Harriet Cross MP: speeches

Speeches

• 2 Jul 2025 · Spending Review 2025: Scotland · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member so much for giving way so gladly. I have visited universities recently, too, and they also point to the real-terms cut in funding from the Scottish Government having a real impact on their budgets. In the interests of fairness, will he reflect on that too?

• 2 Jul 2025 · Spending Review 2025: Scotland · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Member give way?

• 10 Jun 2025 · Rosebank Oilfield · Hansard source

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  Cabinet Office guidance states that Government Departments should aim to publish a response to a consultation within 12 weeks of the consultation closing. The consultation on environmental impact assessments closed on 8 January, which is 22 weeks ago tomorrow. When will the Department publish the guidance, because it is causing delays to projects in the North sea today?

• 13 May 2025 · UK-EU Summit · Hansard source

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  Will the Minister give way?

• 8 May 2025 · Fishing Quotas · Hansard source

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  5. What plans he has for future fishing quotas.

• 19 Mar 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  I certainly remember, and I am sure others will, the Government saying that those with the broadest shoulders would take the strain. Does the shadow Secretary of State consider those on this level of income to have the broadest shoulders?

• 19 Mar 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  My understanding is that the impact assessment showed that about 100,000 pensioners would be put into poverty. I was just wondering what range either side of that figure would be acceptable to the Minister.

• 19 Mar 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving way, but I actually do not think it is anyone’s time we are wasting, seeing as we are discussing such an important topic. He talked about a decision that was made. I was just wondering, if Government Members had their time again, would they make the same decision?

• 19 Mar 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

• 19 Mar 2025 · Winter Fuel Payment · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Member give way?

• 19 Mar 2025 · Draft Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2025 · Hansard source

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  I am grateful for the Minister’s remarks. Disclosure functions are, of course, important and sensitive, and clearly they must work efficiently for the protection of those who are vulnerable, as well as for those subject to disclosure requirements, whether individuals or organisations. As we understand it, the overarching aim of the draft order is to allow for the continuation of the disclosure and safeguarding regime in Scotland and to operationalise the policy intentions of the primary legislation underpinning this statutory instrument, the Disclosure (Scotland) Act. The order appears for the most part to be technical in nature, but it is concerning that we are having to consider legislation to avert a situation in which ineligible people or even small businesses would have been criminalised before the scheme even became a legal requirement. Clearly, we would not want people being criminalised due to an uneven legal framework. I shall be grateful if the Minister responds to the following questions. What conversations has he had with the Scottish National party Government about both the problem and the proposed solution, and what steps are the Scottish Government taking? Secondly, is he confident that the right people have been consulted and engaged with on rectification of the problem and that the concerns have genuinely been listened to? What statistics can be offered on the information campaign about these impending changes in terms of the people reached and whether this has resulted in a shift in the level of engagement? Does the Minister believe that the secondary legislation that the Scottish Government plan to bring forward will be properly calibrated with this draft order? Finally, given the complexities, can we be sure that the guidance due to be published will be genuinely clear and easily understood, to smooth what has not been the most straightforward transition so far?

• 24 Feb 2025 · Bank Closures: Rural Areas · Hansard source

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  Will my hon. Friend give way?

• 12 Feb 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T6. A month ago, the Prime Minister said that countries will be either AI makers or AI takers. Does the Secretary of State agree that by not attending the AI safety summit, the Prime Minister has given a clear indication that the UK will be an AI taker?

• 10 Feb 2025 · Undersea Infrastructure · Hansard source

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  18. What steps he is taking to protect undersea infrastructure.

• 30 Jan 2025 · Finance Bill (Fourth sitting) · Hansard source

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  I understand the principle of CBAM. However, in practice, if we import fertiliser to increase our food production here, for example, we will reduce our imports of food from elsewhere. It might not balance out exactly, but we would not be changing how much carbon we sent abroad, because we would just be taking it from another mechanism that is not included in the CBAM.

• 30 Jan 2025 · Proportional Representation: General Elections · Hansard source

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  We all recognise that trust is important in politics, and we are responsible for building that trust. One way in which we build trust is by being accountable, and the current system gives us accountability to our constituents within the defined area of our constituency. How would first past the post help build the accountability of a named person—a single MP—in that defined area?

• 30 Jan 2025 · Finance Bill (Third sitting) · Hansard source

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  The Scotch Whisky Association is not on the list of people the Minister met. Can he confirm whether he did meet the association?

• 28 Jan 2025 · Finance Bill (Second sitting) · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for listing the amendments before the Committee. At Davos last week, the Chancellor announced other amendments that will be made to non-dom status. It is disappointing that they have not been put before the Committee, where they can be scrutinised line by line. Why is that not the case, and when will either a Committee or the House get to see those amendments?

• 28 Jan 2025 · Finance Bill (First sitting) · Hansard source

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  People might be buying cars now—that is, overnight—that they still have in ’28-29, when the changes come in. They will be making decisions now that will be caught up in future changes.

• 28 Jan 2025 · Finance Bill (First sitting) · Hansard source

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  indicated assent.

• 28 Jan 2025 · Finance Bill (First sitting) · Hansard source

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  On aligning hybrid cars more closely with petrol and diesel cars, what assessment has been made of the impact on the hybrid car market and the take-up of hybrid cars, if we are ultimately looking to move away from petrol and diesel in the long term?

• 28 Jan 2025 · Finance Bill (First sitting) · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister recognise the difference between properties with a use clause compelling them to be used for holiday let accommodation and houses that do not, and that can therefore be used as residential properties? Those two things do not necessarily line up in terms of what the owner can use the property for.

• 23 Jan 2025 · Attorney General’s Office: Conflicts of Interest · Hansard source

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  Does the Minister accept that the Law Officers’ convention does not extend to questions of recusal or conflicts of interest, and that the House and the British people have the right to have questions on those matters answered transparently?

• 23 Jan 2025 · ECO4 and Insulation Schemes · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for her statement, in which she confirmed that the 39 suspended companies are suspended from providing new solid wall insulation under the scheme. Are they also suspended from providing other sorts of insulation, such as external, loft and cavity wall insulation?

• 15 Jan 2025 · Foot and Mouth Disease · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Government’s efforts in bringing us up to speed today, but also in imposing the import ban. I recognise that the ban applies to products from Germany, but does it capture products that may originate there but for which the point of import is outside Germany? What steps are the Government taking to proactively increase spot testing or screening across the country, so that we can get ahead of any possible outbreak?