Gavin Robinson

Backing Business to Create Economic Growth

I do not have time to give to the hon. Gentleman; as I do not get an extra minute, I am not giving way. I am too close to the end of my speech. In three months’ time, we will see customs duties on parcels from one part of our United Kingdom to another; by the end of this year, general product and safety regulations that were dealt with last year will be back on the agenda again. Do we hear anything about it? Is there concern? No, sadly not. I said earlier that it is mildly eccentric, but in fact

Backing Business to Create Economic Growth

The agricultural sector does need help, as do many other sectors besides. Just this day, I had a conversation with a lovely young gentleman—a 14-year-old student from Broxbourne in England. He is a secondary school student, and he told me about his school and his classmates. They live in a Conservative constituency, but last year in a mock election, the majority of pupils his age were not interested in this Government; they were putting their store in the Greens. I wonder just how often Members

Backing Business to Create Economic Growth

It is mildly eccentric that this is now the third day of a five-day debate on the King’s Speech when this Government are in crisis, but it is absurd to believe that this Government will be able to back business to create economic growth at all if their intention is to build on the legislative achievements—the stranglehold on our British economy—over the past two years. We were told just last week that incrementalism will not cut it, yet time after time, we have heard contributions from Labour Me

Backing Business to Create Economic Growth

The Secretary of State was kind enough to mention Harland & Wolff. Successive Governments have introduced a number of support measures, and have ensured that that company can thrive by itself. However, in taking at face value what the Secretary of State has said, does he recognise that if this Government continue to refuse to designate Programme Euston a defence project and open it to international tender, not only will they not support British business and yards like Harland & Wolff, but the pr

Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges

rose—

Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges

The Leader of the Opposition is right to highlight the cross-party nature of this motion, and to question why a Whip has been put in place on the motion that is before the House. Does she not agree, and should Labour MPs not consider, that if there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear?

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (Carry-over)

I will not. When we talk of amnesty, I think of Martin Quinn, the brother of Glenn Quinn, and of Mrs Quinn, his mother —an 82-year-old woman who lost her son in January 2020. He was beaten to death by a loyalist paramilitary; he was terminally ill, and he was killed in his own home. An 82-year-old mother is sitting at home today with death threats from loyalists because of Colin Simms and the murder he committed in Carrickfergus. He does not have the support of his community or his comrades. If

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (Carry-over)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The Secretary of State dismisses the allegation that this is all about Dublin, but what was the clarion call over the last week? There was a British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference this week, and he knows that he is under pressure from Dublin to show progress, but what have we got from them? Nothing more than hollow words. The Dublin Government said that they committed to information retrieval. How many requests have they accepted from the Independent Commi

Northern Ireland Troubles Bill (Carry-over)

I appreciate the opportunity to take part in this debate on the carry-over motion. We are here this evening as a direct consequence of the failure of this Government to honour their commitment to repeal and replace the legacy Act, to deliver on a manifesto commitment through a two-year Session of Parliament, and to bring with them the victims from Northern Ireland and veterans right throughout the United Kingdom. This is not a failure of our making. The Secretary of State talks about and laments

Crime and Policing Bill

I will support the hon. Gentleman’s request for us to back the amendment and not disagree with it, as the Government have asked, although I could easily be convinced that Governments should be making these decisions themselves, rather than Parliament making decisions on proscription or otherwise. Does he think that in the past two years, since the election in July 2024, there has been any indication that this Government will take action on the IRGC?

Security Vetting

The Prime Minister knows he is the main character in an ongoing national scandal. Given all the blame apportioned in his statement, it is incredible that only one person has lost their position. Does the Prime Minister also recognise that it is incredible to learn that in Northern Ireland a political appointment was made following the refusal to clear an individual for security access; that they have continued in their post and engaged on issues connected with the legacy of our troubled past wit