Speeches by Griffiths.

“Will the hon. Gentleman give way?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship this morning, Ms Vaz. New clause 2, tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for West Worcestershire and my right hon. Friend the Member for Basildon and Billericay, is not just a bit of introductory waffle. It is the constitutional backbone that the Bill is sorely missing. …”

“I have spoken in opposition to the Bill as someone with more than 30 years of business experience in organisations of every size, including SMEs. New clauses 6 and 7 underscore the fundamental flaws and overreach of this Bill. New clause 6 proposes that the Secretary of State should produce and maintain guidance for sm…”

“I thank my right hon. Friend for putting a vital point on the record. New clause 5 reflects a commitment to coherent governance, to the integrity of the UK, and to a regulatory system that respects the voices of all four nations. I urge Ministers and the Government to back it. We must consider the broader economic impl…”

“Those were wise words from my hon. Friend the Member for Chester South and Eddisbury. New clause 5 states that Great Britain should not implement EU laws rejected by Northern Ireland under the Stormont brake. Under the Windsor framework, Northern Ireland retains a mechanism to object to the application of new EU law, b…”

“My right hon. Friend makes a valuable point. This is a flexible, forward-looking agreement with global ramifications. The UK-India free trade agreement, signed in May 2025, is expected to increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion by 2040 and enhance the UK’s GDP by £4.8 billion. The agreement will cut levies on 90% of …”

“Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we should be exporting internationally?”

“I want to address the issue of the fairness of the distribution of flights across the UK population. If it is not fair, what could be done to remedy this? I do not know who feels best qualified to answer this.”

“Turning to our online guest, is there anything you want to add to that about the distribution of flights across the country and also the points that the other panellists are making about the distribution of both benefits and adverse impacts of aviation?”

“It is probably for another one, but I appreciate that. Thank you.”

“I have a supplementary to the earlier question. I have been listening to the advice coming from all of you that business travel peaked in 2006-07 and that the number of international travellers coming to the UK and bringing their international spend is far lower than in reverse. The Government’s ambition around airport…”

“I appreciate that input. I will move to the question I am meant to be asking.”

“This question is specifically for Professor Miller, and it is a combined question. I note your optimism and your desire for boldness around reducing emissions, and I imagine that technology and technological innovation will be a central part of that. When do you expect that to come through and what impacts do you expec…”

“That has been excluded from the economic analysis that the Government have done, presumably?”

“Turning to our online guest, is there anything you want to add to that about the distribution of flights across the country and also the points that the other panellists are making about the distribution of both benefits and adverse impacts of aviation?”

“It is probably for another one, but I appreciate that. Thank you.”

“I have a supplementary to the earlier question. I have been listening to the advice coming from all of you that business travel peaked in 2006-07 and that the number of international travellers coming to the UK and bringing their international spend is far lower than in reverse. The Government’s ambition around airport…”

“I appreciate that input. I will move to the question I am meant to be asking.”

“This question is specifically for Professor Miller, and it is a combined question. I note your optimism and your desire for boldness around reducing emissions, and I imagine that technology and technological innovation will be a central part of that. When do you expect that to come through and what impacts do you expec…”

“I want to address the issue of the fairness of the distribution of flights across the UK population. If it is not fair, what could be done to remedy this? I do not know who feels best qualified to answer this.”