Speeches by Dinenage.

“Earlier this week, the Committee heard from Henry Hughes and Nathan Young, two brilliant swimmers who are travelling to Tokyo next month to represent Britain as part of the Deaflympics. The competition has been running for over 100 years—longer than the Paralympics, in fact—but deaf athletes are the only disabled elite…”

“My constituents in Rowner were delighted to hear that they had been chosen for pride in place funding, but they are now a little bit worried, and I hope that the Minister can help us. My constituents fear that rather than the money being spent on projects that will change lives in Rowner in a meaningful way, our Libera…”

“There are over 560 families on Gosport borough council’s waiting list for social housing, yet despite taking power a few years ago, the Liberal Democrat council has not built a single extra council house. Meanwhile, the complaints I get in my mailbag about the substandard quality of council accommodation grow more and …”

“Fort Blockhouse in Gosport was due to have been sold by 2024, but the deadline keeps moving. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has not been at all proactive; this giant site sits empty, doing nothing for the MOD, taxpayers or the local economy. First Reform and then the Government have suggested that sites like B…”

“If we are going to exchange numbers, does my hon. Friend agree that it is shocking that over 1,000 pubs and restaurants have closed since the autumn Budget, and that 84,000 hospitality workers have lost their jobs? That is one in every 25 since the autumn Budget alone—and that was when the autumn Budget was actually in…”

“Well, in December we were told that it would be early in the new year. A fortnight ago, we were told that it would be later this year.”

“Will we see the consultation paper on the BBC charter review before October?”

“Excellent—good example. Can I move you on to the BBC, because the licence fee is a bit of a regressive tax in itself? What is your view on how it might be reformed? Also, we were promised the BBC charter review at the beginning of the year. What is holding it up?”

“Is that something your civil society covenant might be looking at?”

“Everything we can—like what?”

“Not just in your constituency but across the country, what can we do to encourage corporations and individuals to support charities a bit more?”

“Have you got a plan to promote philanthropy?”

“I know. It is great, right? Do you know which are the three least generous? The three least generous Kensington and Bayswater, Chelsea and Fulham, and Holborn and St Pancras, Prime Minister, each at around about 0.5% of their income—about half the average of the country as a whole. We know that you and your colleagues …”

“It is Sheffield Hallam—1.9% of the income of the average constituent in Sheffield Hallam.”

“On the back of children’s hospices. Charities also depend upon individuals giving generously. Do you know which is the most generous constituency in the country?”

“I want to talk about charities, and you are basically balancing the books on the back of things like children’s hospices.”

“Yes, but you are now attempting to break our charities. Just this month, Marie Curie hospice in Liverpool closed its in-patient unit permanently. Your civil society covenant will not put charities on a good financial footing by itself. You need to offer them a carve-out for this national insurance rise. Quite simply, i…”

“You say that half of charities have been exempted from the national insurance contributions, but there are 44,000 registered charities with an income over £100,000. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations reckons that the NICs increase is going to put their payments at £1.4 billion. When you came into this roo…”

“Is that it?”

“Good afternoon, Prime Minister. Some 86% of charities say that they are seeing an increased demand for their services. Meanwhile, fewer people and fewer corporations are donating to charity, and their overheads are going up. What will your Government do to support charities?”