Speeches by Dyke.

“Thank you. Jenny, over to you. Is there anything you want to add?”

“Finally, what role do the Port Health Authorities play in intercepting non-compliant products of animal origin and deterring smugglers? And how could this be bolstered, given the issues that we have with the amount of meat that is now being imported into the country?”

“Do you think the legal deterrents that are in place at the moment are currently strong enough to deter illegal meat imports?”

“I note the Secretary of State is working with the Home Office on plans to seize and destroy vehicles used to smuggle meat. Do you think that alone will solve the problem?”

“Thinking about a strategy to tackle the issue across government, with both port health authorities and local authorities, what do you think the strategy could look like?”

“I have spoken to many Ukrainian families who have made their homes in Glastonbury and Somerton after fleeing Russian aggression in Ukraine. Many of them are concerned about the decision to exclude time spent in the UK under the long residence route, which is different from other schemes and could be subject to costly l…”

“UK food resilience is more delicate than ever. The country’s ability to withstand future crises has been brought into question by the National Preparedness Commission’s recent report, yet family farms that support the provision of the nation’s food security, including the several hundred in Glastonbury and Somerton, ar…”

“Women’s football clubs earn a small fraction of the revenue of men’s teams, so the financial gap between men’s and women’s football continues to be a barrier to growth. After the fantastic performance by the Lionesses to beat the world champions Spain at Wembley last night, what steps is the Secretary of State taking t…”

“My hon. Friend talks about businesses run by women. I have a constituent who runs a nursery in Somerton. She has been struggling to stay afloat for some time, after issues relating to the Conservative Government and the impact of the increase to national insurance contributions. The announcement on nursery provision co…”

“My hon Friend is making a fantastic speech. He will know the importance of pubs to our high streets, particularly in rural areas, to drive footfall and support our rural economies. I spoke to a tenant of a pub in Castle Cary who is trying to develop a community space for social and cultural cohesion, at a time when the…”

“Will the hon. Gentleman give way?”

“I thank the hon. Gentleman for sharing those heartbreaking stories. A constituent of mine from Ilton wrote to me recently. She suffers with rheumatoid arthritis and needs a warm environment to keep warm, but because she is on personal independence payment, she is not eligible to claim the winter fuel allowance. Does th…”

“I thank the hon. Member for securing this really important debate. She is making a powerful introduction. The Street Foyer YMCA in my constituency provides excellent support for a lot of young people, many of whom come from challenging backgrounds and circumstances, but the local authority faces severe financial diffic…”

“14. What progress his Department has made on achieving a 30% inflow of women into the armed forces by 2030.”

“A balanced workforce in the armed forces is good for British defence, but women still face a raft of challenges, making it harder to attract and retain female talent. What steps is the Minister taking to accelerate progress towards the women in defence charter ambition of 30%, and to make the armed forces a better work…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison, and to speak on behalf of the Liberal Democrats on this incredibly important issue. I thank all right hon. and hon. Members for their contributions, which highlight clearly the strength of feeling from around the country. I also thank the people who signed…”

“I thank my hon. Friend for a very well made point, and farming is indeed often multigenerational. This is putting huge stress on farming families. I myself am from a farming family. My mother is 81, and my father died about a year ago. The pressure that it is putting on her to think about whether she can survive anothe…”

“I agree with the hon. Gentleman. Levels of confidence among the farming community are at a worryingly low ebb. The National Audit Office reports that only one in three farmers are confident that DEFRA and its agencies can deliver their proposed changes to schemes and regulations. The family farm tax will only increase …”

“I thank the hon. Gentleman for making that point. Indeed, a recent survey shows that 95% of young farmers under 40 see mental health as their biggest concern. It is so significant. I agree with farmers in Glastonbury and Somerton who feel that the thresholds have been set far too low. Some of them have told me that the…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Many in the industry feel that that figure is a vast underestimate, with inflation likely to bring yet more farms over the threshold within the next generation. I hope that the Government will look again at their modelling to see how they can protect family farms and target those who…”