Speeches by Dyke.

“I am very pleased that you went up to Harper Adams, Minister. It is my alma mater. I am not sure the residents of Newport will be terribly keen on a campus being brought into town, given some of the shenanigans that I remember from my days at Harper.”

“Recent media reports highlight the full extent of abuse that women have suffered in the armed forces, highlighting why the recommendations from the Atherton report must be urgently implemented in full. What steps is the Minister taking to remove the barriers to create an environment within our armed forces where women …”

“Earlier this week I met children from Ilchester community primary school. Maeve, who is in year 6, told me her No. 1 concern is the pressure on local businesses. Glastonbury and Somerton has many wonderful hotels and restaurants, like the Hollies in Bower Hinton, but many will face an average rates increase of 76% from…”

“12. What steps he is taking to support the hospitality sector in Glastonbury and Somerton constituency.”

“Yesterday, I hosted a mulled cider event with the National Association of Cider Makers. Cider makers in Glastonbury and Somerton are increasingly focused on survival, as uncertainty grows around future inheritance tax relief. Cider making is uniquely capital-intensive and requires special equipment for milling cider ap…”

“Glastonbury has the highest density of van dwellers in the UK, with around 300 people living in caravans. While some do choose this as a way of life, many are vulnerable or simply cannot afford to pay rent. They deserve a proper roof over their heads, as many of these caravans are simply not fit for accommodation. What…”

“Very quickly, sadly, the veterinary profession has a very high rate of death by suicide. Veterinary surgeons are approximately three to four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Obviously, farming as well has a terrible suicide rate. What support is being put in place for vets and those with…”

“In terms of the SPS area of reduced border checks, we have to ensure that we are able to maintain that strong—”

“We are just about to come to that.”

“The Liberal Democrats have urged the Government to consider exempting pubs from the EPR, and to review the scheme’s scope and timeline to stop further damage to the hospitality sector, which we all know is already struggling. Will she commit to monitoring that progress as the scheme is rolled out so that pubs and the h…”

“It is a pleasure to serve on this Committee with you in the Chair, Mrs Hobhouse. The Liberal Democrats welcome the Government’s desire to make manufacturing and packaging more sustainable, to minimise waste and to create the foundations for a truly circular economy. As a party, we recognise that the previous system was…”

“The London Port Health Authority and others fear that the UK could lose its ability to tailor biosecurity inspections to scientific evidence. How will the SPS deal ensure that the UK can base border controls on relevant science and risk assessments?”

“Just going back to plants, if we can just stay on that, the RHS and Kew and Woodland Trust have all stressed that the UK’s plant biosecurity regime is already under significant pressure. What assessment have the Government made of the biosecurity threat posed by the possibility of reduced inspections on plants and plan…”

“The broad outline of what an agreement would consist of was set out in the Common Understanding at the UK-EU Summit in May. The Common Understanding explicitly states that, “The United Kingdom should be able to take targeted action to protect its biosecurity and public health in the same way as Member States under Euro…”

“I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. It is absolutely essential that there are lifts at train stations to provide that step-free access for people with mobility issues, pushchairs or luggage. Indeed, Castle Cary station is the official station of the Glastonbury festival, so people might also be carrying camping gear,…”

“Are we set up to be able to deal with multiple disease outbreaks?”

“It is a pleasure to speak in this debate. In the 1800s, Britain’s railways unlocked growth and opportunity across the country. A huge network grew, until the Beeching cuts closed roughly a third of it in the 1960s. As a result, many rural communities lost their rail links, forcing reliance on buses and private cars and…”

“In addition, the Woodland Trust warned that removing the border checks would mean losing an important source of data intelligence from the border control posts. How will the access to the EU databases compensate if not enhance the loss of live intelligence gathering currently obtained on the border?”

“Finally, will it be possible to maintain the current import bans for high-risk hosts such as Xylella given the dynamic alignment within the EU?”

“As was identified in the national food strategy, there is a shortage of skills in food and farming. The Liberal Democrats are proposing a “Farm First” scheme to give young people training and the incentive they need to choose a career in farming. Will the Minister outline the steps the Government are taking to create p…”