Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 13th September 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

After 16 years of SNP Government and 13 years of the Tories, one in four children in Scotland lives in poverty. There are 40,000 more children in poverty compared with a decade ago, and this week it was revealed that three members of the Scottish Government’s own Poverty and Inequality Commission had resigned. Does the Minister agree that both the Scottish and the UK Governments should be working more urgently and more effectively to tackle child poverty?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 24th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

As fuel poverty runs rampant and families right across Wales are struggling, does the Secretary of State not realise how appalling it looks that Shell is making £61,000 a minute? When will his Government get a grip, close the loopholes worth billions and extend the windfall tax?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 20th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

You will need better coloured trousers if you are doing that.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

9. What recent discussions he has had with DP World on the treatment of workers at P&O Ferries.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 18th January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

As my hon. Friend the Member for Llanelli (Dame Nia Griffith) has just reminded the House, the Secretary of State, the Minister and their predecessors repeatedly promised that Wales would receive “not a penny less” to replace EU structural funds to Wales. Not only have they failed to deliver on that promise, but the record inflation that their Government have presided over has resulted in a double whammy to the Welsh Government’s budget. Is the Minister aware that higher education has been shut out of his Government’s flagship levelling-up process and that hundreds of jobs are now at risk, possibly as many as 600? Why are his Government continually letting down people, including young people, across Wales?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 19th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister, Gerald Jones.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

It seems that rewarding failure is this Government’s guiding principle, and even Conservative Members agree. Avanti West Coast is the worst performing operator on the rail network, but Ministers spent an eye-watering £4 million of taxpayers’ money on bonuses to company executives for

“customer experience and acting as a good operator.”

Does the Minister agree that this is simply not good enough for the businesses and people of north Wales?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 6th July 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

The Conservatives’ cost of living crisis is hitting Wales hard. The soaring costs of energy, fuel and food have been compounded by crippling increases in tax and national insurance. The meagre 5p cut to fuel duty has proved wholly inadequate and energy costs are due to rise even further this autumn. It is clear that the Government have run out of not only ideas but Ministers. Will the Minister commit to speaking to whoever holds the post of Chancellor this afternoon about taking immediate further action to tackle the cost of living crisis?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 25th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister, Gerald Jones.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

Wales contains 11% of the UK’s railway infrastructure, but in recent years has received only 1% of the Government’s investment. As if that were not bad enough, classifying HS2 as an England and Wales project is denying Wales nearly £5 billion of investment. I know that the Secretary of State does not like it when we remind the Welsh public that his Government is short-changing Wales, but now the leader of the Welsh Conservatives agrees with us, as does the Welsh Affairs Committee. Perhaps if the Government had given Wales a fair settlement to upgrade its railways, the Chancellor would not have had to fork out £10,000 for a helicopter to make a round trip from London to Powys. When will the Secretary of State use his position at the Cabinet table to ensure that his Government cough up?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 9th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I think the hon. Member for Lincoln (Karl MᶜCartney) was trying to say that there would be an improvement to broadband if the train line was reopened. That is the only way his question can be connected to the lead question.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

The Conservative manifesto promised gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business across Wales, and across the UK, by 2025. How does the Minister justify the levelling down in his Government’s so-called levelling-up White Paper, which now only states targeting 70% to 80% by 2025?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 28th October 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Unfortunately, that is not relevant. Let me explain: supplementary questions have to be linked to the substantive question that is asked. If you had put in something about the wonderful lamb that comes out of Ynys Môn, I could have allowed it. You have to make sure that there is a link to the question that is asked—I think the Whips have got some jobs on their hands.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

9. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of labour supply for the food and drink sector.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 2nd March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Let us go to Robert Halfon. [Interruption.] Oh, right—let us move on.

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of reductions in the official development assistance budget on poverty in the global south.

Policing and Crime Bill

Debate between Gerald Jones and Lindsay Hoyle

Report stage: House of Commons
Tuesday 26th April 2016 Commons Chamber

[Gerald Jones]

I accept that the Welsh Assembly Government do not have power over policing, but there is no difference between the 500 PCSOs that the Welsh Government fund—they are part of the policing family—and other PCSOs. They are certainly not what is being proposed in the Bill; they are paid police community support officers who work in communities across Wales. Sadly, because of the Conservative cuts, the number of PCSOs has been drastically reduced elsewhere. Wales is the only area where PCSO numbers have increased, and I am thankful that I represent a Welsh constituency where that is the case. I close by asking the Minister to confirm whether she expects the volunteers to plug the gap that the Government have created by cutting the number of PCSOs.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

I call Geoffrey Clifton-Brown.