Speeches by Smith.

“I wish to press a little on RIS4. One of the changes to the Green Book is about place-based approaches. Will that be under consideration so that ultimately the financial return on investment is not the be all and end all? Will consideration also be given to the place-based impact of some of the decisions?”

“You talked about pressures, and I will come back to them in a moment, or idiosyncrasies perhaps as well. In most of the conversation, we have been bogged down—well, not bogged down, but we have been looking forensically at the details of where we are at right now. Can I invite us to take one step back? At the end of yo…”

“That sounds like a qualified yes to my question.”

“I thank my constituency neighbour for giving way. We may not agree on all of the narrative on what happened over the past decade, but does the hon. Gentleman agree with me that these infrastructure projects are not just about the day-to-day use of the road? They are about what binds our countries together across the bo…”

“Absolutely. I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. I will come on to that in a moment. This goes back to what I was saying about the Green Book, about the Treasury’s investment rules, and about how we decide where public money ultimately goes. This is as much about the economy as it is about safety. Over the past …”

“You have talked about pressures a lot and there are these particular pressures in relation to the way Stormont is structured. In terms of legacy, just for example, there are specific idiosyncrasies within Northern Ireland because of its historic context. Is there a case that, in the way that the UK sets the block grant…”

“That sounds like a qualified yes to my question.”

“Good morning both. It is good to see you. Treasury policy states that overspends by devolved Governments represent “serious financial mismanagement”. Do you agree with that description of the Executive’s spending?”

“Good morning both. It is good to see you. Treasury policy states that overspends by devolved Governments represent “serious financial mismanagement”. Do you agree with that description of the Executive’s spending?”

“”

“It is a real pleasure to open this debate on the A1 through North Northumberland. I have been seeking this debate for months. When I saw the time at which it was originally to have happened, I wondered whether someone somewhere had decided that this Scotsman did not really need to see the big match tonight. I am deligh…”

“You have talked about pressures a lot and there are these particular pressures in relation to the way Stormont is structured. In terms of legacy, just for example, there are specific idiosyncrasies within Northern Ireland because of its historic context. Is there a case that, in the way that the UK sets the block grant…”

“You talked about pressures, and I will come back to them in a moment, or idiosyncrasies perhaps as well. In most of the conversation, we have been bogged down—well, not bogged down, but we have been looking forensically at the details of where we are at right now. Can I invite us to take one step back? At the end of yo…”

“Two months ago my constituent, farmer Ian McKie, was subjected to a burglary in which his workshop was broken into and a quad bike was stolen. According to Mr McKie, such crime is happening more frequently and boldly in North Northumberland. What reassurance can the Minister give me about rural crime and the seriousnes…”

“Let us be straight: immigration is a good and necessary thing for our country. Successive waves of immigration over hundreds of years have helped make Britain the country we are, whether we are talking about the Huguenots fleeing French persecution in the 17th century, or the West Indians answering Britain’s call for w…”

“I have a final question for anybody on the panel. There is a particular dimension to Northern Ireland, which is paramilitarism. I was going to ask this in a roundabout way, but I will just say it as a statement. Paramilitarism is involved in disorder in Northern Ireland, and, it seems to me, was involved in the horrend…”

“In the interests of time I will pass to someone else.”

“You have begun to answer my follow-up question, but I will just give Minister Patrick an opportunity maybe to add to that. Clearly, as you said, there is a limited role for Government. When we think about how we live in socially cohesive communities, it is an all-society issue, but there is a role for Government, and o…”

“Good afternoon, panel. In about 2004-05, I was living in Belfast, and there was a bit of a spike in anti-immigration rhetoric, with attacks on some houses, especially in the Holylands area of Belfast. I and a few friends decided to go around leafletting—this was pre-politics—and we put out little cards saying “Welcome”…”

“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive speech, and especially for touching on the issue of fertiliser. That issue is significant for all hon. Members here, and we will follow up on it. The discussion has, for the most part, been cross party. If the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Mo…”