Mark Williams: I have been listening carefully to the hon. Gentleman’s excellent speech. Does he agree that we are talking not only about an economic argument, but about confidence in the industry? The theme in my constituency has been the confidence of young people whom we desperately need—the age demographic of farming is going up—to join the industry. If they do not see fair play at its most basic,...
Mark Williams: Four towns in my constituency—Tregaron, Llandysul, Aberaeron and New Quay—have lost banks from their high streets. May we have a debate specifically on the retreat of the high street banks from rural areas? Many of those areas have inadequate broadband and cannot access internet banking.
Mark Williams: There is a perception among the dairy farmers whom I represent, and particularly among small farmers, that they are being individually picked off by some of the big supermarkets. What can the Government do to encourage and support the development of producer organisations and real collaboration between individual farmers?
Mark Williams: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support the Government is giving to unincorporated businesses via the taxation system.
Mark Williams: I congratulate the hon. Lady on her excellent speech, which has covered so many matters, but I want to ask about a couple more. Does she share the concerns expressed by organisations such as Parkinson’s UK about, first, the appropriateness of progressive disease sufferers being placed in the work- related group and, secondly, how under the Government’s Bill employment and support...
Mark Williams: I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this important debate. What role does he see for a vibrant and powerful local press? In my constituency, the Tivy-Side Advertiser and the Cambrian Newshave led some very spirited and robust defences of our local health service, yet I think he would agree that, sadly, the local press is also in retreat.
Mark Williams: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Mark Williams: I very much welcome the tone of the hon. Gentleman’s comments. I echo the need for stability, which is particularly important for the independent production sector, given the scale of some of the small enterprises. They are facing the prospect a £2.7 million cut in the central Government spending review, and possibly, if there is a 20% reduction from the BBC to S4C, a £15 million cut for...
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of recent changes to immigration rules on nurse staffing levels in the independent and private sectors.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of recent changes to immigration rules on retention and recruitment of nurses.
Mark Williams: Welcome though the trend of increasing visitor numbers is, I know that the Minister is not one to rest on his laurels. With that in mind, what discussions has he had about reducing VAT on tourism, which would boost many local economies throughout the country?
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to the minimum wage on the care sector in Wales.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the level of care home fees and planned changes to the national minimum wage.
Mark Williams: I am grateful, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to say a few words, and I thank the Backbench Business Committee for agreeing to the request of the hon. and learned Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Stephen Phillips) to hold this important debate. As chair of the all-party group on global education, I will restrict my comments to the cause of global education. Members of the...
Mark Williams: Given the enormity of the task before us, that is an inevitability. There will be a mix of funding prospects and I will move on to talk about one of them now. I saw at first hand the approach of the Global Partnership for Education in Tanzania, as well as the funding it secured. It built a partnership between government, civil society, international organisations, students, teachers,...
Mark Williams: What benefit can my constituents in the dairy sector in west Wales expect from the €500 million emergency fund brokered in Brussels this week and, critically, what share of that funding could the Welsh Assembly Government and other devolved Administrations reasonably expect?
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure the continuation of legal aid in the form of duty solicitor provision in Ceredigion.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that debt solicitors provided through legal aid provide services bilingually in Wales.
Mark Williams: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he next plans to publish an updated National Infrastructure Plan.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether windfarms that were subject to appeal or judicial review at the time of her announcement on ending the onshore wind subsidy on 18 June 2015 will qualify for that subsidy.