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Ben Maguire

Ben Maguire

Liberal Democrat Shadow Attorney General

Liberal DemocratMP for North Cornwall

What Ben said recently

Questions

Urgent question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on the management of the Maritime Coastguard Agency and proposed changes to payments made to Coastguard Rescue Officers.

“Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I sincerely thank my right honourable Friend the member for Orkney and Shetland for bringing this urgent question. These highly skilled, experienced Coast Guard volunteers are being badly let down by thi…”

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Legislation

Railways Bill

“The honourable Member is giving an impassioned speech about areas that are underserved by rail connections. My constituency is one such areas—it does not have a single mainline station, despite being the largest constituency by land in Corn…”

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Urgent question

Urgent question: Water Companies

“South West Water has pleaded guilty to illegal sewage dumping across my constituency, including at Bodmin and Harlyn. It will likely get yet another fine and a slap on the wrist—a cost of doing business. The Water Minister kindly met me rec…”

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Statement

Ministerial statement: Middle East

“I am grateful to the Minister for his statement, having applied for an urgent question alongside the leader of Plaid Cymru in Westminster, the right honourable Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts), and other honourable Member…”

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Urgent question

Urgent question: Costs for Motorists

“I warmly welcome the Chief Secretary to her new role. My rural constituency does not have a regular or reliable bus service. It does not even have a single mainline train station, so my constituents are forced to rely on their cars to get t…”

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Debate

Business of the House

“Some of the most shocking stories that I heard during the general election campaign on doorsteps throughout North Cornwall were of people pulling out their own teeth because they could not afford the high cost of private dental care. This w…”

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Legislation

Victims and Courts Bill

“This Bill returns to us from the other place, where my Liberal Democrat colleagues tabled a number of crucial amendments that come before us today, which concern changes to the unduly lenient sentence scheme, the victims code, access to fre…”

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Debate

Rail Connections to London: Rural Towns

“I thank the Minister for giving way right at the end of the debate. My constituency does not contain a single mainline station. The six Cornish MPs would also love to meet the Rail Minister. We have a plan called “Kernow Connect”, and we ha…”

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Legislation

Finance (No. 2) Bill

“I wholeheartedly endorse what the honourable Member is saying in support of new clause 11 tabled by the Liberal Democrats. Lots of my farmers in North Cornwall are constantly telling me that they are pleased with the Government’s decision t…”

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Debate

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

“Before we turn to the wider implications of the debate, it is important to acknowledge why the Liberal Democrats are pressing for full transparency today. Serious allegations have been raised about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct durin…”

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Statement

Ministerial statement: Jury Trials

“Jury trials are not a peculiar way to run a public service; they are a fundamental pillar of our justice system, being eroded under this Government’s proposed court reforms. Serious reforms should focus on reducing inefficiencies that waste…”

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Urgent question

Urgent question: Storm Goretti

“I congratulate my honourable Friend the Member for St Ives (Andrew George) on securing the urgent question and showing leadership on this crisis in the absence of a Government response. There has been no Cobra meeting and no declaration of …”

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Legislation

Finance (No. 2) Bill

“I would like to pick up on the point raised by the honourable Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Moore) about the ludicrous situation where a farm that is worth £5 million if it is owned under a certain ownership model will not be subje…”

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Statement

Ministerial statement: Jury Trials

“Thank you, Mr Speaker; I also wish you and your excellent team, and everyone across the House, a very merry Christmas. Following on from my question on the legal aid means test for domestic abuse victims, I want to highlight the danger that…”

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Questions

Prime Minister's Question Time

“Q2. I thank the Prime Minister for having confirmed a Cornwall-only devolution deal since my last question to him. In 1988 more than 20,000 North Cornwall constituents were poisoned by the then South West Water Authority, and in a recent BB…”

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