Speeches by Mullane.

“It is great to see you again, Minister Norris. To what extent do the UK and the Republic of Ireland co-ordinate asylum and immigration policies?”

“A lot has been done on the soft work between countries. We have got together and discussed common ground. As you say, we are different, but what can we do together? What steps have you taken to manage the risk that there are different asylum policies in the UK and Ireland and to manage misuse of the CTA?”

“Do you want to share anything you think is a great idea—or can you not share it with us?”

“If a top brand contacts you—I like handbags, so let’s say it is handbags—would it help you to fund that going forward, because it is the loss of its brand?”

“My question is about online shopping. Everybody worries about their high street and is not happy with how it is going, but everybody is online as well. What impact do you think that has had in the trade in illicit goods and the ability of all authorities to deal with it?”

“We had a presentation saying that, if the public can get a good football kit or a nice handbag that looks like the real thing, they are not aware of the terrible crime that is behind that. Do you think that is true?”

“What do you think has been the effect on businesses of the new offence of assaulting a retail worker? Do you think it will be a deterrent so that people will be less likely to assault some poor worker?”

“Do you think you need anything else to protect them?”

“When you go on a raid, as you were just saying, where you have been given a tip-off and have done your investigation and you have to try to fund the dogs—this is what the police say to me when they go on operations—and you have only 2,500 trading standards officers, do you think it is a question of money and it needs t…”

“How are we going to tackle illicit goods online?”

“I agree with Mr Woodall on the two different types of crime. There are local people who are affected by drugs who are going in and feeding their habit. The police come and arrest them, and the courts let them out the same day, so the shops are dealing with that. Following on from Ben’s statement, my seat is in east Lon…”

“Would that be public-driven? The public would say, “I’ve been scammed. I went to this clairvoyant online.” Is that how you would hear about it?”

“Has being online enabled them more?”

“Yes.”

“If you are a destitute asylum seeker and you have no means to do anything, and you present at the local authority, local authorities have a lot of pressure, as you alluded to that earlier. What is the way forward with that?”

“Thank you, Minister. How long will you be using Crowborough as asylum accommodation?”

“When Shabana Mahmood came to the Committee, she was very strong on asylum seekers, the right to work, highly skilled roles, how important it is. If somebody has that and cannot gain employment, will you withdraw their support?”

“I personally feel that sometimes when we convert office blocks and that move towards it, they are problematic for local authorities and they are problematic for the people who are in them. Do you see that as a problem up the road?”

“I was pleased to hear you say that the hotels are central in communities and you have your weddings and you have your community events. That is positive. Going back to social cohesion, when you look at those figures for Crowborough on the police and the health costs, you are speaking to Members of Parliament and counci…”

“What if they cannot get work, if they are highly skilled?”