Speeches by Hoare.

“You referenced that there had been cross-party agreement. You have identified that political stability was an enormous impediment. You have recognised that political stability seems to be back and hopefully will endure. Allied to that is, of course, the need for mutual political trust between the principal parties in S…”

“Dr Gault, I suppose that is my initial and caveated question to you as well.”

“Secretary of State, it is lovely to see you. It is good news, of course, that the UK shared prosperity fund for the additional year 2025-26 has been confirmed by the Government. What is your view of the purpose of the shared prosperity fund and its future?”

“Thank you for that. When you set out your priorities in your opening remarks earlier this afternoon, the one thing that you did not mention—whether by accident or by design, I am not going to comment upon—was your view about the role of the Secretary of State as the voice of strengthening the Union of the United Kingdo…”

“My final question is on the same theme. I can understand why the Senedd would not want allocations of the fund made for things that either are going to undermine or are different from priorities that they have, but what is your view towards devolving this funding to the Welsh Government? You and I probably share a view…”

“Reference was made in some earlier answers and conversations to the public sector transformation board, which of itself is of course to be welcomed. Transforming public services without just rattling the begging bowl—I do not use that term in a pejorative sense—is often not for the squeamish, and it requires political …”

“Ms Carville, your observations?”

“What else could the UK Government do to help drive that forward by deploying their good offices, experience and expertise? We have often used the phrase “devolve and forget”—one devolves a competence and therefore presumes that it is manifest within the devolved area. One of the downsides of devolution is that the devo…”

“Thank you, Chair. It is lovely to be back.”

“Would you like to see a more bargaining mindset from HMT, which effectively says, “We understand the issues, pressures, history and the need for additional per capita expenditure, but there has to be a quid pro quo”? Perhaps for every pound saved you get whatever it may be—I will not go into the semantics of the number…”

“I have a terrible sense of déjà vu. The question I wanted to ask you is this. Witnesses have referenced, and we all readily understand, the historical challenges of delivering public services across Northern Ireland. Ms Carville has referenced the by-product of Stormont not sitting, etc., in terms of driving forward ch…”

“Can I ask Professor Farry—I suppose we are getting the band back together, Stephen.”

“I thank the Home Secretary for her statement. It is important to remember that these terrible crimes could happen to anyone and could be perpetrated by anyone, irrespective of colour, class, heritage or geography. I think the Home Secretary is right that the public want to see action now. Frankly, I remain unconvinced …”

“In essence, the hon. Gentleman has described what we on the Conservative Benches would have called the big society some years ago. Does he share my concern, however, that that huge bank of volunteers who often prop up and form the supports for the organisations he has described are likely to drift away as their organis…”

“There is much to commend in the White Paper and, broadly, the Minister is to be congratulated. However, he knows as well as I do, as welcome as the multi-year settlement announcement is, it is predicated on an outdated and effectively broken funding system. I understand the Treasury is not keen to revisit that in any m…”

“As many have mentioned, many rural communities will be concerned to know how this could affect them. I spoke to postal workers in Blandford Forum in my constituency on Friday; they can be the best advocates, so can the Minister ensure that they are well primed to explain to their customers—who they are very proud to se…”

“Given that there are many on the Government Benches who had almost as their life’s work the destruction of the private school system, is my hon. Friend as shocked as I am that for this flagship policy, which the red flag has so often demanded, the Government Benches are so underpopulated? I thought that they would be t…”

“The Minister continually refers to tax breaks. They are not tax breaks. Why can he not just be honest with the House and admit that this is the first time that any Government in a civilised democracy has imposed a tax on learning and education?”

“rose—”

“I am grateful to the Minister for giving way a second time, and I am so grateful for the public finance lesson. Surely he has to accept that as no tax is placed on learning in any sector in the educational landscape across the United Kingdom, this measure is not a tax break. It is not that there is a tax break for one …”