Tributes to Her Late Majesty The Queen

John Lamont Excerpts

Friday 9th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

I, too, want to reflect on the immense loss that we in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth have sustained with the passing of Her late Majesty the Queen. Like every other Member of this House, I can say with pride that the Queen knew well my constituency, in the Scottish Borders; she visited it many times in her seven decades of service as our sovereign.

I treasure memories of two of Her late Majesty’s most recent visits to the Scottish Borders. In 2009, she came to the seaside town of Eyemouth in Berwickshire, and on 9 September 2015, seven years ago today, she opened the Borders railway. That was the day on which she became the longest-serving monarch in our history. On both of those days, the crowds were large—probably much larger than the organisers expected. I remember the enormous anticipation steadily building as the time for her arrival approached. There were local residents there of all ages and backgrounds. A thrill of excitement, like an electric pulse, ran through the crowd when they saw Her late Majesty. There was joy, disbelief and awe at seeing a global icon—the face on every coin and stamp—in the flesh; she was a smiling and radiant lady, here to visit them in their community. Those memories will last a lifetime.

As a Member of the Scottish Parliament for a decade, I had the privilege of meeting Her late Majesty in more informal settings. After each election, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would host a reception at the palace of Holyroodhouse for the newly elected MSPs. As they moved around the room, the Queen clockwise and the Duke of Edinburgh anti-clockwise, there was a real sense of anticipation—the same as we experienced when she visited the Borders. It was amusing to see how some of my new MSP colleagues, who may not have been the most instinctive royalists, were suddenly reduced to a bag of nerves, but as the Queen joined our group, we were all immediately put at ease by her twinkly eyes and warmth. After brief pleasantries, she launched into detailed and informed questions about our respective constituencies. Given that there were 129 MSPs plus various other guests, the fact that she was able to remember such detailed knowledge was quite remarkable, but this was her kingdom and had been for longer than most of us had been alive.

The Queen was always fully prepared for whatever her duty demanded of her. She never spared herself, as we saw this week, when she fulfilled her last act of service: appointing my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. In good times and bad, we have always looked to the Queen for guidance and leadership, and were never left wanting. Her life spanned the end of the British empire and the start of the age of the internet. Few of us can remember a time without the Queen on the throne.

Our great nation is feeling tremendous pain at the loss of our beloved Queen. As we come to terms with that loss, let us give thanks that it was our good fortune to have her reign over us, happily and gloriously, for so long; and let us give our sympathy and support to His Majesty the King. In years to come, those children who waved flags in the Scottish Borders will tell their grandchildren of the day the Queen came to town. Each of them, each of us here and all our constituents will forever be able to say with pride, “We are Elizabethans.” God save the King.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing)]

As Mr Speaker announced at the beginning of proceedings today, at approximately 6 pm the House will be suspended while His Majesty the King makes his broadcast to the nation. Members present will be able to watch that broadcast on screens in the Chamber. We will then resume our proceedings to continue tributes.

The House will now be suspended while the King makes his broadcast to the nation.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Thursday 14th July 2022 Commons Chamber

[Selaine Saxby (North Devon) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to mitigate increases in food prices.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

10. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to mitigate increases in food prices.

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Kit Malthouse)]

My Department has been working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to assess the impact on food prices as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and other pressures.

[Kit Malthouse]

My hon. Friend is right to identify an extremely challenging part of the global cost of living crisis that we are trying to confront. Critical in that is the role of farming and the production of food domestically. One key area where we are able to assist and where lots of work is going on is the provision of fertiliser. She is a rural MP, as am I, so she will know that fertiliser is a key driver of overall food prices. I am pleased to say that for some weeks, DEFRA has been running a fertiliser taskforce, which is doing valuable work to stabilise the market and help farmers to optimise their use of artificial fertiliser.

[John Lamont]

I visited a farm in my constituency in the Scottish Borders last week, alongside the National Farmers Union of Scotland. The cost of feed, fertiliser and many other essential products has skyrocketed, and that is clearly pushing up food prices. What more can the Government do to help our farmers and support this important industry?

[Kit Malthouse]

My hon. Friend raises a very good point, although sadly the provision of food is devolved north of the border. We are working very closely with the Scottish Government to make sure that they put in place adequate provision to assist farmers. Here in England, for example, we have introduced the basic payment to help with cash flow. That has been welcomed by the industry, but the key driver of the fertiliser price will dog us for some time. If prices are too high, farmers will use less fertiliser. If they use less fertiliser, there will be lower yields and smaller animals, which means higher prices. Getting that combination right is critical, as is encouraging and supporting farmers through direct subsidy to return to the old-fashioned fertiliser use of animal slurry. We are helping them with their storage capacity and capability, so that they can optimise their yields from the crops that they sow.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Tuesday 24th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right. I mentioned earlier the increase in rape convictions that will be promoted by the use of section 28 to allow pre-recorded video evidence for the victims of rape and other serious sexual violence. She should also know that, working closely with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, we are making great progress on Operation Soteria to make sure that the focus is on the accused rather than overwhelmingly on the victim who comes forward with the courage that that takes.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

T7. The Government should be proud of their pioneering efforts to protect victims, and I very much look forward to seeing the draft victims Bill. Have they considered how their actions contrast with those taken by the SNP Government in Edinburgh? Victim Support Scotland says that Scotland lags behind the rest of the UK on victims’ rights.

