What steps her Department is taking to use technology to increase police efficiency.
Hansard · 9 Feb 2026 · parliament.uk
SM
Shabana Mahmood
We are investing a record £140 million in state-of-the-art technology to make our communities safer, including the roll-out of the live facial recognition technology that is already transforming policing. Investing in technology means more time for the police to be where we want them, which is out on the streets fighti…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
I thank my hon. Friend for raising the scourge of synthetic cathinones. Let me assure her that the work of the National Crime Agency, Royal Mail and others continues apace. The use of synthetic drugs is a concerning development in the global drugs market, but this Government and law enforcement are taking action. We co…
LJ
Lincoln Jopp
I recently visited a major retailer in my Spelthorne constituency, and it reported that corporate systems for getting information to the police are so clunky that to transfer evidence of shoplifting, the police have to resort to sending round an officer to film the retailer’s footage on their body cam. As well as sorti…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
I am very pleased that the hon. Member raises that issue, and I am happy to look at the detail of what he has seen in his constituency. Let me assure him that there is a lot of work happening with retailers, and I know that different platforms are being adopted. The pace of technological innovation in this area is very…
AG
Allison Gardner
I recently met Home Office Ministers to discuss the use of synthetic cathinones, often referred to as monkey dust, in Stoke-on-Trent. These substances cause significant harm to users and, indeed, communities. They are frequently sold via the dark web and imported through the post. Can the Secretary of State provide an …
Mobile Phones and Social Media: Use by Children20 Jan 2026
AG
Allison Gardner
Organisations such as the Molly Rose Foundation highlight that evidence to support social media bans remains very uncertain and warn that blanket restrictions could unintentionally cause harm by pushing young people towards unregulated platforms, remove trusted online spaces, undermine digital literacy and, indeed, create a cliff edge at the age of 16. Does the Secretary… of State agree that we must take a calm, evidence-based approach to this complex issue and ensure that children’s voices are central to the consultation?
Hansard · 20 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
LK
Liz Kendall
I would like to make a statement on the next steps this Government will take to keep children safe online and give them the childhood they deserve. Last week, I said in this House that artificial intelligence and technology have huge potential to create jobs and growth, to diagnose and treat disease, to transform our p…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
JL
Julia Lopez
I thank the Secretary of State for advance notice of her statement. What does an ailing Prime Minister do to demonstrate firm and decisive leadership? He launches a consultation, with a variety of options. What does he do when the Conservative party, the House of Lords, trade unions and more than 60 of his own Labour M…
LK
Liz Kendall
The hon. Lady has talked about leadership. May I remind the House that last week, when the Prime Minister and I showed strong and firm leadership on X and Grok, she claimed that the issues were a legal grey area—which they are not—and compared our stance to that of the mullahs of Iran, which would be laughable if it we…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. I want to hear the Secretary of State, and this private conversation between the two Front Benches is not helpful.
Northern Powerhouse Rail14 Jan 2026
AG
Allison Gardner
I welcome the Government’s announcement today on Northern Powerhouse Rail. However, in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent we are still in stasis, with legacy issues such as the HS2 compound at Yarnfield, which is costing millions. I ask the Secretary of State for clarity on plans for our railway services in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and for HS2… legacy issues such as the Yarnfield compound.
Hansard · 14 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
HA
Heidi Alexander
With permission, I would like to make a statement on the Government’s plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail. I realise that I am not the first Minister to talk about transforming infrastructure in the north of England, and I get why people there are sick to the back teeth of Westminster politicians promising the earth and…
JM
Jerome Mayhew
May I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of her statement? She started the statement by saying that people are sick to the back teeth of Westminster politicians promising the earth and delivering absolutely nothing—and then she did exactly that. We on the Opposition Benches know what the right hon. Lady’s s…
HA
Heidi Alexander
I cannot believe what I have just heard, to be honest. I know that the hon. Gentleman is standing in for the shadow Transport Secretary, the right hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Holden) , but I really hoped that he would have done a bit better than that. The hon. Gentleman talks about no budget being set o…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the Chair of the Transport Committee.
RC
Ruth Cadbury
This is another hugely welcome transport statement from the Secretary of State for Transport and her team. Today’s announcement promises levels of rail connectivity for communities from Merseyside to Tyneside that will compare to those of the London travel to work area. The question that I and many others have is: when…
Economic Growth: Transport System8 Jan 2026
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps she is taking to help ensure that the transport system supports economic growth.
Hansard · 8 Jan 2026 · parliament.uk
SJ
Sally Jameson
What steps she is taking to help ensure that the transport system supports economic growth.
HA
Heidi Alexander
Transport is a key enabler of economic growth. That is why we are investing £92 billion to maintain and modernise our roads and railways, to deliver major projects such as HS2 and East West Rail, and to support leaders in our towns and cities to improve local public transport networks. This will strengthen connectivity…
HA
Heidi Alexander
I appreciate what a fearsome and impatient advocate my hon. Friend is for her constituency, and I am sure she will leave no stone unturned in exploring potential funding options with local partners to reopen some of those stations. I will gladly ask the Rail Minister to sit down with her to discuss the art of the possi…
SJ
Sally Jameson
Junction 3 of the M18 in Doncaster is one of the biggest bottlenecks to growth in our region, so will the Minister meet me to discuss the possibility of its inclusion in the road investment strategy and how the Department can further support the mayoral combined authority and the council to make sure we get this sorted…
HA
Heidi Alexander
I would be happy to ask the Roads Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield and Rothwell (Simon Lightwood) , to meet my hon. Friend, who has campaigned hard to secure a viable future for Doncaster Sheffield airport, and I also appreciate the importance of this junction. We have given a significant amount of fun…
AG
Allison Gardner
My constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South and the villages is home to internationally recognised visitor attractions, including the iconic World of Wedgwood and the stunning grade-II listed Trentham Estate and its gardens, yet public transport access to those sites remains limited. Two local railway stations, Barlaston a…
Critical Minerals Strategy24 Nov 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Advanced ceramics companies such as Mantec in my constituency produce ceramic membrane filters that are capable of extracting critical minerals including from industrial waste, improving productivity and recycling, reducing environmental pollution and of course reducing costs. Can the Minister tell me how UK businesses in the critical minerals supply chain, including innovators like Mantec, can… benefit from the strategy through our strong public finance offers, including the National Wealth Fund and UK Export Finance?
Hansard · 24 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
CM
Chris McDonald
With permission, I would like to make a statement on the Government’s critical minerals strategy. Madam Deputy Speaker, I am particularly delighted that you are in the Chair, given your personal interest in critical minerals, having launched the UK’s first critical minerals strategy a number of years ago. I am also ple…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I will definitely be paying close attention. I call the shadow Minister.
HB
Harriett Baldwin
I thank the Minister for advance sight of his statement. Critical minerals are vital to our national security. In submarines, missiles, jet fighters and radar, we need critical minerals for our national defence. Critical minerals in electric vehicles and wind turbines are also vital for clean energy generation. It is s…
CM
Chris McDonald
I start by saying that if there are indeed any spelling or factual errors in the document, I offer my apologies to the House; that is clearly unacceptable, and I will ensure that any corrections are made and that a new copy is laid before the House. I thank the hon. Lady for bringing those matters to my attention. On t…
PM
Perran Moon
Meur ras, Madam Deputy Speaker. Anyone who has visited my Camborne, Redruth and Hayle constituency cannot have missed the signs of our industrial past, but after decades of post-industrial deprivation, global demand for critical minerals is surging to accelerate the transition to a clean energy future—opposed entirely …
New Clause 43 - Charges payable by undertakers executing works in maintainable highways24 Nov 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
One of the advantages of this Government’s plan for devolution is that it offers the opportunity to address the country’s many regional inequalities. Indeed, strategic authorities, particularly those with mayoralties, have the ability to address inequalities within individual regions. The Bill’s original clause 43 addresses health, wellbeing and public services reform, and it is Government… amendments 116 and 118 and amendment 172 that I wish to discuss. This section of the Bill confers a new duty on all combined authorities and combined county authorities to have regard to improving the health of persons in their area and reducing health inequalities between persons in their area. Amendment 172 outlines the requirements for a health inequalities strategy, which may include the metrics for healthy life expectancy, infant mortality rates and poverty, including child poverty. My constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South and the villages has the interesting profile of sitting across a number of councils: the two unitaries—Stoke-on-Trent city council and Staffordshire county council—as well as Stafford borough council and Staffordshire Moorlands district council. I was also a councillor in neighbouring Newcastle-under-Lyme for several years, so I have the advantage of a broad view across the long-recognised area of north Staffordshire. I should add that there is a road in my constituency, Uttoxeter Road, that has five lots of bins from five different councils, which is quite an achievement. There are clear inequalities across all areas, and of course there are pockets of wealth and deprivation in all. However, the health statistics outline a harsh reality. When we compare Staffordshire county council and Stoke-on-Trent city council’s female healthy life expectancy, we see that in Staffordshire it is 63, compared with the national average of 61.5, but in Stoke it is just 55. Men in Stoke can expect a healthy life until they are 56, compared with 63 in Staffordshire, with the n
Hansard · 24 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
NG
Nusrat Ghani
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Government new clause 44—Licensing functions of the Mayor of London. New clause 2—Council tax: CAs and CCAs to be subject to same increase as most county and unitary councils— “(1) The Local Government Finance Act 1992 is amended as follows. (2) In section 52ZC,…
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
I am delighted to bring the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill back to the House on Report. Before I go any further, I would like to place on the record my gratitude to Members from across the House for their continued engagement on this Bill, and in particular to the Chairs and members of the Public Bil…
WM
Wendy Morton
Can the Minister assure me that the devolution of powers to our mayors—the west midlands is a really good example, because we have had a mayor for a number of years—will be accompanied by a devolution of accountability and scrutiny to local councillors and, importantly, to local communities? I fear that that is exactly…
MF
Miatta Fahnbulleh
Absolutely. We are very clear that with powers come responsibility and accountability. We are strengthening scrutiny powers for local government, and we will continue to look at ways in which we can strengthen scrutiny and accountability powers for mayors. We are absolutely clear that we have got to devolve power, but …
AG
Allison Gardner
I agree with my hon. Friend. It is with great sadness that I see this fight between cities and rural areas that demonises the city areas. Around Stoke-on-Trent we have a doughnut economy. Stoke generates wealth for north Staffordshire and it filters out to the rural areas, yet we hear people saying, “No to Stoke, no to…
AG
Allison Gardner
I reject the emotive use of terms like “gun to the head”. The Stoke-on-Trent city council and Staffordshire Moorlands district council proposals on LGR have been approved, and they are the democratically elected councils for those areas. The wider Staffordshire county council, which is now under Reform, had one proposa…
AG
Allison Gardner
In Staffordshire, which is quite rural—I have Stoke-on-Trent city centre in my constituency—we have that shared interlinking, and it is very important to the development of north Staffordshire. Staffordshire Moorlands council has shared services with High Peak in Derbyshire. Much of Stoke-on-Trent city council service …
AG
Allison Gardner
I wanted to intervene on the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Lewis Cocking) , but he had on his feet for over 20 minutes and I decided to give him a break. However, I want to raise that issue now. Much has been made about the conflict of planning—local planning going right to the boundaries, creating issues for infrastruct…
AG
Allison Gardner
I am quite interested in what my hon. Friend says about the differential approach. As a councillor, I know that Stoke-on-Trent is not necessarily known for its tourism industry, although that is absolutely a failure on the part of the country and of everybody, because we have great tourism attractions in Stoke. I have …
Active Travel20 Nov 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps she is taking to promote active travel.
Hansard · 20 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
LG
Lilian Greenwood
On 3 November , the Government launched a consultation to inform the development of the third cycling and walking investment strategy—CWIS3. That follows the announcement of £616 million of capital funding for active travel at the spending review, with allocations and details concerning revenue funding to follow in due…
LG
Lilian Greenwood
Earlier this year, we announced £300 million of funding for active travel for local authorities, supporting the delivery of high-quality pavements across England to enable more people to walk and 20 million new walk-to-school journeys by children and their parents. My hon. Friend is absolutely right that pavements must…
AG
Allison Gardner
My constituents in Stoke-on-Trent South have told me that they cannot move safely around their community because vehicles parked on pavements force pedestrians into the road. Similarly, Staffordshire Sight Loss Council has raised with me the dangers that pavement parking creates for people with vision loss. Of course, …
Clean Energy Transition: New Nuclear Power18 Nov 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps he plans to take to support the clean energy transition through the adoption of new nuclear power.
Hansard · 18 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
MS
Michael Shanks
We are delivering the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation, overturning the legacy of the Conservatives, who failed to complete a single project in their 14 years in office. Just this week, we announced that the flagship small modular reactor project would be based in Wylfa, bringing thousands of jobs to …
MS
Michael Shanks
My hon. Friend is a fantastic champion of her community and of the potential of businesses in her community to contribute to this. We have been clear as a Government that we want UK supply chains to benefit from these projects and to deliver their world-leading expertise across all our civil nuclear projects, including…
GC
Gregory Campbell
The Minister has outlined his determination and urgency on nuclear power. I hope he is able to confirm that everyone across the United Kingdom will benefit from lower costs as a result of the construction of mini nuclear reactors.
MS
Michael Shanks
We know that to bring down bills for everyone, we need a clean power system that includes nuclear providing the stable baseload across the country. That also benefits Northern Ireland through the interconnectors, but obviously energy decisions are reserved in Northern Ireland. We are committed to bringing down the cost…
AG
Allison Gardner
Advanced ceramics and ceramic matrix composites play a critical role in the manufacturing of nuclear infrastructure. They are used in nuclear fission reactors as pellets, ceramic coatings are applied to small modular reactors, and ceramics are needed in fuel particle coating, moderators, reflectors and control rods. No…
Police Reform13 Nov 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
In Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, we have a police, fire and crime commissioner. While I welcome the Minister’s statement, I worry about the impact on our fire service. Could she reassure me that we will consider the fire service as well, and how oversight of it will be transitioned in areas that now have a mayor,… like my area?
Hansard · 13 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
SJ
Sarah Jones
With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on police reform. Let me begin by expressing my sadness at the passing of Baroness Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner. She was a champion for victims and made a huge difference, holding Government and agencies to account. I extend my sympathies to her family and frie…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Home Secretary.
CP
Chris Philp
I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement. The Minister mentioned at the beginning the Government’s plans to bring forward a police reform White Paper. That was announced, from memory, about a year ago, but there has not been a single sniff of that White Paper. Can she tell us when we can expect it and wh…
SJ
Sarah Jones
I am not sure whether or not the shadow Home Secretary is in favour of this announcement—it is not entirely clear. Perhaps he can come back when he has made up his mind. The right hon. Gentleman asked several questions that I am happy to reply to. He asked when the White Paper on police reform will come out. It will be…
LA
Lewis Atkinson
What the people of Sunderland want is visible and responsive policing. There is no doubt about the decline in recent years. Northumbria lost 1,100 officers under the previous Government. How will the Minister ensure that the savings resulting from these changes are reinvested in the frontline, to improve neighbourhood …
Drug-related Deaths5 Nov 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Stoke-on-Trent has the highest number of drug-related deaths in north Staffordshire. Synthetic cathinones, colloquially known as monkey dust, are used in Stoke-on-Trent to an extent not seen elsewhere in the country. Does my hon. Friend agree that more needs to be done to battle the scourge of monkey dust in Stoke-on-Trent?
