Speeches by Martin.

“Q I am sorry if this is a blunt question, but on 18 April 2022, you wrote an opinion piece for the Telegraph alongside Nadine Dorries, who was then the Culture Secretary. In that article, you said that the Conservative manifesto was “our manifesto”. Are giving evidence here today from your personal opinion or in your r…”

“Thank you, Secretary of State. I am going to the other end of the spectrum, which is early years, but it is something we know that if we get it right it has the best outcomes for young people. I have heard from my own constituency, from both settings and the employees within them, that despite the increase in entitleme…”

“You noted getting kids in the door at university is one hurdle and then it is making sure their time at university is the best it can be. In talking to students at Portsmouth University and those at Portsmouth Sixth Form College, and I know this is around the country, there is an issue in how they decide for their futu…”

“One of them, just to come back on that, is around the cost of living and the housing elements. There were two students from my area that pay £10,000 a year for their accommodation and there are six students in that house. That is £60,000 a year. That is more than the maximum maintenance grant.”

“In 2020 there was the introduction of the statutory override but, despite that, in 2022 and 2023 there were 101 overspent local authorities on their high needs budget. It has contributed to the cumulative deficit in the Dedicated Schools Grants, or DSGs. Many local authorities are concerned about their economic viabili…”

“Good-quality, secure and decent rentals should not be too much to ask, and I thank those landlords who do provide that in my city and beyond. I welcome the Government amendments to this detailed Bill, which will help residents in Portsmouth North to rent homes that are both secure and decent.”

“There are concerns that military accommodation, which I have in my constituency, is not included in the Bill, but one of my main concerns is the immense cut in funding to that accommodation. The properties are in such a state of disrepair that the Government have had to go back and re-buy them. Does the hon. Gentleman …”

“Prostate cancer costs the NHS around £93 million a year, but more than a third of those costs are avoidable through early diagnosis. Prostate cancer remains the only major cancer in the UK without a national screening programme. I understand that requesting screening can be a real obstacle to some men, so I give heartf…”

“Children growing up in our country, and in my city of Portsmouth, deserve the very best start in life and nothing less. As a teacher for 24 years, I have seen the best in education and unfortunately, under the Conservatives, the very worst. The best journey in life is not easy, and it is shameful that under the last Go…”

“The right hon. Gentleman needs to understand that it is about pay and conditions, not just pay, and it needs to be national if we are to recruit and retain teachers. The previous Government failed on every single measure to retain and recruit qualified teachers.”

“As a teacher of 24 years and a school governor of three schools, I have had nine Ofsted experiences.”

“I am going to cover multi-academy trusts. Before I talk about Government pledges, timing and challenges, I just want to take a brief step back because I am aware of timings. It is linked to you talking around the learning from things that have happened previously. Prior to October 2023, there were summary evaluations d…”

“Just on that, actually, one of the first questions would be when we expect the first multi-academy trust inspection might take place. Before you answer that I would like to think about what the biggest challenges for Ofsted are when it comes to inspecting multi‑academy trusts. You have thought about that in the framewo…”

“I welcome this important debate. A number of causes for concern are being raised with me by my constituents, and all of them are preventable. First, abandoned cars are routinely being left at the side of a road in my constituency, usually near car dealerships, with no MOTs or insurance. They can sit there for weeks, an…”

“My hon. Friend talked about a number of schemes, but has he looked at the 20 mph speed limit in Wales, which came into force in September 2023? Insurance companies such as Esure have said that it has reduced risk and that it is also beginning to reduce the premium that people pay in residential areas. We do not just ha…”

“You touched on the Ofsted Academy in your overview of the one to six recommendations. The predecessor Committee’s inquiry into Ofsted’s work heard concerns around the lack of relevant expertise among inspectors. I have two questions around that. First, how will the proposed academy improve this? Secondly, do you intend…”

“I echo the Minister’s heartfelt sympathies for those feeling the impact of flooding and those who are in fear of future flooding. I also echo her thanks to the services and communities who have helped those victims. In Drayton and Farlington in my constituency, groundwater floods up through the drains into houses, driv…”

“The defence sector provides well paid jobs across my city and constituency, and across the country. With 10,000 adults in the constituency on the minimum wage, will the Minister help me to work with the Department for Education to ensure that kids in my city get opportunities to work in this brilliant sector?”

“I welcome the announcement of additional funding, as will many families across the country. Although it is not in my constituency, Rowans Hospice is used by people in Pompey. Indeed, my nan Pearl and my very dear friend Fiona spent their last few weeks in the hospice’s care, and what a wonderful place it is. At a city …”

“I welcome the Committee’s “Service Accommodation” report and recommendations, but I am not surprised by its findings. I also welcome the Government’s move to purchase back housing stock that should never have been sold off and the hundreds of houses that will bring back to Portsmouth. However, the issue of Ministry of …”