Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Graham Stuart and Nia Griffith

Wednesday 11th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Dame Nia Griffith]

I commend the hon. Member for her campaigning on this issue, but as I am sure she understands, the cost of undergrounding is significant. We have said clearly that our position is that overhead lines should generally be the starting presumption, except for in nationally designated landscapes.

[Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con)]

People of all ages welcome Wales’s role in making this country a clean energy superpower, but pensioners in particular had to go through last winter freezing cold, and tens of thousands went to A&E. Will the Minister, who we all know is a decent Labour Front Bencher, do what the Chancellor refused to do, and apologise to those pensioners who lost the winter fuel allowance when they needed it most?

[Dame Nia Griffith]

I should just remind the House that we did maintain the triple lock, which gave pensioners a boost of over £400 this spring. As the right hon. Gentleman well knows, pensioners will again benefit from the winter fuel allowance.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Graham Stuart and Nia Griffith

Wednesday 11th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Dame Nia Griffith]

The Secretary of State was very pleased to chair the first meeting of the advisory group last week. The group will work with us to inform the UK Government’s industrial strategy to ensure that we build on Wales’s proud industrial heritage and develop the jobs and industries of the future. This is the first time that representatives from both Governments, from business, education and industry groups and from the unions have come together to shape cross-Government UK policy, proving the difference that two Governments working together for Wales can make.

[Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con)]

There is no better way of strengthening the Union than improving the healthcare of people in Wales. Somehow, at the general election, Labour managed to mislead the public in England into thinking that it could bring the change to the health service. In truth, we need Welsh people to have a much improved health service, as the people of England have had under Conservative control. [Interruption.] Only the Labour Government could suggest that longer waiting lists in Wales and worse outcomes in Wales were somehow something to crow about. They are not. What will be done about it?

[Dame Nia Griffith]

What do you make of that, Mr Speaker? With the additional funding that we have provided for the Welsh Government, I can assure the right hon. Member that there will be proper investment in the Welsh health service, which did not happen for 14 years under the Tories.