Category: Speeches

  • Tracy Brabin – 2020 Speech on Coronation Street

    Tracy Brabin – 2020 Speech on Coronation Street

    The speech made by Tracy Brabin, the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, in the House of Commons on 2 December 2020.

    What an enormous pleasure it is to be able to discuss the much-loved British institution of “Coronation Street”, as it reaches the grand old age of 60 and is still going strong. Our constituents have gone through so much in these last few months, and it is nice to be in this place to discuss something upbeat and positive. Reaching its diamond anniversary is a phenomenal achievement, especially as it remains so incredibly popular, attracting an average audience of—can you believe that it is more than that of the Parliament channel?—7 million viewers for each show.

    First screened on 9 December 1960, “Corrie” was part of a new realism that was sweeping through the theatre, with “Look Back in Anger”, James Dean, Brando, and kitchen-sink dramas. Hardly anyone had a colour telly—remember that?—and there was no such thing as a remote. There were certainly no streaming channels, and we turned the telly off at 11 and went to bed. Created by scriptwriter Tony Warren, “Coronation Street” did not have a straightforward beginning, and was originally rejected by Granada television before being commissioned to run for 13 episodes. It was a slow burn, with Daily Mirror columnist, Ken Irwin, saying that it would “only last three weeks.” Earlier this year its 10,000th episode was broadcast, and in 2010, it became the longest running television soap opera in the world, earning a place in the “Guinness Book of Records.”

    Set in the fictional working-class Weatherfield in Salford, “Coronation Street” has never disguised its roots. It is warm and authentic, at times laugh-out-loud funny, and at other times deeply affecting. From the very beginning, the northern dialect was used. I do not know if any hon. Members are old enough to remember those early episodes, with a young man by the name of Ken Barlow achieving a university place and finding himself embarrassed about his working-class upbringing. As a proud northerner, that is not something I have ever felt, and I am proud that this show, which is as much a part of British culture as a nice cuppa, a fish ’n’ chip supper, or sitting down to the Queen’s speech on Christmas day, is played out in a working-class community in the north.

    In among the love stories, the breakups, the punch-ups, and the laughs over a hotpot, “Corrie” has always been true to the everyday difficulties that life, particularly working-class life, can bring, with strong feisty women at the centre of the action. As Ena Sharples classically said, “I don’t expect life to be easy. I’d think very little of it if it was”—a good rule of thumb for the moment.

    Since those early days on the street, we have witnessed one or two things happen to the people of Weatherfield over the decades—many things—and those famous cobbles have been the stage to storylines that have gripped our country. We have cried together, gasped together, laughed together, and learned together. There have been iconic storylines that caused the nation to take a breather from people’s busy lives, make a cuppa, and pop “Corrie” on the telly—the train crash, the tram crash, the whodunnits, Richard Hillman’s reign of terror, Alan Bradley being killed by a tram in Blackpool, Deirdre, Ken, and Mike’s love-triangle! A certain Tony Blair got involved in the campaign to Save the Weatherfield One, when Deidre was falsely imprisoned, and a certain Tricia Armstrong was sent to prison for not paying her TV licence, and then gave birth behind the bar in the Rovers Return. Alongside all the entertainment, “Coronation Street” has bravely challenged us and our way of thinking with groundbreaking storylines.

    Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)

    Will the hon. Lady give way?

    Mr Speaker

    Mr Shannon, you are more than welcome to intervene. You might even want to speak later, as we have a little time. Northern Ireland’s answer to Albert Tatlock, come on in.

    Jim Shannon

    I am not sure how to respond, Mr Speaker. “Coronation Street” has been going all my life, and a wee bit more; and I understand, Mr Speaker, it has been going all your life, and a wee bit more as well. My wife is a tremendous fan of “Coronation Street”. She never misses it. Last week, in self-isolation for the second time, I sat and watched “Coronation Street” on numerous occasions with my wife in control of the remote, so I was not able to turn over.

    There was a poignant storyline last week about the loss of a young boy called Oliver. We watched every night it was on during the week, and a person would need a heart of stone not to be moved by that story, how they portrayed in a soap what affects people in reality. The soaps have a tremendous role to play in telling the stories of real life out there, and last week “Coronation Street” did that with real passion, understanding, carefulness and caution—

    Mr Speaker

    Mr Shannon, I said you could intervene. I will put you down to speak. You do not need to make a speech in an intervention.

