Shellfish Aquaculture

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Totnes (Anthony Mangnall) on obtaining this debate. I echo an awful lot of what he said. There is enormous potential for the expansion of shellfish production in the UK. I want to talk specifically about my constituency and echo some of the comments of the hon. Member […]
Russian Assets Seizure

Sir John Whittingdale made a speech in the Russian Assets Seizure Debate, to highlight what work is being done in the international community to ensure that when the reconstruction of Ukraine can begin, that it must be the Russian Government that pays. It is only right that the Russian State pays for the damage and […]
Russian Assets Seizure

Sir John Whittingdale I start by congratulating my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith), who raises very important issues. The truth is that we probably will not be able to implement what we are discussing until the Russian invasion is defeated, but it is absolutely right that […]
UK Soft Power

Sir John Whittingdale asked the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs about how the UK is investing in its soft power capabilities, through increasing funding for the BBC World Service, The British Council and the scholarship and fellowship programmes.
Integrated Review Refresh

John Whittingdale Does my right hon. Friend agree that soft power can often be as effective as hard power, if not more so, and that it is usually a lot cheaper? I therefore strongly welcome the additional funding for the BBC World Service, but will he go on to look at strengthening the support for […]
Telegraph Article- BBC Impartiality

Forget politics- Gary did not play by the BBC’s rules The row over Gary Lineker’s tweets is not about the right to free speech. Lineker is as entitled to his views as anyone else, even if some will have found his references to Nazi Germany deeply offensive. However, by accepting extremely well-paid employment from the […]
BBC Mid-term Review

Sir John Whittingdale When she plans to publish the BBC mid-term review. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and SportLucy Frazer I know that my right hon. Friend has a keen interest in this matter and a great deal of knowledge on it. I was pleased to discuss this matter, and a number of others, […]
Update on National Grid’s East Anglia Green Proposal

Sir John Whittingdale welcomes the establishment of a review of the options for new grid connections in East Anglia, which will include the possibility of an offshore transmission route, having previously expressed his concern at the potential impact a new line of 400kV pylons would have on the countryside and local environment. Particularly in Margaretting, […]
Civil Service Impartiality

Sir John Whittingdale Is my right hon. Friend aware that on my appointment as a Minister, I, like many Members, was advised by Sue Gray on the steps that I needed to take in order to avoid any perception of a potential conflict of interest? Does he therefore understand why her appointment has caused such […]
Energy Bills Support Alternative Fund

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Fund, for households that have not received the automatic discount, is now live. There are a large number of constituents in Maldon and the surrounding towns and villages who live in park homes and do not have residential electricity supplies, and have not qualified for the automatic monthly payments […]