Hansard · 5 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
CN
Charlotte Nichols
I extend my thanks to Mr Speaker for providing the opportunity to discuss the crucial matter of drug-related deaths. I declare an interest as the unremunerated chair of the Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy, a think-tank in this policy space. The Office for National Statistics reported last month that deaths relate…
CN
Charlotte Nichols
I absolutely agree. There are huge regional disparities in drug deaths across the country, and a regional approach need to be taken to tackling them. While I appreciate that drugs policy and legislation do not fall under the Minister’s departmental remit, I am happy to see her here, as the drugs-related deaths crisis i…
JC
Jacob Collier
I am proud to be a patron of Burton addiction centre, a residential rehab centre in my constituency. It is calling for a 2% target across the nation. Does my hon. Friend agree with that target for residential rehab? Perhaps the Minister would like to visit some time, when she is able to.
CN
Charlotte Nichols
I completely agree about the role that rehab facilities can play in supporting people into recovery, and about the need for proper, consistent funding from the Government.
JS
Jim Shannon
I commend the hon. Lady for bringing forward the debate. I congratulate her on the campaign, and on her words to the House on the issue. We all greatly admire what she does, and thank her for it. In Northern Ireland, there were 169 drug-related deaths in 2023. That was an increase of 47% on the decade before, and it pr…
Supporting High Streets4 Nov 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I am delighted to take this opportunity to speak about Longton—a beloved town centre in my constituency that is very much on the up. I am excited that the Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Peckham (Miatta Fahnbulleh) , who is not in her place, has… offered to visit. I am sure that she will be excited to find out about the wonderful work happening in Longton. There is a real sense of momentum in Longton right now, and a growing confidence and pride in what the town has to offer. Much of that is thanks to the brilliant, award-winning team at our busy shopping centre Longton Exchange, led by Chris Ward, which is doing so much to breathe new life into the town centre. Its commitment has helped to support traders, attract new businesses and bring fresh energy to the heart of the community. The high street is absolutely the heart of Longton. It is where community life happens—where people bump into friends, visit our beautiful Victorian market, grab a coffee or pop into one of our many brilliant independent shops. When the high street thrives, everything else follows, and we are seeing that now with businesses like Kiln at Number 12, So Very Dog and the wonderful Crumbs bakery, which won the “Win a Shop” competition and has set up its brilliant new bakery in the exchange. Longton has always been a creative town. From the world-renowned Belstaff, whose clothes are sold right across the globe, to the Gladstone pottery museum, home to “The Great Pottery Throw Down”, creativity is in our DNA. That spirit is alive and well today thanks to groups such as Urban Wilderness, which keeps art and imagination at the heart of the town. Its famous pig walk brings thousands of people to Longton every year—that magic footfall—as a joyful celebration of community and creativity that shows what is possible when people come together. Its passion for ground-up community leadership, hosting the Longton town forum to bring toge
Hansard · 4 Nov 2025 · parliament.uk
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I inform the House that I have selected the amendment in the name of the Prime Minister.
AG
Andrew Griffith
I beg to move, That this House calls on the Government to support high streets by cutting public expenditure to facilitate the abolition of business rates for thousands of retail, hospitality and leisure premises on the high street; and further calls on the Government not to proceed with the Employment Rights Bill to a…
LE
Luke Evans
Hospitality was hit particularly hard by that toxic concoction. A UKHospitality survey found that 76% of businesses put up their prices, one third restricted their hours and 63% had to cut their staffing as a result. Is that not the reason why we need this policy to try to improve our high streets?
AG
Andrew Griffith
My hon. Friend makes exactly the right point: it was a devastating concoction of the Chancellor’s last year, and I believe that I am right in saying that UKHospitality calibrated the figures and estimated that 98,000 jobs have been lost across the hospitality sector. How proud this Government must be of costing mostly …
GS
Graham Stuart
My hon. Friend is giving a powerful speech. Hospitality is fundamental to social mobility. I would have thought that Government Members would be ashamed of a policy that means that those furthest away from the labour market—young people—are put off from trying to get their first job. Hospitality is essential to enablin…
AG
Allison Gardner
Does my hon. Friend agree that increased accessibility for people with disabilities is a crucial aspect of town centre regeneration that would unlock the power of the purple pound? If we make the high street accessible for disabled people, we make it accessible for everyone.
“Part 12a - GAMBLING TREATMENT REQUIREMENT21 Oct 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I will speak to new clause 28, “Gambling treatment requirement” and new clause 29, “Gambling addiction: support for offenders”. I thank the Minister and the Ministry of Justice, the NHS, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Health and Social Care for their sustained engagement and understanding on this topic. These… are probing amendments, and I will withdraw them. However, I wish to highlight the real urgency with which we must treat gambling disorder with parity of esteem to drug and alcohol addiction in the criminal justice system. Gambling can be a fun hobby which many of us enjoy—even I like a flutter on the lottery and have a soft spot for bingo. But what begins as the odd bet or game can quickly escalate, and some sadly spiral into problem gambling. Once an addiction takes hold, disordered gambling can break down families, cause people to lose their jobs and may trigger criminal behaviour. Those affected may turn to acquisitive crime to fund their addiction or pay their debts, and affected others may turn to crime to recoup their partner’s debts. Problem gambling is associated with not only acquisitive crimes, but street violence, domestic abuse and neglect. That, of course, leads to many harms for the person themselves, their families and the victims of their crimes. Although the link between problem gambling and crime remains relatively under-researched, the available evidence illuminates several concerning trends. Problem gamblers are over four times more likely to be in prison. While there are examples of good support specific to problem gambling, there is currently no statutory requirement to provide treatment to people convicted of gambling-related offences. I have received reports of people with problem gambling only being given treatment designed for drug or alcohol dependency, general mental health support or no treatment at all. None of those options treats the very specific and complex issues related to problem gambling
Hansard · 21 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
EM
Esther McVey
I oppose the whole idea of forcing courts to give suspended sentences when they should be sending offenders to prison. We all know that it is hard to get sent to prison in the first place, and judges and magistrates do not send people to prison lightly. In fact, they do not send people to prison enough, as far as I can…
SJ
Sally Jameson
The right hon. Lady suggests that the Bill will bring law and order into question, but as a former prison officer I would say it was the previous Government running our prison system to a boiling point that nearly brought law and order crashing down, with fewer than 100 bed spaces available last summer. It might be poi…
EM
Esther McVey
I thank the hon. Lady for making that point, although I would point out that under the last Government three prisons were built—HMP Five Wells, HMP Fosse Way and HMP Millsike—which added an extra 8,500 places. Three further prisons will also be built.
DS
Desmond Swayne
The active management of the prison service at those levels of occupation was of course hard work, but that hard work was absolutely necessary, and far preferable to simply taking a view that we will not have all those criminals in prison at all. The reality is that what we are doing now is much worse.
EM
Esther McVey
I agree with my right hon. Friend. This disgrace of a Bill will not be sending people to prison, and at the same time it will be letting people out of prison. Amendments 46, 47, 51 and 52 would change the length of sentences that qualify for the “get out of jail free” suspended sentences to those of less than 12 months…
AG
Allison Gardner
I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention, and I wholeheartedly agree. Prison should be rehabilitative. Any offender should have that support, to prevent reoffending. It is right for our society, it is right for potential victims, and it is right for offenders, who often resort to criminality due to very severe perso…
AG
Allison Gardner
I do. I reiterate that to break the cycle of reoffending or recidivism, rehabilitation must be at the heart of all sentencing and punishment, be it community or custodial. Under the Sentencing Act 2020, an individual suffering from drug and alcohol addiction receives targeted support through the alcohol treatment and d…
A50/A500 Corridor20 Oct 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
The A50/A500 growth corridor offers massive potential for growth. In my constituency, I have junction 15 of the M6 and the Sideway roundabout, which joins the A500 with the A50 before it goes on through the Meir tunnel and towards Uttoxeter. It is often congested, but it is a vital part of the supply chain… for the advanced manufacturing corridor. Does my right hon. Friend—[Interruption.] Sorry, I have promoted him. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is really important that we start investing in improvements on this part of the road network?
Hansard · 20 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
JC
Jacob Collier
I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I am grateful for the opportunity to raise the important issue of the A50/A500 corridor, a route that is vital to our industry and people in both Staffordshire and the wider midlands. May I welcome the new Minister to his portfolio? I hope h…
JC
Jacob Collier
I absolutely agree. My hon. Friend has been a great champion for improvements alongside me. Congestion around Uttoxeter, Blythe Bridge and Sudbury undermines productivity and growth and turns commutes into nightmares. Queues stretch for miles at peak hours, average speeds fall below 20 mph and local roads bear the pres…
AH
Amanda Hack
I thank my hon. Friend for securing this important Adjournment debate. I was recently contacted by a constituent who regularly travels between Castle Donington and Littleover. They say that every evening last year, the A50 was either closed or restricted, or the access slip roads were closed. Does my hon. Friend agree …
JC
Jacob Collier
My hon. Friend has made the case that this investment would benefit not just the people of Staffordshire, but the people of east Staffordshire and the wider midlands. I hope that the Government will commit to the A50/A500 being part of the next road investment strategy in March 2026. The Treasury has already set aside …
DW
David Williams
The point has been made that constituents get stuck trying to get to high-quality, well-paid jobs along the A50 corridor. I have residents in Kidsgrove, Mill Hill and Talke who regularly commute to the likes of JCB. Does my hon. Friend agree that the benefit of a better road connection would be felt not only in his con…
Digital ID13 Oct 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
As Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on digital identity, I welcome the Government’s proposals. However, many of my constituents have deep concerns and are seeking reassurance. In order to build trust in the digital ID system, it would help if people felt that they had choice and control over whether to use digital ID… or not. As such, will the Secretary of State look again at the proposal for mandatory digital ID for adults and allow people a choice for non-digital alternatives, which incidentally would offer resilience against IT failure, and control over their data with a decentralised or federated data approach?
Hansard · 13 Oct 2025 · parliament.uk
LK
Liz Kendall
I have always believed in giving people power and control over their lives: control over the public services they use and how they access childcare, benefits and housing support; control over their data, and who sees it; and control over the choices they make to rent or buy a home, apply for a job, open a bank account,…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
JL
Julia Lopez
Nearly three weeks ago, the Prime Minister unveiled a plan for mandatory digital identity that will fundamentally shift the balance of power between citizen and state. He did not announce it here in this House, but at a love-in of the progressive left, sponsored by Labour Together and haunted by the ghost of Tony Blair…
LK
Liz Kendall
Well, Madam Deputy Speaker, that is definitely the first time I have been called a big fat socialist. [Laughter.] The hon. Lady asks how it will help crack down on illegal immigration. Making ID mandatory and digital will really help us to get, much more swiftly and automatically, more actionable intelligence about rog…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the Select Committee Chair.
Sentencing Bill16 Sep 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Like my colleagues, I very much welcome the move to favour community sentences over short custodial sentences, as the Sentencing Bill provides. As we know, short-term sentences often lead to reoffending, which places a much-needed emphasis on rehabilitation. Rehabilitation plays a vital role in addressing the root causes of offending. There is a wealth of… research on the risk factors associated with offending and reoffending, with drug and alcohol dependency among the most prominent factors. Although there is slightly less research on this matter, I am increasingly concerned about the link between problem gambling and crime. Gambling disorders can and do lead to criminal offending, which is often committed out of desperation. The Commission on Crime and Gambling Related Harms has highlighted clear connections between gambling and various types of crime, including acquisitive crime, street robbery, domestic abuse, criminal damage and drug offences. Although gambling can be a fun activity for some, a gambling disorder can very easily take over an individual’s life: rates of suicide are significant, disordered gambling can ruin families, and gambling disorders push people into debt and subsequently into crime. I am concerned about the fact that gambling disorders are not given parity of esteem with substance addictions by the criminal justice system. There is a range of rehabilitation requirements to support prisoners sentenced with severe drug and alcohol dependencies, but there is no such statutory support for gambling-related offences. That is a potential gap in the Bill that could be addressed in Committee. Gambling disorders share similar cognitive and mental health characteristics to substance addiction. Problem gambling is officially recognised as a mental health disorder in both the World Health Organisation’s international classification of diseases, and the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders”, sitting alongside traditional substance addict
Hansard · 16 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
CN
Caroline Nokes
The reasoned amendment in the name of Robert Jenrick has been selected.
DL
David Lammy
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. It is my pleasure to open this debate—my first since being appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. It is an honour to be back on this beat and to take up this brief. Justice has always been at the heart of my politics o…
FM
Freddie Van Mierlo
I broadly welcome the Bill’s provisions, which will take on the mess that the Conservatives left behind. Does the right hon. Member agree that it is important to get the right balance between the purpose of prison, particularly for violent crime, which is to rehabilitate criminals, but also to provide a deterrent and p…
DL
David Lammy
That is a very good summary. We must have punishment that works, and I will talk about that later in my speech. When we look at the record of the previous Government, and I have looked at the figures very closely, we see that the recidivism rates were running at 60%, 65%, 68%. Something is not working when people go ba…
LS
Liz Saville-Roberts
There is much to welcome in the Sentencing Bill, including the inclusion of restriction zone measures, which are testament to the tireless work of my constituent Rhianon Bragg and her fellow campaigners. Details need to be clarified, however. Which offenders will be automatically included? Will the measures be applied …
AG
Allison Gardner
Unfortunately, the legislation did not mandate that individuals sentenced for gambling-related offences must seek rehabilitative treatment for their gambling disorder. Again, I suggest that the Bill could correct that as it progresses through the House. In a survey conducted by the University of Staffordshire, 99.6% of…
Defence Sector: Innovation8 Sep 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps he is taking to increase innovation in the defence sector.
Hansard · 8 Sep 2025 · parliament.uk
KM
Katrina Murray
What steps he is taking to increase innovation in the defence sector.
JH
John Healey
I am sure that the House will want to offer its sympathies to His Majesty and the royal family on the passing of the Duchess of Kent. The world is more dangerous and less predictable that ever, and as a result we need a strong British defence industry that is capable of innovating ahead of our adversaries. Our defence …
JH
John Healey
I know that the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard) , will be pleased to meet my hon. Friend. She recognises the truth at the heart of the need for a strong British defence industry that is resilient and capable of supporting the businesses, jobs and innovation …
KM
Katrina Murray
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Stewart-Buchanan Gauges, a proud employee-owned business in my constituency that supplies high-quality gauges and valves to clients in more than 50 countries. It even provides gauges for the SpaceX shuttle, and it exemplifies the world-class small and medium-sized enterprises tha…
JH
John Healey
I take my hat off to the firm in my hon. Friend’s constituency—it is exactly those sorts of businesses that are the backbone of a strong British defence industry. Small or medium-sized companies, often with the potential to grow, have not in the past seen support from Government. That is why we have set up an SME suppo…
AG
Allison Gardner
The growing advanced ceramics industry in north Staffordshire is a key creator of the unique advanced ceramic materials that are required for His Majesty’s fighting capability, including unique armour materials for defence, ultra high-speed munitions, and the detection and security of our communications. There is a tim…
10-Year Health Plan: Prevention of Ill Health22 Jul 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Urinary tract infections are estimated to impact on the lives of up to 5 million women and girls. In 2023-24, there were over 679,000 hospital admissions, and in 2023, 4,323 deaths. Outdated diagnostic techniques and inadequate treatment for acute UTIs results in the condition becoming recurrent and chronic. Better education of clinical staff and updated… guidelines, diagnostics and treatments can help prevent the spiral of ill health that destroys so many women’s lives. Will the Secretary of State engage with me and other campaigners to recognise chronic UTIs as a condition and work to prevent this horrendous, pervasive illness?
Hansard · 22 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
KO
Kate Osamor
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10-year health plan for England on the prevention of ill health.
