Speeches by Bedford.

“The Home Office has requested transitional accommodation for asylum claimants, following the closure of Garats Hay in my constituency. However, neither Leicestershire county council nor Charnwood borough council has been consulted or received any additional funding for this extra burden. Why are these councils being by…”

“That is a point that I make in many, many Committees about the siloed approach of Government Departments, and something that I will raise when we see the Secretary of State. It is important that the Government do not act in silos and that all these things are joined up. I appreciate you raising that point.”

“The statistic that I have from the CIPD is that 7% of employers find Jobcentre Plus effective for recruitment overall, which is very low. Specifically for those with disabilities, how can they improve—you have mentioned some of the ideas—outreach for employers? It is more difficult for SMEs to engage than the larger bu…”

“We have had the new deal for disabled people, the work and health programme and WorkWell. Different Governments bring in their own programmes. A new Government come in, a new programme comes in, something changes, and they say they are going to focus on a new objective. What are your thoughts on the continual launching…”

“Does anyone else have anything to add to that?”

“On employer engagement with Jobcentre Plus, the Government recently announced a campaign to encourage businesses to use Jobcentre Plus free of charge to help recruitment. What challenges are employers finding when they are engaging with Jobcentre Plus and using that service?”

“How do we improve employer engagement? What would help to drive better connectivity between employers and Jobcentre Plus?”

“Oh, go on then.”

“My hon. Friend makes his point perfectly.”

“When the Conservatives left office, there were just 2 million people on universal credit for health-related reasons. Today, that number stands at 3 million—a remarkable increase that highlights the sheer lack of action by this Government to get welfare under control. It tells the younger generation that aspiration is n…”

“I am not giving way. The welfare system should be there for British people who need it, not for others who perhaps just want it, and Conservative Members will never apologise for believing in aspiration over dependency.”

“The welfare bill is out of control. A system with laudable aims that was designed to act as a safety net for those who fall on hard times now threatens not only the nation’s finances but the spirt of hard work and self-reliance. That is why I will support the motion. My Conservative colleagues and I believe in fairness…”

“Of course not. We on the Conservative Benches know that the hard-pressed taxpayer deserves better. I am proud that the shadow Secretary of State has outlined tough but fair proposals to cut the welfare bill. Our plan to make work pay and to stop the unfair gaming of the system would make savings of £23 billion for the …”

“Pension scheme trustees have an obligation to make decisions that they believe are in the best interests of savers, which is otherwise known as their fiduciary duty. The reserve powers in the Pension Schemes Bill could force investment in Government vanity projects, which is contrary to that duty. Does the Minister agr…”

“Anyway, to go back to the £5 billion of welfare savings the Government proposed, that was a small but important step in the right direction that we on the Conservative Benches would have supported. Embarrassingly, they conceded to the hard left in the Labour party, so we are now in the perverse position that their welf…”

“I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.”

“I could not agree more. My hon. Friend mentions the rumours that the Government are planning to lower the voting age, and it would seem contradictory to have two ages of responsibility. I will turn now to new clause 18, tabled my hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle (Dr Mullan). It is shocking that the girl wh…”

“In September 2024, my constituents and, indeed, the country were left shocked by the senseless killing of Braunstone Town resident Bhim Kohli. Mr Kohli, a well-respected and decent man, was just walking through Franklin park as he usually did, accompanied by his dog Rocky, when he was targeted and assaulted to death by…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for making an excellent point. Many people come to my surgeries and make that point month in, month out. That is why this Conservative motion matters. By abolishing stamp duty, we would be empowering young people to aspire to own their own homes and invest in their own futures. That is what a res…”

“My hon. Friend puts the case very clearly, and he is absolutely right. Labour Members talk about intergenerational unfairness, but they do nothing about it. We Conservatives believe in encouraging young people to determine their own futures.”