Monday 4 February 2013

PMQS: 4TH FEB


PRIME MINISTERS QUESTIONS:

11:38: Alison Seabeck asks whether her constituents will be able to offer their children in the armed services a home upon their return from service with the planned bedroom tax. Cameron claims to understand the situation but that the tax is based around claiming control on "housing benefit", claiming the country spends £23billion on housing benefit each year.

11:39: Rebecca Harris asks if the PM welcomes the news that applications for universities are up by 3.5%. Cameron claims that after the whole "student protests" debacle, the figures are pleasing.

11:40: Ed Miliband time. He says Cameron told him the "good news will keep coming" but last week's growth figures suggest otherwise. Cameron responds that GDP was up in the last quarter. Says Miliband should listen to the Governer of the Bank of England who say there is a slow recovery in place. 

11:42: Miliband calls the answer "complacent". "The Tories said in Autumn 2010 that by now the economy would have grown by over 5%". Cameron denies complacency but gives no figures, mentions one million new jobs in private sector jobs and says more needs to be done. Miliband wants a straight answer to a straight question, says the chancellor should spend more time focussing on the economy and less on the high-speed rail network. Slight interruption for a Tory heckler. Miliband gives some facts on the actual rate of growth, asks can Cameron confirm that Britain's growth is 18th from the G20 countries. Cameron goes straight to high-speed rail, then mentions that European sectors claim British growth will be the biggest in Europe. 

11:45: Miliband mentions that Britain has done worse than USA, Canada, Germany and France in growth, chief of the IMS said if things look this bad in the UK at the beginning of 2013 (which it does) there should be a change. Asks if Cameron should do anything differently. Cameron rebuts with the managing director of the IMF who says that cutting was necessary. Says the recession in Britain was deeper and longer than the American recession, repeatedly refers to previous Labour government. 

11:47: Miliband calls his answer "incomprehensible", mentions that Tories are borrowing 212billion more than Labour did and that debt is rising. Cameron asks why he wants to borrow more if there's a problem with borrowing. Miliband responds by saying under Cameron's watch, this has been the slowest economic response for 100 years. Cameron again lists Labours previous mistakes.

11:50: Andrew Griffiths: Asks about duty on alcohol, asks to scrap the beer duty escalator to help British publords. Cameron remembers a trip to Burton's brewership and says the Government has plans to help.

11:51: Gordon Marsden: Asks about household green deal. Cameron says he hopes the RHG agrees as it should help insulate homes and let bills fall in homes.

11:52: Adrian Sanders: Two men have drowned in stormy weathers in Torquay this week. How can the PM reassure local fisherman who pay significant tax on their catch that risks won't increase? PM says good moment to pay tribute to the fisherman and says the Government's report is ongoing.

11:54: Dave Watts: Why is the PM afraid to visit a food bank? PM says yesterday he was discussing with the person who runs the food bank in his constituency that runners should be thanked for the work they do.

11:55: Richard Drax: Can the PM join in the battle to save the Dorset Rescue Helicopter. Repeated requests have been ignored. PM says former Transport Secretary have met with the RHF but pays tribute to search and rescue services across the country. Reforms aim to improve response times by 15%.

11:57: Russell Brown: Since PM came into office unemployment in Dumfries and Galloway has risen by 15%. Would like to know what the PM's definition of "good news" is? PM says in Scotland unemploymetn has fallen by 15,000 this quarter. One important point is that because tax thresholds have been raised many Scots have been taken out of income tax altogether.

11:58: Sir Peter Bottomley: On Syria, asks PM what is being done to help people of Syria? PM says Britain is second-largest donor of aid into refugee camps, one of the biggest things that can happen is for Chinese and Russians to reconsider their positions to help stabilise region. 

11:59: Grahame Morris: Asks PM if the real reason for the delay to funded schemes for a technology school is due to banks, which pay heavy bonuses, are denying loans. Cameron says he will have a word with the Education Secretary, says school budgets are equivalent to Labour's term. Interest rates lowered and PFI being reformed.

12:03: Julian Brazier: Asks if PM will agree that immigration influx under Labour means that it's good we are starting to get a grip on our borders. PM agrees, says immigration went too far and was too high and criticises Labour for not taking the tough decisions that they have. Says net immigration has come down by a quarter.

12:05: Graham Stringer: Mentions second phase of HS2, asks if this project is really going to make an impact on North/South divide it should be built both ways. Cameron says there is an all-party welcome, thinks best way to deliver it is to come forward at appropriate time, that if you change the plans it leads to delays and that at the moment, HS2 is going too slowly.

