Speeches by Whittingdale.

“9. What steps he is taking to help increase business confidence.”

“But the Minister will be aware that in the last few weeks the CBI, the Institute of Directors and the London chamber of commerce have all said that business confidence is plummeting. Given the tsunami of national insurance contribution increases, business rates increases and employment cost rises, is it not hardly surp…”

“T9. Despite the very brief answer given by Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade, the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Bromborough (Justin Madders) to the question asked by the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mr Reynolds), is he aware that there is widespread concern among small and medium-sized tech firms and …”

“Does the Minister accept that avian influenza represents an existential threat to businesses such as Kelly Turkeys in my constituency? Paul Kelly has called this the covid of the poultry industry. Does the Minister accept that it is likely, as with covid, that the only way forward will be vaccination?”

“The number involved in employment is probably not that great, but obviously the revenue that supported the regime was considerable.”

“Unlike, for instance, Afghanistan, where a large proportion of the population were involved in growing opium, as I understand it Captagon does not require large numbers of people; just a few people in a laboratory.”

“We are both interested.”

“Dr Khatib, do you have anything to add?”

“Given your experience in the Middle East, having observed other collapses of strong authoritarian regimes and the chaos that potentially follows, how optimistic are you?”

“That is certainly another question, but here is a more general question about the stability. To what extent does HTS now control Syria? What are relations with the other groups like? To what extent is there a possibility of a relatively stable Government emerging in the near future?”

“I wanted to come in on the question about drug production in particular.”

“That is certainly another question, but here is a more general question about the stability. To what extent does HTS now control Syria? What are relations with the other groups like? To what extent is there a possibility of a relatively stable Government emerging in the near future?”

“We are both interested.”

“What a terrible accusation.”

“The Assad regime was previously reliant to some extent on both Iran and Russia. You have already talked about Iran and you said Iran is out, but Russia is not out; it still has a military presence in Syria, both an air base and a naval base. When we were in Jordan it was said that HTS probably has enough on its plate w…”

“What a terrible accusation.”

“Dr Khatib, do you have anything to add?”

“Given your experience in the Middle East, having observed other collapses of strong authoritarian regimes and the chaos that potentially follows, how optimistic are you?”

“I have a quick question, which is probably for Mr Barrett, although I welcome any thoughts. There has been cheering at the fall of the Assad regime, and there is also recognition of the threat that ISIS poses. Can I ask what your assessment of HTS is? Previously, it has been designated as a terrorist organisation, but …”

“The Assad regime was previously reliant to some extent on both Iran and Russia. You have already talked about Iran and you said Iran is out, but Russia is not out; it still has a military presence in Syria, both an air base and a naval base. When we were in Jordan it was said that HTS probably has enough on its plate w…”