Speeches by Lamont.

“In the Department, are there particular spads or Ministers who are notoriously slow at turning around written responses?”

“Can you set out the process from when a parliamentary question comes into the Department until the answer goes out? Who sees it and how is it dealt with within the Department?”

“I am grateful for that point. That is accurate, but the fact that anybody would want to vote for a convicted terrorist does raise serious questions, which I think we should be concerned about. Every day we walk through this palace, reminded of the human cost of terrorism. Within these walls are memorials to Members of …”

“Sorry to have interrupted, Minister. Please continue.”

“How do you think victims, survivors and families could be better taken into account when considering whether to allow an inquiry?”

“Under the current system, it is at the discretion of the Minister and the Government whether an inquiry happens. Under your proposal for PACAC, for this Committee to consider it, would it need to be more formalised in terms of the thresholds, outcomes and the different scenarios you described?”

“Again, thinking about the victims and those affected by this, in your 2025 additional report, you recommended that the compensation authority should cease using the invite system, which was designed to control who was prioritised and when, and instead go to a more simple application process. While the IBCA has stated p…”

“You recommended that if there is sufficient support within Parliament, there should be a mechanism by which a question is put to PACAC—this Committee—to consider whether the inquiry should proceed or not. How do you envisage that mechanism working in practice?”

“Sir Brian, in your report into the infected bloods, one of your recommendations was that members of the community should be an integral part of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority board. In practice, a separate panel has been created. What are your thoughts on that? Do you think that undermines that principle, gi…”

“Yes. In terms of how we would go from somebody calling for an inquiry, that coming to Parliament and arriving with the Committee, and what sort of factors we might want to consider.”

“Ms Richards, do you have any thoughts on this?”

“I guess I asked that question because, for those affected by whatever the event might be, there may be a feeling that all that energy and investment goes into having the inquiry, and gets outcomes and recommendations from experts like yourself, only for the Government, for whatever reason, not to follow through. Clearl…”

“So that would not be the power to reverse the decision, but the power to scrutinise more closely the reasons behind that decision.”

“T5. Yesterday, I asked the Prime Minister to launch an inquiry into the Peter Murrell scandal, because the SNP Government in Scotland refuse to do so. The High Court judge said that Murrell’s crimes were “not particularly sophisticated”, demolishing any suggestion that he somehow deceived everyone in the SNP. The peopl…”

“Do you think somebody who has worked in the private sector has skills that might complement that, or do you think working in the public sector is a unique role? Clearly, we need a range of skills in people, but is there something that the private sector can offer and that people who have spent their working life only i…”

“What skills do you think a successful candidate to sit on or to chair a public board would have?”

“Q12. May I start by wishing Scotland well in their match tonight against Brazil? Following the conviction of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell for embezzlement, serious questions about governance and oversight remain unanswered. The Scottish Government are refusing to establish an inquiry, despite clear public c…”

“I was at the Royal Highland Show last week and farmers from across the UK were in their usual high spirits, but there is a real concern about the profitability and the future of farming. The SPS agreement, the price of fuel, red tape, the family farm tax and fertiliser are all big concerns. What specifically are the Go…”

“What do you think makes a good public appointments process?”

“Sir David, can I go back to something you said earlier in response to how time is allocated in Westminster Hall on the Tuesdays and Wednesdays and by the Chairman of Ways and Means through the Speaker’s ballot. You suggested that sometimes people get preferential treatment in that ballot. Did I misunderstand what you w…”