Speeches by Western.

“Double?”

“The Government have set out that they want to be the fastest growing economy in the G7. This could be a significant sector. To what extent do you think the clean energy sector can contribute to the UK being the fastest economy? What kind of growth do you think you can imagine, say, over the next five or 10 years coming…”

“In terms of the EU and its position, I just want to be clear on what you think about the EU agreeing with China minimum pricing levels for EVs, as opposed to tariffs. Do you have any thoughts on that? Is it workable? That is what the EU is talking about.”

“We have heard repeatedly this afternoon about how the UK is good at innovating, with lots of inventiveness in this country, but not very good at scaling up or going to manufacture, and so on. How well placed are we for these new technologies that you have been talking about, whether it be EV, solid-state battery develo…”

“Alan Johnson and Markus, would you be working with organisations such as the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre? Is the UK playing a part in future alternative fuels for global corporates such as yours?”

“What is your view, Rob Salter-Church?”

“So we have a plan.”

“My next question is looking at the opportunities for advanced manufacturing over the next decade. Which sectors offer the greatest potential? Professor Greenwood, perhaps you could start on that.”

“They are putting it all into nurseries and things like that.”

“On that point, Professor Greenwood was talking about the pilot manufacturing stage between £10 million and £50 million. That was where the big gap in funding was. My question was going to be around what Stephen Phipson was coming on to. What happens in Germany or Japan that is so different? We have just come back from …”

“Are you excited or are you enthused by how well that is coming together now?”

“Are you encouraged by what you have heard so far? As you say, over the decades we have been great with innovation and great with original thinking, whether that is materials or new products such as lithium-ion batteries, but we never see it through. Stephen, you have been around for a little while.”

“Could you unpack that?”

“So it is okay.”

“Last September in my constituency, a new school, Oakley, opened without even a direct footpath to the site, and certainly no cycleway. Sadly, within four weeks, there was a serious accident involving a child who had to be airlifted some 60 miles. Does the hon. Member agree that schools should not be allowed to open unt…”

“I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing this debate. To add to the point she is making, is she not shocked by the scale of what we are seeing across the country? Of the new homes built in 2021-22 by the 11 largest developers, 80% are subject to fleecehold.”

“As my hon. Friend says, productivity in this country has flatlined since 2008. It is great that he has secured this debate, because productivity is one of my pet subjects, and as he has said, the Manufacturing Technology Centre is doing some fantastic work. I am sure he will have seen the video last week of Chinese rob…”

“Does the hon. Gentleman not accept that, in the years between 2010 and 2023, steel production in this country fell by 50% —40% to 50%—and does that not underline the lack of strategy under the previous Government?”

“A recent PWC survey showed that the UK is now the second most attractive investment destination among global chief executives, ahead of countries such as China, Germany and India. That shows that the Government’s careful stewardship of our economy has led to stability within the global landscape. Does the Minister agre…”

“I was concerned to read about the cancellation of shipments of essential coking coal and so on for Scunthorpe. The Business and Trade Committee heard from British Steel and Tata about some of their needs. The Minister will be aware that an area where we have failed as a country over the last six years or so is not havi…”