shall allow my remarks to rest.

My constituents would expect me to be totally supportive of the hon. Gentleman's amendments and new clause, as indeed I am. Canvey Island, which I represent, suffered the greatest loss of life from any flood, in 1953. My constituents do not just want the fire service's statutory position to be...

My constituents would expect me to be totally supportive of the hon. Gentleman's amendments and new clause, as indeed I am. Canvey Island, which I represent, suffered the greatest loss of life from any flood, in 1953. My constituents do not just want the fire service's statutory position to be...

I have an Environment Agency that is pragmatic and is out there working right this moment, looking at Canvey Island's defences. It is led by Daffyd Davies, the area manager. He is a fantastic man and I congratulate the Environment Agency warmly, as it is helping to defend my constituents....

I have an Environment Agency that is pragmatic and is out there working right this moment, looking at Canvey Island's defences. It is led by Daffyd Davies, the area manager. He is a fantastic man and I congratulate the Environment Agency warmly, as it is helping to defend my constituents....

Central to the debate is the effectiveness and operation of councils’ empty homes officers. Is the Minister convinced that they have sufficient powers and that councils give them enough funding to enable them to bring more homes, particularly in London, into use?

Central to the debate is the effectiveness and operation of councils’ empty homes officers. Is the Minister convinced that they have sufficient powers and that councils give them enough funding to enable them to bring more homes, particularly in London, into use?

I declare an interest in that my family is affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that drug access is absolutely central to the problem, particularly the new biological anti-TNF drugs, and that their prudent and early use may not only help the patient tremendously, but have a...

I declare an interest in that my family is affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that drug access is absolutely central to the problem, particularly the new biological anti-TNF drugs, and that their prudent and early use may not only help the patient tremendously, but have a...

So that the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr. Vaizey), who speaks for the Tories, cannot be accused of hypocrisy, may I ask him to have a word with the local Tory-controlled council in my borough? It publishes a newspaper at public expense but refuses to give the contact details of...

So that the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr. Vaizey), who speaks for the Tories, cannot be accused of hypocrisy, may I ask him to have a word with the local Tory-controlled council in my borough? It publishes a newspaper at public expense but refuses to give the contact details of...

The Secretary of State knows that I support the Bill, and I thank him for introducing it. He will have heard the Deputy Speaker talking about the presentation of private Members' Bills tomorrow, and may have seen on today's Order Paper that I will present a Bill to require local...

The Secretary of State knows that I support the Bill, and I thank him for introducing it. He will have heard the Deputy Speaker talking about the presentation of private Members' Bills tomorrow, and may have seen on today's Order Paper that I will present a Bill to require local...

To make this excellent Bill work better, we need to ensure that we can fund adaptations to homes—such as adapting baths to showers and installing stair lifts—quickly. Will the Secretary of State meet me and representatives of the Royal British Legion and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association to...

To make this excellent Bill work better, we need to ensure that we can fund adaptations to homes—such as adapting baths to showers and installing stair lifts—quickly. Will the Secretary of State meet me and representatives of the Royal British Legion and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association to...

I warmly congratulate the hon. Gentleman on bringing this very important subject to the House at this time. Has he seen early-day motion 32, which talks about the negative effects of student fees, particularly on poorer families and students, in that they discourage students from going to university, which is...

I warmly congratulate the hon. Gentleman on bringing this very important subject to the House at this time. Has he seen early-day motion 32, which talks about the negative effects of student fees, particularly on poorer families and students, in that they discourage students from going to university, which is...

In 1953, 58 people living on Canvey Island in my constituency were killed in the flood of that year. Will the Secretary of State and the Government ensure that their planning inspectors and the Environment Agency do all that they can to stop local councils going ahead with building on...

In 1953, 58 people living on Canvey Island in my constituency were killed in the flood of that year. Will the Secretary of State and the Government ensure that their planning inspectors and the Environment Agency do all that they can to stop local councils going ahead with building on...