Contributions
65 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Easter AdjournmentThank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Now that I know I get to go first, I might have birthdays more often. It is a real pleasure to speak in this Easter Adjournment debate. In doing…08 Apr 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsT2. It has been brilliant to meet residents who in recent weeks have had their operation dates brought forward, thanks to the additional evening and weekend appointments that the…25 Mar 2025HANSARD Terms and Conditions of EmploymentI strongly welcome the proposed increases to minimum wage rates, which will help people of all ages across all communities in our country. There is a particularly welcome boost…25 Mar 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsT5. I have recently met a number of families who are members of the British Coal staff superannuation scheme. While I know they will welcome the Minister’s earlier comments, as…18 Mar 2025HANSARD Business of the HouseTwo hundred years ago this September, the modern passenger railways were born when locomotion No. 1 was put on the tracks at Heighington station in my constituency. Can the Leader…06 Mar 2025HANSARDUkraineI thank the Prime Minister in these incredibly difficult times for the strong leadership he is showing. Does he agree that one of the many things that has become clear in recent…03 Mar 2025HANSARDIndustrial Strategy4. What progress his Department has made on developing an industrial strategy.30 Jan 2025HANSARDIndustrial StrategyI strongly welcome the inclusion of defence in the draft industrial strategy and was pleased yesterday to host a roundtable in Sedgefield with the Minister for Defence Procurement…30 Jan 2025HANSARD Defence Procurement: Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesI beg to move, That this House has considered SME participation in defence procurement. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I recognise that…28 Jan 2025HANSARD Defence Procurement: Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesI thank the Minister for her strong leadership on this vital issue. We have discussed these matters on a number of occasions and I know the Minister is committed to really driving…28 Jan 2025HANSARD Defence Procurement: Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesMy hon. Friend makes a really important point. Considering that we have shop-bought drones making such a difference in Ukraine and that technology is being used in all sorts of…28 Jan 2025HANSARD Defence Procurement: Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesI thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. I absolutely agree. In my previous life in the housing and the charity sector, I have interacted with Government procurement across…28 Jan 2025HANSARD Defence Procurement: Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesI thank the hon. Member for her intervention. I agree. As she rightly says, warfare is developing very quickly and high-tech solutions, of the excellent type she described in her…28 Jan 2025HANSARD Defence Procurement: Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesI thank the hon. Member for his intervention. He is absolutely right that the commitment of Ministers and the defence industrial strategy to sovereign supply must include all…28 Jan 2025HANSARD Defence Procurement: Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesI thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. He is absolutely right: across the economy with the Government’s growth mission, defence must be a crucial sector, but as he has said,…28 Jan 2025HANSARDDefence Industrial Strategy: SMEs10. What steps he plans to take through the defence industrial strategy to increase support for defence sector SMEs.06 Jan 2025HANSARDDefence Industrial Strategy: SMEsThe North East Technology Park in Sedgefield is home to many innovative defence businesses, producing satellite technology and biological and radiation detection equipment that is…06 Jan 2025HANSARDChristmas AdjournmentI want to highlight a few key issues in my constituency that I have been proud to work on since I was elected in July and flag up some issues that we intend to push in the future.…19 Dec 2024HANSARDEngagementsMay I thank the Prime Minister for the leadership that he has shown in securing the half-a-billion-pound deal to secure the future of the Hitachi rail factory in my constituency—a…18 Dec 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsWill the Secretary of State join me in congratulating Newton Aycliffe youth football club on being runner-up in FA club of the year in Durham, and will she join me in…28 Nov 2024