Contributions
235 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Third sitting)I am a little reassured by the Government’s intentions to support the manufacturing industry and look forward to their efforts to do so. I am certainly reassured by the support…12 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q Reforming business rates is very welcome. We always like that—they are not a particularly good tax—but I fear the measure is making them more complicated. Forgive me if it is a…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (Second sitting)Q Apologies for being late; I got caught in traffic behind a tractor. I thank the panel for their evidence. I am a coastal Devon MP, and within my constituency are Dawlish and…11 Dec 2024HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill (First sitting)Q Thank you for coming today. The Co-op is a vital element of many of the communities in my area in south Devon. It is a mainstay of many communities. In the Bill I am interested…11 Dec 2024HANSARDPlanning Committees: ReformSpeaking as—until recently—the leader of a district council and a long-term member of our planning committee, I do not recognise the issues that the Minister is citing. A lot of…09 Dec 2024HANSARDEngagementsQ10. The major GP practice groups in my constituency have written to me, detailing their precarious finances. They are considering their options as they plan for the year ahead,…04 Dec 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsThe storm in 2014 broke the Dawlish sea wall, collapsed cliffs and blocked the south-west main line for months. Will the Secretary of State assure us that the crucial rail…21 Nov 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsT1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.21 Nov 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsT9. I have been shocked this week by all the major GP groups in my constituency detailing their financial situations. They are all close to the edge and are considering the…19 Nov 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsSmall and medium-sized enterprises in my constituency tell me that research and development funding has dried up since last December. What hope can the Minister offer to ensure…18 Nov 2024HANSARDDefence: 2.5% GDP Spending CommitmentThe Secretary of State rightly refers to R&D spending and small firms, yet small firms in my constituency tell me that spending has dried up. Can he assure me that this is just a…11 Nov 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsCitizens Advice tells me that the DWP continues to start action on alleged overpayments more than six years after the event. That is longer than bank records are kept to prove…11 Nov 2024HANSARDBudget ResolutionsWe know that growth comes from investing in productivity and skills, and I, too, welcome the £22 billion for the NHS. Long-term public investment is essential for the security and…06 Nov 2024HANSARDBudget ResolutionsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right: there are other ways that this money could have been found. The Liberal Democrats have long been saying that we should be looking to the banks,…06 Nov 2024HANSARD Access to Primary HealthcareI congratulate my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for North Devon (Ian Roome) on his maiden speech. I start by thanking my long-suffering family, especially my children Zoe,…16 Oct 2024