AD
Ashley Dalton
The 10-year health plan sets out how we are transforming our approach to preventing ill health through a set of ambitious measures that make the healthy choice the easy choice. Among those measures is our mandatory partnership with food businesses, through which we will make shopping baskets across the country healthie…
KO
Kate Osamor
I thank the Minister for her response. Sickle cell disease disproportionately affects people from African and Caribbean backgrounds, yet systematic inequalities persist. A recent NHS Race and Health Observatory report reveals that research funding for cystic fibrosis is 2.5 times higher, despite similar prevalence. Wil…
AD
Ashley Dalton
The Government are committed to addressing health inequalities experienced by people living with rare conditions such as sickle cell disorder. Pioneering research is a cross-cutting theme of the UK rare diseases framework, but we know that there are a small number of rare conditions with a large amount of research, whi…
JR
Joe Robertson
The Minister talks about her 10-year health plan, with “Fit for the Future” splashed across the front cover, but really, it is a plan from “Back to the Future”, with no new ideas that have not been discussed since Alan Milburn tried to do this in the year 2000. It will only be successful if the Government deliver, but …
Independent Water Commission21 Jul 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
The village of Upper Tean frequently suffers flooding and sewage outflows, and one reason is that the antiquated mains water infrastructure cannot adequately cope with the increased amount of new housing developments, even when the developer meets all the required mitigations. Recommendation 3 in the report states: “A comprehensive systems planning framework should be introduced”.… The report also states: “Plans should consider the region or nation’s spatial development priorities, particularly those which are likely to have a significant impact on the water system, such as housing development”. Does the Minister agree that, given the Government’s plan to build 1.5 million homes, it is vital that privatised water companies ensure that they can adequately meet systems demand without sewage dumping, and that they prioritise doing so over profiteering?
Hansard · 21 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
RG
Roger Gale
Before I call the Secretary of State to make his statement, I place on the record the fact that Mr Speaker and the Deputy Speakers were disappointed to see extensive coverage in the media this morning of Ministers’ responses to the Independent Water Commission, before the House has had the opportunity to consider the m…
SR
Steve Reed
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I have, of course, saved the bulk of my responses for you and the House this afternoon. With permission, I would like to update the House on the Government’s plans to reform the water sector. The water industry is clearly failing. Our rivers, lakes and seas are polluted with record levels …
RM
Robbie Moore
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. I shall be responding on behalf of the shadow Secretary of State while she meets farmers at the Royal Welsh Show. Let me begin by recognising the scale and seriousness of the work undertaken by Sir Jon Cunliffe and his team. The review contains…
SR
Steve Reed
I thank the hon. Gentleman—I think—for his comments, but it is disappointing that the shadow Secretary of State did not consider a matter of this urgency to be important enough for her to show up in the Chamber this afternoon. I am afraid that that really does reflect the importance that their party ascribed to this is…
BE
Bill Esterson
My constituents will be very pleased with what the Government have announced today, following 14 years of seeing increases in the dumping of sewage on the beaches, and in the rivers, in my constituency. I could not help but notice that yesterday the leader of Reform, in his answer to every question, said either “I don’…
Trade Agreements: Implementation17 Jul 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
May I thank the Secretary of State for meeting regularly with me and my colleagues regarding the challenges facing the ceramics industry? I look forward to continuing to work with him to seek solutions for the challenges we face. What assessment has the Department made of the potential impact of its trade strategy on British… businesses, and in particular the ceramics industry?
Hansard · 17 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
BC
Ben Coleman
What progress his Department has made on implementing recent trade agreements.
DA
Douglas Alexander
The UK continues to make progress across its trade agreements programme to bring prosperity to communities across the country. On 30 June , for the US, we implemented legislation creating two new quotas for imports of beef and ethanol, and the US removed tariffs on UK civilian aerospace goods and reduced tariffs on UK …
BC
Ben Coleman
One of the businesses that stands to benefit from the EU trade agreement is a butcher and deli in my constituency that imports a lot of its products from Spain. At the moment, its shelves are unfortunately half-empty because its small Spanish supplier—effectively a man with a van—says he simply cannot cope with all the…
DA
Douglas Alexander
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I express my regret that that business, like so many across the country, finds itself buried in red tape as a consequence of the implementation of Brexit by the Conservative party. There are technical aspects of our agreement with the European Union that need to be worked throug…
BT
Bradley Thomas
When is a trade deal not a trade deal? It has been nine weeks since the Prime Minister announced a deal to protect steel from US tariffs, and 10 weeks since the Secretary of State said that the India deal was “signed, sealed and delivered.” Will the Secretary of State publish the details of these important deals withou…
Business of the House17 Jul 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
For the past year, I have been working with the Midlands Partnership University NHS foundation trust to secure and unlock the funds to build a new neighbourhood health centre in Longton, which, incidentally, is the home of Gladstone pottery museum featured in “The Great Pottery Throw Down”—the Leader of the House is welcome to come… and visit. The plan is to deliver better joined-up healthcare in the community. Naturally, I am delighted to see this Government’s commitment to moving healthcare from hospital to community in the 10-year plan. Will the Leader of the House allow for a debate in Government time on how we can deliver a neighbourhood health service as quickly as possible?
Hansard · 17 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
Jesse Norman
Will the Leader of the House give the House the forthcoming business?
LP
Lucy Powell
The business for the week commencing 21 July includes: Monday 21 July —General debate on the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan. Tuesday 22 July —The Sir David Amess summer adjournment debate. The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee. The House will rise for the summer recess a…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Where do we go from there? I call the shadow Leader of the House.
JN
Jesse Norman
I doubt if the Leader of the House has ever given a more popular statement to the House of Commons. More seriously, this is a welcome development as it will give guidance to colleagues and their families, and I am sure it will be widely welcomed across the House, so I thank her for that. I understand that Robert Gibbs,…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Before the Leader of the House responds, in case I misheard, let me say that the shadow Leader of the House knows we do not accuse colleagues of misleading the House. “Inadvertent” is the language.
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee17 Jul 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Our Committee’s evidence supports the conclusion that social media business models, particularly the use of recommendation algorithms that push users to see more extreme content and misinformation, incentivise the spread of dangerous content and, consequently, behaviours. As both a member of the Committee and co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on artificial intelligence— I am… another Member who wears many hats—I welcome our Committee’s conclusion that users and social media platforms should be held accountable for the impact that their amplification causes. Does my hon. Friend agree that the report provides clear recommendations to the Government and regulators as to how those platforms should be held accountable, including labelling of all AI-generated content and new regulatory oversight with clear, enforceable standards and penalties? Accountability must have teeth.
Hansard · 17 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
CN
Caroline Nokes
We now come to the first Select Committee statement on behalf of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee. Dame Chi Onwurah will speak for up to 10 minutes, during which no interventions may be taken. At the conclusion of her statement, I will call Members to ask questions on the subject of the statement. These…
CO
Chi Onwurah
I am grateful to the Backbench Business Committee for allocating time for this statement. Today I speak on behalf of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, but also the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives were profoundly affected by last year’s riots, as well as everyone impacted by the long shadow o…
BS
Ben Spencer
I thank the hon. Lady and the Select Committee that she chairs for delivering this important review. I also thank her for her statement to the House, which has highlighted the scale of the challenge we face in relation to the proliferation of misleading and harmful content online. I join her in putting out my prayers a…
CO
Chi Onwurah
I thank the hon. Member for his comments. I also thank him for highlighting the particular issue of young people, their cognitive development and the lack of protection they enjoy from misinformation as a consequence. The Committee did not recommend that the Government should commit to a review, but we are considering …
LT
Liz Twist
I thank my hon. Friend and her Committee for highlighting the challenges we face in scrutinising powerful technology companies. As she knows, I am particularly concerned about suicide and self-harm-related content. In 2022, more than three quarters of the individuals surveyed by Samaritans said that they first saw self…
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life16 Jul 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I commend the Government for their mission to give every child the best start in life. It is critical that all children, no matter where they are born, have every opportunity to achieve their potential. I must mention at this point the number of Staffordshire MPs who are here for the debate, which just shows… the importance of this topic to the children in our county.
Hansard · 16 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
SM
Stephen Morgan
I beg to move, That this House has considered the matter of giving every child the best start in life. This Government have a mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for children and young people, so that background does not determine a child’s future and successes. After 14 dark years under the Conservative …
WF
Will Forster
The Minister mentioned family hubs, which I welcome, but he stated that they will be delivered by local authority area. In my area of Surrey, we are going through local government reorganisation. How will the roll-out be impacted by that reorganisation? Does he expect to roll out a plan over the next couple of years, a…
SM
Stephen Morgan
We are obviously working through the detail of our commitments as I speak, but I will certainly take his point back to the Department—I know that officials are working very closely with colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. What is really powerful is the fact that we will roll out fam…
NO
Neil O'Brien
Everybody wants to give children the best start in life. That is why we increased spending per pupil in schools by 11% in real terms in the last Parliament, and why we doubled real-terms spending on the free entitlement for the early years. More importantly, it is why we pushed through difficult reforms to schools, whi…
CV
Christopher Vince
On that point, will the shadow Minister give way?
AG
Allison Gardner
My hon. Friend is right that we hunt as a pack: when the three Stokie MPs get together with our Staffordshire colleagues, we make a formidable bunch, and I am very proud to be part of the team. I am incredibly proud to work for a Labour Government who are breaking down the barriers to opportunity, tackling child povert…
AG
Allison Gardner
I commend my hon. Friend and her neighbour for those wonderful outcomes, although I am sure she still has issues in her constituency that we need to battle against. As I have said in the Chamber before, child poverty in some parts of my constituency is as high as 76%. In 2022-23, 13 children in every classroom of 30 we…
AG
Allison Gardner
My hon. Friend quite rightly points out the complexities and histories of the issues that we face, which we need to solve with a holistic approach. In the absence of amazing services such as Sure Start, mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (David Williams) , the predominant policy route has b…
AG
Allison Gardner
I thank my hon. Friend for mentioning the extra work that so many of our primary schools do. I particularly want to comment on the headteacher of Alexandra infants’ school in Normacot, Adele Lupton, who has for many years had a community room that is open to the community. She has worked so incredibly hard to support c…
Clause 1 - Review of law on marketing authorisations11 Jul 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Stella Gilbert, née Forster, was a much-beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister to my partner, Jim. She died of a rare cancer. Stella was great—my partner’s only sibling, a huge matriarch and, as we found out at her funeral, given to bossing her local vicar about. She had bile duct cancer, which affects approximately 2,000… people a year in the UK. In the Bill’s terms, bile duct cancer is a rare cancer; the Bill classes rare cancers as those that affect no more than one in 2,000 people, and bile duct cancer affects 0.06 in 2,000. Worryingly, research suggests that that incidence is increasing. I am grateful that the Bill allows for some flexibility, because if bile duct cancer were to pop over that cut-off of one in 2,000, it would go into a different category. That flexibility is appreciated. Guts UK states that the cause of bile duct cancer is unknown in six to seven out of 10 patients. It is a rare cancer that is increasing in prevalence, often with causes unknown, and nearly 3,000 people a year die from it. Would it not be better therefore not only to prevent this cancer from increasing in prevalence, but to make it even rarer and more curable? The Bill opens the door to that. It will allow for more focus on rare and less survivable cancers. Research is crucial in tackling cancer, and I am heartened by this Government’s commitment to tackling all cancer types. A national cancer plan is due to be published following the NHS 10-year health plan, and the DHSC has committed more than £1.6 billion for research to the National Institute for Health and Care Research, which is quite rightly treating cancer as a major priority and allocating funding accordingly. As an officer of the all-party parliamentary group on the less survivable cancers, I am particularly grateful for the commitment to tackling brain cancer, which I have heard a lot about in this place today, in partnership with organisations such as the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission and Brain Tumour Resear
Hansard · 11 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
CC
Christopher Chope
I beg to move amendment 1, page 1, line 5, leave out “and”.
NG
Nusrat Ghani
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Amendment 2, page 1, line 6, at end insert “and (c) set out a timetable for implementing any changes in the law recommended by the review.” Amendment 3, page 1, line 7, leave out “in particular”. Amendment 4, page 1, line 9, leave out “three” and insert “two”. A…
CC
Christopher Chope
This is certainly not a trivial Bill; it is a really important piece of legislation, which I congratulate the hon. Member for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur) on introducing and pioneering. It was not a Government handout; it was an idea that he thought needed to be the subject of legislation and he has pursued it. We …
SA
Scott Arthur
I rise to oppose the amendments, but I thank the hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) for tabling them, for engaging with the Bill and for our conversation yesterday, which I really appreciated. I understand the stated intent of the proposals, although I am not minded to support them. Over the last 10 m…
CC
Christopher Chope
I hear what the hon. Member is saying, but why does the impact assessment say that the costs are for staff for only one year? If the review will take three years, why are the staff funded for only one?
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life7 Jul 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I really welcome the statement today, as I am sure do the residents of Normacot, whose excellent family hub they fought hard to save many years ago. But we need more in my constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South. Stoke-on-Trent consistently lags behind the national average. Many children start school unable to speak, and infant mortality rates… are the highest in the country. We consistently rank highest for the number of children in care across England, and in some parts of my constituency, child poverty is as high as 76%. Stoke’s children deserve better. The Best Start hubs offer an opportunity to improve health, to help children reach their development goals and to improve parental wellbeing. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the critical need for more of these hubs in my constituency?
Hansard · 7 Jul 2025 · parliament.uk
BP
Bridget Phillipson
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement on this Government’s vital work to change our country for good by giving every child the best start in life. The focus today is firmly on our youngest children, but the impact will be much more broader. This Government are building a stronger, fairer societ…
JC
Judith Cummins
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
LT
Laura Trott
When the right hon. Lady was in opposition, she criticised every announcement simply because it came from the Conservatives. Take childcare: she called the hours model that she talked about today “broken”. She said that she would have a new childcare system, and that its creation would be “like the creation of the NHS.…
BP
Bridget Phillipson
Every time I come here to announce the positive changes that a Labour Government are bringing, whether it is free breakfast clubs, school-based nurseries or our “best start in life” strategy, what is the right hon. Lady’s response? The same confected outrage, the same negativity, and the same petty point scoring. She h…
JC
Judith Cummins
Order. I certainly want to listen to what the Secretary of State for Education has to say.
UK Modern Industrial Strategy23 Jun 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
The industrial strategy rightly recognises the role of ceramics as a key foundational industry and, of course, the central role of Stoke-on-Trent not just historically but in the exciting new world of advanced ceramics—providing parts for wind turbines and even small modular reactors, if we get the investment our way. As the Secretary of State… has mentioned, ceramics has the additional challenge of being a gas-intensive industry. As such, I welcome the Government’s commitment to the energy-intensive industries compensation scheme—a snappier name would be nicer—particularly in supporting decarbonisation and technological innovation. May I ask the Secretary of State what specific support is planned to aid the ceramics industry, not only in managing its energy costs but in supporting its decarbonisation?
Hansard · 23 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
With permission, I will make a statement on how this Government are backing British business and British workers through the launch of the UK’s modern industrial strategy. At the outset, I wish to thank Dame Clare Barclay, all members of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council and my officials for their outstanding wo…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
Please be seated. The Secretary of State is very diligent, but could he let his officials know that if the opening statement is to go beyond 10 minutes, they should inform the Speaker’s Office? As the statement went a little bit longer, I will allow the Opposition and the Liberal Democrats to have an extra one minute e…
AG
Andrew Griffith
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. It is always a good day when we can talk about our wonderful and innovative British businesses, but, sad to say, this strategy has taken the best part of 12 months to appear. That is how long British industry has had to wait for this cut and paste indus…
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
So fuelled by optimism am I today that even the shadow Secretary of State cannot bring me down. Having been in opposition for some time, I can say that, “This document is all rubbish and I welcome most of it,” is quite an exciting take on a response. The Conservative party has managed to oppose almost everything that t…
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I call the Chair of the Business and Trade Committee.
