Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 24th April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the deputy leader of the Scottish National party.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

I join in wishing the Jewish community a happy Passover and sending my condolences to the family and loved ones of Frank Field.

Two years ago, when mass graves were discovered in Ukraine, this House united in condemnation and rightly treated those graves as evidence of war crimes, which Russia must be made to answer for. Yesterday, Palestinian officials uncovered two mass graves outside the bombed hospitals in Gaza. Those graves also constitute a war crime, do they not?

Iran-Israel Update

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Monday 15th April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the SNP spokesperson.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

I echo the Prime Minister in passing on our thoughts not only to you, Mr Speaker, but to the families of the aid workers who have been killed in Gaza.

I condemn the acts of violence by the Iranian regime. They are no more than a cynical attempt to exploit the suffering, pain and turmoil being experienced by people in Palestine right now. While we rightly condemn the violent acts of Iran, so too must we condemn the violent acts of Israel. From listening to the interviews that he has been giving, the Foreign Secretary is correct in his attempt to uphold the principle of proportionality, but if firing 100 missiles in retaliation for an isolated attack on an embassy is—correctly—considered disproportionate, so too must be Israel’s 192-day bombardment of Gaza.

We know that the agenda in Tehran is to bring about as much instability as possible. We all have a responsibility to ensure that that does not happen. There is not going to be a military solution to the conflict in the middle east. There must be a political and diplomatic solution, so what is required now is the same as what was required six months ago: we need de-escalation, and for the causes of conflict in the region to be reviewed. The biggest continuing cause of conflict is the siege of Gaza; hence the need for a ceasefire. Can the Prime Minister outline what he is doing to ensure that the ceasefire mandated by the UN Security Council becomes a reality?

[The Prime Minister]

First, it is important not to try to draw any equivalence between Israel’s absolute right—indeed, duty—to provide security for its citizens in the face of an appalling terrorist atrocity and what happened over the weekend. Those things are not remotely the same. More broadly, though, as I have said repeatedly from this Dispatch Box, we urge Israel to abide by international humanitarian law. We have been very clear that too many civilians have been killed, and we are deeply concerned about the impact on the civilian population in Gaza; our diplomatic efforts are geared towards alleviating that suffering. I will continue to raise those points with Prime Minister Netanyahu when I speak to him, but, as I have said, drawing an equivalence between those two things is absolutely not the right thing to do.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 25th October 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the SNP deputy leader.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

Yesterday, the UN warned that hospitals in Gaza had just 48 hours of fuel left to keep their electricity going. That was 28 hours ago; the electricity runs out tonight. We have a human responsibility to all the people in Gaza, but we have a particular responsibility for UK citizens, some of whom are in those hospitals, with no food, no water, no medicine and no way out. How much worse does the situation have to get before the Prime Minister will join us in calling for a humanitarian ceasefire?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 12th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the SNP deputy leader.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

Last month, the Deputy Prime Minister dismissed warnings from the SNP Benches that mortgage rates were nearly back to where they were after the disastrous mini-Budget. This week, mortgage rates have surpassed those levels. How high do they need to go before he and his Government take this seriously?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 5th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We now come to the deputy leader of the Scottish National party.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

I begin by thanking all the staff in our health services across these isles. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the health services in the UK, I want to reflect on two quotes from two people. The first is:

“it’s about using the private sector more…something that we, actually, should be very comfortable with.”

The second is:

“A number of people do go as NHS patients to the private sector…and we could do more of it”.

Can I ask the Deputy Prime Minister: which quote is from the PM, and which is from the Leader of the Opposition?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 7th June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We come to the deputy leader of the SNP.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

When the Prime Minister took office, he said that he would put economic stability and confidence at the heart of the Government. Today, UK interest rates are among the highest in the G20, and mortgage rates are rising back to nearly where they were after the former Prime Minister crashed the economy. Is it not the case that the Government’s biggest achievement is that they are trashing the economy just a wee bit slower than their predecessor?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 17th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We now turn to the deputy Leader of the Scottish National party.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

In 2016, the Deputy Prime Minister told his constituents in a blog that it was his duty to furnish them

“with all the facts that are available”

with regards to Brexit. Today, Brexit Britain faces higher food prices, a lack of workers, a shrinking economy and a decline in living standards. Why is he happy to ignore those facts?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 16th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Scottish National party spokesperson, Mhairi Black.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

It is very concerning to hear the Secretary of State dispute the figures from the House of Commons Library. Let me emphasise that Scotland’s block grant is being cut, our services are being eroded by Tory cuts, the economy is being undermined by Brexit and Scotland, as part of the UK, is facing the deepest recession in Europe. This Government’s response is more austerity, despite Scotland’s rejecting that premise for more than 50 years. Will the Secretary of State and the rest of his disaster capitalist Tories get out of Scotland’s way, stop denying democracy, and allow Scotland to choose its own path out of this nightmare?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 18th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We now come to the SNP spokesperson, Mhairi Black.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs advised people in poverty to buy value products, the safeguarding Minister suggested that people should just work “more hours” or get a “better-paid job”, and the Chancellor said that it would be “silly” to help people struggling with the cost of living crisis. Does the Minister have any equally useless advice to add to that of his colleagues for the people facing destitution?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 15th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mhairi Black]

I am sorry for the floundering social life of the Secretary of State, but if I could, I will move on to the point that my hon. Friend the Member for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill (Steven Bonnar) made. We talk about the Prime Minister’s vision, but does that vision not go against what the majority of people in Scotland voted for, given that they are against Brexit, the majority are against the Prime Minister and they are against the Conservatives? So is it not the case that the best chance this Prime Minister has of saving the Union and rebuilding trust in our covid response is by resigning?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am going to allow that, but we really need to be within the scope of the question. It is party politics, and I do not want us to get into that, but it is Christmas, so I am sure the Secretary of State will want to answer.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 11th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mhairi Black]

I thank the Minister for confirming that there is no legal basis for his assertion on the timing of a future referendum. Given that it was also agreed cross-party that nothing in the Smith commission prevents Scotland from becoming an independent country in the future, can he tell us whose decision is it whether Scotland has another referendum?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The question must have some relevance. The first question got through, but you were trying to push your luck the second time. We cannot do that. The question must be relevant. Sorry about that. We had better move on.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 1st July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We now go to the SNP spokesperson—[Interruption.] Order. Who is clapping? We do not clap. We want to hear the SNP spokesperson, Mhairi Black.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP) [V]]

I would like to echo the remarks of the Secretary of State with regard to the events in Glasgow. Our thoughts are with all those affected.

The Secretary of State says that the Chancellor will be updating the House with regard to the furloughing scheme, so I will note that with interest, but could he tell us specifically what recommendations and requests he has made to the Treasury with regard to Scotland?

Pension Schemes Bill [Lords]

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 22nd March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mhairi Black]

Does my hon. Friend agree that by missing this opportunity the Government are wilfully ignoring it, much like they are ignoring the WASPI women themselves?

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. We do not discuss new clauses that have not been selected. We have to deal with what is before us and that is the new clauses on the selection list. I know that the hon. Gentleman wants to stay in order by dealing with those, not those that have been omitted.

Paisley (Cultural Contribution)

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Mhairi Black

Wednesday 30th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

I shall assume that the hon. Gentleman is here to intervene later.

[Mhairi Black (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (SNP)]

rose—