Speeches by Fookes.

“Thank you very much for coming and for bearing with us. Nikki, if I may come to you first, the UK’s rate for statutory parental pay is less than half the national living wage. What should the Government be aiming to achieve on statutory pay in their proposed review of the system?”

“Absolutely.”

“Does anyone think that paid paternity leave should be compulsory?”

“Claire and Nikki, would either of you like to comment on the question?”

“Jonny, besides increasing rates of pay, what steps should the Government be considering to increase the take-up of paid parental leave among lower-income and working-class fathers for example? Is there a case for making a period of paternity leave compulsory?”

“I thank the Minister, and I welcome the measures announced last week. My constituents in Monmouthshire and people across Wales would be interested to hear more from the Minister about the new violence against women and girls taskforce, and the regional and national champions. How will they ensure that everyone who serv…”

“I was extremely relieved to see my constituent, Rebecca Burke, safely returned to her family in Monmouthshire on Tuesday after her ordeal in America. I am sure that all of us across the House would like to wish her well after her detention at the border for 21 days due to a mix-up with her visa. Although I am delighted…”

“The previous Conservative Government presided over a justice system where 60% of rape victims abandoned their cases, primarily due to the delays in court proceedings. This Government have prioritised victims by allocating a record number of sitting days. Does the Solicitor General agree that despite Opposition Members’…”

“Does the hon. Gentleman agree with me on the importance of moving towards smartphone-free schools? I welcome the work being done at Monmouth comprehensive in my constituency, where the headteacher is pushing forward a smartphone ban, because grades increase by almost two levels where schools have banned mobile phones.”

“Thank you so much for giving way. Do you agree that, although this point has not come across in the debate, we all meet the most incredible young people every day in our constituencies, and we must congratulate them on the amazing things they do—”

“Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker. As the previous chief executive officer of the Women’s Equality Network Wales, I have a long history of campaigning for women’s equality. I was really proud of the work we did on the Diverse5050 campaign to get more women into public and political life, and to make care fair, recognising t…”

“Thank you so much. I apologise that I have to leave early, sadly, but thank you for coming.”

“I could not agree more, Chair. Are there cases of FGM actually happening in the UK now, or do you think not?”

“Thank you both so much for coming to speak to us about this issue. What is your current sense of the prevalence of FGM in the UK? Are things getting better or worse?”

“Thank you. What communities in the UK are most likely to have survivors of FGM?”

“Thank you for calling me, Sir Jeremy. In Monmouthshire, we are really lucky: we have not one, two or three but five market towns. I thought that would be a record, but it is not, because there is a constituency with 10. Our largest town is Abergavenny, which Members might be familiar with, and it is beautiful. It has a…”

“Llongyfarchiadau to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) on securing this debate, and dydd gŵyl Dewi hapus pawb—happy St David’s Day to everyone. Twenty-five years ago, I was lucky enough to make Wales my home, and I am so proud to represent Monmouthshire; from Llantony to Llanishen, it is…”

“This week, I was contacted by a constituent who had received the phone call that every parent dreads. Her son had been hit by a car as he got off the bus on his way home from Caldicot school. Fortunately, he was not seriously hurt; thank goodness it is still a 20 mph road. The council had been asked to review the limit…”

“We take the steps now to get to that in the end. Thank you; that was the only question.”

“Thank you all so much for coming to the panel today; I have learned so much already. This is a question for Jemima, and it is about the full review of parental leave that is coming up. Could you share what you think should be the broad objectives of the Government’s proposed parental leave review?”