Contributions
2,107 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessThere has been enormous urgency. As I said in my response to the urgent question—I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman was listening—I have just come from the third COBRA…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessI am sure the hon. and learned Lady will be pleased to know that I am meeting the Secretary of State for Transport this very afternoon, to ensure that our plans—not just for the…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessAgain, that is the responsibility of another Secretary of State, but I am more than happy to look at— [Interruption.] I came here to talk about the next 36 hours; about my…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessThat is obviously the responsibility of another Secretary of State; my job, as I say, is to get us through the next 36 hours in as good a shape as possible and learn the lessons…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessI am sure that the right hon. Gentleman knows that the vast majority of the population will get through the next 36 hours in good shape, but I am sure that he also recognises that…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessIt seems only five minutes ago that the hon. Gentleman was supporting the last leader of his party, one of whose pledges was to reopen the coalmines.18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessI do not know whether the hon. Lady can cast her mind back, but I remember that the Conservative slogan more than 10 years ago was “Vote blue, go green.” The battle against…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessI am more than happy to join my hon. Friend in praising the accuracy and professionalism of the Met Office. Its ability to predict the heatwave with some accuracy, both in respect…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessAs I said, the law, as it stands, says that employers have an obligation to maintain a reasonable temperature at work— [ Interruption. ] It is not defined because circumstances…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessMy hon. Friend makes an extremely important point and I am more than happy to reinforce his message. As he may know, we have issued a red alert for wildfires. We are very…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessI think it is generally accepted that the UK Government and my right hon. Friend the COP26 President fought hard at COP26 to keep 1.5° alive and that we put it all out on the…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessI am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his constructive contribution and I will certainly take a look at that document. The Cabinet Office does not lead on this issue, but…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessOne of the critical things we need to bear in mind is that this period of hot weather will be short. It will be 36 hours long. The kinds of effects that the hon. Lady mentions…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessMy hon. Friend is absolutely spot on. He will be reassured to know that colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are in close touch with water…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessThe hon. Gentleman is right that we need to discuss—and we have been discussing in Cobra—the different circumstances faced in Scotland, where the school term has ended. There is…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessMy hon. Friend raises an important point. In all our public messaging, we have tried to be balanced and moderate in our view, and to point to the particular vulnerability of…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessThe Father of the House raises an extremely important point about the ability of our emergency services to cope and their resilience. Each of those organisations and their leaders…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessObviously, our immediate concern is to ensure that we get the country through the next 36 hours or so in as good a shape as possible. The hon. Lady will be pleased to know that…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessAs I am sure the hon. Lady knows, there are significant plans in place to deal with all manner of extreme weather events, and all local resilience forums have their plans in…18 Jul 2022HANSARDExtreme Heat PreparednessFor the first time ever, the UK Health Security Agency has issued a level 4 heat health alert for much of the country. Temperatures are forecast to reach the low 40s° C. It looks…18 Jul 2022