    Tracy Brabin

    That was a really excellent intervention, because it highlights the quality of the writing and the pressure that the crew and the actors are under, in this time of covid, to deliver those performances while being two metres apart, while wearing masks in public areas and while having all those other restrictions, and often in one or two takes, if they are lucky. Those authentic, passionate, emotional performances absolutely gripped the nation, and it is now on record in Parliament that they are two extraordinary actors. They will definitely be in line for awards.

    The stories I spoke of have helped untold numbers to understand their own personal difficulties, to speak out and to get help if they need it. Hayley, the first ever transgender British soap character, was portrayed wonderfully by my good friend Julie Hesmondhalgh, who gripped us right to the end when she committed suicide in Roy’s arms.

    Kate Osborne  (Jarrow) (Lab)

    I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate, and I congratulate all the team who work on “Coronation Street” on reaching this milestone. Does she agree that “Coronation Street” should be recognised for its groundbreaking storylines over the years? She mentioned the first trans character in a British soap in, I think, 1998 and how “Coronation Street” has sensitively highlighted social issues such as that, teen pregnancy, domestic violence and male rape.

    Tracy Brabin

    That is a great intervention, because wasn’t it groundbreaking? So many families watching that storyline in their living room may not have understood the humanity or the difficulties of being trans in 21st-century Britain, but they loved Hayley. It opens people’s mind to things they may not necessarily have experienced, so my hon. Friend is absolutely right. Those script writers pushed the boundaries. They were very brave to have that storyline, but we loved her. We really did love that couple so much. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

    To pick up on a couple of other storylines: Aidan’s suicide, which led to more calls to the Samaritans than they have ever had; Shona’s memory loss; revenge porn; racism, with the writers working closely with Doreen Lawrence to make it authentic and to give it credibility; and James, a young gay footballer struggling against homophobia. And, right up to recent days, with Bethany Platt’s sexual exploitation, David Platt’s male rape ordeal, Yasmeen’s marital coercive control and, as was mentioned, the sad death of baby Oliver. Never shying away from a difficult storyline and shining a light into the lived experience of others is what our soap operas do best. They strive to inform as well as to entertain.

    Rob Butler  (Aylesbury) (Con)

    I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing this debate. As a long-time fan of the programme and, indeed, her role in it, I am a little bit jealous, having only graced the small screen reading the news—nothing as glamorous as the Street. She mentioned the topical storyline of the challenge of being a gay footballer, but I would submit that the Street has done a great deal over many years to support challenging attitudes to homosexuality, particularly by following the experiences of existing and well-loved characters such as Todd Grimshaw or Sophie Webster as they came out, and more recently gay parents. Does she agree that it is by being entertaining that information is often best imparted and taboos are overcome?

    Tracy Brabin

    I thank the hon. Gentleman so much for that intervention—he is absolutely right. As we were saying about the trans character, these things could not be discussed in any other forum than that of a show. Looking at fictional characters, we wonder, “What would I think if I was that person?” Storytelling has huge power to change people’s mind.

    If my history of soaps is correct, the first ever male gay kiss on television was on “EastEnders” and the first female gay kiss on “Brookside”. We must not forget the power of those shows to get that liberal view and those conversations going in people’s living rooms. As Dame Carol Ann Duffy said at the funeral of the creator of “Coronation Street”, Tony Warren,

    “the millions who have loved Coronation Street for over half a century have lost their Dickens.”

    Isn’t that the truth? He and others are commentators on our lives; they amplify and give opportunities to share experiences.

    “Corrie” has given us actors and characters so well written and so brilliantly acted that they could be part of the family. Names such as Jack, Vera, Roy, Rita, Steve, Gail, Ken, Sally, Jim, Betty, Mike, Fred—the list could go on and on of characters so distinctive that they are recognised across the country by their first name alone. It is also a show that incubates talent, giving new actors a chance to cut their teeth on great storylines and powerful emotions. “Corrie” gave us early moments in the careers of Ben Kingsley, Sir Patrick Stewart, Joanna Lumley, Sarah Lancashire, Joanne Froggatt and Bradley Walsh. Even Sir Ian McKellen dropped by, wearing a very dodgy hat and scarf, I seem to recall.

    Writers including Jack Rosenthal, Kay Mellor, Sally Wainwright and Paul Abbott have all worked in the writers room carving out brilliant plotlines and one-liners. So powerful is the writing that as a young girl I felt the trials and tribulations facing the Duckworths were as vivid as those of my own family. To go on to become part of “Coronation Street” was almost an impossible dream.

