The end of the year is a moment for reflection, so let us look at the Government’s report card: a Tory mini-Budget that crashed the economy, waiting lists and times at record highs, trains delayed and cancelled all over the place, billions wasted on dodgy contracts, and a reshuffle policy that means everyone in the Conservative party gets to be famous for 15 minutes. Why is it that when nothing is working under the Tories, even at this time of seasonal gift giving, they still insist on making everyone else pay the price for their Government’s failures?

The end of the year is a moment for reflection, so let us look at the Government’s report card: a Tory mini-Budget that crashed the economy, waiting lists and times at record highs, trains delayed and cancelled all over the place, billions wasted on dodgy contracts, and a reshuffle policy that means everyone in the Conservative party gets to be famous for 15 minutes. Why is it that when nothing is working under the Tories, even at this time of seasonal gift giving, they still insist on making everyone else pay the price for their Government’s failures?

The Secretary of State said that this was a national effort and he is right, but it is more than that; this is a global crisis that has seen different approaches taken in different countries. Does he not accept that we need stronger, co-ordinated, global leadership, both on the health...

The Secretary of State said that this was a national effort and he is right, but it is more than that; this is a global crisis that has seen different approaches taken in different countries. Does he not accept that we need stronger, co-ordinated, global leadership, both on the health...

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much expenditure his Department is planning as part of the National Minimum Wage outreach campaign in 2010; and what road shows are planned to take place in 2010 as part of the campaign.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much expenditure his Department is planning as part of the National Minimum Wage outreach campaign in 2010; and what road shows are planned to take place in 2010 as part of the campaign.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors have spent on (a) Ministerial photoshoots and (b) production of videos in which Ministers appear in the last three years for which figures are available.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors have spent on (a) Ministerial photoshoots and (b) production of videos in which Ministers appear in the last three years for which figures are available.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department (a) has spent since its inception and (b) plans to spend in 2010-11 on (i) the design of its website and (ii) other market research for promotional purposes.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department (a) has spent since its inception and (b) plans to spend in 2010-11 on (i) the design of its website and (ii) other market research for promotional purposes.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the budget is of the It's Your Call road show for 2009-10; and which locations will be visited by the roadshow in 2009-10.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the budget is of the It's Your Call road show for 2009-10; and which locations will be visited by the roadshow in 2009-10.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which locations the Minimum Wage Battle Bus visited in 2009; and on what dates those visits took place.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which locations the Minimum Wage Battle Bus visited in 2009; and on what dates those visits took place.

There are rules governing charges, which I will come on to, but certainly the motivation behind the order is to increase the pot of money that is available to creditors. As I was saying before the hon. Gentleman intervened, the savings from the proposals, together with parallel changes that we...

There are rules governing charges, which I will come on to, but certainly the motivation behind the order is to increase the pot of money that is available to creditors. As I was saying before the hon. Gentleman intervened, the savings from the proposals, together with parallel changes that we...

That is a perfectly valid point. I stress that nothing in the order prevents an insolvency practitioner from using the local paper—and its website—if they think that that is the best route by which to reach people. We are changing the requirement in legislation that they must place such adverts...

That is a perfectly valid point. I stress that nothing in the order prevents an insolvency practitioner from using the local paper—and its website—if they think that that is the best route by which to reach people. We are changing the requirement in legislation that they must place such adverts...

I do not propose to go over all the exchanges between officials on this matter. I believe that dialogue did take place, and my concern is to ensure that the savings identified in this order, taken in the context of the wider changes to insolvency rules that we propose, are...

I do not propose to go over all the exchanges between officials on this matter. I believe that dialogue did take place, and my concern is to ensure that the savings identified in this order, taken in the context of the wider changes to insolvency rules that we propose, are...

The point about the order is that it gives both the companies involved and the insolvency practitioners the flexibility to choose the best medium for reaching the people whom they wish to reach. Obviously, in the age of digital communication and wider trade patterns, the local paper may not always...

The point about the order is that it gives both the companies involved and the insolvency practitioners the flexibility to choose the best medium for reaching the people whom they wish to reach. Obviously, in the age of digital communication and wider trade patterns, the local paper may not always...

I should point out to the hon. Gentleman that HMRC has not been a preferential creditor since 2003.

I should point out to the hon. Gentleman that HMRC has not been a preferential creditor since 2003.

That may be the case, but, as I said, the fees will be governed by the courts. I stress that the proposal in the order is not about increasing fees for liquidators, but increasing the pot of money that is available to creditors.

That may be the case, but, as I said, the fees will be governed by the courts. I stress that the proposal in the order is not about increasing fees for liquidators, but increasing the pot of money that is available to creditors.

I am tempted to use that tremendously flexible parliamentary word, "soon" in respect of the introduction of the order. We hope to introduce it within the April-May timetable. The hon. Gentleman said that he wanted to be clear—it is a perfectly fair request—that although we would be less prescriptive about...

I am tempted to use that tremendously flexible parliamentary word, "soon" in respect of the introduction of the order. We hope to introduce it within the April-May timetable. The hon. Gentleman said that he wanted to be clear—it is a perfectly fair request—that although we would be less prescriptive about...

My hon. Friend may have heard the phrase "real help now". It is precisely because we are in favour of real help now that we wanted to make the changes on advertising and bring them in as quickly as possible. Other changes are on a slightly slower timetable, but they...

My hon. Friend may have heard the phrase "real help now". It is precisely because we are in favour of real help now that we wanted to make the changes on advertising and bring them in as quickly as possible. Other changes are on a slightly slower timetable, but they...

The fees can be high, but I put this point to the hon. Gentleman: given our concern about fees, it would be an odd judgment for us not to approve changes that would free resources for creditors.

The fees can be high, but I put this point to the hon. Gentleman: given our concern about fees, it would be an odd judgment for us not to approve changes that would free resources for creditors.

I am sure that it is more in order for me to concern myself with this debate, rather than the next one, in which I will not be seeking to speak, but I will say that we want to ensure that the advertising in terms of the insolvency process is...

I am sure that it is more in order for me to concern myself with this debate, rather than the next one, in which I will not be seeking to speak, but I will say that we want to ensure that the advertising in terms of the insolvency process is...

The £17 million figure is the savings from both the order we have proposed, which has been considered by the Committee, and the parallel changes to the insolvency rules, which are dealt with in a separate order under the negative resolution procedure. The reason why we have to do it...

The £17 million figure is the savings from both the order we have proposed, which has been considered by the Committee, and the parallel changes to the insolvency rules, which are dealt with in a separate order under the negative resolution procedure. The reason why we have to do it...

I am very happy to repeat that. There is no reason why anything we are proposing in the order before the House, and the Committee's report on it, should increase fees for practitioners. On the wider subject, I should inform the House that changes that are intended to come into...

I am very happy to repeat that. There is no reason why anything we are proposing in the order before the House, and the Committee's report on it, should increase fees for practitioners. On the wider subject, I should inform the House that changes that are intended to come into...

On a procedural point, the hon. Gentleman heard my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Andrew Miller) say that the Committee has a stronger power, which is to recommend that the measure be vetoed. Members of the Committee are in the Chamber, so they can correct me...

On a procedural point, the hon. Gentleman heard my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Andrew Miller) say that the Committee has a stronger power, which is to recommend that the measure be vetoed. Members of the Committee are in the Chamber, so they can correct me...