Speeches by Griffiths.

“A very happy Christmas to you, Mr Speaker. More than 5,300 of my constituents have signed a petition opposing digital ID, alongside nearly 3 million people nationally. In my own local survey, two thirds opposed it outright. Digital ID did not appear anywhere in Labour’s manifesto. The Government have no mandate for it …”

“In the last minute and a half, if I may go back to the ancient woodlands, what would be the first step that you would want to see the Government take to try and make a step change right now?”

“Thank you so much, Rowena, that was so impressive, it really was. I am sure that I speak for the whole Committee. Two questions from me. The first one is on public versus private data centres, particularly as you mentioned that latency is such an issue in the City of London. So many City organisations have their own da…”

“7. What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on introducing a nationwide digital ID system.”

“If there really are no other questions, I do have one.”

“I am fine, thank you.”

“May I ask one supplementary, Chair?”

“The second question that I was interested in also related to the phasing out of peat sales. What is the alternative, if you have one? I am speaking from a position of lack of knowledge on this. Is there a ready-to-go alternative to the use of peat for the horticulture industry?”

“Mr Speaker, “The Chancellor’s disastrous budget was the most bitter attack on the pub industry for years.” Those are not my words, but those of Iain Brown, who runs the William Hardwicke pub in Bognor Regis. Charlie Cockaday, landlord of the Fox Inn in Felpham, told me that due to increases in business rates, the minim…”

“13. What steps his Department is taking to support pubs in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.”

“T8. Ahead of Small Business Saturday, I visited Armen at Rose Green Hardware. He told me that it has never been as tough to run a small business as it is under this Labour Government. Does the Minister believe that removing business rates relief will make things any easier?”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“I thank the Minister for giving way again. I would just like to tell him about Charlie Cockaday, who runs the Fox Inn in Felpham, who tells me that with the new business rates reform introduced by this Government, he will be paying £1,600 a month more in business rates going forward, which is the equivalent of 35p for …”

“I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I invite him to visit the hairdressers in Aldwick, in my constituency of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, where the owner will tell him that he spends hours upon hours working to ensure that he can even stay profitable. The Government might be withdrawing some aspects of sma…”

“Will the hon. Gentleman give way?”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“My apologies, Madam Deputy Speaker. The short answer to the hon. Gentleman’s question is that if it was one single tax instead of multiple taxes, it is quite possible that the tourist tax would be a good idea. However, in the current context of multiple taxes drowning our businesses into oblivion, it is not a good idea…”

“My hon. Friend is right. The Business and Trade Committee had a number of businesses come to Parliament to tell us about the stasis that the leaks in the run-up to the Budget caused to their businesses. As he says, that feeds through to the general population, who know the costs businesses are having to incur and that …”

“Harbour Park in my constituency would be required to pay people, rain or shine, at times when it receives no income from visitors. Does my hon. Friend agree that this measure will cause many businesses acute hardship?”