[Dominic Raab]

It is very telling that the SNP spokesperson, the hon. Member for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (Stuart C. McDonald), did not want to talk about those issues or Scotland’s record and asked us something totally outside the realm of Justice questions. My hon. Friend makes a compelling point, but we will not rest on our laurels south of the border. We will introduce a victims Bill that will place the victims code into law and send the clearest possible signal that the justice system must deliver for victims as a matter of moral correctness and to ensure the efficacy of the system.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Wednesday 9th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Brandon Lewis]

I am sure the hon. Gentleman will be aware that throughout the pandemic we have made sure we have kept the common travel area flowing and open. That has not necessarily been the case on the part of the Irish Government at certain points, but we have done that; we think it is important and we will continue to do that. I am looking to have further talks with the Irish Government. My officials have been talking to them about all these issues this week and last week, and I will continue to do that myself as well.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

2. What plans his Department has to mark the platinum jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen.

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[The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Conor Burns)]

Next month marks 75 years since the young Princess Elizabeth made her famous pledge:

“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service”.

My Department is working closely with colleagues across Government, and we will play our full part in celebrating the achievement of Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of her platinum jubilee. It will be the nation’s opportunity to recognise all that she has given to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, to express to her all she means to us, and to say to her with gratitude and in unity: long may she reign over us—God save the Queen.

[John Lamont]

I very much associate myself with the Minister’s remarks. I know the celebration of the platinum jubilee will be a cross-Government effort, but will he assure me that he is working with the devolved Administrations to ensure it is an entire-UK event, with all parts of the United Kingdom joining together to celebrate this momentous occasion?

[Conor Burns]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right: this is an occasion that should unite the whole of the United Kingdom—all regions and all nations of the United Kingdom. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I are working closely with local authorities and the Government in Northern Ireland to make sure that this is something that brings communities together. We will want to remember some of the 25 occasions that the Queen has visited Northern Ireland: three of them as Princess Elizabeth and 22 of them as Queen. We want to involve young people and we want to use the opportunity of the jubilee to celebrate the best of Northern Ireland.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Felicity Buchan (Kensington) (Con)]

8. What his priorities are for the COP26 presidency.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

11. What his priorities are for the COP26 presidency.

[Holly Mumby-Croft (Scunthorpe) (Con)]

12. What his priorities are for the COP26 presidency.

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[Alok Sharma]

As my hon. Friend highlights, net zero has become one of the clearest financial trends. I pay tribute to Mark Carney and his whole team for establishing the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, to which she refers. I hope that during this year additional private capital will sign up to that alliance. Part of the work of GFANZ is to ensure that some of the funds are directed towards climate resilience projects in developing nations. We are working with GFANZ and other partners towards that objective.

[John Lamont]

It is vital that the UK seizes the opportunities of net zero to create new industries and green jobs. How is the President of COP26 prioritising skills to help the United Kingdom and the world to achieve our ultimate goal?

[Alok Sharma]

My hon. Friend is right to link achieving net zero with jobs creation. Of course, as we build these new green industries, it will require equipping workers with the right skills. I congratulate him on the hard work that he did in ensuring an award from the UK Government of £380,000 to Borders College in his constituency to develop green courses in entrepreneurship and carbon literacy. I look forward to visiting the college with him next week.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Tuesday 9th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

T3. Across the UK, more and more young women are reporting being spiked by injection, a truly abhorrent attack on people just trying to have fun. What are the Government doing to protect women who are being attacked in this way?

[The Minister for Crime and Policing (Kit Malthouse)]

We share my hon. Friend’s abhorrence at this appalling new phenomenon. To reassure him, the Home Secretary and I are in close touch with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which is co-ordinating local and national investigation assets across the country to try to prevent the crime and help protect young women.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Wednesday 15th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[David T. C. Davies]

That, I believe, would be a promising scheme that could perhaps be looked at in conjunction with the growth deals. As the hon. Lady will be aware, £790 million has been put forward for growth deals across Wales, and that is exactly the sort of scheme that is being considered as part of that. May I say how strongly I welcome the hon. Lady’s support for the aviation sector, which I hope will be shared by all her colleagues?

