Speeches by Wrigley.

“Yes, we need to do exactly that. If the UK is to support the defence of Ukraine, we must continue to support the vulnerable Ukrainian guests in our country and to give them some certainty about their future. In my discussions with groups around the Newton Abbot constituency, I have heard many of their concerns. We have…”

“The right hon. Gentleman has obviously been reading my speech. I shall get on to that shortly. I have spoken to a Ukrainian lady and her elderly mother in Newton Abbot. This lady has lost her husband, her son and her father. Her home in Ukraine is in the Russian-occupied zone and, like much of her village, has been raz…”

“Very much so. In my meetings, people have been asking about these different visas and routes, not many of which work.”

“I absolutely agree, and this is now urgent as guests start to have less than 12 months on their visas.”

“I thank the hon. Member for mentioning a report from my old university, which I will go away and look up. However, I think this is more about getting the visas extended, rather than pursuing the people who are refusing them.”

“Yes, I believe that we should be looking for a permanent solution and a permanent answer for the Ukrainians, and that is why I asked the Prime Minister about it last week. His answer was more positive than before, and he even appeared to say that another 18 months would be added. I ask the Minister to clarify that stat…”

“Absolutely. I would like to give a couple of stories from Ukrainians here. I am keeping an eye on the time. This is from Anya Glebova in north Devon, who is hosted by Julie. I apologise, Madam Deputy Speaker, for using the word “you”. These are her words: “How do you live during the war? And can a person who has not ex…”

“I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention and I absolutely agree. I want briefly to mention another story. This is of Mariia and Ksenia in north Devon, written by their host Helen. I apologise for my Ukrainian pronunciation. They said: “On 21 June Oleh Yurash age 28 was killed in Sumy in a missile strike. He was the h…”

“The war seems further from ending—perhaps more protracted than ever. The EU clarified its position, extending temporary protection for all guests to March 2027 and requiring all member states to find ways for guests to have pathways to residency or settlement within those two years. The Home Secretary commented in a Se…”

“That is a dreadful situation. I really hope that the Minister can give us some positive news, or at least a glimmer of hope of where we can go.”

“I thank the Minister very much for that announcement; I really appreciate it.”

“I thank the hon. Member for his intervention and will be moving on to that shortly. I have been impressed by the way that the Ukrainians do not sit back, but get up and get working. In many cases, they have taken jobs way below their qualifications while they learn the language, settle in and find their way. Their chil…”

“I thank the hon. Member for his intervention and I absolutely agree. Ukrainians are scared of what happens next, and we have no answer for them. They see reports of their countrymen being refused asylum in the UK because it is said to be safe to return to Ukraine, even while Putin’s drones explode in Ukraine’s cities i…”

“I absolutely agree, and people in that situation are very worried—I have several in my own constituency. I have spoken to groups of guests in Newton Abbot, and they are mostly working, getting on with integrating into the local community and strongly supporting each other.”

“I am happy to have secured this debate on Homes for Ukraine and the Ukraine permission extension scheme. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Putin’s Russia started on 24 February 2022, eight years after the Russian invasion of Crimea in 2014. Now in its fourth year, this awful war has seen some 7 million members of t…”

“I am delighted to hear about all the work going on in the hon. Lady’s community. That is also happening across the country; Dawlish Against Plastic and Plastic Free Newton Abbot are in my constituency However, the Marine Conservation Society wrote to me to say that plastic pollution on UK beaches rose by 9.5% between 2…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) for securing this important debate on the role of freedom of religion or belief in UK foreign policy, and for his work as special envoy. The ability to express one’s political and religious affilia…”

“Absolutely. The situation is very grave in many parts of the world. In fact, it is more than grave—it is intolerable. In our foreign policy, the UK must proactively seek to champion freedom of belief and religion. The hon. Member for North Northumberland, the special envoy, has identified 10 priority countries where fr…”

“Q15. During my meetings with guests who are in my constituency under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, they have told me that they are worried about their visas running out, even with the 18-month extension. They see reports of Ukrainians being refused asylum in the United Kingdom because it is said to be safe to return to…”

“I was slightly concerned that the franchising of Crown post offices, such as the one at Teignmouth in my constituency, has already gone ahead, prior to the consultation. Turning to a different issue, Royal Mail is obligated to provide a post box within half a mile of any house, but many new estates in my constituency h…”