Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 3rd May 2023 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

Q5.   Labour-run Kirklees Council has, as you know, Mr Speaker, reneged on a deal to house the national rugby league museum at the George hotel. It has also declared a climate emergency, but has one of the worst recycling rates in the country. It is building on green fields and now on green belt. It is demolishing Holmfirth indoor market. We are blighted by litter and fly-tipping. Now it is proposing to chop down mature trees in urban areas—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Sit down a moment, Mr McCartney. I presume you are going to ask a question. You have made a great statement; now ask a quick question.

[Jason McCartney]

Does the Prime Minister agree that local people can have their say on Kirklees Council’s appalling record by voting Conservative this week?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 6th February 2023 Commons Chamber

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Suella Braverman)]

I am going to make a short topical statement.

It is very important that our passport system runs as efficiently as possible. This is an issue that matters a great deal to our constituents. Covid had a global impact on passport processing times. In 2022, His Majesty’s Passport Office served more customers than ever before. Staff numbers have increased by over 1,200 since April 2021 and many staff have been trained to deal with a broader range of applications. I note that last spring there were serious concerns about the performance of the Passport Office, which prompted the Home Affairs Committee to inquire into the issue. I have made it a priority to fix that issue since I became Home Secretary, and I am pleased that since September the team at the Passport Office have worked hard to reduce processing times and that, despite very high demand so far this year, last week, approximately 99% of all UK applications were completed within 10 weeks. Indeed, last week, approximately 97% of all UK applications were completed within three weeks. We expect elevated demand for passports throughout the year, so customers should continue to allow 10 weeks, and I urge people to apply in good time, not at the last minute, to avoid delays.

[Mr Speaker]

I say to the Home Secretary that it is not appropriate to make such statements at the start of topicals. If there is a statement, she should come to the House. Topicals are meant to be short bits of business, not to be dragged out. If we stay long today, she will understand why. If there is an urgent question tomorrow, she should not be shocked if somebody has to answer it.

[Jason McCartney]

Whereas most countries have police forces, we are proud to have a police service in Britain, with police officers playing an integral role in the communities in which they live and work. That is why I particularly welcome the 16,000-plus police officers who are being recruited. In West Yorkshire, in my patch, that means 589 additional police officers. What extra will the Home Secretary do to ensure that we recruit high-quality police officers while also retaining those experienced officers in our local forces?

Business of the House

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 27th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

May we have a debate on the wonderful sport of rugby league?

[Mr Speaker]

Hear, hear.

[Jason McCartney]

It is the rugby league world cup this autumn, and the new Super League season kicks off in a fortnight, with some of the games for the first time on free-to-air television—they will be on Channel 4—which will be great for widening the notoriety of the sport. Such a debate would also give me an opportunity to express my deep disappointment that Labour-run Kirklees has reneged on an agreement to host the National Rugby League Museum in the birthplace of rugby league, the George Hotel in Huddersfield.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 7th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney]

I know the passion of the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary for levelling up, and I welcome the creation of a Treasury campus in the north-east. When the Treasury next relocates, may I encourage my right hon. Friends to look at Huddersfield, Marsden and Slaithwaite in my Colne Valley constituency? They are strategically located on the TransPennine rail route between Leeds and Manchester, and we are set to have millions invested thanks to the integrated rail plan. We have fantastic former mill sites ready for regeneration, and the Chief Secretary and the Chancellor would be welcome to join me on a visit.

[Mr Speaker]

Be careful how you answer, Chief Secretary. There are two more questions to come.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 6th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I just remind everybody that we need brief and punchy questions. I call Jason McCartney to set a great example.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

T3. Sixth-form education will play a pivotal role in building back better after covid. Will the Secretary of State join me, please, in supporting an increase in base rate funding for sixth-form students to at least £4,760 in the forthcoming spending review? Will he also please agree to meet members of the all-party parliamentary group on sixth-form education, which I co-chair?

Covid-19 Update

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 22nd July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. May I just say to everybody who is left, if we are short and quick on answers and questions, I will get everyone in? We are due to finish now, but I will give it a try.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con) [V]]

Will the Minister join me in thanking Sylvia, Fahad and all the fantastic local team who have vaccinated more than 47,000 people in Honley, Slaithwaite and other pop-up sites across Kirklees? Can he respond to one of the questions they are regularly being asked, which is about the rationale of the JCVI guidance that there should be an eight-week minimum interval between jabs?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 13th July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Wendy Chamberlain is not here, so I call Jason McCartney.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I have been contacted by a number of my Colne Valley constituents who have had operations and medical procedures cancelled or postponed at short notice. With coronavirus cases still on the rise, what is the strategy to tackle the backlog in operations and medical procedures?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 16th June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

I associate myself with the comments of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition about our friend Jo Cox. Will the Prime Minister join me in congratulating rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield on his OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours? Kevin has done so much to raise awareness of motor neurone disease and support his good friend Rob Burrow. MND is a devastating disease. There is no cure, but scientists believe they are on the cusp of developing effective treatments. Will the Government please commit to investing £50 million over five years to establish a virtual MND research institute and to accelerate research?

[Mr Speaker]

Prime Minister, I totally agree with that, and it should have been a knighthood.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Jason McCartney and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 9th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am sorry, but we now have to go to topicals.

[Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con)]

If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.