Speeches by Jopp.

“I will not use the word “turmoil”, but, given the turbulence in the French and German political systems at the moment and the absence of an ability to set a budget, the UK might find itself pushed forward within that quadrate relationship over the next few months.”

“Q I have two quick questions. First, you clearly laid out what is new under the commissioner set-up, the broader thematic, but it strikes me that it is an “access all areas” pass, a backstage laminate—“Go where you want.” Do you think the legislation as drafted constrains or directs you sufficiently? How would you set …”

“Q I was—well, I promise there was a question at the end of it. The point I was making was that the Bill and the explanatory note do not match, in as much as the explanatory note suggests three functions: first, taking on the existing ombudsman role; secondly, to act as a point of contact for all armed forces families; …”

“Q I am obliged to Maria Lyle for highlighting the issue about whether the commissioner will be a call centre or will produce big, thematic reports. The explanatory note to the Bill says: “This Bill will establish an independent Commissioner to serve as a direct point of contact for Armed Forces personnel and their fami…”

“Q You will have seen the witness list for today, and you will notice that the only people we do not get to consult are the military chain of command because their views are, for constitutional reasons, vested in the Minister. I will ask the air commodore and the colonel to rewind a bit to when they were serving in the …”

“Q My second question is, will you be applying? Mariette Hughes: If I am allowed to apply. As the ombudsman, I can do only one term, but obviously this is a new role. If it is decided that I am allowed to put myself forward for the job, I would love to be considered for it. I love what I do, I feel very passionate about…”

“In Spelthorne we have six secondary schools, only two of which provide A-levels; the rest are middle schools taking pupils only up to GCSE level. There have been plans in the past to increase sixth-form provision in Spelthorne, but they have been in abeyance for two years. Will the Minister please agree to meet me, so …”

“1. What plans she has to reform the provision of sixth-form education.”

“I personally would be delighted to welcome the new Cabinet Secretary to his role. I thank the Minister for her answer, but in her list I did not hear her say whether the Cabinet Office is hiring a new Prime Minister’s envoy to the nations and regions, to carry out the vital work that was about to be done by Sue Gray wh…”

“10. What job vacancies in the Prime Minister's Office are being advertised.”

“If your review came upon something that said, “We really ought to be doing this, but that is going to take us beyond the 2.5% envelope,” are you going to note that as a sort of shopping list for the future?”

“Lord Robertson, thank you very much indeed. You referenced the 1998 defence review and the 2.7% of GDP that was spent on defence at the time. That defence review, if memory serves, was very much touted as being foreign policy-led and threat-based. This time you have been tasked with a review that is deliverable and aff…”

“I was struck by General Barrons’ statement that we are not going to fill in holes in defence left, in some cases, since the Cold War. That would suggest that it is not a question of using the 2.5% to backfill those holes in the current EP, for example, and that some things will be left.”

“A constituent wrote to me recently asking if I could get a hurry-up on his application under the EU settlement scheme. It turns out that he is subject to a deportation order, and that we actually did deport him in 2018, but he managed to get back into the country somehow and to make his application under the EUSS. The …”

“The Minister with responsibility for sport graciously met me to discuss the future of London Irish in my Spelthorne constituency, and she undertook to ensure that the club would get the meeting with Sport England that it so desperately desired. Can the Minister give us an update?”

“The Secretary of State is in consensus-building mode. May I offer him the opportunity to address the 10,975 members of my Spelthorne constituency who will lose their winter fuel payments, or the 100,000 pensioners who will be plunged into poverty? Can he explain to them why they are wrong when they see the Government t…”

“Secretary of State, you said yesterday to the House that the permanent secretary would lead a leaner Department; so, permanent secretary, does leaner mean fewer MOD civil servants? If it does, how many are going to leave and by when?”

“I thank the permanent secretary for that fulsome answer. The £56,000 is going to come down, then; do you have in your mind a particular percentage, say, as a target, and in what sort of timeframe?”

“Chair, may I come in on the really important point that General Magowan made about whether our support to Ukraine becomes force driving in the SDR? We have seen some evidence that the training that we have been providing to Ukrainian forces is falling short because we cannot replicate the combat conditions in Ukraine, …”

“Q7. The Spelthorne Litter Pickers is an outstanding organisation of 1,000 volunteers who do great work up and down my constituency, come rain or shine. Last week, they were awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] Would the Deputy Prime Minister, the Government and indeed the whole …”