Tom Randall: I congratulate the hon. Member for Leicester East (Claudia Webbe) on securing the debate. Does the Minister recollect, as I do, that the press described the east midlands as the big winners of the integrated rail plan? Connecting places such as central Nottingham with central Birmingham will massively improve journey times. It will not only improve connectivity between Nottingham, Derby and...
Tom Randall: What assessment he has made of the progress of the kickstart scheme.
Tom Randall: I recently visited Severn Trent Water in Gedling, and staff told me how impressed they were with the kickstarters that the company had taken on. Can my right hon. Friend assure me that he is working hard to encourage more companies and organisations to get involved in the kickstart scheme, to get even more people back into work?
Tom Randall: Like my hon. Friend the Member for Heywood and Middleton (Chris Clarkson), I served on the Bill Committee. It was my first time on a Bill Committee on a major piece of legislation. I do not know how often there is a change in Minister, PPS and Whip during a Bill Committee, but I congratulate my hon. Friend the Minister, and my hon. Friends the Members for Devizes (Danny Kruger) and for...
Tom Randall: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the key problems is not only not looking for it—it is a matter of training. There is a big problem that needs to be addressed in terms of making sure that the police are aware of electoral law issues and getting them out there to go and investigate. He is completely right that a lot of this goes undetected. I am pleased to see that the clauses on...
Tom Randall: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the implications for Scotland of plans to restructure the British Army.
Tom Randall: Soldiers from Scotland have had a central role in the armed forces over many centuries, from the charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo, to the western front, to helping roll out our vaccine programme. Can my right hon. Friend assure me that that proud central role will continue as strongly as ever in Scotland following any restructuring?
Tom Randall: This is a point that I hope to address in my own speech, should I have time to make it this afternoon. I know that many Members wish to contribute. I spoke in the debate on the Down Syndrome Bill last week. Does my hon. Friend agree that the difference between that Bill—and the Autism Act—and this legislation is that whereas the Down Syndrome Bill was seeking to fill a gap, trying to...
Tom Randall: I know that there has been a lot of talk in this debate about a campaign that has been going on for four years. My hon. Friend speaks with his medical experience, and many of us on these Benches do not. Does he agree that there has been a churn in the representation of this House over the past four years and there are new MPs who are coming to this debate afresh? This debate has been very...
Tom Randall: I have been listening intently to my hon. Friend. During the course of the debate, we have heard from many self-professed science geeks, talking about the nature of cannabis and other issues. Given that we are talking about primary legislation here, and given my hon. Friend’s background as a solicitor, I wondered whether she had given any thought to the usefulness or the appropriateness of...
Tom Randall: The hon. Gentleman is making an excellent speech, which I am following with great interest. As I understand it, he is proposing the creation of a new body to look into this matter. We often talk about NHS bureaucracy and so on. Before he goes on to the other part of his Bill, could he explain why he thinks the creation of a new body would particularly resolve the ongoing issue that he has...
Tom Randall: What steps he is taking to tackle plastic pollution.
Tom Randall: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her answer. It has been said that the UK is one of the most significant plastic waste producers: each year it produces 99 kg of plastic waste per person, compared with 88 kg in South Korea and 81 kg in Germany. My constituents Amy and Ella Meek have set up the charity Kids Against Plastic to help to raise awareness in schools, and I am due to speak with...
Tom Randall: Staff in hospitals in Nottinghamshire are working hard, as we have heard, sometimes in difficult circumstances. Today’s announcement includes an extra £4 million of spending for hospitals in Nottinghamshire. Does my hon. Friend agree that that will make a real difference to patients in Nottinghamshire, and will he join me in thanking staff in Nottinghamshire hospitals for the hard work...
Tom Randall: I also congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Alicia Kearns) and the hon. Members for Rotherham (Sarah Champion) and for Glasgow South (Stewart Malcolm McDonald) on securing this important debate. The tone of this debate has been grave, and it has been one of concern. If Bosnians are watching, I hope it will be understood that the motivation is one of love and...
Tom Randall: Getting investment into Gedling is important. At a previous PMQs, I put aside my political differences with Labour-run Gedling Borough Council to champion its levelling-up fund bid, which, like other funding bids that it has made was sadly unsuccessful. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is important that councils such as Gedling now take stock and learn from this experience and will he...
Tom Randall: Let us return to the subject of the debate, which is the births and deaths register. The two systems have been running in parallel since 2009; does my hon. Friend have any evidence to adduce that there has ever been any mistake that would have been corrected had there been a paper record rather than an electronic one?
Tom Randall: 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.
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...
Tom Randall: Grudgingly so.