Speeches and Questions - Cat Smith

Cat Smith in the House of Commons

Employment Schemes: Young People

Department for Work and Pensions

Cat Smith received a response to a question they put to the government

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to use (a) a Future Jobs Fund or (b) a similar scheme to support young people unemployed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Business of the House

Commons debates

As chair of the all-party parliamentary group for valproate and other anti-epileptic drugs in pregnancy, I take a huge interest in the Cumberlege review, which will be published on Wednesday....

Fishing Catches

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Cat Smith received a response to a question they put to the government

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure fishing catch limits do not exceed scientifically recommended sustainable levels.

Fisheries: Marine Protected Areas

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Cat Smith received a response to a question they put to the government

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of supertrawler fishing on the UK’s offshore marine protected areas.

Marine Protected Areas

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Cat Smith received a response to a question they put to the government

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the UK’s offshore marine protected areas.

Protected constituencies

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

I want to put on the record my thanks to you, Sir David, and to Mr Paisley for chairing our proceedings in this Bill Committee. I also thank the officials for supporting our work, and members...

No heading

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Cat Smith received a response to a question they put to the government

What recent assessment he has made of the level of risk of Russian interference in UK democratic processes; and if the Government will publish the Intelligence and Security Committee's Russia report.

Electorate per constituency

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

I thank the Committee for the exchange of views on the new clause. My hon. Friend the Member for Eltham made the point that OSCE recommended a quota variance of 10% either way as reasonable. My...

Electorate per constituency

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

His apology is very much accepted, but my hon. Friend draws me back to the point that I was hoping to make. From the evidence that we heard, experts such as David Rossiter and Charles Pattie...

Electorate per constituency

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

My hon. Friend must have read ahead in my speech, because this is a point that I will get to—

Electorate per constituency

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

It was. Obviously, the proposals that come out of this boundary review will look different because of the 650 figure. The tight 5% quota, however, still gives the commissioners a great deal of...

Electorate per constituency

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

My hon. Friend makes a good and articulate point with his own local geography. Indeed, if constituents are perhaps struggling to see the identity of the communities around them, that may lead to...

Electorate per constituency

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time. Moving on from which register to use, new clause 2 is about the percentage variants between constituencies of different sizes. The Bill must...

New Clause 1

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

We will be pressing new clause 4 to a vote. The Minister made some good points, and this is an area where we have spent many a happy day discussing the annual canvass and the inaccuracy of...

New Clause 1

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

I will speak to both new clause 4, which stands in my name and that of my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester, and Government new clause 1. I welcome new clause 1, which corrects what I...

Minor and consequential amendments

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

Unfortunately the hon. Member for Pudsey is not taking part in proceedings. The amendments are about recognising the fundamental and distinct identity of Ynys Môn and awarding it protected...

Minor and consequential amendments

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

The grouping of amendments and new clauses on Ynys Môn gave me cause to think about the nature of island communities. I have enjoyed hearing the exchanges across the Committee Room this...

Removal of duty to implement, etc. in relation to current reports

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

I will make a brief comment, not least to give the Minister a breather and a chance to get some water as she rattles through the clauses. I just ask her whether she is pleased to be able to have...

Taking account of local government boundaries

Parliamentary Constituencies Bill

Cat Smith made a speech in a committee scrutinising a proposed law

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Paisley. I rise to support the arguments made by the hon. Member for Ceredigion about the ties that are the Welsh language. I do not think it...

Elections: Proof of Identity

Cat Smith received a response to a question they put to the government

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State on 11 June 2020, Official report, column 388, on the use of Voter ID, what evidence...