Contributions
1,690 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDArmed Forces CovenantIt is stupid.18 Feb 2019HANSARDArmed Forces CovenantWhat?18 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportOn a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker—05 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportI want to begin by thanking the men and women of Durham constabulary, including the civilian support staff who work for the authority and do a fantastic job. Durham is a…05 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportWill the hon. Gentleman give way?05 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportI totally agree. The police should be the last resort, not the first, as they are in many cases. The Government cannot cut services and expect the people who use them just to go…05 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportI will not. Let me turn to what the motion is actually about. Durham police’s budget will not change. In extra core funding and the contribution towards pensions, which has…05 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportThere is also a direct shift of spending to local forces on pension liabilities, which the Government are deliberately moving. The pension costs are going to be £330 million, yet…05 Feb 2019HANSARD Local Government FinanceLet me start with a couple of facts: there has been a 49.1% reduction in Government core funding to local authorities and a 28.6% real terms reduction in spending power, which…05 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportIt is good. We have another example of a Member who has not been present for the debate. He is being lazy and could not be bothered to turn up—05 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportWill the hon. Gentleman give way?05 Feb 2019HANSARD Police Grant ReportOn a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. We have had a good debate, but it was undersubscribed on the Conservative Benches. Is it in order for the hon. Member for Chelmsford…05 Feb 2019HANSARDIntermediate-Range Nuclear Forces TreatyAs the Minister said, the Russians are in clear breach of the INF treaty. The development of the 9M729 missile is a clear breach, and there is evidence for it. In addition, the…04 Feb 2019HANSARDNissan in SunderlandMany of my North Durham constituents work at Nissan or in the supply chain and were very disappointed by the announcement at the weekend. Will the Secretary of State refute the…04 Feb 2019HANSARDMental Health First Aid in the WorkplaceIt is too tempting not to intervene on the hon. Gentleman. Is he aware—I am sure he is—that Northern Ireland has a particular issue? When I was a Minister in the Ministry of…17 Jan 2019HANSARDMental Health First Aid in the WorkplaceWill the Minister liaise with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions? As I said to the right hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb), voluntary work is a helpful…17 Jan 2019HANSARDMental Health First Aid in the WorkplaceIs the problem that mental wellbeing is not hardwired into Government policy? Some policies, for example Department for Work and Pensions work capability tests and others,…17 Jan 2019HANSARDMental Health First Aid in the WorkplaceDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that there are very simple things companies can do—BT and quite a few others do this—to improve work-life balance? For example, they can ensure…17 Jan 2019HANSARD Chester-le-Street: Rail ServicesI do not disagree with my hon. Friend. This is the economic case. People are losing the ability to access the jobs in Tyneside, Teesside and Durham. Many constituents feel…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Chester-le-Street: Rail ServicesOn this historic night, I am sorry that Members are now leaving the Chamber and will not be listening to the problems that my constituents are facing at Chester-le-Street railway…15 Jan 2019