Contributions
1,242 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsT6. I congratulate the Secretary of State on retaining the portfolio responsibility for democracy in his new Department. When he cheered for the Brexit campaign, he used to rail…25 Oct 2021HANSARDPost Office ClosuresIt is, as always, a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts, although I must say that I miss seeing my friend Sir David Amess sitting in that chair, here in…19 Oct 2021HANSARDPost Office ClosuresI congratulate my hon. Friend on being so versatile as to ask questions to the Minister through me. I feel like the Cilla Black of Westminster Hall here in pulling people…19 Oct 2021HANSARDPolicy Decisions: Use of DataWe know that one policy decision that the UK Government have taken, albeit an unsustainable and undemocratic one, is that Scotland should not have a say in its constitutional…23 Sept 2021HANSARDTopical QuestionsT3. On top of the injustices suffered by 3.8 million WASPI women and the widening gender pensions gap, today’s National Audit Office report finds that the Department for Work and…22 Sept 2021HANSARDNeonatal Care: Statutory Leave and PayI am grateful to the Minister for his answer, but I am afraid it is not good enough. Every year 100,000 babies are born premature or sick, and parents like me then have to take…21 Sept 2021HANSARDNeonatal Care: Statutory Leave and Pay7. What plans his Department has to bring forward legislative proposals on an entitlement to statutory leave and pay for parents of babies requiring neonatal care.21 Sept 2021HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillIt is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith). I rise to speak in favour of the reasoned amendment tabled by the right…20 Sept 2021HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillIf the hon. Lady pays attention to the rest of my speech, she will understand that I am developing my argument because the UK state pension is so pitiful. That is the point I am…20 Sept 2021HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that intervention, and he is right. I am sure that, like me, he receives regular representations on that matter from Rosie Dickson from WASPI…20 Sept 2021HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillNot at the moment. The campaign went on: “We all pay in when we are working, and we all benefit when we retire. This means we can support all our pensioners in the same way…20 Sept 2021HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for finding the time to come to the House of Commons this evening; I know he will be balancing his obligations—20 Sept 2021HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillThe Minister chunters from a sedentary position. I outlined earlier in my speech that we want pensions much more in line with those of, for example, Austria and Luxembourg. I hope…20 Sept 2021HANSARDSocial Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillYes, an independent Scotland would face difficult economic decisions, but does the hon. Member accept that the central point of independence is about people in Scotland—the people…20 Sept 2021HANSARD Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillI do not seek to detain the Committee for long, not least because I spoke on Second Reading and because there are only two amendments before us. In speaking to my new clause 2,…20 Sept 2021HANSARD Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillI would caution the Minister that my hon. Friend, a former teacher, is not someone whose office or classroom he would want to be summoned to for a telling off. She has quite…20 Sept 2021HANSARD Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillI beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time. I know that the hon. Members who suspended proxy voting and brought back in-person voting will be very keen to vote tonight,…20 Sept 2021HANSARD Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) BillI have already outlined my view of the Bill on Second Reading. I am disappointed that the Government chose to reject our new clause 2 in Committee, but in the interests of brevity…20 Sept 2021HANSARDDevolution SettlementIf the devolution settlement is to work, the UK Government have to match their rhetoric on the respect agenda. Given that all devolved Governments in the UK have asked the UK…15 Sept 2021HANSARDUniversal Credit and Working Tax CreditsWill the Secretary of State give way?15 Sept 2021