Speeches by Platt.

“Again, declaring an interest, we were a recipient of community ownership fund support, which did give us a real kickstart into developing the mill project that you mentioned before. With the closure of COF, how are you ensuring that community ownership is encouraged in heritage projects?”

“Can I quickly ask about the procurement policies where a heritage facility has public funding and yet they are allowed to use only a small pool of contractors, usually national contractors, not local? Again, what you are saying is absolutely great and we could all pull together on that, but the reality is you can use t…”

“That was diplomatic.”

“When funding models have historically gone to local authorities to distribute, what worked best? Is it working with the community or is it going via another level of bureaucracy, if you like, through the local authority? Is that a cheeky question that I can maybe get a one-word answer on?”

“Do you believe the programmes have been successful?”

“Eilish and Matthew, what lessons have been learned from recent partnership approaches? You mentioned the heritage action zones and the heritage enterprise programme, and the collaborations between communities. What lessons have been learned and what could we do better?”

“Project funding is usually about short-term projects. It is usually the asset or the group that is trying to fit. Do you foresee any problems with that?”

“Good morning. Can I declare my interest as having managed a grade II listed building during my sabbatical years, probably the hardest job that I ever did as a charity worker? Geoff, as a funding recipient, what are the biggest limitations of the current funding models for heritage conservation?”

“Leigh and Atherton has many exceptional SMEs that are driving local growth, particularly in manufacturing, engineering and construction. What steps is the Minister taking to make sure that SMEs in areas like mine receive targeted support as part of efforts to address regional imbalance and reduce reliance on our major …”

“11. What steps he is taking to help support business growth through his Department’s plan for small and medium-sized businesses.”

“It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton (Jim McMahon) for bringing this really important debate to the House. I am immensely proud to represent the communities of Leigh and Atherton—towns that embody the very best of Britain, …”

“I thank the Secretary of State for visiting Golborne All Saints during the summer. As she saw, it is a shining example of inclusive education in action. As we mark ADHD Awareness Month, will the Minister outline the potential impact of the curriculum review on children with ADHD, and how that can become standard for al…”

“4. What steps her Department is taking to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream schools.”

“It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (Lizzi Collinge) for bringing this important issue to the House for debate today. As we know, Ada Lovelace Day is a time to celebrate the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering…”

“Our high streets in Leigh and Atherton are being undermined by illicit shops that are used for money laundering, illegal working and counterfeit goods. Raids on shops have taken place this week, leading to the seizure of over £10,000-worth of illicit goods, but the shops reopen within hours. Criminals are exploiting lo…”

“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) for bringing this really important debate to the House. Growth goes where growth is, but when transport is inefficient, access to opportunity is limited. Leigh and Atherton, once thriving industrial hubs, now sit between Manchester and Liverpool, al…”

“Thank you, Chair, and can I thank the Secretary of State for those words and that commitment to independent cinema? I declare an interest as a patron of Leigh Film Factory. I know those words will be widely appreciated, so thank you. Lots of artists from different sectors are expressing their concerns about the ongoing…”

“Obviously there are a lot of artists affected. Locally, I have had artists approach me. A lot of groups and sectors are reliant on funding that is due now for them to exist. Given what is at stake and the criticisms of the system since its onset, will the Government provide extra support in getting this right, to impro…”

“Manchester city council has demonstrated what is possible when local government, major events and cultural assets work together, raising £250,000 to support grassroots music venues thanks in part to the big-ticket events that we have had in Manchester like Oasis—which I attended—and Sam Fender. It has created a bluepri…”

“It is an important point to make. My personal experience of working with artists is that they are artists; they are not funding applicators. This is the problem that a lot will feed back. It is really worth while to have that sort of conversation.”