Speeches by Slade.

“Who are you working with to make sure that that information gets down to people who are visiting food banks or people who have turned up at the courts? There are all sorts of organisations, and I am not necessarily going to go looking for something. I am interested to know how you work with real-world organisations, ra…”

“I am not a legally involved person, and I am mortified by the complexity of the regulation in this sector. I do not know how people manage. Is having two regulators—an ombudsman and a regulator—perhaps part of the problem, and should we look to propose that you do both sides?”

“Give me an example of how you are actively doing that.”

“On that unmet legal need, what is the role of the Legal Services Board in broadening the public’s understanding that they even have an unmet need? You talk about a third of people not accessing it, but what about the hidden third of people who do not know that they have been done an injustice?”

“Before you go on to the other two examples, how are you making sure that the huge number of people who are digitally excluded are not excluded by moving on that much in innovation and technology?”

“It is clear that under the current leadership, the US is no longer a reliable ally, threatening European colleagues and Commonwealth nations and undermining the very purpose of NATO. As we face increasing threats from Russia, we are reliant on the US for our nuclear deterrent, for our kit and for technology. Will the M…”

“I recently visited Lytchett Minster school and Queen Elizabeth’s school, and I held a session asking the young people about their views. Overwhelmingly, the children in sixth form supported a ban and the children in the younger part of the school did not. How will the Government tailor the questions for younger childre…”

“My son is studying for a degree in musical theatre performance, and is due to graduate in a few weeks’ time. That may be something that the hon. Member thinks has no value. My son will probably spend a certain amount of time working tables and trying to make a living while he progresses in his career. He would not be a…”

“I would not want to be a defendant in that case. I would want to know that it had been said out loud and heard. The idea that the judge was going to take it away and look at it would not fill me with confidence, if I was a defendant.”

“Yes.”

“The report I have in front of me says that only 3% of the work in magistrates courts results in a custodial sentence. They may have the ability to do six or 12 months, but in reality they are not experienced in it. We are committing people to this. It is what it says in the report we were given: 3% of cases result in c…”

“I am not talking about excess alcohol. We are talking about robberies. We are talking about burglaries. People can get two years. You referred to excess alcohol twice. Burglaries and serious drug offences are very different from excess alcohol. I worry that David Lammy has said that these are minor cases. These are not…”

“Meningitis is one of the worst nightmares that parents worry about, particularly when their teenagers leave home and are living away. My constituent Vicki Purdey from Corfe Mullen had her life changed by meningitis two years ago, and she is still unable to walk unaided. She is calling for meningitis awareness in school…”

“I congratulate the hon. Member for Bolton North East (Kirith Entwistle) on securing the debate, and I thank her and the Minister for allowing me time to speak. I will cut to the chase to make sure that the cases I want to reference are heard. I have raised this issue so many times in this House, and it is disappointing…”

“I will ask the first of some further questions, though sadly I have to leave. I feel much more worried than I did before we started. We have already seen a shift of sentencing powers from six months to a year. Can I get your reflections on what the impact of that change has been with regard to the CPS and the courts?”

“Hello. I am Vikki Slade, the Member of Parliament for Mid Dorset and North Poole. My interests are as per the register, but there is nothing relevant to this Committee.”

“I want to ask a few things about the sentencing powers, but before that, I have been really quite agitated by some things that have been said. Throughout this whole process, I have really focused on the role of the magistrates court. There was a suggestion earlier that it will be quite easy for these cases to transfer …”

“The US President has suggested that the future of NATO may depend on countries falling into line with him, and supporting him on reopening this shipping channel. Does the Minister believe that it is acceptable for that type of pressure to be applied to sovereign nations, when there is still no evidence that this war ha…”

“A sector in need of urgent attention is road haulage—moving not only goods but people across Europe for the purposes of tourism and education but also, importantly, film, TV, sport and music. My constituent Cameron works mainly in the music sector, supporting European tours and festivals. He tells me that the 90/180-da…”

“Despite relying on public money, the financial accountability and value for money of multi-academy trusts seemingly goes unchallenged, with many leaders earning more than the Prime Minister. Aspirations, which has a school in Poole, spent money on Teslas for its central staff and is now cutting the curriculum to balanc…”