Simon Hughes in Parliament

Simon is currently Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, member of the Select Committee on the modernisation of the House of Commons as well as member of the Cross Party Group on House of Lords Reform

Latest News

Leasehold Reform - 26th February 2008

Simon Hughes welcomed the broad support across parties for his private members' leasehold reform Bill which started its second reading debate on 22nd February 2008. In the forty-one minutes remaining after earlier business was completed, Mr Hughes introduced his Bill, received support for its progress from the Conservative frontbench, and supportive contributions from colleagues in all three main political parties. Sadly time ran out so that the second reading debate could not be concluded today. The Bill will come back to the House of Commons on Friday June 13th.

Questions, Debates and Interventions made by Simon

[Points of Order: Summer Adjournment (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: Are the subjects linked?

[Points of Order: Summer Adjournment (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: I will also keep to eight minutes, as I know that a lot of colleagues want to get in. Like the hon. Member for Lewisham, West (Jim Dowd), I have the privilege of representing parts of south-east London, and in a second I shall mention some topics of concern in our part of the world. First, however, I shall mention some slightly broader issues. We go into recess today with hope and a bit of...

[Points of Order: Summer Adjournment (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: Absolutely. A new high commissioner for Sri Lanka has just been appointed-I have not met him yet-and we must send a clear message that people from all communities in Sri Lanka who have settled here can express their views within the law as freely as other citizens. There must be no intimidation and no sense that the debate here about what is happening in Sri Lanka is being...

[Points of Order: Summer Adjournment (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: That is absolutely true, and I hope that the Deputy Leader of the House brings my hon. Friend's point to the attention not only of her Cabinet Office colleagues, but of colleagues in other Departments. I repeat my oft-heard plea-every London Member says this-for the Government to be much more ambitious about their social housing programme. Over the summer, I hope that the...

[Oral Answers to Questions — Health: Speech and Language Therapists (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: If he will increase the number of speech and language therapists working in the NHS in (a) Greater London and (b) England.

[Oral Answers to Questions — Health: Speech and Language Therapists (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that answer. Following yesterday's very successful and well-attended debate on children and young people, may I ask him specifically about adults? The estimates are that more than 250,000 adult stroke survivors have speech and communication difficulties. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists is based in my patch, and a survey that it...

[Oral Answers to Questions — Health: Topical Questions (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: As we continue to celebrate 60 wonderful years of the NHS, may I ask the Secretary of State or Ministers to make sure that, up and down the land, it is invariably the case that when people who work for the NHS deal with a patient in a hospital or clinic, or with their family, their name and job description are identifiable, and they introduce themselves to explain why they are there?

[Written Answers — Children, Schools and Families: Literacy: Hearing Impaired (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what steps he is planning to implement to reduce the gap in attainment between deaf children and their hearing peers; and if he will make a statement.

[Written Answers — Innovation, Universities and Skills: Education: Prisons (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what procedures are in place to ensure inmates are able to continue and complete study courses following (a) (i) managed and (ii) involuntary moves by HM Prison Service to other detention facilities, (b) the granting of early release and (c) the completion of custodial sentences.

[Written Answers — Innovation, Universities and Skills: Education: Prisons (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he has taken to improve completion rates for inmates undertaking study courses.

[Written Answers — Innovation, Universities and Skills: Education: Prisons (22 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he has taken to improve levels of educational attainment among the prison population in England and Wales.

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: Although it is controversial, I am glad that we are having this debate today.

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: Yes, I would be, because the House made a bad mistake on 3 July. This is a brave move and the Leader of the House is right to bring the matter back to the Floor of the House. I start with what I hope will be non-controversial comments, so I guess that what I say after that will be more controversial. First, I join the Leader of the House and the shadow Leader of the House in paying tribute...

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: No, it is not a rather silly argument and it is not my argument. It is an argument supported by the top salaries review people, by Sir John Baker in his report and by the Members Estimate Committee. The argument is that the abuses of some people who live nearby-only 20 to 25 minutes away, in some cases-and have two homes have to be reined in. The final set of proposals from the...

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: I am afraid to say, as the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) is saying, that the hon. Gentleman is misrepresenting the position- [Interruption.] I am reading it; the proposal is in front of me. The recommendation was quite clear: "there should be a robust new system of practice assurance involving regular financial health checks on records kept and processes used in Members'...

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: I shall give way to the right hon. Gentleman in a moment. The difference was that it would have been an audit of everything, not just- [Interruption.] Potentially of everything. It was not just of the additional costs allowance. Most people out there cannot understand why we are not willing to have everything audited and willing to have only some things audited. [Interruption.]

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: I give way to the right hon. Member for Islwyn.

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: On that point, I absolutely agree with the right hon. Gentleman. I am trying to ensure that where there is consensus, we have it. The difference was that it was an audit of everything. I share concerns that we should not have a hugely expensive process with millions of quid going to the private sector, but that would not have been the implication had we voted for the motion tabled by the...

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: Not for a moment. Every one of my Liberal Democrat colleagues who was here- [Laughter.] No, no, no. Every one who was here voted in favour of the tough and transparent system, and 55 per cent. of our parliamentary party was here. All of them voted for the open system. Of the-

[Opposition Day — [18th Allotted Day]: Members' Allowances (16 Jul 2008)]

Simon Hughes: No, not for a second. Of the Conservatives, 54 MPs voted for the open and transparent system and 21 voted against. Had those 21 voted for, we would not be in this mess because the amendment would not have been carried. That means that only 27 per cent. of the Tories were in favour of the open system. There were 201 Labour Members here and voting. Of those, 52 were in favour of full...

Earlier Stories

[Complete archive on the official site]

TheyWorkForYou.com Search: speaker:Simon Hughes.

Early Day Motions

Early day motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, very few EDMs are actually debated. Instead, they are used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs, drawing attention to specific events or campaigns, and demonstrating the extent of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.

An MP can add their signature to an EDM to show their support. They can also submit amendments to an existing EDM. Although the majority of EDMs are never debated, the group of EDMs known as 'prayers' may be debated. Prayers are motions to overturn Statutory Instruments (laws made by Ministers under powers deriving from Acts of Parliament).

Up-to-date and searchable information on EDMs is available from the Early Day Motions database on the UK Parliament website. The database is updated nightly with new EDMs and signatures added to existing EDMs. The database covers sessions going back to 1989/90.

[Early Day Motion Database]

To see which Early Day Motion's Simon has supported please follow the link:

[EDM's supported by Simon]

All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG's)

All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG's) are regarded as relatively informal compared with other cross-party bodies such as select committees of the House. The membership of all-party groups mainly comprises backbench Members of the House of Commons and Lords but may also include ministers and non-parliamentarians. Groups flourish and wane according to the interests and enthusiasm of Members.

Groups are classified either as subject groups (relating to a particular topic eg. forestry) or country groups (relating to a particular country or region). Most country groups are affiliated to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's United Kingdom Branch and/or the Inter-Parliamentary Union's British Group.

For an up to date register of all APPG's please use the following link:

Simon is a member of the following APPG's:

Secretary, Britain-Bangladesh Group

Treasurer, British-Finnish Group

Treasurer, British-Central American Group

Treasurer, British-Cyprus Group

Vice-Chair, Friends of Islam Group

Vice-Chair, Irish in Britain Group

Vice-Chair, UK Sikh Group

Vice-Chair, Youth Affairs Group

Vice-Chair, Gibraltar Group

Vice-Chair, Ukraine Group

Vice-Chair, British-Latin America Group

Vice-Chair, Tamils Group

Co-chair, Conflict Issues Group

Sri Lanka -