Speeches by Robertson.

“It seems to me that the hon. Member’s issue is not with some of the amendments, but with all of them taken together. Why does not he not back some of the amendments?”

“No, I take that.”

“They still get paid. It would suggest men should be doing a lot more because they seem to be able to retain their income and do high-intensity care. That is what the data is saying. It runs contrary to what we think or see around us.”

“I still do not quite understand why the man who provides high-intensity care is less hit financially, because you would think he is not in a job that says, “Yes, we will keep paying you, and you can do that for 50 hours as well.””

“My hon. Friend talks passionately about hospices. Does she agree that taxing hospices but providing tax relief to hospitals through the relief to the NHS actually disincentivises moving people out of hospitals, which the Secretary of State for Health says is his intention?”

“Surely the doppelgänger is doing that already. I take it that there could be that sort of gender gap unfairness, where women are almost preparing to be flexible in life, but your doppelgänger is already doing that. Your comparison is with a doppelgänger.”

“That runs against the anecdotal evidence that we heard earlier. There is this idea that, because it is harder to adjust in traditionally male breadwinner jobs, the man often simply does not. The woman is more likely to give up her job or go flexible. Your data runs against that. You are comparing women who are providin…”

“Yes, if there is structural unfairness in that—I guess there probably is—your doppelgänger is already doing that.”

“Without us somehow explaining some of this—I appreciate this was not the purpose of your paper—it is going to be hard to make arguments to Treasury or Government as to the reasons for some of these things. A lot of your answers seem to be unexpected: I was sitting there thinking, “Really?” Young people aged 25 and belo…”

“It is not necessarily age per se. It is that people under 25 are more likely—only more likely—to be living in a household where there is another higher earner, and possibly two more higher earners. Compared to their doppelgänger under 25, most people probably have more freedom to decide whether or not to work or go int…”

“My right hon. Friend has referred not only to the previous Government, but to the new Labour Government before that. Does he share my concern, and perhaps my confusion? I thought there was consensus on the huge benefits of academies, which were brought in by new Labour and advanced by the previous Conservative Governme…”

“I invite the hon. Lady to acknowledge the £5 billion cost to businesses that the Government’s own analysis says will be caused by the Bill.”

“5. What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on steps to support the Welsh tourism industry.”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that the Bill is also badly drafted? Even if Members support the content, it is a badly drafted Bill that was brought before the House far too quickly. Such a huge Bill of this nature should have had time. It is hardly surprising that the Government are tabling so many amendments, because they…”

“The tourism and hospitality sector in the UK is one of the most heavily taxed in Europe. Will the Secretary of State press the Chancellor to reduce the tax burden in this area to help drive local economies that rely on tourism in Wales and in constituencies such as mine on the Isle of Wight?”

“The hon. Gentleman talks about the Bill being good for growth, but is he concerned that the Government’s own assessment says it will cost businesses £5 billion? Does he have any concerns at all about the downward impact on growth of that cost?”

“Will the hon. Gentleman give way?”

“I have been rather unsuccessful this afternoon in finding someone on the Government Benches who has concerns about the £5 billion cost to businesses that this Bill will bring. Will the hon. Member express concern over the £5 billion cost and the downward pressure on growth that this Bill brings, according to the Govern…”

“The hon. Member is talking about the benefits of her new clause to fathers, but does she accept that the effect of the Bill will be negative and harmful to everyone and to the economy, by stripping £5 billion away from businesses? It is no good that her new clause would be helpful for fathers if the net effect of the B…”

“The Government will consider alternatives to prison and early release, but how are the public to have any confidence whatsoever when the Government released prisoners early and left them to roam the streets for eight weeks before fixing tags?”