Speeches by Smith.

“There have been different estimates for the stages of the project, as the hon. Gentleman rightly points out. The costs have evolved since 2017. I will send him the recent Finance Committee report, which was published just before Christmas and goes into detail on this matter. Delays have occurred, particularly at peak t…”

“The New Palace Yard project will be completed this month, at an expected cost of £62 million, within the latest approved business case. The project included important security works and significant ground and heritage works.”

“My hon. Friend is a doughty campaigner for ceramics and Stoke. The limited edition House of Commons Christmas mugs are a popular product in our gift shop. Those products are sourced as unfinished products from overseas and then hand-finished in the UK. This approach ensures that the product is commercially viable to pu…”

“My hon. Friend always takes an interest in ceramics and parliamentary procurement. He will remember that approximately 85% of ceramic items purchased in our gift shops are either fully or partially made in the UK. More widely, Parliament endeavours to purchase British goods, in compliance with the procurement legislati…”

“After ramping up engagement on the cost information, and once the House has provided direction on the R and R programme, if we do go to full decant, the Lords will likely go to the Queen Elizabeth II centre and MPs to the northern estate. There will be ongoing work on temporary accommodation, and the related impact on …”

“Constituents in the upper Rhymney valley face unacceptably high petrol prices. When I wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority about that, it referred to a forthcoming fuel finder scheme; however, that scheme has no confirmed launch date. I get that this is complicated, but will the Leader of the House please enc…”

“Maduro was an illegitimate president. In The New York Times today, Colette Capriles, writing from Caracas, describes a “struggle for survival”, a “primitive capitalism”, a “web of bosses, private loyalties, corrupt practices and institutional ruins that have replaced public life” in Venezuela. I ask the Foreign Secreta…”

“Merry Christmas to all. I bet Members will join me in paying tribute to our hard-working posties and sorting office staff. The team in Ebbw Vale do a brilliant job. However, despite their best efforts, constituents report delays receiving letters and even missed hospital appointments. Royal Mail management cite resourc…”

“Today’s newspapers carry further coverage of attempts by Russia to influence political systems in the west. To avoid being held to account for the war in Ukraine, Russian agents are reportedly undermining financial institutions and public servants in Belgium. Following the jailing of a former Reform leader in Wales for…”

“I warmly welcome the statement on ending violence against women and girls. Will the Minister tell us more about how she will support and empower third sector organisations such as Phoenix Domestic Abuse Services in Blaenau Gwent, which always deserve a helping hand?”

“9. What steps he is taking to protect consumers in the secondary ticketing market.”

“The Government’s action on ticket reselling is the first substantive effort to tackle those who leech off the music sector. Previously, as one loophole closed, another would often open. There have been warnings, however, that ticket reselling could continue through social media and messaging apps. How will the Governme…”

“The Minister for pensions was brilliant at the Budget in helping our mining communities across the UK. Will he provide an update on plans for changing the surplus sharing arrangements for both the mineworkers’ pension scheme and the British Coal staff superannuation scheme?”

“Can the Minister say more about how the Government are reflecting the experiences of victims when tackling grooming gangs in Wales?”

“A new approach to proactively understand Members’ needs has been introduced by the Parliamentary Digital Service to shape improvements to digital services. Recently, its research informed a trial of a paid version of Copilot artificial intelligence with Members, including me, and with staff. To ensure that any new solu…”

“May I thank the Leader of the House for his kind words about those of us who campaigned for miners’ pensions justice? There is real momentum for new economic opportunities now that Labour-led councils, the Welsh Labour Government and the UK Labour Government can work in tandem. In Blaenau Gwent, the council has applied…”

“In terms of paying more for Microsoft Copilot, there is a version that does come at a monthly cost.”

“My hon. Friend has a fair beef. The volume of unwanted emails received by MPs is a known problem, but no one yet has an easy solution. Testing of whether Copilot or other digital solutions can help with inbox management has taken place, but Copilot is unlikely to be the answer for it. I understand that the technology m…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for her question. I am happy to help with her key point about messaging. Members, as employers, could implement a domestic abuse policy. To help with this, the Members’ human resources advice service has specific guidance and templates available for Members, and can support them with implementati…”

“I am pleased to report that the House of Commons Commission agreed in October to seek accreditation from the White Ribbon campaign. The campaign does important work to prevent violence against women and girls by promoting equality, building networks and challenging harmful attitudes and behaviour. The accreditation pro…”