Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Karl McCartney

Wednesday 3rd May 2023 Commons Chamber

[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.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

I thank the hon. Member for the extra minute he has given me.

[Mr Speaker]

I would not count on that.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

Tomorrow, the people of Lincoln will have the chance to remove from office the anti-business socialist Scrooges and elect local Conservatives. Does my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister agree that for better-run local services—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. In fairness to the Prime Minister, I think the text went out, and I think he has got the answer. Come on, Prime Minister.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Karl McCartney

Monday 12th December 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Karl MᶜCartney.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and may I compliment you on your military grade haircut, and also refer Members to my entry in the register of interests? Just cheering you up, Mr Speaker; it is Christmas.

Lincoln is a city—including Lincoln College and its RAF linked academy—with a concentration of innovative defence technology firms. That is due in no small part to RAF Waddington being located in my constituency and the historical links with the military, particularly the RAF, across the county. What steps has the MOD taken, or will it take soon, to allow those industries, in some cases small businesses, to survive, grow and thrive in this competitive arena?

[Mr Speaker]

We do not want a military-grade long answer—and I am not sure about the hair.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Karl McCartney

Monday 5th December 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Karl MᶜCartney is obviously not here. Can the Secretary of State answer as though he is present?

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

4. What steps his Department is taking to support people on low incomes with the cost of living.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Karl McCartney

Tuesday 7th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

What will you say to Karl MᶜCartney?

[Karl MᶜCartney]

Thank you, and happy Christmas to you, Mr Speaker.

Connectivity is critical to levelling up, which is why I have advocated and secured significant infrastructure improvements in Lincoln since 2010. The recent counterproductive 25% cut in Lincolnshire’s highways maintenance grant is not levelling up, and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor was sitting next to the Prime Minister when I raised this issue at Prime Minister’s questions a fortnight ago.

If the Treasury does not provide the funding to return Lincolnshire’s highways maintenance grant to 2019-20 levels, at the very least, there will be a significant impact on improvements and repairs to the highways network in our county. Will the Chief Secretary agree to return the funding to pre-pandemic levels, or at least to put pressure on our colleagues in the Department for Transport to do so?

Points of Order

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Karl McCartney

Tuesday 2nd November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am absolutely appalled that we are still not getting the message across. Members of Parliament deserve answers. The Leader of the House and I are absolutely committed to ensuring that Members, rightly and deservedly, get their answers. I am also grateful to the hon. Member for giving me notice of her point of order.

If the Minister gave such an undertaking to respond, that should of course happen promptly without the hon. Member having to keep pressing the Home Office for an answer. I know that those on the Treasury Bench will be listening, and I expect them to pass on this point to the Home Secretary to ensure that an answer is given as early as possible. If necessary, the hon. Member can also consult the Table Office about the avenues that are open to her to pursue. Please keep me informed if that answer is not forthcoming.

I have to say—it needs to be heard loud and clear—that Members of Parliament on both sides rightly deserve answers to questions, especially as they are representing their constituents. We base this House on democracy, and part of that democratic process is that Ministers answer to Members.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I rise to represent the 649 MPs who, as the House was sitting last night, saw a report, perhaps with some consternation, on some notable websites—notably the Guido Fawkes website—that the House of Commons Commission had made changes to our working practices in this place with no reference to us. Rightly, Mr Speaker, you have done some great things over the past 18 months to keep this place going. I could make some points about the content of the announcement last night, and notably about Lord Ridley’s excellent speech in the other place about the usefulness of masks, but I would say that you rightly castigated my right hon. Friend the Chancellor, who is no longer in his place, and some of his colleagues last week. Surely what is sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander.

Business of the House

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Karl McCartney

Thursday 12th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

May I suggest that we run these questions until about quarter-past?

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

My right hon. Friend will doubtless be aware, as will the Whips, you, Mr Speaker, and the Deputy Speakers, that, along with many longer-serving Members, the 2019 intake, from across the House, are having incredible problems with the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. Surely it is time for reform? This is groundhog day, and, 10 years on, what does IPSA cost the taxpayer each year compared with what the Fees Office cost to do the same tasks pre-2008-09?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Karl McCartney

Thursday 12th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. It has to be linked to the question that you were standing for. Do not worry; we will come back later.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

I note that the questions that my honourable and hairy friend has answered so far were about reducing the cost of rail fares, but that implies that either more people must make more journeys by rail, or taxpayers generally, such as those in Lincoln, must subsidise the rail industry more. Which would my hon. Friend prefer? Does he have any plans to improve the franchise process to make bidding for them more attractive to businesses?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Karl McCartney

Thursday 9th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Question 14. Karl MᶜCartney.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is good to be back—and I do like your socks.