Speeches by Smith.

“You have repeatedly said that the economic mission of this Government is to be on the side of working people. Is that still your position?”

“Prime Minister, it is an indisputable fact that political staff in No. 10 have been briefing against serving Cabinet Ministers. You and I both sat on the Opposition Benches while we had to watch the painful spectacle of political advisers briefing under Johnson and a litany of Tory Prime Ministers. Given that your reco…”

“The issue with the money in the Budget is that it has been overshadowed, in the same way that the countryside stewardship fund has been overshadowed by the IHT issue, and there is political damage to that. Although I think the Government’s ambition to tackle tax avoidance on, say, large country estates was right, the c…”

“My hon. Friend gives me the opportunity to put on record my thanks to North Lancashire Citizens Advice. We frequently end up referring constituents to Citizens Advice, and I thank its volunteers for all their work to support my constituents and those of my hon. Friend. I do not buy into the idea that those who are in n…”

“Follow that, I suppose! I cannot promise the same level of entertaining enthusiasm as the right hon. Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) as I rise to speak on today’s Budget. I want to start by talking about the cost of living, which is my constituents’ major concern. When I have been speaking to them ahead…”

“I am absolutely delighted for my hon. Friend’s mother. Will he please pass on my best regards? It is not just the state pension increase, but the decision to restore the winter fuel allowance, that ensures that pensioners get the support they need. Will our Treasury Front-Bench team look at other measures to support lo…”

“11. If he will set out a timeline for responding to the Hughes report, published on 7 February 2024.”

“I welcome the new Minister to his post. I have been campaigning on this issue for 10 years, and I have a stack of letters and answers to written parliamentary questions that say things like “in due course” and “the Government are considering”. On behalf of a group of people who have been gaslit by the medical professio…”

“It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Ms McVey, and to be able to speak in this e-petition debate. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) on her opening of today’s debate. As the former Chair of the Petitions Committee, I know that the e-petition system engages so man…”

“I rise to present a petition about the Vale View day centre in Lancaster, which Lancashire county council is consulting on closing. I have met clients and their families, who all tell me what a fantastic job the manager, Emma, and her amazing team do. They offer clients an amazing experience, wholesome activities and e…”

“Jhoots pharmacy moved into the village of Knott End in 2023, and it was not long before constituents were getting in touch with me to explain that they could not access their prescriptions because pharmacies were closed and unreliable. We do have the very good Over Wyre medical centre, which has dispensing rights, but …”

“As an officer of the all-party parliamentary group on Christianity in the holy land, I was fortunate enough to be on a delegation in Jerusalem and the west bank last week, and it was clear to our delegation from speaking to Palestinian Christians that they are delivering hospitals and schools for Palestinian communitie…”

“On the point about ICBs, many have zero options in terms of pathways. What steps will the Minister take to ensure that they are forced to do that by NHS England? I thank her for her comments.”

“That intervention was an important one; sport was not included in my speech, but as someone who has PoTS and has run three London marathons, I can say that people can have PoTS and be sporty—it is just a lot harder.”

“Absolutely. Those clinical guidelines need to change, and I will address that later in my speech.”

“I thank the hon. Lady for that intervention; I will address those points in my speech if there are no further interventions. One of the most difficult things for someone with PoTS is to have to sit and stand up repeatedly, so hopefully I will get to the end of my speech. Colleagues have been really helpful in highlight…”

“I agree with my hon. Friend; I will address that point later in my speech.”

“The lack of services across the UK is part of my speech; I look forward to discussing it.”

“I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention; I will take another.”

“The hon. and learned Gentleman has picked up on a theme later in my speech, which I hope he will enjoy.”