Contributions
201 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCollege FundingI am sorry that I cannot stay for the whole debate, but I am chairing a Committee later. The hon. Gentleman may mention it later in his speech, but I wanted to put on record the…21 Jan 2019HANSARD No Confidence in Her Majesty’s GovernmentDoes my hon. Friend share my concern about asking for a second referendum? Why should anyone trust referendums or any electoral process if, when we are given a mandate to do…16 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesI have not calculated that, but if my hon. Friend waits for the rest of my speech, he will hear how the huge hikes in business rates mean that pubs would have to sell so many…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesI beg to move, That this House has considered the effect of business rates on pubs. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Bailey, and I am happy to have secured…15 Jan 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal) ActDoes my right hon. Friend agree that the backstop is, as the Attorney General said, taking a risk with the Good Friday agreement and the Union of this country, and that is a risk…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesI encourage the Minister to come and see my pubs. Many of them are in historic listed buildings within a conservation area. They have small square footage and it is difficult to…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesActually, we have tried to save pubs under the asset of community value scheme, and we have not been successful in St Albans, because the developer wins every time. I can see the…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesI absolutely agree with the hon. Lady, because I do not believe that what she has described was the Government’s intention. As I have said, the formula does not take into account…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesThe hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point. Indeed yesterday, I took some representatives of pubs to meet the Minister with specific responsibility for this issue, and…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesI absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, and that is why I think the Government need to hear why their best intentions have not hit the mark. As I was saying, and as the hon.…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesI thank the Minister for making various offers to talk outside the debate. Of course, the debate is being watched hotly by people in my constituency and outside it. I ask that the…15 Jan 2019HANSARD Pubs: Business RatesMay I ask the Minister in the few minutes that are left specifically to discuss anomalies such as fair maintainable trade—where the rates of one pub are hugely increased and those…15 Jan 2019HANSARDEngagementsVolunteering services are enormously important, and none more so than the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, who put their lives at risk and often rescue people who make…09 Jan 2019HANSARD Finance (No. 3) BillI wanted to have more time to be able to say what a great job the Government have been doing: a 43-year low for unemployment rates, 1,000 jobs a day created and bringing in the…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Finance (No. 3) BillMy hon. Friend has mentioned some of the benefits of having a working parent or family member, but it also sets an enormously good example for the children. Children brought up in…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Finance (No. 3) BillMy hon. Friend prompted me when he mentioned a golden era. Does he remember when a certain Labour Chancellor thought it an excellent idea to sell off our gold reserves at a record…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Finance (No. 3) BillGiven the Front-Bench speech that we heard from the Opposition, it is worth noting that the allowance was only £6,475 when Labour left power, but is now £12,500 under this…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Finance (No. 3) BillIt will have to be very quick, because I am aware other people need to speak.08 Jan 2019HANSARD Finance (No. 3) BillMy hon. Friend is exactly right. There are many versions of that story. I have constituents who say that HMRC was made aware of these arrangements but no objection was raised…08 Jan 2019HANSARD Finance (No. 3) BillExactly. I have also been advised by a former constituent, who, despite no longer living in the UK, is being pursued by HMRC for thousands of pounds of unpaid tax. Another person…08 Jan 2019