    Andy Carter  (Warrington South) (Con)

    I happened to switch on my TV, and when I saw “Corrie” was being discussed I had to come down and pay tribute as a north-west MP. It is not just the actors and the writers that “Coronation Street” has developed. There are also the back room staff who are so critical to delivering brilliant television day in, day out—the wardrobe team, the make-up artists, the camera operators and so on. “Coronation Street” and Granada Television have fostered and developed that talent, transforming the north-west of England into a TV powerhouse. I am sure the hon. Lady agrees, having spent time at Granada studios, that that embryonic development has played a significant role in transforming the north-west media environment.

    Tracy Brabin

    I could not agree more, and I will go on to talk about how creativity and the creative industries can be a powerhouse and an engine of regeneration in our communities in the north.

    Let me speak a little more personally for a minute. I grew up in a housing estate in Howden Clough in Batley, watching acts at the Batley Variety Club. For a working-class kid like me, it was a source of pride and wonder that huge stars of the day, such as Shirley Bassey and Louis Armstrong, came to my bit of the world. Seeing photographs of Eartha Kitt eating chips in Dewsbury market is sort of mind-blowing. It set me on a path that was hard. I worked in precarious jobs trying to make it, sleeping on couches and living hand to mouth, like so many aspiring actors do. We all know how tough it is to get on in such industries for those who do not have rich parents,. For working-class northern actors, working on “Coronation Street” meant you had arrived. We had grown up watching it, and we wanted to be in it. I got the chance to work with the legends of “Corrie”—Jack and Vera, Raquel, Bet Lynch and Betty Turpin—watching and learning. As someone who had not been to drama school, the ability to memorise pages and pages of script overnight and bring authentic emotions and truth to the work was a skill I learned on that job.

    Many may know me as Tricia Armstrong, but aficionados may also know that I joined the show for three episodes playing Chloe, a toy shop manageress. It was a Christmas episode, and I ended up on top of the roof of the toy shop with Peter Baldwin dressed as Father Christmas. I must have impressed in that role, because I was then invited to come back a number of years later as Tricia Armstrong. That first day was, as the House can imagine, very overwhelming. Everybody in the green room was a famous face. When you have William Roache—he is now, unbelievably, 88—saying, “Would you like a cup of tea, Tracy?”, it is quite a surreal experience, as was working with Liz Dawn, who had her lines stuck all over the set like in “The Generation Game”, because she could not remember all of it. As long as there was a bit of script somewhere, she was all right. Famously one Christmas she pulled out the chicken and the lines were on the bum of the chicken as it came out—I thought, “Very convenient.” Then there was Annie Kirkbride, who we all sadly miss, who played Deirdre. Her wicked sense of humour creased us up in serious scenes.

    Having struggled with the feast and famine nature of the freelance life, it was such a huge relief to have regular paid work, a paid holiday and a chance to save. More than that, it was the honour of being part of something so associated with my class and being in the homes of people every night who shared my accent and my experiences.

    “Corrie” is not just about portrayal or about telling working-class stories brilliantly; it is, as the hon. Member for Warrington South (Andy Carter) says, absolutely about jobs in the north. It is not just about actors and directors, but schedulers, designers, editors, costume and make-up, researchers, the props team, office staff, accountants, carpenters, electricians, painters, security guards and canteen staff—the list goes on.

    Mr Speaker, you may know I am standing to be the candidate for the West Yorkshire Mayor. If I am elected, that experience on “Coronation Street” will drive my creative new deal, because our entertainment industries also have the power to build our economies, to deliver regeneration and to provide opportunity, hope and skills, and that process will take inspiration from “Coronation Street”, as it has shown us how important television can be for the economy.

    “Coronation Street” has a bespoke 7.7 acre set in the north-west. It employs about 450 people and hundreds and hundreds of freelancers. It firmly cements the importance of the north in TV’s history, and in its future, too. We know it is a creative powerhouse, and the skills and talent it nurtures and develops have aided and continue to aid the gentrification of Salford.

    I know that ITV takes the development of skills very seriously. To this day, it supports Tony Warren’s determination to be a champion of local talent. Tony wanted to support disadvantaged young people to get a career in an industry that is famously difficult to get started in. Shortly before his death in 2016, he worked with “Coronation Street” and ITV to establish a bursary to support local actors from disadvantaged backgrounds to train at drama schools. I can think of no better legacy for a man whose creation has brought us 60 years of public service broadcasting at its best.

