Contributions
1,122 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Census (Return Particulars and Removal of Penalties) Bill [Lords]My hon. Friend is making an extremely good speech, which I strongly support. Will he join me in encouraging the ONS to look again at the representation of Jainism and…17 Jul 2019HANSARD Census (Return Particulars and Removal of Penalties) Bill [Lords]I support the thrust of what the Bill is designed to achieve. However, many of my constituents are concerned that the Bill does not seek to achieve more wide-ranging change by…17 Jul 2019HANSARD Census (Return Particulars and Removal of Penalties) Bill [Lords]Will the Minister ensure that the orders to which he has just referred, which would allow the inclusion of questions about national identity and about Jainism and Zoroastrianism,…17 Jul 2019HANSARD Census (Return Particulars and Removal of Penalties) Bill [Lords]For the record, Madam Deputy Speaker, I was not querying the number of interventions that you were gently chastising me for, but merely the accusation that they were long. I…17 Jul 2019HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe chief executives of Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nestlé and PepsiCo are indirectly responsible for much of the 8 million tonnes of plastic waste that ends up in our seas. Will the…16 Jul 2019HANSARD Climate Change, the Environment and Global DevelopmentThe right hon. and learned Gentleman is making an interesting speech. I have been trying to keep pace with all his asks of the Chancellor in terms of costs—it is a serious list of…10 Jul 2019HANSARD Climate Change, the Environment and Global DevelopmentAs part of the radical agenda that my hon. Friend rightly says is required if we are to deal with the climate emergency, does he share my view that three things in particular are…10 Jul 2019HANSARD Climate Change, the Environment and Global DevelopmentI endorse the remarks of my hon. Friend and of the hon. Member for St Ives (Derek Thomas) on the huge potential for offshore wind to create new jobs in this country. Does she…10 Jul 2019HANSARDMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentThe situation in the hon. Lady’s area is mirrored in Harrow, where the council has lost over 97% of its revenue support grant since 2010 and is really struggling. Is it not…02 Jul 2019HANSARDAccess to CashGiven that post offices and credit unions provide easy access to cash, is it not now time to offer business rates relief to both to enhance the provision of cash and other…02 Jul 2019HANSARDMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentOne pressure that the hon. Lady has not mentioned is homelessness. Although we on the Opposition Benches will not be surprised by the Government’s lack of additional revenue to…02 Jul 2019HANSARDDepartment for International DevelopmentBefore the hon. Gentleman launches into multilateral aid, may I take him back to the point raised by my hon. Friends the Members for Bristol West (Thangam Debbonaire) and for…01 Jul 2019HANSARDDepartment for International DevelopmentIs not another benefit of multilateral aid that it enables a country such as Britain to help by combining with other countries to get significant sums of money to the poorest…01 Jul 2019HANSARDCo-operative and Mutual BusinessesI absolutely endorse my hon. Friend’s comments. I know that fisheries co-ops are another part of the sector in which she is interested. They, too, make a huge contribution, and…27 Jun 2019HANSARDCo-operative and Mutual BusinessesI was about to say something that I hope my hon. Friend will be able to support even more wholeheartedly. I have always believed that co-ops and mutuals are the future: that they…27 Jun 2019HANSARDCo-operative and Mutual BusinessesMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. I pay tribute to the work of programmes such as Co-op UK’s Hive programme, the resources that are available from Stir to Action, some of the…27 Jun 2019HANSARDCo-operative and Mutual BusinessesMy hon. Friend makes a powerful point. There needs to be a significant culture change in the FCA’s approach to credit unions and other financial mutuals. I recognise that there…27 Jun 2019HANSARDCo-operative and Mutual BusinessesMy hon. Friend seems to have gone from being dangerously radical earlier to being conservative within the space of about 10 minutes. He makes a reasonable general point about the…27 Jun 2019HANSARDCo-operative and Mutual BusinessesI do agree, and I hope that my hon. Friend will catch your eye, Madam Deputy Speaker, to develop that point further. Soldier On, a US veterans charity, opened the Gordon H.…27 Jun 2019HANSARDCo-operative and Mutual BusinessesOne credit union that spoke to me ahead of the debate wants to open more branches on the high street, to help plug the gap left by mainstream bank branch closures, and it wonders…27 Jun 2019