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Diana Organ

Diana Organ

LAB Labour Former MP
Last served Forest of Dean (1997-05-01 – 2005-05-05)
58
Total votes
34
Ayes
24
Noes
0
Other

Parliamentary History

1 May 1997 – 5 May 2005 (8 yrs)

Voting trends (most recent 12 months of activity)

Voting record

February 2005 16 votes
Division Date Vote
I suggest to the Minister that we need not have reached this situation in the first place. This problem has existed for three years and the Liberal Democrats have consistently pointed out that the Government should have tackled it during that time, rather than leaving it until a point at which, because of a Law Lords judgment, we are faced with such a short time scale. It cannot be right that we h... 28 Feb 2005 AYE
Question accordingly negatived. Main Question put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 62 (Amendment on Second or Third Reading) :— 23 Feb 2005 AYE
As to the contribution of the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Johnson) , does he accept that there is a serious threat, which I thought was fairly common ground? Does he accept that some people cannot be prosecuted through a conventional legal system? Does he accept that detention in prison under part 4 is not sustainable in the light of the Law Lords' judgment? Frankly, in those circumstances, what w... 23 Feb 2005 NO
I am interested in a more serious debate. The Home Secretary and the Minister for Citizenship and Immigration know that I am very ready to pay tribute to the Government when I think that they are right. However, we should be unremitting in our criticism of them when they are wrong. Today, hon. Members from all the different political traditions have explained eloquently that the Government are wro... 10 Feb 2005 AYE
"The co-ordinated national use of intelligent tracking systems . . . which can piggyback onto the CCTV network is viewed within the service as something of a holy grail." I accept that it may be a holy grail for law enforcement purposes, but it is not necessarily a holy grail for privacy. Throughout this debate, we have tried to argue that law enforcement measures are necessary, but they must alwa... 10 Feb 2005 NO
"May I ask my right hon. Friend, first, whether he accepts that it is for those who are in favour of the card to make a case for it, not the other way round? Secondly, will he confirm that the card will be little or no use in combating terrorism? Thirdly, given the unhappy history . . . of Government information technology projects, are we not entitled to be sceptical about some of the claims made... 10 Feb 2005 NO
Clause 11 contains the power to require information for validating the register. It is enormously important because it is crucial to the operation of the scheme, but it has not been debated. Clause 11(1) places a duty on a person to provide information to the Secretary of State for the purposes of verifying an individual's entry on the register. Not unreasonably, we would like to discuss that duty... 10 Feb 2005 AYE
My hon. and learned Friend the Member for Redcar (Vera Baird) again rightly emphasised that prosecutions are our preferred route. She said that the Conservative Opposition would need a fall-back position. We have all been worried by the polarisation of the Conservatives, who said simply that we should either proceed through trial and prosecution or release with no controls. That is not a tenable p... 8 Feb 2005 NO
Question accordingly agreed to. Clause read a second time, and added to the Bill. 7 Feb 2005 AYE
"any highway or any place to which at the material time the public or any section of the public has access, on payment or otherwise, as of right or by virtue of express or implied permission". One demonstration could take place, having given notice, but there might then be no opportunity for another demonstration to take place at the same time on what could be a hugely important and divisive issue... 7 Feb 2005 AYE
over the switch "and at the moment I have not heard one". That is a fairly damning assessment. A similar view was expressed by West Yorkshire police, so there are doubts even at senior levels about that change. The Government's proposals have yet to allay those concerns. The main thrust of the Minister's argument in Committee—I hope that I am not unfairly summarising—was that SOCA is a brand new e... 7 Feb 2005 NO
The words have been chosen to make the language precise, because the provisions refer to "a relevant act"; we wanted to give some more detail on that. The definition is of a relevant act, so both subsections 3(a) and 3(b) refer to an act that amounts to a criminal offence and a tortious act. There is nothing unusual in that wording, which is intended to make the clause more precise. The hon. Gentl... 7 Feb 2005 NO
These arguments have not persuaded many. Justice, the all-party law reform group, has also addressed the arguments advanced by the Government. It states: "If the intelligence services of the United States, France, Israel, Canada and Australia can survive the use of such evidence in their courts, then British spies are surely equal to the challenge." The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken Macdona... 7 Feb 2005 NO
