A very busy week began on Monday with Oral Questions to the Home Office. On the topic of visas, I asked the Minister for Immigration if he would meet with me to discuss an Afghan spousal visa case which my office has been dealing with since the withdrawal of troops in the region last August. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
This was followed by a statement from the Minister for Armed Forces on the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Mali, where I took the opportunity to ask whether the increase in extremist groups in Mali might cause a surge in refugee numbers, when troops are withdrawn from the region. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Later that afternoon, I took part in a Commons debate about Australia and New Zealand Trade Deals. Here I asked the Minister’s opinion on the findings of the International Trade Committee that better safeguards and further opportunities could have been negotiated for the food industry. I asked how the Government planned to implement these findings going forward. You can read a transcript of my contribution here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
On Tuesday, I participated in a Commons debate on small and medium sized enterprises, where I took the chance to again raise the case of Equi’s Ice Cream, a small business in my constituency that had missed out on the Government’s energy support scheme by just one day. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Wednesday was a busy day, beginning with a Westminster Hall debate on the West Balkans and The Council of Europe. I made three interventions during this debate. Firstly, to ask about the role that the Council of Europe has to play in resolving disputes in the region. Then to ask if the worsening situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be remedied. And finally, to highlight the importance of protecting religious freedom in the region, particularly given the desire of neighbouring countries to join the EU. You can read transcripts of my contributions here, here and here in Hansard. Or watch them here, here and here on ParliamentTv.
Next came Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland. I asked what discussions had taken place with the Scottish Government about job creation in offshore wind investment. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
This was followed by questions to the Office for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs regarding the ongoing situation in Iran. I asked one question here to query what the Minister was doing to ensure that Iran is removed from the UN Commission on the Status of Women given the way that the regime has treated those protesting, particularly women. You can read a transcript of my contribution here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
A Ministerial Statement came next, addressing the recent missile incident in Poland. I expressed mine and my constituents’ condolences to the families impacted by this event and commended the measured response to the situation from the Foreign Office. I also asked how the Foreign Office was looking to thwart attempts by Russia to rebuild their network of espionage operatives. You can read a transcript of my contributions here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Finally, in the late afternoon, I participated in a debate about conflict in Ethiopia. Here I made a contribution to point out how important it is that those who commit war crimes and human rights abuses are held to account for their actions. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Thursday was another full day, beginning with a statement from the Prime Minister on the G20 summit in Indonesia. I asked if the PM could provide assurances that the UK’s farm and food industry would be protected during ongoing negotiations with the CPTPP. You can read a transcript of my contribution here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
This was followed by the Autumn Statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I thanked the Chancellor for committing to reinstating the Triple Lock for the state pension and asked if there would be any consideration for reducing debt deductions from benefits and allowing benefit claimants to access more of their entitlement. You can read a transcript of my contribution here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
During Business Questions to the Speak of the House, I raised the concerns of the Scottish Showmen’s Guild about the rising cost of energy for site tenants and landlords and the lack of financial assistance. You can read a transcript of my question here in Hansard or watch it here on ParliamentTv.
Later that afternoon, I took part in a Commons debate for International Men’s Day. I took the opportunity to make a speech focussing on the importance of men and boys in our society and how crucial it is to address many of the issues facing them in the modern world, particularly relating to mental health. You can read transcripts of my contributions here, here and here in Hansard, or watch my whole speech here on ParliamentTv.