Business of the House

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Thursday 31st October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

In fairness, as the right hon. Gentleman has brought me into this discussion, I am also concerned. I expect Ministers to reply to hon. Members of this House, whatever side they are on. Worse than that, to transfer such a question to someone else at the last minute is totally unacceptable. Ministers are accountable to this House. I fully support the Leader of the House, and I will work with her to make sure that all Members get such letters on time. Let us get that message back to Ministers—I am sure those on the Treasury Bench are listening—and I hope that a reply is being sent as we speak.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon and Consett) (Lab)]

I recently had the privilege of visiting the newly created Ryton heritage garden, which includes a memorial to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and of cutting the ribbon. Brighten Ryton is an amazing organisation that does much to help our local community, and I particularly thank Terry Docherty who led the project. May we have a debate in Government time on the importance of local community organisations in supporting our areas?

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating all those who work at the heritage garden in her constituency, and particularly Terry Docherty—it sounds as if he has does an immense job for her constituents. This topic is raised regularly, and now that the Backbench Business Committee is established, I am sure it would consider an application for a debate on the involvement of local community activists and the importance of volunteering to our communities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Monday 4th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

For almost two years this Tory Government have failed to appoint an independent adviser on Islamophobia. The former adviser has criticised the Government for their failure to engage, and revealed that he could not even get them to provide terms of reference for his role. Does the Minister agree that this Government lack the political will to tackle this pernicious hatred, or even to call it out?

[Felicity Buchan]

I strongly disagree. We plan to appoint a new independent adviser on anti-Muslim hatred, and we will update the House shortly.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Monday 22nd January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

Last week, the Secretary of State told the Business and Trade Committee that he hoped that the long-delayed inquiry that he commissioned into Teesworks and the Tees Valley Mayor will be published soon, and that he would not “pre-empt it”. The report was promised in July, then November, then December. It is now January. Where is it?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 17th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

Promoting Scotland overseas is vital, but so is the ability of tourists visiting Scotland to tour the fantastic islands. Earlier this week, the Scottish Transport Minister told the Scottish Parliament that he had overruled civil servants who had serious concerns about the continuation of the disastrous CalMac ferry project being a waste of taxpayers’ money. Scottish taxpayers’ money has been wasted on this poorly managed scheme and islanders have been left stranded. Last week, we learned that a Green Scottish Government Minister had chartered a private yacht to visit the Isle of Rum. Does the Secretary of State share my concerns that the Scottish Government are misusing taxpayers’ money while the islands are left without transport connections?

[Mr Jack]

I certainly do.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 11th January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister, Liz Twist.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

One reason families in Scotland are paying some of the highest electricity bills in Europe is that there have been 13 years of failed Tory and SNP energy polices. Scotland is a key contributor in delivering a secure, affordable low-carbon energy system for the whole UK. Under Labour’s proposals we would lower bills for Scottish households and be energy independent, with a plan for clean power by 2030. The former Conservative energy Minister, Claire Perry O’Neill, said:

“Labour are serious about Britain’s energy crisis—unlike my former party”.

Does the Minister agree with his former colleague?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 16th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister, Liz Twist.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

When the Prime Minister was anointed, he stood in Downing Street and said he would put integrity at the heart of his Government. That was just three short weeks ago. Since then, one of his key Ministers has had to resign for threatening to slit someone’s throat; his Home Secretary is clinging on to her job—the one she resigned from a week before being reappointed; his predecessor has appointed his old mates and cronies to the House of Lords; and the old but newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister has been outed as a bully. Does the Under-Secretary think that speaks to integrity at the heart of Government?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 12th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

One of the most critical ways of reducing domestic energy costs in Scotland is by supporting renewable energy generation and carbon reduction efforts. I have raised before at the Dispatch Box the fact that the UK Government chose to sideline the Acorn carbon capture and storage project in the north-east of Scotland. The Scottish Government have refused to provide financing either.

