Speeches by Barker.

“I beg to move, That the House sit in private. Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 163) and negatived.”

“My hon. Friend is making a wonderful start to her speech. I congratulate her on a second bite of the cherry, as this is her second time with this private Member’s Bill. She talks about education and loudness. Does she agree that there is a particularly bad and detrimental impact on those suffering from neurodiverse con…”

“I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh North and Leith (Tracy Gilbert) for bringing this Bill before the House. Does my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow West (Patricia Ferguson) agree that the online service provides a vital resource for people with accessibility requirements—for those who are perhaps b…”

“It has been a long and painful road to get to this point, but today’s welcome news of a ceasefire deal is finally a sliver of hope. It has always been clear that the release of hostages and a ceasefire were necessary steps to pull the middle east from this abyss, which has cruelly taken so many lives. I will touch on t…”

“You sent an initial memorandum to the Modernisation Committee and basically asked for it to consider what advantages or benefits, if any, paid engagements such as media appearances, journalism and speeches brought to the public. Have you identified any advantages so far?”

“For clarity, and so the public is aware of the thought processes around this, I completely concur that public perception of parliamentarians is not the most positive among the professions. You spoke about things that could potentially bring the House into disrepute. We spoke about conflicts of interest, and you outline…”

“This is groundbreaking legislation, and I pay tribute to the Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister for the excellent work that they have done so far. In October, I said in this place that my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning, under the leadership of our Deputy Prime Minister, will get this job done, an…”

“I, too, pay tribute to Sandra Downs for starting this petition. Does the hon. Lady agree that the recognition of a Palestinian state is the route to peace, not a by-product of peace? We have seen the petulance of Netanyahu and the Israeli Government towards some of our European counterparts, such as Ireland, where they…”

“That is really helpful—thank you. That brings me to the second point. Obviously you cannot investigate the vast majority of the complaints you receive because they are not within your scope or remit. I think you noted that 2,350 complaints were received in the period 2023-24. What can we do to better advertise what you…”

“Good morning, everyone. Commissioner, you say that allegations that you cannot investigate may inform your approach to issues that may have an influence on standards. Could you elaborate on that, please?”

“Thank you—that is really helpful.”

“What you are saying is very laudable, and I concur that it is very important that the public feel listened to. I just wonder whether greater clarity could be provided. It will not prevent some people from contacting you, nor should it, but could we be clearer in advertising what is within your scope and what is not? Of…”

“I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Brent West (Barry Gardiner) on securing this important urgent question. I represent a diverse community. Both Muslims and Hindus in Liverpool have made representations to me about the growing sectarian violence, the slide to extremism, and particularly the persecution of the…”

“I am honoured to rise to lend my support to the Bill, and I am proud to support my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley (Kim Leadbeater) as one of the Bill’s co-sponsors. Data shows that in my city of Liverpool 74% of people are in favour of assisted dying. I have been privileged to correspond with and meet so many o…”

“No. I am sorry, but I will not. Every year, around 650 terminally ill people take their own lives, and countless others who are more affluent make the choice of the long, arduous journey to Switzerland, all without any protections in place. I do not want choice to be available only to those who can afford to pay. That …”

“I urge the hon. Member to check the wording of the Bill, because if somebody signs as a proxy, they have to have known the individual for two years, and would simply be signing to say that they agree with the patient who wishes to go forward with assisted dying.”

“I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I am sure the whole House will want to join me in paying tribute to my good friend, my hon. Friend the Member for Luton South and South Bedfordshire (Rachel Hopkins), who is a fierce champion for her constituents. Does the Secretary of State…”

“I thank the Minister for his response. James Furlong, David Wails and Joe Ritchie-Bennett were murdered in the Forbury Gardens terrorist attack in Reading in 2020. The coroner found major problems with intelligence sharing between authorities, which was underlined in the prevention of future deaths report published in …”

“3. What steps her Department is taking to improve intelligence sharing following the terrorist incident in Forbury Gardens in Reading in 2020.”

“I draw the attention of the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a very proud trade union member. In 2019, the Conservative party promised to deliver an employment Bill that would protect and enhance workers’ rights in the UK. Like so many of its promises it never delivered, but my right…”