Speeches by Bedford.

“T8. Since the Government came to office, the average household energy bill has increased by £200, so the Government’s claim to be cutting bills by £150 rings somewhat hollow with my constituents. Will the Secretary of State commit to reviewing the green levies and taxes that continue to drive up energy prices for hard-…”

“8. What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed ending of jury trials for certain offences on the right to a fair trial.”

“The Justice Secretary may have complete faith in the independence of the judiciary; sadly, I do not. We have seen a plethora of cases, particularly involving freedom of speech, where the judiciary has arguably been influenced by political correctness and the virtue signalling of bodies such as the Sentencing Council. I…”

“21. What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of future welfare spending on the economy.”

“In their first Budget, the Government hiked taxes on employers, leading to a sustained increase in unemployment. Earlier this year, we saw a botched attempt to reform welfare, which is now going to cost us more in welfare spending, and in the Chancellor’s “Nightmare before Christmas” Budget, she hammered hard-working f…”

“What discussions has the Secretary of State had with the SNP Government in Scotland, whose luddite approach and ideological blinkers prevent Torness, Dounreay and Hunterston from being considered for future nuclear projects—and all the jobs and investment that go with them?”

“1. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the potential for new nuclear power sites in Scotland.”

“Let me begin with the title of the Bill; it claims, perhaps optimistically, to empower communities. By the end of this debate, we will see whether the Government truly intend to empower them. Community empowerment matters. I believe that my constituents and the councillors who represent them are far better placed to ma…”

“My constituents are very concerned about that. It is a strange anomaly. In addition, under the current legislation, councils are required to hold referendums when they wish to increase council tax beyond a certain level, so it seems very strange that the Government will not empower local communities to hold a referendu…”

“In the past year, a record £70 billion has been withdrawn from pension schemes through the tax-free lump sum as a result of the fear driven by the uncertainty of recent months. Does the Minister understand that the constant leaks and policy kite flying are leading to this adverse effect on pensioners’ savings?”

“The Home Office has requested transitional accommodation for asylum claimants, following the closure of Garats Hay in my constituency. However, neither Leicestershire county council nor Charnwood borough council has been consulted or received any additional funding for this extra burden. Why are these councils being by…”

“The statistic that I have from the CIPD is that 7% of employers find Jobcentre Plus effective for recruitment overall, which is very low. Specifically for those with disabilities, how can they improve—you have mentioned some of the ideas—outreach for employers? It is more difficult for SMEs to engage than the larger bu…”

“That is a point that I make in many, many Committees about the siloed approach of Government Departments, and something that I will raise when we see the Secretary of State. It is important that the Government do not act in silos and that all these things are joined up. I appreciate you raising that point.”

“How do we improve employer engagement? What would help to drive better connectivity between employers and Jobcentre Plus?”

“We have had the new deal for disabled people, the work and health programme and WorkWell. Different Governments bring in their own programmes. A new Government come in, a new programme comes in, something changes, and they say they are going to focus on a new objective. What are your thoughts on the continual launching…”

“Does anyone else have anything to add to that?”

“On employer engagement with Jobcentre Plus, the Government recently announced a campaign to encourage businesses to use Jobcentre Plus free of charge to help recruitment. What challenges are employers finding when they are engaging with Jobcentre Plus and using that service?”

“I am not giving way. The welfare system should be there for British people who need it, not for others who perhaps just want it, and Conservative Members will never apologise for believing in aspiration over dependency.”

“Of course not. We on the Conservative Benches know that the hard-pressed taxpayer deserves better. I am proud that the shadow Secretary of State has outlined tough but fair proposals to cut the welfare bill. Our plan to make work pay and to stop the unfair gaming of the system would make savings of £23 billion for the …”

“Oh, go on then.”