Contributions
1,077 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillI beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. As you will know, Madam Deputy Speaker, timing is important in politics. When, last autumn, I chose today for the Second…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillI am not insisting that anybody should pay attention to what I am saying. All I am putting forward is a proposition that these arm’s length bodies, of which there are far too…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillAbsolutely; that is why, although the term “independent” sounds seductive to people outside, it quite often means a lack of control by elected representatives over the body in…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillI do not think my Bill would make any of that harder. What I am saying is that if the Government wish to abolish these arm’s length bodies, or some of them, and to create a more…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillAlthough I was educated at university in Scotland, I will not get drawn into Scottish politics, but there is a lot to be said for having a United Kingdom approach to all these…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillI am not going to give way any more, but I will just make this comment: the hon. Gentleman seems to be intent on finding a reason for not taking action in this area and to block…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillI am more interested, actually, in looking at the number of people in the civil service. There was a low point during the Blair years, but I am sorry to report that under the last…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillQuangos are not directly responsible to Parliament, which is why I have brought forward the Bill.14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillI am just coming to that—I have to say that I am absolutely delighted. I am not ambivalent about it; it is really good news, and I will give some examples of how frustrating it…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillMy hon. Friend takes me back to the content of my Bill, which seeks to achieve exactly what she requests. Clause 1 states: “House of Commons approval of relevant documents (1)…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillI hear the hon. Gentleman’s cautionary tale, and I am not suggesting that anything will be a panacea. My Bill is just a tentative step to try to introduce a little more…14 Mar 2025HANSARDRare Cancers BillI congratulate the hon. Gentleman on introducing a Bill on this important subject. He mentions research. Can he explain why the extent of clauses 2 and 3 is limited to England and…14 Mar 2025HANSARDArm’s-Length Bodies (Review) BillI cannot speak for the previous Government because I was not a member, although obviously I was in the House. My understanding is that this has become a live issue only within…14 Mar 2025HANSARDProtection of Children (Digital Safety and Data Protection) BillI congratulate the hon. Gentleman on introducing the Bill in the way he has and on becoming a Parliamentary Private Secretary. Does he support the Bill going into Committee? I…07 Mar 2025HANSARDProtection of Children (Digital Safety and Data Protection) BillI am one of the people who is very angry about this, and my right hon. Friend is a co-sponsor of this Bill, so his disappointment must be even greater. However, does he agree that…07 Mar 2025HANSARDCourts and Tribunals: Sitting DaysThis announcement is small beer, is it not? The extra £92 million offered for criminal legal aid is exceeded twentyfold by the subsidies given to offshore wind, which amounted to…05 Mar 2025HANSARDMaternity ServicesThere are three speakers, and we have five minutes to go.25 Feb 2025HANSARDElectric VehiclesWhat the Minister says is all very well, but why do the Government not support my Exemption from Value Added Tax (Public Electric Vehicle Charging Points) Bill?13 Feb 2025HANSARDAstraZenecaFor all the virtues of AstraZeneca, let us not forget that thousands of people suffered serious injury or death as a result of having the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccines. Why, then,…03 Feb 2025HANSARDClimate and Nature BillWill my hon. Friend give way?24 Jan 2025