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Gordon Birtwistle

Gordon Birtwistle

Last served Burnley (2010-05-06 – 2015-03-30)
66.8
Conservative
12 coded votes
825
Total votes
356
Ayes
469
Noes
0
Other

Parliamentary History

6 May 2010 – 30 Mar 2015 (4 yrs 10 mo)

Ideology spectrum

66.8
ProgressiveCentreConservative

Conservative — based on 12 coded votes across 3 axes (1% coverage).

Policy axis scores

0 = progressive, 50 = centre, 100 = conservative. Based on coded division votes.

Economic policy 80
Low confidence 5 votes
Civil liberties 100
Low confidence 3 votes
Climate / energy 25
Low confidence 4 votes

Voting trends (most recent 12 months of activity)

Voting record

December 2014 9 votes
Division Date Vote
Question accordingly negatived. Question put forthwith ( Standing Order No. 62(2) ), That the Bill be now read a Second time. 8 Dec 2014 AYE
Further public accountability will be provided by the new watchdog mentioned by the hon. Member for Rugby (Mark Pawsey) . We will be converting Passenger Focus into a new body, Transport Focus, which will better describe its reason for existence: it will now be commenting on the state of the roads as well as the modes of transport that use them. When Brunel was building his bridge, there was no pl... 8 Dec 2014 NO
I do not want to preview the Adjournment debate too widely, although we do want to generate interest in it, but my case is that although the Government have attempted to introduce steps to alleviate such impacts, they are actually mitigating the unfairness rather than dealing with its cause, which is the way the Treasury taxes pensions that are effectively a second pension on the same job because ... 3 Dec 2014 NO
“The Bill establishes the secure college in law. Beyond the legal framework, the legislation does not specify details of the regime to be delivered within the secure college.” The most obvious example of that is the secure college rules. Effectively, the secure colleges are the old-style Borstals, and everybody knew that they did not work. Indeed. One of the fundamental problems is that there is n... 1 Dec 2014 AYE
Question accordingly agreed to. Lords amendment 107 disagreed to. 1 Dec 2014 AYE
Question accordingly agreed to. Lords amendment 103 disagreed to. 1 Dec 2014 AYE
Question accordingly agreed to. Lords amendment 97 disagreed to. 1 Dec 2014 AYE
In a way, the wording does not matter. The net effect of those criteria is to set up retrospective tests that mean that the chilling effect will apply. Interveners are typically charities, not-for-profit organisations and others who may perhaps have funds to pay their own costs, but The hon. Gentleman is missing the point. Why should those who row in to back a judicial review that they lose be aut... 1 Dec 2014 AYE
Division 100 1 Dec 2014 AYE
November 2014 15 votes
Division Date Vote
My hon. Friend rightly says that it was this Chancellor who set that carbon floor price, causing considerable difficulties for our industries. We are still having to go through hoops with those industries to get the relief they need. My right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Paul Murphy) stressed the importance to our manufacturers of remaining in the EU and the very real fear that the Conserva... 26 Nov 2014 NO
economic recovery, but to make sure we never get into this mess again. That is why it is all about finding the right balance: between ensuring that those with the broadest shoulders take the biggest burden and ensuring the UK remains internationally competitive and open for business. The motion's final point related to creating new funds for health and care. Since 2010, the Government have increas... 26 Nov 2014 NO
The hon. Member for Clacton (Douglas Carswell) , who has not returned to his seat, said that there was 100% agreement within his party. I hope he spoke to its economics spokesman before he made those comments, because he may find that that is not the case. I want to make a point about prima facie evidence. It is not a requirement under the 1957 extradition convention that requesting states provide... 19 Nov 2014 AYE
Question accordingly negatived. More than two hours having elapsed since the commencement of proceedings on consideration, the proceedings were interrupted (Programme Order, 18 November ). The Deputy Speaker then put forthwith the Questions necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded at that time ( Standing Order No. 83E ). Amendment proposed : 10, page 134, line 36, at end insert— 19 Nov 2014 NO
However, the Labour Government did not deliver that, perhaps because there are people for whom such arrangements work well, as we heard from the TUC during the evidence session in Committee. While there are undoubtedly problems with zero-hours contracts, and I do not wish to dismiss them, I think it important to introduce some perspective to the debate. Last year the Chartered Institute of Personn... 19 Nov 2014 NO
environment that we can have prosperity, growth and indeed the environmental protections that she is so passionate about. I strongly support, and urge her to support, the deregulation target. Why does the Minister present regulation as always being anti-business, given that so many businesses are saying that smart regulation is good for a competitive environment? Of course, if we can achieve the r... 18 Nov 2014 NO
