Speeches by Dyke.

“Jackie from Street suffers with Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia and mental health issues. She worked for most of her life until ill health made it impossible. Under the reforms, she will lose her entitlement to personal independence payment and employment and support allowance, plunging her into poverty. Can the Chancell…”

“It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mrs Harris. I thank the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (John Lamont) for leading this important debate. I also thank the 348 petitioners in my constituency. The red grouse is a unique wild bird, native to the moorland areas of the UK, but it is under …”

“Veterans play an important role in my Glastonbury and Somerton constituency, where 11% of households include at least one veteran. However, female veterans are more than 10% less likely to be employed than male veterans. Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that we must put more support into helping female veterans find…”

“I, too, participated in my school’s combined cadet service, and we enjoyed many evenings and nights on Salisbury plain in the bitter cold—in fact, they were some of the coldest nights I have ever experienced. Glastonbury and Street sea cadets give youngsters an experience that helps them grow into the people they want …”

“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. If I may just correct the right hon. Gentleman, the Glastonbury festival site is not in my constituency.”

“June is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month, celebrating the colourful histories and contributions of those communities. People are drawn to Glastonbury and Somerton as a place of pilgrimage, because of its unique spiritual heritage. After the Conservative cuts, we have no sites across Somerset for our Gypsy, Roma,…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Western. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for securing this important debate and for his excellent speech. Small rural businesses are the heartbeat of the economy in Glastonbury and Somerton, but many are in crisis. The Government’s …”

“Morning, Sir Jon. You have criticised the large number of strategies and initiatives relating to the water sector. Indeed, the interim report states that there have been a large number of strategies, as you have just alluded to, to take some background. They fail to prioritise action or provide accountability or mechan…”

“You mentioned milestones not being hit and that closer monitoring. Just going back to the question, what do you think are the mechanisms that we need to put in place to resolve that lack of scrutiny?”

“That leads me very nicely on to my final question around the interim report drawing on the conclusions about how investment in the water sector in England and Wales should be planned. Why should these water resources in these two nations be governed differently?”

“On that basis, do you think that there is an argument for reshaping the water companies on those geographical administrative boundaries?”

“I was really interested in your recommendation to look at how local stakeholders and local authorities can be more involved. In Somerset, we have the Somerset Rivers Authority that was established in 2015 in response to the 2013 and 2014 floods. That is a partnership with the Environment Agency, IDBs, local councils an…”

“Just building on that, it is really concerning for me and, I know, for many of my constituents that, when we talk about water companies and holding them to account, we continue to allow them to accumulate these really high debt levels where money is wasted on fines and interest repayments, etc, rather than the money go…”

“My constituent in Langport, Samantha, is a recipient of personal independence payment. She had treatment for endometritis and is struggling with cancer. Her PIP review was submitted in 2024. It comprised 100 pages of evidence—an onerous process that took six weeks to complete—and she is still awaiting a decision. Does …”

“I spoke to Jacqueline from Street, who is unable to work and is absolutely desperate. Heartbreakingly, she told me that if her PIP is removed, she is prepared to take her own life. Does my hon. Friend recognise that the vital support that PIP payments provide to the most vulnerable in society is not a luxury, but a lif…”

“It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Mundell. I thank the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Irene Campbell) for leading this important debate, and I thank the 322 petitioners in Glastonbury and Somerton. As a nation, we value high animal welfare standards. The public care about animal welfare—84%…”

“April’s retail, hospitality and leisure relief reduction left Samantha, a shopkeeper from Langport in my constituency, with a £2,000 business rates bill, on top of a £5,000 bill, despite the fact that she was potentially eligible for exemption. She consequently faces losing her shop. When I spoke to her recently, she t…”

“Q13. Glastonbury is experiencing a notable increase in antisocial behaviour. St John’s church was recently forced to close its doors after gravestones were reportedly used as counters for drug transactions. Constituents Peter and Melanie told me that people have been targeted with demands for money when collecting thei…”

“As my hon. Friend alluded to, the previous Conservative administration in Somerset was a disaster; indeed, it oversaw an irresponsible record six-year freeze on council tax. Does he agree that the Liberal Democrats in Somerset are now delivering a successfully run administration after a very difficult run of Conservati…”

“Somerset Youth Justice Service recently got a “requires improvement” rating from His Majesty’s inspectorate of probation. The situation is clearly damaging young offenders’ chances of rehabilitation, so what steps is the Department taking to improve SYJS and support young offenders in Somerset?”