Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 26th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

It is telling that the Minister is refusing to come clean with the public on how many prisoners are being released early under the scheme. As we know, the public are overwhelmingly in favour of an early release scheme if it were applied to his colleagues in a general election. [Laughter.] Does he have any intention, before that happy day, of releasing the truth about how many prisoners are being let out early?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 20th February 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call shadow Minister Kevin Brennan.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

I welcome the meeting that the Secretary of State has just offered.

The problem with the Government’s response is that it ought to be centred on the experiences of families, not on the convenience of state bureaucracy, in order to ensure that they are never repeated. There is nothing in what we have seen so far from the Government that goes as far as we and, more importantly, the families believe is necessary to require public authorities to act with candour and transparency. Why is the Secretary of State persisting with a piecemeal approach, instead of committing to a clear, compelling and comprehensive duty of candour, as proposed in the Hillsborough law?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 21st November 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

The Secretary of State’s emergency early release scheme is meant to tackle a capacity crisis that is entirely of this Government’s making, and it excludes only serious violence. Surely domestic abuse and stalking are serious offences, yet they are not excluded from early release. What kind of signal does that give to victims, the public, and indeed perpetrators of violence against women and girls?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 12th September 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I welcome the shadow Minister, Kevin Brennan. It will be quieter on the Back Benches but no doubt he will make up for it on the Front Bench.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I suspect the Minister might anticipate what I am going to ask him because I am beginning to think the Department should be renamed the Department for Justice Delayed. Labour proposed that we change the law on attending sentencing back in 2022, and just last month the Leader of the Opposition said that we were prepared to amend the relevant legislation if there was no action, so why is it taking so long for the Government to intervene on behalf of victims and their families?

Business of the House

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 18th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Can I just say to the Leader of the House that it might be worth while if we were to have a meeting with the Chief Whip? It is becoming more and more apparent that Members—Back Benchers in particular —cannot represent their constituents when Departments do not answer their correspondence in good time. I would say that it is now becoming the way forward not to answer Members. That is not acceptable, we need to get it resolved and I am sure that we can both do that together to represent Back Benchers in the way they should be and, more importantly, their constituents.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

One hundred and thirty years ago, Ivor Novello was born in Cowbridge Road East in my Cardiff West constituency. Today, we celebrate the Ivor Novello awards that bear his name, with the wonderful, brilliant song writing and composing community that we have in the UK. May we have a debate about the contribution that is made, both culturally and economically, by our brilliant song writers and composers in the UK, and explore Government policy and the implications of artificial intelligence and so on for the future of our brilliant song writing and composing community?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 3rd May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

Get on with it!

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Mr Brennan, I do not need you shouting from the back row. I have always offered a cup of tea to Government Members, but there is equally an opportunity for you to take one.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 1st December 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Never say never.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

Of course, a very important part of our film and television industry is the music that goes with it and the composers who provide that music. At this juncture, it would be wrong of me to not recognise and send sympathy to the family of Christine McVie, one of Britain’s greatest ever songwriters, who sadly passed away yesterday. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear.”]

I was glad to hear what the Minister of State aid about AI earlier, because that will affect film and TV composers, as well as other people within the industry. Will she ensure that in undertaking the AI review, the Government listen very carefully to the views of songwriters and composers who work in the film and television industry during their consultation?

UK Energy Costs

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 8th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Copies of the written ministerial statement have been made available to some Members, but there are not enough for everybody—[Interruption.] If I might finish my point of order: is it possible for sufficient copies to be made so that we can all see the statement?

[Mr Speaker]

As we both know, that is not a point of order, but it is certainly a clarification that the copies are now coming out. We are printing them as fast as possible to make sure that all Members have the ability to read them. It is with great disappointment that we are doing so, but that is a matter of fact.

Points of Order

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 28th April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am grateful to the hon. Member for giving me notice of his point of order. It is not a procedural matter requiring an immediate ruling from the Chair. The Table Office can advise hon. Members on how to raise matters that are of great concern to their constituents. The hon. Member made his point forcefully, and I am sure that people will have heard a clear message.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. As a relatively new Member of the House with just 20 years’ experience, may I ask you to give me some procedural advice? Is there any procedure by which I can inform the House that my constituent Luke Symons, who was incarcerated for five years in Sanaa in Yemen and whose case I have raised many times on the Floor of the House, was released this week and is back, safe and well with his wife and child in my constituency? Further, is there any mechanism by which I can put on the record my thanks to all Members of the House who over the years have expressed support for Luke and his family, as well as to his grandfather Bob Cummings, who campaigned tirelessly for his release?

[Mr Speaker]

Once again, the hon. Member has achieved his objective—it is certainly on the record—and the whole House supports the release of his constituent.

Business of the House

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 3rd March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

You’ll be called again.

