Speeches by Madders.

“First, I think I need to mention that my hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead Central and Whickham (Mark Ferguson) is celebrating his 40th birthday today, and what a great way to spend his birthday. He is one of the people who have worked tirelessly over many years in different guises to help us get where we are today.…”

“I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, and that is what we are attempting to deliver with our industrial strategy. Engagement with businesses is continuing on that. Publication will, I believe, be in the late spring, and we will ensure that it is a very successful launch. I will draw my comments to a conclusion, but I…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. I knew as soon as he rose that he would raise the subject of the ceramics industry, such is his record of championing it. I will certainly pass his comments back to the relevant Minister.”

“First, I thank my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North (Liam Byrne), and indeed the hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper), for securing the debate, and for the work that they do on the Business and Trade Committee. The hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway littered his…”

“Certainly, Mr Twigg. It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair this afternoon. I thank the hon. Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (David Chadwick) for securing this important debate. Before I talk about hon. Members’ contributions, it is worth reminding the House of the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator. Hon. …”

“I hear what the hon. Member has said, and no doubt that is something that can be put in as part of the review. When I spoke to the adjudicator, he said that his approach is about ensuring compliance and helping to prevent problems from escalating in the first place, avoiding the need for formal investigations and dispu…”

“I beg to move, That the draft Neonatal Care Leave and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2025, which were laid before this House on 20 January, be approved.”

“I am delighted to move regulations under the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023, which originated as a private Member’s Bill in the previous Parliament. I therefore pay tribute to Stuart McDonald, the former Member for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East, and Baroness Wyld for successfully steering the legi…”

“My hon. Friend is right. The impact assessment refers to evidence showing that family-friendly policies are good for employers as well as for individuals. That is certainly the Government’s approach towards employment rights. We have extensively consulted stakeholders, including charities and business representative or…”

“I thank all Members for participating in today’s debate—there have been some very thoughtful and moving contributions. I will start with my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jen Craft), who spoke movingly about Isla and her experiences in neonatal care. It was truly wonderful to hear that, having been given a 2% cha…”

“I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025. Noswaith dda, Mrs Harris; it is a pleasure to see you in the Chair. I hope not to detain colleagues long. The regulations, which were laid in draft before the House…”

“I congratulate the shadow Minister on taking a second bite of the cherry on the argument around subscription traps and trade union subscriptions. On the data protection issue, this instrument comes with basically the same safeguards that have always been in place, and that will not change. It is just the legislative en…”

“At the moment I am thinking quite broadly about the whole consumer landscape. It seems pretty fragmented in terms of how individuals enforce their rights. Obviously, we are hoping that the CMA’s new powers are going to go a long way in terms of delivering that. I know you have picked up the issue with trading standards…”

“We obviously are very supportive of that work. One of the members of the Committee is the chief executive of Citizens Advice, who we fund through the Department. We are also pleased to note that the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute is part of that Committee. It is early days in terms of what it is going to come…”

“Yes, I am, and I have actually asked the Department to look into this issue again. I understand that they did some research a few years ago that indicated that the use of personalised data was quite limited in terms of online sales, and where it was in place it tended to increase prices by only about 0.5%. Instinctivel…”

“Obviously we are always keeping an eye on these things and clearly, in particular sectors such as energy, telecoms and financial services, there are measures that those sectors have brought in to make sure that those on low incomes are not prejudiced by particular products being put at a different or a higher price. Ob…”

“All right.”

“To sum it up in one word, it would probably be fairness: people understanding when they are buying something what they are going to be paying for; that there are no hidden costs; that there is transparency about what this all means; people being able to buy something without anything being added on later; and that ther…”

“Yes, that is all due to come into force in April and, as we have heard very clearly from the evidence, this is something that is recognised across all parties and by the CMA itself as something that has been long overdue. The challenge is then for the CMA to be able to deliver on that. There are going to be some new ru…”

“It would be useful to hear from Live Nation themselves as there were an awful lot of questions that were probably begging more questions from the witness earlier on. I do not know whether that is something you want to do.”