Wera Hobhouse MP: speeches

Speeches

• 21 Jan 2026 · Antisocial Behaviour on Canals and Rivers: Bath · Hansard source

  More

  The hon. Gentleman did talk to me before the debate, and I was happy to take his intervention. Bath is an example of the challenges that exist everywhere. We are here to discuss those, but also to point to the partnerships that are essential if we are to resolve the issues, so I thank him for his contribution. Yes, we need to work in partnerships. The Canal & River Trust stands ready to act, but it needs clearer and stronger legal powers to do so. Perhaps the most baffling thing of all is that the trust has no powers to issue fines or even to refuse a licence. The solution is straightforward: the law should be strengthened to clarify exactly what is required of boaters and to equip the trust with proportionate, enforceable powers, balanced by appropriate safeguards to ensure that those powers are used fairly. The Canal & River Trust is very keen to engage constructively with all parties on this issue, particularly in hotspots such as Bath, but another major obstacle is the range of stakeholders involved. While the Canal & River Trust manages day-to-day canal operations, the Environment Agency is responsible for pollution and environmental protection, local authorities oversee byelaws relating to littering and antisocial behaviour, and the police retain responsibility for criminal offences. It is easy to see how issues such as dumping, vandalism and the burning of inappropriate fuels fall between those overlapping remits. As the saying goes, when everyone is responsible, no one is responsible, which is why all too often these issues remain unresolved. Matters are further complicated by restrictive interpretations of the GDPR, which restricts information sharing between agencies. Each body recognises the problem, but none can resolve it alone. I intend to bring together the Canal & River Trust, the police, the Environment Agency and the local authority to improve local co-ordination and enforcement, but let me make it clear that, although better collaboration is essential, this alone is not enough. To genuinely improve enforcement on our waterways—and I echo the calls of the Canal & River Trust in this regard—we must see meaningful reform of the law. To conclude, Bath is certainly a hotspot for boaters, but this is a nationwide problem. “The Future of Licensing” report, published in October 2025, highlights insufficient powers, chronic under-resourcing and unsustainable enforcement arrangements as just some of the issues facing the Canal & River Trust. My constituents are tired of waiting for action. They want clear accountability for antisocial behaviour on our waterways, proper funding for enforcement services, faster and proportionate powers where behaviour is dangerous or polluting, and better multi-agency co-ordination between the Canal & River Trust, councils, police and the Environment Agency. If we are serious about fixing this, we must give those responsible the clear authority and resources they need—the authority to regulate, enforce and act—so that our canals and rivers are not sources of frustration and conflict, but safe and well-managed spaces that work for residents, boaters and the wider community alike.

• 21 Jan 2026 · Antisocial Behaviour on Canals and Rivers: Bath · Hansard source

  More

  Our waterways in Bath are the envy of the country. Across England and Wales, more than 30,000 boats are licensed to navigate our canals and rivers, and Bath stands out as a particular hotspot. Many boaters choose to make Bath their home, whether moored permanently or passing through as part of a longer journey. The Kennet and Avon canal flows gracefully through our world heritage city, shaping our landscape and connecting our community through nature. We value every one of our boaters in Bath, especially our live-aboard boating communities, many of whom work locally, raise families and care deeply about the waterways. Riverside businesses contribute so much to our local economy, and they create welcoming spaces enjoyed by people across the city. We have a shared responsibility to keep these places safe, clean and accessible to everyone. Rising rents, a lack of social housing and the increased cost of living mean that living on the water is a more affordable option for many. There are more boats on our canals than during the peak of the industrial revolution, with a quarter of those estimated to be live-aboard residential vessels. A study by Promarine Finance found that three quarters of live-aboard owners have never owned a home, with 90% of them citing the cost of living as a factor. In Bath, boaters and residents of houses along our waterways have co-existed peacefully for decades as neighbours and friends, but it is not just residents who make use of our canals and waterways. People from all over Bath and beyond come to see the beautiful scenery and nature that the canal provides. The towpath also serves as an important active travel route for walkers and cyclists. These areas must be protected for boaters, local residents and visitors alike. That brings me to the purpose of this debate. In recent years, residents along the Kennet and Avon canal have experienced persistent and at times dangerous antisocial behaviour on the part of a small minority of individuals. Our canals are residential areas, but all too often families and individuals have been subjected to loud music late into the night, bonfires, and acts of vandalism that make it impossible for them to enjoy their homes in peace.

