Speeches by Reader.

“I just want to pick up on a couple of things you said, Andrew, because I quickly checked the energy consumer satisfaction surveys. Dissatisfaction with your company is double that of all your peers, at 13%. How can you tell us that you think your billing is robust and you are providing a good service to customers when …”

“Chris, with your complaints have you ever got close?”

“Have you ever not got your bonus because you failed on customer satisfaction? Is the measure tough enough to actually worry you about customer satisfaction?”

“We have had some quite stark evidence around some real issues with customers’ experience. Have you ever lost your bonus for poor customer satisfaction?”

“If your Trustpilot goes below 4.7, you lose your bonus.”

“I declare that I am Hampshire born and bred, being from Romsey. I just ask: why are we so disrespectful of a place like Brownsea island? If it is called “Hampshire and the Isle of Wight”, what about the great Brownsea island, the home of our native red squirrels? Surely “Solent” is more inclusive for all the other isla…”

“I would just point out—I will say this multiple times in this Bill Committee—that, as someone in an area that has become unitary, no one is ever saying, “We want more district, borough and county councils, rather than fewer.” We have to be careful not to suggest that there will be less engagement with the council becau…”

“Q As the Minister rightly said, we need to look at international comparators. These provisions were introduced in Ireland in 2010, and although there were very similar worries about an impact on the investment market, there has actually been very little impact. What do you think we can learn from how they are implement…”

“Q There are floors in Ireland, I think. I just want to ask quickly about planning, because there are new requirements for strategic authorities to set strategic plans and so on. Is the Bill clear enough to make sure that representative planning, representative surveys and so on are used, so that those plans represent t…”

“T5. I have to raise a harrowing case from my constituency. An 84-year-old mother and grandmother reported being sexually assaulted in her care home by one of the workers. When this was reported, it was found that that care worker was already being investigated for a number of similar assaults. The family have waited ov…”

“Q I will be very brief. The first programme has been in areas that were chosen on political consensus. There is a backstop in the Bill so that eventually the Government can form combined mayoral authorities. Do you think that the Bill should be more open to the Government forcing or pushing mayoral authorities where it…”

“Q In your evidence, you noted that the Bill does not go far enough to address tackling climate change, restoring nature and tackling health inequalities. We heard the same from the Healthy Air Coalition. Naturally, it says that air quality needs to be picked up. UK100 also picked up that the Bill is quite silent on thi…”

“Q I have already raised my points about the south midlands and particularly about devolution where it is in the interest of the country. Can we also have a conversation during this process about micromobility? We have Starship operating in Northampton. Robotics and automated delivery are not included in the provisions,…”

“Q Can I pick up on upward-only rent reviews? I recognise the points you made about consultation. The intention is primarily to focus on high streets. Do you think, with the way the legislation is written currently, it is focused on that narrow area, or is it broader? Could we see unintended consequences in things like—…”

“Immigration is still a big issue for my constituents—they email about it and it comes up when I am in the pub—but people’s frustration is turning to direct action, and Northampton is now filled with flags. Does the Home Secretary agree that flags are a symbol of our pride in our country, and they should not be hijacked…”

“You say it is difficult to say, but you are the interim chief planning inspector. If anyone has a view on the planning process, surely it should be you.”

“Do you think the current requirements of the DCO are proportionate? Do they deliver the best outcome?”

“But given the scale of pre-application and the DCO process, taking years, you are talking tens if not hundreds of millions of pounds spent. Lower Thames is not nuclear, but it is a prime example. Surely, having a longer inspection process and more dialogue through the inspection process might be a quicker way to delive…”

“The regulatory taskforce remarked that nuclear projects often spend years in pre-application stage before an application for DCO is even submitted. Why is that? Does it reflect gaps in Government guidance or just the fact that it is a complex process?”

“But do you recognise that? Do you see that it drives risk aversion and increases costs?”