Speaker: Order. We now come to our Weekly Divisions. There are a number of Bills being proposed at this time, in our first full and proper week sitting as the newly-elected Parliament of Qaweritoyu. For those of you who may be new or relatively new members, Weekly Divisions is a session of Parliament in which the Speaker chooses Bills, Amendments or other causes of action which may have caused disagreement in the chamber during the course of any particular week and the members present, mostly junior constituent MPs, get the chance to revisit the chosen issues and discuss why they may have caused disagreement in the chamber. The issues from the past week that I have chosen are this notion that the Government are treating the people like slaves, private education facilities and how they're functioning when lockdown is eased and the question of the competence of the Welfare Minister. We have forty minutes put aside for this session.
   I will now call on Leo Elliott to make a statement on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition. Leo Elliott.

Leo Elliott: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. At our previous session, the Leader of the Opposition spoke with great passion in defence of the Tax Nobody Party manifesto. Our manifesto states exactly what we hope to achieve, namely, in that we want nobody taxed, more money for the people, less for the Government. The Leader of the Opposition was then asked if she realised how serious her statements and Party manifesto really are, the honourable lady implied for the wrong reasons, to which the Leader of the Opposition took evident offence. My right honourable friend responded by accusing the Government of dishonesty and treating the people like slaves, taking all their money off them in taxes. She withdrew this accusation out of courtesy to the Speaker rather than the Government. This then prompted the honourable gentleman for Runswick to speak out of turn and attack my right honourable friend. The Leader of the Opposition could not be present today but she passes on her sincere apologies for the way in which she reacted to the honourable lady's question.

Speaker: Order. I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Leo Elliott, for making the Tax Nobody Party statement on our earlier incident. Pressing forward with the discussion, we now ask, was the honourable gentleman for Runswick correct? Was the Leader of the Opposition's accusation a disgrace? To be fair to both sides, we must also consider was it right that Mr. Mathews should be dismissed from Parliament and not the Leader of the Opposition? We must also consider, whether the people of this country are paying too much in taxes or if tax money is essential to the running of the country. I now call on Phyllis Elliott to speak on the conduct of the honourable member for Runswick. Phyllis Elliott.

Phyllis Elliott: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. You posed the question, Dr. Speaker, was the honourable member for Runswick correct? I don't think he was, Dr. Speaker. I do recognise that the Leader of the Opposition and the honourable gentleman for Runswick had a moment of playing an offensive round of ping pong but the Leader of the Opposition did withdraw her remarks, the honourable gentleman for Runswick did not. I, therefore, hold the stance that the honourable gentleman is still in the wrong.

Speaker: Order, I disagree with your strange expression to the right honourable lady and the honourable gentleman were playing, as you put it, an 'offensive round of ping pong'. Accusations were not thrown back and forth across the chamber, each member had one accusation each whilst I intervened and put a stop to it. I'd like to hear from an MP now who is not a member of either Party involved. Andrea Powell.

Andrea Powell: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. As an Incompetent Democrat, I stand neither on the side of the honourable gentleman nor the right honourable lady. I have the advantage of being able to assess the situation and form an opinion without bias. Dr. Speaker, we did see the right honourable lady react with offense to the honourable lady for Aroonshire but in my view, this was extremely unprofessional of her. I understand she may feel cornered for standing by her manifesto. If it was me, Dr. Speaker, I can't say I might have reacted differently, if I was the Leader of the Incompetent Democrats, I might feel offended if I was made out to be the idiot, for want of a better word, just for standing by my Party's manifesto and seeking to put all policies of the manifesto into action so I can understand the right honourable lady's offense and her feelings but was this prompted by the honourable lady for Aroonshire? In my opinion, Dr. Speaker, no, it was not. The honourable lady for Aroonshire asked an honest question and in response to her question, she got attacked by the right honourable lady. 

Speaker: Order, resume your seat. Please choose your words carefully, you seem to be implying the right honourable lady individually attacked Ms. Barton, she said nothing of the sort. Point of Order, Jackie Barton.

Jackie Barton: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I would just like to back what you said there, Dr. Speaker, the right honourable lady was not attacking me individually, she was attacking my Party, She was not directly attacking me, therefore, she was indirectly attacking me.

Speaker: Ms Barton hits the nail on the head, Ms. Powell. I also noticed you used the word idiot, you also seem to be implying the right honourable lady used the word idiot, implying stupidity, is that what you meant? Andrea Powell.

Andrea Powell: Dr. Speaker, I did not mean to imply the right honourable lady used the word idiot nor intended to accuse a member of this chamber of stupidity.

Speaker: Order, I address my warning to the entire chamber. Please be very very careful what you say in relation to issues brought up during this session. You could be unknowingly implying another member said or did something they did not do or say and was not witnessed by this Speaker. Please continue, Andrea Powell.

Andrea Powell: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Commenting also on the conduct of the honourable gentleman, his response was prompted in the reaction of the right honourable member, which looked to me to be more of a reaction to stress rather than something said in this chamber. 

