Speeches by Thomas.

“My hon. Friend is making a good point. As I often point out to my constituents when talking about the future of the high street—the situation will be similar in other constituencies—there are approximately 50,000 households in my constituency, and if each one of those spends £5 per week supporting a local business, tha…”

“That is a bit of a cheap jibe. If the hon. Member takes a look through Hansard, he will realise that I have taken an interest in social care for some time. The reality is that councils across the country spend circa £7 out of every £10 on social care. It is important that society spends money on social care, but while …”

“For decades, high streets have been more than a place to shop. They are a barometer of the economic and social vitality of the country and of the communities where they are located. They are a gauge of whether we are prospering or declining. They are the sweet spot on the Venn diagram of societal indicators and policy …”

“I agree with the hon. Member. Earlier, the hon. Member for South Devon (Caroline Voaden) made the point that because the losses in retail are dispersed thinly across the country, this erosion takes place in plain sight, but if the same thing were happening in an industry with a collective centre in one location, it wou…”

“Benj, do you have anything you would like to add?”

“This brings me to my final question. If you had an ask of Government, what would it be?”

“I put the same question to Elizabeth de Jong on the pressure facing the sector. How much is down to the net zero trajectory versus the general trading environment?”

“For comparative purposes, are you able to put into perspective the situation we are talking about? As a multiple, how much more expensive does Fawley cost to run relative to a comparable ExxonMobil asset in a comparable economy such as the US or elsewhere in North America?”

“I have two questions. This was going to be my second one but, as Paul Greenwood has touched on it, I will ask it first. Given the pressure the sector is under, and given the value of the sector to UK plc—Elizabeth has pointed out that every facet of modern life is dependent somehow on the refining sector—how fertile is…”

“Benj, do you have anything you would like to add?”

“This brings me to my final question. If you had an ask of Government, what would it be?”

“I put the same question to Elizabeth de Jong on the pressure facing the sector. How much is down to the net zero trajectory versus the general trading environment?”

“For comparative purposes, are you able to put into perspective the situation we are talking about? As a multiple, how much more expensive does Fawley cost to run relative to a comparable ExxonMobil asset in a comparable economy such as the US or elsewhere in North America?”

“I have two questions. This was going to be my second one but, as Paul Greenwood has touched on it, I will ask it first. Given the pressure the sector is under, and given the value of the sector to UK plc—Elizabeth has pointed out that every facet of modern life is dependent somehow on the refining sector—how fertile is…”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that the most obvious point is that, despite the Government’s disappointment at the collapse of the trial—we have heard numerous Ministers, including the Prime Minister himself, stress that—it is shocking that they appear not to have done every single thing possible to bolster the case and put…”

“My hon. Friend is spot-on. That is incredibly short-sighted, and I think it will prove to be a false economy. I urge the Government to embrace good design to provide a justification to my constituents for why they are pursuing the current house building targets in such a disproportionate way across the country. Most of…”

“My hon. Friend makes a valid and important point. That is one of the great peripheral benefits of this policy, should the Government embrace it, and I encourage them to look seriously at it. I encourage the Government to vote for this motion, even if only to show their intent, and even if they cannot implement it anyti…”

“Will the hon. Lady give way?”

“It is a pleasure to speak in this debate on this important topic, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is one that I am passionate about. I got involved in politics to make people’s lives better, and to be on the side of those who work hard, do the right thing and aspire for themselves and their family. That is the fundamental poi…”