    The success of “Coronation Street” is built on a healthy and well-supported public service broadcasting system. In order to preserve these valuable national treasures, reforms need to be made to protect and support our PSB. I hope that the Minister, when he gets to his feet, will also reflect on that and work with the broadcasters and Ofcom to ensure public service broadcasters can continue to deliver for their audiences and, more urgently, for our regions.

    Like all parts of life, covid has put massive obstacles in the path of “Coronation Street”, and the team has worked hard to overcome them. The Rovers Return is not that busy these days. The desks in the factory are slightly more spread out than they used to be, reflecting the regulations of real life, and keeping cast and crew as safe as possible while bringing familiar entertainment to our homes. While the Minister is here, let me say that large parts of film and television production have been able to get back on track thanks to the support of the Government around insurance. Screen production is part of a creative ecosystem, and to get it fully functioning once again our performing arts, theatres, music festivals and venues also need that insurance support to keep as buoyant as they can be.

    During the last few months of pain and frustration, there have been many times when I am sure that many of us would have found familiarity and comfort in these words from the legendary Blanche, written by my good friend Damon Rochefort: “In my day, summit bad ‘appened you stayed home, got drunk and bit on a shoe.” I think that is quite a good metaphor for the times we live in.

    If there is one thing in our country that can cross political divides, it is our love of “Coronation Street”. I am incredibly proud to have been part of the show’s history. I am one of thousands of actors, writers, producers, directors, costume makers and off-screen staff who have worked around the clock—trust me, I absolutely mean around the clock—to bring this programme to our screens year after year, decade after decade, never slipping in quality. Now I am proudly one of the millions of fans of “Coronation Street” who make the show so special, and I know that history is still there to be made, so here’s to the next 60 years.

    Mr Speaker

    Thank you. As somebody who was born and brought up in Granadaland and who has seen “Coronation Street” develop, it would be remiss of me not to be in the Chair at the start of this debate. Shortly I am going to hand over to another north-west Chair from Lancashire—Nigel Evans, no less. It is interesting that in “Coronation Street”, they always talk about going to Chorley market, because they know the good value of Chorley market. The other thing, of course, is that Ken Morley is from Chorley; he is just one of the stars who have been in “Coronation Street”. At home I have a tray from Newton and Ridley from the set of “Coronation Street”. Both myself and Mr Evans were on “The Politics Show” and we had to answer a certain number of questions. Guess who won—I’ve got the tray!

    No more from me. I call Conor Burns.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2020 Statement on the Lifetime Skills Guarantee

    Gavin Williamson – 2020 Statement on the Lifetime Skills Guarantee

    The statement made by Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State for Education, on 2 December 2020.

    The lifetime skills guarantee announced by the Prime Minister in September promises to help people across the country get the skills they need at every stage of their life as we build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.

    As part of the lifetime skills guarantee, the Prime Minister announced the expansion of skills bootcamps, which are currently available in the west midlands, Greater Manchester, and the Liverpool city region. These flexible courses last approximately 12-16 weeks, and give participants the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer.

    I am now pleased to announce that Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, the heart of the south west, and the Leeds city region have today opened course registrations ahead of beginning delivery in January. These bootcamps will expand to cover not only digital skills like software development, digital marketing, and data analytics but also technical skills training such as welding, engineering, and construction.

    This is only the start for this innovative approach to adult training. I can confirm that we will invest £43 million through the national skills fund to extend skills bootcamps further across the country in 2021 increasing the national coverage of this new offer and trailblazing new skills to support our labour market and develop this model further.

    We will continue to build on our wider plans for adult skills and I will update the House on our progress in due course. In the meantime, we will continue to engage closely with stakeholders as we progress and develop detailed plans for the national skills fund.

  • Dominic Raab – 2020 Comments on UK’s Commitment to NATO

    Dominic Raab – 2020 Comments on UK’s Commitment to NATO

    The comments made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 2 December 2020.

    NATO is the most successful alliance in history and at a time when our adversaries are operating in the space between peace and war – launching cyber-attacks and spreading disinformation – it is more important than ever.

    The UK supports NATO’s work to continually adapt to face new threats and challenges. This includes responding to technological innovations, the threats from cyber and hybrid warfare and the need to combine our political and military tools to have the greatest impact.

  • Grant Shapps – 2020 Comments on Christmas Travel Planning

    Grant Shapps – 2020 Comments on Christmas Travel Planning

    The comments made by Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Transport, on 3 December 2020.

    With many people carefully considering whether to travel to see loved ones this Christmas, we’re taking steps to try to ease journeys.

    Clearing 778 miles of road works and postponing rail upgrade works will ease congestion, minimise disruption and allow extra services to run.