This amendment provides that all regulations under the Part, other than regulations under section 61(1)(c), are subject to affirmative resolution procedure. Amendment 58, page 49, line 5, at end insert— ‘( ) If a draft of an instrument containing regulations under section (Power to grant exemptions from Pubs Code) would, apart from this subsection, be treated for the purposes of the Standing Order... 18 Nov 2014 NO
I most certainly do agree with my hon. Friend. It is a peculiar world—I would use the word “bonkers”—when someone earning £100,000 can benefit more from a new Government scheme than somebody on perhaps £20,000. It is important that the Government think again on some of these points. Universal credit is still in its infancy and is being gradually rolled out. It seems to make little sense to limit h... 17 Nov 2014 NO
“It is right that we make the new scheme consistent with the current framework.”––[Official Report, Child care Payments Public Bill Committee, 23 October 2014 ; c. 192 .] I urge her to reconsider her decision not to increase support for parents of disabled children. She can help today by increasing the maximum age at which disabled children become eligible for the tax-free child care scheme—and, i... 17 Nov 2014 NO
(a) the extent to which the current legislation governing prostitution in England and Wales acts as an effective deterrent to demand for sexual services from exploited persons; (b) the extent to which the current legislation governing prostitution in England and Wales enables effective enforcement action against those trafficking people for sexual exploitation; and (c) the extent to which alternat... 4 Nov 2014 NO
Question accordingly negatived. Proceedings interrupted (Programme Order, this day). The Deputy Speaker put forthwith the Questions necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded at that time ( Standing Order No. 83E ) New Clause 2 4 Nov 2014 NO
I am encouraged that the Minister says her mind is open and that there will be further consideration. Can hon. Members take that as a distinct hint for more progress in the Lords? If my right hon. Friend will allow me to continue my comments, I will speak first about new clause 1. The new clause would open the way for the GLA’s remit to be extended to any area of work or sector, which would be a m... 4 Nov 2014 NO
(2) A person may be in a situation of exploitation whether or not— (a) escape from the situation is practically possible for the person; or (b) the person has attempted to escape from the situation. (3) The consent or apparent consent of the person of the exploitation is irrelevant where any of the means set forth in section 9(1) has been used.’— (Diana Johnson.) Brought up. 4 Nov 2014 NO
Despite the Crown Prosecution Service guidelines, children are still prosecuted. It should be an imperative for us in this legislation to stop that from occurring in the future, and this Bill provides us with an opportunity to do that. I point out to the Minister that in July the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child urged the Government, in relation to trafficked children and to all children co... 4 Nov 2014 NO
Division 66 3 Nov 2014 AYE
October 2014 1 votes
Division Date Vote
Division 54 13 Oct 2014 AYE
September 2014 5 votes
Division Date Vote
It is up to CCGs to set out terms of reference for any joint committee arrangement, such as the scope for decision taking, and arrangements for membership or voting. They may also determine situations in which a CCG would wish to withdraw from a joint committee arrangement. The hon. Gentleman was worried that one CCG might feel oppressed or bullied by others, but it could set the terms of referenc... 9 Sep 2014 AYE
Question accordingly agreed to. Bill read a Second time. On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. During the debate, many points of great interest have been raised and it has been suggested that further amendments will be made. I therefore think it would be highly beneficial if the Bill were referred to a Select Committee. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving me notice of his intention... 5 Sep 2014 NO
Question accordingly agreed to. Question put accordingly, That the Bill be now read a Second Time. 5 Sep 2014 AYE
The hon. Member for Leeds North East made a candid speech about the surplus places rule and about the fact it is short-termist to close schools when rolls are falling. If there is clear evidence that in a few years the rolls will rise again, it is better just to close a classroom, turn off the heating in that room and wait. He also talked about siblings not being able to attend the same school, bu... 3 Sep 2014 NO
First, may I congratulate my hon. Friend on a fantastic debut at the Dispatch Box? She is going to make a great Minister. She is also absolutely right to draw the House’s attention to Labour’s knee-jerk reaching for regulation. We on this side of the House are committed to helping the consumer by creating dynamic competition and crowding in disruptive new entrants, whereas Labour will always reach... 3 Sep 2014 NO
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