Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tom Randall and Saqib Bhatti

Wednesday 18th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Saqib Bhatti (Meriden) (Con)]

3. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the Government’s energy security strategy on Scotland.

[Tom Randall (Gedling) (Con)]

13. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the Government’s energy security strategy on Scotland.

Registers of Births and Deaths Bill

Debate between Tom Randall and Saqib Bhatti

2nd reading
Friday 26th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Tom Randall (Gedling) (Con)]

I rise to speak in support of this Bill. I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Saqib Bhatti) on bringing this Bill to the House this afternoon. I also offer my belated congratulations on his becoming a father again and bringing those experiences to the Floor of the House today.

[Saqib Bhatti]

My wife is a very patient woman. It was remiss of me not to mention in my speech that she was in the Lobby with our child. I accept the congratulations of everyone who has given them and everyone who will. I thank my hon. Friend for that.

[Tom Randall]

I am happy to give my hon. Friend the opportunity not to get into trouble with Mrs Bhatti later.

I have to admit that I first approached this Bill with a slight degree of trepidation. As I was reading the letter from the Minister on the Bill, I saw that dreaded word “modernise”. It is not one I always look on favourably. I have a slightly romantic view of records as bound volumes on shelves that will be there forever for historians to pore over in future. I had a worry that with the Bill coming forward, there was a chance that in that drive for modernity—that desire to make progress—we were going to lose something of our history and of our past.