Roger Gale MP: speeches

Speeches

• 23 Jun 2025 · Pride Month · Hansard source

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  I should say, I do not know anything that the hon. Gentleman does not know.

• 23 Jun 2025 · Pride Month · Hansard source

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  Order. I think the Minister has been here long enough to understand that, actually, matters have to be directed through the Chair; he is entirely correct.

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

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  Order. I reiterate the admonition that Mr Speaker has offered. This is one of the most far-reaching considerations that the House—even those of us who have been here for a very long time—can remember. It is understandable that a lot of Members will wish to take part, from across the House and on both sides of the argument, but looking around, it is quite clear that we cannot accommodate everybody. This means there will inevitably be a considerable number of interventions. All I would say, gently, is that interventions will be taken into account when considering the order of priority in which Members are called.

• 19 Jun 2025 · Incontinence · Hansard source

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  I call the Opposition Front Bencher.

• 19 Jun 2025 · Incontinence · Hansard source

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  Order. A significant number of Members want to take part in the following debate, so we are playing “beat the clock”. I will not introduce a rigid time limit at this stage, but if Members could confine their speeches to no more than six minutes, we should get everybody in, get the Front Benchers in and give adequate time for the next debate.

• 19 Jun 2025 · Incontinence · Hansard source

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  I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

• 19 Jun 2025 · Water Safety Education · Hansard source

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  Order. This is a very important subject. There are some 14 Members at least who wish to contribute to the debate. Allowing eight minutes each for the wind-ups and a couple of minutes for the hon. Gentleman who has just spoken, I think we are looking at a time limit of about five minutes each. I will not set a formal time limit at the moment, but if hon. Members try to stick to that, we should get everybody in.

• 19 Jun 2025 · Water Safety Education · Hansard source

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  I call Darren Paffey to move the motion.

• 16 Jun 2025 · Child Sexual Exploitation: Casey Report · Hansard source

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  Much has been made in the House this afternoon of the fact that the former Director of Public Prosecutions, now the Prime Minister, instigated a prosecution against grooming gangs. That being so, he was clearly better placed than most of us to understand the need for the national inquiry that he initially so rigidly resisted, but I would like to associate myself with the apology offered by the right hon. Lady to the House on behalf of all of us and all the authorities that have failed young people so dismally. Those young people now want to know that they can have confidence and trust in the national inquiry, and in who leads it. Can she tell the House who that is likely to be, and what terms of reference they will have?

• 12 Jun 2025 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The Government have pledged to enhance the record of the previous Conservative Government and uphold animal welfare. Retained European regulations currently prohibit the handling of chickens by their legs, but in their first act of animal welfare, the Government are proposing to pass regulations to permit that harmful practice. Will the Leader of the House ask the agriculture Minister to write to me—and place a copy of the letter in the Library —to explain why the Government are choosing to lower the legal standard rather than to uphold the law and protect animal welfare?

• 10 Jun 2025 · Rooftop Solar Power · Hansard source

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  Mr Speaker, The Times has told the world how old you are today.

• 10 Jun 2025 · Rooftop Solar Power · Hansard source

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  Yesterday, a Minister said from the Dispatch Box that only 1% of farmland was being damaged by development, yet solar panels are smothering east Kent’s best farmland. It must stop. Given what the Secretary of State has said, what further steps will he take to protect our farmland and really do move solar panels on to rooftops, car parks and public buildings?

• 10 Jun 2025 · Rooftop Solar Power · Hansard source

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  I do not propose to write it into the record, but I note that you are catching up on me. [ Laughter. ] Happy birthday.

• 10 Jun 2025 · Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories · Hansard source

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  As you know, Mr Speaker, I have tried for two days to raise this issue through an urgent question. When the Minister came to the Dispatch Box, I expected to hear something constructive; what we have actually heard about is the sanctioning of two people. The United Kingdom Government could unilaterally recognise Palestine and show the world that they are taking the lead. Above all, they could, as an absolute priority, negotiate the delivery of food, water and medicine to women and children in Palestine who are starving through the route from Larnaca directly into Gaza. I asked the Minister last week, and I will ask him again: when are the Government going to do something?

• 10 Jun 2025 · Nuclear Power: Investment · Hansard source

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  While I fear that the development of Sizewell C may prove to be a multibillion-pound investment in yesterday’s technology, I welcome the commitment to SMRs in so far as it goes, which is probably the way forward for tomorrow. We have to get from where we are today to there. Why are we going to spend billions of pounds and accumulate masses of wastage importing carbon fuels from overseas instead of developing our own North sea resources?

• 9 Jun 2025 · Planning and Infrastructure Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the Minister give way?

• 9 Jun 2025 · Planning and Infrastructure Bill · Hansard source

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  This relates directly to the Bill. Not only does it relate directly to the Bill, but there are dozens of amendments all relating to this one single issue. The fact of the matter is that, under the proposals as they stand, we will lose vast swathes of prime agricultural land because planning consent will effectively be driven straight through. That is simply not satisfactory.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Disadvantaged Communities · Hansard source

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  Order. If hon. Members intervene, injury time is added, which means that not all Members will get called. If you look at the clock and the number of Members who want to intervene, you can do the sums for yourselves. It is up to you whether everybody gets called or not. If we stick to two minutes, we should be able to get everybody in. I hope that is clear.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Disadvantaged Communities · Hansard source

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  Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Colleagues can look around the room and see how many people are seeking to participate in this debate. I am giving you warning that after the opening speech, there will be a time limit of two minutes. I am sorry that it is so short, but we have the alternative of not accommodating everybody, and Mr Speaker likes everybody to be accommodated.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Disadvantaged Communities · Hansard source

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  Order. I notice that the hon. Member for Blackpool South (Chris Webb) is standing. Under the rules, I am afraid we are not allowed to call Members who were not here at the start of the debate. That is not a criticism; I fully understand that Members quite frequently have good reason for coming in late. Now the hon. Member has been here for long enough, I am more than prepared to allow him to intervene on another Member, should he choose to do so.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Disadvantaged Communities · Hansard source

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  Congratulations. As a result of everyone’s self-discipline, we have accommodated 19 Members and an additional eight interventions. That must be something of a record. It also means that the Front Benchers now have adequate time to respond properly to the debate. Well done.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Disadvantaged Communities · Hansard source

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  Order. No.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Disadvantaged Communities · Hansard source

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  Order. I call David Chadwick.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Disadvantaged Communities · Hansard source

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  Order. The hon. Lady is quite entitled to give way, but where Members choose to intervene, it will affect my judgment on where in the batting order they are called.

• 4 Jun 2025 · Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories · Hansard source

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  I concur entirely with the views expressed by the two Privy Counsellors on the Conservative Back Benches who have already spoken, my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Hampshire (Kit Malthouse) and my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Kenilworth and Southam (Sir Jeremy Wright). For weeks we have been listening to fine words from Government Front Benchers, and we have seen a lot of handwringing and a vast amount of inactivity. The question that everybody in this Chamber is asking of the Minister is “When?” Yesterday, as he knows, four of us tried to deliver a letter to Downing Street calling for the immediate recognition of the state of Palestine. We were not even allowed to deliver that letter. The time has come to act now. There is a route from Larnaca in Cyprus straight into Gaza—use it! Let us save these children.