Post-industrial Towns18 Jun 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
The most recent data, from 2023, showed that 25% of manufacturing jobs in Stoke-on-Trent were in ceramics. Ceramics—especially advanced ceramics—is critical to strategic industries such as defence, nuclear energy and steel. Does my hon. Friend agree that the industrial strategy must recognise the foundational industry of ceramics, which is vital for the future not only… of Stoke-on-Trent but the country?
Hansard · 18 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
JW
Jo White
The post-industrial towns of the red wall areas are dying on their feet. Our young people are moving away, never to return, to the cities, to London and to the surrounding commuter towns, for good jobs, skills and higher pay. The good apprenticeships are too few, and we have low-skilled populations who are growing olde…
AB
Alex Ballinger
The Black Country forged the steel that built Britain. Places such as Cradley Heath in Halesowen still have that pride and passion in their towns. Does my hon. Friend agree that the industrial strategy should focus on aerospace, defence and manufacturing so that places like ours can be revitalised because of this Labou…
JW
Jo White
I agree with my hon. Friend. We have to invest in areas like his and mine to rebuild those jobs and our industry. Such areas in our constituencies must become the engines of the future. In Bassetlaw we have just welcomed the award of £2.5 billion for the development of fusion energy in north Nottinghamshire. In additio…
LP
Lee Pitcher
My hon. Friend tempts me to intervene because she knows how passionate and driven I am to see Doncaster-Sheffield airport open, revitalised and ready to take flights in the near future. That will bring new jobs, prosperity and longer-term ambition for the young people who live in the area. Does she agree that the Gover…
JW
Jo White
I totally agree with my hon. Friend. I want young people in my constituency to think about the wider opportunities, including what is happening at Doncaster airport. Approximately 800 jobs were lost, which impacted people who live in Bassetlaw, but I am very supportive of what is coming forward.
Parliamentary Debate13 Jun 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I rise to support a number of new clauses and amendments to the Bill. The common thread running through all of them is a need to address some of the gaps in the safeguards and oversight. Should the Bill pass, I at least want to ensure that we improve its protections and remove some of… the risks that it contains. New clause 4 requires the chief medical officer to monitor the operation of the legislation, rather than depending solely on the assisted dying commissioner. Alongside the requirement for a High Court judge, oversight by the CMO was removed during the Committee stage. This means that, essentially, the assisted dying commissioner would mark their own homework. New clause 4 returns the safeguard of independent oversight, which is sensible given the significant concerns expressed by many experts and organisations, which were often neutral on the principle, but concerned about the Bill. They include the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Association for Palliative Medicine, the British Geriatrics Society, the Royal College of Physicians and many experts such as Professor James Monckton Smith, a leading criminologist, Baroness Finlay, Parliament’s leading expert on palliative care, Sir David Haslam, former head of the British Medical Association and of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence—my previous employer—and many more. All have expressed concerns, even when neutral on the principle of the adequacy of the Bill. Hence new clause 4 requires an annual report to include “information about the application of the Act in relation to— persons who have protected characteristics, and any other description of persons specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State.” I fervently hope that that includes domestic violence victims. Amendment 13 very sensibly adds the requirement that the commissioner appointment is not the sole remit of the Prime Minister at the time, by requiring the consent of the Health and Social Care Committee. This provides a
Hansard · 13 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
AH
Alison Hume
I rise to speak in favour of new clause 15, which clarifies that an assisted death would not be classified as an unnatural death and that a full coroner’s inquest would not normally be required. My constituent Antony Shackleton lived with motor neurone disease for six long years. As his condition worsened, his options …
New Clause 13 - Regulation of approved substances and devices for self-administration13 Jun 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I rise to support a number of new clauses and amendments to the Bill. The common thread running through all of them is a need to address some of the gaps in the safeguards and oversight. Should the Bill pass, I at least want to ensure that we improve its protections and remove some of… the risks that it contains. New clause 4 requires the chief medical officer to monitor the operation of the legislation, rather than depending solely on the assisted dying commissioner. Alongside the requirement for a High Court judge, oversight by the CMO was removed during the Committee stage. This means that, essentially, the assisted dying commissioner would mark their own homework. New clause 4 returns the safeguard of independent oversight, which is sensible given the significant concerns expressed by many experts and organisations, which were often neutral on the principle, but concerned about the Bill. They include the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Association for Palliative Medicine, the British Geriatrics Society, the Royal College of Physicians and many experts such as Professor Jane Monckton Smith, a leading criminologist, Baroness Finlay, Parliament’s leading expert on palliative care, Sir David Haslam, former head of the British Medical Association and of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence—my previous employer—and many more. All have expressed concerns, even when neutral on the principle of the adequacy of the Bill. Hence new clause 4 requires an annual report to include “information about the application of the Act in relation to— persons who have protected characteristics, and any other description of persons specified in regulations made by the Secretary of State.” I fervently hope that that includes domestic violence victims. Amendment 13 very sensibly adds the requirement that the commissioner appointment is not the sole remit of the Prime Minister at the time, by requiring the consent of the Health and Social Care Committee. This provides a
Hansard · 13 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
KL
Kim Leadbeater
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Amendment (b) to new clause 13, at end insert— “(5A) The Secretary of State may only approve a device under subsection (5) if the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved the device for that purpose. (5B) Before making any regulations und…
KL
Kim Leadbeater
It is a privilege to open today’s debate and to present to the House the amendments tabled in my name, a number of which relate to issues that I promised to return to when they were raised in Committee. All amendments in my name have been drafted with technical advice and expertise from civil servants from the Departme…
PF
Patricia Ferguson
I am genuinely looking for clarification. As a former Cabinet Minister in the Scottish Government, I jealously guard the devolution settlement. I wonder how the extension of some of these clauses to include Scotland will be interpreted. What conversations have taken place between my hon. Friend, Scotland’s Lord Advocat…
KL
Kim Leadbeater
I have taken legal advice from Government officials to ensure that devolution is respected at every stage in proceedings. Where legislation that affects other jurisdictions needs to be amended, those conversations have already started and will continue.
AG
Allison Gardner
I entirely agree with my hon. Friend. To expect MPs to improve the Bill without clarity as to what the regulations are or what they will be, and how the service will be delivered without rigorous regulatory oversight is fundamentally wrong. Furthermore, the fact that the implementation of the Bill will be automatic in …
Rooftop Solar Power10 Jun 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps he is taking to support rooftop solar power projects.
Hansard · 10 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
LB
Lee Barron
What steps he is taking to support rooftop solar power projects.
CR
Connor Rand
What steps he is taking to support rooftop solar power projects.
TO
Tristan Osborne
What steps he is taking to support rooftop solar power projects.
LP
Lee Pitcher
What steps he is taking to support rooftop solar power projects.
EM
Ed Miliband
Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. You look younger every year, if I may say so. Last week, we launched the new future homes standard, which will ensure that the vast majority of new build houses will have solar panels installed as standard. This will end the absurd situation the previous Government left where new housing was…
AG
Allison Gardner
Happy birthday, Mr Speaker. In my Stoke-on-Trent South constituency, businesses such as the Bestway Group, which owns Well healthcare in Meir Park, and Goodwin International in Newstead are keen to invest in rooftop solar, but they cannot get national grid connectivity. In the case of Well healthcare, it will have to w…
New Clause 1 - Country of origin marking for ceramic products: assessment4 Jun 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I rise today in support of new clause 1, which deals with a country of origin marking for ceramic products and which my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Gareth Snell) so eloquently introduced. My constituency is home to “The Great Pottery Throw Down”, based in the wonderful Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton, and… I am so proud to have many great pottery firms in my constituency. Those include Wedgwood, which is famed for its iconic blue jasperware, and Duchess China, which has factories in Longton and Newstead that I was honoured to visit recently. There, I met Jason Simms, who is a 100-mph visionary for the future of ceramics in Stoke-on-Trent and the world. It was a really interesting visit. Duchess, founded in 1888, produces the tableware used in the House of Commons. It is proud of the fact that its products are made in the UK, from clay to table. People buying products produced by Duchess, for example, will see that they say on the bottom, “Fine bone china made in Staffordshire”. The phrasing is deliberate; it clearly informs the purchaser not only of the product’s country of origin, but the precise part of the country that it comes from. Most of our ceramic products contain these backstamps to mark authenticity, and many include a reference to Stoke and Staffordshire. As I have before, I invite all colleagues to join the “turnover club” and check the backstamp on the chinaware here. They will probably find it was made in Stoke.
Hansard · 4 Jun 2025 · parliament.uk
GS
Gareth Snell
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
NG
Nusrat Ghani
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 2—Requirement to inform customers about changes to prepackaged products— “(1) A supermarket must inform customers if— (a) there has been an increase in price per unit of measurement in any prepackaged product sold by the supermarket; and (b) this incr…
GS
Gareth Snell
I wish to speak briefly to new clause 1, which is a probing amendment that seeks to establish a couple of facts. I will start, however, by thanking the Minister for his time yesterday and for engaging with me on the matter. I know that he takes the matter of how we protect ceramics in the UK, and indeed how we can enha…
GS
Gareth Snell
Yes, that is in Staffordshire, as my hon. Friend says. There are factories in Newcastle-under-Lyme as well. We are, however, seeing a proliferation of companies that seek to pass off material not made in the UK. Its firing will have taken place overseas and it will then be imported into the UK, with the decorating and …
AJ
Adam Jogee
I am pleased to have put my name to the new clause tabled by my neighbour in Stoke-on-Trent Central. Does he agree, notwithstanding his comments, that much of this is also about pride? It is about pride in our people, pride in the skill of our people and pride in the vital ceramics industry, not just in Stoke-on-Trent …
AG
Allison Gardner
I thank my hon. Friend for that timely and right intervention. I join him in his campaign. We do not always have the level of detail needed in this country, and we need to address that nuance so that consumers know exactly what they are buying. That is important, because the pottery industry is at great risk from cheap…
AG
Allison Gardner
The hon. Member is right to point out that Stoke and Staffordshire are not the only places that produce wonderful ceramic and other products. I understand that new clause 4 is broad in scope. I am speaking today to new clause 1, which relates to ceramics. I hope he will indulge me. A few months ago, I was proud to meet…
AG
Allison Gardner
I commend my hon. Friend for his outstanding advocacy, in particular for the workers of Moorcroft. I know how hard he has been working for them, and I agree that they are a testament to the great skilled craftsmen and women in British manufacturing. Stoke-on-Trent, the Potteries and Staffordshire are globally renowned …
AG
Allison Gardner
Does the Minister agree that online marketplaces should have a greater responsibility to ensure the safety and authenticity of the products they sell, just like a retailer on our high streets?
New Clause 10 - No obligation to provide assistance etc16 May 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
The Royal College of Psychiatrists states that it does not feel that, at this moment in time, there are sufficient psychiatrists able to take up a position on such a panel. What response does my hon. Friend have to that?
Hansard · 16 May 2025 · parliament.uk
KL
Kim Leadbeater
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Amendment (a) to new clause 10, after subsection 8(b), insert— “(8A) Nothing in Schedule (Protection from Detriment) prevents an employer who has chosen not to participate in the provision of assistance in accordance with this Act from prohibiting their employee…
KL
Kim Leadbeater
It is a privilege to open the debate on this next important stage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. It seems a long time ago that we held the Second Reading debate in November on what many of us felt was a very proud day for Parliament, when we saw an emotional and passionate but largely respectful debat…
JW
John Whitby
My hon. Friend mentioned many real stories influencing this debate. I will mention one more: my constituent Mick Murray, who is in the Public Gallery today. Mick helped two close friends, Bob and Ann, to make the painful journey to Dignitas. Both simply wanted to die at home with dignity and surrounded by loved ones; i…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
Order. We will set the example by following the rules of the House. We will have short interventions, not speeches. There are a load of other Members.
Business of the House15 May 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
My constituent Tina has Rett syndrome and severe scoliosis and needs a new wheelchair. She was measured for one over a year ago but is still waiting to receive it. In my constituency the only option for getting a wheelchair through the NHS is AJM Healthcare. Tina’s mum and dad are not the first constituents… to raise with me problems with AJM, and I doubt they will be the last. Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on how we can improve wheelchair services for constituents such as Tina and Noah—I have mentioned him before—and, importantly, on how we can hold badly performing providers to account?
Hansard · 15 May 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
Jesse Norman
Will the Leader of the House give us the future business?
LP
Lucy Powell
I shall. The business for the week commencing 19 May includes: Monday 19 May —Second Reading of the Mental Health Bill [Lords]. Tuesday 20 May —Second Reading of the Victims and Courts Bill. Wednesday 21 May —Opposition day (8th allotted day). Debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition, subject to be ann…
JN
Jesse Norman
I thank the Leader of the House for her remarks. As you will know, Madam Deputy Speaker, this week saw the tragic and untimely death of Sir Roy Stone. We had a brief moment of recognition of him earlier in the week, but I am keenly aware that many Labour colleagues were not in the House at the time of his flourishing. …
LP
Lucy Powell
I will take this opportunity to also pay tribute to Sir Roy Stone, the former principal private secretary to the Government Chief Whip. He was very much known as the “usual channels”, and I think he embodied that with distinction. I did not know him personally, but I know of his reputation and of the love and esteem in…
CB
Christopher Bloore
Astwood Bank is a beautiful village in my constituency of Redditch and the villages. However, despite its aesthetic beauty, it is the people of Astwood Bank who I am most proud of. In the Gallery today are a group representing Astwood Bank’s Royal British Legion, which has been responsible for raising tens of thousands…
New Clause 16 - Economic impact assessment7 May 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of the Bill and to address some of the amendment proposed, particularly Government new clauses 16 and 17. New clause 17 is entitled “Report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems”. I am pleased to note, in subsection (3)(b), that the report… will “the effect of copyright on access to, and use of, data by developers of AI systems (for example, on text and data mining)”. I also note that “developers” are specifically broken down into “individuals, micro businesses, small businesses or medium-sized businesses”. It is right to provide for that level of granularity. Similarly, I note that the report will “consider, and make proposals in relation to… the disclosure of information by developers of AI systems about” their use of copyright data to develop AI systems and “how they access” that copyrighted data, “for example, by means of web crawlers”. I am pleased to see discussions of licensing included in the report, and an exploration, again in granular detail, of the impact of a licensing system on all levels of developers. However, I would have liked to see an equal level of granularity for copyright owners to understand the effects of proposals outlined in subsection (3). Subsection (4) states that “In preparing the report, the Secretary of State must consider the likely effect of proposals, in the United Kingdom, on… copyright owners” as well as developers and users of AI systems. Although I note that new subsection (4) refers to individuals, microbusinesses and so on, I feel that there is a little vagueness as to whether this level of granularity is afforded to copyright owners as well.
Hansard · 7 May 2025 · parliament.uk
CB
Chris Bryant
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
NG
Nusrat Ghani
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Government new clause 17—Report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems. New clause 1—Age of consent for social media data processing— “(1) The UK GDPR is as amended as follows. (2) In Article 8 of the UK GDPR (Conditions applicable to chi…
CB
Chris Bryant
Earlier I appeared as a Department for Culture, Media and Sport Minister, and now I appear as a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Minister. I hate to embarrass Members, but they will get two bouts of me today. I will start with the Government amendments, and then once I have heard the arguments from Mem…
CB
Chris Bryant
The right hon. Gentleman is enticing me. I hope he will be nicer to me than the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, the hon. Member for Gosport (Dame Caroline Dinenage) was earlier.
