Speeches by Atkinson.

“Can I ask about how far people feel safe to seek support services? In one of my previous roles, I worked for the NHS in Gateshead, which as you know has a significant Jewish community. I am very aware of the mental health impact of the level of antisemitism that the community must be facing. How would you say people’s …”

“Given the environment you have described, how much of a risk do you think it is—or how much of a calculation do you feel members of the community are making about whether they believe it is safe and right to remain in the UK, rather than to seek to live elsewhere?”

“To follow up on that—you have touched on this a little—how far do you feel the levels of antisemitism that we see are affecting Jewish people’s ability to be openly Jewish? Has trying to mask Jewishness now become normalised?”

“One of the other things the strategy involves is “making the UK one of the hardest places for children to access harmful content and misogynistic influences online.” Given the scale of the challenge you have outlined, what further decisive action do you think may be required by this Government to achieve that?”

“Ofcom published its guidance about this to the technology companies in recent months, separating it into mandatory foundational guidance under existing legislation and a section that it called “good practice”. An example of what was classed as good practice would be demonetising user-generated content that promotes mis…”

“My final question is on prevention online, not about the technology but the misogynistic environments. We have a situation where some regard the likes of Andrew Tate as role models and algorithms push that content to young men and boys. In your view, what should technology companies—and, if they fail, Government—do to …”

“Minister, the strategy recognises that VAWG is increasingly perpetrated online. Could you start off this section by saying a little about your assessment of the online environment faced by women and girls in this country and how you are measuring the instances and prevalence of different types of VAWG online?”

“Minister, can I ask a bit more about the way that victims funding will be directed in the future in the context of police accountability reform? I know you mentioned about police and crime commissioners receiving some of that funding at the moment. Whatever the rights and wrongs of police reform in terms of police forc…”

“Thanks. We will probably keep an eye on that.”

“I entirely agree. The title of this Bill includes the words “community empowerment” and “devolution”. I want my community in Sunderland to be empowered: to have the powers to ensure that our key cultural venues—such as Pop Recs, Independent and the Bunker—retain protections from further development around them. I turn …”

“My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. I will come on to say a little about the national planning policy framework at the moment. When my hon. Friend spoke, he made a good point about local plans. Part of the issue at the moment is that local councils have very different approaches. I wonder whether there is scope fo…”

“Absolutely. Too many music venues risk becoming old news by being forced to shut, even if they are where the likes of Fleetwood Mac learned their trade. I totally agree with my hon. Friend. The Government recently made a welcome commitment to set out a new high street strategy. The high street is, of course, changing d…”

“I thank the Minister for those welcome words, the acknowledgment that there is no policy difference here, and that she will keep statutory guidance under review, should that be necessary. Will she commit, on behalf of the Minister for Housing and Planning, to a meeting before the publication of the final NPPF, at which…”

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“I fondly remember the vibrant cultural scene during my time in Broadstairs. Too many grassroots music venues risk facing their own “Waterloo” at the moment.”

“Will the Minister elaborate on funding for brownfield sites? In my constituency, we have Riverside Sunderland, the most ambitious city centre regeneration project in the UK. That is only possible because of £30 million of Homes England funding, which will create more than 800 homes. Does she agree that it is somewhat h…”

“I would like to speak to Lords amendment 94B and 94C on the agent of change principle. My particular concern, as I said last week, relates to grassroots music venues and the impact on them of the current lack of robust application of the agent of change principle through planning guidance. To set a little context, ther…”

“I understand the temptation to distinguish between urban, rural and coastal communities, but does the Minister recognise that urban communities such as mine in Sunderland are also coastal communities? By the limitations of geography, our economic activity is limited by 180°, and there are particular issues regarding tr…”

“I will speak to Lords amendment 41, regarding putting the agent of change principle on a statutory basis, particularly ensuring that new developments have a noise impact assessment when they are near grassroots music venues. I support the Government’s plans to increase house building, and I recognise that genuine care …”

“By way of introduction, could you outline to the Committee what you believe to be the scale and size of serious and organised crime in the UK?”