Business of the House

Martin Whitfield Excerpts

Thursday 21st March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Andrea Leadsom]

I commend the hon. Gentleman for standing up for Dudley, as he absolutely would do. As part of the UK’s industrial strategy, we have already agreed 10 sector deals with a range of industries including the aerospace, construction and offshore wind sectors. These deals bring together Government, industry and researchers to ensure that we can build on our success and exploit future opportunities. The Government are doing their bit, sector by sector, to promote the huge opportunities that lie ahead, and I encourage the hon. Gentleman to seek an Adjournment debate so that he can talk to Ministers about the opportunities for Dudley.

[Martin Whitfield (East Lothian) (Lab)]

The primary 7 pupils at Prestonpans Primary School in East Lothian, where I used to teach, had a debate on Brexit, and it was very friendly and goal-oriented. Indeed, one of the children undertook to write to the Prime Minister, and I know that in due course he will get a response. Given their attitude to that debate, and given the comments by my hon. Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Matt Western) about what young people can do with regard to climate change, could we have an urgent debate on what we can learn from our young people?