Speeches by Clifton-Brown.

“I thank the Prime Minister very much for making this appointment. As Chair of the Public Accounts Committee and the appointments panel, I warmly welcome the motion to appoint Michael Jary CBE as the next chair of the National Audit Office. Michael Jary brings extensive experience in Government, leadership and organisat…”

“Will my hon. Friend give way?”

“It would appear that this defence investment plan is unaffordable, but the Public Accounts Committee will be examining that. Deep in the plan is an old accountant’s trick: a vast efficiency savings figure of £10.7 billion. Does the plan rely on that figure? If not, what is the incentive to make efficiency savings over …”

“The hon. Member makes an interesting point, and the Government must consider in the round how they can give people useful training, work and leisure in prison, so that they come out with some skills. Where people go, how they are housed and what employment offers they get are issues that the Government need to consider…”

“As my hon. Friend and the House will know, the reoffending rate is around 50%. Given the numbers he has just announced, it is inevitable that serious crimes will be committed. If the Government are committed to this policy, which I hope they are not, and want to release people early, which I do not agree with, they sho…”

“The Minister is absolutely right: it is necessary to have confidence in our criminal justice system. Will she therefore answer the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle (Dr Mullan)? Will the Government be letting out rapists and other serious offenders under the early release scheme, and if so,…”

“This has been a constructive debate, and everybody has aired the themes that I raised throughout the debate. The Minister has outlined one or two areas where things are going a little better, namely perhaps a reduction in some of the Crown court backlogs, but that is countervailed by increases in the backlog in magistr…”

“I thank the Backbench Business Committee, Mr Speaker, and yourself, Madam Deputy Speaker, for granting the debate, and the Minister for being here—I hope she will find it useful. We often speak in this Chamber about defence spending, and rightly so. Defence keeps our nation safe, but justice is what keeps the public sa…”

“I think I am right in saying that the document, which is 70 pages long, mentions profitability just twice. Without profitability, which involves a hard-hearted look at agricultural economics—outputs less inputs—it will be much more difficult to achieve a number of the aspirations in this large document. Will the Secret…”

“Someone will find the money tree.”

“One thing that I am taking a personal interest in at the moment is R&R in this place. I do not know why but there seems to be a huge sensitivity around getting you involved. It has an enormous potential to go wrong and I do not know why you are not involved. It is a political question, I am sure, but is there anything …”

“I entirely agree with my colleague John Glen’s comments. I share huge concerns about MOD procurement; it is one of the biggest procurement programmes in Government. We do not have the defence investment plan yet, but it is likely to be around £400 billion over 10 years, and the MOD has a record of projects being over b…”

“Do you think you ought to have an intermediate range of projects between mega and GMPP? We have looked at three very big projects. Northern Powerhouse Rail, which is very difficult; I am not going to put a price on it but I do not see the basis for that price. It has not been fully designed—how you can put a price on s…”

“We are going to have to pay for it though.”

“I mean just the submarines.”

“I have a very brief question. Sizewell C has one of the most complicated financing structures that I have seen in my time as chair of the PAC. It is not just the provision of private finance that is important in that project; it is the driving of behaviours to deliver it in a more timely and economic way. Private capit…”

“Are you involved in the whole Dreadnought project? I was very careful—”

“Let us just take your three mega projects. HS2 was a disaster; it may now be coming back on track. You cover the Dreadnought programme because there are problems there. Sizewell C has just completed an investigation—probably the most risky of all those mega projects—but because of the personnel involved and the governa…”

“Can I ask you about the difference between your GMPP projects and mega projects? What is the difference in your role? Do you have a varying role?”

“On the PAC, we are examining an enormous range of infrastructure projects—some small, some large—but most do not deliver on time or budget. Of those 85 GMPP projects and three mega projects, how do you choose which ones to get involved with? In my experience, most Departments do not have the resources when they enter i…”