Contributions
152 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Business of the HouseI have one small issue with my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew): he did not go back before the 16th century. I do wish my right hon. Friend to say a little bit…17 Sept 2020HANSARDBusiness of the HouseI was going to ask my hon. Friend a question about Alfred the Great, but I discovered that he does not go back before 1600, so it will have to wait. He is fully aware that…10 Sept 2020HANSARD Business of the HouseMy right hon. Friend knows how good Sedgemoor District Council is, but I do not know whether he is aware that it has just approved the imaginative plans for the Gravity site, on…16 Jul 2020HANSARDBusiness of the HouseCan we please have a debate about local government restructuring? In Somerset, the county council has unfortunately been far too busy looking for unitary instead of attacking…02 Jul 2020HANSARDCovid-19: DWP UpdateThe Secretary of State has made very clear how the system is working, and it is working very well, but will she take the chance to address some of the issues for self-employed…04 May 2020HANSARD Business of the HouseMy right hon. Friend will agree that is nice to have an Exmoor man having a new child. I congratulate the Prime Minister, especially as he is a local. My right hon. Friend and I…29 Apr 2020HANSARD Future of Farming: SomersetI start my dissertation by firmly apologising to the Minister, who has not had a copy of my speech. I managed to send it to the wrong Minister, so I apologise unreservedly—that…18 Mar 2020HANSARD Educational SettingsThe Secretary of State has answered two questions from colleagues on very special schools. I have two such schools in Bridgwater: Penrose and Elmwood. These children have some of…18 Mar 2020HANSARD Future of Farming: SomersetThe hon. Lady knows me well—she tempts me, and I will rise to the bait. Yes, it is appalling that the council sold them off. I was totally against their being sold off. County…18 Mar 2020HANSARD Future of Farming: SomersetThat will teach me to watch the time more carefully. I have asked a lot in this short debate. In the weeks and months ahead, farmers will become more important to us all. We will…18 Mar 2020HANSARD Commonwealth in 2020I thank the Minister for his comments, and also for the work he did as chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association over that period. I should also like to thank my hon.…09 Mar 2020HANSARDShared Rural NetworkFirst, until we change the rules in national parks, we are not going to achieve universal coverage. Secondly, Connecting Devon and Somerset has been a disaster. Will the Secretary…28 Oct 2019HANSARD Business of the HouseMay we have a debate in Government time about smart motorways? Nobody understands whether those things are safe or good value for money—or, indeed, whether they work. Is it now…24 Oct 2019HANSARDRussian Annexation of CrimeaAs president of the European Conservatives Group, of which Serhii Kiral is a member, I want to echo my hon. Friend’s sentiments that he did a phenomenal job. Also, the Ukraine…24 Apr 2019HANSARD Policing: SomersetI welcome that intervention. This debate is about policing in Somerset, but the issue applies to the whole country. It does not matter whether it is Northern Ireland, Wales,…25 Mar 2019HANSARD Policing: SomersetI thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. We cover very similar areas and he makes a valid point. I will come on to that, because the Somerset area has some exciting news and I…25 Mar 2019HANSARD Policing: SomersetMy hon. Friend and I share the beauty of Exmoor. He is absolutely right. It is a remote area and there are too many rogues. We know that it is not just drugs, but sheep and cattle…25 Mar 2019HANSARD Policing: SomersetThat is an interesting comment. I do not know the situation in Bath, so I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her intervention. I know the feeling that she is experiencing. We lost…25 Mar 2019HANSARD Policing: SomersetFor many reasons, I am pleased to have secured this debate, even though some of what I have to say may be distressing to hear because crime, unfortunately, knows no boundaries. It…25 Mar 2019HANSARD Policing: SomersetMr Deputy Speaker, I wrote to my hon. Friend this afternoon to say that I would speak about this. I also made it clear that I would talk about other areas. The report is very good…25 Mar 2019