Speeches by Fox.

“Presumably, all the children in your care, as you have described it, are there because they have committed a criminal offence?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“Yes. You are describing these children as victims, but in fact they have also committed criminal offences. There are what I would call real victims, those that they have perpetrated these crimes against. How do you ensure that they accept that they are responsible for those crimes and that their responsibility is not a…”

“The Minister might remember that, in a debate on these amendments on 25 March, she and I had an exchange in which I described the very long explanation that she had given as a “load of waffle”, and she replied: “We have listened directly to the families about what they want. We could have brought forward an amendment t…”

“Thank you, Mr Speaker. One reason for improved academic standards in our schools under the last Government was the ability for good schools to expand and for failing schools to be put under new leadership. How will the Secretary of State ensure that underachieving schools with falling numbers are transformed with new a…”

“My constituency has two railway stations, one in Highbridge and one in Bridgwater. Sadly, neither station is accessible. There is no step-free access to enable wheelchair users and those with mobility impairments to move easily from one platform to another. To do so at both stations involves travelling a circuitous rou…”

“Sydenham amateur boxing club does an incredible job, working with young people in and around Bridgwater. It helps teach not just boxing, but discipline and control. In order to help more young people, it wants to expand and build a purpose-built gym, so will the Minister outline what support is available for grassroots…”

“The Minister has said that she wishes to take swift action. Surely the swiftest action she could take is to use this Bill to ban smartphones from schools, and to ban children under 16 from using social media. What extra information does she need to take those steps?”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“Lord Robertson, the former Labour Defence Secretary, said that we cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget, so will the Minister explain to my constituents why this Government can set out their welfare spending plans until 2031, but cannot publish their defence investment plan for 2026?”

“I am Ashley Fox, the Member for Bridgwater, and my interests are as declared on the register.”

“You have described this as a complex situation, and I find it quite baffling. We have the SRA to regulate solicitors, you regulate the regulators, and presumably the Ministry and Parliament scrutinise you. Do you actually add anything to this? If we got rid of the LSB, and Parliament directly supervised the SRA, would …”

“But would it not be more efficient if the Ministry of Justice kept an eye on the SRA? What do you add?”

“That is nothing that the Ministry could not do, is it?”

“I am Ashley Fox, the Member for Bridgwater, and my interests are as declared on the register.”

“But would it not be more efficient if the Ministry of Justice kept an eye on the SRA? What do you add?”

“That is nothing that the Ministry could not do, is it?”

“It is good evidence that you are not adding value, isn’t it?”

“You have described this as a complex situation, and I find it quite baffling. We have the SRA to regulate solicitors, you regulate the regulators, and presumably the Ministry and Parliament scrutinise you. Do you actually add anything to this? If we got rid of the LSB, and Parliament directly supervised the SRA, would …”

“It is good evidence that you are not adding value, isn’t it?”