Speaker: Order, please. Ms. Powell, are you implying the right honourable lady's conduct was prompted by stress? Andrea Powell.

Andrea Powell: I am, Dr. Speaker. I also wish to imply the right honourable lady's conduct may have been prompted by matters occurring outside this chamber such as family issues and such, I will not speculate further as if I am correct, it is quite personal to the right honourable lady. 

Speaker: Ms. Powell, could you explain please how you arrived at that conclusion?

Andrea Powell: If I may bring in my honourable friend, the member for Experiment, Dr. Speaker?

Speaker: Is it relevant to the ongoing debate? Andrea Powell.

Andrea Powell: It is, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: On good authority, then, I think, I'm calling on Brooke Bowen.

Brooke Bowen: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I observed yesterday that the Leader of the Opposition was lacking some motivation and she was looking tired and stressed and when she spoke, too, she sounded irritated and snappy.

Speaker: Are you finished, Ms. Bowen?

Brooke Bowen: Yes, Dr. Speaker.

Speaker: OK, thank you, back to you, Andrea Powell.

Andrea Powell: Thank you, Dr. Speaker, having heard from my honourable friend for Experiment ahead of her snap at the honourable lady for Aroonshire, everything made sense to me.

Speaker: Thank you, Ms. Powell, that is reasonable. I am going to speak no further on the topic, if that's OK, and look back at the chamber's footage ahead of next Thursday's Weekly Divisions and inform the chamber of what conclusions I arrive at. It's also interesting for me to learn that you were chatting during Parliamentary Business instead of listening but given the role you have played in this session, I readily make the exception. I am going to shift the focus to the dismissal of Mr. Mathews from the chamber, is it right that Mr. Mathews should be dismissed from Parliament and not the Leader of the Opposition. Erm...Eva Prince.

Eva Price: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. In short, and simply, I think the answer is yes. As a member of an uninvolved Party, I noted both sides got heated and annoyed evidently for two very different reasons, however, the Leader of the Opposition did withdraw her accusation, the honourable gentleman for Runswick did not so I do think it is fair he was dismissed from Parliament and not the Leader of the Opposition.

Speaker: Order. I must mention, yes, they did get annoyed for two very different reasons, however, this being the case, these two reasons were linked, one would not have entered the chamber without the other. You were implying both were simultaneous, they were not. I note the honourable member for Doodys Bottoms and the honourable member for Slickpoo have now said the same thing regarding the same issue, I would like to call on one more member from an uninvolved Party for their view before I make a final decision. Harold Garcia.

Harold Garcia: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I agree with the point made and repeated by the honourable members for Slickpoo and Doodys Bottoms respectively, my opinion does not differ.

Speaker: We are agreeing Mr. Mathews' dismissal was justified, I note. All who are of that opinion say 'aye.

Parliament: Aye.


Speaker: On the contrary, no.

Parliament: (Silence).

Speaker: The ayes have it. The ayes have it. I now put forward a motion to call Mr. Mathews into the chamber on Tuesday for Leaders' Questions for an apology. All who are of that opinion, say aye.

Parliament: Aye.

Speaker: On the contrary, no.

Parliament: (Silence).

Speaker: The ayes have it. The ayes have it. Order. Mr. Mathews is called back for an apology on Tuesday. I will inform him of this after today's Weekly Divisions session. Order, order. Calling on the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Leo Elliott, to tell us why the Tax Nobody Party think the people are paying too many taxes. Leo Elliott.

Leo Elliot: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. In a time, Dr. Speaker, when we have been in a severe form of lockdown since May, when nowhere has been open, no money has been circulating, inflation has been high, prices have gone up, people have been laid off work, money for us all is very tight now. The last thing they need to be doing now is paying tax, they need to be keeping what little money they need.

Speaker: I am going to call on Sasha Lovegood who has a question. Sasha Lovegood.

Sasha Lovegood: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Can I ask the right honourable gentleman if he realises that if people stop paying taxes there will be even less money circulating?

Speaker: Leo Elliott.

Leo Elliott: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Can I say to the honourable lady that I do realise that but ask her if she realises that with taxes, the money is not staying with the people and they, too, need to survive?

Speaker: Sasha Lovegood.

Sasha Lovegood: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I do realise that indeed but, Dr. Speaker, some people's wages are funded through taxes, such as people who work for the government. Dr. Speaker, the right honourable gentleman's wages come from people's taxes! Is he prepared to go voluntary?

Speaker: Leo Elliott.

Leo Elliott: Thank you Dr. Speaker. I am prepared to do so if it means our people have more money.

Speaker: Order, this is getting ridiculous, if you have nothing logical to say, Mr. Elliott, please indicate to me that you wish not to speak to the honourable lady. Leo Elliott.

Leo Elliott: I apologise, Dr. Speaker, I was merely standing by my Party's manifesto.

