Speeches by Darlington.

“I am very happy to bring to the Committee, and to others watching the Committee, the story of Starship Technologies. It is a UK success story. It is also a Milton Keynes success story, and it fits in very well with today’s theme of how regional and local authorities can work with companies to create innovation right ac…”

“That is what I am trying to challenge you on. Particularly in the west midlands and Manchester, which have been there for longer than most in that sense, but not a very long time, how do you create the devolution framework and the funding framework that allows you to drive that innovation? Rather than doing a top-down …”

“I have a couple of questions about catapults and their role in driving growth and innovation in the UK. The first is simple, but maybe not that simple. There are nine catapults and that has been pretty stable for a long time. The areas have been stable for a long time. Have we identified the right areas? Are there any …”

“I want to pick up on something you said, Professor Tracey, on how there is a real opportunity around our spin-outs having British values and innovating things that create solutions for the UK population. We know that many universities are overly exposed and overly reliant on Chinese funds. How much risk—this is a quest…”

“Yes, it leads very well to my next question. Focusing particularly on areas where we are missing catapults, do you have any suggestions on areas where it would be good to have them?”

“It is written right here. Absolutely, I agree. Having been the special adviser who was there when we created catapults and Innovate UK, or as it was known then the Technology Strategy Board, there were specific ambitions for it. I have two questions that are linked. How good have catapults been in reinforcing and growi…”

“No, it is on the issue of local authorities.”

“We saw the presentation from Starship Technologies at the beginning. I hope you were able to be here for that. It was very clear about the role of local authorities and combined authorities. There was a challenge put to us by the previous panel about what the innovation and growth challenge and funding should be to com…”

“And how they become less risk-averse to new technologies like Starship.”

“It is not necessarily about bad risk profile for local authorities and for combined authorities to take something like Starship robots and say, “Actually, let’s try it out. Let’s be co-developers on this. Let’s give you the access to the disability groups.” It is not really profiled in the devolution White Paper in the…”

“Sexual violence is growing as a weapon of war and oppression, as was discussed last Thursday in Westminster Hall. Can the Minister reassure the House that despite the previous Government’s cuts to the aid budget, she will do as much as she can to protect the women and girls in Sudan, seeking additional funds from the T…”

“I am equally excited by the opportunities that being a leader in AI can bring to the people of the UK. As my right hon. Friend will know, Milton Keynes has been a leader from its outset. We have Bletchley Park, the birthplace of machine learning and AI, but Milton Keynes businesses are leading as well, especially in ar…”

“Before I begin, I want to remind everyone that every woman—and some men—has a story. Some are awful; many are devastating, including those of women in this House, like myself. If anyone is feeling affected by this debate and the issues raised, either in the House or watching online, please reach out to the many amazing…”

“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich North (Alice Macdonald) for securing this debate. I also thank the Minister—who I know feels very strongly about these issues, and has done for many years. I will try and refrain from repeating anything that has been said by other hon. Members—there have been some fantastic…”

“I am back now.”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that it is also important to look at breakfast clubs for certain secondary schools, to make sure that teenagers are also getting the breakfast that they deserve and need for learning?”

“I thank the Minister for coming here to give reassurance. Many thousands of people from Hong Kong have decided to settle in Milton Keynes, and we are very pleased that they are adding to our wonderful diversity. Some of those who contacted me over Christmas are quite concerned, and not just for themselves but for their…”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that Vladimir Putin’s allies saw Britain as a soft touch and a good place to put their money and investment, whether ill-gotten gains or legal? Is it not now time under a new Government for us to show that this has changed? This Government will take it seriously and will take a more rigorous a…”

“Over half a million children are sexually abused each year, and there are about as many perpetrators, yet some Opposition Members want to focus only on a few, rather than the big cases we have heard about involving TV presenters, the Catholic Church and others. This is something we have to take seriously, rather than e…”

“May I, too, welcome the multi-year certainty given by the statement today? As a former deputy leader of Milton Keynes council, I can say that it is the kind of certainty we ask for, rather than getting a letter—on Christmas Eve, usually—setting out what the funding might be, already halfway through our budget-setting p…”