Speeches by Ramsay.

“At the Environmental Audit Committee yesterday, the Minister for Nature did not have a clear answer for why the national security assessment on ecosystem collapse has not been released in its full form to MPs. I got the impression that it was not her decision to withhold the full unredacted report from MPs. Whose decis…”

“I thank the hon. Lady for her powerful speech. She talks about international law; does she agree with me on the importance of applying it consistently? In particular, given that the UK has rightly imposed sanctions and trade restrictions elsewhere—notably on Russia—does she agree that the same measures need to be appli…”

“I have heard from constituents of different ages who are concerned about the planned changes to PIP, and who highlight its importance in enabling them to work and to play a full part in society. I want to ask specifically about young people under the age of 25. What mechanisms are being put in place as part of this rev…”

“The hon. Gentleman is clearly passionate about the horseracing sector. Did he see the incident at the Grand National festival earlier this year, when Gold Dancer broke his back during the race and was whipped to continue? As a result, when he got over the finishing line, it was too late for the vets to save him. That i…”

“The Secretary of State has referred to the number of people who are already losing their lives annually due to excess extreme heat, and that number will reach 10,000 by mid-century. The Climate Change Committee has been clear that the costs of putting in place the adaptations that are needed are less than the costs of …”

“My question is about the implications for energy use. When the country is putting so much effort into trying to decarbonise electricity, could this bust our carbon budgets entirely?”

“I hear what you say about different options and impacts of water, but of course the impact of energy is also substantial. Dr Gallego-Schmid, you are focused on life-cycle impacts. If we look at companies like Microsoft and Google in the tech sector, 97% of Microsoft’s emissions are scope 3, whereas Google has seen a si…”

“You’ve got another 20 pages, Barry?”

“I welcome the work of Flood Re. Later this month, I will be hosting its Floodmobile in my constituency, where 13% of properties are already at risk of flooding. However, according to experts at Flooded People UK, our capital spending on flood defences and maintenance is not at record levels; in fact, it is actually low…”

“Thank you both. You raised a number of points about both the immediate and the life-cycle impact, whether it is on energy, water or materials, which I am sure colleagues will delve into. The area I want to delve into a little more is water use, because I think water sustainability is a huge issue already facing the cou…”

“That is my concern: is it going to slow down that trajectory by adding a lot of extra demand that we have not planned for?”

“Reduction compared to what?”

“Yes—thank you, Chair. I need to declare an interest as a vice-president of ADE, which is an unpaid role. Thank you to the panel for being with us. I have some questions for Dr Gallego-Schmid and Mr Busette, please. First, what is your assessment of the current metrics and standards that are used to assess life cycle im…”

“The hon. Member is making an important speech. She highlighted the record-breaking June temperatures, and I heard Members behind me talk about how it is lovely and warm, but she highlights the very real human cost and the number of deaths per year that we are already seeing. Did she hear the Climate Change Committee hi…”

“Primary school headteachers in my constituency tell me that, according to their budget calculations, the cut in funding for physical education will have a real impact on opportunities for young people, especially in rural areas. What assurance can the Government give me that young people, especially those in rural area…”

“It is really helpful to hear that tangible example. Building on that, Mr Zenghelis, should ecosystems be treated as a form of national infrastructure that provides food and water, security, flood resilience etc and is seen as a significant service for public good?”

“That is an emphatic answer in terms of what ought to be the case. I am interested in whether you think that that is the case in terms of how the Treasury looks at these things. You have already mentioned the Joint Intelligence Committee national security assessment report. We have also had a report from DEFRA civil ser…”

“Thanks for coming along to the Committee. I have a few questions, which will build on what the Chair has already asked you. Professor Groom, do you think that the Treasury should view climate and nature loss primarily as environmental issues or look at them as economic and fiscal risks in terms of how it makes decision…”

“I thank my fellow hon. Member from Suffolk for giving way. He will be aware that the University of Suffolk is running training for dental therapists and hygienists, who are an important part of the jigsaw. The funding model is broken, because training a therapist receives support of only £5,000 a year, compared with £3…”

“I very much agree with the Secretary of State about the gravity of the risks and the need for urgent action to protect young people’s wellbeing online. It is often the most vulnerable young people who are most likely to be exploited online, but it is also often the most vulnerable young people who use online channels t…”