Speeches by Wilson.

“One other way of improving the situation, of course, is to look at the whole picture. The EA is not the only body that has flood defences under its control. What collaboration do you have with other flood defence agencies—whether it is local authorities or whatever it happens to be—in ensuring that we get the best valu…”

“Is there a full register of all of the anti-flood assets across all of the various bodies? If not, is there any work being done to achieve that?”

“One other way of improving the situation, of course, is to look at the whole picture. The EA is not the only body that has flood defences under its control. What collaboration do you have with other flood defence agencies—whether it is local authorities or whatever it happens to be—in ensuring that we get the best valu…”

“I also welcome Sir Wyn’s report. It reminds us of the cynical, dishonest and illegal behaviour of Post Office and Fujitsu officials, who caused so much misery to so many people who were doing an honest job and were wrongly accused. The Minister rightly said that he is determined to move on and get redress for those vic…”

“It does depend on the priority that the CPS give—if it states, “We believe it is essential to have the courts sitting quickly.” The point I was trying to get at is whether there is anything that can be done to ensure that, for events in an election, it is not just left to the discretion of the CPS, and there is clear g…”

“To follow on from Mr Betts’ last question, I think this is the point he was trying to get at. This isn’t just an offence against an MP or someone who is standing to be an MP. It is an offence against the whole democratic system; the whole point is to try to disrupt the electoral process. In a case like that, what power…”

“By their very nature, many of the offences will be against an MP, although that may be the conduit for disrupting the electoral system. While we are not wanting to have, as you suggested, special offences for particular individuals, the two things are intertwined—the MP is the victim because of the attack on the system…”

“May I just follow up on that, please?”

“It does depend on the priority that the CPS give—if it states, “We believe it is essential to have the courts sitting quickly.” The point I was trying to get at is whether there is anything that can be done to ensure that, for events in an election, it is not just left to the discretion of the CPS, and there is clear g…”

“A lot of the abuse is designed either to damage candidates during an election campaign or to deter them. I have witnessed that with some of the female candidates in my own party in Northern Ireland: the abuse is designed to deter them and others from going out canvassing. It is important that the law and the process sh…”

“We saw examples last summer, and examples recently in Northern Ireland, in which the incident happens one night and the perpetrators are in court the next day, or the day after. What steps need to be taken to ensure that that rapidity of justice occurs during an election campaign? Maybe you could run us through the pro…”

“A lot of the abuse is designed either to damage candidates during an election campaign or to deter them. I have witnessed that with some of the female candidates in my own party in Northern Ireland: the abuse is designed to deter them and others from going out canvassing. It is important that the law and the process sh…”

“By their very nature, many of the offences will be against an MP, although that may be the conduit for disrupting the electoral system. While we are not wanting to have, as you suggested, special offences for particular individuals, the two things are intertwined—the MP is the victim because of the attack on the system…”

“To follow on from Mr Betts’ last question, I think this is the point he was trying to get at. This isn’t just an offence against an MP or someone who is standing to be an MP. It is an offence against the whole democratic system; the whole point is to try to disrupt the electoral process. In a case like that, what power…”

“We saw examples last summer, and examples recently in Northern Ireland, in which the incident happens one night and the perpetrators are in court the next day, or the day after. What steps need to be taken to ensure that that rapidity of justice occurs during an election campaign? Maybe you could run us through the pro…”

“May I just follow up on that, please?”

“It is amazing that we are to give up an important security base without it being necessary to do so, that we are to pay billions to a Government that will allow them to make tax cuts while we impose tax burdens on our own country, and that the Minister stands here today at the Dispatch Box and says that he does not hav…”

“Anyone who witnessed the disgusting images of young, middle-class, educated morons chanting “Death to the IDF” at the weekend can only be alarmed that we have stooped to this level in our society. Even worse, the state broadcaster broadcast those images across the nation. I welcome what the Secretary of State said, and…”

“Whatever the specific reasons for the company’s failure, the fact of the matter is that the refining industry has been squeezed for decades as a result of Government policy. When the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero stands up and demonises fossil fuels, it is hardly surprising that there is not inves…”

“Many on the DUP Benches want to support the Government in achieving the objective of getting people back to work, and being fair to those who cannot work, but does the Secretary of State realise how difficult her actions make it for us to give support? Last week the Deputy Prime Minister stood at the Dispatch Box and s…”