Speeches by Lowe.

“Thank you, Chair; you have been very active today, but I think I still have a bit left to ask. I cannot tell you what a pleasure it was to hear the write-up you have been given by Yvonne and Simon in our briefing, and to hear that you all appear to be so well over your brief. I am tempted to say we should put you in a …”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Alec. I should start by saying that I am a shooter and a fisherman, as the hon. Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Torcuil Crichton) referred to, and an active farmer—I do all those things. I am entirely opposed to this latest urban metropolitan attack on rural Brita…”

“Of course some incidents have happened, but then incidents have happened with baseball bats and with other instruments that have not been banned and will not be banned. The hon. Lady makes a valid point, but the issue needs to be looked at very carefully, because I think there are less incidents of the kind she describ…”

“I thought you might enjoy becoming a Spartan rather than a Persian. I am driven by outcomes and have run private sector businesses. If the statute is loading you with too much work and you think it needs to be changed, it is our job to change the statute; I wouldn’t just accept that. What we need to do is deliver value…”

“Exactly.”

“But as you know, in the private sector, Gareth, the incentive is to get your company’s data into an efficient format so that your auditors can audit, because that saves you money. You make sure that your systems work, because if you don’t, your auditor charges you more. It is very hard to get an auditor now. Where is t…”

“I ask the question, because it is a general one about your budget: could we trim it and make it more effective? But I also make the point with regard to AI and the digital revolution, which we are all having to run hard to keep up with. I have been doing a lot of work legally recently, and my barrister tells me that, w…”

“I don’t doubt that at all.”

“Well, Gareth, it is unusual to find you sitting at the front table rather than to our right, assisting us ably. I would like to thank you, because the depth of information you give us all is fantastic. When I read this report, I was prompted to ask a general question, first of all. We sit round this table and we hear G…”

“Will the Minister give me a copper-bottomed guarantee that the transcripts of previous court cases will not be destroyed?”

“The Minister will be aware that we have privately crowdfunded a rape gang inquiry, which is ongoing. During the course of the inquiry, we have uncovered vast evil that is happening across the country, as well as systemic state failures. When we release the report, we are intending to pursue private prosecutions against…”

“As the Secretary of State knows, our independent rape gang inquiry hearings are ongoing just a short walk from this Chamber. Last week I sat opposite one woman who was raped by between 600 and 700 men. She estimated that 98% were Pakistani Muslims. The evidence we are collecting is brutal. We have been told again and a…”

“T2. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.”

“Many of us, including myself, spoke in this House against the ill-judged appointment of Peter Mandelson, which flew in the face of logic, given his poor relationship with the US and his history of misfeasance in public office. Will the Chief Secretary undertake to obtain all redacted evidence from the US pertaining to …”

“I very much enjoyed the history lesson about a man who has a history of misfeasance in public office. I have spoken in this House about my surprise at his appointment as ambassador to the US, which is an incredibly important relationship for this country. Listening to the debate makes me reflect on the importance of pa…”

“Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I have declared these payments in the register, and I apologise if I should have declared them to the House. They are public, they are not hidden and they have no relevance to what I discussed earlier.”

“Thames Water.”

“Sir Geoffrey, there is a lot that needs to be dealt with.”

“Equally, the other issue was that there was a fire at a chemical store on the banks of the river. There was hydrochloric acid, and the fire brigade could not therefore put the fire out. This hydrochloric acid got into the river. It took you five years to deal with it.”

“I have one more question on this for Philip. I find that, at the Environment Agency, you all trip over each other, so I do not think DEFRA is giving you the leadership. It is not entirely your fault; you come in under its umbrella. Giving you a personal example, I have had two problems. Part of the River Colne runs thr…”