Speeches by Gilmour.

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Furniss. I congratulate my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Jamie Stone) on securing this debate. Rural high streets make up the heart of the local communities, and it is vital to draw attention to the difficulties they f…”

“Could the reason that radiotherapy is used in only 35% of cases, rather than 50% of cases, be that local transport just does not exist to take people to have the treatments that they need?”

“Some time ago, I worked in international development roles, including with former orphanage children in eastern bloc countries in the former Soviet Union, such as Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova, and it was abundantly clear then that children are better off raised in families. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we should…”

“As a Member of the party that introduced the state pension, I am behind the Government on this Bill because we all want to cut down on tax fraud and evasion. But I am concerned that pensioners are included under this blanket of Government scrutiny, and it seems that the only thing they have done to deserve it is to get…”

“The hon. Member has brought to mind the occasion when my youngest son, after playing rugby, was diagnosed with a suspected brain tumour. As I live in the middle of nowhere, in Somerset and Devon, the flashing-blue ambulance took two and a half hours to get to the nearest children’s specialist unit. This is not just abo…”

“How will moving the Central Digital and Data Office and the incubator for AI from the Cabinet Office to DSIT support your plans for AI adoption in the public sector?”

“How we vote and how we select who governs this country is, by nature, a topic of huge national significance, and one that is too often pushed to the sidelines. I have been a member of the Liberal party, now the Liberal Democrats, since I was 17. Fighting for a fairer system of electoral representation is key to my poli…”

“On that point, will the shadow Minister give way?”

“I thank the shadow Minister for giving way. It does at least show that he has some sense and knowledge of what democracy means.”

“Following on from the intervention of the hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Helen Hayes), I represent Tiverton and Minehead, a very rural constituency. Dulverton is a classic example of what we are talking about. The farmers used to come down from Cutcombe market, after they had sold their cattle and sheep, and…”

“Can I just say something very quickly? I would like to say to Ms Munby, to Catherine and to David Knott that this is the first time since I have been on this Committee that I have heard civil servants talk about wanting to be gold standard. For that, I absolutely commend you, and I hope you reach and keep that gold sta…”

“I confess to having some insights from the MoD. Procurement is a really important issue with getting AI up to speed, because the MoD IT equipment is not the same level as commercial IT equipment. That is because of the weakness of their procurement systems. With that information in mind, maybe it is worth going back to…”

“We know enough.”

“That is music to our ears. Given the adoption strategy is intended to cover the whole of the public sector—we have talked a bit about central Government—how are you ensuring your governance arrangements include oversight of AI beyond central Government, so into the public sector, local government and things like that?”

“How has the governance of the programme for AI adoption into the public sector changed following the move?”

“Rather than bronze.”

“You are talking about being the gold standard.”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. First and foremost, I congratulate the hon. Member for Caerfyrddin (Ann Davies) on securing this vital debate. Right hon. and hon. Members will perhaps be sick of hearing me talk on this topic, but I feel compelled to provide a voice for my farmers. My con…”

“Like my hon. Friend, I am very keen on renewable energy. I am a Liberal Democrat, for heaven’s sake! However, I am also a pragmatist. In Washford, in my constituency, a massive solar farm is being built on particularly good agricultural land. Would my hon. Friend agree that we must be practical and put solar panels on …”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. I wholeheartedly commiserate with the hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Julia Buckley) about the distressing tale that she has had to tell and that the parents have had to bear. In constituencies such as mine, Tiverton and Minehead, getting a car can often be th…”