• 21 Jan 2026 · Antisocial Behaviour on Canals and Rivers: Bath · Hansard source

  More

  Let me first express my condolences to the family of the hon. Gentleman’s constituent who drowned so tragically. Such tragedies demonstrate that antisocial behaviour often constitutes thoughtless vandalism. People do not understand what they are doing. We need to make people think about what they do, and legislation may be necessary to enforce that. The hon. Gentleman is right to raise the issue as a particular concern, and I will of course welcome and support his Bill. Good luck to it. Constituents have written to me with deeply worrying accounts of drug and alcohol misuse, public urination, and towpaths obstructed by furniture and dumped rubbish. That can also be a massive hazard. As I have just said, people often do not think when they do these things, so unfortunately we sometimes have to use the law to encourage the right behaviour. No resident or visitor to Bath should ever feel unsafe on our canals, and the behaviour that I have described is completely unacceptable. Even more troubling are reports of human waste being emptied directly into the canal, black bags of excrement left beside towpaths, and diesel and oil spills polluting the water. There are also serious concerns about boats remaining in short-stay mooring zones for months— sometimes for over a year—alongside abandoned vessels blocking locks and essential services, and preventing hire boats from being navigated safely. All those problems are caused by people being thoughtless, so it is important for the right measures to be in place to keep people safe. My constituents—and, I am sure, many others throughout the country—are rightly frustrated by the ongoing failure to enforce rules governing our canals. These problems are well known, but no one seems to be able to fix them. A key reason for that is the fragmented enforcement landscape. The Canal & River Trust is responsible for managing most of the canals in England and Wales. Its remit covers everything from boat licensing and mooring rules to obstruction and navigation, but it is attempting to enforce its statutory responsibilities within a framework that is fundamentally flawed. It was established as a charity in 2012 to take over from British Waterways, the statutory body that had previously managed our canal network. While the trust would still receive a Government grant, the idea was that any shortfalls would be made up by its various commercial ventures, much the same arrangement that applies to the National Trust. However, the Canal & River Trust and the National Trust are very different. The latter has commercial properties, thousands of paying members and huge tourism revenues, while the former has a property portfolio that is costly to maintain, and only a small amount of income from the rents paid by boaters. No other charity has as its primary responsibility the upkeep of so much critical infrastructure. As a result, we now have a charity tasked with enforcement powers but without the legal clarity or the practical capacity to use them effectively. However, resources alone are not the core issue. I have met representatives of the Canal & River Trust on numerous occasions, including a candid discussion about these issues just a few days ago. They are clear that the principal barrier they face is the outdated legal framework governing our waterways. The British Waterways Act 1995 provides only limited powers; crucially, it fails to give the trust the powers it needs to manage boats effectively and fairly. Take the rule governing boats without a permanent mooring: the law states that such boats must not remain “continuously in any one place for more than 14 days”, yet it offers no definition of what “one place” means or of how far a boat must move to comply. It is left to the Canal & River Trust to interpret the legislation, leading to regular disputes that take up valuable time and resources. I urge the Minister to take this issue back to her Department, and to engage with the Canal & River Trust on improving that part of the legislation. The trust’s powers to deal with unlicensed boats are also severely limited. Even where powers exist, enforcement can take two or three years, or longer if challenged, rendering them largely ineffective. It is currently very difficult to remove abandoned boats. First, the Canal & River Trust must establish whom the boat belongs to. Even then, removal can cost around £8,000 per boat—money that the trust often does not get back. Safeguards must remain in place, particularly for the people who live on these boats—boaters should have the right to contest any decision of this nature—but our waterways are shared public assets. Residents and responsible boaters alike are rightly frustrated at having to wait years for action to be taken against persistent antisocial behaviour or unlicensed vessels.

• 20 Jan 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  Through his new folly over Greenland, President Trump is increasingly bringing the UK closer to Europe. At Denmark’s request, would the UK allow European forces to use the UK’s command infrastructure for operations in and around Greenland?

