Mrs Anne Campbell: I am afraid that I will disappoint my hon. Friend because I am not convinced by his arguments. Defining politically sensitive inquiries is not easy or straightforward, but many of the witnesses who gave evidence to the Select Committee inquiry were able to describe the inquiries that were at issue. The challenge is to craft legislation that enables Parliament to have some involvement rather...
Mrs Anne Campbell: I beg to move amendment No. 35, in clause 1, page 1, line 3, at beginning insert ‘Subject to section (Inquiries pursuant to Resolution of both Houses of Parliament),’.
Mrs Anne Campbell: I am a member of the Select Committee on Public Administration, which discussed the Bill at length. Our discussions were preceded by an investigation here and in the United States to discover the best form of conducting inquiries. The Public Administration Committee’s conclusion was that since the 1921 Act, Parliament had to a large extent contracted out its responsibility to conduct...
Mrs Anne Campbell: I agree that Parliament could set up a commission, as my hon. Friend describes; there is nothing in law to prevent that. However, does he not agree that, in reality, it would be almost impossible to find the parliamentary time or to get agreement on such inquiries unless the Government chose that route? Inquiries carry large costs, and consideration would need to be given to how a...
Mrs Anne Campbell: I, too, was impressed with Sir Michael Bichard’s inquiry and report. One of the very good things about it was that he said in his report that he would reconvene the inquiry after six months to consider the progress that had been made on implementing his recommendations. Does the hon. Gentleman think that that is good practice and one that other people could follow?
Mrs Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the change since 1997 in (a) capital expenditure and (b) staffing levels has been for each primary and secondary school in Cambridge constituency.
Mrs Anne Campbell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to introduce rate relief for small businesses.
Mrs Anne Campbell: A great deal of what I wanted to say has been said by my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Tony Wright), so I shall not cover that ground again. However, this is indeed the right time to review the procedures for public inquiries. When the Public Administration Committee conducted its inquiry, the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 was referred to by Sir Andrew Turnbull as a...
Mrs Anne Campbell: Does my hon. Friend agree that the procedure followed by Sir Michael Bichard in his inquiry into the events at Soham might be emulated by other inquiry chairmen? Bichard stated that he would reconvene his inquiry within six months to look at the recommendations that had been made. Does my hon. Friend consider that to be good practice?
Mrs Anne Campbell: Does the hon. Gentleman feel that there is a case to be made for consulting Parliament not only when the terms of reference are established, but if they are subsequently changed?
Mrs Anne Campbell: When Sir Michael Bichard gave evidence to the Public Administration Committee, he underlined the importance of getting the terms of reference right: "Terms of reference are therefore . . . not something just to be nodded through". The chairman of any inquiry should be involved from the outset in setting the terms of reference.
Mrs Anne Campbell: Does my right hon. Friend agree that to improve the economic viability of African countries, it is important to try to improve the higher education infrastructure as well as basic health and education? Has he had time yet to consider the requests that I made a little while ago to examine the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, based in Cape Town, and the proposal to try to extend...
Mrs Anne Campbell: What steps he is taking to ensure that his Department's research and development budget is used to help small businesses.
Mrs Anne Campbell: I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. He will be aware that I have a number of small firms in my constituency that would benefit enormously from Government research contracts that do so much to help to secure stable funding, which is important in early-stage business, and which the US seems better at doing than the UK. Can my right hon. Friend therefore tell me how close he is to...
Mrs Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of the Government's motor cycling strategy, with particular reference to the proposal to amend the Government's guidance on bus lanes, on levels of use of powered two wheelers; and what assessment he has made of the consequent effects of any changes in levels on (a) the Government's objectives to encourage...
Mrs Anne Campbell: To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has held with President George W. Bush on relations with Iran.
Mrs Anne Campbell: Has my right hon. Friend had time to look at early-day motion 802, which has been signed by 44 right hon. and hon. Members ? [That this House is concerned that small UK science and technology businesses are at present significantly disadvantaged compared with their US competitors because of the absence of an effective UK programme to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programme in...
Mrs Anne Campbell: I am finding my hon. Friend's explanation clear and helpful.
Mrs Anne Campbell: Has my right hon. Friend had time to consider the implications of the proposals of some hon. Members that university students should live at home for the first two years of their degree course and go to university only in their final year?
Mrs Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the breeding population of cormorants (a) in England and (b) on inland waters in England.
