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1,788 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Avian InfluenzaI thank the Chair of the Select Committee, who is absolutely right. We have heard harrowing accounts in this Chamber of the experiences in Members’ local communities—the situation…30 Jan 2025HANSARD Avian InfluenzaI thank my hon. Friend—and he is a friend—for his concern. Of course, this is of particular concern and interest to representatives from the east of England, and I share that…30 Jan 2025HANSARD Avian InfluenzaLet me deal first with the second of those two questions. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. Of course there is concern, but I can assure him and the House that the advice…30 Jan 2025HANSARD Avian InfluenzaMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. He will recall the terrible outbreak a few years ago when exactly those questions were raised and, as the shadow Minister, I asked similar…30 Jan 2025HANSARD Avian InfluenzaI am, as ever, grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising the issue as it impacts Northern Ireland. We have been developing a UK-wide response to this, and my officials are in…30 Jan 2025HANSARD Avian InfluenzaWe have indeed assessed it. Of course, it is extraordinary that that happened. In terms of what we are doing, the system is well resourced to deal with these outbreaks, and we…30 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Services: Rural AreasI congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith). I understand that this is his first Adjournment debate, and I have to tell him that they cannot…22 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Services: Rural AreasI think probably not.22 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Services: Rural AreasAgain, my hon. Friend tempts me to rewrite the policies of the Department for Education, but I recognise the problem he highlights. I am pleased about the presumption against the…22 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Services: Rural AreasI will certainly ask my officials to get in touch with the hon. Gentleman so that we can get him an answer on that specific question. Sadly, only 85% of UK premises can access…22 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Services: Rural AreasMy hon. Friend and I meet frequently, but I will very happily meet him to hear more about what sounds like an excellent initiative. I shall turn now to another point raised by my…22 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Services: Rural AreasI thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. Let us speak outside this debate about that particular case; I am not qualified to comment on it at the moment. Rising energy costs…22 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Services: Rural AreasI am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s intervention, but I do not share his pessimism. There are real opportunities, but it is up to us to make sure that they are realised. He…22 Jan 2025HANSARD Public Services: Rural AreasI am grateful to the hon. Member for trying to lure me into an unfunded spending commitment. I assure him we do not do that on this side of the House, but he has made an important…22 Jan 2025HANSARDFoot and Mouth DiseaseI thank the hon. Gentleman for his invitation; I shall add him to my list. The border checks involve a complicated set of issues, but one of the Brexit benefits, if you like, is…15 Jan 2025HANSARDFoot and Mouth DiseaseWe constantly keep under review the resources that are available to enable us to tackle all these issues. On the basis of a number of questions today, I shall be happy to visit…15 Jan 2025HANSARDFoot and Mouth DiseaseThat is an important point. We will try to do all that we can to ensure that illegal imports are intercepted and stopped. I am delighted to observe the outbreak of cross-party…15 Jan 2025HANSARDFoot and Mouth DiseaseWe stand with farmers throughout the United Kingdom. The circumstances are slightly different, for reasons that the hon. Gentleman will understand, which is why we have to provide…15 Jan 2025HANSARDFoot and Mouth DiseaseThe hon. Gentleman has spoken with passion and conviction about that dreadful time, and I fully respect that. We were notified of the outbreak on Friday; today is Wednesday. Of…15 Jan 2025HANSARDFoot and Mouth DiseaseThe hon. Gentleman speaks with passion on these issues. I can absolutely assure him that the measures in place to protect farmers in Northern Ireland are strong and will be good…15 Jan 2025