JW
John Whittingdale
I am sure that the Chair of the Committee and I will always be nice to Minister. I was only going to say that I have experienced the slight schizophrenia he has referred to in holding roles in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and in DCMS at the same time. Although he is appearing as a DSIT Minister…
AG
Allison Gardner
Well, I will just throw the rest of my speech away, then. I shall persevere. Will the report explore the effects of the proposed solutions and the resulting protections on individual creators?
AG
Allison Gardner
Right, so can I push it further?
AG
Allison Gardner
There seem to be an awful lot of David Attenborough TikTok videos, but it is not him. I wonder whether this measure will apply to personality rights, and about the definition of a “small rights owner”. I will just squeeze that in.
AG
Allison Gardner
Perfect. I asked the Secretary of State what reassurances can be given that smaller creatives, including microbusinesses and small creative businesses, will be considered in the report so that they can have confidence that the systems finally applied will work for them, particularly when we consider an individual’s ear…
Sewage23 Apr 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
The Minister will remember that I recently raised with her the concerns of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust regarding the fines issued to Severn Trent Water in 2024 for its huge sewage leak in Strongford in my constituency. Does she agree with me that the Water (Special Measures) Act will make water companies pay for the damage… they have caused, and that it is just the start of this Government’s work to clean up our waterways?
Hansard · 23 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
NG
Nusrat Ghani
I inform the House that the Speaker has selected amendment (a) tabled in the name of the Prime Minister.
TF
Tim Farron
I beg to move, That this House regrets the persistent scandal of raw sewage being dumped by water companies into rivers, lakes and coastal areas; notes with deep concern that just 14% of rivers and lakes in England are in good ecological health; condemns the previous Government for letting water company bosses get away…
SD
Steve Darling
Over Easter in Torbay, we had five sewage spills according to the Surfers Against Sewage app. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is extremely disappointing to say the least that, rather than colleagues just getting their cossie and towel to go swimming at their favourite swimming spot, they must now also check the sewag…
TF
Tim Farron
I agree with my hon. Friend, who makes a really good point about his own communities. That is what we are trying to address today by bringing practical solutions to prevent this outrage. That 106% increase in the duration of sewage spills in just two years has been explained away on the record by water industry bosses …
AB
Alison Bennett
There were 754 spills in my constituency last year alone. We do not want to see those numbers anywhere, but in a constituency that does not have a major waterway, that is absurdly high. Does my hon. Friend agree that if we want to start genuinely holding these water companies to account, a great place to start would be…
Female Offenders22 Apr 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps her Department is taking to support female offenders.
Hansard · 22 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
SK
Satvir Kaur
What steps her Department is taking to support female offenders.
ND
Nicholas Dakin
This Government’s plan to support women is clear and ambitious. The aim is to reduce the number of women going to prison, and our Women’s Justice Board will lead on this. Following Susannah Hancock’s review, which was published in March, this Government have acted to prevent girls from being held in young offenders ins…
ND
Nicholas Dakin
My hon. Friend refers to a shocking situation. Our policy is clear that pregnant women should not be restrained during hospital appointments, except in the most exceptional circumstances. There is an ongoing deep-dive review taking place into matters at HMP Bronzefield, commissioned by the prisons Minister in the other…
SK
Satvir Kaur
I thank the Minister for his response. In my constituency, Hope Street is doing incredible work to offer residential alternatives to custody for women. We know that this model reduces the number of women being sent to prison, preventing separation from their children, who are likely to be taken into care, which we all …
ND
Nicholas Dakin
I agree with my hon. Friend that for some women supported accommodation is very valuable. Existing provision includes His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service-led community accommodation services and third sector residential women’s centres, including Hope Street, which she rightly praises for its excellent work. The…
AG
Allison Gardner
I have been very concerned to hear first-hand reports of female prisoners being handcuffed during childbirth, sometimes to male officers. Does the Minister agree that there should be an independent investigation into the use of birth cuffing in women’s prisons across the country that consults all women who have been or…
While I acknowledge that the updated Sentencing Council guidelines attempted to address inequalities in the criminal justice system, we must maintain the principle of equality before the law. As such, I support this Bill. I note, however, that the Bill does not prevent the Sentencing Council from issuing guidelines advising the courts to consider an… offender’s personal circumstances when deciding whether to request a pre-sentence report, particularly when those circumstances are uniquely linked to their personal characteristics. Pre-sentence reports are desirable when the defendant is a vulnerable woman who has committed a less serious crime—for instance, when they are pregnant or post-natal, the primary carer for dependent children, or a victim of domestic abuse or exploitation. Of course, those issues are often compounded when we consider intersectionalities, such as those experienced by black women. So many women in the criminal justice system are vulnerable: nearly two thirds are victims of domestic abuse, a similar percentage have children, and many have experienced adverse childhood experiences and trauma. Those vulnerability factors make it critical that personal circumstances affecting female offenders are given consideration in pre-sentence reporting. Women in custody have complex health needs, which can increase the risks associated with pregnancy for mothers and their children. Babies born in prison are twice as likely to be born premature and seven times more likely to be stillborn. These are not just numbers; they affect real people, women who are already experiencing trauma and babies entering the world in incredibly difficult circumstances. Consideration of pregnancy and the associated risks to mothers, their unborn children and their newborn babies is therefore critical in determining appropriate sentencing. Custodial sentences can often do more harm than good, both to pregnant women and to their children. Women are far less likely on average to comm
Hansard · 22 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
SM
Shabana Mahmood
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. When I spoke in this House on 1 April , I set out the Government’s intention to introduce emergency legislation, because I believe that our justice system must be above all else fair, and that, standing before a judge, we are all equal, no matter the colour of our…
DJ
Dr Caroline Johnson
Can the right hon. Lady clarify whether the guidelines proposed under the previous Government were the same as those with which she is dealing now, or did they differ—and if they differed, how did they differ?
SM
Shabana Mahmood
They did not differ in any substantial way. All the guidelines, in so far as they concern issues relating to race, religion, culture or belief, are exactly the same as those to which the Justice Minister responded under the Conservative Administration. Hiding behind that, I am afraid, shows a failure to reckon with the…
JH
John Hayes
The chairman of the Sentencing Council has argued that the sentence should be tailored to the offender, but my constituents—and, I suspect, those of the Secretary of State—think that the sentence should be tailored to the offence and its effect on the victim. That is what counts, not the background, circumstances, hist…
SM
Shabana Mahmood
The purpose of the pre-sentence reports, used properly, is to provide the court with the full context of the offending behaviour. That enables the court to ensure that when it imposes a custodial sentence it will be successful and capable of being delivered in respect of that offender, or else a community sentence shou…
Coalfields Regeneration Trust22 Apr 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
As my hon. Friend says, John Prescott founded the Coalfields Regeneration Trust under the previous Labour Government, championing community wealth building in former coalfield areas like my constituency. I thank Richard Stevens and the CRT team, who run an excellent community health and employment programme in Meir, in my constituency, which helped 19 people to… secure full-time employment between April and September 2024 alone. Will my hon. Friend join me in recognising the critical work being done by the CRT in my constituency?
Hansard · 22 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
AJ
Adam Jogee
I want to start by acknowledging the death of the Holy Father yesterday. Many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme, up and down the kingdom and across the world will be feeling his death deeply. Our thoughts are with the Catholic community the world over, and all who admired him. This week, we mark St George’s day 2025. As I…
AJ
Adam Jogee
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for intervention, not least because my wife and I were at Trentham Gardens in her patch at the weekend. I am very pleased she was the first person to intervene, and I agree wholeheartedly with her tribute. Some 5.7 million people live in Britain’s coalfields—one in 10 people in England a…
IL
Ian Lavery
The reality is that the Coalfields Regeneration Trust has an excellent record in the former coalfield communities, particularly in relation to much-needed job creation, as my hon. Friend has just mentioned. Does he agree that the UK Government should be looking to review the support that was afforded to the CRT before …
AJ
Adam Jogee
I agree, and I will make that specific request later in my remarks. My hon. Friend raises a very good point; I join him in calling on Government to step up and help to deliver for my constituents and his. I am sorry to say that I was not in his patch at the weekend, but I am looking forward to an invitation before too …
SN
Samantha Niblett
I thank my hon. Friend for giving way—we are near enough neighbours in our neck of the woods, aren’t we? We often see digital skills gaps in areas of deprivation. In Swadlincote, in my constituency, one in four children are living in poverty. It is an ex-mining community—that is deeply embedded in who they are. Does my…
Topical Questions8 Apr 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Will the Minister join me in congratulating Goodwin International, which is building a multimillion-pound production unit in Newstead in Stoke-on-Trent South, creating up to 100 jobs in defence manufacturing? Does he agree that increased investment in defence spending will have a tangible impact on my constituents, fuelling jobs and local investment?
Hansard · 8 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
DM
Douglas McAllister
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
DJ
Darren Jones
Mr Speaker, you shocked me by moving to topical questions so quickly, but I have now found my page and am ready to answer them.
DJ
Darren Jones
From ferries to the National Care Service, we have seen failure after failure from the SNP in Scotland, including a track record of waste. In contrast, this Labour Government are tackling waste and investing in frontline services such as our national health service, which has seen waiting lists fall for each of the pas…
DM
Douglas McAllister
The Chancellor set out in the spring statement a clear plan to drive better value for taxpayers, including through the transformation fund, which will transform frontline delivery while making savings in the long term. Does he agree that that is in stark contrast to the SNP Scottish Government’s record of waste?
DJ
Darren Jones
As my hon. Friend knows, we have given the Scottish Government the largest increase in spending since devolution began. The people of Scotland expect that money to be spent well, which we are doing in England by transforming public services and improving the national health service. However, given that SNP Members are …
Road Maintenance7 Apr 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I thank the Secretary of State for introducing this important debate. Improving our roads and highways is a critical mission for this Labour Government and will help to deliver real economic growth for my constituency. In Stoke-on-Trent South, our roads experienced years of decay under the previous Government and are riddled with potholes. With crater-like… potholes damaging cars and congestion delaying commutes to work, that costs my constituents. But this debate is about more than just bumps and burst tyres, as important as they are; improving our local road network will greatly boost investment in our city, rural areas and neighbouring regions. That is why I warmly welcome the uplift in highways funding, of which more than £9 million has been allocated to Stoke-on-Trent and £19 million to Staffordshire to fix our potholes. Labour-run Stoke-on-Trent city council has done excellent work on this issue already, working with midlands manufacturer, JCB, to develop and use the Pothole Pro—a cutting-edge solution to fixing potholes, which can complete 18 years of traditional work in just over two years. Using the Pothole Pro, the highways direct services team in the city council has delivered real improvements to the city’s roads. In the last few years, it has repaired 16,255 potholes, which is a 772% improvement. The city council has also been using AI to map out the condition of the entire highway network—potholes, cracks and depressions—with a complete inventory of the street signs. The council hopes to deploy the technology further on to our bin wagons, which of course go everywhere, which highlights the innovative work being done locally to improve our road network. Our road network is strategically critical to the city’s—and north Staffordshire’s—prosperity and economic development. The A50 and A500 roads are a key connector between Crewe, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent, Uttoxeter and Derby. Along this corridor are advanced manufacturing companies like JCB, Mi
Hansard · 7 Apr 2025 · parliament.uk
HA
Heidi Alexander
I beg to move, That this House has considered road maintenance. For too long, Britain has been plagued by potholes. Too many people in too many parts of the country have had their everyday journeys turned into frustrating obstacle courses by our pockmarked roads. It is worse than that, however, because cratered roads c…
CV
Christopher Vince
My right hon. Friend reminds me of the road on which I live, where drivers trying to avoid a pothole in the road went on to the pavement, which led to the pavement being damaged. Does she agree that fixing potholes quickly wills save pavements as well?
HA
Heidi Alexander
My hon. Friend describes a win-win situation.
MO
Melanie Onn
At my constituency surgery on Friday, my constituent Helen came to see me because she has had a terrible fall on a badly maintained pavement, and she has really been struggling to find out who is responsible for maintaining the pavement. Does anything in the funding brought forward by this Government enable quick and e…
HA
Heidi Alexander
Local authorities are free to use the money as they see fit, as long as they are using it in a way that represents value for money for the taxpayer. The money can be used for work on roads, pavements or structures. On the issue of responsibility raised by my hon. Friend’s constituent, that will be for the local highway…
Small Business Support13 Mar 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps his Department is taking to support small businesses.
Hansard · 13 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
AB
Alex Baker
What steps his Department is taking to support small businesses.
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
Small businesses need a better deal—certainly better than the one they got from the last Government—and our small business strategy, which is due this year, is designed to do that. We have already provided more support through the British Business Bank; we have worked with the Federation of Small Businesses to take act…
AB
Alex Baker
Too many small and medium-sized defence businesses in my community struggle to access the banking and finance facilities they need, often on the basis of self-imposed ethical criteria. Will the Business Secretary join me in welcoming how many investors and financial institutions have responded to the campaign I am lead…
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
I agree 100% with my hon. Friend and thank her very much for her question. She will know that my Department, alongside the Treasury and the Ministry of Defence, convened a roundtable in December to listen to these perspectives, and now all three Departments are working together to ensure that the problems she has artic…
JR
Jonathan Reynolds
My Department has a very strong relationship with the ceramics sector through the Energy Intensive Users Group. We have regular meetings with that group, and I would also like to mention the British Ceramic Confederation and our old friend Rob Flello, who is a strong voice for the sector. There are many challenges for …
AG
Allison Gardner
As the Secretary of State is aware, the ceramics industry, including in my constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South, is facing immense competition from imported counterfeit goods. Many of those goods contain false backstamps that mislead consumers and—as the GMB union has raised with me—threaten great British companies suc…
Business of the House13 Mar 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I have been working for several months to help a number of my constituents get the wheelchairs they need to have good-quality, independent lives. While I understand that it is the role of integrated care boards to deliver equality of service, the problem is much more widespread. The Wheelchair Alliance recommends that NHS England plays… a more active role in ensuring that ICBs prioritise wheelchair services and dedicate sufficient resources to them. Will the Minister allow time to debate the many challenges people experience regarding wheelchair provision?
Hansard · 13 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
Jesse Norman
Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?
LP
Lucy Powell
I shall. Monday 17 March —Remaining stages of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (day one). Tuesday 18 March —Remaining stages of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill (day two). Wednesday 19 March —Consideration of Lords amendments to the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bi…
JN
Jesse Norman
I am sure the whole House will want to join me in recognising and thanking the salvage and nature recovery specialists who are even now scrambling to clear up after the disastrous collision in the North sea. They say a conservative is a socialist who has been mugged by reality. If that is so, we are witnessing the extr…
LP
Lucy Powell
I start by congratulating young carers across the country on their day of action yesterday. I know the whole House will be as hopeful as everybody else in the country about Ukraine, as talks continue this week and over the weekend. I am sure we all welcome the resumption of military aid and intelligence sharing between…
CE
Cat Eccles
I recently met my constituent, Becky, who is profoundly disabled after her mother was given Primodos, a hormone-based pregnancy test that was popular in the ’60s and ’70s and taken by roughly 1.5 million pregnant women. It was directly linked to miscarriages and severe birth defects in a study commissioned by the Unive…
NHS England Update13 Mar 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I am conscious that my former colleagues at NHS England will be concerned about today’s announcement, but I am very confident that the Secretary of State will do all he can to support them. It is an inescapable fact that the 2012 reorganisation led to inefficient layers of management in the NHS, delivering poorer care… and greater costs to the taxpayer. How does he plan to cut excessive layers of bureaucracy, get resources to the frontline and, crucially, deliver better care for the people of this country?