[Mr Speaker]

You’ll be called first next week.

Points of Order

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 2nd March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Obviously, what I cannot do is continue the debate on the issue. I am sure Members on the Government Benches will have picked up the hon. Gentleman’s remarks.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. During that same statement, the Home Secretary appeared to call into question the trustworthiness of Opposition Members to be briefed on security matters. Is it in order for her to undermine hon. Members in that way?

[Mr Speaker]

I do know that the Opposition have been briefed, and I will be briefed again later today. Members of Parliament are trustworthy—that is why they are hon. Members—and I would expect information to be shared in an appropriate manner.

Bill Presented

Benefit Cap (Report on Abolition) Bill

Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57)

David Linden presented a Bill to report to Parliament on the likely effects of the abolition of the benefit cap, including on levels of absolute and relative poverty, poor mental health, food bank use, borrowing of money from friends and family, evictions from homes and problem debt, and on different groups including women, lone parents and people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds; and for connected purposes.

Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time Friday 18 March, and to be printed (Bill 264).

Committee on Standards: Decision of the House

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 8th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Brennan]

I have been a Member of the House for 20 years, and the maturity and the balance of the speech that the hon. Gentleman is giving makes we want to intervene on him to thank him for serving as a member of the Committee, because I can certainly say that it is something that I have never been willing to do. I thank him, the Chair and other members of the Committee for the service that they give to this House.

[Mr Speaker]

I welcome that, but we do need to push on.

--- Later in debate ---

[Kevin Brennan]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Further to what the right hon. Member for Forest of Dean (Mr Harper), the former Government Chief Whip, said earlier, I understand that the Prime Minister arrived back in London, to King’s Cross, at 5 pm. Would it be in order for him to come to the House before the end of the debate or, if that is not possible, to make a statement to the House to personally apologise as the former Chief Whip advised he should?

[Mr Speaker]

To be quite honest, that is not a point of order.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 16th June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We now come to Kevin Brennan. It’s Question 16.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 14th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Sorry, but we are going to have to move on.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

What assessment she has made of the effect of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the UK’s position in global trade.

Business of the House

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 17th December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Let us head over to Wales with Kevin Brennan. Can I just say that there is a dress code for Members who are not in the Chamber as well as those who are?

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab) [V]]

I thank the shadow Leader of the House for mentioning Luke Symons, who is still being held captive by the Houthis in Yemen. May I press the Leader of the House to ensure that his colleagues in the Foreign Office are doing all they can to secure his release?

My constituent Bailey Williams turns 19 this week. He suffers from multiple seizures, except when controlled by medical cannabis. He can get hold of his medicine, but many children and young people in that position cannot, because the Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed that after 31 December it will be impossible to import that important medicine from the Netherlands. May we have an urgent statement from the Department of Health and Social Care, in writing if necessary, to indicate what it thinks families who are faced with the prospect of their children losing their vital medicine should do?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 15th October 2020 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

I welcome—

[Mr Speaker]

Question No. 15.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

What steps the commission is taking to maintain its political independence.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 8th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Come on, Minister. You have got to help me get through the questions.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

I welcome some of the wartime-socialism policies of this Government, based on Gordon Brown’s rescue packages under the last Labour Government, which were then cruelly undermined by the Tory Government who followed. But there is room for more fiscal measures, including perhaps looking at VAT on events as a way of trying to stimulate that industry. When the Chancellor sits down next to him, will the Minister whisper in his ear and tell him to do that?

Covid-19: Economic Package

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 12th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We cross over into Wales with Kevin Brennan.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab) [V]]

Prynhawn da, Mr Speaker. The Chancellor has said that he is doing everything he can, but has he seen the New Starter Justice campaign for people who started or were due to start a new job after 28 February and are still cut adrift from any help from the Chancellor and his schemes? Why has he thrown this particular group of hard-working British people under the bus?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 22nd April 2020 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab) [V]]

I echo what my hon. Friend the Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Gerald Jones) said about those working in the health service and those who have suffered from the virus. We know that when Ministers from Wales and the other devolved nations of the UK—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

I hope that the Secretary of State can make the most of that question; the line went down.

Points of Order

Debate between Kevin Brennan and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 25th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Obviously a point of order is for the Chair, but it is quite right that we put that on the record. The thoughts of all Members of the House on all sides will come together. We give his family our most sincere thoughts and prayers at this time.

[Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Liaison Committee has still not been set up because there were objections to the Leader of the House’s proposal to create a new piece of prime ministerial patronage, putting someone in place as Chair rather than having them elected by the House. I wonder, Mr Speaker, whether there has been any indication that that motion could be brought back by the Leader of the House at any stage without the position of Chair being included.

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I might be able to help. The Liaison Committee Chair is not a matter for today. The Leader of the House may wish to clarify it and clear up any mess.