• 20 Jan 2026 · Mobile Phones and Social Media: Use by Children · Hansard source

  More

  After more than a year of raising the issue in this House, illegal drugs including spice are still being brazenly sold to children online. If that is not harm, I do not know what is. What are the Government doing to ensure that all powers under the Online Safety Act are being used by Ofcom to stop this appalling harm to children? If the legislation we have cannot deal with it, will the Secretary of State consider including in her consultation how we might stop this pernicious trade?

• 19 Jan 2026 · Arctic Security · Hansard source

  More

  Madam Deputy Speaker: “I will happily accept tariffs to oppose Trump and his corrupt regime.” Those are not my words, but those of a Bath constituent who emailed me today. Does the Foreign Secretary not recognise the strong feelings of so many of our constituents? They are ready to stand up to the bully that Donald Trump is, and they want the Government to do the same.

• 19 Jan 2026 · Ukrainian GCSE · Hansard source

  More

  Bath has proudly welcomed hundreds of Ukrainian refugees, and we stand in full solidarity with the people of Ukraine, especially in Oleksandriya, which is our partner city. It has been concerning to hear that, in some parts of the country, Ukrainians have been encouraged to learn Russian as a GCSE, which can retraumatise children, as we have just heard. Does the Minister agree with me that until a Ukrainian GCSE is rolled out, no Ukrainian refugee should feel pressured into learning Russian?

• 8 Jan 2026 · Local Bus Services · Hansard source

  More

  The bus grant announced for the west was portrayed by the Government as a win, but in reality it was a real-terms cut. The three-year bus grant settlement announced by the Labour mayor last month is down 35% on the previous three-year allocation, and will result in real-terms cuts. How can the Government call that a win?

• 6 Jan 2026 · Gas-fired Power Stations · Hansard source

  More

  According to Government figures, output from new solar projects costs around £41 per megawatt-hour compared with roughly £140 per megawatt-hour for the lifespan costs of new gas power. I know the Secretary of State agrees with me and RenewableUK that clean energy remains the energy with the lowest cost, but how do we ensure that the British public agree with us?

• 5 Jan 2026 · Ukrainian Refugees · Hansard source

  More

  Happy new year, Mr Speaker. Bath Welcomes Refugees has supported more than 800 refugees to integrate and access vital services such as housing—indeed, Bath is another place where Ukrainian refugees have received a very warm welcome. The Public and Commercial Services Union report “Welcoming Growth” highlights the importance of employment support and English language provision in enabling refugees to contribute to society. What consideration has the Department given to these recommendations to support Ukrainian refugees in Bath?

• 18 Dec 2025 · Animal Welfare Strategy · Hansard source

  More

  Merry Christmas, Mr Speaker. May I thank you for signing the Christmas card of my young constituent, who was the winner of our Christmas card competition? When I gave it back to her, she was thrilled. I had the pleasure of visiting the Lush store in Bath. Lush has been a leading advocate for ending animal testing, championing cruelty-free science and cosmetics, and investing in innovative and humane alternatives. The Secretary of State has partly answered the question on the “Replacing animals in science” strategy, but of course it will be closely linked to the animal welfare strategy. Will she commit to any strategy that is published being backed up by primary legislation, with legally binding targets and timelines for ending animal testing and cruelty?

