Speeches by Martin.

“Thank you for your chairmanship during this debate, Mr Betts. I thank everyone for their valuable contributions, and I welcome their research and insight into this topic. I will touch on a few points, if I may. I thank the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) for his Northern Ireland perspective and the questions h…”

“I beg to move, That this House has considered public perceptions of trades and apprenticeship completion rates. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. One of the many toxic legacies of the previous Government is a crisis in education and training, overwhelming barriers to opportunity for many youn…”

“This is mainly for Harriet and Jo, but if others want to come in, please do. We have heard from previous Committees and concerns, and actually from some of you, around the lack of multi-agency working in disabled children’s care. I have a question on three areas of that. What should be done to ensure that education, he…”

“We have heard about thresholds and risks with regard to interventions. We heard in our previous Committee that spending previously has shifted away from early intervention across years. Do you think the current Government’s proposals to strengthen early help through multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and family gro…”

“In other words you are saying it is not just about the shift of balance of funding towards intervention. It is also about the narrative that runs alongside that.”

“Members from across the House are right to raise concerns about the security threats and attempts to undermine or infiltrate our institutions that we face from China. On behalf of all Members of the House, will the Minister pass on our thanks to all those who work in the security services for their vital work? Most of …”

“I join Members in paying tribute to and thanking our postal workers. In particular, I thank those at my depot in Portsmouth North, which I will be visiting for the second time next week; that was one of my first visits when I was elected. Like me, the posties and people of Portsmouth North were concerned when the previ…”

“Does the Secretary of State agree with me, and with my constituents, that sewage pumped 193 times for 404 hours, in the context of £41 million in bonuses, produces angry residents, un-swimmable seas and potential bill rises—in short, a real faeces show—and does he agree that it cannot happen again?”

“I welcome the Minister’s ambitious announcement and the opportunities that devolution could bring the people of Pompey, and I thank him and his team for the time that they have given Members of this House and for his offer of an open door. Portsmouth is one of the most densely populated parts of the country, so alongsi…”

“You state—”

“As a teacher who worked in Portsmouth North, where we have a large number of naval families, I absolutely agree with you that SEND is in crisis. For families who need to move, the concerns are amplified. I sit on the Education Committee, and SEND is one of the top priorities that we are looking at with this Government.”

“Although we—and, I think, service personnel—recognise the right hon. Gentleman’s concerns about pensions in relation to those specific incidents, I will make three points if I may. First, the amendment states that “A ‘general service welfare matter’ may include issues relating to the provision of pensions”. That would …”

“Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?”

“My understanding is that the last time that the defence budget was at 2.5% was under a Labour Government, and that in the 14 years under the Conservatives there was not a 2.5% budget.”

“You say that your amendment does not tell the commissioner that they should make the appointment, but it states: “The Commissioner’s staff must include a King’s Counsel”. Since there is a “must”, what you just said is not correct. If we agree to this amendment, we are saying that the commissioner, who we want to be ind…”

“I will come to it afterwards.”

“Sorry. The right hon. Gentleman states that the Veterans Minister is vital and the fact that they do not sit in Cabinet now is a concern. Can he tell me which Tory MP sits in the shadow Cabinet to represent veterans?”

“Sorry.”

“The Conservatives should be absolutely ashamed of their asylum and immigration policy, of their inactivity and of the complete mess in which they left Britain and our borders. [Interruption.] The anger and frustration they are showing is shared by my constituents in Portsmouth North on the small boat arrivals—their fru…”

“I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision about sentencing for theft in relation to the theft of tools of trade; and for connected purposes. Over recent years, there has been a sharp increase in the theft of tradespeople’s tools, usually from vehicles. One in 10 tradespeople can expect to …”