Christine Jardine MP: speeches

Speeches

• 19 Jun 2025 · Public Sector Pensions: McCloud Remedy · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for raising a very good point, which I will come to later. I agree completely; this has been particularly difficult for many people in the light of the crises we have faced in recent years, with the soaring cost of living and sky-high energy bills. This is what has happened to my constituents in Edinburgh West who have come to me with their issues with the administration of the remedy—not the remedy, but the administration of it—and the possible future impact on other pension schemes. One of my constituents who was affected is a retired police officer who served 25 years. His pension scheme was forcibly changed in 2017 to the CARE—career average revalued earnings—scheme, which was found to be discriminatory. He retired in February 2023 with his 25% lump sum, on the assumption that the remedial scheme would be in place by October that year. He estimates that he is now owed more than £30,000 in terms of both his commuted lump sum from the new scheme and the lower monthly pension. He is also one of thousands of immediate detriment officers still waiting for their remediation letter from the pension authorities, despite claims that the number of retired officers receiving these has accelerated, including in Scotland. Another constituent started working for Lothian and Borders police, as it was, in 1996 and retired in 2022, knowing he would only receive his pension for his service between 1996 and 2015, while the remedy was calculated. He was told at the time that he would receive his remediable service statement by April 2025, three years after his retirement. He also estimates a loss in pension income of more than £30,000, given that seven years of his service to our community was not counted when he first retired. A third constituent of mine has raised a possible issue that he faces when retiring with an NHS pension. The Government’s approach to NHS pension remedies means that pension growth will be calculated under an older scheme from 2008, even if he believes this rollback leaves those in the middle of their careers vulnerable to artificial breaches of the annual pension allowance and significant income tax charges because of the set-up of the 2008 scheme used for calculation.

• 18 Jun 2025 · Banning Conversion Practices · Hansard source

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  As Liberal Democrats, we have been concerned about the lack of a draft Bill on conversion practices, so I am relieved to hear what the Minister has said today. However, given the amount of fear and anxiety that there is among the trans community in this country, can she reassure the House that when the Bill comes forward, it will be UK-wide to overcome the Scottish Government’s withdrawal of their proposals? Further, will the Government consider whether we need fresh legislation to deal with all the issues in the Equality Act that have been raised by the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s interim guidance and the Supreme Court judgment?

• 17 Jun 2025 · Disabled People in Poverty · Hansard source

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  I am sorry, but as we are now very short of time, I have to ask everybody to keep to a minute.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Disabled People in Poverty · Hansard source

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  I am sorry, but we have to put the Question quickly. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered Government support for disabled people in poverty.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Disabled People in Poverty · Hansard source

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  Order. I urge Members to keep as close to a minute as they can.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Disabled People in Poverty · Hansard source

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  Order. I remind Members that if they wish to speak in the debate, they should bob. We have only 20 minutes before we have to move to the Front Benchers at 6.6 pm, so please keep speeches very brief or go for an intervention instead.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Genocide Convention: UK Compliance · Hansard source

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  The Question is— [ Interruption. ] Order. The Member in charge does not have the right to wind up a 30-minute debate. Question put and agreed to.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Genocide Convention: UK Compliance · Hansard source

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  The Parliamentary Private Secretary is here, and the Minister has just arrived.

• 17 Jun 2025 · Genocide Convention: UK Compliance · Hansard source

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  Order. There is a Division in the House on the Crime and Policing Bill—the first of a number. We will suspend the sitting for 45 minutes.

• 16 Jun 2025 · Iran-Israel Conflict · Hansard source

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  I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement and welcome in particular the measures about bolstering our consular support. He has also made reference to our assets and the hundreds of thousands of British citizens in the wider region. What reassurance can he give us that their wellbeing is being thought about and that preparations are being made, should the conflict escalate further?

• 13 Jun 2025 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

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  On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I do not think it matters how one is going to vote on this issue; a lot of us are finding it very frustrating that some Members seem to be deliberately hanging about in the Lobbies to delay the process. In order to get the Bill through and for the public to see that we are respecting their wishes, can something be done to appeal to the better natures of those Members? It really looks petty and childish. Could they please abstain from doing it the next time?

• 13 Jun 2025 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

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  Will my hon. Friend give way?

• 13 Jun 2025 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

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  I thank my hon. Friend for giving way. I share with him concerns about the level and quality of palliative care in this country. However, I do not agree that giving people the choice to end their life, if they are terminally ill and have been diagnosed as dying shortly, in any way undermines our ability as a House to insist on an improvement in palliative care. What is more, statistics from other jurisdictions show that once given that choice, people often turn to palliative care.

• 10 Jun 2025 · Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme: Capital Disregard · Hansard source

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  I remind Members that they should bob if they wish to be called in the debate. I should also mention there is likely to be a vote shortly, at which point we will suspend the sitting for 15 minutes to allow Members to vote.

• 10 Jun 2025 · Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme: Capital Disregard · Hansard source

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  The new finish time will be 4.12 pm.

• 10 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Happy birthday, Mr Speaker—I suspect you may be relieved that we cannot sing in the Chamber. I was recently approached by a small business owner in my constituency of Edinburgh West who faces bill of almost £30,000 for the period of lockdown when her business was closed. She is getting no sense out of British Gas Lite about why she is facing this bill, and I am getting no response from it. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can find out what is happening?

• 10 Jun 2025 · Mass Transit: West Yorkshire · Hansard source

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  Order. I remind Members that they should bob if they wish to be called in the debate.

• 5 Jun 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T7. A recent cyber-attack on schools and early learning IT in my constituency knocked out online access, but also underlined the need for a positive interaction between Scotland’s two Governments, rather than the constant constitutional bickering we have seen in recent years. With cyber-security about to move out of the Cabinet Office, can the Minister assure us about the way in which a positive cross-governmental and intergovernmental approach to these relationships will be secured?

• 4 Jun 2025 · Prosecutions for Violence against Women and Girls: West Midlands · Hansard source

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  I remind hon. Members that they may only make a speech with prior permission from the Member in charge of the debate and the Minister. There will not be an opportunity for the Member in charge to wind up, as is the convention for 30-minute debates. Before I call the hon. Member for Wolverhampton West, I remind hon. Members that they should not refer to any court cases that are currently active and are therefore sub judice. Hon. Members will also want to be careful about raising matters that might prejudice ongoing police investigations or a future court case. I thank the hon. Member for Wolverhampton West for his courtesy in consulting with the Table Office prior to the debate.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Swimming Facilities · Hansard source

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  Order. To get everybody in, we will have to reduce the time limit to one minute.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Swimming Facilities · Hansard source

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  I call Louie French.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Swimming Facilities · Hansard source

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  Order. We are going to struggle to get everybody in. I will have to ask hon. Members to keep to a formal two-minute limit, and if you intervene, unfortunately I will have to take you off the list. I have to call the Front-Bench spokespersons by 5.10 pm.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Business Rates Relief: High-street Businesses · Hansard source

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  I call the Minister, James Murray.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Business Rates Relief: High-street Businesses · Hansard source

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  That is not a matter for me at the moment.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Business Rates Relief: High-street Businesses · Hansard source

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  Order. I remind hon. Members that they should bob if they wish to be called in the debate, and ask them to keep their speeches to within four minutes so that everyone can get in.