Speeches by Macdonald.

“Anywhere, yes. What works? Because we hear a lot about investing in early action and prevention, but what does it mean? If we were to say to the British taxpayer that this is why we should fund early action, what would you say?”

“Jessica, the previous Government’s White Paper spoke about the importance of early action to prevent conflict and mass atrocities. Given where we are today, with cuts to ODA and the Integrated Security Fund in particular, are you confident that is still possible? If so, how will we do it?”

“Bethan, could you also speak about the additional challenges that children face when it comes to displacement?”

“When the last set of severe cuts was made under the Conservative Government, there was quite a lot of data that showed that the impact on women and girls was quite big and immediate. In the context of what we are seeing now—and you touched on it, Bethan, in terms of data—why do you think women’s and girls’ rights and t…”

“Turning to the impact of the cuts on women, girls and children. First, can you explain the different challenges that are faced by displaced women and girls? Do you want to start, Bethan?”

“Is that aid delivered in different ways from other donors? Does the way that China gives aid in an emergency like Myanmar, for example, differ in approach from how the US or UK might have delivered aid in the past?”

“One of the things that has been speculated about with the cuts both here and in the US is that it might open space for other actors to come in—China, Russia and so on—impacting our influence elsewhere. There has been some reporting. I know there are regional dynamics around Myanmar, and we have been seeing that in acti…”

“One partnership that I have come across is the temp partnership that Chobani, the yoghurt company, pioneered. It struck me that it seems to be dependent on one individual stepping up and galvanising something, rather than state actors and the UN system. Is that a fair takeaway? My main question is on the working. Have …”

“Have you had any intelligence or steer on funding from the ISF or the FCDO more broadly for your projects in the context of these cuts?”

“My final question specifically for you is on arms and arms diversion. How important is it to prevent arms stockpile leakage to address displacement of people, and are we doing it well at all?”

“Have you had any intelligence or steer on funding from the ISF or the FCDO more broadly for your projects in the context of these cuts?”

“Like many colleagues, I wrote to the Minister recently regarding the fund, so I welcome today’s news. The adoption and special guardianship fund was described to me as a lifeline. I know that the Minister has touched on the timelines for funding allocations, but will she confirm that it will be up to county councils to…”

“Yesterday, the International Development Committee returned from Geneva following our inquiry into international humanitarian law. The message was very clear: the IHL framework is robust, but we are failing on adherence and compliance. Under IHL, aid workers should be protected. I welcome what the Foreign Secretary has…”

“Norfolk, as a rule, is a safe county with a generally lower than average rate of crime. It is a wonderful place to live, and many people who grow up there, as I did, have a fantastic childhood, but that is sadly not the case for every young person. We face an increasing challenge with the intertwining of knife crime an…”

“I totally agree. As I said, action needs to be taken at all levels, including central Government, local government and in communities, which do brilliant work. The Love Norwich campaign also includes a grant scheme where communities can apply for up to £2,500 to enhance and open all communal space near them. This is th…”

“I thank the hon. Members for their contributions today and the Minister for her very full response. For me, there are three key messages. First, prevention is key—we have to tackle the underlying causes—but we also need strong powers that empower local communities to take action. Thirdly, we are all very proud of our c…”

“We had quite a lot of consensus in this debate. When the last Government left office, were police numbers going up or down? I believe in June 2024 they were lower than in March 2024. I have heard quite a lot of criticism of our Bill. Can he tell us how he would pay for extra police officers, as I have not heard many so…”

“I do agree and, as my hon. Friend will be aware, I recently visited Southend and saw what a vibrant community it is. I believe that the new measures will benefit not only the east of England as a whole but the entire country. I will just conclude my point about police and police financing. As the Minister will be aware…”

“I completely agree. Sometimes antisocial behaviour can be dismissed as trivial incidents, but we all know that they are not trivial and that they cause a real disturbance to many of our residents. I also know that my constituents are continually frustrated by antisocial and inconsiderate parking. I am sure that other M…”

“I thank the hon. Member for his intervention and I totally agree. I will come on to the importance of a visible police presence later in my speech. As I said, the city councils have had to lock the gates of parks. Just today, the Feed cafe, a brilliant social enterprise in Waterloo Park in Norwich North, spoke out beca…”