Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ronnie Cowan and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 20th March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

On the back of last week’s Budget, I made a speech about industrial hemp. The industry is telling me that it can create 105,000 jobs and pay £1 billion in tax if it is allowed to grow—pun intended. I will be writing to the Minister to explain this in detail, but it would be really helpful if I could sit down with the relevant Minister and industry representatives so they can make their case.

[Mr Speaker]

Who wants it?

Points of Order

Debate between Ronnie Cowan and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 15th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I think the hon. Gentleman should be a bit more cautious on the language about misleading, but I will now give my answer.

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Just a minute, please. Order. Can I just say to you, Mr Cowan, that two of us are not going to be on our feet at the same time? I am standing, I know your intention, and I will give my first answer before I come to you. Please, let us follow the orders of the House, which apply to everybody, including you.

I thank the hon. Members for Edinburgh West (Christine Jardine) and for Moray (Douglas Ross) for giving notice of their points of order. The Chair is not responsible for the accuracy of Members’ use of statistics. Members themselves must take responsibility for the accuracy of their contributions. These Members have made their views clear, and I certainly do not want a continuation of the debate.

Mr Cowan, I am sure you are not going to continue the debate, are you?

[Ronnie Cowan]

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. I thank you for your forbearance on this matter; I have no intention of rehearsing the debate. All I would say is that I checked Hansard and I clearly said “potential”, and I stand by that. If the Scottish Government and the industry had had investment from the UK Government, that potential—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are doing it again; the hon. Member will have to sit down. The answer is, “Thanks for that; it is a good clarification.” I am going to leave it at that; I am not going to continue the debate.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ronnie Cowan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 4th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I now call the Scottish National party spokesperson, Ronnie Cowan.

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

Scotland’s active travel budget will soon amount to 10% of the transport budget, which means that at least £320 million a year—nearly £60 per person in Scotland—will be spent on walking and wheeling. The Department for Transport plans to spend less than £7 per head. When my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire North (Gavin Newlands) put that to the Secretary of State, he was disbelieving. Now that he has seen the proof, why is the Department short-changing active travel in England?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ronnie Cowan and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 16th December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP) [V]]

  Prime Minister, were you as dismayed as I was by the number of drug-related deaths reported in Scotland yesterday? If you were, then you can do something about it. Not just in Scotland, but across the United Kingdom, obstacles exist to the creation of drug consumption rooms, and those obstacles can be removed—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am not responsible; the hon. Member keeps saying “you”, and honestly, I do not want to be responsible for any of this.

[Ronnie Cowan]

My apologies, Mr Speaker. I am obviously addressing my question to the Prime Minister. There are obstacles that exist across the United Kingdom to the creation of drug consumption rooms, and those obstacles can be removed at Westminster. Previously the UK Government have held an ideological view that drug consumption rooms encourage drug taking. Will the Prime Minister engage with me and allow me the opportunity to help him do a good thing?

Inclusive Transport Strategy

Debate between Ronnie Cowan and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 25th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Sir Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. I made a mistake. I should have called the Scottish National party spokesperson. Does the hon. Gentleman wish to speak now?

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

indicated dissent.

Record Copies of Acts

Debate between Ronnie Cowan and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 20th April 2016 Commons Chamber

[Ronnie Cowan (Inverclyde) (SNP)]

On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I just want to clarify one point. The Minister for the Cabinet Office stated that the first page of his speech was printed on vellum. [Interruption.]

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle)]

Order. Never mind the hon. Gentleman having his hand in his pocket, I want to hear the point of order.

--- Later in debate ---

[Ronnie Cowan]

The first page of the Minister’s speech was of course not printed on vellum. It may have been printed on a product called vellum paper, which is a completely different synthetic product. It is not vellum.

[Mr Deputy Speaker]

All I can tell the hon. Gentleman is that that is not a point for the Chair, and I am certainly not going to reopen the debate after what we have just been through.