Roger Gale MP: speeches 2024

Speeches

• 12 Dec 2024 · Building Homes · Hansard source

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  In his statement, the Minister referred to the undermining of the capacity of our great towns and cities to realise their economic potential. Does he not realise that by effectively absolving the Mayor of London of his housing responsibilities, he is exacerbating the problem of inner-London boroughs, such as Lewisham and, dare I say, Greenwich and Woolwich, using the green fields of Kent as a dumping ground for their housing problems? We are fighting a rearguard action to protect our farmland from development, in the interests of our countryside and, more importantly perhaps, of sustainability. He refers to brownfield sites. What he has announced today is the undermining of the Secretary of State’s right to rule finally on planning issues after they have been to the Planning Inspectorate. She will now have no credibility at all.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Children of Prisoners · Hansard source

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  I remind hon. Members that, this being a half-hour debate, there will be no opportunity for the Member in charge to wind up.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  I have consulted widely with farming communities and farmers in my constituency. I have not been able to identify a single farmer who feels that there is anything good in this policy whatsoever. Does my right hon. Friend know whether there is a single Labour Member of Parliament representing a rural community who genuinely believes that they will be voting in their constituents’ interests tonight?

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  On the general principle, is the Minister seriously saying that all the tax advisers advising all the farmers across the country and all the land valuers, who are qualified in a way that he is not, are wrong, and that he is right?

• 4 Dec 2024 · Future of Farming · Hansard source

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  Order.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Future of Farming · Hansard source

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  Order. I should have said—I did not, but I will now—that if any Member chooses to intervene, which they are quite entitled to do, I shall treat that as a speech, so they will not get called later in the debate.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Future of Farming · Hansard source

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  Order. We have 13 Members wishing to participate and about 24 minutes. I will put on an immediate time limit of two minutes. If you do the maths, you will find that that does not work. There will be a Division at around 5 o’clock, and injury time will be added on. We will see how many Members come back after the Division, and I will reassess the situation, but for the moment, there is a two-minute time limit.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Future of Farming · Hansard source

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  Order.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Future of Farming · Hansard source

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  Order.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Future of Farming · Hansard source

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  I call Dr Neil Hudson for the Opposition. You have five minutes.

• 2 Dec 2024 · Social Housing Supply · Hansard source

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  Given that the Secretary of State’s avowed goal is to create more social housing, can she explain to the House why Labour-controlled Thanet district council is seeking to build a large housing estate on the outskirts of Birchington-on-Sea, on prime agricultural land? There is little demand for those houses, and little provision of social housing. Can she have a word with the leader of Thanet council?

• 29 Nov 2024 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

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  I agree with the hon. Lady entirely: the way forward should be through better palliative care and not through assisted suicide. The Bill does not address the needs of children. Would she recognise that we also need better palliative care for children as well as adults?

• 25 Nov 2024 · Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2024 · Hansard source

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  Members may remove their jackets if they wish to, if they are hardy or foolhardy enough.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Tourism: Northumberland · Hansard source

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  As the Chairman I am not allowed to participate in the debate, but as the Minister comes from the land of song he might like to know that Brenda lives in Thanet and is the chairman of the Thanet male voice choir.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Tourism: Bedfordshire · Hansard source

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  I am pleased to be able to offer my Jurassic chairmanship. I call Sir Chris Bryant.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Tourism: Bedfordshire · Hansard source

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  I am afraid I do not.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source

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  Order. We must keep an eye on the clock. [ Interruption. ]

• 19 Nov 2024 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source

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  Could those who wish to speak in the debate remain standing for a quick headcount? [ Interruption. ] We are going to put a three-minute time limit on immediately, and that may have to be reduced. I am conscious of the fact that some people have intervened, and I am assuming that those who have intervened do not intend to speak. Priority will be given to those who have not intervened.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source

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  Order. I have been informed that three Members who have spoken in the debate wish to attend a meeting with the Foreign Secretary at 4 o’clock. Of course, the Divisions were not entirely foreseeable, and they have extended the debate, which will now end at 4.25 pm. I will permit this, but Members need to understand that, had there not been Divisions, the debate would have ended at 4 o’clock. Colleagues know that. Unless you are thinking of travelling by TARDIS, it is not possible to get from here to Committee Room 7 without a minute. In future, when you plan your diaries, please make sure that if you intend to speak in a debate, you have the opportunity to do the Front-Bench spokespeople the courtesy of attending the wind-ups. With that proviso, Members who need to leave may leave at three minutes to 4.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source

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  Order. I must ask hon. Members to keep an eye on the clock.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source

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  Order. Will Members stand again, please? One or two people who were standing are not now.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Occupied Palestinian Territories: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source

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  Order. Interventions are interventions, not speeches. As the hon. Lady can see, there are quite a lot of Members who wish to participate in this debate. We cannot have speeches under the guise of interventions.

• 18 Nov 2024 · NATO: Missile Defence Co-operation · Hansard source

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  Will the United Kingdom, preferably in tandem with our European colleagues but if necessary bilaterally with the United States, align with the United States in permitting Ukraine to use the missile defence systems that we have supplied as it sees fit in its own defence?

• 14 Nov 2024 · International Trade Agreements · Hansard source

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  There will be small point in protecting farmers in international trade agreements if Government policy is undermining those same farmers domestically. How many thousands of farmers will it take to clog up Parliament Square next Tuesday before the Government realise that their inheritance tax policy is very deeply flawed?

• 14 Nov 2024 · National Insurance Contributions: Healthcare · Hansard source

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  Dr Aleksandra Fox of the Ash surgery in my constituency is one of a number of GPs who have pointed out to me the deleterious effects of an ill-thought-through Budget. In addition, charities such as Shooting Star and Demelza children’s hospices are facing problems now. They cannot wait for discussions through the normal channels while this cock-up is put right. When will something be done about it, please?