Speeches by Shannon.

“The Minister is an honourable man. I have known him a long time, and I know that he tries to be compassionate and helpful, but I have deep concerns about this. It would appear that the books are to be balanced on the backs of the vulnerable. I have a genuine concern that the outworking of the spring statement may push …”

“In Nigeria, where religion shapes many aspects of life, more than 3.5 million people have been violently displaced from their home. Religious leaders have been kidnapped and killed. Communities long to return to their land, rebuild their lives and be protected from marginalisation by extremist groups. They seek restora…”

“I commend the right hon. Lady for securing this debate. She is right to highlight the issue in her Tatton constituency, which is similar to that in my constituency. One of the ideas mooted back home in Northern Ireland is putting CCTV where there is habitual fly-tipping. One of the requests was for the Government back …”

“I have listened to what the hon. Gentleman has said. I am conscious of what he is putting forward, but I do not hear anything in his speech to do with human rights or religious persecution. We must make that central to our economic business with China. That is the Minister’s mission, and I hope the hon. Gentleman will …”

“I commend the hon. Gentleman for an absolutely superb Adjournment debate, because every one of us can say “Hear, hear” to what he is doing in his constituency. In my constituency, similar things happen. Ballynahinch high school has a class of Ukrainian children with a Ukrainian teacher and Ukrainian classroom assistant…”

“It is a pleasure to speak in this debate and to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers. I commend the hon. Member for St Ives (Andrew George) for setting the scene so well. Fishing is important to me, as the representative of the village of Portavogie. The hon. Member for South Down (Chris Hazzard) takes his money but …”

“And Northern Ireland!”

“I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing this debate; her enthusiasm is infectious. Back in Northern Ireland, the Spar grocery chain group have supported rugby for some two years. Does the hon. Lady agree that, while we welcome that local business support for the grassroots, there is a need for governmental support and…”

“I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. One of the biggest issues for all councils—London councils and other councils across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland—is housing. The Government have committed to 1.5 million houses, and that is a commendable strategy to address the is…”

“It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon (Gregory Stafford) on setting the scene so well. Those who have intervened have undermined the issue. I declare an interest as chair of the all-party parliamentary group for international freedom of rel…”

“Would the hon. Lady give way?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. It seems to happen nearly every week now—I wish you continued success in what you do. I thank the right hon. Member for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (David Mundell) for leading this important debate. He is a very busy man too: last Thursday he spoke…”

“It is a pleasure, as always, to come along; thank you so much for the opportunity. I am the chair of the APPG for international freedom of religion or belief, which has launched a programme whereby parliamentarians can adopt prisoners of conscience. The reason I have asked for the debate is that there has never been on…”

“It is clear that the issue is not necessarily with the workers, but with the developers. There must be rules and legislation in place to ensure that developers cannot cut corners or ignore the guidelines, and that they supply safe properties. If that does not happen, the Government need to enforce it, with fines if nec…”

“There’s only one Jim Shannon, by the way, you know? [Laughter.] Mr Speaker, thank you very much for your birthday wishes. I am terribly embarrassed. I thank right hon. and hon. Members for their kind wishes. As I often say, I don’t count the years, I make the years count. That is the important thing. Can I ask the Mini…”

“I thank the Minister for her answers to the questions that others have posed. There is a clear difference between asylum seekers—those fleeing persecution, those who are threatened—and economic migrants. How can the Government gain control of accommodation for those who are economic migrants to reduce this horrific bil…”

“First of all, I thank the hon. and gallant Minister. We all look to him for his guidance and support, which is much appreciated by us as individuals on behalf of our constituents. Let me put on record my thanks to all the police forces across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, particularly…”

“I commend the hon. Member for securing this debate, and I spoke to him beforehand. Charities such as the Family Fund provide a wide range of grants to families in Northern Ireland who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young adult on a low income, to spend on kitchen appliances—a fridge, a cooker or a was…”

“I commend the hon. Lady on bringing this issue forward. She is right to outline the problems with fipronil and what it can do to our water, but there are many other things that can affect water. Northern Ireland Water goes around all the farms providing a free service collecting herbicides, weed killer, sheep dip, inse…”

“In my constituency, we lost a large number of trees as a result of the storm five or six weeks ago. Mount Stewart had 10,000 trees destroyed, and other people across Strangford and the Ards peninsula, as well as those further afield, had something similar; but garden centres in my constituency tell me they cannot acces…”