    That action is backed by scrapping the admin fees for changing advance rail tickets, ensuring a strong staff presence to help people on their way. And I’ve asked former Olympics transport boss and Chair of Network Rail Sir Peter Hendy to carry out a rigorous assessment alongside transport operators to ensure everything possible is being done to help.

    We’re working with transport operators to help people see their loved ones, safely. We ask everyone to closely consider their journey, plan and book ahead, be patient, and be considerate of fellow passengers – and particularly staff who have worked so hard all year – by following the guidance carefully, including keeping space and wearing a face covering on public transport.

  • Dominic Raab – 2020 Statement to the OSCE Ministerial Council

    Dominic Raab – 2020 Statement to the OSCE Ministerial Council

    The statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 3 December 2020.

    2020 has been a challenging year for us all. I would like to begin by commending Albania, as Chair-in-Office, for its skilful leadership in steering the OSCE through this difficult year. It has been the UK’s pleasure to support the Chair-in-Office this year through our role chairing the Security Committee.

    And we see the OSCE is a vital pillar of the international system. This year we mark the 45th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. That agreement built trust between our countries at a crucial moment during the Cold War.

    But today, we are seeing the trust at the very root of that agreement repeatedly compromised. We call on all participating States to work to rebuild that trust. Across the OSCE region, we see ongoing conflict and gross violations of the Helsinki principles. The impact on regional stability and on the affected populations is absolutely devastating.

    We’ve seen this with the large scale military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where civilian populations have been shelled. In Georgia civilians continue to be detained arbitrarily in the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In Moldova, people’s lives are being disrupted by restrictions on crossing the “internal boundary line”. And in Ukraine, ordinary citizens have paid a terrible price for Russia’s illegal and aggressive actions.

    The OSCE plays a unique role in resolving conflict across the region, through early warning, prevention and reconciliation. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are doing important work in responding to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. And the Special Monitoring Mission continues to play a vital role in responding to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

    Implementing OSCE conventional arms control and Confidence and Security Building instruments would help to reduce military risk in the region. As would modernising the Vienna Document to increase military transparency among participating states. This is an urgent priority.

    The OSCE has also built up a powerful body of commitments on human rights and fundamental freedoms. But, again, this year has brought big challenges.

    We have witnessed human rights violated and democracy attacked in the OSCE area, most obviously in Belarus. Following the UK’s invocation of the Moscow Mechanism alongside 16 other participating States, Professor Benedek’s report has provided undeniable evidence of systematic human rights abuses and electoral fraud. The report also sets out the way out of this crisis. We call for its recommendations to be implemented in full. Just as we urge Russia to fully implement the Moscow Mechanism Rapporteur’s 2018 recommendations on Chechnya, including ending the systematic persecution of LGBT people.

    The OSCE, through its Institutions and Field operations, can offer crucial support to participating States to help protect fundamental freedoms and human rights. That includes missions to observe elections, producing detailed recommendations to strengthen the democratic electoral process, and support to implement those recommendations. It includes the work of the Representative for Freedom of the Media in challenging states on their compliance with international commitments on freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

    One thing we know, one thing the OSCE shows above all else is that, as international challenges mount, multilateral responses are even more important than ever. So I look forward to working with all of you next year – and particularly with Sweden as the incoming chair. We must rekindle the original spirit of the Helsinki Final Act and reinforce our efforts to tackle these challenges, together.

    Thank you.

  • Rebecca Pow – 2020 Comments on Solway Firth and Seabirds

    Rebecca Pow – 2020 Comments on Solway Firth and Seabirds

    The comments made by Rebecca Pow, the Environment Minister, on 3 December 2020.

    The UK seabird population is of global importance with the UK holding more than a quarter of Europe’s breeding seabirds. This addition to England’s vital MPA network is a significant step forward in our ongoing commitment to protect and improve the resilience of our marine environment and its precious wildlife.

    Together with the development of our Seabird Conservation Strategy, we will help the coastal environment to recover and thrive for future generations to enjoy.

  • Emma Hardy – 2020 Comments on University Starting Dates

    Emma Hardy – 2020 Comments on University Starting Dates

    The comments made by Emma Hardy, the Shadow Universities Minister, on 2 December 2020.

    The Government has finally listened to Labour’s call to set out a plan for the safe return of students to university in January. However, the delay in providing this guidance has caused huge, unnecessary stress for students and universities.

    Ministers must now work with universities to ensure a staggered return works for all students, and universities receive the tests and support they need.

