Speeches by Bool.

“22. What plans she has to increase community involvement in the planning process.”

“In Towcester, when the DHL development was going through planning, more than 1,100 residents submitted objections to the council, thousands signed petitions, I spoke on their behalf as their MP against the plans and locally elected councillors voted 11 to one against it at the strategic planning committee meeting, but …”

“I understand that the slightly more controversial element on the global plastics treaty is about having product design standards. I am just conscious of time. Clearly, you said you are supportive of some of these product designs. What one key element would you want included in any design standards that you think would …”

“I understand that the slightly more controversial element on the global plastics treaty is about having product design standards. I am just conscious of time. Clearly, you said you are supportive of some of these product designs. What one key element would you want included in any design standards that you think would …”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Butler. With the weather we are experiencing at the moment, topping out at 33°C here today in London, who needs to travel abroad? We can head to our bars, restaurants, tourist attractions and have a staycation in the beautiful UK. South Northamptonshire has more tha…”

“There would be at least 95 to name. We ask all those who run these businesses to take a risk. We ask them to keep our communities together and to offer jobs, but we do not give them the environment in which to flourish. They are working so very hard, but it is a real struggle with employer national insurance increases,…”

“There are 3,566 veterans in my constituency, of which 28% are disabled. Many are concerned about the future support available to them. Can the Minister assure disabled veterans, not just in South Northamptonshire but across the country, what the Department will do, and that it will not forget them?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Western. South Northamptonshire is 92% agricultural, forest or semi-natural, so it really is a quintessential rural constituency. It is home to 5,300 businesses, of which 5,200 are small or medium sized. Reports say that almost a quarter of British businesses are in…”

“I have another very quick question. One thing that the Committee is looking at is, if dividends are going to be a future of the water sector, whether there might need to be a floor and a ceiling on dividends as well as on bonuses. Is it feasible to have a ceiling on dividend payments in the future?”

“One thing that we propose is that the regulatory system could be clearer about what debt and bill revenues will be used for. Could or should debt be reserved for enhancement expenditure rather than day-to-day spending?”

“In Prime Minister’s questions last week, I raised the need for a universal national screening programme for type 1 diabetes. Will the Secretary of State agree to meet me to discuss this, so that it could form part of the 10-year plan, given that it fits so neatly into prevention of issues such as diabetic ketoacidosis …”

“3. If she will take steps to stop the use of smartphones in schools.”

“Schools with a smartphone ban were rated higher by Ofsted, and their students achieved better GCSE results. All the evidence shows the benefit of banning smartphones in schools, but the Government are simply issuing non-statutory guidance and passing the buck. Does the Minister not understand the evidence? Does he need…”

“T8. Another private school, Queen Margaret’s school for girls in York, has announced its closure, months after the Carrdus school in my constituency announced its closure. Over 11,000 children have left the private sector in this first year, which is more than three times what the Government expected. Does the Minister…”

“I do not believe that I heard an answer to a number of the questions asked by the Leader of the Opposition, so I will ask the Home Secretary again. When did Baroness Casey submit her findings, and did the Government request any changes?”

“It is National Diabetes Week, and as someone living with type 1, as we both are, Mr Speaker, I am more than aware of the serious complications of diabetic ketoacidosis—DKA—which can prove fatal if not caught early enough. A quarter of children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when in DKA, and that could be avoided wi…”

“I rise to speak to my amendments 145 to 147 and to highlight the importance of new clauses 39, 84 and—if I have time—83. My amendments seek to correct a clear oversight in the legislation by extending the energy bill discounts to those who live near energy generation sites, rather than simply to those who live near ene…”

“I rise to speak on the looming crisis facing us in relation to battery energy storage sites. As Members have explained, the sites are beginning to play a larger and larger role in the transition to greener energy sources, but at the moment ideology is winning the day and pragmatism is disappearing. There is over 78 GW …”

“Thank you, Chair. I am really pleased to hear that Baroness Batters is leading on the farm profitability review. Could you just quickly tell me what resources and expertise are available to support her work? You also mentioned that it is a six-month review. That does not really seem enough time to get under the skin of…”

“We do, but it does not address enough and that is a problem.”