Speeches by Stephenson.

“I have one final question. I was going to quote from the 2010 and 2025 reports and ask why there has been so little progress, but I will change the question slightly. What assurance can you provide the Committee that we will not have exactly the same conversation in 15 years?”

“No, it was still helpful.”

“That is why we are here.”

“I think you have answered my first question in part by describing the funding model for upgrading or maintaining the estate. Could you expand a little on why the FCDO’s overseas estate is in such a poor condition?”

“That was very helpful, in that you have answered some of the questions about impact that I was going to ask, but my question was why the estate is in the state that it is in.”

“I have a few questions on planning and flood risk. In Mid Bedfordshire, houses in the village of Malden have been reclassified as being on floodplain following significant development upslope from them. I think that is something that people have experienced across the country. Does the Environment Agency believe the cu…”

“Thank you. My second question follows on from the questioning by Mr Thomas. I noted here that you said that you have a degree of hard influence but you use it sparingly. How often—and you may have answered this but maybe I am picking a bit—is the Environment Agency’s advice on a flood risk overruled by planning authori…”

“I have a few questions on planning and flood risk. In Mid Bedfordshire, houses in the village of Malden have been reclassified as being on floodplain following significant development upslope from them. I think that is something that people have experienced across the country. Does the Environment Agency believe the cu…”

“We may talk about a small proportion, so just 51 applications, but these are people’s homes and people’s lives. People will move into these homes, and it is reasonably foreseeable, from your analysis, that they will be flooded. In those cases, would you like the agency to have some sort of veto so that it is resolved a…”

“I totally understand. This is my final question, Chair. I know we are under pressure for time. You talked about negotiating conditions in applications. One of the concerns, certainly that my residents have, is that conditions in planning applications are often not followed up. Do you see that there is a role for the En…”

“Thank you. My second question follows on from the questioning by Mr Thomas. I noted here that you said that you have a degree of hard influence but you use it sparingly. How often—and you may have answered this but maybe I am picking a bit—is the Environment Agency’s advice on a flood risk overruled by planning authori…”

“We may talk about a small proportion, so just 51 applications, but these are people’s homes and people’s lives. People will move into these homes, and it is reasonably foreseeable, from your analysis, that they will be flooded. In those cases, would you like the agency to have some sort of veto so that it is resolved a…”

“I totally understand. This is my final question, Chair. I know we are under pressure for time. You talked about negotiating conditions in applications. One of the concerns, certainly that my residents have, is that conditions in planning applications are often not followed up. Do you see that there is a role for the En…”

“I welcome the commitment to deliver East West Rail. Sticking with the railways, will the Secretary of State provide assurance to my constituents that she is committed to delivering step-free access—in particular, at Harlington and Flitwick stations? On roads, junction 13 of the M1 is desperately in need of remodelling …”

“I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this important debate. Part of the Government’s plan for local government reform is to align the ICBs with new mayoralties, as he just mentioned. Does he share my concern that the plan to merge Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB with Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Milton Keyn…”

“Do you have any thoughts or comments on the quanta of those penalties, and whether they are remotely effective? I recognise the point that you made, Ms Little, about the balance between penalties and wanting things to be improved.”

“In the NAO Report, at paragraph 1.14, two penalties are noted: in 2022, £19,355; and in 2024, £228,538. First, has the 2024 penalty been paid? Secondly, are the quanta of those penalties adequate in the context of all the challenges that we have heard, and all the poor service that members have suffered?”

“Thank you. I have a question related to the panel’s answers to the previous question. Recognising those three lessons learned, with hindsight could you have used financial penalties in the MyCSP contract more effectively, to get a better service for members?”

“T3. Does the Home Secretary agree with Labour police and crime commissioners that the money allocated by the Chancellor at the spending review is insufficient to deliver the Government’s policing priorities?”

“We all share in the ambition to ensure the sustainability of pensions, and to provide the best possible income for all our constituents in retirement. Given the time, I will keep my comments reasonably short, but having come to this place from the City—though I did not work in the pensions industry—and as an officer of…”