Contributions
752 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDGender Pay GapI welcome the progress that has been made in closing the gender pay gap and increasing the representation of women on company boards, but what are the Government doing to support…25 Apr 2019HANSARD Discrimination in FootballWest Bromwich Albion pioneered the fight against racism in football in the 1970s with club legends such as Cyrille Regis, Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham. Will the Minister…11 Apr 2019HANSARD European CouncilMy right hon. Friend is aware of my view of a lengthy extension, but the extension period that she has negotiated ends if an agreement is ratified. What guarantees has she secured…11 Apr 2019HANSARD Arrest of Julian AssangeI join hon. Members in thanking my right hon. Friend for his statement and the Metropolitan police for their effective action this morning. The Ecuadorean President has indicated…11 Apr 2019HANSARD Legal Aid for InquestsMy hon. Friend speaks about a more inquisitorial system. Does she agree that if we are looking at a genuinely inquisitorial system of the kind that would be recognised on the…10 Apr 2019HANSARD Business Ratesrose —02 Apr 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsI thank my hon. Friend for raising that point, which is one of those that needs to be considered. I understand the Treasury’s concerns about the risk of fraud, the ability to…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsI share the sadness whenever a well-used pub closes for any reason, and there is a particular impact on the community when that pub is a heritage building in a town, city or…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsI consider myself duly reprimanded, Mr Deputy Speaker. Suffice it to say that, once again, I strongly agree with the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Toby Perkins), as I have also…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsI beg to move, That this House has considered beer taxation and pubs. I am delighted to have secured this important debate, alongside the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsI will take one last intervention and then I must move on, otherwise you will shout at me, Mr Deputy Speaker.28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsMy right hon. Friend pre-empts the later part of my speech, and the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North is similarly indicating that she may just touch upon this topic later.…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsOf course, the business rates relief extension was part of the support for high streets and community pubs in particular. I think there is a particular value to that, but I…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsMy hon. Friend is spot on. When I was helping to judge the parliamentary pub chef and young pub chef of the year competition this time last year, we spoke to a number of people…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsI would caution against trying to turn this into a party political issue, because although the number of pubs is still reducing at far too high a rate, it is a rather slower rate…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsMy right hon. Friend is quite right. I will speak about the particular importance of rural community pubs later, but pubs are often key to local identity even in our towns and…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsI thank all right hon. and hon. Members for their contributions today. We have had well over 20 contributions from Members representing six out of the seven parties in the House…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsI really cannot—I ought to have finished by now. The three duty cuts and two beer tax freezes that we have seen under successive Conservative Chancellors have secured thousands of…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsThere is a range of factors. Beer duty is certainly part of it, but business rates are a massive factor in the pressures affecting our pubs. For these pubs to flourish, to remain…28 Mar 2019HANSARDBeer Taxation and PubsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous) would also agree, with St Peter’s being a major advocate of this argument as…28 Mar 2019