Speeches by Murphy.

“There is obviously a bit of disagreement about levels of funding in the system. We have talked about public funding, but we have also been told that the level of investment by employers in ongoing education and training is half what it is in many European countries. What is the reason for that?”

“My question leads on quite nicely. I am going to ask about the role of public procurement and other non-fiscal measures to drive demand. One of my questions is around how public procurement could or should be used to drive demand and numbers, but I think we have already talked about quality and wages. Brian, since Anna…”

“What would you want to see in that long-term plan?”

“Well, you have talked about a long-term plan. Are there any particular measures that you are promoting that you would be keen to see?”

“Do other countries have similar models?”

“Simon or James, do you have anything to add?”

“I would like to come back to the safety point in a second, but I just want to ask Brian how it can be made easier for smaller companies and businesses to access public procurement. Quite often they are blocked out because it is harder for them to navigate. Simon said that many of them do not even know about it.”

“Just on contracts for difference, could you say a bit more about how you think they could be used to drive job quality and, potentially, higher wages?”

“Thanks very much, and welcome to the Committee. There are a number of institutes across the country, including, at random, the Basingstoke College of Technology, which is very forward-thinking. It has a green energy centre and a electric vehicle centre, and it is a fantastic institute. Do you think it is clear enough, …”

“My question leads on quite nicely. I am going to ask about the role of public procurement and other non-fiscal measures to drive demand. One of my questions is around how public procurement could or should be used to drive demand and numbers, but I think we have already talked about quality and wages. Brian, since Anna…”

“What would you want to see in that long-term plan?”

“Well, you have talked about a long-term plan. Are there any particular measures that you are promoting that you would be keen to see?”

“Picking up on Katy’s point, would others agree that it is better just to talk about “good jobs”? The previous panel, making a slightly different point, were calling them “green jobs” or “clean jobs.””

“I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to provide for the inclusion of economic growth as an objective for certain statutory regulators; and for connected purposes. For too long, our regulatory system has been tangled, inefficient and disconnected from the mission of economic growth and prosperity. Inste…”

“What impact does the hon. Gentleman think the 68% cut to the affordable housing budget under the coalition Government had on the delivery of affordable housing?”

“The point I was making was about outcomes. The previous Government committed to improving affordability and abjectly failed to do so. Can the hon. Member explain why?”

“The hon. Member talked about missed targets, and about affordability. In 2010, the first of 16 housing Ministers under the previous Conservative Government boldly claimed, as did many of his successors, that the Government would improve affordability of housing overall. While they were in power, affordability, as measu…”

“rose—”

“I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention —it is no surprise that he is raising the issue of nuclear, for which he is a doughty champion in this Chamber. I very much agree with him about the need to build new nuclear, and I recognise the previous Government’s failure to do so. Fundamentally, this Bill is about buildi…”

“There was not a greater cut in the affordable homes budget at any point between 2010 and 2024; the largest cut—nearly 70%—was under the coalition Government.”