Contributions
506 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPrayersI beg to move, That the House sit in private. Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 163) and negatived .26 Jan 2024HANSARD High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) BillMy hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. His Bill would require local authorities to designate at least one and up to three high streets. Does the definition of high street…26 Jan 2024HANSARD High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) BillAgain, I apologise if this is slightly controversial, but does my hon. Friend think that out-of-town retail parks are an absolute disaster? Because I do in terms of town centre…26 Jan 2024HANSARDShared Parental Leave and Pay (Bereavement) BillI completely agree. The great challenge in the modern economy is productivity. I cannot express how difficult it is to recruit good staff who are productive—it is genuinely…26 Jan 2024HANSARD High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) BillThe hon. Gentleman is making an excellent point. Whether or not it is through this Bill, meaningful regeneration can happen only if people have pride in the area they either live…26 Jan 2024HANSARDShared Parental Leave and Pay (Bereavement) BillThat is absolutely correct. Obviously there are bad employers, but the colleagues I know who run their own businesses, who value their employees, would certainly not resile from…26 Jan 2024HANSARDShared Parental Leave and Pay (Bereavement) BillThe hon. Member for Ogmore (Chris Elmore) made an incredibly touching speech. I think everyone in the House supports the Bill. My hon. Friend has been a leader in small…26 Jan 2024HANSARDShared Parental Leave and Pay (Bereavement) BillI suspect the population of the United Kingdom are not gripped by Parliament TV at the moment, but I wish they were, because debates such as this show the humanity of Members of…26 Jan 2024HANSARD Pet Abduction BillI have to say this now, having listened to the other contributions: as I walk into my front room there is a picture of me sitting with my dog Bertie with his rosette. Bertie came…19 Jan 2024HANSARD Licensing Hours Extensions BillI do not think I have ever agreed with a Bill in my life as much as I agree with this one. There is literally no word in it that I disagree with. I actually think the hon. Member…19 Jan 2024HANSARD Pet Abduction BillThe lawyer in me is coming out here. Does “lawful control” mean ownership?19 Jan 2024HANSARDBuilding Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) BillMy hon. Friend is making an outstanding speech, and we could philosophise all day, which I am tempted to do very badly. Mutuality in the modern day requires a profit element. For…19 Jan 2024HANSARDPrayersI beg to move, That the House sit in private. Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 163) and negatived.19 Jan 2024HANSARDBuilding Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) BillMy hon. Friend is making an excellent speech, but we should not see building societies as a panacea; they are closing branches in my area as well. How do we encourage building…19 Jan 2024HANSARDBuilding Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) BillI congratulate the hon. Member for Sunderland Central (Julie Elliott) on bringing her Bill to the House. I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a…19 Jan 2024HANSARD Licensing Hours Extensions BillThe point the hon. Member has just made is extremely significant. Section 172 of the 2003 Act refers to exceptional international, national or local significance. I truly hope…19 Jan 2024HANSARD Pet Abduction BillThis is a good Bill and I support it, but my concern is that an offence already covers this type of criminal behaviour. I do not believe that it is the difficulty in proving that…19 Jan 2024HANSARD Rwanda Plan Cost and Asylum SystemListening to the debate, I think there may be a complete misunderstanding about the fundamental point of the legislation. It is a deterrent. I could pluck any figure out of the…09 Jan 2024HANSARD Rwanda Plan Cost and Asylum SystemWill the hon. Gentleman give way?09 Jan 2024HANSARD Rwanda Plan Cost and Asylum SystemAs a fellow member of the Home Affairs Committee, would my hon. Friend agree that the same official said it was crucial that the United Kingdom Government have a strong deterrent…09 Jan 2024