Speeches by Brandreth.

“You mentioned Gibraltar’s sovereignty. Back in June, the previous Foreign Secretary, when giving an update on the agreement, said in his statement to the House that a clause explicitly protecting sovereignty would be inserted. Can you give us a bit more detail about that clause?”

“On Gibraltar, which was mentioned, the FCDO announced a political agreement for a new treaty with the EU, but we haven’t seen any of the detail of that yet, so I just wanted to find out when we are likely to see the final treaty and whether there are any significant issues of contention remaining.”

“Thank you.”

“So no payments have been promised or made yet? Nick Thomas-Symonds indicated dissent. Stephen Doughty indicated dissent.”

“I have a quick follow-up. I appreciate that you cannot make a commitment at this stage about the level of future funding, but can you clarify whether the UK has already made any payments in relation to the EU SAFE fund, and if so, how much and what access has been promised—”

“It’s not just me; it’s the UK fishing industry that is asking.”

“I don’t think we are disputing that.”

“It is interesting that you mentioned Scottish salmon. That is mainly farmed, so that is not actually helping the fishermen and women. You also talked about having better access to EU markets. On that basis, I want to share what the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations have said. They say that the Prime Mini…”

“I want to take a moment to ask the Ministers about the deal for UK fisheries as part of the UK-EU reset. I wanted to share from fishing industry leaders. The first is from the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation CEO, Elspeth Macdonald, who said that, on fishing, the deal struck by this Government was a “really unfair and u…”

“The hospitality sector is all too often overlooked, yet it is one of the most vital pillars not just of our economy, but of our communities. My constituency has 215 registered businesses in accommodation and food services, contributing at least 4,000 jobs—nearly one in 10 local jobs. The sector really matters to Cheshi…”

“Back in March, we heard from the FCDO that the impacts of ODA cuts on the UK’s voluntary contributions to the UN were still being worked through. I just wondered whether you had worked through that now and could provide any detail, particularly if there are any voluntary programmes that will now have to be cut.”

“You have touched briefly on the contribution made by other P5 countries. We know that the US is substantially reducing its support. Has the UK considered whether we might redistribute any of our funds across any programmes or agencies in response to that?”

“Thank you. I appreciate that, but we have received written evidence that expressed concerns that where the UK is a penholder—perhaps for a specific issue or country—and is reducing ODA spend, that might lead to us failing to meet some of our own, self-imposed commitments and embolden other countries to follow suit and …”

“You have touched on this a little bit, but, if we do need to make cuts to some of the voluntary contributions we make, what do you perceive the impact might be on the UK’s reputation as a reliable partner at the UN?”

“So when might we expect to hear that?”

“I thank the hon. Gentleman, my constituency neighbour, for securing the debate. Many people in Chester South and Eddisbury rely on the west coast main line, but unless they have a car it is a real challenge for them to reach a station easily and join the line, because there is a lack of public transport options. Does t…”

“The hon. Member makes an important point. This is about voicing the views of residents, and they know their area best. Residents have seen how a short-term mindset has consequences. The condition of our roads is worsening, and the national repair backlog has grown, from estimates of between £7.6 billion and £11.7 billi…”

“That is an important point. This issue is having an impact on that road, but also on a village, and on businesses and people who are trying to use that area. That is why we need a better system—one that delivers better roads and better value for the taxpayer. We must not settle for the status quo piecemeal approach tha…”

“I thank the hon. Member for his point, and I will go on to say that it is not just an issue of funding, as there are serious issues about how that strategic approach is taken. As I was saying, this is a crisis. Whether from knocking on doors or through people contacting my office, I have dealt with hundreds of cases re…”

“My right hon. Friend makes such an important point and really hits the nail on the head. It is just not acceptable that wards such as the large ward of Wybunbury in Cheshire East in my constituency are consistently neglected, with funding being diverted elsewhere—as my right hon. Friend points out, we do not know where…”