Speeches by Lamont.

“I continue to hear from residents and businesses about the timetable changes at Berwick-upon-Tweed station, in particular the loss of many direct services from Berwick down to London. What economic assessment is the Department undertaking of how those changes are working?”

“I begin by echoing your remarks, Mr Speaker, about our former colleague, David Winnick. I pay my respects to him. We must all condemn the antisemitic arson attack against the Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green on Monday morning. It was a sickening attack on the Jewish community. Antisemitism has no place in our countr…”

“Q2. Last week, I met my constituents Rob and Lizzie at the Kings Arms hotel in Melrose, which they run as part of a family business of 10 hotels across Scotland. They employ over 250 people, but their national insurance bill is going up by £280,000 because of Labour’s tax on jobs. We need to get Britain working again, …”

“This was a horrific attack on the Jewish community. While Jewish communities experience disproportionately high levels of antisemitic incidents, offences targeting Jewish victims are statistically far less likely to result in a prosecution. Does the Minister accept that the Jewish community does not trust that the law …”

“T9. It has been reported that under the SNP, Police Scotland has written off 25,000 crimes without investigation, including shoplifting, theft and vandalism. Does the Minister agree that that is a surrender to criminals which leaves people wondering why they report crimes in the first place and shows that life in Scotl…”

“Tomorrow I will be enjoying Kelso’s musical theatre performance of “Beauty and the Beast” at Tait Hall; on Saturday, I will be at Lauder Amateur Dramatic Society’s performance for its 76th year at Lauder public hall. From the Leader of the House’s marvellous performances here in the House of Commons, I know that he is …”

“We pay more tax.”

“My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. I want to highlight the choices that people living in rural constituencies such as mine are making. In Coldstream, the price of diesel per litre has gone up from £1.41 to £1.69 over the past few days. That is a huge increase, but because of the prospective tax rise that is …”

“To pick up the hon. Member’s point about fairness, he will be aware that the Institute for Fiscal Studies has highlighted that Scottish taxpayers are £710 on average worse off compared with taxpayers in England as a result of the Scottish Government’s higher rates of income tax. Does he think that is fair?”

“Sometimes you hear from Ministers that cost has a bearing; they think inquiries just cost too much. Is that a reasonable excuse, do you think?”

“Do you think that Parliament should have a role, or a joint role with Ministers, in initiating a statutory public inquiry?”

“Thank you. Rosanna, do you have any thoughts on the ability of Ministers to initiate statutory public inquiries?”

“So the Minister should still have the power but there should be other options for initiating an inquiry as well?”

“I am not suggesting that it should be the same criteria that you would have for a judicial review, but in terms of the standards required to meet the thresholds—”

“But surely a public inquiry should be the exception as well?”

“Grooming gang survivors have told us that they were trafficked between England and Scotland. Police were aware of those allegations of abuse but failed to do anything about them. Will the Minister explain how the grooming gang inquiries on either side of the border will work together to ensure that the perpetrators, an…”

“You mentioned judicial review. There are obviously very clear tests for when a judicial review can be applied for. Do you think that similar tests—well, not necessarily similar, but equivalent-type tests—should be applied for a public inquiry?”

“I want to highlight the fact that in Scotland we have a particular challenge. Scottish Borders council is responsible for maintaining 1,900 miles of road, which must be one of the biggest distances in the whole of the UK, but in Scotland, because of the decisions that the SNP Government are making, rural local authorit…”

“In your evidence you suggested there were some shortcomings in how Ministers determine what is meant by public concern. Given the alternative process that you suggested at the start of the response to my question, can these concerns be dealt with by that alternative process, or is that something Ministers need to deter…”

“Good morning. Ministers currently have the power to initiate a public inquiry. Do you think they should retain that power?”