Speeches by Hoare.

“Thank you. Mr Hall, in your evidence, you described the youth and women’s justice blueprints as being improvements. How have they improved things, and how can their success be replicated for other aspects of the criminal justice system in Wales?”

“You are allowed to say yes or no in Welsh or English, and I will understand it, so fire away.”

“Although I remain convinced that there are ways of delivering the guardrails that the Treasury needs without the OBR, I know that the Chief Secretary and the Chancellor are not persuaded of that argument. However, might the Chief Secretary be persuaded that the resignation of the chair of the OBR and the recruitment pr…”

“Obviously, there will be important elections for the Senedd in Wales next year. Matters Welsh will be, I think, pre-eminent in lots of colleagues’ minds, and they will want to set out their stalls for where they see Wales’s place, either within or outwith the Union, and the opportunities for growth—economic, cultural, …”

“If I may, it is undoubtedly true that that is often a very good hook to hang a debate on, but if it narrows things down to a specific Committee report, it can make the debate a bit exclusive just to those who are members of the Committee, rather than those who have a wider interest—whether they are representing a Welsh…”

“rose—”

“I think it should be recognised that events such as these allow Ministers and the wider Government to reflect on current circumstances. I am not seeking to scapegoat the OBR, but it is not the messiah—sometimes, it can be a very naughty boy—and it does have to revise its predictions at all times. Is it too traditional …”

“Oh, it is nothing as contemporary as covid—don’t worry about that. I just wondered how much money the right hon. Member left in the coffers when he was Chief Secretary in 2010.”

“rose—”

“My right hon. Friend is making a characteristically excellent speech. Would he agree that we are at a tipping point at which the welfare state is ceasing to be what we have always wanted it to be—a safety net below which nobody can fall—and is instead becoming a cocoon that will trap a whole generation in dependency, a…”

“Can the Minister say a word or two about her expectations for this new arrangement that she is creating—it will have some plus points and some minus points, because no system is perfect—and the timeliness of decision making? Investors and others want timely decisions so that they can move things forward, and not get lo…”

“When did the Prime Minister realise that his preferred candidate to be the football regulator had donated to his leadership campaign? From whom did the Prime Minister seek advice when he learned that? What was the nature of the advice in response? In particular, what advice was the Prime Minister given regarding his co…”

“May I put it on the record, on behalf of my constituents, that both Martyn Underhill, the initial Dorset police and crime commissioner, and the current PCC, David Sidwick, have done sterling work with their teams to protect and look after my constituents over the years that they have served? Following up on the point m…”

“The Minister knows that, across this House and the other place, there is wide recognition of how unique and precious our chalk streams are. He clearly recognises that, as well. Given their importance and the fact that most of them are in the UK, why have the Government not yet brought forward an amendment to reflect th…”

“Your belief?”

“I am sure there can be an exchange of information.”

“Why do you think this Committee would have been informed in written representations that that is the case?”

“With the greatest of respect, if I had asked you, “Is the Act complex?” you would have given me your answer. My statement is that all Acts of Parliament are, by definition, complex, but we still have to operate under them, complex or not. Let’s break it down. Do third sector organisations have to be registered—yes or n…”

“I am slightly surprised; you are the chief executive, and you said, “I believe.” Surely you should know who or what should be registered.”

“No, I wasn’t suggesting it was.”