Speeches by Cooper.

“Mr Gunn, you mentioned Northern Ireland. There are huge complexities there because of that land border with the EU. The Committee actually went over to Belfast. We had a look at some of the physical infrastructure on the ground and got a sense of how difficult it is. I just wonder about your take on the situation in No…”

“Paul, you mentioned mutual recognition of professional qualifications. The Law Society of England and Wales could not be clearer that the Government dropped the ball on this. It said that the Government did not deliver on their manifesto commitment to improve MRPQ provisions in the services sector. Nothing of any great…”

“That was what M&M Kerr experienced. Its vehicle was in France and it had to come back. It had a delay on the British side.”

“It is quite a setback in terms of European co-operation, isn’t it?”

“Do you have any sense from the Government of whether or not the negotiations continue? Was it a cliff edge in December, or are you aware that we are still trying to get into SAFE?”

“Those are transport aircraft and an aircraft that is involved in refuelling.”

“Does the Secretary of State not agree with expert opinion that says that while we remain signatories to the ECHR, we will not be able to protect our veterans from vexatious litigation?”

“If I can come to the DBT team, we have heard some toe-curling evidence today about the Horizon Shortfall Scheme. It seems to be coming to the end of its natural life. It has had some success in clearing up what we might call the simpler cases—I say simple, but none the less the victims suffered horribly. Do you agree t…”

“On the situation with the money, you talk about the ethics around it, and you say that you are committed to paying something. Why not make an interim payment then? Why would you not demonstrate your new ethical approach by making an interim payment? Are you waiting for Sir Wyn to give you a specific figure?”

“You say that it is demand-led. Are you reaching out? I appreciate the sensitivities here, but you are obviously aware of these cases, so do you actively chase them up and try to, for want of a better word, chivvy them along?”

“We have heard lots of people express the hope that ’26 might be the year that we finally get to the bottom of all this, but equally we hear that more cases are coming out of the woodwork. Do you have a target date for when all sub-postmasters will actually have this settled and paid?”

“That does not seem to be happening, does it? You are providing feedback but—”

“In the evidence we have heard today, there have been astonishing figures on the difference between the HSS awards offered by the Post Office and the awards put forward under your appeals scheme—incredible figures. The Chair mentioned the fivefold median, which is jaw-dropping. We have a specific example, where the orig…”

“So your involvement with Lost Chances is through RJC rather than directly, but you have had a meeting with Lost Chances previously. Is that right?”

“We have heard evidence today that you met with the Lost Chances group, who are here in the Public Gallery. Can you tell us what steps you are taking to support that group? My understanding is that the group works with families affected by all of this. What are you doing to support them?”

“So that five-year process has begun—it is under way.”

“You touched on Sir Wyn’s recommendation that you embark on a process of restorative justice with the victims. What steps have you taken to action that thus far?”

“America’s Delta Force has been involved in an incredible feat of arms in Caracas over the weekend. Of course, Delta Force is based on the 22 SAS regiment. Its formation came after Charles Beckwith served with the SAS. When the SAS speaks, it is usually listened to. The Minister has told us today that he has spoken to i…”

“A guid new year to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and the staff of the House. The past 14 months have been hell for the farmers of Dumfries and Galloway, and the Minister has made it clear that he will not apologise for that. Will he stop fantasising, like the wealthfinder general, about the money he can take out of agricu…”

“Merry Christmas to you, Mr Speaker, and to your tip-top team. Dumfries and Galloway is the land of milk and slurry. We lack not for grass and dairy cattle, but we do lack for people. We are heavily reliant on immigrants to milk the cattle, so the loss of occupation code 5111 from the immigration salary list is causing …”