Contributions
282 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDElectronic Voting2. To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what recent assessment the Commission has made of the potential merits of…19 Mar 2020HANSARDElectronic VotingLast week, the Leader of the House declined the idea of an increased use of deferred Divisions. Given that we are in a changing landscape, that guidance has changed and, even…19 Mar 2020HANSARDPrison Staff: Health and SafetyThank you, Chair. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again. I want to thank everyone here, although time constrains me from thanking each hon. Member individually.…18 Mar 2020HANSARDPrison Staff: Health and SafetyI beg to move, That this House has considered health and safety of prison staff. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Robertson. I start by paying tribute to the…18 Mar 2020HANSARDPrison Staff: Health and SafetyYes, I fully concur. In many areas, the prison estate is Victorian; sometimes it even predates that era. It has to be upgraded. Good work has been ongoing in Scotland—that does…18 Mar 2020HANSARDPrison Staff: Health and SafetyThe hon. Member makes a valid point. I am always of the view that these things are best dealt with by the independent judiciary; we must allow them to deal with the particular…18 Mar 2020HANSARDPrison Staff: Health and SafetyAbsolutely. I always remember that being put to me by the former Lord Advocate, Dame Elish Angiolini. She said, “They took someone’s childhood. They can forfeit their old age.”…18 Mar 2020HANSARDAlcohol HarmI thank the hon. Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce) for introducing this debate, and you for allowing it, Mr Paisley. There is a perennial and universal issue across the UK and…17 Mar 2020HANSARD Veterans’ Mental HealthI thank the Minister for the advance copy and the tenor of his statement. This is a vital but distressing topic that is altogether rather shameful on us all. Like the Minister, I…12 Mar 2020HANSARD Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) BillAbsolutely. I was going to come to that point, given my involvement as a former Justice Secretary in Scotland. We on the Opposition Benches have a duty not only to ensure public…12 Feb 2020HANSARD Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) BillI concur with the Lord Chancellor’s comments that one of the primary duties of any Government, in any country, is to keep their population safe. I would go as far as to say that…12 Feb 2020HANSARD Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) BillI do not think that that would be required. I think that there are other ways in which we can deal with these people. The Chair of the Select Committee will know better than I,…12 Feb 2020HANSARD Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) BillI thank the hon. Lady. The same has been done in previous years in the case of other prisoners. Even during my tenure, we had special units for those involved in paramilitary…12 Feb 2020HANSARD Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) Billindicated assent.12 Feb 2020HANSARD Terrorist Offenders (Restriction of Early Release) BillI echo the comments of both the Opposition spokesman and the Lord Chancellor. We have put on record the requirement for unity on this issue. I thank the Lord Chancellor and his…12 Feb 2020HANSARDScotch whisky: US tariffsI thank the right hon. Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (David Mundell) for securing the debate. As he well knows, Scotch whisky is synonymous with the Scottish…30 Jan 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsTorness power station in my constituency is protected by the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. Female officers are now expected to work until 67. Does the Minister accept that, as well…23 Jan 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsT4. Glenkinchie distillery in my constituency is threatened by the tariffs imposed on Scotch whisky by President Trump. Given the decision to leave the EU and seek a trade deal…23 Jan 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsT1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.23 Jan 2020HANSARD Commission on Justice in WalesI concur with the point made by the hon. Member for Islwyn (Chris Evans) and others. I am contributing here not because I am a nationalist Member, but because this is about the…22 Jan 2020