Speeches by Heylings.

“Would you be supportive of the recommendations that the Committee was considering from the previous panel that the Environment Agency should be doing more of that monitoring?”

“To follow up on what Olivia was asking, from the previous panel we heard that the monitoring that you have been talking about is really difficult because the Environment Agency is not doing it. You say that you have been doing this 12-year joint monitoring project that is the first of its kind, and yet it is not actual…”

“It is 860,000.”

“If we could be positive, following on from Mr Gardiner’s questions, sometimes the delivery programme and the need to get it done, for the value for money reasons that were quoted, could challenge or be in contradiction with the expertise and advice given about the planting season. I do not want you to answer that now, …”

“Our concern is that you said deep lessons have been learned, and yet we are not hearing them. That is the key thing here. It is worrying, actually. We are ready to hear that there is improvement.”

“Would you? Thank you.”

“From what I am hearing, you do understand that because of this it is hard for many to have trust in both biodiversity net gain and tree planting for large infrastructure. You have a commitment not just to the engineering and building of the infrastructure, but to the land and the tree.”

“At a future meeting, you would be prepared to provide that information, given that you have given a commitment today that there will be—”

“You are?”

“We heard from the previous panel how important monitoring and data is, and you have just mentioned that. Through the DCO, the local authorities have the role to do the monitoring. That information should be available to the local authorities for scrutiny, to bring back that trust and to be able to know what is happenin…”

“You may start exploring that, first of all, to see which of the Departments it is bringing in to it within the board.”

“Would you see yourself as chair being on that board as well—would that be useful time?”

“As we have just heard, the Government have put forward the Net Zero Mission Board, which in essence surely should be bringing together in a way a mechanism, in the same way you have that cross-ministerial, cross-departmental look. It seems, though, that you would like some separate sessions as well. How do you see that…”

“In your role as high-level champion, as you have said, you brought a wealth of experience in terms of industry, business, investors in the financial sector, but I want to explore how you see that you can bring that in terms of your relationship with the Government. As you said, you would lean into your experience and s…”

“Yet again, we are suffering record-breaking heatwaves and drought. That is worrying people in my constituency, which is both the fastest-growing and the most water-stressed area in the country. The proposed fens reservoir is important, but will provide water only for the already ambitious house building plans, not the …”

“Across Europe, we have already seen 2,300 heatwave-related deaths—avoidable deaths—and the Met Office report says that things will just get worse. The Lib Dems and I have a really cool idea. Will the Secretary of State work with local authorities to open up public spaces with air conditioning, such as leisure centres a…”

“We welcomed the joint agreement signed in May between the UK and the EU, in which small steps were taken to address the impacts of the Conservatives’ botched Brexit deal on energy costs and bills. What further steps will the Secretary of State take to forge energy co-operation through a recoupling of the UK and EU elec…”

“I thank the Secretary of State for sharing his statement in advance. He is right: making the UK a clean energy superpower is the smartest and most strategic way to free ourselves from our dependence on expensive, volatile fossil fuels. However, as we have heard, accelerating the transition to renewables alone is not en…”

“Will the Minister clear up, once and for all, the further confusion over the proposed changes to the settlement period from five to 10 years? Will she clarify for the BNO visa holders living in my constituency whether the changes will be applied retrospectively or only prospectively, and will she confirm that those who…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I join other Members in congratulating the hon. Member for Tamworth (Sarah Edwards) on securing the debate and on her fantastic laying out of the situation. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy: they are 99% of UK businesses and over 5.5 million stron…”