Contributions
918 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFree School Meals: Eligibility CriteriaUnder the existing criteria for free school meals, university maths schools have an excellent record for widening participation. We know that 7% of A-level maths students across…20 Oct 2025HANSARDAsylum Seekers: Support and AccommodationMy hon. Friend is entirely right. The Government have to speed up decisions, cut backlogs and return those asylum seekers who are unsuccessful in their applications and have no…20 Oct 2025HANSARDAsylum Seekers: Support and AccommodationIt is an honour to serve with you in the Chair, Dr Murrison. I can entirely understand where the petitioners are coming from. After all, hotels are holiday accommodation, and for…20 Oct 2025HANSARDAsylum Seekers: Support and AccommodationI think the Minister is either misunderstanding or mischaracterising my contribution, but will he please comment on the potential return hubs for failed asylum seekers?20 Oct 2025HANSARD Official Secrets Act Case: Witness StatementsLeaders should delegate responsibility but not accountability. The argument at Prime Minister’s questions yesterday revolved around whether a Minister or a special adviser had…16 Oct 2025HANSARDSmall Churches in Rural ConstituenciesUnder the Local Government Act 1972, parochial church councils may serve notice requiring parish or district councils to assume responsibility for the maintenance of closed…16 Oct 2025HANSARDJhoots PharmacyWe have heard again this afternoon the line from the Minister that pharmacy staff are employed not by the NHS but by pharmacy businesses, and that this is just a dispute between…15 Oct 2025HANSARD UkraineThe Foreign Secretary mentioned that Speaker Stefanchuk of the Ukrainian Parliament—the Rada—was in the Gallery earlier today. He also met members of the all-party parliamentary…15 Oct 2025HANSARDDigital IDI have been contacted by a contractor who worked on the last Labour Government’s ID card scheme. He wrote to me that “it was a massive waste of money” and suggested that it could…13 Oct 2025HANSARD Security Update: Official Secrets Act CaseIn 2023 the Intelligence and Security Committee published a report on China in which it wrote that China was a “whole-of-state threat”. In their 2023 public response to the ISC…13 Oct 2025HANSARDBovine Tuberculosis Control and Badger CullingThat sounds like a case in the area I represent, where Rachel and Andrew Webber had TB found. They then introduced an additional 11 cows, but the Department for Environment, Food…13 Oct 2025HANSARDCourt BacklogsOf 221 people arrested for supporting Palestine Action, 162 were arrested under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. This prohibits people from carrying articles in public which…16 Sept 2025HANSARDCourt Backlogs15. What steps he is taking to reduce backlogs in the criminal justice system.16 Sept 2025HANSARDInternational Day of DemocracyI am grateful to the hon. Member for securing this debate on renewing our democracy. First past the post served Labour and the Conservatives well in the 20th century, but the…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI was with the right hon. Gentleman at those Foreign Affairs Committee meetings. We should also say that there was no opportunity for us to quiz Lord Mandelson in a public setting.16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesI agree wholeheartedly. I commend the right hon. Gentleman on calling this debate in the first place, and he is right. It was rumoured that Karen Pierce wanted to or was at least…16 Sept 2025HANSARDAmbassador to the United StatesThe UK has a proud tradition of appointing career civil servants as ambassadors. Our senior diplomatic service is respected worldwide and, while travelling with the Foreign…16 Sept 2025HANSARD Business of the HouseI would like to request a debate on rural broadband and rural 4G. Broadband coverage in much of Devon is poor, in spite of the last Government saying that they would spend £5…11 Sept 2025HANSARD Biosecurity at the Border: Britain’s Illegal Meat CrisisI should say to my right hon. Friend that I think it is an excellent report—I am amazed to hear that 235 tonnes of illegal meat were detained at the border. On 18 August, the…11 Sept 2025HANSARDRegional Transport InequalityWill the Minister give way?11 Sept 2025