Hansard · 13 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
WS
Wes Streeting
With permission, I would like to make a statement on the future of NHS England. Since coming into office, this Government have made big strides in fixing our broken NHS. Under the Conservatives, the NHS suffered years of industrial action, costing taxpayers billions and costing patients more than 1 million cancelled op…
DJ
Dr Caroline Johnson
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. It is disappointing, once again, that it was not made to the House first; in recent days, there have been numerous media briefings about this potential restructure. Under new leadership on the Conservative Benches, we believe in a leaner and more effici…
WS
Wes Streeting
I will take the more serious questions from the shadow Minister first. On timeframes, we will work immediately to start bringing teams together, as we have done with the one-team culture we have been building over the past eight months. I want the integration of NHS England into the Department to be complete in two yea…
MH
Meg Hillier
I applaud my right hon. Friend for his leadership and for the reduction in waiting lists, which we so desperately need. We all know that there is still a struggle with budgets in the health service—my excellently run Honiton hospital is facing a deficit for the first time in its history—so can he give more detail about…
WS
Wes Streeting
My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the need to improve procurement. One thing that Attlee and Bevan could not have predicted in 1948 is that the single-payer model of the national health service makes it ideally placed for this world of artificial intelligence, genomics, machine learning and big data. We must unl…
New Clause 39 - Trade union recognition12 Mar 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I declare that I am a proud member of Unison, and I refer the House to my entries in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I rise to speak in support of this groundbreaking Employment Rights Bill, which will deliver pro-business and pro-worker reforms. It will establish day one rights, such as rights to parental… and bereavement leave for millions of workers, and, crucially, will put more money into people’s pockets—people who have had to endure low pay, job insecurity and a cost of living crisis created by 14 years of Tory rule. By strengthening protections for the lowest-paid workers and preventing exploitative employment practices, the Bill will give our working people the solid foundations on which to build a better quality of life. I will very briefly comment on a couple of topics debated yesterday, which are of personal relevance and relevant to my constituency. [Interruption.] No? I will skip it; I did not think I would get away with that. This Bill will give a voice to working people by tackling the exclusion of independent unions from workplaces. If anyone has experienced a management of change process—I once did, almost three weeks into joining a new job, which was not fun—or workplace bullying, they will know the value of having a union backing them. Unions are fab. I personally thank Unison, including the incredible Trudie, for supporting me in my workplace. I have seen the impact on those who have experienced issues such as workplace bullying when they have not had the backing of a union, or a union in their workplace, and the stress and pressures on them were immense. Indeed, they ended up with the choice of either putting up with it, leaving—we then have worker turnover—or going off sick. I have known people to go off sick for quite a period of time, which is of course comes at great cost to the company. When a person joins a union, I have seen the difference that backing and advocacy makes to them, and the voice it gives them. I have experienc
Hansard · 12 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
JM
Justin Madders
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
NG
Nusrat Ghani
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Government new clause 40—Political funds: requirement to pass political resolution. Government new clause 41—Industrial action ballots: support thresholds. Government new clause 42—Notice of industrial action ballot and sample voting paper for employers. Governm…
JM
Justin Madders
I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and declare my membership and financial interests in trade unions, as I have done throughout the passage of the Bill. I thank Members from both sides of the House for their contributions to yesterday’s debate. I look forward to another good debate toda…
LB
Liam Byrne
Only 21 employers have been prosecuted for national minimum wage violations since 2007. The measures that the Minister is bringing forward will improve enforcement. He touched on the Modern Slavery Act 2015, but he did not address the points made in the debate yesterday. Will he use this opportunity to say more about t…
JM
Justin Madders
I am grateful for the Chair of the Select Committee’s intervention. We accept that there are gaps between the modern slavery network enforcement processes and current employment rights enforcement. We are working with the Home Office and the GLAA to improve that. These are things we can continue to work on as we develo…
Topical Questions4 Mar 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Does the Minister agree that investment in the fifty500 midlands growth corridor will provide an excellent opportunity to deliver this Labour Government’s mission for growth and opportunity for all?
Hansard · 4 Mar 2025 · parliament.uk
JN
Josh Newbury
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
RR
Rachel Reeves
It is clear that the world is changing, which is why we must bring about a new era of security and renewal to keep our country safe. Last week, I convened European Finance Ministers at the G20 to discuss our shared challenges. I set out that national security will always be the first responsibility of this Government a…
JN
Josh Newbury
As the father of five-year-old, I know at first hand how important indoor play facilities are. Providers in Cannock Chase, such as the Beach Hut in Norton Canes and the Kids Rule Play Cafe in Cannock, have written to me asking for consideration for a sector-specific VAT reduction and the opportunity to shape the reform…
RR
Rachel Reeves
The Government have no plans to consider zero rating indoor play facilities for VAT. All tax breaks must provide value for money and evidence suggests that such savings are only partially passed on. I would, however, welcome my hon. Friend engaging with us as we look to inform our “Transforming Business Rates” paper ah…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Creative Industries27 Jan 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
I rise not just as a member of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee or as co-chair of the APPG on artificial intelligence, but as an academic with first-hand experience of building AI models. I will try to make a case—go with me on this one—that protecting our creative industry and the high-quality output it… produces is vital not just to our vibrant creative sector, but to our rapidly evolving AI sector. Back in the mists of time, when I was building a model for my PhD, I resisted the temptation to build a large dataset from any relevant data I could find. Instead, I chose to produce a smaller, high-quality dataset, which was risky, as it might not have been enough to create a reliable model and I might not have passed my PhD. My risk paid off. My model worked better than expected and, ever since, I have adhered to the principle that it is the quality of our data, not its quantity, that matters. To mangle a metaphor, some say that data is the new oil or gold. Taking that metaphor forward, let us do a thought experiment. Let us say that the UK discovered vast reserves of gold, making us the second biggest provider globally. What should we do? Would we look at gold-hungry organisations and give them the gold for free, in the hope that they will invest in the UK? I should hope not. By some estimates, the UK creative industry is the second largest globally. It is our gold. Should we give away this valuable asset for free? I hope not, for the sake of our creatives, but also for our new AI industry, in which this Government are rightly investing. The unlicensed and illegal use of copyrighted content for generative AI development has been equated by some with a form of theft. Not only is it unfair to make such acquisition legal via an opt-out system, but it risks creating a future of fool’s gold data as our creative industry loses control of its work and moves elsewhere, or simply gives up. High-quality data is essential for the success of generative AI, but, a
Hansard · 27 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
CB
Chris Bryant
I beg to move, That this House has considered the creative industries. I have of course noted the point of order that was just raised, and I will pass on the comments and make sure that an answer is provided. I should declare an interest of my own in this debate. Two of my books are optioned, one to Mother Films and an…
JS
Jamie Stone
I observe no Paddington stare. The point is well made about young people starting off and growing into the creative industries. The pantomimes and local amateur dramatics that I get involved in are the seedcorn of these things by getting kids on stage, but does the Minister agree that if the local newspapers go down—an…
CB
Chris Bryant
The hon. Gentleman asks four questions in one, which is quite creative of him. He says he is involved with pantomime; some of us on the Labour Benches would say that he has been in pantomime for much of his political career. He makes an important point about journalism, which is a very important creative industry in th…
CB
Chris Bryant
I give way to the most irresistible man in the room.
JS
Jim Shannon
I thank the Minister for setting the scene so positively. Does he agree that one of the great benefits of this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is that all the cultures and regions come together? If I have the chance, later I will talk about Northern Ireland’s contribution. We can all gain if we wor…
AG
Allison Gardner
I recently visited the impressive and very funky 1882 ceramics firm based in the World of Wedgwood in my Stoke-on-Trent South constituency, home of “The Great Pottery Throw Down”. The firm impressed upon me its challenges in attracting young apprentices, risking the loss of important creative heritage skills. Does my h…
Cyber Security23 Jan 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
What recent progress his Department has made on strengthening cyber security.
Hansard · 23 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
KB
Kevin Bonavia
What recent progress his Department has made on strengthening cyber security.
PM
Pat McFadden
The battle to ensure protection against cyber-attacks is constant and ongoing. I made a speech to the NATO cyber-defence conference a couple of months ago, and said that the Government are taking action to strengthen our cyber-security and protect our digital economy to deliver economic growth. Last week, we announced …
PM
Pat McFadden
I welcome my hon. Friend’s question. The AI opportunities action plan gives us great opportunities and shows how seriously we take this matter. I know that organisations such as Code First Girls are doing important work providing free coding courses for women. I thank them for that. It is really important in pursuing t…
KB
Kevin Bonavia
Between July 2023 and 2024, over 150 cyber-incidents were reported by the local government sector in the UK. Last year, the average ransom demand from a ransomware attack was over £2.2 million. As the local government sector does not pay ransoms, the average cost to our councils of recovering from a ransomware attack i…
PM
Pat McFadden
My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the threat to local authorities. This is a whole-system threat. It can affect central Government, private businesses and local authorities. In October, my colleagues at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government launched the cyber assessment framework for loca…
AG
Allison Gardner
Given the critical importance of closing the skills gap across the Government and defence sectors to safeguard against emerging threats in this digital age, which worry my constituents of Stoke-on-Trent South, what plans do the Government have to collaborate with organisations such as Code First Girls to develop a skil…
Economic Growth21 Jan 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps she is taking to help increase economic growth in Stoke-on-Trent.
Hansard · 21 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
HM
Helen Morgan
What fiscal steps she is taking to help increase levels of economic growth in rural areas.
DW
David Williams
What steps she has taken to help increase economic growth in Stoke-on-Trent.
JD
Jonathan Davies
What steps she has taken to help increase economic growth in Derbyshire.
EL
Emma Lewell-Buck
What steps she has taken to help increase economic growth in the north-east.
AH
Alison Hume
What steps she has taken to help increase economic growth in North Yorkshire.
AG
Allison Gardner
The A50/500 growth corridor, a significant transport corridor in my constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South, enjoys an extraordinary concentration of advanced manufacturing, including anchor companies such as JCB and Michelin. With modest targeted investment in transport, energy and digital infrastructure, this vital corr…
Crewe Railway Station20 Jan 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
As my hon. Friend knows, Stoke-on-Trent sits on an offshoot of the west coast main line and provides a vital east-west link between Crewe and Derby, which also requires electrification. Does he agree that previous HS2 plans severely reduced services through Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, and that any future developments must not negatively impact this vital… region for growth?
Hansard · 20 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
CN
Connor Naismith
I am grateful for the opportunity to address this House on an issue that I am no stranger to. I want to speak today to recognise the importance of Crewe railway station not just to my constituents, but to the entirety of Cheshire East, north-west England and the nation as a whole. Crewe station has been a linchpin of t…
AC
Andrew Cooper
One destination that people cannot currently get to from Crewe is Middlewich in my constituency. Middlewich is about eight and a half miles from Crewe, and its population has increased by 1,000 over the past 10 years and now stands at around 14,500. Indeed, it is the largest town in Cheshire without a railway station. …
CN
Connor Naismith
I completely agree with my hon. Friend, who makes a strong case for his constituents in Middlewich. Motion lapsed ( Standing Order No. 9(3) ). Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—(Chris Elmore.)
CN
Connor Naismith
It is fair to say that the opportunities that opening the station of Middlewich would present to the country and to Cheshire are exciting. Crewe station is a genuine strategic asset for local and national infrastructure.
JS
Jim Shannon
I commend the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward this debate. Does he not agree that to meet carbon targets, connectivity is essential, and rail is needed as an integrated part of that plan? That, as well as subsequent upgrades to existing stations and frequent bus links to rail stations, all must be part of the net z…
Middle East16 Jan 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Human rights organisations such as Gisha, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel have been working hard to get more aid into Gaza since the beginning of the conflict. What steps is the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office taking to support human rights groups to help rebuild Gaza and the… lives of the Palestinian people?
Hansard · 16 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
DL
David Lammy
With permission, I will update the House on the deal announced between Israel and Hamas. Last night, US President Biden and Qatari Prime Minister Al Thani confirmed that negotiators had reached an agreement. While we await political approval for the text, the agreement is expected to come into force shortly after midda…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.
PP
Priti Patel
All Members recognise the fragile and sensitive nature of the current situation. There is a long road ahead at one of the most important moments for the middle east, which we all hope will usher in a sustainable end to the dreadful conflict in Gaza. It is a conflict that we should never forget was triggered by the horr…
DL
David Lammy
I thank the shadow Foreign Secretary for her remarks and for her tone. Doing this role, one understands the effort that one’s predecessors have put in, so I want to put on the record once again that the right hon. Members for Braintree (Mr Cleverly) and for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell) and Lord Cameron, before me, ma…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the Chair of the International Development Committee.
Covid-19 Inquiry16 Jan 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
First, I thank the Minister for commenting on the importance of multidisciplinary research. From my own previous research, I know that that is very important, particularly in the development of AI algorithmic risk prediction models. I also had the pleasure yesterday of speaking to Professor Tom Solomon, the director of the Liverpool Pandemic Institute, which… the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee had the pleasure of visiting recently. He impressed on me the value of physician researchers in conducting groundbreaking research. Does the Minister agree that it is vital we provide the time and funds to researchers such as Professor Solomon to help build our national resilience to future pandemics?
Hansard · 16 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
PM
Pat McFadden
I would like to make a statement on the Government’s response to module 1 of the covid inquiry. In July last year, Baroness Hallett published her report from the first module of the inquiry. It concluded that the UK was not as prepared as it should have been for the pandemic and that more could and should have been don…
RH
Richard Holden
I thank the Minister for advance sight of his statement, and I join his tribute to Baroness Hallett for her report. We all know how challenging the pandemic was. Sadly, far too many lives were lost—I pay tribute to all the victims from across our country and the world. That is why the Conservative Government put in pla…
PM
Pat McFadden
I am grateful for the right hon. Gentleman’s response and for his broad support for our response, including on the resilience directorate academy and the full pandemic exercise. Let me turn to his questions. On mapping, the data is getting better. The Government’s ability to gather and use data has improved over time, …
BE
Bill Esterson
While listening to my right hon. Friend’s statement and the shadow Minister’s response, I have been reflecting on those friends who sadly died during the pandemic. I am sure everybody in the House will have their own experiences. My right hon. Friend mentioned the need for a new national pandemic planning exercise. Aft…
PM
Pat McFadden
That will all be tested in the exercise we have planned. Past planning exercises have sometimes planned for the wrong thing—that is the danger. That is why I say all the time that we have to make sure that we learn from what happened throughout the pandemic of a few years ago, but not make the assumption that the next …
Artificial Intelligence Opportunities Action Plan13 Jan 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Cities like Stoke-on-Trent, left behind by the previous Conservative Government, could significantly benefit from targeted AI investment. AI growth zones are one such opportunity. We have a great site in Stoke-on-Trent and energy innovations. Will the Secretary of State outline plans for using AI to drive investment towards the CreaTech hub that is Stoke-on-Trent?
Hansard · 13 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
PK
Peter Kyle
With permission, I would like to make a statement about the Government’s AI opportunities action plan. This Government were elected on a programme of change. Today, we are publishing the latest step in delivering our plan for change with the AI opportunities action plan. Our plan for change is clear: we will grow the e…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
AM
Alan Mak
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. Let me begin by thanking Matt Clifford for his work. Having known Matt for many years, I am grateful for his long-standing contribution to the tech sector, including with the last Conservative Government. It was that last Conservative Government who ide…
PK
Peter Kyle
I am kind of grateful for the hon. Member’s comments, but I feel a bit sorry for him. He praised Matt Clifford and his independent report, because Matt Clifford is an astonishing person—as a House we should all give credit to somebody who has been so successful in the tech sector out there in the real economy, while gi…
CN
Caroline Nokes
I call the Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee.
