Speeches by Shannon.

“First of all, I commend the hon. Lady for introducing the debate; this is a massive issue, absolutely. Does she not agree that, as 90% of businesses are small businesses with no human resources department, it is difficult for employers to be aware of the help for staff, and to be trained? Further, does the hon. Lady no…”

“I thank the Minister for his answer and the hon. Member for Halesowen (Alex Ballinger) for raising these issues. We have similar problems in my constituency, and I know that the Minister is keen to ensure that all parts of the United Kingdom can take advantage of the legislative change that the Government have proposed…”

“I thank the Minister for his statement and for outlining the reality of where we are today. I think it is important that we understand what this means. The Minister has also made clear the failings. There were Chagossians who asked us to retain control of the islands due to human rights considerations and other issues.…”

“The hon. Gentleman is right to underline these issues—that is why the Chamber is quite full. I am 71 years old. I remember that, when I was a child, there were not many children with autism or learning difficulties, but today the numbers are exceptional. Does he agree that it is time to find out why so many more childr…”

“I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this issue, which is clearly very important to him—he has illustrated that through his commitment to these debates, which he always gets involved in. I congratulate him on that. In Northern Ireland, approximately 60 children under the age of 16, and 80 teenagers and you…”

“I thank the Home Secretary for her very positive statement. Let me also associate myself with the events of a year ago, when the nation mourned for those three children. I think that every one of us recognised the horror of what took place, and our prayers and our thoughts are very much with the families even today, an…”

“I thank the hon. and gallant Member for his statement—no one inside or outside this House doubts his commitment. The Chair of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy made a statement to the House about six weeks ago. I asked him then about the very issue that my right hon. Friend the Member for East Antri…”

“rose—”

“We slogged through 10 years of reorganisation and restructuring in Northern Ireland, and not a penny was saved. Indeed, if anything, prices and rates have gone up—this year, the rise in rates has been exceptional. I say gently to the Minister that perhaps it is time to consider and learn from what Northern Ireland has …”

“I spoke to the right hon. Gentleman beforehand. He has a forensic, investigative mind for these subjects, on behalf of the House, and—with your agreement, Madam Deputy Speaker—we should put on record our thanks to him for that. We in the House and this nation owe him a debt when it comes to justice.”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. I thank the hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury) for leading the debate. In the short time that he has been in Parliament, he has made a name for himself as an assiduous MP who works hard on behalf of his constituents. They should all be very proud of …”

“Mr Naimi, a young Baha’i in Iran, was tortured into giving a false confession that was later broadcast on state media. He has been subjected to severe beatings, interrogation, and mock executions, in which he had a noose placed around his neck. All this happened in an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps detention facilit…”

“I apologise if I missed the answer, but I asked about research and how we can create partnerships with universities, which are very keen to do that—Queen’s University Belfast is one example, but there are many others across the United Kingdom—and with medical companies that want to pursue cures, as we all want to see t…”

“I commend the right hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. The figures in Northern Ireland have also increased in recent years, with 96 attacks recorded in 2024, up from 59 in 2023 and 66 in 2022, reflecting rising safety concerns in Northern Ireland’s prison system, as he has referred to. It is attributed to factors…”

“You have elevated me to heights I did not even know I could reach, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer to the hon. Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier). Not a week passes without some of us getting complaints about accessibility, yet equality law is clear. What are the Government doin…”

“I commend the hon. and gallant Member on bringing forward this debate. In the time he has been in this House, he has made a significant contribution on Army, Navy and RAF matters, and we thank him for that. When I was a wee boy—that was not yesterday—I used to read about the exploits of the Gurkhas in magazines or news…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention; it summed up the point I was trying to make about my constituency of Strangford, which is also true of my hon. Friend’s constituency of East Londonderry and all of Northern Ireland, where the community spirit lives and thrives. In 2024-25, just under 46% of adults in Norther…”

“It is always a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I thank the hon. Member for Chelsea and Fulham (Ben Coleman) for the opportunity to raise the invaluable work carried out by the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland and my constituency. I have a question not related to the debate: as the MP for Chelsea a…”

“First of all, I apologise to the hon. Member because I had hoped to speak in this debate and give some thoughts from my constituency back home. However, I cannot because I have to chair an event at six o’clock, so I apologise for having to intervene and then leave after his speech. In many communities, lidos are far mo…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Efford. I thank the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) for leading the debate. Tourist infrastructure is an incredibly important issue in my constituency; I know the motion is about the visitor levy in England, but I want to reflect my constituency and…”