Caroline Ansell: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for calling me to give my maiden speech as this House debates Her Majesty’s most Gracious Speech—particularly on this day, as we consider health and social care. It is a privilege to follow the right hon. Member for Rother Valley (Kevin Barron). I am a teacher and passionate about education, but it was my boy’s shock diagnosis of a life-threatening brain...
Caroline Ansell: My right hon. Friend will know of the strength of support for Gatwick’s second runway in my constituency of Eastbourne and Willingdon and across East Sussex from every chamber of commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses—connectivity is so important for coastal communities such as mine. He highlighted in his statement capacity and connectivity in relation to the Heathrow proposal,...
Caroline Ansell: On the occasion of her visit to the Eastbourne and Willingdon constituency, I was very pleased to show the Home Secretary the new partnership-working between local officers at the borough council and local police officers; that is shared space, partnership-working which is really delivering for local people because of the ease with which communications can be shared. I am very pleased to say...
Caroline Ansell: I am afraid I am obliged to disagree with the hon. Member for Glasgow North East (Anne McLaughlin) on a variety of points, not least Scotland’s lack of success. It might be little known on the Opposition Benches that I have Scottish heritage, Walter Smith being part of that extended family. She does well to pay tribute to Germany’s contribution, but we must be incredibly careful, as...
Caroline Ansell: And so we are. We have already accepted 5,000 under normal asylum-seeking processes, and we are to accept a further 20,000 more—not the 10,000 proposed by Oxfam, but 20,000 more. That is a considerable contribution, alongside our considerable humanitarian aid. With that, I end my speech.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what funding his Department has available for potential replacement premises and technologies in the light of the proposed closures of court and tribunal estates set out in his Department's recent consultation.
Caroline Ansell: I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Southend West (Sir David Amess) on his impassioned argument. The sprinkler campaign has a doughty champion in him. It is ironic that I am to speak about fire today, when the top news headline in my constituency is about the Eastbourne pier fire. Many hon. Members may have seen some of the coverage—indeed, it was so dramatic and gripping that it...
Caroline Ansell: What plans he has to raise the personal allowance during this Parliament.
Caroline Ansell: I thank the Minister for that answer. Raising the personal allowance is one of the most powerfully progressive things that we are doing in moving towards a lower tax, higher pay society. Income tax cuts will mean that nearly 5,000 people in my constituency will be lifted entirely out of paying income tax. Does that not show that Conservatives are on the side of working people?
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2015 to Question 10800, when the potential closures of courts will be announced; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which Hospital Trusts have moved out of special measures since the Care Quality Commission inspection regime was introduced; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to local education authorities and academy trusts when they have been the victim of fire; and if she will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department issues to hospital trusts on the account they should take of the availability of transport links when making decisions on reconfiguring services across two sites; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Attorney General, what steps his Department is taking to implement the family test; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure the routine use by her Department of the family test; and if she will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to implement the family test; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on his policies of the family test; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effect on Eastbourne's local economy of potential reductions in connectivity of future rail projects along the South Coast; and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to improve air quality at Heathrow Airport; and if she will make a statement.