Contributions
1,438 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFood InflationThe right hon. Gentleman is correct at the margins, but I am also correct that having a very low-wage economy and not increasing the national living wage does not have a positive…15 Jan 2026HANSARDFood InflationIt is a pleasure to serve under your excellent chairmanship, Dame Siobhain. I too enjoyed being a member of the Treasury Committee—as the right hon. Member for Salisbury (John…15 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesThe problem is that we inherited a system in which all the hardest-to-reach bits had been left till last. We are trying now, by investing £1.8 billion, to get that sorted, but I…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesI will give way to the hon. Member for Broadland and Fakenham (Jerome Mayhew)07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesPerhaps the hon. Lady will let me make my point before she gets up to ask me a question. Rural transport under the Tories became a postcode lottery, and the price that many…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesPerhaps the hon. Gentleman should be patient and let me finish my sentence. He should be well aware that the Conservative Government’s record on enforcement was dire, because a…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesI add my congratulations to Susan Holliday. She sounds like a remarkable person, and it is good that she has been recognised for the work she has done in her local community. It…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesThere are going to be 3,000 more police officers on the beat this year, which is far more than the right hon. Lady’s Government managed after slashing 20,000 at the beginning of…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesI am happy to pass on the hon. Lady’s comments to the appropriate Ministers. Access to digital services is crucial for rural areas. We are delivering high speed-capable broadband…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesI know a few people at the Home Office; in fact, when I was there before the reshuffle we launched the rural crime taskforce, which is doing great work and will carry on doing so.…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesGo on, then.07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesThat is exactly right. The cuts that were made to enforcement activities and enforcement muscle have caused many huge problems that we are attempting to clear up, such as the 20%…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesNo, I will not give way. The rural economy already contributes £259 billion to gross value added in England alone, and we know that rural areas offer significant potential for…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesNo, I am getting on with my speech. [ Interruption. ] There are many Opposition Members who wish to speak, and I do not want to take their time up. Rural transport under the…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesI beg to move an amendment, to leave out from “House” to the end of the Question and add: “welcomes the support that the Government is providing for rural people, communities and…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesWe are not working against the private sector. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will recognise the Conservative record in this area. They presided over a 50% cut in the availability…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesI will give way to the right hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mark Pritchard).07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesAgain, I am only just starting on that, but go on.07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesI have given way quite a lot, so I am going to carry on with my speech. We know that the roll-out of solar generation does not pose a risk to food security. Planning guidance…07 Jan 2026HANSARD Rural CommunitiesWill the hon. Gentleman please let me develop my point? Over 1 million further premises have been included within contracts to provide access to superfast broadband, with funding…07 Jan 2026