Contributions
962 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Victory in Europe and Japan: 80th AnniversariesI associate my party with what is being planned—it is a great idea. I crave the indulgence of the House to mention my parents, both of whom served in the second world war. My…13 Mar 2025HANSARDFarmingI congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) on opening the debate and on the thoughtful and knowledgeable speech he made. I also…13 Mar 2025HANSARDFarmingMy hon. Friend brings knowledge from the past, which is very valuable to the debate. My right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland is also a champion of this cause, and…13 Mar 2025HANSARDFarmingI thank the hon. Gentleman for his contribution, and what a pity it is that our SNP colleagues are not with us at this point, because we both might have something to say about…13 Mar 2025HANSARDFarmingMy right hon. Friend is indeed doing his bit and never ceases to do so, but this again goes back to an earlier point: that farming is intermingled throughout the entire economy.…13 Mar 2025HANSARD Rural Communities: Government SupportMy hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. One of the big problems that we have in my very remote constituency is the cost of delivery charges and surcharges. They are a lot…12 Mar 2025HANSARDEconomic Growth: ScotlandMr Speaker, you will have seen the film “Skyfall”, in which James Bond and M travel up the A9. But the A9 is a killer road, and we have had a litany of broken promises from the…04 Mar 2025HANSARDPublic ServicesMy daughter lives in Donegal. When her two little boys were born, she had the choice of them being born in Derry or Sligo—on either side of the border. The Republic of Ireland has…26 Feb 2025HANSARDCost of EnergyTo return to my earlier intervention about the switch-off of the radio signal, on infrastructure, does the Minister agree that the data communication company must be exhorted and…11 Feb 2025HANSARDCost of EnergyI thank the hon. Member for giving way; he is making an excellent contribution. The radio frequency network that, as the Minister is aware, controls what many people in remote…11 Feb 2025HANSARDInheritance Tax Relief: FarmsIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward. As Chair of the Petitions Committee, I am delighted to see such fantastic attendance at this debate. I have two…10 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasI absolutely agree with that point. In my area of the highlands, employees sometimes have to travel long distances with a large amount of money to deposit it, and I wonder about…05 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasI hope Treasury Ministers take the hon. Gentleman’s intervention into consideration.05 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasI agree with my hon. Friend, and I will touch on that matter later in my contribution. I want to go back to when I was a boy—some time ago, I might say. My hometown of Tain in the…05 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasThat point is exceptionally well made. From little acorns, mighty oaks grow, and in the old days a good bank manager would specialise in spotting a potential business that was…05 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasI thank the hon. Gentleman. Although the challenges are significant, they are not insurmountable. We must be positive about this. To address the problem, we must adopt a…05 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasThat is a wise point, and in calling me “gallant”, my hon. Friend refers to my service in the Territorial Army, but that is a different matter from the one before us today. At the…05 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasBriefly, I want to say three thank yous. The first is to Susie Babington, who researched my contribution this morning; I am very grateful. We rely on our excellent members of…05 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasI love the words “banking” and “hub”. I also know from my past experience what a lovely town Monmouth is; I had some much-loved cousins who lived just outside the town, and I knew…05 Feb 2025HANSARDClosure of High Street Services: Rural AreasMy hon. Friend is right on the money, and I will return to that point shortly. Local businesses that once thrived now struggle to compete with online giants offering convenience…05 Feb 2025