Speeches by Dewhirst.

“The Minister’s statement says, “This decision is about investing in long-term stability.” First, we had the body blow of the family farm tax, the reduction in BPS and the pulling of capital grants, and now we have the cancellation of SFI. How is any farming business expected to invest in the long term?”

“I wish to develop some of the detailed and eloquent arguments advanced by my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Buckinghamshire (Greg Smith), and to speak in particular about the amendments relating to part 4 of the Bill and the trade union movement. Before he leaves, let me thank the right hon. Member for Birmingham Hodge…”

“I think the best solution would be proper privatisation of our railways, including nationalised services like Northern, which is constantly on strike. I would use Hull Trains, which serves a lot of constituents in my area and is very rarely, if at all, on strike, as an example of an excellent, private open-access firm.…”

“I thank the Minister for his statement today and echo his comments about the missing sailor. I also add my thanks to all those who have been involved in the rescue operation, particularly those at the RNLI station in Bridlington. My constituents are rightly concerned about the potential environmental and ecological imp…”

“Christine, do you have anything else to add to that?”

“Chair, I will try to distil everything into one question. I just want to bring a few strands together in disease readiness, disease preparedness. We have heard about the stresses on APHA’s resources today and across the board. While I accept you are not going to have a standing army ready for the very worst-case scenar…”

“Thank you. I could carry on all afternoon, Chair, but I will not.”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that although this does create the right to consult, it is not particularly clear what type of consultation will take place, what opportunities financial institutions will have to make representations, and whether such representations will carry any weight; so it leaves the Minister in a consi…”

“Christine, do you have anything else to add to that?”

“Chair, I will try to distil everything into one question. I just want to bring a few strands together in disease readiness, disease preparedness. We have heard about the stresses on APHA’s resources today and across the board. While I accept you are not going to have a standing army ready for the very worst-case scenar…”

“Thank you. I could carry on all afternoon, Chair, but I will not.”

“6. What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on levels of non-domestic rates for pubs.”

“The highest pub in the Yorkshire wolds, the Wolds Inn at Huggate, is a great success story—Mr Speaker, I would be delighted to buy you a pint there the next time you find yourself on the right side of the Pennines—but, like many pubs in my constituency, it faces a crippling rise in non-domestic rates at a time when mar…”

“1. What assessment the Church of England has made of the contribution of rural parishes.”

“In my constituency of Bridlington and The Wolds, rural parishes face huge financial pressures to maintain their historic church buildings. Their costs often run into tens of thousands, yet they receive no funding from the Church of England or the Government. The Church of England’s buildings comprise more than 50% of t…”

“Net debt is increasing and is reported to be £8.76 billion, if that is correct. Your gearing is just below 65%, so just below what you would say is the upper range of what you would want to see. Ofwat recommends 55%. Is it a sustainable position to be 10% above where Ofwat would like you to be?”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that the impacts of the changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief are already being felt by businesses across the country? Farmers are simply having to shelve investment for fear of a huge inheritance tax bill. That is affecting the wider rural economy, because no ne…”

“I have one final point on Windermere specifically and the ambition to reduce phosphorus levels. You have talked about working with third parties. Does the regulatory environment easily allow that third party working, or is it a challenge to work with others to achieve those aims in the current environment?”

“On a general point, do you feel that the price review process is effective, given the fact that you, like other companies, are having to overspend?”

“You announced a £13.7 billion investment plan for the next price review. Ofwat has, basically, reduced that to £13 billion. Does that curtail your ambitions to reduce pollution?”