Costs for Motorists

Debate between Lucy Rigby and Ben Obese-Jecty

Thursday 21st May 2026 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Rigby]

My hon. Friend raises an important point about the critical nature of bus services to the entire country. That is exactly why we are providing more than £3 billion for buses over the next three years, to cap fares at £3 and maintain and improve services. That includes funding for local authorities to put in place local fare initiatives if they wish to do so, as I believe the North East combined authority has done. We are also making reforms to bus franchising, which will allow for new and better services.

[Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)]

I want to come back to what the Minister said earlier about the war in Iran. She knows full well that the Leader of the Opposition did not say that she would take us into the conflict, and she knows full well that it was a NOFORN—no foreign nationals—operation and that there was never an opportunity for the UK to be involved. If she does not know that, she should go and speak to the Defence team and get up to date with the details. She has some cheek, considering that the Government have just decided that they are going to row back on the pressure they put on Russia. Given that the Minister did not explain it in her media round this morning, will she now explain exactly why the Government decided to exempt oil and oil products that originate from Russia under commodity codes 2709 and 2710?

[Lucy Rigby]

I wholeheartedly reject any accusation or idea whatsoever that we are somehow going soft on Russia and Putin. That is completely wrong. The new package of sanctions that we have introduced is stronger today—[Interruption.]

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lucy Rigby and Ben Obese-Jecty

Thursday 20th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Solicitor General]

The shadow Solicitor General refers to Jonathan Hall and the terrorism review. Terrorism is, of course, something that the Government take extremely seriously. Jonathan Hall’s review has now concluded and it is right that his report—coupled with the contempt review—is considered in full by the Home Secretary, as an important step in addressing all those questions.

[Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)]

6. What steps she is taking with the Crown Prosecution Service to help ensure the effective functioning of the courts.

[James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con)]

9. What steps she is taking with the Crown Prosecution Service to help ensure the effective functioning of the courts.

[Ben Obese-Jecty]

The effective functioning of the courts relies on sound and sensible sentencing guidelines. In just 12 days, such guidelines will no longer exist and a two-tier sentencing system will come into force on the Solicitor General’s watch. This is the fourth time that the issue has been raised by the Opposition; I hope we will have more luck in securing a direct answer from the Solicitor General. Does she agree with the Justice Secretary that the guidelines will bring in a two-tier sentencing system, and can she confirm once and for all what is being done to stop those sentencing guidelines from coming into force?

[The Solicitor General]

I remind the hon. Member that the Conservative Sentencing Minister at the time wrote to the Sentencing Council making it clear that they welcomed the new guidance. Equality before the law is core to the application of the rule of law in this country and a foundational principle of our legal and judicial systems. I am sure that colleagues will welcome the fact that the Lord Chancellor met the chair of the Sentencing Council last week, and they had a constructive discussion around the guidelines.

Attorney General’s Office: Conflicts of Interest

Debate between Lucy Rigby and Ben Obese-Jecty

Thursday 23rd January 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Solicitor General]

I agree with my hon. Friend, and I am grateful to him for making that point. As I said earlier, barristers are quite simply not their clients, and I have quoted the words of the current Conservative shadow Attorney General.

[Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)]

The current Attorney General has a track record of taking up multiple cases against the British Government. Given his previous work with regards to both Gerry Adams and the families of those making claims against UK special forces, on which matters will the Attorney General recuse himself from advising Ministers owing to clear conflicts of interest? If he is not able to fulfil the full scope of his role owing to his prior career, is his position even tenable?

[The Solicitor General]

I am afraid I could not be more clear: I have already said that where the Attorney General has conflicts, he will recuse himself.