🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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The House will be aware that we spend £333 billion a year on the Department for Work and Pensions. We spend less than a fifth of that on defence, at £62 billion. In his speech this morning, the Prime Minister talked about government being “a choice”. Is this the right choice?
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The House will be aware that we spend £333 billion a year on the Department for Work and Pensions. We spend less than a fifth of that on defence, at £62 billion. In his speech this morning, the Prime Minister talked about government being “a choice”. Is this the right choice?
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The Minister will be aware that on Sunday we published a report—I have it here—that is highly critical of the delay in the defence investment plan. The most important duty of a Government is to defend the nation, as is stated in article 3 of the NATO treaty. Our constituents want to know whether they are going to be properly defended, the armed forces need to know whether they are going...
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Madam Deputy Speaker, I am grateful to catch your eye in this important King’s Speech debate. I follow other colleagues in congratulating the hon. Members for Bradford West (Naz Shah) and for Harlow (Chris Vince) on their amusing and well-informed speeches. One of the few things that this Government have got right in the King’s Speech is the expedited Bill to nationalise Scunthorpe...
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I do not think I could design a tax increase that was a bigger tax on jobs than the hike in national insurance. I totally agree with the hon. Lady, and I think it is tragic in particular for our young people trying to get into the world of work today. As Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, my focus is on value for money for the taxpayer and ensuring that no expenditure goes to waste....
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If the hon. Gentleman is just a little patient, he will find that, two or three paragraphs down, I will address precisely that point. Currently, the defence budget for 2025-26 is £62.2 billion, which is a measly 18% of the welfare budget of £333 billion. The Government have pledged to increase it by 2.6%, or £9 billion, by 2027 and by 3% in the next Parliament, which means a further...
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I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s intervention. As someone who worked under my right hon. Friend for Sutton Coldfield (Sir Andrew Mitchell) as a junior Opposition defence spokesman, I understand the value of overseas aid, and I particularly understand the elements of it that he describes as soft power. The other day the PAC conducted an inquiry about the BBC World Service, and I do wish that...
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It may be pretty obvious to some, but it is not so obvious to others. To govern is to make difficult choices. In short, the Government are spending more than the country can afford, funded by ever-increasing amounts of debt. If we are serious about protecting our nation in an increasingly uncertain world, we must also be serious about the strength of our economy. That means bringing our...
More of Geoffrey Clifton-Brown's speeches and debates
✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance to Lead Local Flood Authorities on the application of Section 245 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 when assessing Flood Risk Assessments accompanying planning applications.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure public authorities are aware of and comply with Section 245 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people diagnosed with SOD 1 MND are currently unable to access tofersen.
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To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure tofersen can be administered to MND patients under the early access programme.
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To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the total cost was of the new security arrangements at carriage gates; how many tenders were received for those works; and what the sign-off procedure was.
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To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the Restoration and Renewal Client Board, what the budget is for the restoration and renewal of the parliamentary estate in the next financial year.
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To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the budget is for Strategic Estates in the next financial year.
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To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Treasury has reviewed its 2020 forecast of the fiscal impact of extending the VAT RES to EU residents.
More of Geoffrey Clifton-Brown's written questions
