Debates between David Mundell and Virendra Sharma during the 2019 Parliament

Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit

Debate between David Mundell and Virendra Sharma
Thursday 2nd December 2021

(2 years, 5 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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David Mundell Portrait David Mundell
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Absolutely. If we had video facilities in Westminster Hall, I would be able to show the hon. Gentleman when I joined Mary’s Meals volunteers in not only making a healthy porridge but having a good old singsong about it as well. He is right. Many similar organisations do a really important job.

The hon. Member for Ealing South always takes an important interest in these matters. I was pleased to hear that he would be participating, through the IDC, in the summit. It is important that it is not only governmental, and that interested and relevant parties play a part. Obviously, I did not agree with everything that the hon. Member for Dundee West (Chris Law) said: I sort of agreed with the start and the end. The contribution of the Opposition spokesman, the hon. Member for Bolton South East (Yasmin Qureshi), was thoughtful and underpinned the core asks that we put to the Minister. I was pleased that the Minister was able to confirm at least one of those asks, and I think everyone following the debate will be pleased that the OECD policy markers will be adopted at an early stage. The other issues that everyone raised are as relevant, and we hope to see a positive response to them.

Virendra Sharma Portrait Mr Sharma
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This is just a correction. My constituency is Ealing, Southall, not Ealing South.

David Mundell Portrait David Mundell
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I thank the hon. Gentleman for that. I am not as familiar with the geography of London as I might otherwise be.

To return to the point I was making, it is clear what the asks are. I hope that the Government will look favourably on them. As I said when I met the Prime Minister, to come back to the initial point, this represents the best value of any intervention or spend that the UK Government could make. The summit is an opportunity to reaffirm global leadership, and I hope that that opportunity is seized.

Resolved,

That this House has considered the 2021 Tokyo Nutrition for Growth summit.