Mr Deputy Speaker then proceeded to put the Questions necessary to dispose of the business to be concluded at that hour. Amendment made: No. 106, in page 187, line 38, leave out 'racial and religious hatred' and insert 'hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds'.— [Mr. Heppell.] 'The offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel are abolished.'.— [Dr. Evan Harris] Brought up, and read th... 7 Feb 2005 NO
That is an important division between the two sides of the House. The hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) said that the right to free speech would be infringed. It is a matter of judgment for Members whether such an infringement would be appropriate. It was my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, North (David Winnick) who said, 35 years ago, "I deeply regret any restriction of free... 7 Feb 2005 NO
I am aware that the Minister is keen to respond even in the limited time we have to discuss the limited time that we have to discuss the Bill on Report. I have a few brief points. The Minister said that the Government held the debate today so that they could listen to what was said. She has heard from across the House blanket condemnation of the motion. Will she now withdraw it? No, I will not. I ... 3 Feb 2005 AYE
January 2005 12 votes
Division Date Vote
Question accordingly agreed to. Motion made, and Question put forthwith, pursuant to Order [ 24 January ], 26 Jan 2005 NO
Question accordingly negatived. Main Question, as amended, put and agreed to. Motion made, and Question put forthwith, pursuant to Order [ 24 January ], 26 Jan 2005 AYE
and insert— 'or Tuesday, four o'clock on'. (l), in line 77, leave out from 'insert' to 'Wednesdays' in line 80 and insert— 'or Tuesdays, between the hours of twenty-five minutes past eleven o'clock in the morning and half-past one o'clock in the afternoon on'.— [Mr. Donohoe.] Amendment proposed: (m), in line 64, at end insert— 26 Jan 2005 NO
Hon. Members on all sides of the argument would be well advised to listen to my next point, which I want to emphasise. If the motion in the name of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House were to fall, in the next Parliament we would have to revert to the hours of 2.30 pm to 10 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and to the hours of 11.30 am to 7 pm on Thursdays. I do not think that even ... 26 Jan 2005 AYE
The tough powers in the Licensing Act 2003 also means that, as we have underlined, anyone who sells unlawfully to people who are drunk puts their business at risk. Will the Secretary of State give way? No, I am not giving way. The answer to the problems that we have lies in local democracy, a more responsible drink industry and police with the power to take on the yobs. The problems have developed... 25 Jan 2005 NO
I believe that we now have a Bill that will give greater protection to the public, a vital role for local authorities, a fair deal for the industry and the prospect of more and better jobs for industry employees. Indeed, right hon. and hon. Members on the Labour Benches will know about the strong support given to the Bill by the GMB and the Transport and General Workers Union, and also by the Labo... 24 Jan 2005 AYE
Question accordingly negatived. On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. It was my impression that, previous to the votes on this group of amendments, my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Alan Simpson) discussed amendment No. 1 and began and ended by expressing his wish to move it. In that circumstance, should we not be able to have a vote on amendment No. 1? I advise the hon. Gentle... 24 Jan 2005 NO
Question accordingly negatived. On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. An amendment has been moved to limit the number of category A gambling machines. Will you be putting that to a vote? 24 Jan 2005 NO
"Betting shops are adult-only and do not have a licence to sell alcohol." [ Official Report, Standing Committee B , 2 December 2004 ; c. 379.] We already knew about that point, which was made in the context of bingo halls, but he gave no justification as to why fixed-odds betting terminals were banned from adult gaming centres. We are not saying now that we want the current number of FOBTs in bett... 24 Jan 2005 NO
A constituent told me the other day: "My 9 year old daughter will win a smaller teddy bear than she can at present, which will apparently stop her becoming a gambling addict. It's ludicrous." As Michelle Thomas said, "Costs are going up at a time when seaside economies are struggling. Why give them a kick for no reason? We feel very strongly indeed that this is wrong." The Minister is friendless. ... 24 Jan 2005 NO
Several hon. Members said that there should be more scope for statutory instruments in the Bill—for example, to allow the Minister, if he so wishes, to set interest rate ceilings or to increase the £50,000 fine if it is found to be inadequate. At the moment, I am not persuaded that we should go down that route, although I understand the points that have been made. Again, I will discuss it with my ... 13 Jan 2005 AYE
I sometimes wonder whether the Opposition are the only people who read regulatory impact assessments— And one or two more attentive Labour Back Benchers. Throughout the debate, I have asked for the Government's estimate of the total number of people who will be brought into training as a consequence of the measure. I still have not received an answer. That is the most basic information that we nee... 12 Jan 2005 AYE
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