12:08: Richard Graham: Asks if PM is going to make more of an impact on drunk, uninsured drivers. PM says concern is shared around the country, says government has tried to increase penalties and will look carefully at what has been said. PM says it is important for courts to be able to take exemplary action.

12:10: Sir peter Tapsell: With PM going to Algeria, asks will PM bear in mind that when Louis Felipe sent his eldest son to Algeria in the 1840s that it took a century and massive casualties to get the French army out of the North Africa desert? PM struggles to contain laughter but says he's only planning to visit Algeria. 

12:12: Gavin Shuker: Last week PM said he was paying down Britain's debt. Says it will go up 600billion. Would he like to change the record? PM says deficit is down by a quarter, worth reminding ourselves why we're having to do this in the first place? Back to blaming Labour again.

12:13: John Mann: Bedroom tax will cost 25000-35000 per family. PM says they are encouraging people to build and buy their own homes. Also encouraging the right to buy, if members of Labour want to help they should stop blocking.

12:14: Does PM agree that when Miliband speaks on economy he doesn't realise you don't get out of trouble by spending more money? Allows PM time to further criticise Labour's previous management of the economy.

12:16: George Galloway: Asks about aid to Syria aiding the wrong people. PM says wherever there is a brutal Arab dictator, he'll have the support of Galloway.

12:17: Craig Whittaker: Will PM be taking seriously the LibDem ministers who resign having not agreed on ref? PM says they will have to justify that to their constituents

The research findings



 The research findings

Damage to the skull indicated battle wounds whilst the former king was alive, possibly fatal or causing loss of consciousness. Marks on the ribs and pelvis suggested 'humiliation' wounds, post-mortem mutilation to the body in order to show disrespect.

The spine of the body had curvature consistent with idiopathic adolescent onset scoliosis which developed after the age of 10.

The remains will now be interred at Leicester Cathedral, being the nearest consecrated site.

R3 - New Burial Site

The remains of Richard the III are to be buried at Leicester Cathedral, as it is the nearest Consecrated Grounds in keeping with tradition.

R3 Press Conference

It is now confirmed: The skeletal remains found at Grey Friars dig site are those of Richard the III. The question now is where the remains will now be interred at Westminster Abbey. Follow us on @iDerbyNews for further information.

R3 Press Conference - Best Tweets

@Davidhepworth - Richard III not the last Englishman to take ages getting out of a multi-storey car park.

@stephenmangan - Richard III facial reconstruction astonishing http://twitpic.com/c0tire

@theJeremyVine - No sooner does Richard III emerge into the 21st century than he discovers the brutal realities of the 24-hour news cycle #Huhne

@justinmoorehouse - NCP lured Richard III in with a January Deal. It was the winter of discount rents. I am so ashamed.

@mrdanwalker - If it really is #RichardIII he faces one of the biggest unpaid parking fines in all Christendom.

@Historyneedsyou - The memorial plaque to #RichardIII in Leicester Cathedral - it may be that his remains will finally be interred there pic.twitter.com/GZexQx6N

R3 - Cause of Death

Many Injuries indicate that the Skeleton are indicative of battle wounds. However cause of death is suggested to be either the slicing of part of the back of the skull, or a stab through the back of the head, both wounds causing almost instantaneous unconsciousness followed by death soon after.

R3 - Press Conference

Coverage of the Press Conference has paused following Chris Huhne pleading Guilty to perverting the course of Justice. We will return when coverage continues. Follow us on Twitter @iDerbyNews for more information

Richard the III Press Conference - Opening Statements

10:01 - Sir Robert Burges
"Research has periods when researchers are exhilarated, and periods when they are very depressed"
10:03 - Richard Taylor
"What we are about to tell you is truely astonishing"
10:05
"Truth is the daugher of time"
10:05
"It is possible, though yet somehow unlikely that excavators will uncover the remains"

Richard the III - The Press Conference

We will be live updating on both Twitter and Blogspot during the press conference. Follow us on twitter: @iDerbyNews

Richard III: a quick backstory


Who was Richard III?

  Often painted as a hunchbacked monster by William Shakespeare, some records say that he was in fact not the villain as claimed by the playwright.

His father, Richard of York, died in battle with his brother Edmund when Richard was just eight years old. When his brother Edward IV was restored to the throne in 1471, Richard began building his reputation as a power player.

Edward died in April 1483 and Richard was named as protector of the realm for Edward's son and successor, the 12-year-old Edward V. 

Immortalised by the line 'A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse', he is thought to have been killed in battle, beginning Henry Tudor's reign as Henry VII.