Speeches by Smith.

“Just over 20 years ago, in my red Vauxhall Corsa, I rounded the bend at the bottom of the Woodstock Road in Belfast and drove straight into a pregnant pause in the middle of a riot. To my left was a baying mob of young east Belfast men, and to my right was a baying mob of young men from the Short Strand. They were bein…”

“I thank the Home Secretary for her statement, and particularly for the commitment to new, safe, legal routes. There has been a lot of talk of morality, and there absolutely should be. This is too important to get wrong, so does she agree that tolerating a system where men, women and children are encouraged on to flimsy…”

“There was a suggestion that there would be an 18-month timescale for some families to find out whether they are going to be entitled to an inquest through the coronial process or the commission. Is that the heart of what you’re—”

“Between amnesty and immunity, yes. There is a difference between someone being able to share information without it being pursuant to a criminal investigation in that context, but it may still be criminally investigated if that information comes to light from another route. That is my understanding. Do you understand i…”

“Thank you. I will pass back to the Chair, in the interests of time.”

“Good morning, everyone. I have a quick question for anyone who wants to answer it on the point about amnesty. It seems clear that someone can come forward and make a submission to the ICIR and that would not be permissible for criminal investigation. That seems to be clear, notwithstanding that, there is a lot that is …”

“We do not have a great deal of time left, so I want to ask all the panellists what your views are on the proposed restoration of inquests and the proposal to move towards the new inquisitorial mechanism on the face of the Bill.”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate the hon. Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (David Chadwick) on securing this important debate—one that is very important to my constituents in North Northumberland. A constituent of mine recently visited friends in the north of the county, …”

“I am proud to support a Government who believe in progressive taxation, as I am sure the Minister does—that those with the broadest shoulders should bear the greatest burden. Under the CenTax minimum share rule proposal, farm estates where at least 60% of the estate is used for farming would receive relief of up to £5 …”

“1. What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by CenTax entitled, “The Impact of Changes to Inheritance Tax on Farm Estates” published on 14 August 2025.”

“Some quarter of a million people served in Operation Banner, and the vast majority did so with great distinction and huge bravery, leading to the peace that we see in Northern Ireland today. The number of prosecutions of Army veterans is vanishingly small, so will the Secretary of State join me in thanking those vetera…”

“David, that approach would not be tolerated in the public or private sectors, would it?”

“I should have asked my questions earlier, because you have very comprehensively covered the situation. I was going to ask you what engagement or consultation you have had with the NIO about the local growth fund, but the answer seems to be none, or next to none. I declare an interest, having been a youth worker in Nort…”

“Isn’t it true to say that the work you do primarily focuses on people to support people, not buildings?”

“Quite honestly, the 70:30 split seems like madness to me. It looks like the Government are giving a lot of money to the sector, but then restricting 70% of it to capital. That is next to no good, especially for smaller charities, where revenue funding is everything and you are getting by from year to year, and sometime…”

“As we have heard, about a quarter of a million civilians, including 130,000 children, are trapped in the city of El Fasher, following a brutal siege that has lasted 18 months. This is a critical moment amidst the world’s greatest humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan. What can the UK Government do, with our allies, to ensu…”

“That is a very interesting and important point, Alistair. It is new information to me. We talk about legacy a lot on this Committee. You seem to be saying that there is a phosphate legacy on agricultural land, and that there is only so much that agricultural and farming communities can do through their current practice…”

“Good morning, everyone. Thanks for being with us today. Minister Muir, if I can come back to the facts of the situation on Lough Neagh, there is a lot of agreement, but some of the facts seem to be contested. Phosphorus water pollution is one of the key problems, and everyone agrees with that. However, the Ulster Farme…”

“That is a very interesting and important point, Alistair. It is new information to me. We talk about legacy a lot on this Committee. You seem to be saying that there is a phosphate legacy on agricultural land, and that there is only so much that agricultural and farming communities can do through their current practice…”

“Good morning, everyone. Thanks for being with us today. Minister Muir, if I can come back to the facts of the situation on Lough Neagh, there is a lot of agreement, but some of the facts seem to be contested. Phosphorus water pollution is one of the key problems, and everyone agrees with that. However, the Ulster Farme…”