Speeches by Roome.

“Given your connections, knowledge and experience, particularly your connections in Afghanistan, were the Government justified in their decision to close the resettlement schemes to new applications in July?”

“I hope they have changed it as well, but I am wondering if anything has gone out there publicly about this.”

“No, I am asking whether you have been told that they are not using this system of Excel spreadsheets now, so that this same issue could not happen again.”

“Have you ever been told publicly that the MoD do not now have personnel keeping things on spreadsheets, to ensure that this does not happen again?”

“So much of this debate focuses on high streets under a magnifying glass. In my constituency, one in five people work in the retail or wholesale sector. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that if our shop fronts were a factory or a shipyard, the Government would be framing the challenge very differently?”

“I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. Does he agree that part of the great tragedy of Sudan has been the way it is unfairly overshadowed by conflicts happening elsewhere in the world, and we should be less squeamish about pointing that out to the public here in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world?”

“As a frequent visitor to Weymouth, I have seen the dog-friendly sticker scheme in the businesses on the high street. Does the hon. Member agree that making high street businesses dog-friendly helps to increase their profits? It has certainly cost me a bob or two when I have gone into shops that allow me to take my dog …”

“The Conservatives were in government. The election was called. The result was announced that Labour were forming the new Government. What was going through your minds about this particular injunction at the time? Were you thinking that they should have acted quicker?”

“Holly, have you got anything to add about the election period?”

“It must be very frustrating for you as journalists not to be able to report this. I want to focus on something you said right at the beginning, Larisa, about the general election period. The Afghan Solidarity Coalition wrote at the time that, “The prolonged duration of the injunction raises serious concerns about polit…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg. I thank the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith) for securing this important debate on the 75th anniversary of the Korean war. The Liberal Democrats pay tribute to the tens of thousands of British veterans who served in t…”

“Are you picking up any differences between the three Governments in the timeframe it takes to get those clearances?”

“I would like to make a point about that, because the relationship between MoD and DSIT, and how they work together in future, has come up at other Committees. Particularly for your industry and your members, it is an issue. Andrew, do you have anything to add?”

“We have heard about the Prime Minister appointing Sir Stephen Lovegrove, who directly reports to the Prime Minister or the Secretary of State in his absence. We have heard from techUK members, who have said it is not clear to members who owns responsibility for the delivery of AUKUS pillar 2. ADS has also called for ac…”

“Back in March 2024, when the joint statement came out, it referenced the AUKUS trilateral collaboration between Australia, the US and the United Kingdom. I would like to ask this to each of you: what has been your experience of working with US and Australian industry partners on AUKUS? What advantages have there been, …”

“On that point in particular, what have been the difficulties with the alignment process?”

“I could come back on some questions, but I know my colleagues have their own questions about what you have said. Thank you. Steve, do you have anything to add?”

“Has it helped between the three different companies you represent? Has it brought you closer together in your working relationship?”

“Could I ask whoever wants to answer the question: what would you recommend? How can we overcome the problem? With your years of experience in industry, what needs to be done to alleviate that challenge for the benefit of the programme?”

“I have visited many schools in North Devon, and many are facing the dilemma of whether to fund essential maintenance or to lay off teaching assistants. What is the Minister doing to ensure that adequate funding reaches rural schools so that they do not have to cut teaching staff in order to balance the books?”