Speeches

Eleanor Laing welcomes provisions that correct an anomaly concerning time limits that arose from the House of Lords judgment in the Somerville case.  read more »

Eleanor Laing debates the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill which aims to help rebuild trust in our democratic institutions. She particularly highlights how the role of Special Advisors has changed in the past 12 years.  read more »

Eleanor Laing calls on the Government to urgently introduce measures to tighten up our voter registration process and protect against electoral fraud - before the next general election.  read more »

Eleanor Laing welcomes the Government's last-minute amendments to the Bill, in particular the Government's change of heart on individual voter registration.  read more »

Eleanor Laing pays tribute to outgoing Speaker Michael Martin and praises him for taking a real interest in MPs, their families and the those that work to enable to the House of Commons to function.  read more »

Eleanor Laing supports the Government's position on voting systems and stable government, but questions the Minister on the details of the recently-announced National Council for Democratic Renewal.  read more »

Eleanor Laing calls on the Government to announce when the long-promised Constitutional Renewal Bill will finally be published.  read more »

Eleanor Laing underlines the importance of having a legislature that broadly reflects the people who they represent, in particular allowing MPs with families to balance their parliamentary duties with family duties.  read more »

Eleanor Laing supports aspects of the Bill which simplify and consolidate existing equality legislation but is concerned at the burden on business and suggests that rather than more bureaucracy, the Government should concentrate on making the business case.  read more »

Eleanor Laing welcomes the Government's decision to bring in individual voter registration and calls for voters to be required to provide proof of identity when they go to vote.  read more »

Eleanor Laing welcomes a Private Member's Bill specifically aimed at enabling sufferers of pleural plaques caused by exposure to asbestos to obtain compensation but calls for further examination of the various types of injury to ensure the principals of personal injury law are upheld.  read more »

Speaking in a debate on the Home Affairs Committee's report entitled 'A Surveillance Society?', Eleanor Laing questions whether the Committee think that there are sufficient systems in place to safeguard the information held on ID cards should they be introduced.  read more »

Addressing the Government's proposals to combat election fraud, Eleanor Laing calls for individual registration to be introduced as soon as possible and not delayed until 2015 as currently proposed.  read more »

Eleanor Laing calls on the Government to ensure that the economic downturn does not result in cuts to the overseas aid budget. She recounts a recent visit to Uganda to see the work of the Malaria Consortium and reflect how it is women and children who suffer most from diseases such as malaria.  read more »

Responding to a comment by the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government that it is up to the local authority to make Gypsy and Traveller site provision according to its own discretion, Eleanor Laing asks why the Government is directing that Epping Forest provide disproportionately more sites than any other district in the region?  read more »

Eleanor Laing supports amendments to the process of nominating candidates to serve as Commissioners of the Electoral Commission.  read more »

Eleanor Laing welcomes amendments to the Bill aimed at increasing the number of electors registered to vote in elections by introducing individual registration rather than household registration.  read more »

During a debate on the appointment of a new Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Eleanor Laing defends the outgoing Chairman's decision to fight for individual voter registration rather than resign.  read more »

Eleanor Laing speaks on civil service impartiality and asks if and when the measures in the draft Constitutional Renewal Bill are to be brought forward. She added that despite promises from the government, there appears to be no time allocated in the parliamentary timetable.  read more »

Eleanor Laing challenges the Government over the use of compulsory purchase to provide sites for Gypsies and Travellers.  read more »