The Secretary of State may be interested to hear that Labour has put forward a fully costed plan to invest in Britain’s infrastructure, which includes providing the funding for the Acorn project. Will the Secretary of State encourage his Cabinet colleagues—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I must ask the hon. Lady to start the question again, because I could not hear.

[Liz Twist]

I believe the Secretary of State and the Minister may have heard the first part of the question, so I will conclude by asking the Secretary of State to encourage his Cabinet colleagues to look again at how the carbon capture and storage project can be supported to enable it to get under way as a matter of urgency.

[David Duguid]

As the hon. Lady may be aware, the Acorn cluster looms large in my own constituency, so I have nothing but the greatest support for that project. I can also assure her, and the rest of the House, that this Government have stood firmly behind it: we have invested £41 million in the project directly, and it is also the reserve cluster in the Track-1 sequence. Track-2 sequencing for carbon capture and storage across the United Kingdom is coming soon, I am told, and I look forward to that announcement with great interest.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 29th June 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call shadow Minister Liz Twist.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

There are five excellent bids from across Scotland for the two proposed green freeports. Each of the bids is of such high quality that it would be a great shame not to support the local economies in Inverness and Cromarty, Orkney, the Forth, the Clyde, and Aberdeen City and Peterhead. Will the Minister’s Department consider what support can be given to unsuccessful areas, and whether that support can be widened?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 18th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister, Liz Twist.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

For years, Ministers have assured organisations in receipt of EU structural funding that the UK shared prosperity fund would maintain that funding after Brexit. Finally, the Government published the details of their shared prosperity fund and, for organisations such as the world-leading European Marine Energy Centre based in Orkney, it was a brutal blow. The Government broke their promise. As a result, EMEC, a site that has tested more marine energy devices than any other in the world, now faces closure. What is the Secretary of State doing to ensure that his Cabinet colleagues keep their promise of matching the funding for EMEC and other Interreg projects in Scotland?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 15th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I welcome shadow Minister Liz Twist to her new post.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

The post-COP26 message is that Governments have little time to act on climate change. As the Secretary of State is aware, the Acorn carbon capture and storage project has not been given the go-ahead by the UK Government, but it could create 15,000 highly skilled jobs in Scotland and demonstrate that a just transition is feasible. The shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray), wrote to the First Minister to encourage her to find a joint solution, but the reply contained more reasons not to work together and grievances than finding a solution for the project. Rather than the UK and Scottish Governments trading insults, will the Secretary of State back the Acorn project by finding a joint funding solution with the Scottish Government?

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 8th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The final question is from Liz Twist.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Secretary of State rightly emphasised the importance of vaccines, but the Government have fallen short of their target to offer all 12 to 15-year-olds the vaccine by October, so what will he do to ensure that programme is speeded up and rolled out?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Wednesday 17th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The hon. Lady just said “you.” We cannot use “you.” I am not responsible for this.

[Liz Twist]

Apologies. The Prime Minister vowed to do his utmost to get Samantha access to life-changing drug Kuvan. Last month NICE published draft guidance, which would make Kuvan available to children but not to adults like Samantha—great for children, but devastating and discriminatory for adults like Samantha. Prime Minister, speaking as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on PKU, I now ask, what action will you take to deliver on your commitment to Samantha Parker, and make Kuvan available for her and for other adults with PKU?

Business of the House

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Liz Twist

Thursday 28th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

May I just add that the House Service will also be recognising International Women’s Day?

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

Shopworkers, particularly those in supermarkets and other food stores, have really been on the frontline during this pandemic, keeping us supplied with the essentials of life. They do not have the option of working from home. Yet, too often, retail workers face abuse and poor treatment from a few customers. Just yesterday, one of my staff witnessed a shopworker being spat at for asking someone to wear a mask going into the store. Can we have a debate in Government time on the impact of covid-19 on retail workers?