Speeches by Bance.

“I did not quite understand the point you were making. Is your point that your engagement with your sponsor Department—the MOD and DFT—at the big level is difficult? In the transfer of functions from IfATE to Skills England, many of us were worried that that detailed business engagement in the suite of qualifications mi…”

“That is my worry. A lot of people in my part of the world have skills that we are not going to need in 20 years’ time in motor manufacturing and repair. Particularly with the challenge of net zero, we need to make sure that we have the right mix in place to get people with the skills they need to continue to earn a dec…”

“Does that mean the Government? Or should it be down the supply chain?”

“My apologies to the panel for missing the first part of your evidence. I am interested in your existing workforce and the adults who do not work for you but might choose to work for you in the future. We know that manufacturing faces a number of challenges, such as net zero, particularly in automotive but also across m…”

“Rob, I am interested to hear what the Budget should include to support firms to secure access to funding and finance?”

“When you talk about what needs to be done on planning, are you talking about the reforms that are in place that are going through Parliament now? Or are you talking about a further tranche needing to come forward?”

“Greg, do you think you are getting rent convergence in the Budget?”

“This is the Homes England prospectus coming later this autumn.”

“I think I heard you say you also want building safety regulations changed. Do you think the load on you is too much?”

“Last week, I went to the toddler group at Open Heaven church in Friar Park. The mums there told me there is nothing for young people to do in Friar Park—no playground, no youth club. Does the Minister agree with me that the £20 million is going to make the most massive difference to Friar Park, especially given that it…”

“Once again, I stand here proud to speak in favour of this groundbreaking legislation that finally brings some balance back between the landlord’s right to profit from an asset and the renter’s right to a home. I oppose in particular Lords amendments 26, 27 and 18 proposed by the landlord lobby in the other place. Amend…”

“I am so glad to see the extension of the holiday activities and food programme. Will the Minister join me in paying tribute to the work of Jo Haydon and all the staff and volunteers at the 4 Community Trust in Hateley Heath—one of the areas of highest child poverty in my constituency—and their delivery of the HAF progr…”

“In the spirit of the Minister’s invitation, I invite any Member to come to one of our brilliant Black Country Desi pubs, or to come and eat orange chips with me next to the canal. Everyone in this Chamber wants high and rising wages, and for their constituents to feel that they can just take the family out for a curry …”

“indicated dissent.”

“I beg to move, That this House has considered Black Country Day. What a pleasure it is to serve under your chairship, Ms Vaz! As the Black Country MP for Walsall and Bloxwich, you know how important the subject of the debate is and will, I am sure, give it the respect that it deserves. I know that I speak for the whole…”

“Was my hon. Friend, like me, pleased to see our West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker’s new growth strategy, which was published yesterday? It explicitly identifies a number of the industrial strategy sectors, particularly the defence sector, as areas of potential growth in the Black Country.”

“Absolutely. I thank my hon. Friend, one of my constituency neighbours, for his intervention. It was a difficult day when we all stood here in Westminster Hall debating the future of the automotive industry under the tariffs from the United States. I thank my colleagues at the Department for Business and Trade and the T…”

“I thank all hon. Members who have contributed to the debate and put our brilliant region in the spotlight today. I thank the Minister, the shadow Minister and the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Max Wilkinson), for their contributions, and I thank all hon. Members who have spoken. We have…”

“Does the hon. Member recognise that a number of our Black Country local authorities have, over the past 15 years, lost hundreds of millions of pounds of local government funding, which has led to the diminution of local government services, the closure of libraries and Sure Starts, the creation of potholes across our r…”

“As a proud Black Country MP, it is good to see the right hon. Member in her place today. I thank her for the intervention, but I am afraid I cannot agree. Much of my constituency is brownfield land. It is right that we look to use brownfield land first of all, both for industrial uses and for housing, but the key probl…”