  • James Murray – 2020 Comments on Tax Avoidance

    James Murray – 2020 Comments on Tax Avoidance

    The comments made by James Murray, the Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury, on 2 November 2020.

    The Government promised to crack down on promoters of tax avoidance this year – but now all their pledges have been dropped from 2020, with no guarantee of when we’ll see them return.

    It’s irresponsible for the Government to keep dragging its feet on such a key issue. Everyone should play by the rules and pay their fair share of tax. The fact this Chancellor is pushing ahead with a key worker pay freeze while going soft on tax avoidance makes you wonder about his priorities.

  • Kate Green – 2020 Comments on Government’s Exam Plans

    Kate Green – 2020 Comments on Government’s Exam Plans

    The comments made by Kate Green, the Shadow Secretary of State for Education, on 3 December 2020.

    The government have finally listened to calls from Labour, pupils, parents, and school leaders and set out a plan for exams, but they have been far too slow to act. This plan should have been in place months ago, to give certainty to pupils across the country who were worried about their exams. Dither and delay has made it harder for schools to prepare and created huge, additional stress for pupils.

    These proposals still do not offer enough reassurance to pupils in the regions worst hit by coronavirus who have seen their learning severely disrupted. The government’s new expert group must urgently set out how they will make exams fair for these pupils, and what measures will be put in place now for pupils taking exams next academic year who are losing learning now.

    We will look closely at the detail of these measures, and ensure that the interests of pupils and parents are put first.

  • Guy Opperman – 2020 Speech on Trustee Stewardship

    Guy Opperman – 2020 Speech on Trustee Stewardship

    The speech made by Guy Opperman, the Minister for Pensions, on 1 December 2020.

    I am grateful to David Weeks and to Janice Turner, co-chairs of the Association of Member-Nominated Trustees for inviting me to speak with you again.

    The last time I spoke at an AMNT event was in the October of 2019. Clearly a lot has happened since then. I was delighted to be reappointed as Pensions Minister after the December election. It is a job I asked to do at the start and it remains a job I really enjoy and believe in doing. I believe it is very, very important to do this job and I’m honoured and privileged that it is me taking it forward.

    I also believe we’ve managed to do a great deal, not least of which is almost completing the Pension Schemes Bill, which I believe will make our pensions safer, better and greener. And it is definitely the case we have managed to progress legislation notwithstanding the impact of Covid-19.

    I realise for all of us things are much less certain, and this is causing great uncertainty and much difficulty for many people. I experience it as a constituency MP, as every constituency MP does. So government is doing whatever it can to get us through this crisis and we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. But none of us are under any illusion that there are still several months of slog ahead, and I wish to thank all of you individually, and collectively.

    I also want to wish AMNT many happy returns and thank all of you, the leaders of the organisation, but all of you, for offering a genuinely innovative and vital and independent voice in pensions governance.

    This has unquestionably raised the standards of trusteeship with independent training and awareness sessions. I genuinely believe that the AMNT is very well placed for identifying problems and potential solutions, on key problems whether that is collective DC, ESG, or pooled fund voting as we’re going to talk about today.

    So the Bill itself, I believe has taken things forward in a safer, better, greener way. David mentioned the work with the Work and Pensions Select Committee, who I am working hand-in-glove with to ensure that we are combating scams and giving occupational pension scheme measures to ensure transfers of pensions savings are made in a safe way and not to fraudulent schemes. There is a whole host of measures that derive from section 125 of the Bill that we feel will make pensions a great deal safer.

    Clearly I think pensions will be better, and it is a combination of the huge amount of work by the team at DWP, and I’m speaking from Caxton House at the moment, and I’m very, very grateful for all the Bill team, all the policy teams, whether it is developing Collective Defined Contributions, a new product I think will be of fantastic assistance to many going forward, whether it is delivering on our legislation for pension dashboards to make savers better informed on how their money is growing and understand what they have, or the work on the DB white paper and all the reforms that flow from that.

    And finally I think it is a greener bill, because for the first time, obviously we were the first government of the G7 to legislate to put net zero on the statute book by 2050. There’s no question on my mind, having spoken in Europe with European colleagues, that we lead the way on ESG. And we now have a situation where we are the first country in the world to put TCFD onto the statue book. I genuinely believe that we are putting climate change at the heart of pensions going forward and that is a very good thing and it will be something we build upon going forward.

    I’ll touch upon another couple of clauses in the Bill before I get onto the substance of the report which we are going to talk about today.

