Simon Hart's recent appearances (TheyWorkForYou)
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/?pid=24813
en-gbTheyWorkForYou.com2024-03-19T06:37:46+00:00Floating Offshore Wind Projects - [Sir Christopher Chope in the Chair] | Westminster Hall debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2022-10-18b.215.0&p=24813#g217.0
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the much-rumoured and long-awaited freeport status for places such as Milford Haven—even in conjunction with Neath Port Talbot or similar—would...Does my right hon. Friend agree that the much-rumoured and long-awaited freeport status for places such as Milford Haven—even in conjunction with Neath Port Talbot or similar—would accelerate all of the exciting initiatives he has referred to?]]>2022-10-18T09:30:00+00:00British Constitution: Reform | Wales Office | Written Answers
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2022-07-06.900881.h&p=24813#g900881.r0
I have not had any discussions with the Welsh Government on constitutional reform. Nor have I had any discussions on constitutional reform with businesses, charities, stakeholders, voters, or...I have not had any discussions with the Welsh Government on constitutional reform. Nor have I had any discussions on constitutional reform with businesses, charities, stakeholders, voters, or investors. As we recover from the pandemic and devote ourselves to helping with Ukraine this is the last thing any sane person thinks is a priority.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Tourism Industry | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.861.6&p=24813#g862.2
Perhaps I can encourage the hon. Gentleman to persuade his colleague in Cardiff, the First Minister, to drop his ridiculous plans for a tourism tax and for various other means of punishing...Perhaps I can encourage the hon. Gentleman to persuade his colleague in Cardiff, the First Minister, to drop his ridiculous plans for a tourism tax and for various other means of punishing successful businesses in Wales. If he did that, perhaps we could create some lasting jobs in Wales rather than simply listening to his political protestations.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Tourism Industry | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.861.6&p=24813#g862.0
I think I can do even better than my hon. Friend requests me to by simply quoting the words of the chief executive of UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, who said: “The tourism tax is ill thought...I think I can do even better than my hon. Friend requests me to by simply quoting the words of the chief executive of UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, who said: “The tourism tax is ill thought through and proposed without any impact assessment. Welsh Government does not know why it is needed, what its effect will be on visitors and what damage it will do to businesses and jobs in a sector making up a quarter of the Welsh economy. It is unnecessary, unhelpful and ill considered.” If the House does not believe it from me, it should believe it from the experts in this particular field.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Tourism Industry | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.861.6&p=24813#g861.8
The UK Government are Wales tourism’s biggest fan, and the fact we stepped up with financial help during the pandemic and saved thousands of jobs is testament to that.The UK Government are Wales tourism’s biggest fan, and the fact we stepped up with financial help during the pandemic and saved thousands of jobs is testament to that.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Welsh Product Procurement | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.861.1&p=24813#g861.5
I actually agree with a lot in the point that the hon. Gentleman raises. If he looks at some of the projects we are talking about, particularly around defence spending—£850 million of...I actually agree with a lot in the point that the hon. Gentleman raises. If he looks at some of the projects we are talking about, particularly around defence spending—£850 million of defence spending—the potential around floating offshore wind once the Crown Estate’s leases are in play and the huge potential around nuclear development at Wylfa, he will see that domestic UK procurement of steel is right back on the agenda, and that will result in every steel maker in Wales benefiting.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Welsh Product Procurement | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.861.1&p=24813#g861.3
Yes, it says here. Welsh products and services are some of the best in the world, from Welsh steel used to build Crossrail to Airbus’s cyber-security expertise and Raytheon in Broughton...Yes, it says here. Welsh products and services are some of the best in the world, from Welsh steel used to build Crossrail to Airbus’s cyber-security expertise and Raytheon in Broughton upgrading the intelligent surveillance capabilities of our aircraft.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00UK Shared Prosperity Fund | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.859.7&p=24813#g861.0
I do not think that question has any sensible context to it, because the proposals that have been set out—by the Treasury or, indeed, through the levelling-up and shared prosperity...I do not think that question has any sensible context to it, because the proposals that have been set out—by the Treasury or, indeed, through the levelling-up and shared prosperity funds—make it absolutely clear how those funds will benefit all communities in a way that they have not before. Picking specific examples and saying that this is an anomaly overlooks, I think deliberately, all the criteria that underpin the funding methods I have talked about.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00UK Shared Prosperity Fund | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.859.7&p=24813#g860.6
My right hon. Friend puts his finger on exactly why the levelling-up fund and the UK shared prosperity fund are so vital. What they do is go straight to local communities. This allows them to...My right hon. Friend puts his finger on exactly why the levelling-up fund and the UK shared prosperity fund are so vital. What they do is go straight to local communities. This allows them to make bids and decisions on behalf of their constituents, residents and ratepayers in a way no other scheme has previously enabled them to do. That is why this is innovative and will lead to sustainable jobs.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00UK Shared Prosperity Fund | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.859.7&p=24813#g860.4
I got the gist of the hon. Gentleman’s question. Of course, the shared prosperity fund is an absolute cast-iron commitment. It has thousands of jobs at its disposal. We think it has great...I got the gist of the hon. Gentleman’s question. Of course, the shared prosperity fund is an absolute cast-iron commitment. It has thousands of jobs at its disposal. We think it has great potential across the whole of Wales and we are very happy of course, if he has individual examples that concern him, to address them.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00UK Shared Prosperity Fund | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.859.7&p=24813#g860.2
