Contributions
1,098 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Debate on the AddressMay I first congratulate the Government on winning the election? For many people across the United Kingdom, the kind of Queen’s Speech we could have had today could have been…19 Dec 2019HANSARD Debate on the AddressThat is the other argument: not just that the Prime Minister would not allow the UK to be ripped up, but that he wanted to extend UK prosperity to every part of it. I understand…19 Dec 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Budget BillFirst, let me say that the Secretary of State is being very optimistic if he thinks this is the last time he will be bringing such a Bill to this House. I have listened to every…30 Oct 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Budget BillThe shadow Secretary of State is making an important point about the inability to scrutinise the efficiency of the spend. Does he also accept that we do not even have a chance to…30 Oct 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Budget BillThat may well be the case. On the face of it, Sinn Féin say they support the idea, but they are quite happy to sit out the Assembly so that no decision is made on it. As my right…30 Oct 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Budget BillDoes my right hon. Friend not find it ironic that when Sinn Féin raises those funds in America and other parts of the world, they can be used for the purposes of promoting the…30 Oct 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Budget BillDoes the Secretary of State accept, however, that even with the powers that civil servants have, the cost of these mitigation measures is such that budgets will have to be…30 Oct 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Budget BillI want to come back to the point about housing association classification, because the Minister was not clear in his answer. The legislation has been prepared—I got that bit—but…30 Oct 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Budget BillPerhaps the Minister could give us some clarity. In the past, we have been told that the reason why the legislation could not come forward is that it had not been properly…30 Oct 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Economy and Innovation: Government SupportMy hon. Friend is right that it is not just jobs that we want, but good-quality jobs. Does she agree that when the Assembly was working properly, one of its successes was in…29 Oct 2019HANSARD Northern Ireland Economy and Innovation: Government SupportDoes my hon. Friend accept that one of the downsides of the current withdrawal agreement is that although we are a major exporting region of the UK, we might find ourselves…29 Oct 2019HANSARD Early Parliamentary General ElectionMy hon. Friend is right, but sometimes statistics can go over people’s heads. Let us also bear in mind that the agreement goes totally against the promises made by both the former…28 Oct 2019HANSARD Early Parliamentary General ElectionWe are wandering a bit from the motion now, Mr Speaker, but I hope you will indulge me just to answer this point. That is one of the arguments that the Prime Minister has put…28 Oct 2019HANSARD Early Parliamentary General ElectionThe Prime Minister has claimed that anyone who does not support his demand for an early election is, first, trying to stop Brexit and, secondly, running scared of the electorate.…28 Oct 2019HANSARD Early Parliamentary General ElectionOf course the right hon. and learned Gentleman will know that that is only half the answer, because under this agreement we would still be within the rules of the single market,…28 Oct 2019HANSARD Early Parliamentary General ElectionThe hon. Gentleman is trying to draw me into saying that this should be decided by a second referendum. I do not believe that it should be decided by a second referedum, because,…28 Oct 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) BillI am glad of that intervention, because it brings me to the very next point that I wish to make, on the issue of sovereignty. Although the Prime Minister has claimed that what the…22 Oct 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) BillI would love to vote today for a Bill that would take us out of the EU, but unfortunately we find ourselves in a position where we cannot support this Bill. I want to make…22 Oct 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) BillThat is right, but the one thing that they have always demanded is that we have unfettered access to the market, which is our main market. We sell five times more to GB than we do…22 Oct 2019HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) BillOn a point of order, Mr Speaker.22 Oct 2019