Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Sarah Olney

Tuesday 11th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

The Government’s failed mini-Budget sent interest rates soaring, which is already causing mortgage pain for millions, but rising borrowing costs are now threatening our high streets too. Small businesses in Richmond Park and across the UK are seeing their loan repayments spiral and their financing options dry up. We have already seen the highest number of company insolvencies since the financial crisis—more than 5,600 businesses closed in the second quarter of this year—and SME debt is now at a staggering £204 billion. Most of those businesses will not see a penny from the cut to corporation tax. What is the Chancellor—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Come on—we cannot do that.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Sarah Olney

Thursday 8th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

And the great county of Lancashire.

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

T4. The Government have said that they aspire to be a global leader in animal welfare, yet only one of the three animal welfare Bills proposed in the 2021 Queen’s Speech has since been enshrined into law. Earlier this year the Government scrapped the Animals Abroad Bill entirely, which would have ensured that cruel animal practices abroad were not supported by the UK consumer market. Does the Minister agree that a country that cares for animals as much as we do should play no part in the import of fur, foie gras and hunting trophies?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Sarah Olney

Wednesday 30th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Final question: Sarah Olney.

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

Q12. Last Friday, it emerged that there had been an oil spill in Beverley Brook, a river that flows through Richmond Park to the Thames. Black waste oil and iridescence can now be seen along 13 km of the watercourse, posing a serious threat to fish and local wildlife. The Environment Agency is investigating, but it is understaffed and underfunded while also battling water companies over sewage discharge. Will the Government commit to strengthening the powers of the Office for Environmental Protection, as the Lib Dems tried to do through the passage of the Environment Bill, so that it can hold the Government and other public authorities to account over environmental damage in the same way that the European Commission was able to?

[The Prime Minister]

I know what is behind the hon. Member’s question: a desire to return to the jurisdiction of the European Union. We want to ensure that we use our landmark Environment Act 2021 to continue to improve the quality of our rivers, and that is what we are doing.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Sarah Olney

Monday 7th June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We have another substantive question for Minister Philp.

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

What steps she is taking to ensure that EU citizens with indefinite leave to remain will not be required to apply for EU settled status.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lindsay Hoyle and Sarah Olney

Tuesday 29th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

More than 90% of the UK’s manufacturing companies have kept working, even at the height of the pandemic, keeping food on supermarket shelves and medicines and ventilators in our hospitals. However, many of them will face a major crisis when the furlough scheme ends in a few weeks’ time. Demand is still incredibly low in some parts of industry, but Government support is being withdrawn. It is patently obvious that the well-paid and highly skilled jobs that we have in sectors such as aerospace and aviation should be the foundations of our future economic growth and the public will not forget it if the Government allow them to wither on the vine. As the voice of business within the Government—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We cannot read out a speech. It has to be a question, very short and very brief. It is a supplementary.

[Sarah Olney]

May I ask the Minister, as the voice of business within the Government, what she is doing to ensure that these vital jobs and skills are being protected?