• 18 Dec 2025 · Christmas Adjournment · Hansard source

  More

  This last debate of the year is an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate some of the most valued aspects of our constituencies. I can mention only a few because of the time limit. VOICES has been delivering independent, trauma-informed domestic abuse services in Bath for more than a decade, and it currently supports more than 200 women, with many more on the waiting list. VOICES is working hard to improve survivors’ experience with the courts. Earlier this month, I met Baroness Levitt to discuss the survivor-led guide to family court proceedings, which VOICES co-produced. We explored how the Government can work with VOICES, so that there is wider access to the trauma-informed guide, which helps survivors to navigate what is often an intimidating and retraumatising court process. I pay tribute to VOICES and the very hard work it is doing. Looking back, many of the brightest moments of 2025 had a musical focus. Most recently, of course, carol concerts across the length and breadth of the city highlighted the joyful unity that communal singing can bring. November brought Mozartfest and lively am-dram Gilbert and Sullivan productions, and May brought the Bath festival and Party in the City. None of our cultural activities is free from deep financial worries; public money has all but dried up, and events can survive only thanks to the hard work of the volunteers who run the organisations. Bath is home to a vibrant community of independent shops, including our independent bookshops, such as Mr B’s, Persephone Books, Topping, Bath Old Books, the Oldfield Park Bookshop and the iconic Skoobs—we have a wonderful choice. Many of those cherished local businesses face serious challenges, as rising costs and limited Government support continue to threaten their future. Mr B’s bookshop will soon see its business rates rise by more than 70%, largely because of a steep increase in its rateable value. Rateable value often bears little resemblance to the reality of what businesses pay in rent. Many independent shops have long-standing relationships with their landlords that are built on trust, loyalty and stability. In some cases, landlords deliberately keep their rents fair and manageable because they value reliable long-term tenants, but none of that is recognised by the valuation system, and the casualties are our independent shops. The Government presented their business rates reforms in the Budget as a fairer deal for the high street, but in reality, the average pub will see its business rates increase by 76% in the next three years. I implore the Government to think again and support our local businesses. For many of us, the festive period means time away from work, spent with our closest friends and family, but let us not forget the many extraordinary and dedicated workers in the NHS, the emergency services, social care, retail and hospitality, energy, transport and so many other sectors who work over Christmas. I thank them. I also want to say a very big thank you to all the staff who have supported us through the year. Merry Christmas to you all.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Jane Austen · Hansard source

  More

  Does the Minister acknowledge the unbalanced literature that is still taught in schools, the majority of which is written by men as opposed to women?

• 18 Dec 2025 · Jane Austen · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Efford. What a wonderful debate to bring to this Chamber, on which I congratulate the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Luke Murphy). Jane Austen: what a legend, what a genius! She is still inspiring us today, and what an opportunity we have to hear from her directly, as she wanders the streets of Bath in 2025 through a little bit of time travel: “My dearest Cassandra, you will laugh at me, I am sure, for the rapture in which I write, but I cannot help myself, for Bath is a much changed city from when you and I did grace its fair streets. I shall do but imperfect justice with my pen, but will endeavour to paint in your mind a picture befitting this changed city, which, despite the marching of time, I still find to hold immeasurable beauty. As I wound through the streets of Bath, I marvelled at the honey-coloured stone, which did glow as pleasantly as ever. But sister, what will truly astonish you is what I did see coming towards me: I would call it a carriage, yet it is a strange mechanical one whose body is silver, and how it moves is beyond my comprehension, as there are no horses to pull it. Goodness! The noise it produced was most dreadful: a mixture of cry and roar such that I was compelled to leap from its path. There are, too, these strange signs affixed around the town, and for the life of me I cannot decipher their meaning. ‘Clean air zone’ is inscribed upon them—what a peculiar thing to write! Sister, when I uncover their origin and meaning, I will let you know with great haste. No sooner had I proceeded a little further than my senses were again most violently assailed, for I encountered a most merry band and of women, full of uproarious amusement; one did speak of a ‘hen party’. I shall not attempt to describe their attire, for it would, I fear, defile my pen. You may imagine them as you will, sister, but I shall leave that to you. They still hold celebrations and festivals in Bath; I watched one where ladies and gentlemen paraded about in coats and costumes of such cut and colour that I felt I had stepped into one of my own chapters. I observed them with all the greatest delight, so imagine my surprise when I found it was being undertaken in my honour. How gratifying to have unconsciously inspired so strong an affection! You will laugh, but it continues. I inquired, and found this not a singular affair; events across the city are held entirely to commemorate me. Exhibitions in museums and balls of the sort we once danced at are held in grand halls during an annual festival. There is even a museum—they call it the Jane Austen Centre—which informs visitors of my life, work and the manner in which I lived. I ought to be embarrassed, and perhaps I am—but only just a little. Mostly, I am entertained beyond measure. I am often detained by Bath’s excellent bookshops. One such establishment, Persephone Books, is a publisher devoted to selling neglected fiction and non-fiction text by women authors. It is admirable to see this shop promoting women writers. Imagine if when I struggled to publish my books, I had had such support. I find this accompanied with a certain vexation, though, as I see so very few women’s titles—or, indeed, their characters—within school curricula. The imbalance is unmistakable. The books of men and the stories of their heroes are bound in such numbers that it is most improper. I hear—and I do say it is frightful—that only 5% of GCSE pupils studied a text authored by a women for GCSE literature in 2024. Such figures speak plainly and require no ornament. That books written by women appear so seldom in the curriculum is most unjustifiable. I then, most unexpectedly, found myself being carried along by a crowd, my legs no longer my own. Hurried to a great stadium and with my curiosity spurring me on I ventured within and behold, what a spectacle presented itself! A number of gentlemen most astonishingly hurled one another across the grass in pursuit of a misshapen ball. They ended up in a most undignified heap, yet the people appeared highly entertained. I, caught up in the fervour, did lend my own voice. That is how I, to my own surprise, became a supporter of Bath Rugby. Cassandra, how a single city can change so much I cannot easily comprehend, but it is not an unhappy alternative lying before me. Far from it: Bath still leaves my heart fluttering. Until you can come again, you must accept this poor description in place of your own experience, and believe me, as ever, to be your affectionate sister Jane.” I apologise to all Jane Austen scholars, everybody who loves her and the great author herself for this poor epistle—but my team and I had great fun.

