Speeches by Kumar.

“I welcome the Labour Government’s progress on policing, including Dudley town centre’s new police station, which will open this year, and the new police officers being redeployed to Dudley borough in April. Given the urgent need for police reform, will the Minister go one step further and commit to reviewing the west m…”

“In 2019, the Rose review said that £250 billion could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men. You have talked about the British Business Bank, but what levers can we pull to ensure that there is data on investments going to women when looking at how start-up loans and …”

“Women-led businesses launch with 53% less capital, and only 2% of venture capital goes to women, compared with men. How will you close the gap so that those stark inequalities are reduced?”

“Looking at regional issues, cities have a lot more funding when it comes to access to finance. Similarly, on procurement, the Committee has noticed that larger companies monopolise procurement and smaller SMEs do not get access. How are you going to ensure that we streamline that process so that small SMEs get a good b…”

“Just to follow up on that, there are 18-year-olds who would love to open a business. How do we make sure that they can go and deliver in a different way and open their own business without needing to go into employment or work for somebody? I feel that this is a massive gap. Whenever I have done roundtables in my const…”

“Dudley College will be one of the new construction colleges to skill up the new generation of electricians and all sorts of others in the economy. However, the Department has had no role in the skills White Paper. How can employers now be confident that the skills system will be adequately reflective of the needs of th…”

“Would you be open to putting out data looking at where procurement and SMEs are for women and ethnic minorities? We know that it is quite stark.”

“I warmly welcome the statement. With improved medical care, earlier diagnosis and greater awareness, more children with special educational needs are being identified. How will my right hon. Friend ensure that schools have the right environment, staff, funding and resources for SEND children to get the most of the posi…”

“In Dudley, we have the Pensnett estate, one of the largest industrial estates in Europe. It is home to nearly 200 businesses, including a variety of SMEs, ranging from plumbing to steelworks. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that SMEs in Dudley have the time and the space to bid for contracts? Will t…”

“3. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of direct procurement from defence SMEs in the west midlands.”

“As we approach Remembrance Sunday, we honour those who gave their lives for our freedom, and remember the often overlooked women who served as codebreakers and factory workers, and in countless vital roles. In light of that, I have written to Dudley council asking it to permanently install the first ever women of war s…”

“What steps is the Department taking to improve access to finance for UK start-ups seeking to scale up, given that only 1% of UK start-ups raise equity of more than £100 million? By comparison, in the US, 6% of start-ups do so. Furthermore, how can we ensure that women get a fair share of access to finance?”

“Yes, please, if possible.”

“Oh, sorry—obviously, it would have to be on a Thursday.”

“I hope they will.”

“Thank you so much, Chair, and thanks to the Committee for looking at my application. As stated in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, I am a physiotherapist, so I am one of those allied health professionals. The first thing I would ask the Committee is, do you even know what an allied health professional is? …”

“I recently returned from Kyiv, where I visited a rehabilitation centre supporting those injured by the Russian invasion. I was deeply moved by the dedication of the Ukrainian clinicians working under immense pressure. As a physiotherapist, I recognise the vital role that allied health professionals play in recovery. It…”

“Can you give us some examples of policy uncertainty?”

“Can I ask the panel how you would describe capital market conditions, and the struggles your members face in raising finance?”

“What reforms do you want to see with tax relief? Looking at Series A, what do you think we can do to make it more competitive?”