Martin Linton asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on business of the extension of family friendly policies contained in the Work and Families Bill.
Meg Munn answered for the government.
Read the full exchange on TheyWorkforYou.
Martin Linton didn't speak in any of the debates on the smoking clauses of the Health Bill but in the free vote he voted in favour of completely banning smoking in public spaces. Full details of the votes can be found on Public Whip.
Health Bill - New Clause 5 - Smoke-free premises: exemptions
This vote added exemptions for homes and private clubs
Health Bill - New Clause 5 - Smoke-free premises: exemptions
This vote removed the exemption for private clubs
Health Bill - New Clause 5 - Smoke-free premises: exemptions
This vote made other small tweaks to the clause
Health Bill - Schedule 8 - Minor and consequential amendments
This vote approved the altered Bill for a third reading
Following his performance in the ID cards debate, Martin Linton continues to work really hard in Parliament. Yesterday he was commenting on the decision to bring the West London and North London train lines under the control of Transport for London.
I too welcome the decision to bring the west London line and the north London line under the control of Transport for London, and urge my hon. Friend to ensure that it is accompanied by sufficient borrowing powers in the capital spending review to ensure that TFL can develop London's orbital lines into a real service for Londoners.
Read Linton's speech or the whole debate at TheyWorkForYou.
Martin Linton was very busy during the various debates about the ID card system. He spoke more times during these debates than I have ever seen him speak before. Here are the full details of his speeches:
Oral answers to questions - Speeches 1, 2.
Debate on Clause 5 - Speeches 1, 2, 3, 4
Debate on Clause 1 - Speeches - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
All of the speeches were in support of government policy and concentrated largely on the perceived cost benefit of the cards. At the end of the debate Linton voted with the government in both divisions.
Martin Linton spoke about community sentences during this debate
I, too, welcome the emphasis on community sentences in my right hon. Friend's statement, and the commitment to an expansion of unpaid work. Does he agree, however, that to win the full-hearted support of probation officers, he will need to ensure that the probation service—especially the London probation service—has the necessary resources and training to supervise that unpaid work? Does he also agree that the key to the success of community sentences—turning them from a soft option to a hard choice—is a well trained and well supported staff, as I am sure the National Association of Probation Officers would agree?
Read Martin Linton's speech or the full debate on TheyWorkForYou
In Foreign and Commentwealth Office Questions, Martin Linton asked if the Foreign Secretary agreed that "the Israeli Government and, to a lesser extent, the United States Government have only themselves to blame for the victory of Hamas, since they cut the ground from under every moderate Palestinian politician by allowing the expansion of Israeli settlements on the west bank in defiance of the peace process, in defiance of the United Nations and in defiance of the law?"
Funnily enough, Jack Straw didn't agree with that view of the situation.
Read from Martin Linton's question or the full debate on TheyWorkForYou