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

4. What steps the Government are taking to help Wales achieve the net zero emissions target.

[Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire) (Con)]

10. What steps the Government are taking to help Wales achieve the net zero emissions target.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Simon Hart)]

Wales’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by close to 31% since 1990. To bring them down to zero, we will be scaling up low-carbon power generation, kickstarting the hydrogen economy and transitioning to zero emission vehicles.

[John Lamont]

I am grateful for that response. Many parts of Wales are rural like my own constituency in the Scottish borders. These rural areas need a plentiful supply of electric car charging points to encourage people to make the switch to electric cars. How are the UK Government supporting the switch across the four nations of the United Kingdom?

[Simon Hart]

I am very grateful for my hon. Friend’s question, because it illustrates a situation very similar to his in Wales. I hope he is as pleased as we are with the £275 million commitment to the electric vehicle homecharge scheme, the workplace charging scheme, the on-street residential chargepoint scheme and a number of other measures, all of which, of course, are UK-wide initiatives.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Wednesday 8th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Jack]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Our focus is on rebuilding our economy. Our focus is on restoring our NHS. I think most right-minded Scots would agree that using civil service resources to design a prospectus for independence is the wrong thing to be doing at this time.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

Over the summer, new data published by the SNP Scottish Government showed the Union dividend to be worth £2,210 a person in Scotland. Does the Minister agree that those figures simply confirm the benefit of Scotland remaining at the heart of a strong United Kingdom?

[Mr Jack]

I absolutely would agree with my hon. Friend. I would add that the recent “Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland” reports in August showed that the deficit last year for the Scottish budget was £36.3 billion. That is more than the Scottish Government spend on education, housing, transport, culture and health.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Wednesday 24th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mims Davies]

I know that the hon. Lady is very passionate about making sure that anybody with barriers, anybody impacted on by this pandemic, is absolutely supported, and that is something that we have been doing at DWP. Through our Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, we are listening to and engaging with charities and hearing from those people who are working, those with learning disabilities, autistic people, and people with complex needs. Of course, this is an incredibly worrying time for people with disabilities. The Minister is looking at this very carefully and will keep it under review.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

What steps she is taking to ban conversion therapy.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

What steps she is taking to ban conversion therapy; and if she will make a statement.

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss)]

I am committed to banning conversion therapy. It is an abhorrent practice and I will shortly be bringing forward plans to do just that.

[John Lamont]

I am grateful for that response. I am absolutely clear that this practice has no place in a civilised society. Being from the LGBT+ community is not an illness to be treated or cured, and I agree with the Prime Minister who calls conversion therapy “abhorrent” and “repulsive”. In the light of this, what can the Minister do to accelerate the ban?

[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We have been working to make sure that the measures that we put in place are enforceable and fully researched. I am confident that we will be able to announce progress on this very soon.

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[The Prime Minister]

I knew it would n0t be long—there they are! There are a couple of reasons. First of all, senior members of the hon. Member’s party said that it was a “once in a generation” event in 2014. I think that that point of view is shared across the House, and quite rightly. The other reason, which is absolutely plain to people in this country, is that we are all trying to build back better and get out of a pandemic. That is the priority for the British people—it is the priority for the whole country —and I think people are, frankly, amazed to hear the Scottish nationalist party still, in these circumstances, banging on about their constitutional obsessions.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

  Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir lives in my constituency and has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Doddie’s foundation, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, is campaigning alongside the research community, patients, MND Scotland and the MND Association for the Government to invest £50 million over five years to establish a virtual MND research institute. I understand that positive discussions have already taken place with the Health Secretary, but it is important to ensure that other priorities such as this are not lost in the pandemic. Will the Prime Minister commit the Government to supporting this initiative, so that we can work towards finding a cure for this devastating disease?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend very much for raising this important question and for championing research into motor neurone disease, and I thank him also for raising the excellent work of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. We have spent £54 million in the last five years towards this cause, and we are looking at ways significantly to boost the research that we are supporting.

Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Wednesday 10th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Rob Roberts (Delyn) (Con)]

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the Union connectivity review.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the Union connectivity review.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con)]

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the Union connectivity review.

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[Mr Jack]

Mr Speaker, why should I not just completely agree? Improving connectivity across the entire United Kingdom, including through the north-west of England, will boost tourism opportunities for both Scotland and Wales.

[John Lamont]

The Minister will know that cross-border transport routes are vital for my constituents, for educational and career opportunities as well as many other day-to-day tasks. That is why I want to see the Borders Railway extended and to see improvements to the A1; these are both vital routes for the Scottish borders. Does he share my frustration and shock that the SNP Scottish Government are failing to engage with and support the connectivity review, which could be an opportunity to accelerate these two projects?