Speeches by Atkinson.

“The first national infrastructure assessment was in 2018. I believe that the final review of it was in 2023, which found that the last Government’s progress on its recommendations had been too slow, and they needed a long-term infrastructure policy. This Government are putting in an infrastructure plan. What other lear…”

“One of the things that has been mentioned as impacting on costs is skills. Skills is something that I have been concerned about for a while. There are massive skills shortages in the transport sector, and across sectors. I want to ask you about what impact that has, not just on costs but potentially even feasibility of…”

“I think that is what we are coming on to.”

“On the need for pipelines when it comes to achieving what we want to achieve on infrastructure, you gave the example of Spanish high speed; electrification in Germany is another. What can we learn from other countries about pipelines being useful in achieving real progress on infrastructure?”

“We started to set that out, but why do you think we have not done it today? What have been the barriers, and what has been the impact on the supply chain of our failure to do so?”

“Would you be hopeful that, with the plans being made for an industrial strategy and infrastructure strategy, we will see those pipelines and, therefore, we will be giving that kind of confidence to the supply chain?”

“You singled out electrification as something that could benefit from pipelines of work going forward. Why do you think it would work for that in particular, and what would you want to see?”

“We have talked about the 10-year infrastructure strategy being a starting point, albeit an essential starting point. What would you like to see in it from a transport perspective?”

“A barrier to the growth of data centres for AI is their need for power. Rolls-Royce in Derby is at the forefront of small modular reactors and micro-reactors. SMRs are small enough to be on or next to data centre sites, and micro-reactors are the size of a shipping container. Co-location would mean less vulnerability t…”

“I just wish to say that, nearly a decade after the national independent inquiry into child sexual abuse was set up, it is high time that the victims who so bravely gave evidence see action.”

“The evidence is clear on the real benefits that breakfast can give our children and young people. Secondly, the Bill requires local authorities to consider kinship care before they issue proceedings for a child to go into the care system. Avoiding taking children into care when it is safe to do so leads to far better o…”

“I rise to speak to three points: free breakfast clubs, the clauses dealing with kinship care, and—having spent the past seven years managing a team of barristers on a public inquiry—the Opposition wrecking amendment. First, we all know that children who have breakfast perform better at learning, and—a bit like me—can b…”

“I spent seven years managing a team of barristers on a public inquiry, and I have some insight into the benefits and limitations of public inquiries. Does the right hon. Member really think that wrecking the Bill would lead to a single perpetrator being brought to justice or protect a single child from these despicable…”

“Mel was out of work and homeless, but YMCA Derbyshire saw only her potential, not her disadvantage. Now, she is at Toyota and on track for a leadership role. Its working assets programme has a 70% success rate in supporting homeless young people into employment. How will the youth guarantee help the Government join up …”

“23. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the youth guarantee on young people in Derby North constituency.”

“Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Sussex Circus Fish Bar in Chaddesden for its 50 years of frying, and its owner Ronnie, who was two weeks old when his parents opened it? With one in seven of us choosing to have fish and chips for Christmas dinner, a debate on the enduring contribution of chippies …”

“indicated assent.”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Mark. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jen Craft) on securing this debate. Derby has the largest number of deaf people outside of London, which I am sure is in no small part because we are privileged to have the Royal School for the Deaf Derby. T…”

“You mentioned the midland main line. While there is still design work going on, I understood that the practical electrification work for the stage it was at has now completed, and the end of the next tendering process will not be until September next year. Has there been any work in looking at the risks to the supply c…”

“Thank you. This leads quite nicely from what you were saying. I have a few questions on electrification to begin with. What is your assessment as to why Great Britain has been so slow to electrify its network?”