Speeches by Perteghella.

“While the Government have set out their military approach in some detail, there remains far less clarity on the diplomatic strategy that must eventually bring this conflict to an end. Can the Secretary of State set out what the UK is doing to get all sides back to the negotiating table? As we do so, how will the Govern…”

“Nearly 13,000 households are off-grid in my constituency, including my home. It is a wild west out there; prices have doubled in just a few weeks, and many of my constituents are not even able to pay for the minimum 500-litre orders required by the providers. Does the Minister agree it would be far quicker and simpler …”

“Witnesses and survivors on the previous panel told us that there is significant variation in the quality and consistency of intermediary services. That has a real impact on reunions, sometimes with distressing outcomes. The Movement for an Adoption Apology has called for a fully funded intermediary service to assist wi…”

“Thank you for your powerful evidence. You have all campaigned tirelessly for a formal Government apology. What difference would an apology from the Government make to you, and to the wider community of mothers and adoptees affected by forced adoption?”

“What safeguards or features would be essential so that this centralised digital database works for mothers and adoptees?”

“Witnesses and survivors on the previous panel told us that there is significant variation in the quality and consistency of intermediary services. That has a real impact on reunions, sometimes with distressing outcomes. The Movement for an Adoption Apology has called for a fully funded intermediary service to assist wi…”

“What safeguards or features would be essential so that this centralised digital database works for mothers and adoptees?”

“Thank you for your powerful evidence. You have all campaigned tirelessly for a formal Government apology. What difference would an apology from the Government make to you, and to the wider community of mothers and adoptees affected by forced adoption?”

“Research from Scope found that, in 2025, only 7% of work capability assessments carried out were reassessments for existing claimants, compared with 19% the previous year. One of my constituents has experienced a significant deterioration in their health and urgently requires reassessment to determine whether they shou…”

“16. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of work capability assessment clearance times of over two years on claimants.”

“If the Government are serious about stopping dangerous small boats crossings and smashing the gangs, there must be safe routes for those fleeing war and persecution. I remind the House that bombs are falling right now in the Gulf and in the middle east. What progress has the Home Secretary made in establishing safe and…”

“Moorland or heathland, yes.”

“Thank you, but do you accept that, to restore and promote sphagnum growth, we need to restore water levels?”

“Following on from my colleagues, are there or should there be differences in the management of heathland or moorland, and specifically in relation to peatland? I am interested in whether different complex landscapes call for different management policies.”

“The Chair has already mentioned Natural England evidence. There is disputed evidence between landowners and Natural England in relation to rewetting peatland so that the sphagnum can be restored versus the managed burning to combat wildfires, if we accept that that, as you say, is something that works against wildfires…”

“I want to talk a little bit more about the role of the Children’s Laureate, which Annie mentioned. What has been the impact of the post of the Children’s Laureate in encouraging different groups of children to read for pleasure?”

“We don’t know if there are outcomes from the Children’s Laureate programme in reading groups or because of strategies that teachers have adopted, for example, within their school or a new library set up in a school? Do we not know that?”

“Thank you for clarifying. My last question is to the whole panel. What are your main recommendations to the Government as to what actions they could take to reverse the decline of reading for pleasure?”

“We don’t know if there are outcomes from the Children’s Laureate programme in reading groups or because of strategies that teachers have adopted, for example, within their school or a new library set up in a school? Do we not know that?”

“Has there been any independent evaluation of the impact of this role of the Children’s Laureate?”