Speeches by Dyke.

“The 2020 National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy is well-intentioned, but evidence we have received suggests that there is not enough detail, funding or mechanisms to support the local delivery of adaptation measures. How will the Environment Agency address this gap in support for adaptation at loca…”

“John, who lives in Fivehead, lost his hearing due to inadequate ear protection on the practice firing range, and he receives compensation as a result. He has never claimed benefits. However, if he needs to apply for them in future, his compensation payments will disadvantage him. That is contrary to the armed forces co…”

“I recognise that there is real financial and operational pressures facing the Environment Agency, but I am deeply concerned about the approach being taken regarding the withdrawal of main river maintenance funding. I appreciate that it is very difficult, but the process that is being taken around this—particularly the …”

“Just on that, will the Environment Agency work with National Highways to model the drainage impacts? Particularly, I am looking at Somerset, with the A303 and other major roads across the area, particularly given the evidence and that the outdated drainage infrastructure is contributing to local flooding incidents in S…”

“Can you clarify how many years?”

“The current support for multiple birth families is inadequate. Samantha from Wincanton is a mother of twins, and after giving birth she received the same statutory maternity pay as a parent of one child, despite having to pay double for the cost of essential childcare equipment and so on. Does the hon. Member agree tha…”

“T4. Only 30% of people with autism are in work, compared with nearly 55% of disabled people. Charlie, who is celebrating his 31st birthday on Saturday, lives in Baltonsborough with his parents, but like many young adults with autism, he has struggled to find employment. His mother, Jenny, told me yesterday that Charlie…”

“Q13. Many in Glastonbury and Somerton are forced to travel hundreds of miles to see an NHS dentist or suffer in agony, fall into debt to pay for private treatment or turn to DIY dentistry, like Jennifer, who extracted two of her teeth over the weekend. They simply cannot wait for the consultation on the broken NHS cont…”

“What strategies should we put in place to make sure that we have that workforce and train them up?”

“I want to go back to the veterinary workforce shortages affecting specifically the work of abattoirs. What steps could your respective organisations and Governments take to address the impact of the shortages in the veterinary industry at the moment?”

“This one example, though, is one that I really want to pick on. They had had their audit. Two weeks later it was followed up, and it felt to this particular business that the OV had really nothing else to do, so they just came back two weeks later. It was something absolutely ridiculous, like some horsehair on a door, …”

“It is their hourly rate.”

“In addition to that, an abattoir that I visited a couple of months ago in my research for the debate said that they had had their annual inspection. Two weeks later, an OV came out for an ad hoc inspection, and there were more faults found during that time. It seems ridiculous that there was an annual inspection that w…”

“I don’t think that it is unique.”

“That is really important because of the pressures that small and medium-sized abattoirs are facing. The industry is in crisis. If we do not sort the issue out we shall be losing those businesses, which are critical to the supply chain in rural areas. Just looking at this in a bit more detail, my local abattoir in Winca…”

“Apologies that I had to leave earlier. Good morning. Abattoirs play a vital role in protecting food security and food safety, safeguarding animal welfare and underpinning consumer confidence, but they also contribute to the wider rural economy in terms of providing skills and employment, generating demand and addressin…”

“I am quite happy for you to go on to that because, as you quite rightly said, there are now 47 and the figure is dropping quite dramatically. In 10 years’ time, if we continue on the current trajectory, there will not be any small abattoirs left in the country. There is more pressure as we are losing abattoirs right ac…”

“Thank you, Chair. Surprisingly enough, I have gleaned one in the form of Jim Shannon as we sat down.”

“I believe it would probably be Culture, Media and Sport.”

“I know! I would be quite happy with a Westminster Hall debate because it is time sensitive, and it would be lovely to hold the debate during the carnival season.”