My hon. Friend makes a good point about devolution. Of course, it frustrates Opposition Members that we are taking devolution to its literal limit as far as the funds are concerned; we are going...My hon. Friend makes a good point about devolution. Of course, it frustrates Opposition Members that we are taking devolution to its literal limit as far as the funds are concerned; we are going to 22 local authority stakeholders across Wales. I find it absolutely perplexing that for some reason, the Welsh Government think that devolution stops in Cardiff and simply do not trust 22 democratically elected local authorities spread across the whole of Wales to make sensible decisions on behalf of their constituents.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00UK Shared Prosperity Fund | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.859.7&p=24813#g860.0
I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on how Wales’s £585 million share of the UKSPF will level up communities across Wales. With local authorities, business, the...I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on how Wales’s £585 million share of the UKSPF will level up communities across Wales. With local authorities, business, the third sector and civil society fully engaged, the UKSPF will mean quicker delivery, better targeting and closer alignment with local priorities than previous EU funding.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Infrastructure Investment | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.855.0&p=24813#g857.1
I thank the right hon. Lady for that tempting question. It is business as usual in the Wales Office, and that is why I am proud to repeat what I said just now: we are getting on with the...I thank the right hon. Lady for that tempting question. It is business as usual in the Wales Office, and that is why I am proud to repeat what I said just now: we are getting on with the levelling-up fund, the community renewal fund and the shared prosperity fund. We have investment across every part of Wales, and despite all her protestations, there is so much evidence that being part of the Union is part of the success of Wales in creating sustainable, long-term jobs. I dearly wish she would come and join us in the endeavour to improve the life of people in Wales, rather than using cheap political opportunities to do the opposite.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Infrastructure Investment | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.855.0&p=24813#g856.5
I love it when the right hon. Lady, who is so determined to separate her country from the rest of the UK economy, lists a whole lot of stations and locations in England. There are either...I love it when the right hon. Lady, who is so determined to separate her country from the rest of the UK economy, lists a whole lot of stations and locations in England. There are either separatists or Unionists and I never know with her which side she is batting for. This is about our delivery in Wales, because in a sense she is asking me to choose between the Welsh Government and the UK Government. I am very proud to be part of a Government who have produced £121 million-worth of levelling-up funds, £46 million-worth of community ownership funds, £585 million-worth of shared prosperity funds, the floating offshore wind potential of the Celtic sea, the potential for nuclear at Wylfa, project Gigabit, Airbus investment at Broughton—the list goes on and on. All we get, as I said to the hon. Member for Cardiff Central (Jo Stevens), is negativity.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Infrastructure Investment | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.855.0&p=24813#g856.2
It is telling that the hon. Lady did not mention the increasing levels—the record levels—of investment that the UK Government have made in Wales, which, from £16.7 billion in...It is telling that the hon. Lady did not mention the increasing levels—the record levels—of investment that the UK Government have made in Wales, which, from £16.7 billion in 2021, will reach £19.08 billion by 2024-25. Whichever areas of investment we look at, despite her claims to the contrary, they are considerably greater than they have been at any time since the devolution settlement, resulting in extra jobs, extra investment and extra reasons to celebrate what Wales has to offer. It is profoundly depressing for people who are looking to the Opposition for inspiration on investment in Wales that all we get is a litany of negativity.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Infrastructure Investment | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.855.0&p=24813#g855.9
My right hon. Friend and neighbour has raised the question of Milford Haven station a few times, and I am no stranger to it either. Although I am not allowed to express a preference for...My right hon. Friend and neighbour has raised the question of Milford Haven station a few times, and I am no stranger to it either. Although I am not allowed to express a preference for individual levelling-up bids, that is precisely the type of infrastructure improvement bid that the levelling-up fund was created for, so if he and the local authority can put together some compelling evidence, I am sure that those who are in a position to judge it will look on it favourably.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Infrastructure Investment | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.855.0&p=24813#g855.6
I am delighted that the hon. Lady raises that absolutely perfect example of the Welsh and UK Governments working in tandem, creating new, innovative, sustainable jobs in her constituency and in...I am delighted that the hon. Lady raises that absolutely perfect example of the Welsh and UK Governments working in tandem, creating new, innovative, sustainable jobs in her constituency and in adjacent areas. It is a £30 million investment and I am delighted that she is welcoming it in the way that we should be.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Infrastructure Investment | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.855.0&p=24813#g855.4
I found it quite hard to hear my hon. Friend’s comments, but I can say that we believe there are really positive steps in terms of sustainable job creation in Wales through the various...I found it quite hard to hear my hon. Friend’s comments, but I can say that we believe there are really positive steps in terms of sustainable job creation in Wales through the various different funding measures, in particular the UK’s shared prosperity fund, which is currently in lift-off. Levelling up is devolution in action. We get a lot of criticism from the Opposition Benches about the Welsh Government’s being bypassed, but we are going to 22 local authorities and stakeholders in a way that has never previously been done.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Infrastructure Investment | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.855.0&p=24813#g855.2
This Government are committed to levelling up across Wales. That is why we are investing over £340 million in Welsh rail and £120 million through the levelling-up fund in Wales in round...This Government are committed to levelling up across Wales. That is why we are investing over £340 million in Welsh rail and £120 million through the levelling-up fund in Wales in round one alone, and Wales will benefit from the UK-wide £5 billion Project Gigabit to connect hard-to-reach premises.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00Passport Application Processing | Wales | Commons debates
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2022-07-06b.853.3&p=24813#g854.5
The hon. Lady raises an interesting question; this is the first I have heard of it, to be honest. As I keep saying, at the risk of being boring, I am very happy to look into that if it is...The hon. Lady raises an interesting question; this is the first I have heard of it, to be honest. As I keep saying, at the risk of being boring, I am very happy to look into that if it is causing undue delays. Those can also be resolved by the same means I suggested earlier.]]>2022-07-06T00:00:00+00:00