Speeches by Naish.

“I shared my hon. Friend’s petition with my constituents, and I thank her for her campaigning on that issue. On the general petitions website for this Parliament, there are 199 petitions with “fireworks” somewhere in the description. That is an incredible number when we consider that there are 601 on the NHS, which is a…”

“Over the past five years, per-head transport spend in the east midlands has fallen to just 54% of the UK average—the lowest of any region or nation. Rail funding is even more unequal, at £175 per head in 2023-24, which is barely 40% of the English average. With the Tories scrapping the east midlands leg in October 2023…”

“Just last month I presented a petition in this place about a greenway in my constituency between Radcliffe and Cotgrave, which has been closed for two years. That means that people such as Jacqui, who rides a horse, cannot use it. Does the hon. Member agree that we need to encourage the expansion of and investment in t…”

“That is really helpful. Can I switch to Bryan to get his take on a similar theme? I understand that you do specific work around conflict prevention relating to natural resources. Could you expand on that?”

“I absolutely agree. The reality, as I say, is that things have improved significantly. I am here today not to knock universities, but to ask the question whether, underpinning the provision that the hon. Member describes, there should be a level of legal obligation. Interestingly, a 2023 survey of 4,000 students by the…”

“Yes. That comes as a surprise, without doubt, particularly to parents who find themselves in very difficult circumstances when their children are not well, or in some of the more extreme circumstances that we are thinking about today. I agree that the House needs to look at that. Most universities have wellbeing, couns…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The cost of living has only exacerbated a problem that we knew existed, so it is right for this House to think very deeply about the question. On a point that my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket (Peter Prinsley) mentioned, it is worth noting that gaps are bei…”

“I will go on to mention the British Medical Association and its latest survey and work on the issue, but my hon. Friend is right to make that point. The patchwork of duties does not amount to a clear or proactive framework for student protection. That needs to be addressed.”

“My hon. Friend is right. What I am alluding to is the level of greyness that means that we see people falling through the gaps. Our responsibility in the House is to understand whether those gaps should continue to exist, for valid reasons, or whether a change in the law is required to ensure clarity for universities, …”

“Yes. Undoubtedly one of the universities’ biggest concerns is about how the duty would be implemented and what the implications would be. I am not shying away from the reality that there would be costs for universities, but the question is whether we should put the duty in place. My hon. Friend’s point is about how any…”

“Yes. I thank my hon. Friend for raising that point. Undoubtedly, “consistency” is a key word. It is about how we ensure that these issues are dealt with, through universities or associated support services, in a proper and consistent way, no matter where someone is at university. I am not surprised that my hon. Friend’…”

“You described climate as underpinning a number of conflicts. Clearly, conflict can displace people, but to what extent is the climate a key driver in forcing displacement?”

“You give a very clear description of the gender vulnerability, as you describe it. How are you working with women, and especially mothers—you mentioned some very young mothers, and women who are being raped and then conceiving and having children—to respond to and prevent further extremism?”

“I thank the Minister for his response. I pay tribute to those in the Public Gallery, and I thank everybody for coming; the debate will not have been easy listening for some, so we appreciate their presence. Secondly, some hon. Members were not able to contribute, including my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Adam Th…”

“I beg to move, That this House has considered the potential merits of a statutory duty of care for universities. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Christopher. I am grateful to the Backbench Business Committee for granting time for this important debate, which follows an e-petition of 128,000 signatur…”

“I will come to Aisha, if that is okay. You talked earlier about closing gender gaps and building resilience among women and girls. What do you see as being the specific risks to women and girls, specifically in northern Nigeria?”

“To what extent do you think that that approach, given the pace and scale of climate change, is sustainable in Nigeria? How is resource management going to be managed politically over the coming years?”

“This is a similar question, but turns attention away from religion and more towards climate change. Tog, to what extent do you view climate change as the key driver, or one of them, in conflict and instability across Nigeria? Are there any particular parts of Nigeria where you see climate change being particularly prob…”

“This debate on the mega-embassy is not just about a building and 208 secret rooms; it is primarily about national security and the safety of those from the Hongkonger, Chinese, Uyghur and Tibetan diasporas in the UK—approximately 700,000 people. We have learned that in 2018, the then Prime Minister committed to no dela…”

“That sounds like a really impressive range of things that you are doing. Turning to Saratu, including women and girls who have been through some of the experiences that were just described in the peacebuilding process is extremely important. What do you see as the benefits of using women and girls in that process?”