Speeches by Davies.

“I have been inundated, as have many in the House, with messages from constituents facing impossible heating oil costs, with one telling me that their 500-litre order has soared from £302 to over £900. At yesterday’s meeting arranged by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, the Government said that people should appl…”

“I welcome the Minister’s statement and everybody’s commitment to keep us all as safe as possible. Just a few months ago, the Housing Secretary called the Russian interference within the Reform party “a stain on our democracy”.—[Official Report, 16 December 2025; Vol. 777, c. 776.] Since then, members of the Welsh Labou…”

“I am proud to have joined this Parliament as part of a record number of women elected for Plaid Cymru in 2024, and part of the record 40% of women elected in that same year. We are clearly on our way towards a gender-equal Parliament. With that historic milestone in sight, would the Minister commit her Government to Ce…”

“We are working closely with LINK and the FCA to get as much information as we can to secure a hub. That is what our communities need. They deserve to be able to get to their cash safely. My community means everything to me. The interwoven history and heritage of Caerfyrddin run through my veins. As I have said before, …”

“Diolch yn fawr, Madam Dirprwy Lefarydd. I refer the House to the Register of Members’ Financial Interests—I am co-chair of the anti-pylon group in Llanarthne and the president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales in Carmarthenshire. From the Arglwydd Rhys of Dinefwr’s first Eisteddfod, which was held in Aberteifi in Ceredigi…”

“Yes, I have a declaration. I am a private landlord. I am registered with Rent Smart Wales in west Wales. Thank you.”

“I really appreciate the hon. Member’s having secured this important debate, as we have issues very similar to Suffolk Coastal’s in Caerfyrddin and west Wales in general. A levy is really important for cumulative planning and mitigation. I would also add that there are tangible benefits for our communities, such as publ…”

“I would love to talk about the Welsh Government, but I know I am not allowed. Perhaps we will catch up afterwards. Just to finalise, Debbie, if it is okay to ask you this question, we all have in our mailboxes situations where people have separated later on in life or young people who are looking for accommodation, but…”

“By all means share, because it is so important for us to understand this.”

“Lauren, bearing in mind my declaration of interest—be kind to the private rented sector—how would you assess the quality and variety of housing stock in Wales and the impact it has on housing insecurity and homelessness?”

“That is fine. I cannot believe that six years have gone since the pandemic. It has just gone, and we are still living with the effects of what happened. Dr Evans, I know the Bevan Foundation has done a lot of work in this field. What is the effect of homelessness on children and families, and on their life chances?”

“Thank you all for your answers. You have been detailed. Diolch yn fawr iawn. I will start with Katie, if I may, from Cymorth Cymru. You touched on it in the first question, so perhaps this is an opportunity to fill in a little more of the detail. How has housing insecurity and homelessness in Wales changed over the pas…”

“I will. This is one of three, Sir Desmond.”

“I beg to move, That this House has considered banking hubs in rural and post-industrial communities. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. It is unfortunate really that this is a 30-minute debate. So many people have been in touch to make interventions or speeches, including the right hon. Mem…”

“Absolutely. The data is there for all. The closures disproportionately impact less populated areas, as the distance to travel to bank branches is greater. For instance, data from 2008 to 2018 show that the greatest increases in travel distance to the nearest bank branch were in Montgomeryshire, Clwyd South, Arfon, Dwyf…”

“I will. This is number two.”

“I totally agree, and I will come on to that later. In 2006, cash accounted for 62% of all payments in the UK. It now accounts for around 14%, with some forecasts taking it down to 6% in 2031. However, if we look beyond those percentages, we can see that cash still plays a vital role in people’s lives. For many, cash is…”

“I am so sorry, but I am going to finish. Restricting access to cash also affects many of those living in rural and post-industrial areas. As the Financial Conduct Authority has noted, digitally excluded older people, people in poor health, those with lower financial resilience and those with lower financial capability …”

“I promised the hon. Member for Waveney Valley that he could intervene on me, and that will be my final intervention. I am so sorry.”

“Absolutely. Unfortunately, as of December last year, those post office vans no longer accept cheques. Some people of a certain generation still use cheques, but those cannot now be paid in by using a post office van, as we have in our village. Someone must physically go to a bank to pay in a cheque, which makes it very…”