Speeches by Smith.

“I thank my hon. Friend for making such a fantastic contribution on this important topic. I am sure that she will recall the shared visit we had to Tesco in Abertillery, in my constituency, where staff talked about the extensive package of support that their employer gave them. Will she join me in commending employers s…”

“Will the Leader of the House please grant a debate on tenants paying their landlord a reasonable rent? In Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, Vodafone is in dispute with one of my community organisations, Aberbargoed rifle and pistol club, over the hosting of a telecoms mast. Vodafone’s rent helps to fund the club’s Christmas d…”

“It pleases me when I see my hon. Friend turning his plate or mug upside down in the Tea Room, to double-check whether the crockery was made in Stoke. It is good when Westminster shows off the best of our UK ceramics manufacturing. Where possible and appropriate, and in accordance with procurement law, Parliament will e…”

“The House Administration sources a wide range of crockery from firms in the UK, as well as those based elsewhere. Where possible, Parliament endeavours to purchase British goods to support domestic supply chains. All purchasing is in line with the relevant legislation for public bodies, which prioritises value for mone…”

“Parkrun is a global public health phenomenon. Will the Minister meet me and the new Parkrun chief executive to talk about future collaboration?”

“Hello again, Prime Minister. The best way out of poverty is a good job. In recent years, there has been a cyber-security course in Ebbw Vale. Cyber-attacks on Marks & Spencer highlight how crucial this sector is. Archie Norman from M&S outlined the enormous surface attack that companies face, often after the outsourcin…”

“The Chancellor established long-term measures to boost our economy. The industrial strategy provides important detail, as did the spending review. However, the truth is that some of our former industrial areas are much harder to revitalise. For instance, in the south Wales valleys, almost a quarter of young people are …”

“I just want to emphasise, however, this issue of the outsourcing and offshoring of cyber-security. If you could please go back to the private sector about that, I think that that will help a lot across our country.”

“Thank you for the answer, particularly on Newport, which is very close to the eastern valleys, where I am from, but also, Prime Minister, can we invest in the future in much more localised ways? In the valleys, there are 750,000 people, and they need good support in the future.”

“I thank the Minister for that answer. Gwent police are taking on dangerous, illegal off-road bikes, but a related problem is electric bikes, which are sometimes chipped to go faster and have become a new danger. Will the Minister please look into this? The bikes can be switched up from being a means to get from A to B …”

“22. What steps her Department is taking to tackle the antisocial use of off-road bikes.”

“Will the Minister update us on when consumers will see the introduction of the pensions dashboard? [Laughter.]”

“Apprenticeships help us to build a more skilled and adaptable workforce. The House of Commons Commission is increasing the number of apprentices by participating in National Apprenticeship Week and attending careers fairs. Additionally, the administration supports the Speaker’s Apprenticeship Academy; we are currently …”

“We currently have 32 apprentices, and another 19 will be recruited this year. There have been approximately 90 since 2017. Parliament recruits apprentices under the English apprenticeship scheme. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own programmes and funding structures.”

“10. What recent discussions her Department has had with the trustees of the British Coal staff superannuation scheme.”

“I thank the Chief Secretary to the Treasury for his answer. Last weekend I attended the anniversary of the Six Bells mining disaster in 1960, in which 45 men and boys died. I met Mervyn Frampton, whose brother Keith was killed in that tragedy. Mervyn is 90 now, and we talked about when he and his butties powered our co…”

“I thank the Secretary of State for her statement. HS2 has been an abject failure when it comes to the political accountability of the previous Administration. On transport efficiencies, will she press on with reforms to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, so that we can fix the driving test system and keep our cou…”

“There was a terrible, dangerous coal slip in my constituency last autumn, and the coal tips safety funding announced today is hugely welcome. It is great to see our Labour Government standing up for Wales. Looking forward, however, may I ask the Chancellor please to review the miners’ staff superannuation scheme? Hard-…”

“The importance of good cyber-security is referenced throughout the SDR, and it is critical for our defence. Ebbw Vale college has an excellent course in that sector, so to address this threat, will the Secretary of State please advise how the Government plan to get more young people into roles in cyber-security for the…”

“I thank the hon. Member for his question and can assure him that officials have reviewed the guidance and the policies of the House and consider that the Commission is complying with the law. But we will review the positions once the final EHRC guidance is produced.”