Speaker: Order, resume your seat, Deputy Leader of the Opposition. You were not, as you put it, merely standing by your Party's manifesto, you started stating your personal opinion which was unrealistic and when MPs in this chamber, and I raise my voice for all to hear and take note, when MPs start stating their own opinion, backed by their Party's manifesto, our Parliament starts heading into very dangerous waters indeed. Last chance, Leo Elliott.

Leo Elliott: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Can I ask the Government, or rather those who are here, where the surplus tax money is going? Can it not go back to the people?

Speaker: Order, resume your seat. Last chance blown. The Prime Minister has already made very clear on a separate occasion where surplus money from anywhere is going, into the Rainy Day Fund. Until her and her Government state otherwise, I think we can assume that will be the case. I'm going to move on because this is getting nowhere. Starting to discuss the functioning of private education facilities in two weeks' time when lockdown is eased. To speak on behalf of the Minister for Education, I call on Sir Jacob John Schmidt Jingelheimer. 

Sir Jacob John Schmidt Jingleheimer: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. Quoting the Minister for Education's prepared statement to the chamber, not my own words. Colleagues, as I stated on Tuesday, private education facilities are owned privately and not by the Government. The Government does not have jurisdiction over them but the Law does. With this in mind, none of the guidelines I have set out have to be applied in private education facilities. If, however, the Government were to pass a small piece of GID-20 legislation dealing with correct conduct during the aftermath of the virus in the country and the period following, private education facilities would be obliged to observe these.

Speaker: Order, the Minister for Health has stated that very well, she knows her job well and the compulsory duties of educational facilities, both public and private, well. I now call on Gretel Wynne for comment. Gretel Wynne.

Gretel Wynne: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. This is going to be very brief but I support my colleague's statements delivered by Sir Jacob here today. I support a motion going forward.

Speaker: I'll admit, that was shorter than I was expecting. Let's hear from other Parties of the chamber. Natasha McGee.

Natasha McGee: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I don't see a problem with that, it seems to be the logical way forward.

Speaker: Stephen Spencer.

Stephen Spencer: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. The Incompetent Democratic Party second a motion going forward.

Speaker: Harold Garcia.

Harold Garcia: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. The Advanced Humanitarian League third a motion.

Speaker: All Parties seem to be in agreement. Order. The question is that this chamber do now agree to draft a bill for all schools to comply with when lockdown is lifted, to be removed if there is a time when we learn to manage the situation, all of that opinion, say aye.

Majority of MPs: Aye.

Speaker: On the contrary no.

Chamber: (Silence).

Speaker: The ayes have it, the ayes have it. Order, order. I hope this will be started by the Government ready to start discussing next week and the week after in our Government Business sittings of Parliament. Order. Moving to our last piece of business for today's Weekly Divisions. The competency of the Welfare Minister has come up after he briefly forgot there is no travel out of the country and believed Qans to have gone on holiday, proposing to stop GID-20 payments in the next two weeks to give them time to return from holiday. Is this just a slip up or is it more serious and does it require him to be replaced in his position? To speak on behalf of the Welfare Minister, the Interior Minister, Boris English.

Boris English: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. As I said when the slip up occurred I was going to text the Welfare Minister and inform him of the slip up. I did so and he said did know this, he just did not think before he spoke. The right honourable gentleman apologises to the chamber and the country and highlights the fact we're all human and capable of making mistakes.

Speaker: Traci Matthews.

Traci Matthews: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I have to ask, is this the first slip up the right honourable gentleman has made? What other areas has he pushed us forward in illegally, believing us to be practicing measures which are not actually in place?

Speaker: Boris English.

Boris English: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I don't think that is fair to ask about the right honourable gentleman, he has made one slip up which has been corrected and until he makes another, we cannot assume he usually slips up in his duties.

Speaker: Amy Cain.

Amy Cain: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I'd like to be the first to point out that many members of the public are currently stuck inside and following our proceedings on TV because they have nothing else to do. Dr. Speaker, millions of Qans heard what he said, most of them were not impressed as I am not. I would like to be the first to advise the Government to sack him and replace him.

Speaker: Andrea Powell.

Andrea Powell: Thank you, Dr. Speaker. I second what the honourable lady has just said, sack him and replace him. We need Ministers in this Parliament who know what they're doing and are fully aware of the current measures in place.

Boris English: But he is aware! He just made one mistake, are you telling me you don't make mistakes?

Speaker: Order, I notice the current topic is causing tensions in the chamber but I must now act on the fact that two Members from two different Parties have motioned to sack the Welfare Minister and replace him. As this has happened, this will mean the matter gets referred to the Higher Chamber for further discussion and if the matter is still not resolved, it will move to the High Court. Those in favour of a Higher Chamber discussion of the issue say aye. 

Majority of Parliament: Aye.

Speaker: On the contrary no.

Minority of Parliament: No.

Speaker: I think the ayes have it, the ayes have it. Order, order. The issue is being passed to the Higher Chamber for further discussion and in the hope that the right honourable and learnéd members of the Higher Chamber can arrive at a reasonable resolution to the issue. We have now reached the end of today's Weekly Divisions business. I now suspend the chamber for lunch. Order.