Speeches by Newbury.

“These vans are being pulled over with illegal meat, although it is not just illegal meat. We saw bootleg alcohol and personal possessions in another van. They are being dealt with at Dover and then being asked to make a voluntary surrender. As we said, they are then allowed to go scot-free. The staff are working under …”

“It could be used. For example, if somebody was pulled over on suspicion of having a load of illegal meat, they could be directed up to Bastion Point, which would reopen the lanes at Dover. The problem that they have at the moment is that they have to shut the lanes at Dover, which reduces their capacity. It means that …”

“Just a few miles up the road, you have the Bastion Point BCP, which has been constructed but never commissioned, at great cost to the taxpayer. That would enable a far greater number of checks to be done in conditions that are much more appropriate and safer for staff. That is still sitting there and we are still waiti…”

“I just wanted to touch on the conditions that staff are having to work under in Dover. When we went to visit, we saw for ourselves how, when conducting inspections, many of the Border Force and port health authority inspectors were working under rusty canopies that had nesting pigeons, and no walls. In other places, wh…”

“Have you made an assessment of the risks of not implementing that?”

“Very briefly, just to follow on from what Jenny was saying about the differing levels of checks at different ports, have you made an assessment of the risk that might be posed by delaying the implementation of controls at west coast ports?”

“It is a pleasure to speak with you in the Chair, Ms Furniss. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Leigh Ingham) for securing the debate. It has been a real pleasure to hear colleagues pay tribute to Staffordshire, from our world renowned pottery to our vibrant theatres, diverse festivals and creative …”

“I recently visited Chaselea alternative provision academy in Cannock and met headteacher Mr Archer, who told me that it receives £8,300 less per pupil than the average for PRUs due to the unfair funding formula. With year after year of real-terms funding cuts under the previous Government, Chaselea had to stop all off-…”

“13. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of levels of funding for pupil referral units.”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Hobhouse. I thank the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage (Olly Glover) for securing this debate. Just a few weeks ago, I visited Hazel Slade primary academy in my constituency. Pupils there told me in no uncertain terms that each day they are frightened when they w…”

“rose—”

“I thank my hon. Friend for giving way, particularly given that he is another Staffordshire MP. As he has heard me say before, the Museum of Cannock Chase in my constituency, which is primarily focused on mining heritage, is due to close by the end of the month. I am working hard alongside the Chase heritage group to re…”

“It is a pleasure to speak in this Easter Adjournment debate, and I wish everyone a happy Easter and a restful break. I rise to speak about the British Coal staff superannuation scheme and the need for the scheme’s investment reserve to be returned to its investors as soon as possible. In Cannock Chase, we are rightly p…”

“I am happy to give way to my Staffordshire colleague.”

“I thank my hon. Friend. I think it is no coincidence that in Staffordshire we went from having no Labour MPs before the election to having nine out of 12, and that so many of us are here today to speak up for our constituents about areas of frustration, and about the failings of our county council and our hope for chan…”

“Staffordshire has the worst roads in the country. I do not have definitive proof of that, but it is something that my constituents in Cannock Chase tell me every time I am out knocking on doors—and I agree with them. As we have heard many times already this evening, the British people are sick and tired of broken roads…”

“Newlife, a charity based in my constituency, provides specialist equipment for disabled children. In 2023 alone it helped 1,524 children nationwide. It has told me about the challenges these children face in getting the right equipment at the right time. Would the Leader of the House grant a debate on the roles and res…”

“I thank the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. As he knows, I am an adoptive parent and a foster carer. In the run-up to this debate, I had the opportunity to speak to the social worker who is supporting me and my husband with what we hope will become our second adoption, and I would like to get the hon. Gentleman…”

“I thank the Minister for setting out the measures the Government are taking, which are very welcome. Returning to the conversations I had with my social worker, one of the suggestions she had was to have a designated lead within local authorities and adoption agencies, to ensure that support is there for adoptive famil…”

“I thank my hon. Friend and almost constituency neighbour the Member for Stafford (Leigh Ingham) for securing this debate on such an important topic. When we talk about access to sport and physical education in schools, it is about not just fitness and physical activity, but opportunity. It is about making sure that eve…”