Oral Answers to Questions

Connor Rand Excerpts
Thursday 10th July 2025

(2 days, 22 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gregor Poynton Portrait Gregor Poynton (Livingston) (Lab)
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5. What steps he is taking to improve relations with the EU.

Connor Rand Portrait Mr Connor Rand (Altrincham and Sale West) (Lab)
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16. What steps he is taking to improve relations with the EU.

Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait The Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Nick Thomas-Symonds)
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On 19 May, we held the first ever UK-EU summit and announced a strategic partnership that will make people across the UK safer, more secure and more prosperous. We are delivering greater security via the security and defence partnership, increased safety through tackling irregular migration and organised crime, and prosperity through the removal of trade barriers, energy efficiency and a cheaper transition to net zero. That is good for bills, good for jobs and good for borders.

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Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait Nick Thomas-Symonds
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My hon. Friend speaks very powerfully for his local businesses, and I am delighted that great produce such as Paterson’s shortbread, Lorne sausages and Scottish seed potatoes will benefit from easier and cheaper trade with the EU via the SPS agreement. Any party that wants to reverse that will have to explain why it wants to take £9 billion-worth of benefits a year by 2040 away from our economy.

Connor Rand Portrait Mr Rand
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Does the Minister agree with me that, after years of the Conservatives picking fights with our most important allies rather than working with them on the shared challenges we face, our recently agreed trade deal and our closer co-operation on security and migration show the benefits of a grown-up approach to improving relations with our European partners?

Nick Thomas-Symonds Portrait Nick Thomas-Symonds
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The trade and co-operation agreement left a massive gap in our ability to tackle irregular migration. The agreement we have now made with the EU starts the process of filling that gap through a comprehensive partnership. It includes enhancing our operational relationship to tackle organised immigration crime and irregular migration with key agencies such as Europol.

National Security Strategy

Connor Rand Excerpts
Tuesday 24th June 2025

(2 weeks, 4 days ago)

Commons Chamber
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Pat McFadden Portrait Pat McFadden
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The hon. Gentleman should have more faith in the depth and strength of British society. This is a society that has sustained robust debate over the years, and I think that it can do so in the future. It is a critical part of our national strength and a part of what makes this country great. I pay tribute to British society for being so strong and for allowing such robust debate.

Connor Rand Portrait Mr Connor Rand (Altrincham and Sale West) (Lab)
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Does the Minister agree that our energy security is fundamental to our national security, and, therefore, does he share my concerns that Conservative Members now appear to disagree with the investment that we are making in energy security in this country? If they disagree with the investment that we are making in nuclear, small modular reactors and Great British Energy, they should stand up and say so.

Pat McFadden Portrait Pat McFadden
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. When we make the decision to invest in new nuclear power, that is a contribution to our energy security. When we make the investment in other home-grown clean energy, that is a contribution to our national security. It is essential that, in this day and age, we have a broad view of national security, which understands our vulnerabilities and the importance of protecting ourselves against them.

Oral Answers to Questions

Connor Rand Excerpts
Wednesday 9th October 2024

(9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Bridget Phillipson Portrait Bridget Phillipson
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I am afraid I did not catch all of the hon. Gentleman’s question, but I am happy to discuss it with him further. I have met my counterparts in Northern Ireland. I recognise our shared challenges and want to ensure that we work constructively across the devolved Governments on areas of concern.

Connor Rand Portrait Mr Connor Rand (Altrincham and Sale West) (Lab)
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4. What steps she is taking to help end discrimination against disabled people.

Stephen Timms Portrait The Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms)
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We want a more inclusive society with less discrimination, and our election manifesto committed us to putting the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of all we do. As a first step, we are legislating to deliver equal pay for disabled people, with disability pay gap monitoring for larger employers.

Connor Rand Portrait Mr Rand
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A huge part of tackling discrimination against disabled people is challenging preconceptions about what people can achieve. Will the Minister therefore join me in congratulating the phenomenal Joseph Adams, a 21-year-old with Down’s syndrome in my constituency, who recently ran ten 10 km races in ten different countries in just five days as part of his “no limits” challenge? He has raised a staggering £400,000 for a disability sports and employment programme in my community.

Stephen Timms Portrait Sir Stephen Timms
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I am delighted to congratulate Joseph, and I welcome my hon. Friend’s drawing his achievements to our attention. I spent an inspiring few days at the Paralympics in Paris not long ago. It was partly inspiring because we came second behind only China—ahead of the USA, and ahead of all the other European countries as well. My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of this issue. We are going to work with disabled people and their organisations to make sport more accessible and to remove the barriers that are too often in place.