Speeches by Thomas.

“My hon. Friend raises a very valid point, but let us look at the facts. The Government will attempt to tarnish the Conservatives’ record, but in July Labour inherited the fastest growing economy in the G7, with unemployment at near-record lows and inflation at the Bank of England’s target. We have seen a complete rever…”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that the reduction in hospitality rate relief and the lower earnings threshold, which he has just acknowledged, create a perfect storm for hospitality businesses—not just because of the additional rate pressure, but because they will be less incentivised to recruit part-time workers? As has be…”

“The hon. Gentleman’s intervention is a good one, in that he demonstrates that his party believes philosophically that it has to either tax or cut. The Government have no appreciation of the fact that money could be spent more effectively in the first instance. It is a fundamental ideological weakness of the Government.”

“My hon. Friend hits the nail on the head. What rings in my ears are the words from the Chancellor just a few months ago when she said that businesses need to cut their cloth accordingly. I go back to my initial point: Government must also cut their cloth accordingly. The default position of the Government in supporting…”

“I agree wholeheartedly. That strikes at the heart of the Government’s lack of appreciation for what fundamentally drives the economy.”

“Rising energy costs affect not just households but industry. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said that deindustrialising Britain is a false economy because it “shifts production and emissions elsewhere”. Can the Minister tell the House what is more important: chasing an arbitrary target or protecting industry and jobs?”

“In a world where our adversaries are intent on blunting our national security and prosperity, I welcome the Prime Minister’s statement and thank him for his commitment to increase defence spending. Can he update the House on what actions the Government are taking to discourage BRICS nations and other emergent high-grow…”

“A very quick one for you, Shabir and Damian. Who do you think householders should consult for advice before proceeding with schemes? Do you think the Government should foot the bill for the advice that people are receiving so that it is delivered in an accredited fashion?”

“Have Ministers or officials in the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office or the security services raised any concerns with the Department over the possibility of offshore structures in British waters being used for Chinese intelligence-gathering technology? If there are sensitive matters that cannot be discussed in the …”

“A quick follow-up: one of my fears with any scheme like this is that when a government grant is available, an illicit underbelly emerges in any industry to exploit the grants that are available. Do you feel that is what has happened in this case?”

“You have been involved in none of the conversations or anything?”

“It sounds from what you say that that is driven by getting the grant, getting the money and just installing a solution. It sounds like that is what happened to you.”

“Thank you, Chair, and welcome, Zak and Amanda. I am sorry to hear about what has happened as well, because it sounds like what you are both going through—and what your mum in particular, Zak, is going through—is not just soul-destroying, but you probably think, “What’s the point?” When this commenced, what were the fir…”

“A very quick one for you, Shabir and Damian. Who do you think householders should consult for advice before proceeding with schemes? Do you think the Government should foot the bill for the advice that people are receiving so that it is delivered in an accredited fashion?”

“A quick follow-up: one of my fears with any scheme like this is that when a government grant is available, an illicit underbelly emerges in any industry to exploit the grants that are available. Do you feel that is what has happened in this case?”

“Thank you, Chair, and welcome, Zak and Amanda. I am sorry to hear about what has happened as well, because it sounds like what you are both going through—and what your mum in particular, Zak, is going through—is not just soul-destroying, but you probably think, “What’s the point?” When this commenced, what were the fir…”

“You have been involved in none of the conversations or anything?”

“It sounds from what you say that that is driven by getting the grant, getting the money and just installing a solution. It sounds like that is what happened to you.”

“Does the Minister agree that there is a double standard in the Government backing Heathrow expansion to drive economic growth, but not providing the maximum possible support for our domestic oil and gas industry?”

“4. What steps he is taking to protect undersea infrastructure.”