Contributions
7,836 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTeaching Assistants: Funding12. If he will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of allocating additional funding for teaching assistants in Northern Ireland.22 Nov 2023HANSARD Apprenticeship LevyThis is two days running that I have been called directly after the proposer of the debate. I am in a state of anguish and shock that I should be called so early. I am pleased to…22 Nov 2023HANSARD Housing Associations: ChargesI commend the right hon. Lady for securing the debate. She outlined a situation where housing associations become bigger by absorbing smaller ones. In my constituency, in my…22 Nov 2023HANSARDTeaching Assistants: FundingI know that the Minister has a deep interest in the affairs of Northern Ireland, and in the wages of classroom assistants. Only last week, thousands of non-teaching staff went on…22 Nov 2023HANSARD Helicopter Search and Rescue ServiceWill the Minister give way?22 Nov 2023HANSARD Apprenticeship LevyThe hon. Gentleman makes a salient and important point that underlines the issue for us as representatives of predominantly agricultural constituencies. Our role in the rural…22 Nov 2023HANSARDUK Citizenship TestI commend the hon. Lady for bringing this debate forward. Many people have described the UK citizenship test as a “bad pub quiz”. The questions asked are incredible, and many…22 Nov 2023HANSARD Helicopter Search and Rescue ServiceI commend the right hon. Gentleman on bringing this matter forward. He rightly said that His Majesty’s Coastguard provides 24-hour maritime and coastal search and rescue across…22 Nov 2023HANSARD Helicopter Search and Rescue ServiceI welcome the Minister’s understanding of that, but the point I tried to make in my intervention is that Northern Ireland needs its own. The issue is all about time whenever these…22 Nov 2023HANSARD Veterans Welfare ServicesI welcome the Minister’s statement. His understanding of veterans’ issues has been nurtured by his service in the Army but also by his nature, which leads him to try to help…21 Nov 2023HANSARD Scotland: Further Independence ReferendumI thank the Minister for giving way. He mentioned the Unionists on the Conservative Benches. I am a Unionist on the Opposition Benches, as are my party. It is clear that the polls…21 Nov 2023HANSARDInternational Men's DayIt is not often I get called first; I appreciate the opportunity. It threw me, but I have read my notes and know what I am going to say. I congratulate the hon. Member for Don…21 Nov 2023HANSARD Energy Costs and ChargesI commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing this debate forward. He is making a compelling case for Scotland. May I suggest to the Minister that there is also a compelling case for…21 Nov 2023HANSARDInternational Men's DayThe hon. Lady is right to underline the issue of men’s sheds. I can think of four men’s sheds in my constituency: in Saintfield—I see them on the third Saturday of every…21 Nov 2023HANSARD Autism and Learning Disability TrainingI commend the hon. Lady for bringing forward the debate. All of us have an interest in autism, and I know that others have a personal interest in it, but we are here to support…21 Nov 2023HANSARDInternational Development White PaperI very much welcome the Minister’s commitment to ensuring that women and girls have the same opportunities within the labour market as men. That could potentially add trillions of…21 Nov 2023HANSARD Debt in AfricaIf I have heard her correctly, the Minister has outlined a number of ways forward. Time is of the essence. Many of these countries are in extreme debt. I, along with others, am…21 Nov 2023HANSARD Debt in Africarose—21 Nov 2023HANSARD Debt in AfricaIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers, and to speak in today’s debate. I thank the hon. Member for Slough (Mr Dhesi) for leading the debate. We are all…21 Nov 2023HANSARDEx-offenders: EmploymentI thank the Minister for his response. Veterans very often fall on hard times, find themselves in prison and then become ex-offenders. Has the Minister had any opportunity to work…21 Nov 2023