Speeches by Carling.

“That is helpful. Finally on this topic, before I move on to something else briefly, is there a sense of how many voluntary exits and voluntary and compulsory redundancies we have had through these schemes, particularly in 2025?”

“It is also worth just bearing in mind that we are seeing voluntary and compulsory exit schemes across Departments already coming online. When we do not have that strategic workforce plan, how are decisions being made at this stage around who can be let go under those schemes versus who should be kept?”

“That, again, very helpfully leads into my next question, around when it will be published. It is an entirely fair answer, and I very much respect that, although that then creates a question around why an expectation was created that it would be published alongside the spending review in the first place.”

“I welcome that the strategy will have a focus on tackling the root causes of misogyny and radicalisation in young men. Those roots are often laid in early childhood, so what consideration has the Minister given to how social and emotional learning programmes in early years settings could be part of the prevention strat…”

“I hugely welcome the appointment today of the chair and panel members, all of whom are brilliant appointments and who will do a thorough job. I am also pleased to see religion referred to in the terms of reference. IICSA unveiled serious problems in religious groups of many different faiths, many of which also operate …”

“Baroness Deech, you have issued new forms to political parties to strengthen the process a bit, I suppose, and stress the importance of considering the seven principles of public life—the Nolan principles that we have talked about—in making appointments. Do you think that has made a difference so far to the people bein…”

“That is quite useful. In your pre-appointment hearing, you suggested that you felt HOLAC should examine proposed appointments from political parties for suitability as well as propriety. Do you still feel that is a role HOLAC should perform?”

“Do you intend to raise it with the current Government?”

“No, I am sure. Is this something that you have had conversations with the Government about? If so, what has been the response?”

“Without discussing the particular cases, can you give us a sense of what the reasons have been why appointments of proposed people by political parties have not been recommended by HOLAC?”

“That is a fair enough response. Just on that subject of turning people down, my understanding is that in 2024, HOLAC turned down or could not support four people who were nominated. How does that compare, roughly, to previous years? Is that something you would know?”

“This awful case underlines how important it is that we implement the recommendations from the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse as soon as possible. As my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Helen Hayes) said, the Home Office has set out plans not to implement the recommendation on mandatory …”

“I thank the hon. Member for Ely and East Cambridgeshire (Charlotte Cane) for securing this debate. As she said, there is a lot of support for this scheme across the political spectrum, and it has been on the books for a very long time—as a good indication, the number of years she just mentioned is longer than I have be…”

“I hope that after the statement, we will all go away and check whether our police forces are in that 26% who still do not have those basic policies in place and, if that is the case, seek to address it. The statistics on young women as victims of these crimes are particularly shocking. Will the Minister outline more ab…”

“That is very useful feedback. I think you recently described the role of commissioner—you touched on this just now—as being to “provide public assurance that these appointments are made through a fair and open process, based on merit.” Do you feel that the public are assured of that? If not, why not, and how might we b…”

“That is helpful. What do you think the key points in the system are where your role and your office adds value to it?”

“Sir William, now you have been in post for four years and are nearing the end of your term, what is your assessment more broadly of the public appointment process we have in the UK and its efficiency and structure?”

“The hon. Member has made his point. As we heard from the Chancellor, all NHS efficiencies will be reinvested in its budget, and I welcome that. My constituents rarely raise with me the specific way in which their healthcare is being delivered. What they want to know is why they cannot get a GP appointment and why they …”

“That is very generous, Madam Deputy Speaker. I am delighted to speak about a Budget that builds on what this Government started last year and takes the necessary decisions to grow the economy and protect working people. With a focus on reducing the cost of living, cutting NHS waiting lists and reducing the national deb…”

“I recognise what my right hon. Friend has said. In fact, I carefully drafted this speech to avoid attacking Wolverhampton in any way, because I recognise that the reasons for this situation are complex. That goes to my next point: overstretched councils cannot monitor conditions, let alone enforce them, for drivers ope…”