I wanted to allow others to go first, but thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I was elected in the middle of a miners’ strike, in 1984, to the seat held at one time by Keir Hardie, the first leader of the Labour party. When he was the MP, it was called...

I wanted to allow others to go first, but thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I was elected in the middle of a miners’ strike, in 1984, to the seat held at one time by Keir Hardie, the first leader of the Labour party. When he was the MP, it was called...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps is he taking to help mitigate the environmental impact of UK mining companies operating in Colombia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps is he taking to help mitigate the environmental impact of UK mining companies operating in Colombia.

West Cumbria coal mine

I present a petition on behalf of 1,852 residents of Cumbria who oppose the proposed West Cumbrian coal mine, believing, as I do, that in the fight to prevent climate catastrophe, it is vital that we keep fossil fuels in the ground. The petitioners request that the...

West Cumbria coal mine

I present a petition on behalf of 1,852 residents of Cumbria who oppose the proposed West Cumbrian coal mine, believing, as I do, that in the fight to prevent climate catastrophe, it is vital that we keep fossil fuels in the ground. The petitioners request that the...

On a personal note, may I say, as you leave the Chair, Mr Speaker, that it has been a pleasure to serve briefly under you in this debate? I welcome the Deputy Speaker to his place.

I should clarify the issue I wish to raise this evening, as earlier today the...

On a personal note, may I say, as you leave the Chair, Mr Speaker, that it has been a pleasure to serve briefly under you in this debate? I welcome the Deputy Speaker to his place.

I should clarify the issue I wish to raise this evening, as earlier today the...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (Matt

Western) on bringing this debate to the House. I know that he cares about the environment. He took over from me on the all-party electric vehicles group, so we have a connection in caring about the environment, emissions and suchlike....

I congratulate the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (Matt

Western) on bringing this debate to the House. I know that he cares about the environment. He took over from me on the all-party electric vehicles group, so we have a connection in caring about the environment, emissions and suchlike....

I totally accept that process and how the cogs of local government and so on turn, but my question is actually around the assumptions. Those of us who are quite close to the changes in the whole construction industry and the sorts of housing that we will have in future...

I totally accept that process and how the cogs of local government and so on turn, but my question is actually around the assumptions. Those of us who are quite close to the changes in the whole construction industry and the sorts of housing that we will have in future...

The hon. Gentleman makes a sound point, but that is all assumption, and we have no data. Councils have to work on data in preparing their five-year plan for housing allocation, as they have to with minerals. That is why we have a system for how these things work. They...

The hon. Gentleman makes a sound point, but that is all assumption, and we have no data. Councils have to work on data in preparing their five-year plan for housing allocation, as they have to with minerals. That is why we have a system for how these things work. They...

Agreed to on question.

Agreed to on question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the local economy of his Department's decision to not support a finance package for Sirius Minerals' Woodsmith Mine project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the local economy of his Department's decision to not support a finance package for Sirius Minerals' Woodsmith Mine project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost to Sirius Minerals PLC of the decision by his Department not to support a finance package for that company's Woodsmith Mine project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost to Sirius Minerals PLC of the decision by his Department not to support a finance package for that company's Woodsmith Mine project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate she has made of the number of beneficiaries of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme who also receive pension credit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate she has made of the number of beneficiaries of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme who also receive pension credit.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to hold a public inquiry into the police operation at Orgreave on 18 June 1984.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to hold a public inquiry into the police operation at Orgreave on 18 June 1984.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of sea-bed mining on the ocean ecosystem.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of sea-bed mining on the ocean ecosystem.

I share the hon. Gentleman’s desire to ensure that all parts of our great country are benefiting from our strong economy. We have seen a jobs boom since 2010, after the deepest recession in our peacetime history under the previous Labour Government. Of the 3.7 million jobs that have been created, 65% are outside London and the south-east, which will be benefiting his communities and so many more.

I share the hon. Gentleman’s desire to ensure that all parts of our great country are benefiting from our strong economy. We have seen a jobs boom since 2010, after the deepest recession in our peacetime history under the previous Labour Government. Of the 3.7 million jobs that have been created, 65% are outside London and the south-east, which will be benefiting his communities and so many more.

The former coalfields of England, Scotland and Wales have a combined population of 5.7 million. If they were treated as a single distinct region, that would be the poorest region in the United Kingdom. By any measure or definition, the coalfield communities are left-behind areas, so what fiscal policy steps is the Chancellor taking to address the specific structural and economic weaknesses of former coalfield areas such as mine in going forward with the shared prosperity fund?

The former coalfields of England, Scotland and Wales have a combined population of 5.7 million. If they were treated as a single distinct region, that would be the poorest region in the United Kingdom. By any measure or definition, the coalfield communities are left-behind areas, so what fiscal policy steps is the Chancellor taking to address the specific structural and economic weaknesses of former coalfield areas such as mine in going forward with the shared prosperity fund?

Critical materials (CMs) are key to UK manufacturing, including for the aerospace, automotive, energy and chemical sectors, which rely on materials typically extracted and processed abroad. CMs are vital components of several emerging technologies, including electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure such as wind turbines, and digital technologies such as computers and smartphones. The UK imports most of its CMs and faces international competition for key resources. This POSTnote looks at the demand and supply of CMs in the UK and ways of improving supply security.

Critical materials (CMs) are key to UK manufacturing, including for the aerospace, automotive, energy and chemical sectors, which rely on materials typically extracted and processed abroad. CMs are vital components of several emerging technologies, including electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure such as wind turbines, and digital technologies such as computers...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of the final LEADER allocations have been made to former coalfield constituencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much and what proportion of the final LEADER allocations have been made to former coalfield constituencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the statement made by the former Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Armenia, as reported in the press release of Geotim Company, published 26 June 2013, that Amulsar is the biggest British investment in Armenia, what...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the statement made by the former Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Armenia, as reported in the press release of Geotim Company, published 26 June 2013, that Amulsar is the biggest British investment in Armenia, what...