Contributions
484 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresThat was the whole idea of bringing the debate to this Chamber. The issue is the inflexibility of Link and of the Financial Conduct Authority regulations, which means that even…26 Feb 2025HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresUnfortunately, my understanding is that high street banks want to centralise in much bigger places and make much higher profits, and do not consider the communities that the two…26 Feb 2025HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresI beg to move, That this House has considered high street bank closures and banking hubs. It is always a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I want to bring to…26 Feb 2025HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresI agree. I have already mentioned the number of closures; I am not sure whether a post office can act as a back-up, because we have seen closure after closure of post offices,…26 Feb 2025HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresThat is absolutely reasonable, is it not? The decision by Link or the Financial Conduct Authority is basically transactional. It does not really look at the community factors—it…26 Feb 2025HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresAbsolutely. It is essential and that is the whole reason behind this debate. I will get back to that. I was more or less guaranteed, unofficially, that we had qualified in…26 Feb 2025HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresI fully agree with my hon. Friend from the neighbouring constituency to mine. Urban and rural areas face the same issues; we are being abandoned on the high street by these large…26 Feb 2025HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresIt will have to be very brief.26 Feb 2025HANSARD High Street Bank ClosuresI agree totally about the transport hubs. We cannot say to an elderly, frail or disabled person, “Get that bus to the next town. It’s only three mile.” As my hon. Friend the…26 Feb 2025HANSARD Business of the HouseAt the stroke of a pen, Tory-led Northumberland county council is about to wipe 9,000 people off the county’s housing waiting list. My office is beset by constituents in desperate…13 Feb 2025HANSARD Infected Blood Compensation SchemeMay I first thank my right hon. Friend for the update? Despite his sterling efforts—I really mean that—the process has taken far too long. Victims are dying at the rate of two per…13 Feb 2025HANSARDFuel Poverty: EnglandIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Normanton and Hemsworth (Jon Trickett) for bringing this timely debate to the…12 Feb 2025HANSARDCoalfield CommunitiesI refer Members to my declaration in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I was a miner from the age of 17 until I came to this place—a period of over 30 years—and I also…06 Feb 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsT6. Many people with mental health conditions rely heavily on personal independence payments so that they can continue in work and remain active in their communities. Can the…03 Feb 2025HANSARD Avian InfluenzaHas the Minister assessed the Conservative Government’s underspend of the agriculture budget?30 Jan 2025HANSARD Business of the HouseFlexible Engineered Solutions International in my constituency is an excellent example of a strong and successful business. It delivers projects in oil and gas, and in renewables.…30 Jan 2025HANSARDNorth-east: Support for BusinessesYesterday saw full-throated Government support for projects across the UK, but not so much for the north-east. The region was decimated by 14 years of Tory Government, and that…30 Jan 2025HANSARDNorth-east: Support for Businesses17. What steps his Department is taking to support businesses in the north-east.30 Jan 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsT7. This week saw DeepSeek throw the global tech market into utter meltdown, with the Chinese AI app spooking investors, to say the least. With huge national infra- structure…30 Jan 2025HANSARDOutsourcing: Government DepartmentsI thank my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East (Andy McDonald) for bringing this timely debate to the Chamber. As ever, it is a pleasure to serve under your…29 Jan 2025