• 18 Dec 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls Strategy · Hansard source

  More

  I was a secondary school language teacher before I came to this place, and I had to deliver lessons on relationships. I have also raised two women and two men, so I was not exactly uncomfortable around young people, but I felt uncomfortable teaching those lessons, and it seems that I am not alone. About half of secondary school teachers do not feel comfortable delivering those lessons. I know that the strategy includes training for teachers, but, with busy school days and lots of other stuff going on, is it realistic to expect yet another bit of training to result in positive outcomes? Should we not have a professional in each school to deliver those lessons?

• 16 Dec 2025 · Grassroots Cricket Clubs · Hansard source

  More

  It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Turner. I congratulate the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Andrew Lewin) on securing this debate. Cricket is not played much in Germany, so I had to come a long way when I married my cricket-loving husband who spent most of his summer weekends either playing or listening to endless—and I thought monotonous —commentary on the radio, but I quickly brushed up on the meaning of “googly” and “duck”. In those days, cricket was very much a man’s game, and the woman’s role was to sit and watch. I felt I had become a cricket widow—I had the option to take along my toddlers, who would then invade the pitch as children do, or to wait at home long into the evening until a game was finished. As the years went by, it got better, becoming something my husband did with his sons. It got a little worse again when, under my husband’s watch, my son knocked out his front tooth—with very little sympathy from his dad, who said, “He knows he has to catch like this and to get his head out of the way,” and very little sympathy for me as a mother, who thought her beautiful son was ruined forever. He has since found love. Of course, I learned to love the game—and what a beautiful game it is. Grassroots cricket clubs are a vital part of my community in Bath, with some fantastic local initiatives. I will begin by repeating some of the challenges facing grassroots cricket clubs in state schools. The findings of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report are clearly unacceptable. The report found that children in state schools remain heavily under-represented on the sport’s talent pathways. It described widespread and deep-rooted elitism and class-based discrimination, alongside structural and institutional racism and sexism, as we have already heard. Two of the biggest barriers are the lack of cricket provision in state schools and the high cost of equipment. All of us in this room agree that a child’s opportunity to get involved in sports should never depend on their parents’ income or the type of school they attend. The England and Wales Cricket Board responded with its state school action plan 2024, which also laid bare the inequalities that exist within the sport. An independent school is eight times more likely to have a proper grass pitch and 10 times more likely to have a qualified coach. Given these facts, it is no wonder that most county and national-level players come from private schools. I will now come on to the positive part of my speech about the inspirational work of Lansdown cricket club in Bath. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest club in Somerset. I was proud to attend its 200th anniversary this year, where a microphone was put in front of my face and I had to say what is great about cricket. I said, “It covers so many sporting talents: you have to run, you have to catch a ball, you have to bat and you have to”—at that point, I could not think of that special word, so I said, “throw the ball.” Even though I had spent so much time watching and listening to cricket games, I could not think of that important word—bowl. The anniversary was a wonderful community event, and it showed that cricket clubs provide so much for their communities beyond sport. Lansdown’s partnerships with local state schools have been transformative. Using a cluster model, it has worked with three local primary schools and one secondary school to deliver more than 200 coaching sessions to nearly 5,000 children. Lansdown’s success shows what can happen when local clubs, schools and sponsors pull together, but it also shows how fragile those projects can be without sustained investment. Bath is blessed with many grassroots clubs, but significant constraints remain, particularly regarding facilities for girls and access to local coaches. That is why Government investment must reach the grassroots directly. Alongside centralised cricket domes in major cities, funding should flow to proven networks such as Chance to Shine, the Lord’s Taverners and the Somerset Cricket Foundation. Those excellent organisations already know the local landscape and can ensure that funds reach the children who need them most. Earlier this year, the Government announced a much reduced investment of £1.5 million for only two cricket domes in Luton and Preston, after cancelling the previous £35 million commitment made by the former Prime Minister in April 2024, as we have already heard. That decision was deeply disappointing, and will limit the potential to reach children in underprivileged areas who do not have access to cricket at school. The case for support is wider than just sport. Through initiatives such as “Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams”, we have seen how structured team sport changes lives. It improves mental health, reduces anxiety, builds self-esteem and creates a sense of belonging for young people who may struggle elsewhere. Cricket can be such a wonderfully inclusive game if we want it to be. It values patience and teamwork—yes, listening to a lot of cricket commentary requires patience too—welcomes a range of body types and personalities, and offers a place for every child to thrive. Finally, I echo two of the key recommendations from the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket. First, the Government should make resources available for significantly higher levels of cricket provision in state schools. Secondly, Ministers should work actively with private schools to open up their facilities and gift coaching hours to local state schools. I ask the Minister: what progress has been made on achieving those goals? Clubs such as Lansdown have shown us that, when local partnerships are properly supported, cricket can be a genuine force for community inclusion and opportunity. I hope that Bath’s success can be replicated across the country.

