Speeches by Whitby.

“Assuming we still need to roll out more charging—I hear what you say about how the range has increased—what are the blockers to increasing the roll-out? Is it grid connections? Is it planning? Is there something else? What can help to fix that?”

“It is a leap of faith. I drive an EV, and I must say it is the charging. The network is definitely a lot better than it used to be but, on that point, it still remains that the public charging is notably more expensive and less accessible than home charging, creating a fairness issue. What are the key structural reason…”

“Ms Sinclair, EV uptake has slowed, certainly relative to the Climate Change Committee’s expected curve. What would you put that down to? What do you think would increase confidence?”

“I welcome support for all children, but I am trying to make the point that there is no negative judgment here. I say to those parents, “If you are doing nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear.” I have also heard the Secretary of State say that privately and publicly. Unfortunately, though, there are people—although ve…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship today, Ms Barker. Years of austerity have stripped out much of the vital support that young families once received through—dare I say it?—Sure Start. The number of children in care has risen by 28%, the number of children in residential care homes has more than doubled, an…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Derbyshire (Jonathan Davies) on securing this important debate. UNESCO was founded from the ashes of the second world war out of a recognition that we must protect our unique cultural heritage for generations to co…”

“In Derbyshire we have seen a significant increase in reports of agricultural crime; police figures show a 45% increase in the past 12 months. Earlier this year one of my constituents, Jane Bassett, had her farm broken into and a significant amount of specialised equipment was stolen. Such attacks can be traumatic for v…”

“2. What steps she is taking to help increase prosecution rates for rural crime.”

“The Climate Change Committee notes that meeting the seventh carbon budget will require substantial up-front capital investment, but, if we invest in those changes, we will produce £35 billion of cost savings by 2050. First of all, do you agree with those estimates? Are they deliverable? What do those estimates tell us …”

“Mr Spiers, the Climate Change Committee stresses the importance of having a just transition. How can we ensure that the transition to net zero is done in as fair a way as possible? What are likely to be the trade-offs on affordability, competitiveness and equity between different groups and regions?”

“On a very similar subject, Professor Rogelj, how affordable are the recommended changes from the Climate Change Committee, particularly for households, small businesses and the public sector over the next decade? Can anything be done to make these changes more affordable?”

“Cement may not grab headlines, but it quite literally holds up our country. Virtually every hospital, school, bridge and home is built using cement. Without a thriving cement industry, it will not be possible to deliver the renewal our nation needs and the 1.5 million homes the Government have committed to build. Derby…”

“Are the cuts that have been made to overseas contributions by developed countries impacting on COP30? His Excellency Antonio de Aguiar Patriota: I would single out the UK as a—let me choose my words carefully here—very responsible participant in this conversation and these efforts, given its early and ambitious NDC dis…”

“Our oceans are teeming with complex life, but today they are also in a state of crisis. Climate change, pollution, overfishing, habitat destruction and plastics are all placing our oceans under strain like never before. Our oceans are paying the price, with more than a third of UK fish stocks currently overfished and m…”

“Q14. Can the Prime Minister update the House on the Government’s elections Bill? Does he agree that in the light of recent court cases and the conviction of Reform’s former leader in Wales, no party whose leaders take Russian bribes can be trusted to defend our democracy?”

“How do you view the potential of novel carbon removal technologies such as biochar and enhanced rock weathering? Could these offer better value for money in the long term than things like BECCS and DACCS?”

“You have already mentioned some good news on EVs, but following the concessions made to the zero-emission vehicle mandate back in April, you have downgraded your assessment from credible plans to significant risks. Should the Government reverse this move? If not, are there other measures that could compensate for it?”

“Active travel and the modal shift can obviously, hopefully, play an important role in reducing emissions from surface transport. Does local government have sufficient funding mechanisms and the powers for the UK to match European neighbours such as Germany and the Netherlands in that regard?”

“Could the establishment of a carbon removal budget help decide which methods of carbon removal should be prioritised in certain situations?”

“Is there a future for DACCS in this country? Do you think that will be part of the solution?”