Hospice and Palliative Care13 Jan 2025
AG
Allison Gardner
Twenty years ago this month, both my parents died aged 60, of cancer. They died just one week apart, but that is where the similarities ended. My father died a horrible death, receiving very poor—if any—palliative care. My mother won the postcode lottery, if you like, and passed away in the Royal Stoke, in Stoke-on-Trent,… where she received superb care and died a dignified death. I live with the twin legacies of those deaths. I stress to the Minister the importance of ensuring that trained palliative care staff are spread equally throughout the country. It is vital. It makes a difference. Stoke-on-Trent has also won the postcode lottery in a way, with our excellent hospice, the Dougie Mac. Having merged with the Donna Louise children’s hospice, it now provides care for all people of all ages across north Staffordshire. It provides many innovative services, including a dementia care service and a rapid response ambulance service, which responds for patients at the end of their lives. Instead of taking them to A&E, they travel to the hospice. That saves the local hospital 350 A&E visits a year, saving on ambulances and saving the trust money. Unfortunately, the hospice does not receive any funding to help deliver that service. I want to take the opportunity to put on the record my thanks to the chief executive, who I spoke to at great length recently, to all the staff across both sites, in Blurton and Trentham in my constituency, for all the work they do, and to all the amazing volunteers in the shops throughout Stoke-on-Trent. I welcome the Government’s commitment to funding hospices and the £100 million injection, but like everyone else I support ending the postcode lottery. We must end inequality in the delivery of service and we must provide a more sustainable model in future.
Hansard · 13 Jan 2025 · parliament.uk
PK
Paul Kohler
I beg to move, That this House has considered hospice and palliative care. First, I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting time to support this important debate, and I thank colleagues from across the House for supporting my application and joining me today to discuss a subject that, to use an old cliché—b…
KL
Kim Leadbeater
Does the hon. Member agree that the renewed focus on the hospice and palliative care sector is extremely welcome and overdue? Does he agree that the extra £100 million of investment shows how seriously this Government are taking the issue, showing that people approaching the end of life are fully supported in whatever …
PK
Paul Kohler
I agree with the hon. Lady, and I will be coming to those points. Today is not about rehashing the arguments made that Friday, but to allow Members time to discuss and reflect on this separate, but inextricably linked subject. It is not the last word on hospice and palliative care, but an important step in forging a co…
JS
Jim Shannon
I commend the hon. Gentleman on setting the scene so well. One of the concerns that I and others in the Chamber have is the impact on the workers in hospices. It is not just about the financial implications, which are all part of the overall issue, but burnout. Staff are working long hours. They are volunteers in many …
PK
Paul Kohler
I agree with the hon. Member. We need more palliative care specialists and we need more training, and there is a real danger of burnout. It is not just hospices that provide palliative care. When talking to specialists within and beyond the hospice sector, I have been struck by their commitment to giving patients a goo…
Flood Protection Funding19 Dec 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
What reforms he has made to funding for flood protection.
Hansard · 19 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
RB
Richard Burgon
What reforms he has made to funding for flood protection.
EH
Emma Hardy
Mr Speaker, merry Christmas to you and all your staff. I put on the record my sympathy with everyone affected by water outages in Southampton; I discussed the matter with the chief executive officer yesterday. We will have a public consultation in the new year on the formula that allocates flood defence funding, to ens…
EH
Emma Hardy
The Government recognise the awful impact that flooding has had on the farming community. We are releasing £60 million via the farming recovery fund to support farmers impacted by last year’s severe weather—£10 million more than was planned by the previous Government—and £55.7 million has been paid out to over 12,700 f…
RB
Richard Burgon
While the far right and shamefully even some MPs in this House are busy denying climate change and trying to turn it into the latest culture war, people in our communities are paying the price. More and more severe floods are devastating people’s lives, as we have seen again in recent weeks, and I am afraid it will onl…
EH
Emma Hardy
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The previous Government left flood defences in a state of disrepair—the worst state on record—leaving 60,000 homes exposed. That is why this Government will invest £2.4 billion into defences over the next two years.
AG
Allison Gardner
My constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South has many farmers, some of whom are personal friends. On their behalf, I ask the Minister to update the House on the funds that the Government are making available via the farming recovery fund to support farmers impacted by last year’s severe weather.
Water (Special Measures) Bill [Lords]16 Dec 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
In my constituency, we do not have a single unpolluted watercourse. Last year, on the Conservative Government’s watch, Severn Trent Water, the company that covers my constituency, was responsible for over 60,000 sewage overflows nationally. In Stoke-on-Trent South, we have had 24 sites polluted by 337 sewage dumps lasting a total of 1,570 hours. I… have spoken many times about the impact of flooding and sewage pollution in my constituency. I have highlighted the ongoing battle of the village of Upper Tean to combat frequent flooding and pollution of the River Tean. Upper Tean’s village recreation space, with a children’s playground, is frequently flooded with sewage-contaminated water. The people of Upper Tean are good people, and are willing to work with all agencies via the newly created Tean flood action group to positively rectify these problems. Indeed, the most recent meeting had a positive outcome, in that a particular outflow will have CCTV monitoring installed to address the issue of false sensor recordings and to address poor communication within Severn Trent regarding the reporting of incidents. Through local meetings with the people who are affected and with local water representatives who come in good faith, we can make change. Following on from our experience in Upper Tean, I cannot stress enough the importance of listening to consumers and empowering the citizen voice, so I am pleased to note that new section 35B of the Water Industry Act 1991 will require that consumers be involved in the water companies’ decision-making processes, and I welcome the Secretary of State’s announcements regarding the requirement for customer panels. I want to ensure that guidelines are laid out so that such panels are not tick-box consultations that can be manipulated with clever questions. They must be truly participatory, with diverse input, offering constructive criticism and solutions that make a difference in real life. We must always put the people and their voice
Hansard · 16 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
SR
Steve Reed
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. I am delighted to open the Second Reading debate on the Water (Special Measures) Bill—something I hope the whole House will consider to be an early Christmas present. I thank the noble Baroness Hayman of Ullock for her outstanding leadership of the Bill during its…
HD
Helena Dollimore
I thank the Secretary of State for the work he and his Department are doing to change the compensation rules so that when these incidents happen, my constituents get higher levels of compensation—something that the Conservatives had 14 years to do, but failed to do. Had they acted in that time, my residents would not b…
SR
Steve Reed
I pay huge credit to my hon. Friend. She has been such a champion for her communities in Hastings and Rye, demanding the better water services they deserve. The failure to invest in our water infrastructure means that the demand for clean drinking water will start to outstrip supply as early as the mid-2030s. Without u…
CO
Chi Onwurah
Does the Secretary of State share my amazement that under the previous Conservative Government organisations had to campaign to have sewage-free rivers, lakes or seas, as if it were some kind of privilege rather than a right for everyone? Does he have any idea of the amount of money that was taken out of the sector, an…
SR
Steve Reed
I agree that it is indeed amazing. I know that all of us on the Labour Benches, and perhaps on the Opposition Benches too, share the public’s anger at what happened to our rivers, lakes and seas. The legacy of 14 years of Conservative Government is the highest level of sewage spills on record, economic growth held back…
European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill6 Dec 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
The Bill would create a democratic deficit that the hon. and learned Member has already referred to, and the Windsor framework has addressed that with the Stormont brake, which allows the Northern Ireland Assembly to review all laws applied.
Hansard · 6 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
JA
Jim Allister
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. I begin by thanking my co-sponsors for their help and support with the Bill: the right hon. Members for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith), for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) and for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson), and the hon. Members for Blackley an…
SC
Stella Creasy
I appreciate the hon. and learned Gentleman’s passion. He also needs to be honest with this Chamber that the laws he is talking about include human rights laws, and the basic, equal treatment of everybody in Northern Ireland. His legislation would rip up the very foundation of democracy, which is that everybody is equa…
JA
Jim Allister
I will be absolutely honest with this Chamber, and to be absolutely honest with this Chamber, the hon. Lady is not addressing the issue as it emerges. I will deal with the impact of article 2 of the protocol. I want nothing more for my constituents than the same rights that the hon. Lady’s constituents have, be they hu…
SC
Stella Creasy
The hon. and learned Gentleman and I share a common concern, then. My constituents in Walthamstow do benefit from the protection of their human rights, because we are still members of the European Court of Human Rights. Indeed, equal access to those human rights is what the Good Friday agreement was based on. The effec…
JA
Jim Allister
I respectfully and utterly disagree. As part of the United Kingdom, we are all subject to the Human Rights Act 1998. The Human Rights Act is what fundamentally gives the hon. Lady’s constituents the rights that they have in that sphere, and she would lose nothing by losing the control of the foreign court of the Europe…
AG
Allison Gardner
Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?
Topical Questions2 Dec 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
I have a constituent—a young, pregnant woman —who was recently released from hospital and housed in a local hotel that was contracted to house the homeless. She was petrified from the first night. She slept badly because men were banging on her door all night, and she was surrounded by drug use. She felt safer… sleeping rough on the second night. Too many of my vulnerable constituents in Stoke-on-Trent South are being housed in accommodation that does not cater to their complex needs. Will the Minister update the House on his work to end the practice of shifting homeless constituents from one area to another to be housed in totally inappropriate—
Hansard · 2 Dec 2024 · parliament.uk
LC
Luke Charters
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
AR
Angela Rayner
Today I published our remediation acceleration plan, a step change in our response to the building safety crisis. Without decisive action, the risks and the hardship of unsafe cladding could be with us until 2040. That cannot go on. The plan sets out how we will fix buildings faster, identify remaining buildings that a…
LC
Luke Charters
I recently heard from a constituent with three young children who has applied for over 80 properties, but is still waiting for social housing. What steps will my right hon. Friend take to speed up the planning process specifically for social housing?
AR
Angela Rayner
My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the need for more social housing. We have committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable house building in a generation, and I have proposed changes to the national planning policy framework to support that. We have also announced additional funding fo…
LH
Lindsay Hoyle
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Primary School Breakfast Clubs18 Nov 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
As a biologist and teacher, I believe that linking breakfast clubs with dental hygiene practices will have a significant impact on the long-term health of our children, and indeed of our adult population, and eventually on the NHS and our economy. Does my hon. Friend agree?
Hansard · 18 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
TD
Tan Dhesi
Children are going hungry inside crumbling schools; that, sadly, is the legacy of 14 years of mismanagement by successive Conservative Governments. When the newly elected Labour Government talk about fixing the foundations, this is where that mission begins: investing in our future, giving our children the best possibl…
ED
Emily Darlington
Does my hon. Friend agree that in places like Milton Keynes, where one in four children lives in poverty but fewer than that qualified for the old free school meals programme, having a breakfast club destigmatises the situation and catches those families who are struggling to make ends meet? These families might be wor…
TD
Tan Dhesi
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point about the importance of free breakfast clubs in getting rid of the stigma. One in 10 young people lives in a household classed as food insecure. During the covid pandemic, pupils from families using food banks attained, on average, GCSE grades half a grade lower than their peers.…
JS
Jim Shannon
I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. There is such a crowd in the Chamber because we all agree with him. Northern Ireland launched the extended schools programme in May 2006. Since then, some £167 million has been given to the most disadvantaged areas to offer a wide range of services, including free …
TD
Tan Dhesi
I fully agree with the hon. Gentleman. He is right both to highlight Northern Ireland and to make the wider point. He is a regular feature of Adjournment debates, and I feel honoured that he has intervened on me. The Minister and the Government need only see the number of Members in the Chamber at half-past 9, here to …
Flood Resilience14 Nov 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
What progress the floods resilience taskforce has made on protecting at-risk communities from flooding.
Hansard · 14 Nov 2024 · parliament.uk
AP
Andrew Pakes
What progress the floods resilience taskforce has made on protecting at-risk communities from flooding.
EH
Emma Hardy
I am sure the whole House will join me in expressing sympathy with the communities of the Valencia region and across Spain following the dreadful flooding. This Government’s floods resilience taskforce marks a new approach by national, regional and local government, and by flood risk partners, to better co-ordinate flo…
EH
Emma Hardy
I was delighted to hear that the village is proactively setting up a flood action group. Of course, I appreciate the wonderful work that my hon. Friend is doing to support the village. The Government fully support collaboration between risk management authorities, including local Environment Agency teams and local comm…
AP
Andrew Pakes
I welcome my hon. Friend’s answer. We talk a lot in this House about extreme weather and flooding, but we do not talk enough about the vital role that our internal drainage boards play in protecting and keeping safe our agricultural land and farming. I welcome the Government’s inclusion of the internal drainage boards …
EH
Emma Hardy
I was delighted to speak at the Association of Drainage Authorities conference yesterday, to champion its work and to announce that, after listening to it very carefully, we will provide £50 million over two years—[Interruption.] In answer to the chuntering, the first part has already been spent.
AG
Allison Gardner
I also send my best wishes to the citizens of Valencia and the surrounding region. As the Secretary of State knows very well, the village of Upper Tean is frequently affected by flooding and sewage discharges. After visiting the Environment Agency, it was suggested that the parish council should set up a flood action g…
Strengthening National Resilience24 Oct 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
What recent progress his Department has made on strengthening national resilience.
Hansard · 24 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
AJ
Adam Jogee
What recent progress his Department has made on strengthening national resilience.