• 16 Dec 2025 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

  More

  One in three rape trials end up being postponed, in some cases more than six times, and 73% of rape survivors say that police treatment worsened their mental health during the process. What improvements will be made in how the police treat rape survivors?

• 15 Dec 2025 · Violence against Women and Girls Strategy · Hansard source

  More

  For many, Christmas is the season of joy and connection. But for victims of domestic abuse, it can be the most dangerous time of the year. Reports of domestic violence typically rise by around 20% over the festive period. How is the Department working with employers to ensure that staff are proactively informed about domestic abuse services and other support in the run-up to Christmas?

• 15 Dec 2025 · Jimmy Lai Conviction · Hansard source

  More

  The politically motivated conviction of Jimmy Lai is yet another chilling sign of the breakdown of human rights and freedom of speech in Hong Kong. The Foreign Secretary will know that I was refused entry into Hong Kong to visit our son and his young family, and I never got any explanation why. Where does this recent development leave British citizens still in Hong Kong and their families who are here? I am thinking particularly about the many BNOs in my constituency who are deeply worried, and I know what that feels like.

• 11 Dec 2025 · Fairtrade Certification · Hansard source

  More

  I remind Members that they should bob if they wish to speak. I am going to call the Front Benchers at 2.25 pm at the latest. I do not think I need to impose an official limit on speeches, but it would be brilliant if Members keep their remarks within eight minutes.

• 11 Dec 2025 · Fairtrade Certification · Hansard source

  More

  There is plenty of time, but I remind the Minister to leave a couple of minutes for the hon. Member for Glasgow North to wind up.

• 11 Dec 2025 · Fairtrade Certification · Hansard source

  More

  The normal order is two minutes to wind up.

• 11 Dec 2025 · Fairtrade Certification · Hansard source

  More

  Order. May I encourage the hon. Member to wind up?

• 11 Dec 2025 · Fairtrade Certification · Hansard source

  More

  I am enormously grateful to the Minister for leaving plenty of time for Martin Rhodes to wind up.

• 11 Dec 2025 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

  More

  The Minister mentioned earlier the disaster of Brexit, and I will add the loss to the UK economy of £250 million a day in tax revenue, according to research from the House of Commons Library. We Liberal Democrats want the Government to focus on a golden opportunity to grow the economy by considering a new customs union with the EU. Is it not time that the Government look at a new customs union with the EU? We will be told that there are deals with India and New Zealand that would be in peril. [Hon. Members: “There are!”] Those are nothing compared with the lost trade with the European Union.