Speeches by Martin.

“Thank you, everyone. My name is Amanda Martin, and I am an MP down in Portsmouth. I want to say thank you for sharing your experiences. I want to ask you a couple of questions and ask if you can elaborate further. The first one—and I think some of you have touched on this already—is whether the SEND support you receive…”

“Thank you. Does anyone else want to pitch in?”

“Great question, Darren. My question is mainly to Margaret, but the rest of you should feel free to contribute. We have heard that all SENCOs should be part of the senior leadership team to strengthen the influence and support that is given across schools. First, do you agree? Secondly, are there other immediate changes…”

“Thanks to the families that have enabled this as well behind the scenes.”

“Was the SEND support that you received right for you? What could have been done to get it right? If there were delays in getting it right, how did that impact on you?”

“In the right hon. Member’s previous role he attended 352 meetings. Could he please explain why not one of those was on child grooming?”

“As the daughter and niece of retired police officers and with a cousin, Alex, currently serving for the same constabulary, I want to start by saying a huge thank you to Hampshire police. It is a privilege to speak in this debate on a Bill that seeks to strengthen law enforcement and restore public confidence in policin…”

“Thank you for giving way. We as a Government are taking very seriously the culture of child grooming and gangs. In your previous role as Minister for crime and policing—”

“Does the Secretary of State agree that this is not just about the shoplifting, but about the fear it creates in our communities, including among our shopworkers? Our local corner shops and accessible shops are there for elderly people who cannot always get out to the big supermarkets or other people who have difficulty…”

“I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Brent East (Dawn Butler) for bringing forward this debate, and all the hon. Members who have spoken. I particularly thank my hon. Friend the Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge (Dr Tidball), whose experience of maternity services is shocking, but sadly not unique. I hope it is an…”

“It was interesting to hear from the hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper) about the importance of shipyards. Portsmouth was once—from 1511 to 2014— a fantastic shipbuilding city, with a strong tradition of building some of the greatest ships. It played its part by repairing and refitting over 1,600 ships …”

“I am going to ask a few questions about relationships with providers, the workforce and students. The OfS has been criticised in recent years for being “an instrument of the Government’s policy agenda”. How, in practice, will you achieve and demonstrate the independence of the OfS from Government Ministers?”

“Thank you. That leads me on to another question about students. How do you suggest that the OfS improves its relationship with students?”

“Thank you. Finally from me, how will you mitigate the unpopularity of the rise in the OfS registration fee for providers?”

“You have told us of your extensive experience in the sector, which brings a lot of value, but how would you use your expertise to establish effective relationships with a wide range of senior HE stakeholders, including former colleagues that you would have worked with, while preserving the independence of the OfS?”

“Next month will see a rise and an extension to the minimum wage. In Portsmouth North, there are 9,600 minimum wage workers—higher than the national average—leaving many in in-work poverty and in desperate need of a boost to living standards. What steps are the Government taking to help improve living standards for thos…”

“I thank the Minister for her statement. I hear from many constituents who suffer with energy debt as a result of the previous Government’s failure to protect billpayers during the energy crisis. Many of them are petrified, unable to move or change providers. I welcome the proposed acceleration of a debt relief scheme, …”

“I have been proudly championing the very neglected skills and trades sector since arriving in this place because, unfortunately, one of the most toxic legacies of the previous Government is a crisis in education and training, with overwhelming barriers to opportunity for far too many young people and a real downplaying…”

“Does the Minister agree that developing our economic and trading relationships with other nations is one lever of many that the Government are using to drive growth and investment, alongside planning reforms, public investment and a proper industrial strategy for the people not only of the UK, but my city? At the same …”

“Some of my constituents have raised concerns about how their information will be kept safely in the online register of births and deaths. How will the Secretary of State ensure that the Government keep such information safely?”