AO
Abena Oppong-Asare
Our first duty as a Government is to keep people safe. It is clear that we need to act on recent public inquiries that have called for reform, such as those into the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the covid-19 pandemic. That is why the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is leading a review into national resilience agains…
AJ
Adam Jogee
In the last year alone, we have seen a mini-tornado in Nottingham, flash floods in Madeley and rain like no other across Newcastle-under-Lyme. We see the devastating effects of climate change every day. What is the Minister doing to improve resilience and preparation across central Government, local authorities, local …
AO
Abena Oppong-Asare
My hon. Friend is right to raise that question. As the Environment Secretary has said, it is a matter of some regret that the previous Administration left our country’s flood defences in the worst condition ever recorded, and it is communities such as my hon. Friend’s that have unfortunately had to pay the price. I can…
AO
Abena Oppong-Asare
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and in September I was delighted to visit the Emergency Planning College, which has served as the UK Government’s centre for resilience expertise since its founding 80 years ago. I am pleased to report to the House that the UK Resilience Academy is on track to be established next Apr…
AG
Allison Gardner
If we are to ensure that the UK is resilient to the potential threats that face our country, it is vital that people who work to bring communities together and keep us safe are given the training, knowledge and skills that they need to play their part. My constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South knows the importance of tha…
Black History Month24 Oct 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
I congratulate all Members who have made their maiden speeches today, particularly my hon. Friend the Member for Beckenham and Penge (Liam Conlon) , who expressed his wish to advocate for people with disabilities. I am sure that he and all Members here today will want to add that we must consider the additional challenges… faced by people in the black community who are living with disabilities. I commend all hon. Members for their contributions during this debate on Black History Month. I say that not just because I have enjoyed hearing their views and local history, but because the very fact that this House is considering black British history today shows how far we have come as a nation. That is not to say that we shy away from the complex past and significant injustices, including that of the misdirected reparation mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Brent East (Dawn Butler) —to my shame, I only learned about that today as she spoke. Nor should we shy away from the challenges still faced today, including the shocking maternal mortality rates in the black community, which were mentioned by the Minister and my hon. Friend the Member for Luton North (Sarah Owen) . I want to use my contribution to highlight not just individuals, but the communities that have given so much to my constituency of Stoke-on-Trent South, to Staffordshire and to our country. Please indulge me as I speak about people and places that extend beyond the boundaries of my own constituency, because the impact of the black British community spreads far beyond the lines drawn by the Boundary Commission. To begin with, I want to pay tribute to the many people of the Windrush generation who travelled across an ocean to make their home in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, who not only helped to rebuild our nation after the second world war, but continue to contribute in every field to the diverse tapestry that is Britain. No account of the black British history of Stoke-on-Trent would be complete
Hansard · 24 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
AO
Abena Oppong-Asare
I beg to move, That this House has considered Black History Month. I start by wishing Baroness Doreen Lawrence a very happy birthday—she is bright beacon for us all. It is a great pleasure to open the debate to mark Black History Month. I have led debates on the subject many times since 2020, but this is my first time …
HH
Helen Hayes
I congratulate my hon. Friend on leading this important debate in Government time. The Black Cultural Archives, which I am hugely proud to say is based in my constituency on Windrush Square, is the only national organisation dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of black history in the United Kingdom. It doe…
AO
Abena Oppong-Asare
I thank my hon. Friend for that suggestion; she has done a lot of work in that area. I know the Black Cultural Archives really well, having visited it on many occasions over the years. I, too, am concerned, and I will be happy to work with Ministers, alongside my hon. Friend, to look at ensuring that its legacy continu…
JS
Jim Shannon
I commend the Minister for leading the debate, and I think it is only fair also to commend the hon. Member for Brent East (Dawn Butler) for initiating it. Does the Minister agree that the celebration of culture and heritage, as well as their accomplishments, is something that benefits everyone in our community? The str…
AO
Abena Oppong-Asare
I completely agree. I mentioned how in the past different communities have come together alongside the African-Caribbean community, for example to fight the blackshirts, the National Front, and the British National party. These are the shoulders on which many of us stand. Alongside Bernie Grant and my fellow Ghanaian —…
AG
Allison Gardner
I want to take a moment to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee) for inviting me to the Staffordshire Black Business Network’s great event the other week at Keele University. That event—it was more than just a great evening—highlighted not only the contributions of the Afro-Caribbean com…
AG
Allison Gardner
I most certainly will, and I thank my hon. Friend for her fantastic intervention. That work takes more than just one month. From Monienne Stone’s work with the Staffordshire Film Archive to produce a documentary preserving the memories and voices of the elder generations of Windrush and their experiences in Stoke and S…
Independent Water Commission23 Oct 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
The village of Upper Tean, which the Secretary of State may remember, has experienced flooding, burst drains, and sewage flooding into rivers and streams, killing them, for many years. And recently residents had to turn out en masse in the middle of the night to divert traffic away when the village was overwhelmed by quite… a serious and urgent flood. Following meetings with the Environment Agency, the parish council is looking into developing a flood action group, so that it can provide the resilience and the powerful voice to take action against water companies such as Severn Trent. Will the Secretary of State assure me that the commission will look at how communities such as that of Upper Tean can build the resilience they need and also help them develop a flood action group?
Hansard · 23 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
SR
Steve Reed
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to update the House on the action that this Government are taking to fundamentally transform our water industry and clean up our waterways for good. Fourteen years of Conservative failure have left our water sector in disrepair. The rivers, lakes and seas that we all love have …
RM
Robbie Moore
I thank the Secretary of State for prior sight of his statement. Fourteen years in opposition—and this is what the Labour party has to offer. Labour Members have had more than a decade to craft a clear package of policies, listen to campaigners and prepare to govern, yet what they have brought to the House today illust…
SR
Steve Reed
Well, that was all a little bit embarrassing, wasn’t it? The previous Government had 14 years in power, our rivers, lakes and seas are awash with record levels of pollution, and that is all the Conservatives have to say. I took action seven days after the general election: I brought the water chief execs into my office…
CO
Chi Onwurah
At the weekend, I went swimming in the North sea —probably for the last time this year—having first checked on the Surfers Against Sewage website that there had not been any legal or illegal spills. It is disgraceful that the last Conservative Government left our seas and waterways in such as state, and it is notable t…
SR
Steve Reed
I thank my hon. Friend for her comments. Unfortunately, customers have been left to pay the price of 14 years of Conservative failure to secure investment in our water infrastructure, so it has collapsed to such an extent that Ofwat now recommends eye-watering bill increases. Every penny of that is down to the failure …
Higher Education: Staffordshire9 Oct 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
I thank my hon. Friend for securing the debate and promoting my ex-employer, Keele University, which is an interest I declare. I recently had the great honour of visiting the Burslem campus of the prestigious Stoke-on-Trent College, in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (David Williams) , to meet with… apprentices, including inspirational young people such as Robbie and superb employers such as Carson Powell Construction. Does my hon. Friend agree that apprenticeships, including degree-level apprenticeships, provide an excellent alternative route for young people and career changers to access higher education, in our FE colleges and universities, and that such apprenticeships provide a real benefit to our local employers and economies, by developing the workplace skills of the future?
Hansard · 9 Oct 2024 · parliament.uk
AJ
Adam Jogee
It is a real pleasure to lead my first Adjournment debate as the Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme. I would like to wish my neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Leigh Ingham) a very happy—if I may say—40th birthday, and I am pleased that she is spending it in the Chamber with us this evening. …
JC
Jacob Collier
I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. As he says, our area is blessed with many exemplary higher education institutions, many of which are connected by the A50/A500. Does he agree that upgrades to this road are essential to allow our constituents easier access to universities, and to enable greater col…
AJ
Adam Jogee
My hon. Friend and near neighbour has made an excellent submission ahead of the Budget, and I am sure the Minister will relay that point to Treasury colleagues. He makes an important point about connectivity, accessibility and the importance of a transport network that allows people both to benefit from our higher educ…
AJ
Adam Jogee
I will happily give way to another good man from Staffordshire.
DR
Dave Robertson
It is wonderful to contribute to this debate. I had to intervene when my hon. Friend spoke about university campuses, and about university buildings in city centres. My Lichfield constituency does not have a large university campus, but we do have a small satellite campus of the University of Staffordshire that support…
Business of the House12 Sep 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
Recently, a lovely constituent of mine spoke to me about the serious drug shortages affecting Creon 25000, which he needs to treat his condition of pancreatic enzyme insufficiency. The drug is also used to treat people with cystic fibrosis and pancreatic cancer—a horrible cancer that killed my mum. Joe is now petrified because he is… running out of his tablets; he is scared to eat and terrified about the pain he will be in. Will the Leader of the House provide a statement on the supply of Creon 25000 and its alternative Nutrizym, which is also in short supply?
Hansard · 12 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
CP
Chris Philp
Will the Leader of the House provide a statement about forthcoming business?
LP
Lucy Powell
The business for the week commencing 7 October is as follows: Monday 7 October —General debate on Lord Darzi’s independent investigation into NHS performance. Tuesday 8 October —Opposition day (2nd allotted day). Debate on a motion in the name of the official Opposition; subject to be announced. Wednesday 9 October —Se…
CP
Chris Philp
The business announced for the first week back strikes me as extraordinarily light. There is only a single piece of substantive Government business and half the time will be taken up with general debate. This “Government of service” seem to be taking it pretty easy. In fact, after 70 days, only 13 Bills have been intro…
LP
Lucy Powell
May I start by welcoming the news that the Princess of Wales has completed her chemotherapy and is moving on to the next stage of her recovery? Like you, Mr Speaker, I place on the record my thanks to the Speaker’s Chaplain, the Venerable Patricia Hillas, in her final week. We thank her for her contribution to this Hou…
SM
Siobhain McDonagh
Will the Leader of the House find time for a debate on glioblastoma drug treatments? As Mr Speaker and she will know, 3,200 people each year are diagnosed with this death sentence. It is the largest killer of the under-40s, and life expectancy at five years is just 5%. Without Government intervention in the pharmaceuti…
SEND Provision9 Sep 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of SEND services.
Hansard · 9 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
KB
Kevin Bonavia
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of SEND services.
SA
Sadik Al-Hassan
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of SEND services.
LM
Luke Murphy
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of SEND services.
DC
Deirdre Costigan
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of SEND services.
JM
Joe Morris
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of SEND services.
AG
Allison Gardner
Last week, I visited Expert Citizens in Stoke-on-Trent, where people with lived experience of using public services help to inform system redesign. Many of my constituents across different councils have reported issues with SEND transport, which highlights the importance of listening to people with lived experience. In…
Leasehold Reform2 Sep 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
What steps she plans to take to reform the leasehold system.
Hansard · 2 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
MP
Matthew Pennycook
The Government are committed to finally bringing the feudal leasehold system to an end. To do so, we will implement the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, enact the remaining Law Commission recommendations relating to enfranchisement and the right to manage, take steps to make commonhold the defa…
MP
Matthew Pennycook
The distinct set of problems faced by residential freeholders that my hon. Friend describes are well known and understood. As we set out in our manifesto, the Government are committed to bringing the injustice of fleecehold private housing estates and unfair maintenance costs to an end. We intend to consult publicly on…
JL
Julian Lewis
I thank the Minister for expressing the wish of many of us to see this awful system disposed of. Will he draw his colleagues’ attention to the fact that people like me, living in a leasehold block, have the experience of winning a first tier tribunal hearing against a freeholder, but still awaiting the refunding of the…
MP
Matthew Pennycook
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his question. He draws attention to one of the many failings of the feudal leasehold system, which is precisely why we finally intend to end it by the end of this Parliament.
AG
Allison Gardner
Many of my constituents in Stoke-on-Trent South have contacted me in the past few weeks, including those from Blythe Bridge, telling me how the archaic fleecehold system has left them at the mercy of poor management agents. They have been tricked into purchasing homes that are not covered by right to manage in the same…
Technology in Public Services2 Sep 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I congratulate the hon. Members who have made their maiden speeches tonight. I, too, am honoured to make my maiden speech during this debate on the use of technology in public services, coming as I have from my previous role in the NHS AI and digital regulations service. Mine is… a new constituency, with the majority of the old Stoke-on-Trent South and the northern part of the Stone constituencies within its boundaries. The new Stoke-on-Trent South is hence a diverse area, combining a great industrial heritage of mining and ceramics with the agricultural and rural communities of Stoke-on-Trent and north Staffordshire. Our urban area centres around one of the six Staffordshire pottery towns of Longton, which proudly boasts the largest number of our iconic bottle ovens, including those of the Gladstone Pottery Museum, where “The Great Pottery Throw Down” was filmed. Naturally, ceramics and tableware are a major part of our history and culture. Indeed, you can spot a Stokie anywhere in the world, for they will be turning over any cup or plate to see whether it comes from Stoke-on-Trent—you know it! I invite Members present to join the “turnover club” and investigate the provenance of pottery and china right here in the Palace of Westminster. Of course, our industrial strength extends beyond ceramics and includes innovative firms such as Goodwin, with high-tech mechanical and refractory engineering divisions, which I had the pleasure of speaking to last week. Goodwin, along with other excellent businesses, including Trentham’s Minuteman Press, offers dozens of high-skilled apprenticeships, giving our workers award-winning opportunities to develop key skills for the future. Indeed, within north Staffordshire we have Keele and Staffordshire Universities, a medical and veterinary school, and excellent further education colleges offering great courses and apprenticeships. The rural part of the constituency includes Blythe Bridge and Barlaston
Hansard · 2 Sep 2024 · parliament.uk
PK
Peter Kyle
I beg to move, That this House has considered technology in public services. It is the first time I have had the privilege of speaking under your chairmanship, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I am grateful for it. May I start by welcoming the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Andrew Griffith) to his place? I had his j…
LE
Luke Evans
The Secretary of State is making a fine maiden speech in his start at the Dispatch Box. As a previously practising doctor, I know that one thing that could really help is using some of the AI we see coming forward in the back office. The previous Government committed to a £3.4 billion NHS productivity plan. Are the Gov…
PK
Peter Kyle
I am grateful for that intervention and welcome the hon. Member to his place, too. The Government take extremely seriously the role that AI and digital technologies have in productivity in all public services and, as my speech unfolds, I hope that he will hear more detail about the scale of our ambition. To take just o…
MW
Max Wilkinson
This is obviously a positive debate, as there are so many benefits for us all. I could not remember 191 passcodes—I struggle to remember my own to log in every day in Parliament—but of course we have to underpin everything that we are talking about in terms of technology with cyber-security. In Cheltenham, we have a 4,…
PK
Peter Kyle
The hon. Gentleman, who I welcome to his place, spent quite a bit of time on his intervention, but I realise that there is simply so much to talk about in his constituency. I pay tribute to the organisations he referenced, including GCHQ and CyNam. The work that they do often goes unthanked, but it is absolutely essent…
Infected Blood Inquiry26 Jul 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
I congratulate you on your elevation, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I thank the Paymaster General for his statement. Can he update the House as to what measures are being put in place to learn the lessons of this scandal, including on the indefensible time it has taken to put it right and on improving mechanisms… for whistleblowing?
Hansard · 26 Jul 2024 · parliament.uk
NT
Nick Thomas-Symonds
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to provide an update on the Government’s progress in responding to the infected blood inquiry’s report. I start by reiterating that the inquiry’s final report laid bare harrowing aspects of the scandal that make it vital that we provide regular updates on this work. T…
JG
John Glen
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I congratulate you on your elevation. I thank the Paymaster General for his statement, and thank him very much for the customarily early sight of his statement this morning. The findings of the infected blood inquiry remain a shameful moment for the British state. First of all, I reiter…
NT
Nick Thomas-Symonds
I am very grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for the characteristically collegiate way in which he approached his perfectly reasonable questions. I shall deal with them one by one. I will certainly push for the debate to be scheduled as soon as possible. It is really important that across the House we are able to com…
CE
Clive Efford
May I congratulate you, Madam Deputy Speaker, on your elevation to your position? I welcome the Minister’s statement this morning, but can he say a little more about how the compensation authority will arrive at its decisions? There is concern that advisers have undue influence on the Cabinet Office and that the voices…
NT
Nick Thomas-Symonds
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his questions. First, may I say that, of course, the voice of victims should be absolutely central to this. I thank Sir Robert Francis for the work that he did in the general election purdah period to ensure that that is the case. I will consider very carefully the recommendations th…
Relations with Ireland24 Jul 2024
AG
Allison Gardner
Whether he has had discussions with the Irish Government on UK-Ireland relations.
Hansard · 24 Jul 2024 · parliament.uk
ED
Emily Darlington
Whether he has had discussions with the Irish Government on UK-Ireland relations.
HB
Hilary Benn
A fortnight ago, the Minister and I met the Tánaiste Micheál Martin in Hillsborough, where we discussed strengthening relations between our two Governments, given the importance of our relationship with Ireland. The Prime Minister and the Taoiseach also held a bilateral meeting ahead of the European Political Community…
HB
Hilary Benn
I congratulate my hon. Friend on the company that she mentioned and the products that it produces. We are committed to protecting the integrity of the UK internal market, so that great firms in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland are able to sell right across the United Kingdom and internationally. Northern Ireland i…
ED
Emily Darlington
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his position, and I hope that he will be able to rebuild those relations that were strained through the Brexit process. Small and medium-sized business in Milton Keynes Central have gone under because of the additional paperwork and restrictions caused by our strained relations wi…
HB
Hilary Benn
There is no doubt that the change in our trading relationship with the European Union has brought additional costs and paperwork for businesses, whether they are selling to the EU or into Northern Ireland. The Windsor framework is the means by which we are trying to manage that. I supported the Windsor framework, negot…
AG
Allison Gardner
Duchess China, which I believe are the suppliers of your excellent commemorative china service, Mr Speaker, is based in my constituency. The Republic of Ireland is an important export market for the company, and Northern Ireland is an important part of its domestic market. How will relations across the Irish sea and th…
