Speeches by Jardine.

“I am a Scottish MP, so regional and national differences resonate with me, and you mentioned that there are some serious geographical issues. Could you give us a feel for how social mobility might vary across the UK and what you think might cause these differences?”

“It does, but it raises so many others. You talked about the different geographical areas. Not to digress too much, but I worked for a while in the highlands of Scotland, where the biggest problem is depopulation, because generation after generation—it is true of other rural areas—have to move to find any kind of social…”

“Getting back to the policies of the moment, how effective do you think strategies such as levelling up and the towns fund have been? Are the current Government taking the necessary steps to address regional disparities?”

“I think so, thank you. Summer, is there anything you want to add?”

“I appreciate the Minister’s clarification, but with organisations such as Girlguiding UK and the Women’s Institute saying that they have been forced to exclude the trans community against their will, how soon can we expect the guidance that the Secretary of State says is being considered?”

“We all know that disabled people often face higher energy bills. In my constituency, that is exacerbated by higher standing charges. The Government have now abolished the energy company obligation. Can the Minister tell me what support with bills will be available for disabled people this winter?”

“Can I thank you all? It has been absolutely fascinating and in some ways reassuring. I wonder if I could ask Nighat and Aziza, our 2024 report found dismissive attitudes and gaps in GPs’ awareness and knowledge about menstrual and reproductive health: present company excepted, obviously. Do you think things are startin…”

“Can I just join your butting in for a moment? The thing that you all have in common, which is good progress, is that regardless of the terms you are using, you are talking to your children about it, which a previous generation would not have done at all.”

“That would be a very good idea.”

“It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Leeds East (Richard Burgon). He will forgive me for wondering whether some of his Scottish Labour colleagues perhaps believe that Christmas arrived early for them last week, given that much of the Red Book reads like the Christmas wish list of a potential First Minister of…”

“Order. I am confident that we will get everybody in if speakers can keep themselves to five or six minutes.”

“Very briefly, Minister.”

“I remind Members that if we are going to get everyone in, please keep to five minutes.”

“A care provider in my constituency recently closed, leaving vulnerable patients without care, and leaving staff who fulfil roles in that vital sector, and who are there on sponsored visas, in limbo. We have people who need care, and we have people who can provide it but are not able to do so. Will a Minister make a sta…”

“Some 40% of children in Stenhouse in my constituency of Edinburgh West live in poverty. There are nine Pride in Place projects being considered across Edinburgh, but none include that area of deprivation. Are there plans to change the criteria so that such areas can be included, helping to attack problems such as child…”

“After the incident with Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam, the Government’s independent assessor on antisemitism, Lord Mann, visited the city, did a fact-finding mission and compiled a report. It was passed to the Government in January, and to the Government and the police again in June. Can the Minister tell us what …”

“T6. The City of Edinburgh council’s consultation on a new tram route has just closed, but there are newspaper reports in the city that officials are now in discussion with Government advisers about potential funding options. Can the Minister clarify whether that is the case and, if so, ensure that the views expressed i…”

“It is depressing.”

“That is important, because if you are only researching male pain, at least half of the population is excluded. We understand that NHS England was due to hold a stakeholder roundtable on managing women’s pain in the spring of this year. Did it happen? If it did, are you aware of any actions arising from it?”

“Apologies for arriving late. We might have heard some of the answer to this question already, but, Janet, since the women’s health strategy was published in 2022, are we any closer to understanding why women too often seem to be expected to endure chronic pain and painful investigative procedures for reproductive healt…”