    On clause 107 – I know that some trustees have some concerns about this – let me reassure once again that there is no intention to frustrate legitimate business activities where they are conducted in good faith.

    The Bill itself makes it clear, that offences are only committed if the person did not have a reasonable excuse for doing the act or engaging in the course of conduct.

    And on clause 123, the measures in the Bill seek to support trustees and employers. It builds upon the work we have done for some considerable period of time and I will be bringing forward secondary legislation which will work in such a way that it does not prevent appropriate open schemes from investing in riskier investments, where there are potentially higher returns, as long as the risks being taken can be supported, and members’ benefits and the PPF are effectively protected.

    There is, I repeat, no desire to see open schemes close unnecessarily.

    Now I will turn to the Association of Member Nominated Trustees’ report on Bringing Shareholder Voting into the 21st century.

    It is something I genuinely believe is an extremely important piece of work. I first spoke on this issue of trustees’ voting policies in February 2018 at the TUC Pensions Conference. I think I’ve spoken more at the TUC Conference than anyone else, maybe because people think I’m one of the most left-wing Tories around but whether I’m invited back in the Spring we will see.

    At the time I remarked on the fact that when many schemes – especially defined contribution schemes – invest in equities, they invest alongside others – ultimately in pooled funds. Many defined benefit schemes invest in the same way too. I queried why it was a pre-condition, when schemes invest in this way, that they surrender voting rights. They get to choose the manager and the fund and with it the investment manager, but they don’t get to choose how to vote at annual general meetings for the companies’ shares they hold.

    So at the tune I posed three questions and I think it’s worth contextualising what we’re doing today.

    First, I asked, if this was a technology problem, why fund managers or others couldn’t fix the technology.

    Secondly, I queried why, if this was all about asset managers thinking it was better to speak with one voice, what was so wrong with communicating that your investors have a diversity of views.

    Thirdly, I wondered why, if this practice was in some way legally questionable, why some investment managers are letting some clients vote their shares in pooled funds.

    On the question of technology, I do have a FinTech guide published earlier this year by the Investment Association, the trade body for fund managers, which remarks that historically investment and wealth management is a sector that has been slow to adopt emergent technology. That certainly does appear to be the case.

    On the importance of speaking with one voice – I also have the Law Commission’s report on intermediated securities published last month, which quotes the fund industry line on pooled fund and voting but remarks drily that “this approach assumes that the decision on whether to exercise voting rights to influence a company is one solely for the asset manager, and does not consider the wishes or objectives of an ultimate investor.”

    Which is certainly an interesting conclusion when principle 6 of the excellent updated version of the Financial Reporting Council’s Stewardship Code, which managers are expected to sign up to on a Comply or Explain basis, requires that signatory fund managers must explain “how they have sought and received clients’ views” and “how assets have been managed in alignment with clients’ stewardship and investment policies”. In some cases, not at all, appears to be the answer to both questions.

    And on the legalities – the asset managers who allow trustees to set their own voting policies remain at large, committing no greater crime than empowering pension scheme trustees and delivering better outcomes. Indeed, I understand that more are set to come forward with innovative offerings. I strongly welcome that.

    So I’m grateful to the AMNT for this excellent new report, written by Professor Iain Clacher, who is on the call I know, which sets out proposals for a new working group to examine:

    the overly complex and archaic voting infrastructure,
    underinvestment in the stewardship function in fund management.
    transparency of voting policies and outcomes.
    scheme-specific reporting requirements.

    And I am pleased to announce the establishment of that group today – the Taskforce on Pension Scheme Voting Implementation. This will be a task and finish group, with a focused remit to look at:

    how we facilitate the delivery of solutions to voting system issues which overcome the present obstacles to trustees implementing their own policies

    secondly how we increase the number of asset managers who are prepared to engage with their clients’ preferences and follow or as a minimum “align or explain” on trustee voting policies, including via pooled arrangements.

    thirdly, recommending regulatory and non-regulatory measures to ensure the convergence of asset managers’ approaches to voting policy and execution with trustees’ policies and preferences, especially in pooled funds.

    I am also able to announce today the appointment of Simon Howard, until very recently the CEO of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association as Chair, and Sarah Wilson, the CEO of Minerva Analytics as the vice-chair.

    Both come with a long pedigree, and many of you will be familiar with their work. Simon and his organisation have done sterling work in promoting the importance of ESG and responsible investment more broadly, and have done excellent work on pensions, including their report Changing Course earlier this year.

    As a result, I am taking forward their recommendations of a central directory of Statements of Investment Principles supported by TPR (The Pensions Regulator) and the DWP.

