Speeches by Atkinson.

“Professor Bell, I think earlier you expressed some queries about the current design and use of the student and graduate visa system. Can you say a bit about your views on that?”

“Given what we know about differences in average wages across the UK—I represent Sunderland, which has fairly low average wages—does it follow that the current policy is essentially creating further harms in places such as Sunderland, where the average wages would be lower, because the minimum income requirement is a na…”

“Building on that, I have been thinking about the potential for the work plans. We have got a situation at the moment where people might have an active job offer in the UK for an amount of money that would not meet the skilled visa entry route requirement in itself, but is clearly in excess of what their partner is earn…”

“Dr Sumption, you mentioned before that, following your family visa financial requirements review earlier in the year, it was for the Government now to make a set of fundamentally political choices about balancing different considerations. Could you outline in brief what key considerations you think the Government need …”

“On the evidence base that underpins the policy setting that the Government will have to do, can you say a bit about the evidence base that the Government have at the moment, and how you think it could be improved? I am particularly thinking about the welfare of British citizens and their right to family life, and how f…”

“Do any of the panellists have any particularly different views about limitations of this approach or anything? Chair: I have Jo White and Paul Kohler who want to ask some follow-ups and then we will move on to the actual technologies.”

“Thank you. Mr Comerford, you have mentioned this already, and I know you covered it in your written submission and ISD’s written submission as well, but could you tell us more about what you think a public health approach to tackling extremist violence would be in practice, and particularly what you think Government sh…”

“Are there international examples from countries that have tried embarking on this and you think have been successful?”

“1. What steps he is taking to develop the Government’s approach to public sector reform.”

“Could my right hon. Friend outline what role he thinks digital ID could play in supporting public sector reform?”

“I thank the Secretary of State for his statement and for the way he and the Minister for the Armed Forces have engaged on this matter in recent months. I have many constituent veterans in Sunderland Central who served with distinction in Operation Banner; the Secretary of State rightly praised the professionalism and s…”

“Many Sunderland families, including mine, share stories of Cherry Knowle, the Sunderland borough asylum in my constituency, which opened in 1895. Severe mental illness has always been a feature of society. Thankfully, the legislative framework and services have developed somewhat since 1895, but arguably they have not …”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right and I thank him for his intervention. Part of the issue around poorly reported waiting times is that it is less easy to see that differential access than it would perhaps be in physical health services. Indeed, over the years when specialist teams have been set up—for example the earl…”

“Learner drivers in Sunderland are fed up of waits of around 22 weeks for a driving test. In that time, they are often facing higher costs and barriers in accessing job opportunities. Can the Minister tell the House what steps he is taking to reduce driving test waiting times in Sunderland, and when he expects those wai…”

“9. What steps she is taking to increase the availability of driving tests.”

“We must stop criminal gangs launching illegal crossings from the French coast. Will the Home Secretary update us on her conversations with the French authorities to ensure that their tactics include intervening in shallow waters, so that they stop as many of these boats as possible at source?”

“T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.”

“There were 5,448 drug-related deaths in 2023—the highest figure ever—and an 84% increase from the number that led the previous Government to publish their drugs strategy, which was supposed to save lives. Does the Secretary of State agree that the existing drugs strategy is not fit for purpose, and will he urgently sta…”

“It is a privilege to contribute to the Sir David Amess debate. Sir David proudly championed Southend and its people, and it is in that spirit that I would like to speak about Sunderland today. To start, Mrs Ann Blakey, the retiring headteacher of St Benet’s Roman Catholic school in my constituency, has for 20 years wor…”

“16. What steps he is taking to support high street businesses.”