Speeches by Shanker.

“To build on what the Chair said, do you know the number for transport manufacturing?”

“What impact do these shortages have on your sectors?”

“What are the most acute skills shortfalls in the transport manufacturing industry? Maybe you could quantify that, as we have been doing, for the short term and then longer term.”

“We are all supportive of apprenticeships and everyone speaks highly of them, but we still have a massive skills shortage. How effective have they been and why have we still got this shortage, given that lots of companies still have apprenticeships and have had for so many decades?”

“Because they want those skills now and in the next few years.”

“Providing jobs for 800 people and supporting a further 7,000, East Midlands airport is a fantastic example of how aviation powers regional growth. Does my right hon. Friend agree that, whether it is through Heathrow expansion or at East Midlands airport, delivering sustainable expansion in aviation is not just about fl…”

“Earlier this year, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting the Needles pub in Alvaston, where Mel and Trevor have created a great atmosphere and a welcoming space for the local community, whether through pulling pints or raising vital funds for local charities. Does my right hon. Friend agree that we do not want to see…”

“I think there is more that can be done.”

“Other authorities have that though, do they not?”

“Do you accept you can do more, though? A local knowledge test being one example.”

“We all understand that you cannot make a profit from licensing fees, but on what basis are you setting them? Historical trends? How many drivers you have in your area? Surely, with that amount of drivers applying for a licence in Wolverhampton, unless some huge salaries are being paid the fee must be even less than tha…”

“Any local knowledge tests?”

“The most recent national taxi and private hire driver survey found that over half of drivers have experienced verbal or physical abuse. From my conversations with drivers, I am not surprised at that figure; I thought it might even be higher. Lots of actions have been discussed: CCTV, panic alarms, protective screens, l…”

“David, I am a former council cabinet member responsible for licensing and a former council leader. Many drivers in Derby come to me and say, “We will go to Wolverhampton. It is cheaper, quicker and easier.” It really worries me why that is. What steps have you taken to discourage so many applications in Wolverhampton?”

“Q4. Derby is a city on the up, but unfortunately this last year we have been devastated by knife crime. Nasty Tory austerity decimated frontline policing, and we are now paying the price for that. At my regular city centre safety summits, the message is clear: to turn the page, we need action, not words. Can the Prime …”

“Aviation is central to our economy and our way of life, whether it is delivering well over 300,000 jobs here in the UK, contributing over £22 billion to our economy, driving inbound tourism, or connecting communities, businesses and families the world over. I am proud of our world-leading aviation sector in Derby and m…”

“The offshore wind target for 2030 has been reduced from 60 GW to between 43 GW and 50 GW. Given the urgency and the scale of the challenge to increase offshore wind energy, should the development of port capacity to support that target not be formally described as a critical national priority?”

“How confident are we that we can hit the revised targets?”

“The evidence we have heard is that the risk of dredging, which you spoke about in the last question, has been overstated in the revised NPS, in the light of there already being lots of tight regulations and its importance for port operations being so high. Do you agree that the risk is overstated?”

“T3. The cost of car insurance has gone through the roof in recent years, with quoted prices rising on average 82% since 2021. Car insurance is an essential, not a luxury, so I welcome the Government’s commitment to tackle the spiralling costs for drivers in Derby and across the UK. Will the Secretary of State provide a…”