    We need a long-standing champion of the asset owner voice in voting, and I cannot improve on Sarah Wilson, who is the Chief Executive, Minerva Analytics. She was awarded the Excellence in Corporate Governance Award from the International Corporate Governance Network, for her efforts to improve the essential infrastructure that underpins effective corporate governance and investor stewardship.

    The group will also include representatives of the AMNT, with the rest of the membership to be announced in due course.

    The group will be supported by the DWP, but independent of the DWP. I have also asked the group to support and advise on the development of voting policies for occupational pension schemes, and further proposals for better disclosure of votes in a standardised and comparable way, which allows trustees and ultimately savers to see the quality of the service they are getting.

    I want genuinely for this to be a standardised approach across the board.

    In the final minutes of my remarks let me explain why I think this step is so important. It’s very simple. The investment chain is very long and very tangled, but ultimately you, as trustees of pension schemes are the asset owners at the end of that chain. And when you act, the ownership chain is tighter.

    That means better governance of firms in the real economy, more sustainable value creation and better outcomes for your savers.

    When trustees invest, too often they are being asked to select funds in advance on vague or sometimes non-committal voting policies and historic voting records which are opaque, inconsistent and sometimes incomplete. That’s why I’ve spoken a few times about a mixed economy in voting. The ability for trustees to set their own granular voting policy where they wish, and to expect to be able to find a manager who is willing to implement it at a fair price.

    Trustee voting policies more generally do need to improve – we urgently need to call time on SIP statements like “We leave it all to our fund managers”. But I see no reason why trustees shouldn’t be able to determine a high level policy, find an asset manager whose policy reflects it, and appoint that manager to implement their own policy.

    But we will get more engagement, better stewardship, better outcomes, and a stronger economy where asset owners who want to have a voice are able to speak up – however they invest, including in pooled funds –rather than be suppressed. It should not necessarily be the case that they need to switch to segregated mandates to set such a policy.

    For many schemes, such as defined contribution schemes investing via platforms, this will be impractical. I’m determined that this does work and I believe that it will. I realise that we could all sit back and do nothing, and one firm could emerge with some great innovation to make voting in pooled funds a really practical reality. But I don’t think it is right to sit back.

    Longer term we need more than one or two firms to come forward. I accept that the market will provide innovative solutions. But if we are to make that happen, trustees need to use their buying power NOW.

    Tell your adviser – remember, they are just an adviser, and you are the decision-maker – that you’re switching to a fund manager that will honour your policy unless similar flexibility is granted, at pace, by your current manager. I’ve invite you not to take no for an answer. Don’t tell me that the consultants won’t sign off unless you’ve paid them handsomely to certify that a more effective voting policy is in your members’ interests. Actually, do tell me, and I will tell the whole world.

    This system, a network of computers saying no to one another, a long system of blocked pipework, needs to be unblocked to allow trustees’ votes – and maybe eventually their beneficiaries’ votes – to be those that are counted by the companies they own.

    I rule nothing out in making this work properly.

    To my mind, doing this will make pensions safer – because if we give trustees a voice in voting, we can expect tougher action on pay for failure. The current tangled investment chain means that signals are far too often too weak, with sadly only 50 UK-listed votes on remuneration scoring dissent of above 20%, and only 5 defeated. I think it’ll make pensions better – because pension scheme memberships are more representative of the population than the fund management industry. And because trustees are ultimately accountable to their savers, they are going to be much better at pressing for boards who are more representative of the people who invest with them. In contrast, AMNT research last year found that 30% of fund managers had no voting policy on gender diversity and 75% had no policy on ethnic diversity. Trustees can do better than this.

    And I believe it will make pensions Greener – because for however much progress we have made, we have further to go. A survey from Edelman found that 69 per cent of institutional investors wanted companies to tie executive pay to sustainability. And yet almost no company does. Why is that? Sir Christopher Hohn of The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation has described asset managers as sheep, and highlighted that “a lot of them will say ‘we will vote for someone’s else’s resolution’, but why aren’t they filing their own resolutions?” I think that is a fair question. Engaged trustees can table their own resolutions and genuinely make a change on returns of voting.

    The Investment Association paper on FinTech I quoted earlier said that “for tech adoption to succeed there must be a clear specific business problem to solve, together with an organisational culture and multi-level sponsorship that supports innovation.”

    I believe this is a specific business problem crying out for a solution – that will allow asset owners to take ownership of their assets, however they invest.

    Thank you very much indeed.