Speeches by Pakes.

“You talked about some of the powers that the new Bill would give you. In what circumstances should water companies be able to pay large salaries and bonuses to its executives, and do you think that any companies are meeting those standards?”

“I have a couple of questions on that. First, Thames Water’s boss took a £195,000 bonus for three months’ work at the end of March. Do you understand why the public is angry?”

“Thank you, Secretary of State. I would like to put on record my thanks to farmers in my patch of the fens who have been in today, and who have spoken to me since the Budget. Any change on taxation is going to be complex and we need to work through it in an intelligent and patient way. The farmers I have met have certai…”

“Yesterday, I heard from a disabled constituent who has spent over a year trying to find an NHS dentist, but without success. The only solution was to come to London for emergency treatment—that became a shockingly common story under the previous Government. As a first step, our integrated care board is putting 12 extra…”

“You are very indulgent, Chair, and I promise that this will be my last question.”

“7. What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to NHS dentists.”

“We love you dearly for it, for the record. Wearing my previous hat before I came here, I was an official for Prospect, which looked after many of the specialists in biosecurity at the airports, the ports and other areas. One of the ongoing challenges was about the ageing workforce and the impact of austerity under prev…”

“It is good to hear you talk about food security. You are the food security champion within the Government. Given that there are cuts across so many different departmental responsibilities—we talk about imports, exports and domestic production, but we have seen imports being advantaged by disastrous trade deals in recen…”

“I want to ask a couple of questions and get your thoughts on food security. This is a very exciting time, but probably you are the Secretary of State who has taken over the Department at one of the maximum periods of insecurity facing the world—let alone farmers. Today marks the 1000th day since Putin’s illegal invasio…”

“T7. Groups such as Light Project Peterborough do vital work to support homeless veterans, but as we know, demand has risen in recent years. Will the Minister welcome and congratulate groups such as Light Project and outline what steps he is taking to ensure support for veterans facing homelessness this winter?”

“14. What progress the floods resilience taskforce has made on protecting at-risk communities from flooding.”

“I welcome my hon. Friend’s answer. We talk a lot in this House about extreme weather and flooding, but we do not talk enough about the vital role that our internal drainage boards play in protecting and keeping safe our agricultural land and farming. I welcome the Government’s inclusion of the internal drainage boards …”

“9. What steps she is taking to support job creation in the renewable energy sector.”

“I am also delighted with my hon. Friend’s commitment to delivering clean energy jobs. It is important to constituencies such as mine in Peterborough, which could be the King’s Cross for a new core hydrogen network—as recommended by the National Infrastructure Commission—thanks to National Gas’s Project Union. National …”

“3. What assessment she has made of trends in the number of young people out of work, education and training.”

“The DWP has described Peterborough as a national youth unemployment hotspot. In September, the youth claimant count was running at nearly double the national average. Places like Peterborough college, through its Jobsmart provision, are already pulling together a coalition to respond to that challenge. I welcome the Go…”

“I put on record that I am an officer of the all-party parliamentary group on farming. I also put on record my thanks to farmers who, through a torrid decade, have produced food and sustenance for us in this country. We should all recognise that. Farmers will rightly be anxious after the experiences they have had in the…”

“Last night, I spoke to constituents who support the provision of medical aid directly into Gaza and the west bank. They were angry and heartbroken, because after each of the conversations I have had with them in the past year, the bombing and destruction have increased. I welcome the statements from the Prime Minister …”

“As the Foreign Secretary knows, this is a critical time for the middle east. I think the House speaks as one with a message of ending the violence, releasing the hostages and getting aid in. The humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinian people will only be made worse if the Israeli Government carry out their threat to…”

“David Lowndes is a hero of ours in Peterborough. For 51 years, he has chronicled life in our city, as the snapper for the local paper. Just last weekend, in rain and shine, I met David taking photos at the Diwali festival and at the rededication of a war memorial. This year, his regular contract with the Peterborough T…”