Speeches by Pakes.

“In your opinion, are the risk ratings and inspection rates for different commodities appropriate, or would you like to see any changes?”

“It may have been Nichola, but it may have been someone else, who talked about issues at BCPs in terms of training and numbers of staff. Is that in relation to biosecurity or just in the running of BCPs?”

“Most of my questions have been picked up, but there are a couple more things. I should probably put on record that I used to represent animal and plant health inspectors in a previous life before being elected to this place. Could you perhaps outline a bit more where you think the challenge on biosecurity is between ca…”

“How has that connection been lost?”

“We are incredibly proud of our veterans in Peterborough. Will the Minister join me in recognising the work of Councillor Jason McNally, our armed forces champion, and his predecessor, Councillor John Fox, and tell us what more the Government can do to help them to support more people signing up to the armed forces cove…”

“Q3. Like many people in Peterborough, I am passionate about tackling low pay and insecure work, especially for young people. Next month many of my constituents will receive a welcome boost in their pay packets owing to the increase in the national minimum wage that is being delivered by this Labour Government. May I th…”

“Peterborough is a youth unemployment hotspot. I know not many Members are left on the Opposition Benches, but one of the most shameful parts of their record has been writing off a generation, with one in eight young people not in education, earning or training. There is nothing progressive or good about a Government wh…”

“We have asked this question of several companies: the business plan suggests you will retain a gearing level close to 70%, when Ofwat is recommending a gearing level of 55%. We covered this yesterday and in the previous session but, in your words, is that a sustainable approach, and can you explain your credit rating’s…”

“I recognise that there has been some change in corporate behaviour and that you are new. We often ask about executive pay and bonuses, and the particular case of your predecessor receiving, I think, a £300,000 bonus. Then, the following year there was a decision where a bonus was not paid out. Is that a policy that ext…”

“From my estimation, about a quarter of customers’ bills are currently used to service your debt levels. Do you think that is the right place for customers when we look at our bills?”

“My calculation is that it is broadly about 24% of customers’ bills currently.”

“If we invite you back next year, do you think you would be able to say it is a simpler structure that we would understand, or is it a longer-term ambition to simplify?”

“Can I ask you about another calculation? It seems that in 2023, Anglian paid shareholders £1,618 in dividends for every hour of sewage dumped into the environment. Do you think that was reasonable?”

“In some earlier answers, you talked to Jenny and others about the importance of collaboration, working together, and consultation. Can I ask you about a particular example which my exceptional colleague, the hon. Member for Lowestoft, has been raising with me, knowing my interest in the issue? She says Kessingland in h…”

“In terms of customer satisfaction in the region, we are holding you to a high level because of your background in infrastructure. We have some critical infrastructure coming—the South Lincolnshire and the Fens reservoirs—which should be here already. One of the problems is that we have not invested in our infrastructur…”

“Nice to have you here, Mark. We have met previously, and there is a real sense of purpose that comes through from the frontline staff I have met at Anglian, either locally or more closely in the region. I have a couple of questions about bigger structure stuff because sometimes there is a dissonance between the frontli…”

“We have seen this in a number of companies: when we talk about the basket of measures which lead to either executive pay or dividends, and then we talk about pollution, the two things seem completely disjointed. It is about understanding the corporate. Is the actual measure of pollution a direct factor in your dividend…”

“I recognise that there has been some change in corporate behaviour and that you are new. We often ask about executive pay and bonuses, and the particular case of your predecessor receiving, I think, a £300,000 bonus. Then, the following year there was a decision where a bonus was not paid out. Is that a policy that ext…”

“As a CEO, do you understand the frustration many customers—businesses, farmers and domestic customers—feel between responsiveness of what they see as the logo of Anglian Water and then these big, opaque structures, and how the two do not seem to join together?”

“I understand the difference between remco and independent boards, but in terms of your belief and your level of comfort, what would be an acceptable level of pollution for you to still receive a bonus payment?”