Contributions
1,763 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTransport: Economic GrowthOn Friday, I had the privilege of meeting Lawrence Bowman, the new chief executive of South Western Railway, who brings with him over 20 years of experience in the industry. We…11 Sept 2025HANSARDLife Sciences InvestmentAt Porton Down in my constituency, there is a hub of life science businesses. I have listened carefully to what the right hon. Gentleman has said, and I recognise the difficult…11 Sept 2025HANSARD Business of the HouseI welcome the right hon. Gentleman to his new role. May I echo the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Marie Goldman) in drawing his attention to the reply that his predecessor gave to me…11 Sept 2025HANSARDFinancial Services ReformI warmly welcome the new Economic Secretary to her role. Over the summer I looked at issues around liquidity in the London Stock Exchange and the deterioration that has happened.…09 Sept 2025HANSARD Business of the HouseA month ago, I met Oliver Robinson from the British Trout Association. The association has produced an excellent report on the trout farming industry in the UK, but Oliver is…04 Sept 2025HANSARDAdoption and Special Guardianship Support FundMy hon. Friend is making a very powerful case, and I echo the sentiment that she has expressed so far. My constituent Sara Taylor came to me to make the case for the restoration…04 Sept 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsT5. Last week, Policy Exchange published a very insightful report, “Out of Control”, looking at the pathways to benefit entitlements. It made this point:“Fifty years ago, just one…01 Sept 2025HANSARDTopical QuestionsT3. On Monday, Tina McKenzie, the policy chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “For the first time in the history of the Small Business Index more small businesses…17 Jul 2025HANSARDFreedom of Religion or Belief: UK Foreign PolicyIt is a pleasure to speak in this debate. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) for the role that he has taken on and the work ahead of him,…17 Jul 2025HANSARDFinancial Services ReformI warmly welcome the Leeds reforms; they build on many of the things that were done under the previous Administration and I acknowledge the consumer-facing changes on mortgages…16 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingDoes my hon. Friend acknowledge the words of Richard Hughes of the OBR, who said in a report last week: “The UK cannot afford the array of promises that it has made to the…15 Jul 2025HANSARDWelfare SpendingWill the hon. Member give way?15 Jul 2025HANSARDTaxesThe right hon. Gentleman is being generous in giving way. One area the Opposition would be looking at is a coherent reform of the welfare system so that, by changing the pathway…15 Jul 2025HANSARDTaxesA few months ago, I met a former civil servant. He told me that when he was working in government in the run-up to the ’97 election, Ed Balls would come into the Department and…15 Jul 2025HANSARDTaxesNo, I will a bit of progress now. I will give way to the hon. Gentleman later, even though he did not give way to me earlier. The Chancellor came to the Treasury Committee in…15 Jul 2025HANSARDTaxesI shall just finish my point and then I will give way to the hon. Gentleman. The typical refrain is then to say, “What about Liz Truss?” I was not a member of Liz Truss’s…15 Jul 2025HANSARDTaxesI will come on to address the fundamental dynamics of spending and that area in particular, but first I want to draw the hon. Gentleman’s attention back to the subject.15 Jul 2025HANSARDTaxesAbsolutely. [ Interruption. ] I am told that I ought not to take any more interventions, but I will say that Liz Truss’s insight about the imperative for growth was right; we do…15 Jul 2025HANSARDUK-France Migration: Co-operationI always try to avoid rhetoric in this matter, and I fully concede—this bit is agreed—that my party lost a significant number of MPs because of our failure to deliver on a number…14 Jul 2025HANSARDInfected Blood Compensation SchemeI remain concerned that Sir Brian Langstaff has never asked me, as the Minister who was responsible for the design of the scheme, to account for the process that I adopted under…10 Jul 2025