Contributions
962 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNon-stun Slaughter of AnimalsMy hon. Friend makes her point with some passion; I will touch on that point in a second. Such provisions include post-cut stunning for ruminants, minimum-stun parameters for…09 Jun 2025HANSARDNon-stun Slaughter of AnimalsI thank everyone who has spoken. People all over Britain who care about animals will be going online and watching this debate. The Muslim and Jewish communities will have been…09 Jun 2025HANSARDNon-stun Slaughter of AnimalsFrom my discussions with the Islamic and Jewish communities, I think that the concept of labelling—if I interpret what the hon. Gentleman said correctly—could be quite acceptable…09 Jun 2025HANSARDNon-stun Slaughter of AnimalsI beg to move, That this House has considered e-petition 700557 relating to the non-stun slaughter of animals. As Chair of the Petitions Committee, I always find it encouraging to…09 Jun 2025HANSARDNon-stun Slaughter of AnimalsI am prepared to be informed on that point. In my discussions with both the Jewish and Muslim communities, I actually learned a very great deal myself. I found particularly…09 Jun 2025HANSARD Battery Energy Storage Sites: Safety RegulationsI, like others, am left in awe by the diligence of the research that has been carried out by the right hon. Member. Yes, that is absolutely correct; we just do not quite know what…05 Jun 2025HANSARD Battery Energy Storage Sites: Safety RegulationsAs you can see, Madam Deputy Speaker, I have come to the Chamber with a pre-prepared speech, but really everything has already been said. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for…05 Jun 2025HANSARD Battery Energy Storage Sites: Safety RegulationsWill the hon. Member give way?05 Jun 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsIn terms of encouraging public participation in democracy and in politics, I have found that school visits are constructive, even in the far north of Scotland, and that is on a…05 Jun 2025HANSARD Battery Energy Storage Sites: Safety RegulationsFire services are devolved to the Scottish Government. I do not think that the hon. Member for Aberdeen North (Kirsty Blackman) would disagree that co-ordination on this matter…05 Jun 2025HANSARD Battery Energy Storage Sites: Safety RegulationsThe hon. Member is making an excellent speech. He refers to the pollution of watercourses; in my constituency, the salmon fishing industry is hugely important to tourism and the…05 Jun 2025HANSARD Swimming FacilitiesThe hon. Gentleman is making an excellent speech. I learned to swim as a boy at Tain Royal Academy in my hometown of Tain. A new school is being built, and the old school,…04 Jun 2025HANSARD Swimming FacilitiesI am sure that the hon. Gentleman will share my dismay that death by drowning is twice as common per head of population in Scotland as it is in England. Does that not say…04 Jun 2025HANSARD Business of the HousePeople living in the north of Scotland are forced to pay extortionate delivery charges for goods they order from further south—charges that are far higher than people in Glasgow,…22 May 2025HANSARDBusiness and the EconomyI was a little startled to be described as sitting on the “other Government Bench”, but perhaps that is the shape of things to come—who knows? I do not have my crystal ball with…21 May 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsScottish councils now have the power to introduce a tourism levy. That has gone down extremely badly with the hospitality sector. In particular, they fear a tax on a tax—that…20 May 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Recruitment and Retention14. What steps he is taking to improve recruitment and retention in the armed forces.19 May 2025HANSARDArmed Forces Recruitment and RetentionIt may or may not come as a surprise to the House that I was once a Royal Navy cadet. I believe that the cadet force is hugely important to retention and recruitment. The trouble…19 May 2025HANSARDFuture of Public LibrariesThe hon. Gentleman is making a valid point about mental health. Does he agree that for many people in their old age, visiting a library is one way of combating loneliness, which…14 May 2025HANSARDFuture of Public LibrariesIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I have a pub quiz question for the Minister: which historic figure has the greatest number of busts in the United…14 May 2025