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Tuesday Volume 655 5 March 2019 No. 263 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 5 March 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 785 5 MARCH 2019 786 strategic road network, which could perhaps fund projects House of Commons such as the one he raises. Additionally, our £2.7 billion transforming cities fund will support Plymouth and its Tuesday 5 March 2019 surrounding areas in particular. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Scott Mann (North Cornwall) (Con): Meur ras, Mr Speaker.Gool Peran lowen—happy St Piran’sday—and Kernow bys vyken! PRAYERS The announcement yesterday on the stronger towns fund did not include any areas from Cornwall, yet [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Cornwall has always scored very highly on social deprivation and funding. I know that the coastal communities fund has been a help, but what assurance can I have from the Oral Answers to Questions Treasury that it will support towns in my area? Robert Jenrick: The stronger towns fund announced TREASURY this week will provide support for the south-west and all regions of the country, both in terms of direct funding The Chancellor of the Exchequer was asked— to be paid to local enterprise partnerships and the Infrastructure Funding: Devon and Cornwall competitive fund of £600 million that towns in the my hon. Friend’s constituency and those of other right 1. Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con): What plans he has to hon. and hon. Members across the country should bid allocate additional funding for infrastructure in Devon into. and Cornwall. [909572] Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes) (Ind): The port of Brixham The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Robert in my constituency lands the most valuable catch in Jenrick): The Government are increasing our national England, but it has now reached capacity and needs investment in infrastructure to the highest sustained urgent infrastructure investment to expand opportunities. level since the 1970s. In Devon, this will include £83 million Will the Minister assure me that our strategically important towards the widening of part of the north Devon link fishing industry and processing sectors will be fully road, and in Cornwall £78 million towards the St Austell considered in future infrastructure plans, and will he link road. meet me to discuss Brixham port’s exciting plans for Mr Speaker, may I wish Cornish Members gool Peran development, which need only modest investment to lowen—a very happy St Piran’s day? help them get rapidly off the ground? Kevin Foster: I thank my hon. Friend for his answer, Robert Jenrick: I would be happy to meet the hon. although my Cornish is not quite up to his level, given Lady. We are investing in port infrastructure, as indeed that I am a Devon Member. in other infrastructure projects across the south-west. I The recent announcement of £80 million of funding believe it was she who asked the Chancellor in the for major resilience work at Dawlish was very welcome. lead-up to the Budget to make that national commitment Can my hon. Friend confirm that this is the first part of to Dawlish, for example. We are keen to listen to her the investment plan and that the Government will provide opinions in this respect, and I would be very happy to additional investment as further aspects of the plan to meet her. secure our key rail infrastructure come forward? Money Laundering Robert Jenrick: Weare fully committed to rail resilience in the south-west, and the Chancellor restated this as a 2. Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central) (SNP): What national priority in the Budget Red Book. As my hon. recent steps he has taken to tackle money laundering. Friend has said, we are investing up to £80 million in the new seawall to provide greater protection to the railway [909573] at Dawlish. Network Rail is providing the further options The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (John Glen): he mentions to protect the line from extreme weather The Government have made a very strong commitment and improve the rail network for passengers in the to tackling money laundering. Recent initiatives include south-west, and of course we will consider those proposals the creation of the economic crime strategic board and when we receive them. the National Economic Crime Centre. We have also Luke Pollard (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Lab/ strengthened anti-money laundering supervision through Co-op): Added rail resilience at Dawlish is really important the creation of the Office for Professional Body Anti-Money for the far south-west to keep our train line open, but so Laundering Supervision, and we are reforming suspicious is added road resilience. Can the Minister set out what activity reports and tackling the abuse of Scottish limited additional funding he can put in place to make sure that partnerships. the A38 is a safer road? At the moment, there are far too many delays and sadly far too many people die Alison Thewliss: The Economic Secretary to the Treasury on it? knows better than most of us about the nefarious impact of Russia, and I send my best wishes to his Robert Jenrick: The hon. Gentleman raises an important constituency, to the Skripals and, most of all, to the point. By our decision to hypothecate vehicle excise family and friends of Dawn Sturgess, one year after the duty, we have created the largest ever investment in our Salisbury attack. 787 Oral Answers 5 MARCH 2019 Oral Answers 788 Yesterday, Prince Charles ended up being drawn into New Technologies the troika laundromat scandal, with money linked via a maze of shell companies back to the Magnitsky case. 3. Trudy Harrison (Copeland) (Con): What fiscal Criminal and legitimate money is sloshing around together steps he is taking to establish the UK as a world leader in our banking system. What are the Government doing in new technologies. [909574] to close the loopholes and stop legitimising the proceeds of kleptocracy? 12. Eddie Hughes (Walsall North) (Con): What fiscal steps he is taking to establish the UK as a world leader John Glen: I thank the hon. Lady for her kind remarks in new technologies. [909583] about my constituency. I am familiar with the reports that appeared in The Guardian yesterday evening about 15. Vicky Ford (Chelmsford) (Con): What fiscal steps the case to which she has referred. Following the response he is taking to establish the UK as a world leader in new by the Financial Action Task Force to a two-year technologies. [909586] review of our standards in the United Kingdom, the Government recognise that we are world leaders in this The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Philip Hammond): regard, but there are some outstanding concerns about The Government are determined to ensure that the UK reports of suspicious activity in the banking sector. is at the forefront of the development of new technologies. Work is ongoing, and I will take a close interest in it. Since 2016, I have committed £7 billion more—a 20% uplift —for research and development, thus demonstrating Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): Can the Minister clear progress towards the Government’s ambition to quantify the amount of extra tax that the Government raise investment in R&D to 2.4% of GDP by 2027. have collected since 2010 that would otherwise have Among other things, those funds are supporting a been unpaid, as a result of the measures they have taken £305 million national quantum technology programme to tackle money laundering? and a £950 million artificial intelligence sector deal, and John Glen: I cannot give my hon. Friend the exact there is £250 million for connected and autonomous figure, but we are anxious to crack down on suspicious vehicles. activity when reports give us reason to believe that further measures are necessary. We have taken action in Trudy Harrison: Small modular reactors could bring improving cross-governmental co-ordination, and we a wealth of economic, environmental and social benefits. are working closely with the Home Office on the suspicious Will the Chancellor confirm that he supports their activity reports. merits, and that there will be financial and policy support to ensure that they succeed? Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North) (Lab): The Financial Secretary was unable to answer Mr Hammond: The Government do indeed recognise this question yesterday, so I shall ask it again. Can the the potential for the UK to become a leader in the Economic Secretary explain why, although the call for development of the next generation of nuclear technologies, evidence on extending corporate liability for economic provided that there is demonstrable value for money for crime closed two years ago, we have yet to receive a consumers and taxpayers. To that end, my right hon. response or see any action? Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is considering an industrial strategy John Glen: The Ministry of Justice is looking at that, challenge fund proposal for small modular reactors and and will present its response to the call for evidence later whether it would provide value for money. this year. Eddie Hughes: I do not know whether you are aware, Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con): May Mr Speaker, that up to 50 different metals may be used I suggest that the answer to the question from my hon. in a smartphone. What fiscal support could be given to Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone) is the excellent work done by Birmingham University in £185 billion? addressing the rareness of those materials, as well as the recycling and reuse of batteries? John Glen: I always take my right hon.