Speeches by Taylor.

“Does the Minister agree that achieving economic growth requires sustained investment in our transport infra- structure? Would she be willing to visit Glasgow International airport to learn more about how transport infrastructure can assist with the further development of the proposed investment zone in my constituency?”

“Thank you for calling me to speak under your chairmanship, Dame Siobhain. I thank the hon. Member for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey (Graham Leadbitter) for calling this debate on Government support for the whisky industry, a measure that I warmly support. I have the good fortune to represent some important whisky na…”

“Is it balanced? Communities will probably feel the developers have the upper hand because they have large teams of people advising them. How do you get that balance adjusted?”

“Yes. Thank you—that would be appreciated. Lastly, Ms Davis, have you anything to add?”

“Ms Burgess, there were a range of large-scale projects announced. Were there any projects that you think were omitted that the Government should turn their attention to urgently? You can think about that and write to the Committee afterwards.”

“Thank you. Last week, the Government announced £2.65 billion to build or maintain flood defences. Do you think that is enough and that they have assigned it to the right projects? If you have any experience of other funding formulas that might be used to protect smaller or more vulnerable communities, could you bring t…”

“Ms Hallos, have you anything else to add?”

“Ms Davis, do you have some experience of that that you would like to share?”

“Could that process of engagement be improved? It is all about community engagement, really.”

“This next section is about community engagement to future-proof our infrastructure and communities against the increased risk of flooding and then there are some questions around funding. The questions are to you all, but if you do not feel it is your area of speciality, just say so. The first question is what measures…”

“That is great, and thanks for the practical example because that is always useful. Ms Davis, do you have anything to add?”

“Thank you. I will ask the next question of Ms Davis, but again others can contribute. How do you think local authorities and developers engage with communities to improve flood resilience in planning and building processes? Do local communities have the necessary resources and access to expertise to participate meaning…”

“Yes, and how do developers and communities engage properly with each other to improve flood resilience through the planning and building construction process? How are these conversations happening? Do you think that there is room for improvement?”

“I thank my hon. Friend for bringing the debate to the House. Does she agree that the third sector has to be taken into account when we are developing economic strategies? For example, in Scotland, 135,000 people are employed in the third sector in comparison to life sciences, which employs only 40,000 people. However, …”

“Thank you, Chair. I would just like to draw everyone’s attention to my entry in the register of interests. Before becoming an MP, I was a chartered surveyor, but I am still a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.”

“Thank you. Yes, I agree. Thank you. Dr Hills?”

“Thank you. Yes, I agree. Thank you. Dr Hills?”

“Continuing that theme, is there any reason why a brownfield site with biodiversity introduced through the development process couldn’t be put back to the original state in terms of biodiversity, following the completion of the development? Would the removal of contamination, for example, from a brownfield site not be s…”

“Excellent, thank you.”

“We heard earlier that there is, in some areas, a shortage of the relevant skills and that is hampering the smooth running of the development process, and it is also creating a development time lag. Can each of you briefly tell us what your organisations are doing to attract school leavers into the profession and is the…”